Posts Tagged ‘Nia Los Gatos’
Posted by terrepruitt on January 24, 2012
The Nia Class on Friday that I teach is at a studio that recently re-located from Los Gatos to San Jose. Being in a newish area I found myself dropping by a store I don’t normally frequent. I ended up buying some tea. I know that green tea is supposed to be good for you and I found myself liking Chai, so I was happy to find some Green Tea Chai. Gently spiced with cinnamon and anise. The box also makes statements about ginger, cardamom, and licorice. I thought it just HAD to be good. I had just purchased some honey from a local bee keeper and I was so excited to try the honey with this tea. I came home and made a cup. I was very disappointed. It didn’t taste like anything, except the honey itself (which is fantastic, by the way!). It didn’t have a flavor that I could detect at all. I had been thinking that along with some of the benefits from green tea, I would be getting benefits from the cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, and I would also get some flavor. With all of that in the tea I thought there would be something. Maybe I clearly didn’t see the “gently spiced”. But I was disappointed.
I thought I would try spicing it up myself. So I added my own ginger, cinnamon, and I even added nutmeg. I figured that I would be able to reap the benefits of the spices if I put them directly in my tea. I ended up making a pretty tasty beverage. I would imagine that I could add my own spices to hot water and make any type of “tea” I want. I know it shouldn’t really be called tea as tea is make with actually leaves from a plant and not just spices. All I need to know is it tastes good and it helps keep me warm (it has been a bit cold around here lately).
And, as I said, I can get the benefits from some of the spices. Granted the spices do tend to sink to the bottom of the mug in a wet pile, but if you keep it stirred you actually drink them. That would be the point—to drink them.
One day, I grabbed the cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon — and you frequent readers must know — I DO NOT tolerate spice at all. I don’t like heat. I made a really spicy hot concoction. I saved it for my hubby, because it didn’t TASTE bad it was just to hot for me and I thought he would like it. He did. So I guess I can make him some spicy hot beverages too.
As a reminder, ginger is an anti-inflammatory, so it is good for the body to help keep chronic inflammation at bay. It also has some nutrients and is used as a digestive aid. I usually use the powdered kind for my tea, but when I have the actual root I toss a little piece in my mug.
Cinnamon is also an anti-inflammatory food. I have thought to add it to my coffee before and as stated in this post, my tea, but now I will just start making a spice hot water mix. Cinnamon is also consider a digestive aid. So why not just add some spices to some hot water and see what you come up with? Or add it to your coffee or tea?
Honey and lemon are common things to put in hot water, I think I will try that with some of my spices. Get the whole shebang. Warmth, water, lemon, spices . . . sound like a winner to me. How about you? Spices to drink?
Posted in Food | Tagged: Bay Area Nia, chai tea, cinnamon coffee, cinnamon tea, ginger tea, green tea, hot tea, lemon tea, lemon water, Los Gatos Nia, Nia, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos, Nia San Jose, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, spicy hot drink, tea leaves | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 4, 2011
If you follow me on Twitter, are a Facebook friend of mine, or look at my website, you will have seen that my Nia students and I have been doing Nia in the park. I teach Nia at two different facilities. There is my Monday and Wednesday class that meets at 9:00 am. We meet in a little dance studio in an area of San Jose called Willow Glen. The studio is about 900 square feet, it has a laminate floor and a large mirror. It is long and slightly narrow. It is a nice little place. I have been teaching there for over two and a half years. Some of my students have been dancing Nia with me for that long. In November of 2010 I started teaching Nia on Fridays at a different studio in Los Gatos. It was a different type of studio . . . it was more of an exercise studio where exercise classes are held. They had a separate room for Pilates Reformer classes. Well at the end of August this studio said they were moving. When they would be done with the move and how it all was going to work was very up in the air. At one point I was told by one of the owners that we would only miss one Nia class. So I just decided that one class would be ok to miss. It would not be worth the time involved to secure another place to hold a class. But then the next week we were told it would be at least another week. So I asked my students if they wanted to hold a class in the park. Many students are wanting to participant in Nia three times a week so they said yes. We decided to try it.
Well, I think that not having Nia that one Friday really helped us all realize that we do like to have it three times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday just seems pretty perfect. On the Friday we met in the park we didn’t know how it would go. We didn’t know if the weather would cooperate. We didn’t know if there would be too many people for us to dance on the volleyball court. See that is one thing, I have often entertained the idea of do Nia in a park, because grass really sound likes a great place to dance barefoot. Natures cushioned dance floor. But I have always been concerned about holes, bumps, and ruts. The thought of someone turning their ankle on the grass has always kept me from following through with it. Plus, the idea that was tossed about had always been an evening class. I imagine parks being really busy in the evening.
This park that we have been at is really close to the studio in Willow Glen. There is a basketball court and a volleyball court that have been empty in the mornings. I imagine the basketball court is occupied in the evenings, but while we are there it is empty. The volleyball court is somewhat in the shade and provides us with a smooth flat surface to move on. The park seems rather busy the hour before we arrive. Seems like many loving dog owners take their dogs out for morning exercise. There are mother’s and children at the playground. We have had to dance without music when the lawnmower has obliterated the sound. But that was only once or twice for a song or two.
The studio has been closed for longer than we had anticipated. So we have been doing Nia in the park for four weeks. The weather has been very nice. Once it was warmer than we like, but so far we have had great temperatures. This week it is raining. The forecast is saying that it will be sunny on Friday, but we will see. The studio has also announced that it will not be open for two more Fridays. So we might get this week in at the park and next week. I have been leaving it up to my students. If they tell me they are going to be there, then I say, I will be there too!
I have really enjoyed our time at the park. I sort of wish that we could do it there all year, but with winter coming, although winters in the San Fransisco Bay Area are not full of snow, we do get rain and I don’t think we want to dance in the rain. So I am sad that our time in the park is ending. I hope that we will be inspired to do Nia in the park again at some point after these next two weeks. I am really doing it because my students wanted to do it because we love Nia. I know that some classes take place on the beach and other outdoor places. I am so happy that I have been able to experience Nia outdoors and share it with my students.
Yeah, this is me sharing. 🙂
Posted in Nia | Tagged: beach Nia, dance studio, Facebook, helpyouwell.com, Los Gatos Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia Los Gatos, Nia Movement, Nia San Jose, Nia students, Nia studio, Nia Teacher, Nia website, Nia workout, park Nia, Pilates, Pilates reformer, San Francisco Bay Area Nia, SF Bay Nia, Twitter, Willow Glen Nia | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 26, 2011
Oh wow! Last night we went to a mystery party. It was so fun. I really was just amazed at the craziness of the character and the twists and turns and just all that was going on. Since this is a public blog, I don’t want to tell too much because I never know who is reading this and if you were invited to a mystery party with this story line and you got all the details here that wouldn’t be fun. It was my first party like that and so I was a bit overwhelmed to say the least.
We were on a ship in the 1700’s and we all had goals to accomplish, with abilities, secrets, and information. Oh and we had “items too”. And EVERYONE was looking for something. It was hilarious. It was fun and I am telling you this because I was so involved in it I forgot to post a placeholder for anyone doing the Ten Minute Workout. But alas, it doesn’t look as if that was a problem.
I just did mine, but I am going to tell you I actually took out the lunges. Yes, yes, I know, one of the prime exercises to target the glutes, but it is my foot that I am trying to save. I have been practicing a Nia routine called Sexi. I am thinking about doing it this week and it has a lot of ball of foot. A LOT! So much so that I might wait until Wednesday to do it, so that I can do it once for my San Jose Nia Class and then once for my Los Gatos Nia Class. Then have a few days where I am not doing it. Then pick it up again the following week. One of my students requested it.
Which reminds me: YES, there is Nia in San Jose at 9 am on Monday, the Fourth of July. So come on over. Many people have that day off so join us. It will be fun. We will be doing Sexi! And Sexi is sexy and fun.
Even though I didn’t do lunges I did target my glutes with the ol’ donkey kick. But I added some weights to see how that worked. Remember those donkey kicks?
So what about you? Did you do the ten exercises? Did you do ten minutes of any exercise? That is a great start/addition/quickie. So let me know.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: 4th of July, donkey kicks, Fourth of July, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Nia Class, lunges, mystery dinner, mystery party, Nia class, Nia Class in San Jose, Nia Los Gatos, Nia routine, Nia San Jose, quikie, San Jose Nia, Sexi | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 17, 2011
I have my Los Gatos Nia class today. I have this idea (before I go to bed) that I will get up and do my Ten Minute Workout before I go to my class. We will see. Even if I do, you know that I can’t (I just can’t because I will get sucked in to the vortex of the internet) turn on my computer to do my check in.
But you can check in. That is why I do this post shortly after midnight so it can be here for the “other staters” and early morning people to check in. So, go ahead, share something. 🙂
Oh, and thank you.
Happy Friday!
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June 17, 2011 at 9:20 am
I decided to do my ten minute workout this morning. I didn’t do two sets of the lunges because the first set confirmed for me why I usually do it after my class. I have my foot in ice water as I type. I am not sure I will turn on my computer. I am putting this in the comments and will copy it into the post when I do turn on my computer. I might have to turn it on this AM for something.
Well? How is it going? Are you seeing any changes? Have you had to make any adjustments? Are you seeing any improvements?
Today and yesterday I actually did the workout from exercise 10 to 1. I started with the stability ball pass and ended with lunges. I like it that way too.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: Los Gatos Nia, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos, ten minute workout, ten minute workout checking, workout class | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 13, 2011
Helloooooooooo. I have my Monday morning San Jose Nia Class today at 9:00 am. I am not a morning person, maybe you have figured that out from my posts. By “morning person” I mean I don’t go bed by 10:00 pm and automatically wake up a 6:00 am or 7:00 am. I CAN get up in the morning and I DO get up in the morning when I have a Nia class to teach. I like to be up in enough time so that I can drink some coffee and review my routine. I like to leave in time for me to get there fifteen minutes early. So even though my Ten Minute Workout is only ten minutes I do not get up early enough to do it and all the other things I have to do. I also don’t get up early enough to even turn on my computer. I am posting this after midnight before I go to bed. I have made it a rule that I cannot turn on my computer in the morning on Mondays and Wednesdays because then I get caught up in doing work on it and I don’t get all that I have to get done before I have to leave to teach my 9 am Nia class.
On Fridays, my Los Gatos Nia class is late enough that I could get up and do my Ten Ten in Ten before, but at this point, by Friday my foot/toe is reminding me that it is still not 100% and so I “save” up my toe/foot for my class. I want to give my Nia students 100% so I don’t do my workout before. When my toe IS at 100% I will definitely do some exercising before my class because on Fridays I tend to get home in the afternoon and I have other things to do. I end up not getting to the workout until way late.
Ha . . . all of this is really just a placeholder to allow you to check in and to tell you . . . . . . I WILL BE BACK!
Well, how is it going for you this Monday morning?
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June 13, 2011 at 3:35 pm
I did my ten minutes. I did it about an hour ago.
Any one else do their’s too?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: early morning workout, Los Gatos Nia, morning workout, Nia, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, San Jose Nia, teach Nia, ten minute workout, workout | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 14, 2011
After my Los Gatos Nia Class yesterday I went to the store. I wanted to get some food to take to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life today. I grabbed a bunch of celery for a snack. I think people like celery. I don’t. But I didn’t realize how much I didn’t like it until I started cutting it and washing it. I do not like celery. As I was dealing with it I kept thinking, “What a useless vegetable.” Well, I don’t really think that is true. I mean it has to be good for something besides as a filler in casseroles, salads, and soups. So . . . . to the cloud. Ok not really because I don’t even know what that is, but I definitely decided to look it up. Since I am going to be gone all day today at the walk, I thought I would jot down my celery education as my Saturday blog post. Yay!
As I think back on so many things (soups, salads, and casseroles) that I didn’t like as a child I realize it is because they had celery in them. I realize when I cook these things myself, I love them because I don’t put celery in them. But, as I truly believed, celery is not useless. The stalk, root, leaves, and seeds can all be used.
Celery (the stalk) is a great source of vitamin K and vitamin C. A cup can provide you with 2.04 grams fiber. Do people normally eat a cup of celery when they eat celery?
Celery contains nutrients that have been linked with lowering blood pressure, reducing high cholesterol, and helpful in preventing cancer. The phthalides are the compounds that help with lowering blood pressure. The vitamin C helps with the immune system. I’ve posted before about how chronic inflammation is associated with many diseases, vitamin C help reduce inflammation by helping contain free radicals, so does the coumarins also found in celery.
According to Wiki celery is like peanuts in that people who are allergic to it can have a very bad reaction as people with peanuts do. As with peanuts people who are allergic to celery can get a reaction from something that has been used to process it. Stalks, seeds, and roots all have varying degrees of potency.
As I was cutting the celery, just the smell was bothering me. And it is like an onion, not as strong, but once it gets your hands you can’t wash it off. I probably washed my hands at least 10 times in the course of my preparation of snacks for the walk and it never came off. As I was cutting it I kept thinking, “Peppery.” Not sure why. Since I was getting so disgusted while dealing with it, I thought, “Is it REALLY that bad?” So I cut a small piece off to taste it. I put it in my mouth and bit down. Yup, it IS that bad. I spit it out. I just do not like celery.
I did have celery soup a couple of times and I did like that so I don’t know what that means. Except that I WILL be trying my hand at making the soup but I will not be adding celery to anything I make. Any fans out there? Do you eat it raw? Do you disguise the taste by filling it with cream cheese? Or peanut butter? Do you cook with it?
Thanks, as always, for letting me share. And thanks, in advance, for sharing back. 🙂
Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: American Canser Society, casseroles with celery, celery salad, celery seed, celery soup, celery stalk, chronic inflammation, cream cheese, free radicals, Los Gatos Nia, lowering blood pressure, Nia, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos, peanut allergy, preventing cancer, Relay For Life, vitamin C, walk snacks | 18 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 29, 2011
There seems to be so many reasons one can get hiccups they don’t really know what EXACTLY causes them. What happens when you have the hiccups is the diaphragm contracts repeatedly. Sometimes when we suck air in really fast we make the “hic” sound. I know sometimes I have very loud hiccups. Sometimes they are so strong they hurt. I don’t really like the hiccups, they are disruptive. There are many remedies to get rid of the hiccups. I have one that I use and it works EVERY SINGLE TIME.
One remedy is to eat a package of sugar . . . . at least that is one that I know of. A package of sugar is less than a teaspoon. I have never tried it, but my husband, the person that told me about it, has used this method. He said it works.
My sure-fire cure for the hiccups is drinking water. The trick is to drink the water with your ears plugged. So you either need someone to help you or you need a straw. Plug your ears and drink through the straw or have someone plug your ears for you. I drink as much water as I can before I have to take a breath of air. They go way . . . . every time. I have never had this method fail me.
What is your method? Or what have you heard of? What have you tried that didn’t work?
On an unrelated note — please remember my Nia Class in Los Gatos where I will be collecting donations for the American Cancer Society – Relay for Life is April 17th. If you are local, I hope to see you there.
Posted in Helpful Hints, Misc | Tagged: contracting diaphragm, diaphragm contractions, disruptive hiccups, donations for American Cancer Society, hiccup, hiccup cure, hiccup remedy, hiccups, Los Gatos Nia, loud hiccups, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos, painful hiccups, Relay For Life, sugar hiccup remedy, workout in Los Gatos | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 17, 2011
I know there is so much going on right now–our hearts are heavy with the burden of caring for Japan, its people, and the surrounding areas. I know a lot of people are not able to help financially with all of the charities and causes they would like. I found myself in a situation. My friend’s sister posted on Facebook that she was going to do the Relay for Life in memory of her sister. I was on my phone when I read the post and I told her I wanted to do it too. I didn’t even know what it was. I didn’t understand the “relay” part of it. When I got to a computer and I was gathering information someone said to me that it is difficult to raise money. I stopped. I had not thought about that. I was just thinking that I would be walking to support. I had completely forgot that part of that support is raising funds.
Then my friends and I had a discussion about our annual MS Walk. We have been walking in the MS Walk for at least three years now. We were discussing how it is always difficult to ask for money. Having to raise funds for the MS Society and having to obtain donations for the Relay would make it more of a challenge.
I thought about it. I thought, “What can I do?” What can I give so that others can get something for donating? Well, for the Relay for Life I thought of a benefit Nia Class. I contacted a Twitter Friend of mine that owns a gym. I approached him with what I would be able to pay in rent, in order to have some left over for the donation. He has a big heart and he is donating the gym time. (SUHWEET!) I am donating my time, so 100% of all proceeds are going to go to the American Cancer Relay for Life. I will be walking in May.
But I don’t want my walk in April for the MS Society to be forgotten either. So I have to mention that too.
Also the studio in Los Gatos where I teach my Friday Nia class is also doing a Relay For Life walk. I am hoping to do that one too, somehow, but it is on the same day as the MS Walk and I will be unavailable that day so I have to see if I can participate in this Relay on Friday by walking Friday night OR just by raising funds. I have to work out these logistics before I post that link.
For the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life that my friend is doing for her sister and my friend, come to my Nia Class Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 11:30 am in Los Gatos. The minimum donation is $7.00 — all of which will go to the American Cancer Society. Please see my website, HelpYouWell.com for details. If you can’t make it to the class you can donate via the following link if you would like.
If you would like to donate to my walk with the MS Society that if great too. It is understandable that you will probably have to pick one to donate to. So follow your heart. Remember giving to these causes is an act of love, so please do not give more than you comfortable can. We all would like to give hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but that is not possible, so remember every little bit counts so give what you can.
If money is not something you can give, then please do think positive thoughts for both of these causes. I know that they will be needing all the help they can get.
MS Walk: Saturday, April 30, 2011 http://bit.ly/terremswalk
American Cancer Society Relay For Life: Saturday, May 14, 2011 http://bit.ly/terreacsrelay
Posted in Misc, Nia | Tagged: American Cancer Society Relay for Life, donations, Friday Nia Class, funds, Japan charities, Los Gatos Gym, MS Society, MS Walk, Nia benefit Class, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 12, 2011
I believe that I have mentioned before Nia allows us—even encourages us—to do routines with different focuses. I know I have posted about focuses before. This past week I led my classes in the Nia routine called Sanjana. I believe this is a routine created by Debbie Rosas NKA Debbie Rosas-Stewart. It is an awesome routine (well, yeah . . . its Nia). I decided that I would do one of the nine movement forms per class. I know I have posted about Nia’s Nine Movement Forms before, too. I had used some of the movement forms previously with this routine, so I decided the ones we did this week would be ones I had not paired up with Sanjana. Monday in my San Jose Nia class we did the ideas of Moshe Feldenkrais. For Wednesdays Nia class in San Jose we utilized the energy of Tae Kwon Do. My Los Gatos class on Friday experienced Sanjana with the Modern Dance flair.
I love this about Nia. I love that doing the same routine, but doing it with different energies allows for different movement, different sensations. Each movement form has its own energy, that is how we apply them to a routine and come up with something unique. I chose Feldenkrais for Monday because often times participants are a bit sleepy on Monday mornings. Sometimes we prefer something that moves us but something more along the lines of a stretch or a healing art. It could be that too much was done over the weekend or not enough, so Mondays are a little different. With this conscious movement as our guide we were able to focus on the sensation of the body as we moved. The dance was conscious. We could concentrate on areas that needed attention, either from the over-use during the weekend or lack of use. Whatever the case, the idea is ease. Move with ease into one’s own power and strength. This is a gentle movement form but that does not mean it is not intense. We can still move our bodies to get a great strength and/or cardio workout when playing with the healing arts, but it is with greater awareness.
By the middle of the week, Wednesday’s class was perfect for Martial Arts. Nia students have “recovered” from the weekend so the whole body can be used. We have the strength to utilize the power of the Tae Kwon Do energy. The dance can be precise, by this time of the week. Two days are behind, only three are left (class is in the morning), the desire and focus needed to push on is there. Sanjana has great opportunity for dynamic ease to be exercised. There are katas that allow for the fluid moves of martial arts with dance, kicking, punching, blocking, and striking. In fact the “Exercises” listed in The Nia Technique White Belt Manual* under the Tae Kwon Do craft seems as if they were written expressly for Sanjana.
Friday, unknown to me at the time I planned my dance week, was a great day to do Modern Dance. With the tsunami that hit Japan over the night (Thursday night for us, Japan’s Friday) it was a great time for dance. Modern Dance calls you to express yourself. This movement form is one of imagination. You can be big and/or small, fast and/or slow, a tree, a rock, sand, water, air, even a feeling. People can truly dance whatever they want. So while we are still practicing our stances the feelings put into it are those of the participant. Movements led by me are executed by whatever sense is being experienced. Many people had different issues and feelings to work through. Even if some of those feelings were a celebration with the understanding that life is short and precious so we need to celebrate what we have while we have it. This form is that of balance–both on and off, flexibility, strength, power, drama, emotions . . . whatever fits. It was a great way to let our bodies move while our hearts went out to all that were affected.
Nia is awesome like that. We danced the same routine for all three classes this week. With each class it was different while we paired up the routine with different movement forms. While the movement forms were able supply the energy, the “feel”, the sensation that was required for the day.
(Thoughts and prayers go out to ALL that are/were/and will be affected by the earthquake in Japan on March 12, 2011 and the subsequent tsunami.)
*March 2001, V# Page 2-19 thru 2-20
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 2011 tsunami, cardio dance, cardio exercises, cardio workout, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Rosas Stewart, dynamic ease, Feldenkrais, Japan's Tsunami, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Nia Class, March 12, Mondern Dance, Moshe Feldenkrais, Nia cardio, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia focus, Nia katas, Nia Los Gatos, Nia Practice, Nia routine Sanjana, Nia routines, Nia San Jose, Nia Technique, Nia White Belt, Nia White Belt Manual, Nia workout, Nia's movement forms, Nine Movement Forms, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, Sanjana, Tae kwon do, White Belt | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 17, 2011
The focuses of my Nia classes this week were connected to love. Since is was Valentine’s Day this week. Monday’s Nia class the focus was Love with the intent of allowing what was needed. Whether it was to give love to the community, the world, or oneself or to receive love from the community, the world, or for oneself. The playlist was LOVEly. Wednesday the focus was peace. With somewhat the same intent but with the addition of the peace inviting in calm. The playlist was the same . . . love, kisses, and hearts. Tomorrow’s class in Los Gatos the focus will be the fourth chakra, the heart chakra.
The routine I’ve put together allows for the many opportunities to move the upper back, chest and the ribs. Our intent will be move the physical area where the heart chakra is located in order to open the heart chakra. Opening this chakra invites feelings of joy. Joy shares company with calm. With joy and calmness as companions additional positive feelings, sensations, and states of being are experienced such as compassion, prosperity, and abundance. This also allows for connections to peace and harmony.
Also with moving our heart chakra we are enhancing our circulation. Concentration and focus is a powerful tool. While we might move our upper back, chest, and ribs it will undoubtedly affect our circulation but with the additional focus on the fourth chakra we can bring extra attention to it. Bringing whatever healing to our heart chakra that might be needed. This will round out the week of love quite well, I believe.
Posted in Chakras, Nia | Tagged: class focus, class intent, fourth chakra, heart chakra, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Nia classes, love and peace, love chakra, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia focus, Nia intent, Nia Los Gatos, Valentine's Day | 2 Comments »
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