Speckles n Spectrum

back to basics seemingly-banal adventures of an eclectic modern muser...

"Learning from the Past, Hopes for the Future, and a Life's Journey of making the most of what's at hand."

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Showing posts with label Oragon Bikol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oragon Bikol. Show all posts

Mt. Isarog, Southern Luzon's highest forested peak, is a stratovolcano which is 1, 966 meters above sea level and located in Camarines Sur, Philippines. The mountain spreads out within Naga City and six municipalities namely Tinambac, Calabanga, Tigaon, Pili, Goa and Ocampo. (see Mt. Isarog National Park)


Mt. Isarog National Park actually caters for adventure junkie, environmentalist or just anybody who wants to enjoy the environment with luscious forest, wild life, beautiful scenery of natural falls and springs.

Mt. Isarog is actually a favorite destination of mountain hikers and trekkers or environmental folks for it has both the offering for thrill seekers and science studies for the different floras and faunas that can be found within the mountain.

My friends and I during high school frequented the Malabsay Falls which is very accessible since it's only  a few minutes jeepney ride from downtown Naga City and about an hour walk to reach the falls. I've been there quite so many times even during my college days just for the mere fun of hiking.

The last time I went there has been a long time ago and the last time I went mountain hiking was December of 2008 in Tarlac for my previous company's outreach program that's why when Ateneo Eagles, Inc. an environmental organization decided to have a Nature Trip & Clean-up Drive and chose Consocep I was actually hesitant at first.

Consocep is a barangay in the town of Tigaon, Camarines Sur hence the name Consocep Mountain Resort. I've been there quite a few times too and I must say it's always been a difficult hike for me compare to Malabsay, Nabuntulan and other falls. There's actually a pavement but what makes it difficult for me I guess is its steepness. But then I always come back and give it a go because of the waterfalls.

If you want to visit Consocep Falls from Manila  you can go by bus or by plane. Bus will take you 8 hours so I assumed you'll prefer to fly, right? You can book a flight to Pili Airport (the nearest one) or via Legazpi City Airport and that will only take less than an hour, more specifically 45-minutes for the former. From either of the two you need to have your own vehicle or rent a jeepney, van or taxi to get you to Consocep and fetch you right back.

This is the drop-off and pick-up point.
The Entrance Fee is only PHP 15.00 per person.
The hike is composed of minutes of walking up and down of these narrow almost 2000 steps.

Kawa-Kawa Falls is the easiest to reach. Most of the hike was downhill that you'll be adoring it soon enough without breaking a sweat. 

Kawa-Kawa is derived from kawali or wok because of its shape.
This is also the best spot to conduct group activities 
and picnics for the whole group or even families with little kids. 




It is just sad that with all the good things nature is giving us some people just don't care about caring back and doing more harm than good to the environment. We found all these trash all over the place despite the fact that there are available sacks just around the corner that serve as garbage bags or trash cans. 








After the group activity and lunch we head on to the next falls and we passed by this stone marking along with the tree house...


Climb at your own risk: The tree house is still fine but you have to decide 
whether you can handle going up  unstable stairs with missing steps. 


Bulalacao Falls: Bulalacao means shooting star. 
The falls was called "bulalacao" because of  the great impact and rapid fall of its water.


After swimming for a while off we go to the 3rd falls... Tumaguiti Falls is actually my favorite among the three because of the amazing view composed of trees, leaves and beautiful rock formation.


Tumaguiti or taguiti is the bicol term for drizzle 
and truly the water coming from the  falls are like droplets of rain.
We went back quarter to 4:00 in the afternoon just right on time for our service
and this is my last view from outside the Consocep Mountain Resort.

There are actually a lot of things Camarines Sur or Bicol in general has to offer not just wakeboarding or CWC (Camarines Sur Watersports Complex.) I know I sounded like a travel ad there but well I'm just saying the truth and if you're a nature lover I'm pretty sure Mt. Isarog won't fail you.

Btw since I lack exercise for quite sometime now the hike had hurt my legs so bad that I wasn't able to walk perfectly again for about 4 days but it was worth it. I'm definitely going back whenever there's a chance and I know I badly needed to stretch out these limbs hehe

When was the last time you went into a nature trip or just stop for a while and smell the roses? (cheesy) I just meant to ask when was the last time you took the time to appreciate nature?

P.S.
For more photos check out Speckles n Spectrum Facebook Page


Consocep Mountain Resort
Mount Isarog, Tigaon, Camarines Sur
Tel (c/o Provincial Tourism Office) (054)4773172
Cellular (0919)4227009

Sm Little Stars is the ultimate kiddie talent search open for all cute, photogenic/telegenic, charming, talented kids with pleasing personality ages 4 to 7 from June 13 to August 28, 2011 at different SM Malls nationwide.

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Application forms are available at the Mall' Administration Office at any branch of SM Supermalls. The form can also be downloaded at www.smsupermalls.com 

All applicants are required to make a purchase worth P200 on SM Department Store Children's Wear brands within the promo period thats from June 13 to July 17, 2011.

Audition Dates: July 2, 3, 16, and 17, 2011

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Requirements: 
  • filled-up application form signed by the parents
  • present proof of accumulated purchases/OR
  • original and photocopy of Birth Certificate
  • 2 copies of 4R size picture - a close up shot and full body shot taken with light make-up
For more info just drop by at SM or visit their website. For interested parties in Bicol contact the event coordinator, Tita Sharona of Hair Majesty Salon.

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Located in front of E-Mall and adjacent to Bolofers.




The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Camarines Sur Chapter organized a fun run dubbed as "Takbo Para sa Katarungan" also known as "Takbo Para sa Legal Aid" at 5:30am of June 26, 2011. 

This is part of the fund raising project for the Free Legal Aid Program of the IBP - Cam Sur Chapter as mentioned.





Registration fee includes the race bib and this singlet .
  • The fun run is open for all who are able and physically fit. 
  • There will be 3 race categories:   
  1. 3 km (15 years of age and below) 
  2. 5 km
  3. 10km
  • Entry forms must be signed by parents or guardians for minor participants.
  • Runners 16 years of age and above who wants to join the 3k will be allowed but not as a competing entry.
  • Registration period is until June 25, 2011.



For further inquiries call or text
09174087696 or 09082269161/4732042 (IBP Office)
or simply drop by at the 2nd floor of SM Naga foodcourt. 

Disclaimer: I won't be joining the fun run but I support the cause.

I couldn't think of any better title than quoting Bertrand Russell's Time you enjoy wasting isn't wasted time”  for my yesterday's happening. I was supposed to attend a NO TO MINING IN PLALAWAN Signature Campaign but alas! the booth hasn't been set-up and therefore nothing to do but waste time.

Instead of being upset and start grumbling like an eight-year old I manage to focus more on positive things. I think this is what I do best for most part of my life, seeing beauty midst the disappointments. Yeah that other quote too which is becoming one of my favorites:

 "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to dance in the rain--- anonymous

So I did dance in the rain except it wasn't really rain. It was easy for I'm now the type that if I were stuck, let's say in Afghanistan I'm going to go sightseeing and  take it as a photo op and maybe learn and investigate or write about how to live the terrorist way or the Bin Laden way... hehe or take it as a good time to catch up on my reading.

----------------------------------------------------
Am going to break this story in a few blog entries for there just too many things to talk about so here's the first installment. Yay, am like J.K. Rowling now wahahaha, there's part 1 and part 2 and so on... (you wish aby!)

The question is will I get the same enthusiasm to continue this after another day? No clue but hope so, crossing my fingers now.
----------------------------------------------------

My visit wasn't really wasted for I am very much happy that at such a long time I'm back again in my Alma mater. This time I'm no longer camera shy so picture-taking it is! I've visited all my favorite places to hang out then. I was even amazed that a few people still remember me after six years of being a graduate, WOW! Yeah just Wow! I'm so amazed and grateful for that.


I'll share a few stories why oh why out of the thousands students who passes this gate years and years the guard has recognized me. Simply because I'm a frakkin' law breaker, oh ok don't be exagge just broken a few rules here and there... hehe.

I'm a notorious driver meaning I don't have a gate pass sticker yet I always manage to get in the campus with my scooter and off the speed limits. When I'm in the mood for some kicks I drive in places where scooters aren't supposed to be running. I used to park in a place where it isn't allowed (says who I've seen a few motorcycles parked there too?) and therefore my day almost always ends up in the guard house claiming my scooter that they've impounded. Then I won't do it for a few days then back to normal again after a few more days or I just managed to find another hiding place for my scooter but still inside the campus... bahaha.

Then there's the not in uniform days and wearing slippers almost all the time and the "I forgot my I.D." darn thing.

They say familiarity breeds contempt but it's the other way around for me. I get my way out of sticky situations because of regular encounters with these guys. Oops wait for dirty minds, everything was casual and  platonic (I was a tomboy then so we're all friends.) I didn't date or talk to anyone of them more than 30 minutes or so and the longest chit chat is still about me begging for them to let me off the hook for my no sticker, illegally parked scooter... hehe.


Then there's Tiya where I got my halo, rice with dinuguan toppings. Too bad she's not selling anything like that now because things are getting pricey and she couldn't afford to sell food that cheap now, according to her. But there's still dinuguan available and I had my taste of her lumpia once again and betamax in the next stall. Woohoo I felt like I'm college again. Too bad the sago drinks are no longer here too.

Somehow some things will never change like the warmth of people and the memories brought by everyone and the places we've been. But for the rest I guess...

... time really changes things and truly they just come and go.

It's all like a wheel, one day you're up, the next you're down.

Like a switch, one day you're on, the next you're off.

Like fame, one day you're in, the next you're out.

Like fashion, one day you're hip, the next you're sloppy.

Like movies, one day you're block buster, the next you're flop.

Like twitter, one day you're trending, the next who are you then?

Very inevitable.

Hay CHANGE, why is it the only constant thing is you?



FYBF

In a country who loves basketball it is just so right on time for Naga City to introduce a new game to the locals. Football isn't really that new. We've heard it from Europe and other parts of the world and some Filipinos are already playing it for years now but there's never really an official competition conducted for the love of football.

(Photo and Quoted Text source: Naga City Inter-Barangay Futsal Tournament Official Facebook Page)
Futsal, from its Spanish term Futbol (football) de Sala(indoor), is a type of football game where it is played indoors. It is a 5v5 format, which means 5 versus 5 players, where players will wear rubber shoes since it will be played not on the field but rather on a cemented/wooden floor. Special rules will apply for this type of football and a ball different from the regular football type will also be used, a smaller (size 4) and less bouncy ball. (see FIFA's About for Futsal)
Participants of tournament will come from the 27 Barangays that composes the City of Naga. The tournament will be available for Men and Women with the following age brackets: Under13, Under19, and Open.
The tournament will be held at LCC Naga located in Barangay Sabang, Naga City- a one-ride away from Centro. The tournament will commence on the 23rd of May 2011 and is projected to end on June 4, 2011, every 3:00PM until 8:00PM from Monday to Saturday.

Kudos to the City Government of Naga and to the organizers of this event for this is the first ever in the Philippines Inter-barangay Futsal Tournament. This will be a doorway for talented kids we have in the community for Football is a game where Filipinos can excel and be competitive even in the International scene or whatever --- this is fun, so let's just have some clean fun and say "NO TO DRUGS."

Hail Football and cheers to the future Azkals of the Philippines.


p.s. I've attended the opening program but forgot to post this immediately. Sorry for the late feature but you still have a chance to watch until June 4, better late than never  =)

naghihiling ka na naman
                         nakiki usi 
               nakikibasa
        kan bareta kan buhay
kan buhay nin may buhay.
           herak man.
naghahanap
               baka sakaling may sablay
    may sala
         ispileng arog ka ni
uni pag gamit grammatical 
                           o salang kaisipan  
ang bulan mas dakula sa saldang
           ibig sabihon palan 
     month is longer than a day…
herak man.
                    palpak
          sana pirmi
   kadakol ako ka iyan hade?
tama ka man
              aram ta man…
     napapagal 
             ka nang mag intindi
                                herak man.
purbaran
         ta man na ika naman
   ano daw 
         kung ika naman?
       magsurat 
ka naman
           ano man daw
   ang saimong mga namamatean?
                                        dae man kaya 
           mas dakol ka pang 
                                  naaaraman?
mabasa 
        ako naman
              ang makikibasa
pabasa 
      kan saimong mga mata?
paheling man 
           mayong saradirihan
aramon ta man 
    kun anuman ang padudumanan
nakakapangirit
             nakakapangitngit
o makakapagabat man 
                    ning daghan…
                        purbaran 
                   mo man 
                                     ano man daw
         kun ika naman 
                       ang babasahan 
                                         aram mo naman 
ang kasunod kaiyan
    ano kaya
             ang mamamatean?
                                 ugwa ka kayang 
                                                 marereyalizar
        miski kadikit lang
                                                   may maintindihan
                   kung tano ta arog kaiyan
             baka sakaling         
                                                                           
                                     arog ko
                   maherak ka man!


(photo credit)

March 17 about 6:00 pm just before dinner my mom asked me if I felt cold, I said "Nope, why should I since the temperature is just normal maybe a little hotter than colder." She shrugged and wonder why she felt it's too cold and headed back to her room to watch TV and I thought everything's just fine.

After half past ten in the evening she went to the bathroom and asked me to prepare coffee since she can no longer stand how cold she felt and she was trembling. When I handed her the cup of coffee it was impossible for her to stir it using the spoon but she still tried to drink it but it ended up spilling everywhere. I'm already panicky because it was the first time I actually seen someone tremble like that and chilling like how it was in the movie with people who had epilepsy however it's milder than that it's still is alarming for me. Then I was thankful that my sister and Jay came in just the right time to return the car so we immediately rush her to the hospital but before that she had vomited everywhere the house and in the car and all I could do was leave a status message in Facebook that we are rushing her to the hospital hoping that our family and friends would read that and by any chance be informed immediately as we can't waste more time on informing them one by one because we were in an emergency.

Few tests are done and after the doctor examined and right before she was advised to be admitted she already wanted to go home and said she's fine. But we all opposed to it because her condition isn't that clear yet and we still didn't have the test result thus we didn't have the idea of what causes the trembling, chilling and vomiting.

So I was in-charged with the admission papers, everything's fine I'd been doing this for years since my father had been in-and-out of hospitals since I was seven or maybe even younger than that and I've been in-charged of processing all hospital related papers when I was in high school until his death in 1999 and with my sister's leukemia and just this December my mom had been here because of a vehicular accident so this is pretty easy for me you might think. Yes and No. Paperworks yes but dealing with my being in a hospital premise again is a big No. I actually had passed the chance to be with my sister in the 3rd hospital where she had died for so many reasons and the major one is this. Hospitals bring back memories of suffering and lost to me. For me it is a euphemism of a graveyard.  I know it shouldn't be that negative since they cure people here but with my experiences you can't blame me for scaring away in touching its grounds but I know I have no choice but be there for my mom so I have to set aside those personal reasons and be brave to face the reality that is now.

As we settled the rooms they said that the only available rooms are the 2 most expensive one. Oh my, we are in a hospital that people in this local city had given an alias "Money Seton Hospital" and called it by that instead of its real name Mother Seton Hospital and locals sure do have enough reasons to label it such as that. So being in the most expensive hospital in Bicol and they are saying that we need to choose between 2 expensive rooms well it would be pretty expensive for someone who belongs in the lower middle class like us. But we have no choice it's either here or in some other hospitals that wouldn't be at par with the services here and comfortability that it can offer. In fairness to them this is actually on the top-notch compare to other hospitals here but I would never say the word "best" because it isn't in the real sense of that word.

We actually went for the most expensive since the choices would be a room with A/C and a refrigerator or a room with A/C, TV and telephone. Of course my mom would prefer the TV on top of all and I know that for a fact so I had chosen the latter with her preference in my mind, after all she's the patient that needs to be entertained not me. On a practical note what would be the use of a chiller for us? We don't drink cold water and we like to order our food from restaurants since we want it served hot and this hospital doesn't have microwaves in any room.

We both have this Quantum Flask where you have to put drinking water  (not cold) and it will turn it into alkaline water in seconds and this sure works wonder.
Jay and I went back to our house to get the necessary stuff for the following days we have to spend in the hospital though we were all hoping that we'll be out by noon that very same day. We grab everything as fast as we can, clean the vomits in the house and the car and went back to the hospital. When everything was settled about 3:00 am and my mom was already asleep in her room, we opted to grab something to eat since we were all hungry by that time. It was Jay's birthday also but we all knew it wasn't time to celebrate yet not with happenings like this so we just went to Magsaysay since I'm craving for Miggy's sisig but it was already close and the next option would be Haidnhor Shawarma and yes, that's the only resto opened at that wee hour. (What happened to Bigg's Diner branch here then?)

Sizzling Shawarma with 3 cheeses and 2 roti + 7 additional roti
They drove me back to the hospital and they went packing their bags for their flight to Cebu. Back at the hospital I can't seem to sleep so I spent the hours video blogging but decided to keep it to myself since it was too crappy as usual the audio isn't too good because I can't speak loudly as not to wake my mom up.  Finally about quarter to 7:00am  I was able to sleep and at 10:00 am they all started waking me up and as I was grunting and all then they kept shouting cake and so I just need to rise to have a piece of that :)


Blowing Candles: This was the little celebration we had for Jay's 27th birthday.
And right after that they went to the airport and that means I was left to take care of everything. So paperwork it is and I had a dose of walking exercise processing all of it and buying medicines back and forth.

Long lines @ PhilHealth: This is just the first stop :(
On the 2nd and final stop : I'm near next :)
Bored in the long lines and observing while taking stolen shots of people, yep that's what's good about my camera phone: people seldom noticed that they've been captured by my lenses though it doesn't give high quality pictures but for now this will do.

Oh wow, something I would wear in Manila but not here in Bicol. My mom would definitely grab some pants for me to wear with this not that I still have guts to wear this stuff now :( 
Finally done, I was shocked to see my aunt (my mom eldest and only sister) on the pile doing the paperwork for herself and still had fresh bandage and dextrose needle marks on her arms since she was a patient too in the same hospital but she was admitted Monday of that week. She said she wanted to rush things so she can get out that day and no one in her family could help her fix that. If only she told me I would have just do that as well for her since I'll be processing it also for my mom but too late for that. So I left her still waiting in the line and hoping that I'll still be able to go to Goa to had this papers signed by my mom's employer. It was 3:00pm and it will take me 2 hours to be in Goa but the problem is the last trip going back to Naga is 4:00pm so it's not possible to go there that late. And as I was heading out PhilHealth's office in Magsaysay I happened to recognized someone I knew too well heading out too and yes I was correct it was one of my best-friends in high school. A little chit-chat there and off we go separate ways again.

Marijo with her son.
Yup she had 2 sons now but why is it I look more like I had been preggy compare to her? Life's unfair... grrr...
Back at the hospital... nothing to do. My mom as usual watching her only channel so cable is pretty useless for her. I'm not too fond of TV now and given that the room TV was too small and only showing 2 or 3 distinctive colors made it more uninteresting for me. With the A/C set in fan since my mom still feeling extra cold it makes it impossible for me to sleep adding the TV sounds as a nuisance and the fact that the sofa can barely accommodate all of me.

This is a proof that the world isn't built for plus size people like me.  Reality check: it isn't too accommodating  and welcoming yet because plus size means extra everything mostly view it in a negative way and that's sad. :(
 So I spent the rest of my hours writing for my blog entries that I will post once I get back home. Yes, there is no wi-fi or net connection and I didn't want to use my broadband since it makes me more impatient than satisfied with its speed so I won't bother with that, I'd rather have no net than use it. I was able to write few stuff and however it was difficult to sleep I had to force myself or else I'll be a walking vegetable with a heavy floating head in the morning where I needed to fix some important things and thankfully I dozed off.

Started the day at 4:00 am and my mom was already demanding me to take a bath and go to Goa. Being too early in any appointment is her thing and I don't agree with that I used to be late almost everyday of my life with the exceptions of very important appointments but now I just want to be on time, not late and not early just right on the dot and we argue a lot about that. Well, that's just the many differences we have mainly in our point of views.

I told her I'm going to her boss' house and being too early would be too much and 6:00 am would mean disturbing them, 8:00 am would be fine though.

Blah, blah, blah...

Even regular office hours imposed 8:00am as a start of a working day. (I wanted to add you're making me work out of regular office hours and it's still in the wee hours it's just 4:00am, it isn't proper it is slaving but better not or else maybe the oxygen tank near her would fall on my face if I did ever utter those words.) But I know it's wrong too for me to make her angry that early plus she's sick and we are actually in a hospital so that makes me a very bad daughter so I've always been no matter what I do but we are at peace now and I don't want to jeopardize our relationship just because of this petty things.

At 5:00am I'm all dressed (but not dressy I only brought home clothes for this event... tsk.tsk.) and I'm thankful that she's okay now with how casual I am. I was even surprised that I heard her said my clothes are fine even though I am insisting that I don't look too decent facing her boss. No matter how casual I prefer my clothes are I still know how to dress up for any occasion and an extra large shirt and men's walking shorts plus slippers aren't too appropriate for this but she was too eager for me to finish all the paperwork so I went to Goa looking like that anyways.

I had committed 2 stupidities in 12 hours time-frame and the first one had been while on my way to Goa (see another post)

I was thankful enough that my mom sent me there. I've seen 2 pretty simple houses and met 2 real people...


That's a pretty fountain with a fish pond.
Pillars at the back: That's something isn't it?

Too bad no one is making this a permanent home now. 

 

The rocking chair reminds me of Tatay Andres (mom's father) and the garden, I miss Lola Lydia. She used to have beautiful variety of flowers in her lawn way back when she's alive.

I wasn't able to take a picture of the front view of the other house since I took all of these discretely and I will not post pictures of them here since it would be too much for their privacy since she's a campus dean of the main branch of the university where my mom is a professor in another campus and I was too shy to ask permission about these.

I found my mom's dean cleaning her wide garden and I was introduced to her husband both wearing home clothes so I didn't get any degrading looks that I came there not too presentable, nothing like that. They are nice and real as they can be and I am glad of being there that day.


Last visit from Dr. Tormes: We are always thankful for taking care of all of us whenever  we need help.
A visit from Ma'am Bel and her husband.
(She's responsible for my free food pickled things, kakanin, home-made sardines, etc. and I asked permission to post this photo here though she was surprised how I was able to get it without them knowing it)
They brought this but they never mentioned it. I just realized that it's there when we were already packing our things. Thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness as always.

Rushed things so we can get out of this money-sucking institution...
Photocopied lab results...

2nd stupidity of the day goes here... (see other post)

Some more medicines... it's cheaper to buy it outside the hospital.
 



Met a former classmate in college and her mom outside Bigg's Centro. This is actually the guy in Kasta Ng Kung Kasta under the code name Ivan. He's not aware of the story but he's fully aware of this picture but wasn't too approving as you can see. 

I didn't take this for that purpose well, he's a friend too so just for souvenir we rarely bump into each other these past few years same with Marijo. 


Got mom's goto in Bigg's and my tofu and buchi from Chowking 
so off to the next stop...
Withdraw some in an ATM for hospital bills
San Francisco Church at night just across the side of Metrobank
All our bags are packed we're ready to go... ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪♪  (singing Leaving on a Jet Plane)

Checking if her car is still in the parking lot... tsk.tsk. 

Dinner's done: wheel chair please.
Zoom we go...
Yey... we're out of here! Folks we paid the bills we didn't get out through the fire exit.
March 19, quarter to 11:00 pm, I was able to post this status message in fb:
‎2hours more to exactly 48 hours of being in the hospital but we're lucky my mom is ok now just a major UTI. she's sleeping in her bed now and i had finished unpacking and so we're home and I'm back online. All thanks and praise to God :) and to Dra. Tormes for taking care of mama.
And that's all because of a major Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and I'd never knew that it could be worst like this since I had this also before and I haven't felt anything like I am sick and just taken some purple antibiotics prescribed by a doctor when I was hired for my first teaching job. Well my mom is diabetic too maybe that made it worst. But I'm really glad that she's all fine now in fact she had car-washed on her own her left over vomits the morning after we went out of the hospital: for the love of her car and being too thrifty or maybe she's just so industrious compare to me coz if it were me I'll just send that to a carwash shop :)


(Note: Still working on other posts related to this... follow up for 2 stupid things and Money Seton Hospital.)




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