Cherry chocolate bars are a rich and moist variation of the traditional "gooey" brownie bars. Bake a pan full of colorful brownie treats. They make wonderful food gifts to bring to the office at Holiday time. And…who does not like cherries? Or chocolate…...
Day 1: Starting your First Blog
"Every major change started with one single step towards a goal"What is a blog?
It is basically an online diary or journal that is frequently updated. It simply means that you can blog about anything. The nice thing about blogging is that it is FREE. You can start a blog without spending money. The most popular free blogging platforms are blogger.com and wordpress.com. Sign up is very easy on these sites. To help you in your journey towards becoming a blogger, a listed down the 4 things to consider before starting a blog.
Things to consider when writing your first blog
1. Topic
A blog is a journal so as expected, a lot of people would write about "everything" in their life. My first blog was a personal blog and I wrote about everything under the sun: the food I eat, the place I went to, the news, and I even wrote about sports. It was a hodge-podge of information that are mostly unrelated to each other. After months of blogging, I realized that it is better to have a blog on a certain topic because a single topic blog will become a resource about that topic as the blog ages and grow.
Since I love eating, I started a separate food blog called Kalami Cebu. The blog is all about my food trips. After a few months of writing solely about food, my traffic grew way better than my personal blog. It is actually becoming a good resource for people looking for a place to eat in Cebu. The lesson I learned is that you should have a topic where your blog will revolve around.
Here are some guide and suggestions about your first blog:
a. Passion - Talk about something that you are passionate about. It can be a hobby like computer games, music, movies, anime, or cosplay. It can also be about the sport you play, your team, your school, and even your family. If you are a rabid fan of someone or something, you may also write about a blog on showbiz, food, tech, sports teams, or travel. Blogging consistently on topics that are close to your heart will eventually make you an authority on that topic. If you can talk about a certain topic for hours then why not blog about it. I am very sure that there are other people in the world who shares similar thoughts.
b. Dreams - Do you have a dream job? Would you like to become like Yaya Dub? Do you want to be the chief programmer of DOTA 4? Start writing about it. A blog is your platform to be known in the world. It might sound embarrassing to reveal to the world what you are fantasizing about but having the courage to dream and pursue it is the first step to reaching your goal. Let say you want to be the best web developer in the world. You may start a blog about web development and programming. Your first posts might just be about "Hello World!", but after 100 posts, most likely you will be posting some advanced stuff.
c. Creations - If you are a creative person, you can use your blog to showcase your talent. You may write short stories or fiction. You may do a cover or even write an original music composition. You can even post your latest painting or tattoo creation. You can post your delicious food creations. The world can see your talent and creativity through your blog. Eventually, you might be able to get job offers halfway around the world.
It would be great that all 3 can be captured in one topic, but one would be a good start.
b. To improve your skills - Writing is a skill and the only way to improve it is to keep on writing. A blog is an effective way to improve some skills. Your writing skills will definitely improve after a month of serious blogging. Your expertise on a certain topic will get a boost as well. You will slowly surely become an expert in something. The more you write about a topic, the more credible and reliable you would become.
It would be great that all 3 can be captured in one topic, but one would be a good start.
2. Goals
Just like in every endeavor that you go into, you need to have a goal. A lot of people paused from blogging because they feel that the blog is going nowhere. To avoid this problem, you have to establish a long term goal or vision about your blog. Goals can change, but initially you must have a certain goal.
Here are some possible goals:
a. To make money - A lot of people blog to make money. Just like in real life making money from blogging will entail hard work and focus. There are many ways to make money through blogging, but it will not be instant. Many people go to blogging to try make money and end up getting disillusioned after earning just a few cents in a month. Making money is a commitment and you need to make a lot of posts, generate traffic, study new techniques, increase your network, and do marketing. It is like a business and if you are dedicated enough, you will start reaping the benefits in months.
c. To teach something - Do you like to help people? You can use the blog to teach skills.
d. To showcase your talent and land a job - A lot of singers, dancers, programmers, and artists use their blog to show to the world what they are capable of. More and more skilled people are discovered on the internet before they became big-time. A lot of companies now consider online influence in hiring new employees.
These goals are just examples and there more possibilities out there when it comes to goal. As long as you have a goal, your chances of getting bored will be slimmer than someone who does not have one.
3. Pick a Name
After having a topic and a goal, it is time for you to name your blog. Some people use their name to create a blog. Some use words relating to the topic that they want to blog about. You have to choose wisely as the blog name is going to be the brand that you will promote and protect. It is an extension of yourself.
4. Pick a blogging platform
For a first blog, you might want to use free platforms. Two of the best are Blogger.Com and Wordpress.Com. You basically just need a valid email address to start a free blog. Both platforms have an interface like MS Word which basically makes writing easier.
As you become better in blogging you will realize that having your own domain has its benefits. Wordpress.com users are not allowed to earn from their blog. If you really have plans to be big and earn money from your blog, getting your own domain is the first step. The only drawback is that you need to pay for it. If you are committed to blogging, you should get a domain.
In the end, you just have to answer four questions:
1. What will your blog be about?
2. What is the goal of your blog?
3. What is the name of your blog?
4. Where will be the blog be hosted?
Once you have decided on these 4 basic elements, you are ready to start blogging. If you have any questions/suggestions about the topic, please feel free to comment or email me at calolano911@gmail.com.
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| This post is written by Carlo Olano of Kalami Cebu |
Blog Rebranding: TheBloggingAdvantage.blogspot.com
Today, I am basically rebooting this blog and renaming it The Blogging Advantage. This blog is all about blogging and its benefits. The focus of this blog is to encourage people to blog and use blogging to their advantage.
I have been seriously blogging for a while and I have seen a glimpse of how blogging can help me in my job, hobbies, and life in general. Blogging opens a whole new world that is an adventure on its own.
The name change was triggered when I volunteered to speak to college students about blogging. I realized that students can benefit a lot from blogging. If they start early, they will have an advantage over non-bloggers when they start looking for work. I want to highlight that blogging is a big advantage in a highly competitive world, be it in employment or business. I am aiming to help people of all ages and circumstances to start blogging and guide them towards reaping the benefits from blogging.
I will be posting articles about starting a blog and developing the "Blogging Habit". I am a firm believer of kaizen or continuous improvement. I am confident that this blog will be a good resource for anyone who wants to enjoy the Blogging Advantage. I hope you will join me in this journey towards becoming a better blogger.
My First Event as a Blogger: BPI Auto Madness
One of the nice things about joining a Blogging Group is the opportunity to blog about events. Many companies tap blog groups to create articles on their events. Cebu Blogging Community was asked to send bloggers to the BPI Auto Madness Event in Ayala and I volunteered to join this particular event. While I have been concentrating on my Kalami Cebu Food Blog, I have other blogs where I can put my article for the BPI Auto Madness.
My 5 Tips on Overcoming Blogger's Block
I am in the middle of a 30-day blogging challenge. For 23 straight days, I am able to post at least one blog post in at least one of my blogs. I am really concentrating on my Kalami Cebu Food Blog and I think I have written in that blog for 24 straight days already. It was not that easy, but I did manage to survive, so far. One of the most instrumental factors in making me write every day is actually the 30 day blogging challenge FB Group. I am practically forced to write anything because of the challenge. I am really determined to finish it. I have been blogging on and off for years already and the past month has been my busiest blogging month of all-time. Once I finished the challenge, I think the new challenge would be how to sustain the momentum.
Some psychologists say that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I guess I am well past that, but there are days that the creative juices are just not there. Here are some of the things that I usually do when it happens:
1. Watch TV for like an hour. I usually watch television and check on news and also food and lifestyle channels. A lot of times, the information that I get from TV shows inspires me to write something. There is a little risk that you might get too engrossed with TV show that you watched and you end up wasting some valuable time.
2. Exercise. One of my biggest enemies is procrastination. Sometimes, the mind is willing but the body would just want to laze around. To snap out of it, I usually do some push-ups or walk around the neighborhood. Doing some household chores could also have a similar effects. Exercise is really a good starter.
3. Meditate or Nap. Basically, I try to "unthink". I want to defocus myself from blogging and what I want to write about. I try to just focus on my breathing for around 5 minutes. After a brief meditation, I usually come up with something so different than the paragraph where I got stuck. In other times, I just take a short nap to refresh my mind.
4. Go to a cafe and work there. I write about food and sometimes a change of environment can do a lot of wonders. Ordering a delicious-looking food could even spark my creativity. Having coffee also helps me in improving my focus.
5. Write about anything for 10 minutes. You can write a haiku, a story, a daydream, or a rant. Sometimes the best words and sentences come out after doing free writing. I am actually writing this article as part of my free writing phase because I got stuck writing about a new restaurant that opened near our office.
The 5 tips that I wrote worked for me and I hope it will work for you. If you happen to have a bright idea about overcoming blogger's or writer's block, feel free to comment. ;)
#365DayBloggingChallenge: 5 Things I liked about the CBC Ultimate Meetup
Date: March 7, 2015
Venue: Diamond Suites and Residences
Event: Cebu Blogging Community Ultimate Meet-up and Pool Party
Venue: Diamond Suites and Residences
Event: Cebu Blogging Community Ultimate Meet-up and Pool Party
Last week, I joined the first ever meet up of the Cebu Blogging Community. I officially joined the group just a few days prior and I really did not know anybody there. I was even a bit hesitant to come, but I was able to force my self to go to the meet-up.
I left home early but I arrived at the venue a quarter past 1pm because of the unusual Saturday traffic in the F. Cabahug area. I have to go to Subangdaku to avoid the logjam. I thought I was really late. Good thing, the event have not started yet. I was really happy that I pushed through in going there.
Here are 5 things I love about the CBC Ultimate Meet-up:
5. Venue. I am quiet thankful that Diamond Suites and Residences were generous in letting the group use one of their meeting rooms for the event. General Manager Aneth Galoy was even there to lead her team in greeting the participants. Sales Executive Keene Albert Tan also did his part to make the group feel at home. Diamond Suites and Residences provided snacks for our afternoon program. After our program, we were even a given tour to their hotel rooms.
#365daybloggingchallenge: Joining a Blogging Community and its advantages
Blogging has been my pastime for several years now. I can do it in spurts and sometimes it will take me weeks before I have another post. Recently, I have been writing a lot to the point thatI fantasize to become a full-time blogger. The hours that I spent blogging and trying to improve my search rankings led to some Facebook groups of people that are into blogging. I joined a few of them and see if it can help sustain my interest in blogging.
One of the newest group I joined is the Cebu Blogging Community. It is a group of bloggers from my city. I like this group because first we are from the same city and second, it is a fun mix of people and personalities. A lot of the members are just like me who just blog for fun but there are also many members who are really serious bloggers.
Here are some advantages about joining a blogging group:
1. Meeting like-minded people - Meeting people who has the same passion to create will definitely improve your interest in blogging. These people are the ones who can courage you to continue what you are doing and they also understand the challenges that blogger/writes face in making an awesome blog. You can learn a lot from fellow bloggers and you can even good ideas for your future posts.
2. Link-Building Opportunities - Having blogger friends can improve your search rankings by linking articles to each other's blog.
3. Blogging Together - There are people who likes to do things alone but sometimes having a companion can also make the activity more fun. Having someone to talk to could give you some ideas that could make a post more interesting.
4. Syndication - Syndication activities can help in Search Engine Optimization and in generating likes, shares, and comments to your posts. Fellow bloggers can definitely help generate buzz into your blog.
5. Guest Blogging - You can easily find people who blog about the same thing in a Blogging Group. Food Bloggers for example can guest post in each other's blog to promote their blogs.
6. Event Invites - Some blogging groups are really active in events. There is power in the collective and being in a very proactive group can really widen your blogging opportunities.
7. Tips and Tricks - You can learn a lot from fellow bloggers. A group can facilitate training in writing, SEO, monetization, design, and many other important aspects in blogging. Some groups hold meet-ups and coaching sessions that can enhance the skills of bloggers.
One of the newest group I joined is the Cebu Blogging Community. It is a group of bloggers from my city. I like this group because first we are from the same city and second, it is a fun mix of people and personalities. A lot of the members are just like me who just blog for fun but there are also many members who are really serious bloggers.
Here are some advantages about joining a blogging group:
1. Meeting like-minded people - Meeting people who has the same passion to create will definitely improve your interest in blogging. These people are the ones who can courage you to continue what you are doing and they also understand the challenges that blogger/writes face in making an awesome blog. You can learn a lot from fellow bloggers and you can even good ideas for your future posts.
2. Link-Building Opportunities - Having blogger friends can improve your search rankings by linking articles to each other's blog.
3. Blogging Together - There are people who likes to do things alone but sometimes having a companion can also make the activity more fun. Having someone to talk to could give you some ideas that could make a post more interesting.
4. Syndication - Syndication activities can help in Search Engine Optimization and in generating likes, shares, and comments to your posts. Fellow bloggers can definitely help generate buzz into your blog.
5. Guest Blogging - You can easily find people who blog about the same thing in a Blogging Group. Food Bloggers for example can guest post in each other's blog to promote their blogs.
6. Event Invites - Some blogging groups are really active in events. There is power in the collective and being in a very proactive group can really widen your blogging opportunities.
7. Tips and Tricks - You can learn a lot from fellow bloggers. A group can facilitate training in writing, SEO, monetization, design, and many other important aspects in blogging. Some groups hold meet-ups and coaching sessions that can enhance the skills of bloggers.
#365dayblogging challenge Tips: Save drafts and schedule posts
There are just days that you are inspired to blog. On those days, words and ideas flow seamlessly from your brain to your keyboard. You have to take advantage of these days. It is the perfect time for you to switch to a higher gear and just write every idea that pops out in your head. Those are rare moments but when it comes, you have to make the most out of it. You would be lucky to be able to get that kind of concentration for a day. Sometimes it could just be for an hour but the same principle apply. Just write anything.
Writing consistently is really the hard part of full-time blogging. It is really difficult for someone to practically write anything everyday with the same quality and output. One of the best tips that I have received in blogging was to schedule posts. Scheduling allows you to plot your posts in the coming days. The best blogs run buy 1 person do not post too many articles in one day. It is not ideal to post 5 articles a day unless you are a news blog. You have to give each post a chance to be read and appreciated by your readers. You also have to devote some time sharing your posts to social media and forums. Good thing blog platforms now allow you to schedule posts and make drafts.
In the past, there were weeks that I became "silent" in all my blogs. The lull made me more lazy and it usually takes me weeks to recover. By reading the I can "pre-post" some entries I think those silent moments will be a thing of the past.
Another good idea is to make a calendar in excel and plot your posts on scheduled dates. I may call it a blog planner. You can write in a notebook or plot it via excel. It is a simple to make you more organized and also tp prevent non-writing days.
In the end, I want you want to remember to pre-write some posts and schedule its final editing and release. It is also good to have a monthly or even a bi-monthly planner to be more productive and organized. Happy Blogging!
Another good idea is to make a calendar in excel and plot your posts on scheduled dates. I may call it a blog planner. You can write in a notebook or plot it via excel. It is a simple to make you more organized and also tp prevent non-writing days.
In the end, I want you want to remember to pre-write some posts and schedule its final editing and release. It is also good to have a monthly or even a bi-monthly planner to be more productive and organized. Happy Blogging!
#365daybloggingchallenge Key to Blogging: Content
A lot of people go into blogging thinking that it can make them rich or give them some sort of fame. Maybe it can but it takes a lot of work and determination to succeed in blogging just like in real life. Blogging is not something you can actually master after attending 1 class. It is a daily thing and should be more of a hobby if you really want to make a difference.
One of the main reasons why some blogs fail or stopped prematurely is that the writers do not have enough content to write about. Content is King and that is the primary rule in blogging or let say writing. It is always easy to talk concept of SEO, email blasts, guest posting, and many other ways to improve your blogs ranking but they are all secondary to content. A site with great content will be easier to follow than sites that are just being marketed aggressively but have garbage content.
I learned about the importance of content in the past few days as I slowly market my blogs using techniques I learned from more experienced bloggers. My sites started to rank better even with less push once many people have somehow shared my content to social media. These people are not my friends but strangers who just got amused with my article.
Here are some tips about content:
1. At the start, for get about page ranks. It is nonsense to expect you will be the number blog about something after your first post. That's not even a long shot. Just write about something you like and pour your heart out. The best articles come from the heart or the weirdest parts of your brain. It might come out incoherent at first but the longest essays comes with a lot of personal imagination and passion.
2. The weirder the better. Forget about the usual articles. Try to be different but to make sense as well. To be able to standout in the ever expanding open world of ideas, you have to be different. You have to offer a different perspective. Some of the best blogs are the ones that convey the message a few people have the guts to put into writing. Fortune favours the bold!
3. Research. Additional information and knowledge is always a plus. Knowledge and information is practically accessible 24 hours a day. Research is one of the best ways to add value to your content.
4. Experience life. Some people are really good armchair coaches but the best articles and posts are written by people who were in the frontline. It is quiet different when you have a first hand experience. You can easily explain things when you were thought by experience and not books.
#365daybloggingchallenge: Food Blog
I have so much material in Google Photos that I think it is like a whole year of posts in one blog. Most of the photos I have are about food and restaurants. In the past couple of days, I focused on writing content on my blog KALAMI CEBU. I need to start catching up with my backlog before I get lazy.
Most of my articles in the past couple of days were about food and restaurants. I featured Carlos Special Ngohiong which is one of the best places for ngohiong in Cebu. I also wrote an article about the amazing meat dishes at Carnivore Cebu and the new all-day breakfast place called Yolk.
My news blog is all about twitter posts about the Mamasapano Massacre. It has been a very productive blogging week so far and I only want to resume on my journals starting February 1.
Most of my articles in the past couple of days were about food and restaurants. I featured Carlos Special Ngohiong which is one of the best places for ngohiong in Cebu. I also wrote an article about the amazing meat dishes at Carnivore Cebu and the new all-day breakfast place called Yolk.
My news blog is all about twitter posts about the Mamasapano Massacre. It has been a very productive blogging week so far and I only want to resume on my journals starting February 1.
#365daybloggingchallenge Day 4: Yol, NLE, and the new judges
Today, I found that one of my acquaintances has been been to be a judge. I really have to write about his appointment because it is pretty amazing. I was also able to write about the performance of Cebu nursing schools in the recently concluded Nursing Licensure Exams. I did my journals. I was able to finish my article about Yolk Coffee and Breakfast and Tex-Rex BBQ.
For photos, I took several shots of the Investor's Day for Aspen Heights. I was able to take a photo of the newly opened brand of Kublai Khan Mongolian BBQ restaurant in Robinsons Cybergate.
Posts for the day (excluding journals):
Performance of Cebu Schools in the November 2014 NLE
6 New judges for Cebu
All-Day Breakfast at Yolk
Enjoying the Dino Plate at Tex Rex BBQ
For photos, I took several shots of the Investor's Day for Aspen Heights. I was able to take a photo of the newly opened brand of Kublai Khan Mongolian BBQ restaurant in Robinsons Cybergate.
Posts for the day (excluding journals):
Performance of Cebu Schools in the November 2014 NLE
6 New judges for Cebu
All-Day Breakfast at Yolk
Enjoying the Dino Plate at Tex Rex BBQ
#365daybloggingchallenge Day 3: Updating old blogs
The focus today was updating my older blogs like BuyinCebu, Caloycebu, rlcprojects, and caloyphotography. I started posting an article about my Sinulog 2015. In the next few days, I will have more articles relating to real estate.
Here are the posts for today:
Budget Hotel: Cinfandel Suites Co.
Oceanjet Daily Trip Schedule
Amisa Condominium for Lease to Own
Sinulog 2015: My Visitors
Sinulog 2015 Pictures
Investor's Day for Robinsons Homes Cebu
Daily Journal: 1-23-2015
Exercise Journal for Today
Here are the posts for today:
Budget Hotel: Cinfandel Suites Co.
Oceanjet Daily Trip Schedule
Amisa Condominium for Lease to Own
Sinulog 2015: My Visitors
Sinulog 2015 Pictures
Investor's Day for Robinsons Homes Cebu
Daily Journal: 1-23-2015
Exercise Journal for Today
#365daybloggingchallenge Day 2: It's all about journals
Today, I somehow restarted a habit of making a journal about the activities I did during the day. I want to somehow remember the important events in my life. A journal will somehow remind you of your life in the past or at least it can give your children a glimpse of what was life in your time. I do not know how I long I can keep this up but in a way this blog also serves as my blogging journal.
Here are the posts I wrote today:
Sinulog and Trash Problem in Cebu
My Daily journal for 1-22-2015
My fitness journal entry
The journals will be a daily thing so I expect to have daily entries in my fitness blog as well as my pov blog.
Here are the posts I wrote today:
Sinulog and Trash Problem in Cebu
My Daily journal for 1-22-2015
My fitness journal entry
The journals will be a daily thing so I expect to have daily entries in my fitness blog as well as my pov blog.
#365daybloggingchallenge Day 1: It's all June Mar and SMB
The first day of commitment to blog more was all about the 2015 PBA Philippine Cup Finals Game 7. The San Miguel Beermen won an epic Game 7 against the Alaska Aces in one the best ever finals series I ever seen. San Miguel started so strong to make some fanatics this it could be a rout but Alaska, true to its new never say die reputation came back and even grabbed the lead deep into the final quarter. Arwind Santos, the Finals MVP scored the last 4 points of the game to secure the title for the championship-hungry San Miguel Beer franchise. The title is also the first one for Cebuano behemoth June Mar Fajardo.
My blog entries today:
June Mar Fajardo wins first PBA title
PBA Philippine Cup Finals Game 7 3rd Quarter Analysis
Halftime Analysis for Game 7
First Quarter Analysis for Finals Game 7 of Philippine Cup
It was really an intense game and I did not regret spending a few hours in front of the television. I am looking forward to more exciting PBA games in the next conference.
My blog entries today:
June Mar Fajardo wins first PBA title
PBA Philippine Cup Finals Game 7 3rd Quarter Analysis
Halftime Analysis for Game 7
First Quarter Analysis for Finals Game 7 of Philippine Cup
It was really an intense game and I did not regret spending a few hours in front of the television. I am looking forward to more exciting PBA games in the next conference.
2015 Plans for my Blogs
2014 was not really a great year for me for blogging. I was not focused on it because I got busy in real life. Actually, I got lazy. There are just times that we do not feel it. It is really hard. This does not apply to writing but also to working, playing, singing, or even in sex. There are times that the creative juices do not flow. Well, the year is over and I guess the new year is a great time to press the reset button.
In the spirit of Kaizen, I vow to be more active this year. I want to devote more time in writing and I will make sure I am going to write one article everyday. Just one article, which is a good start to keep it flowing. This one article could be in any of my blogs. It is hard to have to so many blogs but there are just people who have several interests. Focus is good but I am one of those people who really is interested in many things. I just have to do better or at least keep on writing.
So what are my plans for this blog? Here are some of the things that I thought of:
1. #365dayblogging challenge. This hashtag will serve as my journal to my promise to write everyday. I will post the links of all the things that I wrote about each day. Technically, I will have at least 2 new blog posts everyday. 730 articles in a year? Definitely doable!
2. Make Blogging part of my lifestyle. In 2015, I will tell people I am a blogger. I blog about Cebu, food, sports, real estate, sales, and even some philosophy. I am now officially a Full-Time Blogger. I am doing ti because it's fun and not because of the few cents I get a month from Google Ads.
3. #featuredblogs. As much as possible like once a week, I will feature some good blogs that talks about my interests. Writing is not easy and I have to salute those who do this as part of a lifestyle.
I have been remiss last year and I know I have a lot of catching up to do this. Happy Blogging!!!
In the spirit of Kaizen, I vow to be more active this year. I want to devote more time in writing and I will make sure I am going to write one article everyday. Just one article, which is a good start to keep it flowing. This one article could be in any of my blogs. It is hard to have to so many blogs but there are just people who have several interests. Focus is good but I am one of those people who really is interested in many things. I just have to do better or at least keep on writing.
So what are my plans for this blog? Here are some of the things that I thought of:
1. #365dayblogging challenge. This hashtag will serve as my journal to my promise to write everyday. I will post the links of all the things that I wrote about each day. Technically, I will have at least 2 new blog posts everyday. 730 articles in a year? Definitely doable!
2. Make Blogging part of my lifestyle. In 2015, I will tell people I am a blogger. I blog about Cebu, food, sports, real estate, sales, and even some philosophy. I am now officially a Full-Time Blogger. I am doing ti because it's fun and not because of the few cents I get a month from Google Ads.
3. #featuredblogs. As much as possible like once a week, I will feature some good blogs that talks about my interests. Writing is not easy and I have to salute those who do this as part of a lifestyle.
I have been remiss last year and I know I have a lot of catching up to do this. Happy Blogging!!!
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