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The Eighth Year
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| You are now seven and the summer has begun. The first day
you were frantic to get school friends over to play, but I insisted it was
a day for you and I. Once I got you into my work and play routine, you quickly
adjusted, as you always do. You are very happy to be on summer vacation.
However every day includes reading and writing and we will visit a tutor
at the library twice a week for an hour to keep you up to speed at school.
The good old days of letting the school do their job no longer applies.
The pressure on parents is as bad as it is on you, but so much for that.
WE ARE ON SUMMER VACATION! A soon as Dadfest is over this weekend, we will
have 2 and one half months of no events for Daddy also. It will be a great
summer to remember! |
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| Will the summer has begun and we have settled into a nice
routine. I forget how compatible we are. Although you would prefer that
I spend every minute of every day with you, you ar5e also content for us
to have a mixture of intense togetherness combined with us doing separate
things. The main together act is that the swimming pool is not something
you want to do by yourself. Me sitting by the pool and watching you is not
acceptable. And when I am in the pool, you must have physical contact with
me at all time. Not real relaxing for Daddy. So it is up to me to come up
with endless dumb water games that delight you to no end. Your mother always
says that I have the natural ability to stay in one place and create games
that make you happy for many many hours. You have welcomed our library times
and you seem to be getting better at reading and math. Later this week your
cousin Bella is coming for 10 days followed by an older cousin, Brianna
for the fourth of July. So you may not be as interested in me as new adventures
await you. I love you. Daddy. (entry of June 23, 2009) |
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| We had 10 days of cousins and daddy's family around the
4th of July. Daddy's family only gets together about once every 3 or 4 years
and there are good reasons why. You had a great time playing with your cousins,
but when it was all over i think you were quite ready to return our normal
boring lives. You were pretty worn out and slept a lot. It was a strain
to have houseguests, but always remeber that no matter where you go in life
and what you do, at the end of the day family will remain the one constant.
I love you. (Entry of July 8, 2009) |
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| Summer is in full swing and you like not being in school.
You still like to wear your many spiderman outfits. It sometimes drives
me crazy because you really like to wear them to public places. I have tried
to talk you out of it, but you are self-assured boy and pay no attention
to me. Last week you insisted on wearing a spiderman outfit to the library.
Once there I finally got it. You were the center of attention and everyone
sent you pocitive energy. The adults thought you were cute beyond belief
and all the kids near you age wished they could dress like that. So I will
no langer give you grief about being spiderman in public. You like being
a super hero. Dad saw a t-shirt the other day that maybe describes the fascination.
It said " I am like a superhero except I do not have any powers or
motivation." It is going to be a hot summer as it seems every day is
over 100. Of course that means you demand more pool time than ever and I
quite frankly am tired of the pool, but here we go again. (Entry of July
13, 2009) |
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| I have always used summer to try to create new habits in
your life. In the past it has been potty training, riding a bike, or wearing
shorts etc. This summer has been the battle of the beds. You learned early
on that you could go to sleep in your bed in your bedroom. However, you
also learned that if you waited until Mom and Dad were asleep you could
come down the hall, crawl into bed between us somewhere between midnight
and 3 a.m. Neither one of us wakes up so we discover your little body when
we wake up. So my campaign this summer is no more Ro in my bed! Period!
You are a master of resistance. I have pulled out every parent trick in
the book. You are seven now and I have explained to you that sven year olds
do not sleep with their parents. I go through all the kids in your class
and clearly declare that they are not sleeping with their parents. How come
you are the only one still doing it. Although you understood, you clearly
did not care what your classmates did and you though it best to blaze your
own path! Rewards and punishements have been flying all around! We make
all kinds of deals. It is all we talk about. You are getting better, but
every now and then I wake up and there you are. growing up is such a difficult
thing! I have explained to you that my nightmare is that ten years from
now I wake up some morning and there is your 17 yeard old body sleeping
next to me. Life is a journey. I am glad I got to go on yours. Love Dad
(Entry of July18, 2009) |
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| You are in church camp this week from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
So here you are hanging out with tons of kids your age doing all sorts of
fun activities for five hours each day. And what is the first thing out
of your mouth once you get in the car? "Daddy, can I have a playdate?
" Of course I then go through the long explanation of the above and
your response is so can I have a playdate? I then reteat into my version
of saying no to you. I had not realized that I had firmly implanted in your
mind my response as on Tuesday as I was busy telling you no way, you lowered
your voice and distinctly imitated me. " I am not your playdate calling
man!" Your imitation was very good and I laughed quite hard, which
means only more mockery is on my way. Love, your playmate calling dad. (Entry
of July 23, 2009) |
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| The battle of the bed continues. You are like a colony
of ants as you have devised more and more sneaky ways to crawl into bed
with us after we are asleep. The easiest thing for me to do would be not
to fight you, but as a parent, I feel obligated to teach you the ability
to sleep all night by yourself. Someday you will have to do it and I don't
want you getting married someday because you don't want to sleep alone.
I would rather it be for some other nebulous reason. I love working in my
office during the summer and listen to you play either by yourself or with
a buddy. Your imagination is strong and the noises and sounds you make are
like music to me. You are growing fast. You are quickly developing cell
phone and computer skills. You love calling either your mom or I on either's
cell phone. Of course you already want a cell of your own. That is mostly
because cell phones are cameras and that is what you like to do bext, take
pictures. I don't how many pictures of your poor old uncooperative dad you
have taken, but there is not a young that doesn't capture the old and tired
part of me. I have yet to say, wow I want a copy of that! Commercials are
what really mess with me. Every once in a while you will say Dad I want
this. The request is usually so random and so far out that I know it is
driven by some commercial you have seen on TV. This week it is a drum set.
That must be part of a Disney show you watch. You have at least started
to get burned out on your usual favorite Tv shows. I know this is true because
you have started to watch the old Hanna Barbera shows of Huckleberry Hound,
Yogi Bear and Quick Draw McGraw. TV must have really been bad when I was
younger because those have to be the worst cartoons ever created. Well two
more weeks of swimmimg and summer fun and then it is back to school. I will
have to start getting you up at 7:30 soon to get you in the school groove.
Right now I let you sleep in as I can get quality work done before you get
up. And there you are standing behind me. The first words out of your mouth
are Daddy why didn't you let me in your bed last night. I got lucky last
night everytime you made an attempt at our bed I just happened to be a wake
and escorted you back to your bedroom. This is not going to be an easy process!.
I love you my son. (Entry of August 10, 2009) |
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| Well you are back in school and you seem to be enjoying
it so far. I think you got the sense I was just not going to hook up enough
contact with boys your age during the summer and that your best chance of
communing with your peers would be at school. We took a trip to six flags
the week before going back. You have no fear of any rides as opposed to
your dad who will not do anything other than the kiddie rides with you.
After three hours there you found the gift shop and you discovered a great
new Batman car and a batman airplane launcher. Once those purchases were
completed, you ready to go home, because there was nothing left at the park
that would equal the joy of opening and playing with your new toys. The
next day heard your mother in the other room say to " Do not hit me
with that! You will lose that toy!" Your response was, "But Mom
it didn't hurt!" I laughed out loud. In your mind you had this great
toy that launched a very soft Batman airplane intio the air. It had much
more value if you could point and hit something with it. So why not? What
we were trying to teach you was pointing and shooting is not something we
want to encourage you to do. Since that time, your batman launcher has not
had the same appeal since you are not allowed to hit anyone with it. Well,
it's time to go to school to pick you up. i love you. (Entry of Aug 28,
2009) |
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| It is now school, school, and more school. At least 1 hour
or more of home work each night and some on the weekend. Plus 1 1/2 hour
of tutoring each week at the school. If you don't learn at this rate I guess
it was not meant to be. Every week you have spelling words. They are extremely
advanced for the second grade and we have to study 20 new ones each week.
It is difficult for your 62 year old father to be back in in the second
grade again. The last time I was in the second grade was 1954. It is crazy
as we have to prove to the school we are being your night time teachers
or we get bad marks. You don't seem to mind most of the time except quite
often you would rather be just a little boy pretending to being sideramn
and playing with your friends. That is your main focus in life, getting
together with your firends. It is a constant battle to set such affairs
up. You get mor eand more grown up everyday. You crack me up often with
what you talk to me about. The other day you had a 2-3 minute conversation
with me as to what you went through and what you think and feel when you
go number 2. It was fascinating and very funny. i wish i had had a comera
going at the time. All is well and my love for you grows day by day. Your
Dad. (Entry of September 22, 2009) |
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| You just seem more grown up every day. Although our feelings
for each other are just as strong, you now seek out the world and prefer
those your age. It has become a full-time job to arrange palydates for you.
But every now and then you send me an email that says Dad, I love you or
you press your face to mine and just squeeze and hug. The look in your eyes
needs no words. I am touched that I can feel your love and my life is blessed
for it. My lovely boy. You have life wonderful. Love your dad. (Entry
of October 9, 2010) |
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| Daddy had the great oppiortunity to work with you all day
at my last eent, the tyler Half. It was great fun. Normally daddy is all
over the place at my events and I cannot keep track of you so we put you
in some stationary place. We take you to all our events because we want
to give you a sense of the joy of work and production. Work is one of the
necessary evils in life and it is not really the job that is important but
how you relate to it and do so with a happy heart. Anyway, Daddy did not
get a lead vehichle lined up for the runners in the half marathon so that
is what you and daddy did most of the morning. It was your job to let me
know if the lead runner was getting too close as often I was having to talk
on the phone to other staff members of the event. You did excellent work.
About half way through the 13 mile course, you informed me that you had
to pee. The look I gave you was I am sure priceless! Fortunately, we just
happened to be near one of our port-o-lets on the course so I sped up way
ahead of the lead runner so you could get out and pee before they caught
up. Whever I had to get out of the car to talk to anyone or fix something
that had fallen over, you were there to help me. Often though I was afraid
you were going to be on the road and get hurt. It was an exciting time for
both of us. It is a memory I will always treasure. My little boy is growing
up and I look forward to each adventure. With all my love, your dad. (Entry
of October 21, 2009) |
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He likes to take Pictures - Taken at 2009 Tyler Half
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| I have never really pushed you to do anything and rather
wanted you to grow and develop at your own pace. Although we have had a
bike for you for several years, you have showed little interest in it. This
week you did and I said well you are 7 years old so we will be taking the
training wheels off. You were not too sure about that and ywet the day I
did it you started riding your bike and have become quite proficient in
a short time. So now riding bikes are your main interest. Yesterday you
and I went together on bikes. We must have ridden about a mile or so in
our neighborhood and you let me know that was enough for you. You are very
happy to be doing something like this with your dad and so am I. This has
also become the year for :"comfy pants". If you are not in shorts
you prefer the soft flannel type pants. I am afraid your regular jeans are
going to waste as you will put them on about twice a month now. Halloween
was a great time for you. We went over to the parents of one of your friends
and many from your class got together and went as a group. It was kind of
funny because you got a plastic pumpkin full of candy and we got done we
went back home. Well it was still early enough that we had some kids coming
to our door. We had not planned to be at home so you volunteerd your candy
and before we knew it, you had given away all your candy. It did not bother
you in the least and I really admire that about you. With the exception
of a few treasured toys, you do not seem that attached to the "stuff"
of life and welcome sharing with others. You are joy! My love, Dad (Entry
of November 2, 2009) |
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| Do it again, Dad! One of the great joys of fatherhood is
you are the only person in the world, that after I spend minutes tickling,
hitting, pushing, turning upside down, and bouncing all over the place,
when I stop. you turn and look to me and always say do it again! If I did
these same things to any other human on this planet, I would be hit back,
cussed at or have someone mad at me. If I could just get your Mom in the
same mental place as you, what a world this would be. Each day I look forward
to doing something with you that makes you say, "Do it again, Dad!"
(Entry of November 15, 2009) |
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| Your Mom, you and I went to a wedding for one of Mom's
co-workers. It was the first time you had ever experienced the pagentry
of a wedding. You were quite fascinated. First of all I think it was the
only time since your birth that we both had ties on. You asked if I was
going to wear a suit like you and I said no. You asked if I even owned a
suit and so I went into a closet and dug out 3 suits. Unfortunately I bought
these suits at the heighth of my running days and I weighed about 30 pound
ligher and they did not even come close to fitting. So no suit and definitely
will be joining weight watchers in 2010! We had a great time at the wedding
and it was fun for all. (Entry of December 9, 2010 |
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| Christmas was a whirlwind this year. Your older cousin
Brianna visited us for over a week during the Christmas week. When she was
little girl Mom and Dad spent tons of time with her until she moved to North
Carlina when she was 11. Our Christmases were alsways spent with her and
her parents. It was a real joy to have her back with us again. So we had
lots of fun doing many Christmas things. We went to see the ice sculpture
exhibit and went to many movies. Your visit to Santa was perfect. You now
are not as afraid of Santa but still not certain what that white bearded
man is all about. We got the greatest picture of you reading your Christmas
list to Santa. the best part of the list was that you had hand written it
yourself and most of all the 3 items you asked for Santa provided. Your
greatest desire was to get a bigger bike and indeed you did! Of course it
has been freezing cold since then and you and Dad have only gotten to ride
bikes a few times. Hopefully it will warm up soon and we can ride again.
We put up many lights outside and of course had our usual ton of stuff inside.
The best part of Christmas was just being together and playing a lot. Happy
New Year son. You run 8 soon and are growing up way too fast. Love, dad
(Entry of January 9, 2010) |
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| You are developing you own sense of clothing
style now. You do not like jeans and prefer the sweat pants you refer to
as comfy pants. basicly you seek to travel the world in clothing that is
similar to pajamas. Comfort rates above fashion. You'll never realize how
hard it is to find comfy pants for a small 7 year old. Mom & Dad do
not walk into any clothing store without checking the possibilities. You
are a bit better when it comes to shirts as you prefer yellows and blues
mostly. You still eat like a bird and we have no wrries about you being
overweight. I am sure the day will come soon when you will turn into an
eating machine. This wee we went to friend of yours' brithday party and
it was at an indoor water park. Two hours of non-stop swimming! What a great
time that was! I am pleased that you are getting better and better about
clening up after yourself and unless a friend comes over to play your room
harfly ever is messy nor unkempt. Life is all about school and spelling
and all that stuff with an hour or two in the playground afterwards with
your friends. Not a bad life. I love you. (entry of January 24, 2010) |
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| You got to be a snow bunny last week as we
got a once in a lifetime snow fall in Dallas. A foot of snow fell at our
house. We tried to make a snowman as everyone in our neighborhood had created
snow works of art in front of every other house. Needless to say ours was
a failure. We had fun though and we had a great snowball fight. As we were
driving home from school that day I was telling the story of when I was
your age and in Montana we had snow all the time anf built snow forst and
snowball wars. At the end of the story in a quiet voice you said, Daddy,
I want to have snowball wars with you. So we had snowball wars. It has been
a cold winter and both you and I are getting cabin fever as we don't get
out much. You got your new Trek bike for Christmas and it has been difficult
for you not to be out riding it. You are always a more happy cjild when
you get lots of outside play time. But of course you are mostly good no
matter what the conditions, because you are the best son in the world! I
love you. Dad (Entry of February 18,2010) |
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| Don't know the reason why, but you are suddenly
flexing your spelling skills, not always correctly but you are trying. You
will come out of the office and ask me how to spell long words and then
rush back into your computer to either compose an email or to write note.
You like to write your mom and dad notes. often it is to tell us how much
you love us. Note writing is a good thing. Dad. (Entry of February 22,
2010) |
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Daddy was announcing at an event and my buddy was
with me!
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| It's been a long cold winter. You got a great
new big boys bike for Christmas and you really want to ride your bike to
school. All week because it has been warming up you have been asking about
it, I knew the day was coming. But you are a typical boy and that would
mean actually getting up out of bed earlier and getting yourself dressed
without us pushing you to get ready. Today you came out ready to go, so
we rode our bikes to school together. Daddy did not feel the greatest, but
the chance to ride bikes with you toschool was worth any inconvenience on
my part. I am happy I have the strength and energy to do such things. Whe
we got to school you let me know your chin was cold. You may wait for it
get a bit warmer before our next ride to school. Spring Break starts tomorrow.
10 days of doing nothing! I love you (Entry of March 11, 2010) |
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| March and April are always a blur for me as
it is when my biggest events take up all my time and energy. On one hand
it is what feeds us. On the other I do not have time or energy to spend
quality time with you. Spring break is maybe a break for you but not me.
I have moved one of my events out of March next year and I am hiring more
people to maybe make it better. You are at the age that I really don't want
to miss a single moment of your life, because I fear that as you grow older
you will make sure that I am missing more and more. This year was even stranger
than others. Because you are young birthdays are exciting and you count
the days to the next birthday. It doesn't even have to be your own. Since
your mom's is in March and mine is in April and then yours in May, you celebrate
a three month festival of birthdays. This year mine fell on the day of the
Big d Texas Marathon so we were all working. The day before you called my
cell phone while I was setting up the event site. "Daddy, What kind
of cake do you want for your birthday?" you asked excitedly. There
was nothing I could say but twll you that it had to be chocolate, because
I knew that is what you wanted and nothing was more important than you being
happy on my birthday. (Entry of April 13, 2010) |
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| The subject of this entry has weighed on my
mind since my last one. I have tossed the words around in my head that I
am about to write for over a week. As I have written in past entries, school
has been a strugglwe for you although I think you have done wonderfully
but today's school is not like school when Daddy went. So searching for
any answer we can to help you in school, we have asked our school to test
you and test you the past 3-4 months to see if they could indetify if there
is a diagnosis that would help identify where your road blocks are then
from that point teach and train you with that information in hand. So we
got the results. We have some answers but in many ways many more questions.
In today's world terms like ADD and ADHD and lord knows what other term
are so easily applied to kids who they just can't figure out why they are
not as fast or brilliant than most others. So the word assigned to you was
autism. This allows the school to make accomodations for you and help you
progress. It is just a word to me, because you have no behavioral or avoidance
issues nor do you seem do have any kind of social disconnect. So for now,
you are not my son with autistic tendencies, but still the same sweet lovable
son who is the center of my universe. Our life together is going to be an
adventure. This is another. The word autism is not a word that you will
hear from me in your presence. How I feel about you can never be defined
by term that describes a diagnosis. I love you. Your Dad (Entry of April
22, 2010) |
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| At my ancient age, I think perhaps I have reached
an understanding on what value means. Do not put your value or value system
into things. Things or the "stuff" we need to make ourselves be
happy are very difficult to control. Real value should be based on being
in the now and with another who wants to be in the same now. I say all these
wordy things, because I struggle to describe how heavenly and wonderful
each moment that I spend with you really is. When I am gone, know that I
have taught you how to be in sync with and in love with another human being.
If I leave you 10 million dollars it will not be as valuable. I hope someday
you read this and I ask you to pay no heed to my words, but focus in the
picture just a few lines above this entry. You and dad...happy and at peace
with life. All my love Lewis A. Geogre (entry of April 30, 2010) |
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| You love to dress up as a super hero of one
kind or another. I asked you one time why you wanted powers and to be a
superhero, you replied, I want to help people, Daddy. So anyway, you are
growing fast and are outgrowing some of your spiderman and batman costumes.
You still wear them even when they are 3 inches above your ankle. This weekend
we went and bought you a gray costume from Iron Man 2 so you now look like
a character out of that movie. You are so happy! You were it everywhere,
but it is a bit warm for you so often you take it off and then arrange the
costune with the iron mask on the floor so you can look at it. I asked you
one time as you were headed back to our bathroom," Ro, where are you
going?" Your response, " To look at myself in the mirror."
Life is grand! My Love, Dad (Entry of May 3, 2010) |
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Another year has zoomed by! We have just had the Ro birthday
celebration week. Boy do you know we are happy to have you with us! You
are now 8. So after this entry Dad moves on to Year 9! We had all your
friends over for a swimming party at your house and it was a wild a great
celebration for you. You had some trouble understanding why we had your
party on May 15 and not on your real brithdate of May 17. It was hilarious
as you have so many super hero costumes now that all the boys could put
on one of your outfits. It was a hoot to see so many 8 year old super
heroes in the house. Your latest fixation is Iron Man. Between friends
and family you can now outfit 4 Iron man's. You could have a convention.You
also got the gift you wanted the most a special wrist device from ben
10 called an armitrex. I am probably mis-spelling that but that is how
it sounds when you say it.More on that later.The following day, we went
to see Iron Man 2. Mom played a birthday dirty on you at the restaurant
after the movie. She had the waiters bring over a cake and 5 of them sang
happy brithday to you. You dove under the table and did not come out until
they left. I made sure you knew that was mom's doing and not mine. So
them Monday the 17th we had just a mom and dad and Ro celebration. Then
the following Saturday all your mom's family came over for another swim
party with more gifts and cake.Then the day after we went to have your
annual photo taken at a photogapher. We took your best Iron Man cosutume
with full helmet. it turned out to be th greatest. It will hang over your
bed. i hope it is something you will always remember as in the picture,
all you can see of you is your eyes. The rest looks like the real deal.
At the pohtographer I stood outside waiting on the pictures and I was
wearning your Ben 10 Armitrax on my wrist. i noticed that every boy that
walked by me gave a double take take and stared at me. It took a few instances
before I realized, they could not believe a grown man was wearing one!
(Entry of May 23, 2010)
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| One last entry. This week we both got sick.
I think the celebration took us down. i got it first. A bad cold with fever
and coughing. i was determined not to pass it on to yu. So I kept my distance
and we did not touch or come near each other for 3 days. To no avail. You
got it anyway! On the second day you came to me and send daddy when I can
I touch you again! Since we are in touch contact a lot we bothwere misisng
each other. Once you got really sick, you looked at me and said, Dady now
we are even. i replied Oh Ro this is never a place you want to get even
with daddy. I know next time I will not withdraw when sick. Either you get
or you don't. You mad me laugh one day during your bad days as I found you
istanding in our freezer. I asked wht you were doing and you said I need
to great rid of the heat daddy. On day you were so week that when I asked
you a question, you used your finger in the air to spell n-o. Even when
we are suffering we make each other laugh. At the end of it all, the last
two days you have been home from school and you and dday have been housebound
with one another. Could not imagine a better way to spend a day. I love
you my 8 year old boy! (Entry of May 25, 2010) |
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