MileIQ – The Intelligent Mileage Tracker

Here we are, mid-way through the summer already! I hope yours has been awesome so far; mine certainly has. Even with business doing well, and the Equus training going strong, I’ve still been able to enjoy lots of fun family time, bbq’s, slow days, and warm summer nights. Ahhh…the joys of summer!

I have a really cool tool for you this month—MileIQ. It’s an entrepreneur’s life saver, and an accountant’s dream, all rolled into one.

Even though I work in the virtual world, for the most part, I still find myself logging a lot of drive time that can be classified as business trips. I’ve tried my best to keep up with that little mileage book, you know, the one you keep in your car with very good intentions of using it faithfully, but somehow never really get in the habit of logging your mileage? I end up guesstimating a lot, or just not doing anything until the end of the year when my accountant inevitably asks me, “And where’s your mileage log?” Ugh. I’m sure you know that feeling as well! This year, it will be different. I can hardly wait until my accountant sees my year-end mileage report, organized, categorized and calculated. He’s going to be thrilled!

MileIQ is a powerful mobile tool that automatically tracks your drives and allows you to categorize them as business or personal. You can even set typical trips as one or the other, and the tool will automatically categorize them for you. How cool is that?

But it doesn’t stop there. Mile IQ has so many great features, I’m still discovering them myself! Just a few of my favorites include:MileIQ

  • Automatic drive detection
  • Automatic calculation of the value of your drives
  • Cloud storage of your drive history
  • Automatic and custom reports, whenever you need them
  • Support for mileage reimbursement & mileage deduction

Now I can automatically track my mileage, and generate reports whenever I want, with all drives categorized and calculated at the latest IRS mileage rate. I can record my maintenance, and so much more, all from my mobile phone. I can’t wait to see the reaction from my accountant when tax time rolls around! Try MileIQ and you’ll see what I mean!

I just love technology!

If you like this, you’ll love our Tips + Tools website page, where you can find other great ideas to help you manage your business and life!”

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Equus Coaching–Is It Magic Or Just Good Horse Sense?

GC and horse framedIf you’re new here, Welcome! I’m beyond excited to share business tips + cool tools + my Equus journey with you.

A little background on my heart’s true passion, Equus Coaching, and how I got here….

Have you ever thought, “I see others… (like my husband! Okay, I’m speaking directly about him)…always wanting for things, working harder to always have more and never seeming to have enough!”?

Growing up, I was taught things like–you should work hard to save your money; you should always be able to make in one week what your mortgage/rent payment is; you only spend money when it’s absolutely necessary; and on and on. Having this limiting belief has oftentimes made it a struggle when it comes to willingly fulfilling my husband’s wants and desires. Until recently.

I truly realize now how much of a gift it is to have him be this way and to be in my life. Once, when my husband and I were still dating, my dad made the comment, “He’s such a dreamer.” And you know what, it’s true. He is! But I can honestly say that ALL of the things he’s imagined for his life and for our life together have become a reality in the 19 years we’ve been together. Was I always willing to support him? Most likely not; not at first, anyway! The best part of it though–he’s encouraged me to take risks and chances that I never would have, had it not been for him.

I feel the need to share this with you because if it weren’t for his ability to dream big, and his unconditional love and support for me, and our children, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today. The Equus Coach Training is a huge journey for me right now, and a big shift in how I show up for my clients and family every day.shane 01

Check out the text conversation we had in April while I sat in the airport before I left for my first Equus group onsite training in California. Thank God for his understanding of what it means to pursue a dream like this.

Luckily, my husband understands that it’s time for me to make changes in how I do business. He knows that I’ve had this need to show up more as myself—someone who knows how to help people, and who loves horses big-time. Because of this, deciding to formally learn and implement the Equus Coach Training has turned out to be a perfect fit for me and where I’m at right now…right where I belong!

My Equus Journey

So, here I am, on this wonderful journey of Equus Coach Training. And you’re thinking…Say what? Coaching horses? Training horses? Training coaches with horses? I know; it’s not exactly a common household term, right? I get a lot of questions about it, and a few awkward looks! As it’s still new to a lot of my friends, family and clients, I want to share a bit of what Equus is…

First, it’s pronounced – eck-wuss, with a short “e” sound.

Simply put, Equus is a non-verbal language. It’s a kind and effective way of communicating with a horse, and of a horse communicating with you—all without even getting on a horse!

By learning to effectively and authentically have a “conversation” in this way, it allows us to create and maintain a solid relationship with the animal. Surprisingly, this process is also how humans work, which is what drew me to it.

Horses are so amazing in that they have such a strong sensitivity in non-verbal communication that they mirror back to us exactly what our body is communicating to them. This, in a teeny tiny nutshell, is how Equus Coaching works.  In other words, they are able to reproduce exactly what our body is internally communicating, helping us to see ourselves and show up in the way we want to, verses meandering through our lives and businesses.

For instance, if you’re feeling nervous before entering a space with a horse, but keep telling yourself you’re not nervous, or you don’t want the horse to know your nervous–guess what? He already knew from the moment you walked in. And since your actions aren’t congruent with what you’re feeling, chances are the horse will keep its distance from you. Once you become aware of this and are able to ground yourself and really honor how you’re feeling (because it is okay to be nervous in the presence of a 1,200 lb giant), oftentimes the horse will walk right up to you. It’s truly magical.

This amazing process allows you to see how your own resistance or nervousness shows up when you step out of the horse ring and into other areas of your life. When you need to perform at your very best for a client, host an amazing webinar that genuinely helps your prospects and turns them into customers, or you’re at that family birthday gathering where things normally go sideways 30 minutes into it, Equus Coaching gives you the tools to be fully centered and in greater control of how you show up, allowing you to get ahead instead of feeling like you just dropped the ball at that critical moment. The results of Equus Coaching are truly impressive and fully transformative.

Horses provide us with non-judgmental feedback. They show us when we are internally matching how we’re feeling externally and when we aren’t. They do it in such a gentle yet immediate way that it allows us to be honest about how we’re feeling in the moment, and play with it, experiment with it, and learn from it.

I can’t wait to share more on Equus Coaching with you, and I’d love to hear your initial thoughts on the subject! Or perhaps you’ve got an Equus story of your own that you’d like to share. Please feel free to comment below!

Gretchen

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Learning and Growing and Sharing, Oh My!

On a personal note…

Last fall I decided to take a leap, a big one. It was scary because it required a big commitment of time, money and effort. And, because it signaled a change in the way I’ll do business.

I was feeling a little tug at my heart to do something that felt more genuinely me, and in alignment with what I love most—horses. I longed to be outside, spending time with three of my best friends, my Quarter horses, Sunny, Rusty and Blaze.

So, I finally did it. I applied and was accepted for an equine training program called Koelle Simpson’s Equus Coach Training. I began the program in January, and am spending a fabulous year learning how to provide life-changing coaching to my clients by partnering with my horses as co-facilitators.

It’s amazing how horses are tuned in with humans and can provide the kind of feedback that helps us overcome some of our biggest fears and challenges, all without even getting on a horse. Partnering with horses during coaching sessions helps us when we’re struggling to feel more congruent, authentic and connected to our bodies, along with knowing what to do with all of the messages our bodies send us.

I’m now four months into the training, and I’m still loving it! A good sign when you take a leap like this, right? I’m learning so many new and exciting ways to help my clients reach bigger goals with less sacrifice, and I can hardly wait to share them!

What does this mean for you?

I still love helping my clients through virtual assistance and I plan on continuing this important work. And later this year, I’ll have a whole new set of coaching tools available to complement the VA services I offer (squealing with excitement at the thought of this!)

With this new arsenal of life and business coaching skills, I’ll help you get ahead in your business like you never thought possible—new tools, techniques and strategies to get past any nonproductive mindsets that are holding you back from reaching that next level of success.

And, I’ll be offering on-site, live equine-based business coaching starting in my own barn.

I’m working out what my new offerings will look like, so I’ll share those details with you as soon as I have them. Until then, I’ll continue to share great business tips, tools and inspiration and I’ll keep you updated on my equine coaching journey until I’m ready to make my new services available.

Horse-based coaching is new to many people so if you’ve got questions about it, hit reply or leave a note in the comments and let me know what they are. It’d be so helpful to hear your thoughts and questions as I move closer to offering this kind of coaching!
Gretchen

P.S. Here is a picture of our amazing group. That’s me in the front row, second from the left! Photo credit Kim Perina.

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This month’s Cool Tool…

Boomerang for Gmail

Do you use Gmail as your email client? If you do, then you need to know about Boomerang! It’s a wonderful tool, made for Gmail users that helps you manage your emails and de-clutter that inbox! If your inbox is like most, it gets filled up fast, and trying to manage the reminders and follow-ups that go along with most of your emails can sometimes be overwhelming.

Boomerang allows you to schedule emails to be sent at a later time, set reminders for those important follow-ups, and so much more. And once you set up an email to boomerang, it leaves your inbox until the specified date, and then it pops back in, ready for you to deal with it. My inbox is so much more manageable now, and I’m loving it! Check it out, and let me know what you think! http://www.boomeranggmail.com/

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Coach. Mentor. Cheerleader. Do You Have Yours?

Throughout our lives, we all need to have someone in our corner acting as coach, mentor or cheerleader, as committed to our success as we are. Rarely does a day go by where I don’t see that in my own business and life. As I continue to build and grow my business, pursue my own personal passion of becoming an equus coach, and work hard at being the best wife, mother and friend I can be, I’m constantly reminded of how difficult all of this would be without these special people in my life.

I’ve worked with business coaches since I first launched my VA business, and let me just say there is no better single decision you can make for yourself and your new business than the decision to sign on with a qualified business coach. You have the vision and the goals for what you want your business to be. A qualified business coach can help you lay out the plan, work towards the goals and manage the pitfalls that all entrepreneurs face. They’ve been there, done that. It’s the same with life coaches. They fill in the details of your plan, and hold you accountable for working that plan. Most of my wonderful clients are coaches. I see the impact they have on the lives and businesses of those they work with, and I’m constantly in awe of  them!

Mentors are another treasure in our lives! The dictionary defines a mentor as “a wise or trusted advisor or guide.” Is that ever true! Whereas a coach may get more into the nuts and bolts of building a plan and helping you work through the steps, a mentor is often that person you look to as a role model. They can be the image of what you aspire to be; there to offer advice and guidance as you need it. Mentors can be anyone in your life or business that you admire and respect; a parent, grandparent, or sibling; a business leader or colleague; even your old high school teacher! Really, didn’t we all have that one teacher that we loved and turned to whenever we needed advice during those challenging teenage, high school years?! I know I did, and I still appreciate them for being there for me!

Along with your coaches and mentors, who may come and go in your life, your personal cheerleaders are oftentimes the ones you need the most! They are the family, spouses, and friends who are always in your corner, supporting you every step of the way as you journey through this wonderful crazy world! They get you; they understand who you are and what you want, and they encourage you to be your best self and live your best life. And when you fall, they lift you up, dust you off, give you a hug and send you on your way again!Life can be a sea of highs and lows, and we all need people in our lives to help us navigate the rough waters.

Find yourself a coach, a mentor and a cheerleader (actually, you can never have too many cheerleaders!), and let them help you become all you’re meant to be. And remember to pay it forward!

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Being Vulnerable….

Do you know what it means to be vulnerable? I thought I did, but boy oh boy was my perception wrong. After having recently read Daring Greatly by Brené Brown, I have a new understanding of what it means to be vulnerable. Brené defines vulnerability as uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. Not at all what I thought.

Vulnerability is not about weakness. It's about showing up and being seen. -Dr. Brene BrownBefore, I thought of vulnerability as a weakness (and I’m sure many others do, too.) It was something we never really talked about in my family.  I didn’t want to admit that I ever felt vulnerable, because I didn’t want to seem weak. From Brené I learned that actually being vulnerable is to FEEL. It’s learning how to own our vulnerability and engage with the emotions that come along with it. Deep, but so true!

Being vulnerable allows for many great things to happen to us in life. It’s a gift. My greatest vulnerability awareness right now is trust. Trust is a product for vulnerability. You have to be vulnerable to feel in order to trust.

I had a life-altering conversation yesterday with a woman who’s only been in my life for about 3 months. By being vulnerable and trusting her, she held the space for me to be raw and open. In a conversation that lasted a mere 60 minutes, she helped me in a way that will change my life forever for the greater good. I’m grateful I was vulnerable with her because the outcome was so rewarding.

I invite you to be vulnerable. As Brené says “The courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent and lead.”

With love and gratitude,

Gretchen

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Great Companies Come From Great Visionaries—You Be Yours

Warren Buffet. Bill Gates. Oprah Winfrey. The late Steve Jobs. Pretty hefty names, right? We all know their names and what they’ve accomplished in their lives and contributed to the world. But other than the obvious…international fame, financial wealth, larger-than-life business empires, what do you suppose these amazing people all have in common? Their beginnings were all fairly humble—from very poor to blue collar to upper-middle class. And they were all Visionaries. They all had the ability to envision what they wanted their lives to be, and the brilliance and determination to make it happen.

Why am I telling you all of this? To point out that greatness begins with a vision. When you first realized that you wanted to be your own boss, you surely had a vision of what that would look like. You dreamed of how things would be someday…maybe your vision included acquiring multiple companies or getting a patent on the next great thing that the world can’t live without. Or maybe it was simply to provide a solid financial foundation for your family and future generations. Whatever the vision was, you had one in some form or fashion. We all did.

And where would we be today without the brilliance of such visionaries as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Sam Walton? I imagine us stumbling around, on foot and in the dark, looking for the best price on those new snow boots for the kids or the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for that special someone.

So, my question for you to ponder now is…How’s it going? Are you still the great visionary of your company? It’s not as easy as it sounds, is it? With the ups and downs, ebbs and flows we all experience in our businesses, sometimes the vision gets a little gray, a little foggy. If that’s where you are now, then it’s time to clear your head and get back in touch with that great vision you once had. There’s also nothing stopping you from creating a new vision if the original one no longer fits your life plan!

It’s important to always be the great visionary for your own business. If you haven’t already, take time to create the image of what you want your business to look like and what it will take to get there, and then put a plan in action to make it happen. It doesn’t have to be on the same scale as Warren, Bill, Oprah and Steve; it just has to be yours.

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Mind Mapping—It’s Like List Making on Steroids

Teacher Businesswoman Writing Mindmap Complex DiagramAre you a visual learner? Do you see things more clearly when they’re laid out in front of you, on a list or a white board? I think most of us are that way. There’s something about getting the whirlwind of ideas out of your head and on to a piece of paper that really helps to clarify the project at hand. Am I right, or what? From a simple to-do list to an elaborate Gantt chart, that visual aid can pull things together and help you get your plan in place for moving forward.

I have to admit—I’m a bit of a list junkie myself. I love making lists of my projects, my must-do’s, my want-to’s, and even my hope-to’s. While I probably won’t go cold turkey on my list making, because it does still work best for some things, I have just recently discovered another way of laying out a project that works much better than those Post-Its (can’t believe I just said that!). It’s a very cool tool called Mind Mapping.

Mind mapping has actually been around since ancient times, and has been used successfully in all varieties of situations. It’s an easy and fun way to brainstorm a work project, plan out your week ahead, address a challenge or even take notes in a meeting. It allows you to get your ideas on paper as they come to you, whereas with a list, you might be stymied trying to capture your thoughts in the order they need to be done, which can be really frustrating. Because our minds think in terms of images rather than words, a mind map is much more free-flowing and can actually inspire more creative ideas and make the process more productive.

Using a visual image of a tree, here’s a quick summary of how a mind map works:

  • In the center of your paper or white board, you write down the main topic of your mind map. This becomes the trunk of the tree.
  • Reaching out from there, like branches on a tree, list 3 or 4 sub-topics that need to be considered as part of the project.
  • Now start brainstorming! Under each of the branches, begin drawing smaller branches, listing, in no particular order, your ideas, thoughts and even images that pertain to each sub-topic.
  • Continue to grow your tree with more branches, large and small as your ideas keep coming.
  • Note…By association, using images and colors will help you to connect all the branches and remember your mind map later as you work through your project.

Admittedly, this is just an overview of the mind map process. For more information and step-by-step instructions, check out these articles:

“How to Make a Mind Map” at WikiHow.com

“Why Mind Maps Are The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread” at Teamwork.com

Mind mapping is easy and fun! You can keep it simple with paper and colored pens, or you can get technical and use a mind-mapping program if you like. Either way, give it a try and see what you think!

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Life is One Big Lesson–Embrace It!

Here we are…standing in the doorway of another new year! Like most new years, this one will surely bring with it many opportunities, challenges, successes and probably a few failures. Will you welcome whatever comes your way, and grab the lessons that each experience brings? Or will you step back into the shadows, hoping you can just get through the year unscathed?

For me, every experience is a learning opportunity, and I welcome every one of them. In my business, I’m constantly looking for ways to better serve my clients. Whether it’s developing a new skill or service, or turning an unfortunate criticism into a tool for improvement, I embrace it, I learn all I can from it, and I use it to serve my clients at a level they deserve. I do the same in my personal life, as well. The more I learn and grow, the better I can be for myself and my family.

We all enjoy our successes; our victories throughout the year. That’s easy, right? But trying to stay positive through the challenges and failures…well, that’s another story, and I totally get it! What if you could see through the challenges and failures, and find the positive lessons in them? Would it help you get through those tough times?

Every challenge, every failure you experience, in business and in life, carries within it a positive lesson. Understanding this is extremely empowering, and once you understand, you realize that you can face every situation head on, draw the positive lessons from it and move on to do better next time. I’ll show you what I mean…

Challenges are your opportunities to test yourself. Your knowledge and skills, your problem-solving abilities, your ambition, determination and even your patience will be called upon when you face a challenge. The lessons here are in how well you navigate through the challenge. What are you doing right, and what can you improve upon for next time?

Failures bring with them your greatest opportunities for learning! You will rarely learn as much from your successes as you do from your failures, if you pay attention. Did you give it your best effort, even though it didn’t work out? Are you proud of the commitment you made? Did you increase your knowledge? These are all positive lessons to look for in your failures. Take note of the positive things you gained from the experience, and use them to your advantage next time. And let the rest of it go as it serves no purpose.

Successes hold the easy lessons. For instance—hard work and dedication pay off; be proud of your accomplishment without being boastful; and share your success with those who helped you get there.

The next time you’re faced with a challenge or a failure, or even a success, try looking at it with a different mindset. Keep the lessons and let go of the rest of it. Life is one giant learning experience. Embrace whatever comes your way and be thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow!

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How YouTube Videos Can Help You Connect, Share and Grow Your Business!

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In my last article, I offered 5 ways to re-ignite your passion for your business. What if I told you that offering YouTube videos will address 4 of those 5? Yep, it’s true. Using videos in your business can help you—

  • Promote a new service, program or product;
  • Provide technical advice related to your skills or expertise;
  • Expand your reach as far as targeting a new market; and
  • Network with new groups of like-minded colleagues and peers.

I know what you’re thinking…video? No way! I’m not a speaker! And besides, how can it really help my business? Okay, think about it. Videos are everywhere; in every business these days. Attorneys offer instructions on completing legal documents; plumbers, handymen and other craftsmen use them to teach DIY projects; and tech experts share how-to’s on every internet program and tool you can imagine. You can even find YouTube tutorials on how to use YouTube!

Videos work especially well for online coaches. You can create your lessons using video, upload them and share the links with your students. People are visual and oftentimes seeing the face behind the name, and watching a video rather than reading text helps them to retain the information.

Pretty nice, don’t you think? And it’s really not as intimidating as you might think. There are several very user-friendly programs for creating, uploading and sharing your videos. Windows Movie Maker, for instance, is a free download as part of the Windows 7 Live Essentials package, and is pretty simple to use.

All you need to get started is a simple webcam if you’re going to produce videos from your computer, along with a good quality mic/speaker system on your computer. If you’re going to produce videos “out in the field” as they say, you’ll need a flipcam or other camera/video device, which can be very inexpensive to buy (I’m talking like $40!). And of course, you need a YouTube account. It’s free and just takes a few minutes to set up. That’s it for the basic tools to get you started.

Here’s a quick rundown of how you can use Window Movie Maker to create simple, yet amazing videos—

Create your live video using your webcam or flipcam (following the instructions that come with your device), and save the file to your computer.

Note: An alternative to a live video is to start by creating a slideshow using PowerPoint or other images. If you want to include screenshots in your video, using the Windows Snipping Tool makes this an easy task. If you produce your video from a slideshow, simply use the Windows Sound Recorder (available on your Windows 7, under Accessories) to record your voice while playing through slideshow you just created. Save the file to your computer.

Open the Windows Movie Maker program and pull up your file. The Movie Maker program is very intuitive, and allows you to edit out any parts you don’t want, add introductory slides, music, and much more. It sounds much more difficult than it is, I promise!

Once your video is finalized, upload it to your YouTube account. From there, you can do final edits, name it, give it search tags, and even choose to make it private or public. You can also grab the URL for the video and share it with others via email and social media, and you can even embed it on your website or blog.

If you’re ready to dive in and create awesome videos for your business, you can find several helpful tutorials on (where else?) YouTube, including a couple that I found particularly helpful:

Videos are an easy, inexpensive way to reach your clients, peers, students, colleagues and prospects. So go on; don’t be shy. Dive in try it out! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be hooked! And remember, the Gretchen Christy Virtual Team is always here to help! We work with extraordinary life and business coaches who are looking for a true business partner to bring their BIG ideas into tangible, clickable reality. Want to learn more?

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5 Tips for Keeping the Passion in Your Business

Remember how you felt when you first started your business? The excitement, the joy, the anxiety? You knew you had something of great value to offer that would help others excel in their business and in their lives. I totally remember feeling that way! I couldn’t wait to talk about my business and share my skills with others. And some will say that once I began talking, it was often hard to get me to stop. Well, that’s called passion, my friend! I had a vision for what I wanted to create, and it was my passion that drove me to make it happen.

Webster’s dictionary defines passion as “a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something.” The thing that often drives us to do anything (good or bad) is our passion for that particular thing. You became a coach because you have a passion for guiding others to a particular path. You became a vet because of your passion for animals; a musician because of your passion for music; you get the idea. It was your passion for ___ (fill in the blank with your own passion) that got you to this point, in this business, right here, right now.

So how do you keep that passion for your business going strong? Here are a few ideas to try—

  • Update your service offerings. When was the last time you added something new? Take a look at your current programs, products and services, and maybe change things up a bit.
  • Add a new skill. Sometimes, even when we’re passionate about something, it can be become a bit routine and even monotonous after a while. Try learning a new skill and adding it to your repertoire of services.
  • Expand your target market. Do some research into other markets that would benefit you’re your knowledge and skills. Step outside the box and pursue a market that you think would be fun to work with!
  • Network with new groups. Once you identify that fun new target market, go out and meet those people! Talk with them, hang out with them, and learn all you can about their industry. Then let them know how you can help solve their problems!
  • Tweak your brand. Sometimes, just a simple update can do wonders to revive your passion. It’s like getting new curtains in the spring; bringing in a fresh new look can totally change the way you see your business. It doesn’t have to be a major change; just a tweak of your logo or your website; or maybe a new, really cool design on your business card.

If you find yourself in a bit of a rut, or just need to shake things up a bit, go ahead! It’s your business! Try a few of these tips and re-ignite that driving passion that brought you down this awesome path of entrepreneurship in the first place!

And if you need help with the strategy or the details, we are here to assist you! Our Virtual Team works with extraordinary life and business coaches who are looking for a true business partner to bring their BIG ideas into tangible, clickable reality. Want to learn more?

 

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