By: Kenneth E. Boone, Sr.
I admit that I’m hooked on sports talk radio. In addition to getting game results, I listen for the commentary and analysis, even if sometimes I disagree with the hosts and/or guests. It makes having to root for the Panthers and Hornets easier to handle. I'm Ken Boone and this is my podcast, “MUCH MORE TO SAY” Sunday is the day that I typically write my episode scripts for this show. I then record the episode(s) on Tuesday and publish them on Wednesday morning. This episode will be different. I’m waiting until Monday to write the script because I spent much of Sunday watching and digesting football, particularly the playoff games. Both games were hard-fought, competitive affairs that no doubt will be analyzed in detail between now and February 11th, the date of Super Bowl LVIII (58). I’ll add my two cents shortly, but I first have a little production business to attend to. Here's What's Happening Now in Podcast Land January was a month of great discovery in podcast land. This episode marks a rare five-episode month for my show. I’m also working out the kinks of my podcast episode/blog post realignment. And I’ll be the first to admit that doing so is helping me keep my first resolution of 2024, which is to work smarter. But it’s not all about me and this little show. I’ve discovered and subscribed to a half-dozen different shows. Some are podcasts, while others are YouTube video series. I also like to share the episodes I enjoy the most. By doing that, I’m able to keep my second resolution of 2024, which is to support the efforts of other content creators. On a disappointing note, I’ve run out of repurposed episodes from my network. So, unless there is some divine intervention, the shows hosted by Celia and Angel will drift off into the land of inactive podcasts. But that’s okay, because when one door closes another one opens. Around the Block and Around the World What can I say, wars are still raging and seem to be spreading. Half of the government is trying to handle the business of the people while the other half is being marched off a cliff by someone who is still losing big in the court of law. Events are moving so quickly that I barely have time to read the headlines much less gain an understanding of what is or isn’t important. I try not to be seduced by all the random click bait that populates my MSN Home Page, but it’s hard to resist. Fortunately, there’s a digestible source of news that shows up in my email daily. And that’s my Microsoft Bing Daily News Update. The layout is clever. On the home page, you are provided with all the headlines. You simply pick the story that you want to explore, and dive have a read. Now Turning to the Sport Pages Two days ago, was Championship Sunday, with a trip to Super Bowl LVIII going to the winners. In the first game, the Kansas City Chiefs captured the AFC title by beating the Baltimore Ravens 17-10. The nightcap featured the San Francisco 49ers punching their ticket to the big game by making a dramatic comeback to defeat the Detroit Lions 34-31. Since I didn’t have a dog in either fight, I was able to just sit back and enjoy an afternoon of great football. As soon as the games ended, the analysts came out from under their respective rocks to break down what we all just witnessed. While I respect their knowledge of the game, I hate when I hear them refer to players as “stepping up” or “choking”. In my humble opinion, I feel you should congratulate the winners and commiserate with the losers. That’s because, unless you are on the take, it’s no one’s burning desire to come up short in battle. I agree that the quarterback of the Ravens, Lamar Jackson, didn’t have his best game of the season. But he played his heart out. It’s hard to throw an accurate pass 40 yards down field when being pursued by 300-pound linemen chasing you. In defense of the Lions’ coach who made some risky decisions that didn’t pay off, ESPN analyst and former head coach Rex Ryan said to the other pundits, “you’re only saying this because you have the benefit of hindsight”. Walk a mile in Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell’s shoes and get back to me when you’re finished. For all of you inconsolable Ravens and Lions fans out there, I feel for you. I also must congratulate you for being two of the final four teams left. And just remember that things could be a whole lot worse. You could be Carolina Panther fans! The Lions got beat by a couple of former Panthers. Their offense got shut down in crunch time by a 49er defense led by former Panther defensive coordinator, interim head coach, and Charlotte native Steve Wilks. The players and fans begged the owner to keep him on board. But Mr. Tepper decided to hire a coach who lasted only 11 games into his first season. So, to all of you 49ers fans out there, you’re welcome! In the second half, the 49er offense finally got it in gear thanks in no small part to the exploits of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. If that names sounds familiar, it should. The Panthers had him from 2017 through the middle of the 2022 season. CMC was an All-Pro running back with us as well. Hey 49ers fans, you’re welcome again! And while we’re talking about young Mr. McCaffrey, did you hear what he said about his time playing with the 49ers? No? Well, what he said is that it’s great to play for an organization that happens to be very organized. While the Chiefs and 49ers celebrate their victories, the Ravens and Lions are licking their wounds. Meanwhile, my beloved Cats just hired Dan Morgan to be our new General Manager. Many of the Panther faithful say this move is three years overdue. Staying with the Panthers, they just introduced yet another new head coach to the media. That’ll make three head coaches in three years! After all the recent fits and starts, I started to believe that they couldn’t give the job away. This guy, Dave Canales, is supposed to be something of a quarterback whisperer with a track record of revitalizing the careers of struggling signal callers. We have no choice but to wait and see if he can help Bryce Young reach at least a level of respectability. Parting Shots January 2024 turned out to be an eventful month. Bringing in a new year, celebrating another birthday, and sitting still long enough to enjoy the playoffs is something I’d gladly do again. I don’t even mind yelling at the talking heads as they throw dirt on the graves of the Ravens and Lions. It sure beats what inhabits the political media space. I won’t be rooting for the Chiefs to repeat as Super Bowl champions because Travis is dating Taylor. I’ll be rooting for them because Travis, Patrick, and Andy are a trio of bad asses who give it their best shot. And if they fail, it won’t be because they choked. Today's Quote “Being a sports fan is a complex matter, in part irrational but not unworthy; a relief from the seriousness of the real world, with its unending pressures and often grave obligations.” Richard Gilman – American Drama and Literary Critic
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By: Kenneth E. Boone, Sr.
Other than the actual day I was born, last Saturday turned out to be one of the best birthdays of my life! There was very little fanfare and absolutely no fireworks. It was just an amazing trip down memory lane without me cringing in horror. I'm Ken Boone and this is my Podcast, “MUCH MORE TO SAY” As I said in my last episode, I wasn’t going to have a party to celebrate this my 66th birthday. Unless you count being taken to breakfast at our neighborhood Bob Evan’s as a party! It’s been so long since we’ve been out to eat that I almost forgot the directions to the restaurant. I got a call from Kenny’s cellphone number. When I answered, it was my granddaughter, Amina, who was on the other end of the line, wishing her “Pop Pop” a happy birthday! It’s always great to talk to her because she patiently answers each of the hundreds of questions Celia and I pepper her with. Stuff about her that we should already know. But that’s a story for another time. I got a few well wishes on social media. My brother, Mike, and two of my nieces, Zara, and Erin, sent me heartfelt regards via Facebook Messenger. Thanks, guys! They all were special but leave it to Erin to do the unexpected. Attached to her message were five photos spanning several decades of my life. Each picture brought up nothing but happy memories for me. That was refreshing since most of my early recollections tend to have a resentful tinge to them. The first picture was taken when I was around two years old when my nuclear family was still intact. I have no first-hand memories of that time, but I’ve been told that I was quite the character back then. They say on the one hand, I was a chubby kid with a sweet disposition. But they also say that I had a bit of a temper that seemed to flare when I felt like someone was bothering a loved one. I didn’t have an interest in sports or music. The only things I wanted to do were hang out with my father, go to the playground, watch cartoons, and listen to the magical voices coming from the radio. The second picture was taken when I was around seven years old. Also in that picture was my mother and brother. It was taken soon after I became “the product of a broken home”, which is something I used to say to describe my circumstances. But we were genuinely smiling in the photo. Why? Glad you asked. In past episodes, I describe that period as a dark one, because that’s when my whole faith and belief system was turned upside down. But if I’m being honest with myself, it wasn’t all bad. I wasn’t thrilled by the idea of having to attend church services every Saturday instead of playing and watching cartoons. However, I did have the opportunity to join a newly formed boys’ choir. That sparked my 50+ year love affair with music. When I was allowed to go outside to play, my neighborhood friends and I discovered the world of sports. From stoop ball, to basketball, and everything in between, we learned how to compete with honor. Teamwork was also stressed, which seemed to be lacking in other areas of my life at the time. Just a short hop in time to the third picture, which was taken when I was around twelve years old. I was still attending church each Saturday and still singing in the choir, but other features became a part of my skill set. I started participating in organized sports, testing what I learned in pickup games against total strangers. I’m proud to say that my friends and I fared well in that new environment. Check out my episodes when I talk about growing up in Franklin Plaza. It was around that time that I discovered that I had a lot of academic talent. That’s a polite way of saying that I was smart. While I was able to easily and quickly grasp all the material that was thrown at us, I showed early on that I was a good writer. In fact, I even attempted to write a dramatic skit. While my teacher applauded my effort, she did comment that it was a little too dramatic, since it dealt with racism in the South. But she also told me to never stop writing. In hindsight, I should have taken that advice more seriously. Going around the clubhouse turn we find photo number four. That one was taken when I was around thirteen years old. The bad news is that I was entering a dark period in my life. I faced several rougher times, but you always remember your first. Thank goodness this episode isn’t about gloom and doom. The best thing about that period was that I made the decision dive headfirst into Gospel music. The boys’ choir was getting stale for me. I stuck around for a few more years to help when needed. But as the name suggests, it was a choir for boys. And I would defiantly remind people that I was a teenager, swiftly approaching adulthood. It was during this period that I first learned about Ralph Carmichael, who quickly became my hero and role model. Soon after, my friend Freddie introduced me to the music of Andrae’ Crouch, who pointed me in the direction I wanted to go musically. I keep promising to record an episode about the life of Crouch and hope to do that sometime this year. Due to a couple of traumatic episodes, I lost my way academically and emotionally. I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have my music and my ability to dream. I can honestly say that those two things probably saved my life! The final photo in the bunch was one of my brother Mike and me. It was taken when I was around thirty years old. I believe we were at a little reception my mother hosted for me and my first wife. I readily admit that the marital bliss was short-lived, and that many of the problems were my fault. The two constants in my life, sports, and music, were gone. I thought they were gone for good, but thankfully I was wrong. Replacing them was a new-found maturity and reactivated drive. Channeling my focus away from my failing marriage, I went back to college and earned a degree in Economics. While there, I began writing again. In fact, one of my English instructors suggested that I submit some of my work for possible publication. I didn’t, but maybe I should have. The worst thing that can happen is they just say no. In addition to finally completing college, I became a father at the ripe old age of 32. I have very few recent photos of myself. However, I do have albums and file folders full of pictures of my son, Kenny. Most of them were with him at various stages of his time playing baseball. He’s probably taken many more pictures of his daughter, which makes him perhaps an even more doting father than I am. Parting Shots As I said earlier in this episode, Saturday was a great birthday. After careful review, the call on the field stands. It was one of my best birthdays to date. It’s on par with last year’s when I turned 65. I’m another year older and wiser, which is never a bad thing. I couldn’t be more grateful that many of the people closest to me acknowledged this milestone. Especially my niece, Erin, who sent me those photographs. Not only did she remember her uncle with that generous gift, but by doing so, she helped her uncle remember the person he was. Today's Quote “My Mission: be true to myself. Help other people. Become a better me.” Anonymous
By: Kenneth E. Boone, Sr.
This coming Saturday, I’ll celebrate my 66th birthday! I won’t have a party, which suits me just fine. And I probably won’t receive random and/or unsolicited well wishes on social media. To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I'm Ken Boone and this is my Podcast, “MUCH MORE TO SAY” As I mentioned to you many times, I've only had three birthday parties in the first 65 years I have been on this earth. On last year’s “birthday episode” of this show, I focused more on the gifts I received. On this episode, I will provide you with the back story, as well what each party had in common with the others. The first party was when I was 10 years old. Although I enjoyed myself, something seemed to be missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it until I hit adulthood. Only friends from my church came to the party. No neighborhood friends attended. I don’t know if they weren’t invited, or that they just didn’t show up. My guess is that they weren’t invited. That’s strange, because more neighborhood friends attended my mother’s funeral, which took place when we were all in our 40s. At the time of that party, the Boys’ Choir I sang in was one of the most important things in my life, and most of the attendees were members of that choir as well. In hindsight, there was nothing nefarious about the guest list. It was a music thing. The second party was a surprise party thrown for me when I was in my early 20s. That one took place during my “wannabe musician” phase. It was well-attended, and I remember getting some cool stuff, although I can't recall what I got. I call that my “wannabe musician” phase because, at the time, I was part of three musical groups, writing songs, and “fat-fingering” my way across the Great New York City area on any piano I was allowed to play. As with my first party, I had a music connection with most of the guests. Again, it was a music thing. The third party was a surprise dinner celebrating my 50th birthday, planned by my ex, and the guest list was quite small. My buddy Pete and his family were there. It was then that I realized that we were best friends. He gave me a coffee table book of biographies of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, which I still have today! Back then, I could best be described as a “dugout/bleacher dad”, since the focus of my life was making sure my son was still playing baseball. That’s because if he was playing, I knew that he would keep his grades up and graduate on time. Believe it or not, that strategy worked. Since I’ve told you the story of Pete many times on multiple podcast episodes, I’ll give you the Readers’ Digest version. We met when our sons played on the same summer league team. We were doting fathers who loved baseball and we were both obsessed with music. At the time, he was a record label owner looking for an accountant, while I was an accountant looking to get back in the music industry. I ended up keeping his label’s books for over a decade until he recently sold the company. So, I guess you could say that my third and final birthday “party” was a music thing as well. Saturday is set up to be a great birthday, but not my best to date. That honor goes to my 65th when I became an official Senior Citizen! But this year won’t be terrible. I’ll be another year older and wiser. Not to mention that Uncle Sam gave us Social Security beneficiaries a raise, offset by a small increase in my monthly Medicare premium. That’s no big deal because I’m still coming out ahead. Parting Shots My birthday is still very important to me, although I don’t do much in the way of celebration. I’ll probably order take-out and watch the NFL playoffs, and a couple of Hallmark movies. That’s keeping things simple. Next year, Presidential Inauguration Day falls on my birthday. I hope to really celebrate birthday number 67, if my guy just happens to win re-election. That’ll be my wish when I blow out the candle on my cupcake this Saturday. Today's Quote “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take my breath away.” Maya Angelou – American Author and Social Commentator
Welcome to the second episode of 2024. Today, I will revisit a post from my first blog titled “From Grievance to Gratitude”. As we dive in, let’s see if I’m still that guy who was so full of resentment. I don’t think I am, but I’ll let you be the judge.
I'm Ken Boone and this is my Podcast, “MUCH MORE TO SAY”. On our last episode, I told you how my podcast will be closely aligned with my blog. For example, every third Wednesday, I will publish a music-themed episode, followed by a music-themed blog post two days later, with a link to a YouTube video. On the fourth Wednesday, I will recap the events of that month, which will align with my “News, Notes & More” blog posts that I’ve been publishing every fourth Friday since July 2023. I promised to share more with you on this strategy in the coming weeks. This episode is based on an old blog post titled “Doctor’s Orders”, that was originally published on January 13, 2020, while recovering from Congestive Heart Failure. For me, January means it’s time for my annual follow-up medical appointments. This routine started back in early 2020, shortly after my first hospitalization. Initially I faithfully followed my doctor’s orders, I began to feel like I was visiting my local Jiffy Lube. That’s because it seemed like they are always trying to upsell me on things beyond the normal “stuff”. For example, last Wednesday, I was sitting in the waiting room of my Nephrologist. I was there because they needed to draw and test my blood for any abnormalities. It wasn’t his idea to put me through this battery of tests. In fact, after reviewing my prior lab results, he asked Celia and me why we were seeing him in the first place. The reason went to see him was that my new cardiologist was concerned about my slightly elevated Creatinine levels. The heart guy even stated that I have Stage 3 kidney disease, which is absurd. My kidneys have acted a little quirky since I injured them from a fall when I was five years old! I got my lab results the next day. I was happy to learn that my numbers were better than my prior results. Even my Creatinine numbers went down, although still slightly elevated. I have a follow-up appointment, with a Physician’s Assistant, to go over any next steps. I have an appointment with my cardiologist in a couple of weeks. But before I see him, he’s urging me to get an EKG and a stress test. While I’m open to the EKG, I balked at taking the stress test. As both my current and previous cardiologists said, there is no evidence of heart damage. They just want to rule it out. But the idea of taking the test is enough to raise my level of stress. I’m not going to go through all of that just so Dr. D can check off a box! Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for all the excellent care I’m still getting. Because of them, I lost over 60 pounds of bloat and can move around freely without tiring. My AC1 levels are still within the normal range, meaning that I’m at a low risk for diabetes. But I must maintain my regimen of exercise and a healthy diet, along with faithfully taking my meds. A lot has changed in my life in the past four years. I no longer must hear cardiologists using phrases like “treating this like I had a cancer diagnosis”, “trying to make me comfortable”, and “circling the drain” to describe my condition, treatment, etc. I no longer look and act like someone who doesn’t care if I live or die. Just like my friends in 12-Step recovery, I am taking suggestions and seeing positive results. I’m still addressing what is going on between my ears. To me, that is still the hard part, but I’m not giving up. One way to ensure success is to stick with my three resolutions for 2024:
When one of my healthcare providers insist that I do this or that because they want to “rule something out”, or simply “check off a box”, I remember Celia telling me about how my father-in-law, Dr. Louie, successfully practiced medicine decades ago. Back when he was in practice, many of the miracle drugs and procedures in use today were either in their infancy or hadn’t been discovered yet. In other words, his toolbox was rather limited. He had to rely on a lot of intuition to better serve his patients. Which leads me to the story of the old guy and the lawn mower. This story has been an inspiration to me, and I refer to it each time I’m encouraged to do or take something that gives me pause. It reminds me that sometimes good instincts beat all the bells and whistles that modern medicine offers us today. Dr. Louie once had a patient who was in Stage 4 Congestive Heart Failure. I was in Stage 2 when I got my diagnosis in 2019. And I believe that his patient was much older than I was. And, as I mentioned previously, the good doctor had less tools to work with than my doctors had. But that didn’t stop Dr. Louie from taking care of business. During my health situation, my cardiologist prescribed several legacy medications, mainly because they were much less expensive while still effective. Dr. Louie’s patient was prescribed many of the same drugs. Why? Because they work. While I was hospitalized, the resident cardiologist was aggressively trying to push me to purchase and use a vest that ejected ink whenever my heartbeat was irregular. To me, it seemed less like a medical device and more like a dye pack they use in banks to combat armed robberies. They wouldn’t even tell me how much it costs to purchase, or lease. Who would blindly fork over hard-earned money for some gimmick. Back then, Dr. Louie told his patient to get a manual push lawn mower and simply cut his grass. That may sound strange, but there was a method to his madness. All of this took place in Asheville, NC, a city located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Since the terrain is not level, just by walking the property pushing a human-powered mower gave his heart a strenuous workout. Following that advice, I walked my way to good health. When I go shopping, I park as far as I can from the front door just to get the extra my steps in. I also take as many trips up and down the stairs in my house, since I learned that doing so helps with my heart rate as well as my blood pressure. And you know about how often I ride the stationary bikes at the fitness center. All those activities act as a stress test that I’m passing. So, what happened to Dr. Louie’s patient. Not only did he mow his lawn, but he mowed the lawns of his neighbors. And he lived for another 20 years, in good health! If it was good enough for him, who am I to argue with success? Parting Shots Unfortunately, I never got to meet Dr. Louie. He passed away years before Celia and I met. Everyone says that we would have really liked each other. He sounds like someone I can really look up to. Although we never met, in a strange way I consider myself one of his many adoring patients. That’s especially true when I’m visiting one of my actual health care providers. It seems that near the end of each visit, a suggestion is made for me to take a certain test, or try a different medication, or make an appointment to see a certain specialist. When one of those suggestions is made, I thank them and tell them I’ll consider their suggestions. When I get home, I talk it over with Celia. Then I ask her, and myself, what would Dr. Louie prescribe? Then I’ll decide to either comply or politely blow them off. Today's Quote “The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind.” Caroline Myss – American Author
By: Kenneth E. Boone, Sr.
Greetings, and Happy New Year! This year promises to be one for the ages in so many ways. I’m thrilled to lend my voice to the conversation, and grateful that you chose to join me for the ride. I'm Ken Boone and this is my Podcast, “MUCH MORE TO SAY”. My plan for this year is to publish new podcast episodes each Wednesday, as usual. Then, I’ll edit the episode scripts into blog posts that I’ll publish each Friday. I wish I could take credit for this clever strategy, but I just ripped it off from several online “how-to” articles and videos. Since this is a new strategy that I’m adopting, I do expect some bumps along the way. However, in keeping with Resolution #1 for 2024, making my podcast and blog complement each other is a sure-fire way to “work smarter”. In recent years, I used to avoid taking deep dives into controversial topics, particularly religion and politics. That’s odd, because my resentment for the church I grew up attending was at the heart of my first podcast, “From Grievance to Gratitude”. It took 45 episodes for me to get over that resentment, but it’s all behind me now. This podcast was started in response to all the craziness surrounding the 2020 election, the “Big Lie”, and COVID-19. Times were so challenging that a lot of families and friendships were irreparably damaged. Fortunately, I avoided any online brawls. For 2024, I will not be afraid to share my opinions, honestly and respectfully. The stakes are just too high to stay silent. Now that I’ve rediscovered my love of sports, I think it’s a good idea to include more of it on this podcast and in my blog. I happen to have very strong opinions about sports and their impact on society, both positive and negative. In fact, I would often get into shouting matches with total strangers defending my positions. Nowadays, picking random fights isn’t the smartest way to make friends and influence others. Because I live in the Greater-Charlotte area, I now root for our two professional sports franchises. Unfortunately, both Charlotte teams happen to be awful. So, for the time being, I’ve shifted my attention to college football just in time for bowl season. I don’t have a particular team that I’ll be rooting for. I guess that will have to be a game time decision. What I could do is put on my amateur scouting hat and try to determine which players I see have the talent and fortitude to make it to the next level. In some of my blog posts, I like to share bits of information about my family. While I don’t see them nearly as often as I should, I couldn’t be prouder of them. But for my sanity, I’m positioning myself where I can observe them from a safe distance. That way, I can objectively sing their praises. Saturday, January 20th will be my 66th birthday. I’ll probably celebrate it in my typical low-key fashion. Depending on the weather, it will either be a sit-down breakfast at either Cracker Barrel, or take-out from Marco’s Pizza. I’m not expecting to receive any gifts other than the gift of living to see yet another birthday. I honestly didn’t think I’d be around long enough to get Social Security and Medicare. I’m saving my birthday wish for next year, in hopes that my guy gets inaugurated for another term in the White House. I remember years ago when I was part of the labor market. The most important software program we used was a spreadsheet application called Lotus123. It was the industry standard at the time. Then along came Microsoft with a glitchy, but powerful little program called Excel. One of the arguments for companies switching to Excel was its ease of use. For the actual users, that was the chief complaint. Yes, it was easier. It was also more logically constructed. But we were so used to the quirks of Lotus that we never thought we could learn something new. That’s where I’m at with my new rules for content creation. I’ve gotten so used to all the extra work I was making for myself by coming up with separate podcast episode and blog post ideas every week. All the while there was a tried-and-true strategy of taking the episodes and repurposing them into short, interesting blog posts. So that’s what I’ll be doing now. While I will be relying on the podcast for the content, I will rely on the blog for the formatting. For example, every third Friday, I publish a music-themed blog post. My plan for the third Wednesdays of the month is to record a more detailed related music-themed episode on my podcast. As I mentioned earlier in this episode, I’ll be sharing my observations, thoughts, and opinions regarding the state of things that are of interest to our well-being. These musings of mine will usually occur on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and will align with my “News, Notes & More” blog posts that I’ve been publishing every fourth Friday since July 2023. I promise to share more with you on this strategy as we make our way through the first quarter of this year. My next blog post will be published on Friday, 01/05/2024. I guess you can call it a Readers’ Digest version of this episode. Since I’m new to this strategy, please bear with me while I work out all the kinks. In the meantime, you can still find episodes of this podcast in all the usual places, and my blog can be found on my website. Take care and God Bless, my friends. Today's Quote “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” Michael Altshuler – American Entrepreneur and Motivational Speaker |
About the HostKenneth E. Boone, Sr. is a writer, podcaster, music lover, sports enthusiast, and retired accountant. Archives
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