EDX Metal Utility Cart Storage

How cute and useful are these carts?

I can’t praise this EDX 4-tier metal utility rolling cart enough! At a fraction of the cost, it’s a superior upgrade from an expensive utility cart I bought at The Container Store after a wheel broke off. The Container Store cart was flimsy compared to this sturdy Walmart mobile cart that also has 360-degree rotating wheels. The new cart is heavy-duty mobile storage of greater capacity with locking coasters. I use it in my kitchen, but it could go in any room, closet, or basement where you need vertical and/or mobile storage and organization.

The metal utility cart is adorable in pink or green, but I selected gray to match my refrigerator and stove. Well-constructed and well-painted, I easily move the cart out of the way to open my utility closet or oven.

It arrives in a compact box with tools for assembly. Although it is easy to assemble, I had to text my cousin to ask whether to put the round head nuts on the inside or outside of the cart. He replied that generally they go on the inside.

I need the cart to store the heavy glass lids of my 12-inch chef skillet and wok pan. It is a hassle storing them in my cupboard, since I must remove them to retrieve my other pots and pans. I prefer to simply reach for lids, pots, and pans without having to rearrange them with each use. Call me lazy, but that’s annoying! 

A personal quirk: I dislike filling every bit of storage space to the brink, but love having empty tiers to temporarily put various things until either I put them away or promptly use them.

The EDX Utility Cart comes in either 3 or 4 tiers. I love my 4-tiers! Why waste vertical space?

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My New Discovery: Olly Skincare

 I found another drugstore skincare brand with good, clean ingredients thanks to my dermatologist. My mother and I have our skin cancer screenings every year; it's a treatable disease when caught early. May is skin cancer awareness month, so we’re a tad late this year in getting our exams.

The office gave away 3-ounce samples of Olly Renew Mood + Skin Body Wash. We took one each (because I didn’t want to share mine :). It was so mild and moisturizing I decided to try the brand’s body lotion. Another winner. This is a brand I’ll put on my radar. 

Choice galore is a consumer’s best friend for scoring drugstore deals! You have more than one good brand you could buy depending on sales to save a few bucks! 

☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺

Other brand products to snatch up when they go on sale at the drugstore or Ultra include: 1) The Ordinary (for actives); 2) Vanicream (for gentle, clean barrier care); 3) Nivea (in the blue tin for rich overnight sealing on dry patches); 4) Olay Regenerist Microsculting Cream (for its moisturing + anti-aging properties); and 5) Ponds Cold Cream (for simultaneously cleansing and moiturizing); 6) Cereve Moisterizing Cream (for the 3 essential ceramides to repair the skin barrier). These 6 products are as good as, and sometimes better than, marked-up luxury brands, and, on a budget, they can work as your entire skincare routine. They contain effective ingredients backed by science without extra skin irritants.

☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺ 

Two other giveaway brands I also liked and have previously blogged about are: Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Ointment and Neutrogena Hydro Boost -- the sample of the Neutrogena product was new, namely its Hydro Boost Water Face Cream.

Perhaps my dermatologist was cleaning out her office of samples manufacturers send to her, and I would think if not dermatologist-approved, she wouldn’t give them away to her patients.

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Mom Gets A Second Pair of Avia Sneakers

My senior mom walks the length of my hallway once a day, either with her wonderful occupational therapist or me. I want her to have good support for her feet, so I bought her a 2nd pair of the much hyped Avia sneakers that are sold exclusively at Walmart. Great quality for a low price. She does not run in them, but many reviewers who bought them do and have posted photos of themselves running in their Avia sneakers! The brand has 100s of positive reviews.

I can’t review them for running, but I highly recommend them for people who stand on their feet all day or walk a lot indoors. 

Avia sneakers are made of the same durable materials as the major brands, including lots of interior padding and good craftsmanship. Its footbed has odor-resistant properties. They are easier to slip on and off than my mom's New Balance sneakers, plus have more cushioning. Ultra stylish, I bought her the black with pops of color.

Because they are mass-produced for Walmart, you can grab what seems like a too-good-to-be-true bargain and save your expensive sneakers for specialized sports. Although I wear my Nike sneakers until they noticeably wear out, the conventional wisdom is to replace sneakers every 6 months.

Avia sneakers are perfect for all our casual smart outings. The color choice is huge and in flux. Frequently, Walmart reduces the price to bring in new colors. The types of sneakers also vary to dupe well-known name brands.  Because the sneakers live up to their hype, we have 2 pairs for daily wear!👟

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Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Invisible Gel SPF 40 Face Sunscreen Replacement For L’Oreal’s Miracle Blur

L’Oreal’s Miracle Blur was the bomb! Customers (including me) can’t understand why the retailer discontinued it. There was simply nothing at the drugstore like it! It blurred shine, fine lines, and wrinkles, leaving your face a velvety canvas. L’Oreal’s replacements for Miracle Blur don’t hold a candle to their old formula.

I’ve spent the summer trying to find a close drugstore match, and finally I found THE ONE that is fairly close, 🛢🥁🪘... Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Invisible Gel Face SPF 40 Sunscreen!

This recently launched product has the same light, gel consistency as Miracle Blur. In fact, it has more sun protection with SPF 40 (versus SPF 30). At 1.7 ounces, it’s the same exact size for less money (costing $11.28 compared to $20). Unlike Miracle Blur, Neutrogena’s Invisible Face Gel contains Vitamin E and is made fragrance-free for sensitive skin. It seems to lack the bit of powder which I believe was blended into Miracle Blur’s formula.

To spare you the unnecessary expense, I’ll list the 3 face primers that disappointed me, as each of them had little to no mattifying effect, leaving my face shiny and sometimes a wet, dewy mess:

Has a wet, dewy finish, not a matte finish 

- e.l.f. Power Grip Primer with 4% Niacinamide

- Milani Prime Protect SPF 30 Face Primer

- Neutrogena Invisibly Radiant UV Primer With SPF 30

Moisturizing, but not matte enough.

The 3 rejected primers contain ingredients known to benefit the skin and may prolong your makeup's wear, but don’t expect them to remove shine or soften fine lines or skin imperfections.

This one leaves your face dry with a slight white cast.

But now we have a winner: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Invisible Gel SPF 40 Face Sunscreen, a face gel you could wear bare just like Miracle Blur. The new bomb has a matte finish, primes the face for makeup, and is invisible on the skin! The end look is close -- 95% of what Miracle Blur was, and I’ll take 95%. I’ll seal it with a touch of powder for the complete old Miracle Blur finish.💣💣💣

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Mimikai Mosquito Repellent

When I heard about a DEET-free mosquito repellent that worked, it sounded too good to be true. I wanted to know if there was any science behind its claims. I’m happy to report it is not just hype! Real science backs up its mosquito-and tick-repellent properties!

Mininkai's active ingredient is undecanone, derived from wild tomato plants and tropical fruits. According to NC State News, it is EPA-registered to provide up to 8 hours of mosquito protection and up to 4 hours of tick protection.

The repellent spray is non-greasy and has an herbal scent. It’s safe for children 2 years old and the whole family.

Wow, wow, wow, this is a for-real game-changer!

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The Healthy Food Staples in My Home

I’m not against health food stores, but for convenience, most of my pantry/refrigerator food comes from either a supermarket or Fairway (for deli-type foods, sushi, and fresh-baked goods). I also order dry foods from Walmart and buy milk and eggs from Target Express (they are everywhere in Manhattan; there is no brick-and-mortar Walmart).

The following are healthy food staples I always buy and never let myself run out of stock. I’m not going to list ultra-common spices like salt or pepper, common condiments like mustard, ketchup, or mayonnaise, or common beverages like coffee or tea. I know people who don’t drink milk or only buy a quart of milk for coffee, or never have eggs at home, so I’m listing them. We drink gallons of milk and always have enough eggs for cooking or baking.

Healthy Food Staples that are always In My Kitchen

1) milk, eggs, and all-purpose flour.

2) mushrooms, celery, carrots, tri-colored bell peppers, and onions. Onions last. I chop and toss mushrooms, bell peppers, and celery into the freezer, so when I cook vegetables, soups, stew, pizza, or omelets, I have them ready to incorporate.

3) Oatmeal - one-minute flaked - For cereal or to use as breadcrumbs.

4) Organic cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun spice. There’s nothing wrong with regular cider vinegar; I just think the organic, containing a mother, tastes better.

5) Greek yogurt - If I make potato or macaroni salad, I’ll boost the protein by substituting some of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.

6) Avocados, bananas, and berries (strawberries, blueberries, or both).

7) Canned salmon - Salmon patties are great for fast, last-minute dinners.

8) Bread and saltine crackers

9) Bags of frozen mixed vegetables, including frozen lima beans. Who decided to remove lima beans from mixed vegetables? Not me! I return them.

10) Potatoes - My favorite starch. I never get tired of potatoes.

11) Extra sharp New York Cheddar. Other types of cheese come and go, but extra sharp cheddar is always and forever in my refigerator.

12) 1/2 - 3/4 pound deli sliced ham - A pound was always too much, and we had to eat it before it went bad. We grill ham with eggs in the mornings or make sandwiches for lunch.

We eat beef, chicken, rice, pasta, corn, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables, too, but they come and go. The listed foods above are like our basics, so we always restock them before we run out.

How about you?

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3 Pricier Home Goods Worth Considering

Lots of home goods turn out to be mistakes, but 3 promising products are worth considering. Each solves a problem, and using them makes life easier, better, or saves money over time.

1) The TIBO Dual-Sided Titanium Cutting Board is scratch-resistant, easy to clean (by washing it with soap and water), and cannot be damaged by knives like regular cutting boards. It’s antibacterial, anti-mold, and corrosion-resistant. Made with high-quality, durable materials, so once you buy it, it’s long-lasting. You won’t have to have separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables, since it doesn’t harbor bacteria.

2) Campanelli is a pro series stain remover. No dabbing, scrubbing, or soaking. You spray it on the stain, and the aerosol stream helps lift the stain out of the rug, upholstery, or garment. The spray dries into crystals that you remove and toss. Works on tough stains, old and new, including dirt, grease, oil, coffee, makeup, ink, blood, and pet accidents. You won’t have to clean your whole rug just to get rid of a few tough stains.

3) The Rush Charge Universe is a 3-in-1 portable charger that lets you charge any device anywhere you are. No more dead batteries, tangled cables, or heavy power banks you need to remember to charge. Equipped with USB-C, Apple Lightning, and Micro-USB connectors that you can plug directly into your compatible device for up to 26 hours of extended battery life.

Each of these items is initially pricey, but each solves problems or does its job far better than its lower-end counterparts, which makes them worth considering. Are they worth the higher cost? Probably!

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A Sprinkle of Nutmeg

Photo: Williams Sonoma - Peugeot nutmeg grinder

Nutmeg is a spice made by grinding the seed of the nutmeg (or Myristica fragrans) tree into a powder. I have a nutmeg grinder to do the job. The spice adds a warm, nutty flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. It’s also fragrant, and a sprinkle goes a long way.

Eating nutmeg has many health benefits, and yet too much of a good thing is dangerous! Never consume more than a pinch up to 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. Over 5 grams (which is 1 to 2 nutmegs) is toxic.

As it happens, nutmeg is a potent spice. It is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. The rich flavonoids, cyanidins, and essential oil in nutmeg protect our cells from stressful oxidation and harmful free radicals. Nutmeg also contains myristicin and eugenol, which block enzymes responsible for chronic inflammation. A pinch of ground nutmeg reduces bloating and treats diarrhea. Spinkled in warm milk or tea, nutmeg promotes better sleep. The essential oil of nutmeg, made into a mouthwash, fights oral bacteria to protect our teeth and gums and treats bad breath. Animal studies have shown that nutmeg lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Its potassium content regulates blood pressure and improves circulation. The analgesic properties in nutmeg can help to ease muscle, menstrual, and arthritic pain.

My family uses ground nutmeg to flavor our stews, soups, vegetables, eggs, rice pudding, and some of our baked cakes and cookies. We tend to use spices like nutmeg to reduce our reliance on salt or sugar to flavor our food.

Sprinkling nutmeg on your food regularly will not only boost its taste, but also your health!

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What Is Black and Colored Gold?

Photo: Jewelry Point

The short answer is black gold and colored gold are alloys. They are made by mixing pure yellow gold with other metals. Pure 24k (100%) gold is too soft to wear as jewelry, so it is mixed with a percentage of other metals to strengthen it. Topically, jewelry is 18k (75% gold + 25% other metals), 14k (58.3% gold +41.7% other metals, or 10k gold (41.7% gold + 58.3% other metals). We are used to seeing alloys of yellow, silver, and rose gold, and I’ve written a prior post about them here. But did you know about black gold, green gold, blue gold, and purple gold?

Jewelers make black gold with special heating to create oxidation, or by mixing yellow gold with cobalt. Green gold is yellow gold combined with silver, copper, or cadmium. Blue gold is created by mixing yellow gold with indium or gallium, and purple gold is made by blending yellow gold with aluminum.

I’ve only seen yellow, white, and rose gold in jewelry stores, and I’ve never seen anyone wear the other colors of gold. Reportedly, black gold is having its day, and yet I’m not a fan.

To each his own, but what I love about jewelry is its shine and sparkle. Of course, what we like is what we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, so black, blue, green, or purple gold seem more like custom jewelry than real gold.

Nowadays, gold is so expensive, I’d be reluctant to splurge on what seems like novelty fine jewelry. What about you? Another jewelry lover might covet the uniqueness of black or colored gold.

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Chino Clothing Is A Balance of Comfort and Style

Clino clothing is the ideal balance of casual-smart, comfort, durability, and style. Right up my alley! The retailer tends to be pricey yet short of unaffordable. You may not buy all your clothes at Chino -- Uniqlo and Old Navy rock -- but you might splurge on special pieces that will remain staples in your wardrobe for years to come.

The retailer combines classic with a degree of edginess or fun in the best possible way. Its pieces are always fashionable and on trend, without following trends.

I also appreciate Chino’s light and breathable cotton twill fabric. A merchant who began by making fabrics for the military, Chio now offers some of the most stylish and flattering pieces for women. 

You have your choice of dress lengths with ultra-tasteful necklines and attention to details that flatter women of all ages. If you buy a dress in your 20s, with good care, you’ll still have it and be able to wear it in your 50s!

If you wait for sales and special promotions, you’ll find a piece at a good value you’ll enjoy wearing time and again.

You simply can’t pick a dress on this blog post that wouldn’t look good on women of any age, and as time rolls on, none will look dated!

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A Homemade High Protein Drink

I buy my senior Mom Walmart’s Equate (30 grams with 1 gram of sugar) protein drink to supplement her diet because she doesn’t eat lunch. On Thursday I tried to re-order two 12-packs, but couldn’t have it shipped! It’s because Walmart put it on sale and removed the shipping option. We have no Walmart brick-and-mortar stores in Manhattan for pickup. Rats! So no Equate protein drinks until the shipping option returns.

Meanwhile, I’m making her a homemade high-protein drink alternative:

Homemade High Protein Drink

Ingredients:

1.5 cups (12 oz) milk - 12 grams of protein

1/2 cup (4 oz) Greek Yogurt - 12 grams of protein

1 tablespoon peanut butter - 4 grams of protein

banana, small, or 1/2 large - 1 gram of protein

3 whole walnut kernels - 3 grams of protein

= 32 grams of protein

Directions:

Toss into a blender or food processor. Pour into a glass. Add a straw.

Optional: Tossing in strawberries, cherries, blueberries, or a tablespoon of cocoa powder gives the recipe different flavors and adds nutrients. To further vary the drink, feel free to occasionally add 1/4 cup of chia seeds or oatmeal flakes. Both have protein and fiber.

Many high-protein drinks call for whey protein, but if you have to buy whey protein, you might as well buy the Equate or Ensure already-made drinks. Equate (Walmart’s brand) costs $1.67 each.

Every day I give my Mom 5,000 ius of vitamin D and a multi-vitamin, both drugstore brands.

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Homemade Rum Cake

Rum Cake courtesy of Good Cakes and Bakes here.

Perhaps it’s because of the endless daylight that causes me to bake more cakes in the summertime. I also like to do more hosting and entertaining in the summer, so there lies the excuse to bake a cake. I also like to try new recipes. Baking a rum cake seems easier than making a 2-layer cake (at least psychologically).

Homemade Rum Cake

 

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1  cup dark brown sugar (or use half granulated and half brown sugar if you wish.)

3 large eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk (Sour cream can be used.)

1/3 cup rum

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup of chopped nuts - pecans or walnuts

Directions:

1) Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and beat.

2) Add the buttermilk and rum.

3) Mix the dry ingredients in one mixing bowl and slowly incorporate them into the wet mixture.

4) Add the vanilla extract.

5) Toss 1/2 cup of chopped nuts onto the bottom of a buttered bundt pan. Bundt pans are traditional for rum cakes, but use a round or square pan if you wish.

5) Pour the batter into the bundt pan evenly.

6) Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 60 minutes or more until done in the middle.

7) Let the cake cool, but remove it while still warm by loosening and turning the bundt pan upside down.

Rum Cake Frosting Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar, start with one cup 

The rest of the chopped nuts

Directions: 

Mix all the ingredients. Use as much powdered sugar as needed. Start with a cup. After the cake is completely cool, frost it. Top the frosting with the remaining chopped nuts. Roasting the nuts on a cookie sheet before using them improves their flavor, but I’m often too lazy to do it.🎂

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Pretty Rings At Harry Winston

Photo: Harry Winston

Fortunately, I'm not tempted to buy luxury handbags, shoes, or apparal despite appreciating the style and/or craftsmanship of many of the top designers. My luxury of choice has always been jewelry. So how does THAT make me fortunate? Well, luxury jewelry is so far beyond the means of a regular wage earner like me that I have no illusions of bringing pieces home! I can browse knowing  -- what I’m ogling over -- would put far too many zeros on my credit card, sending me deep into debt. I might covet, yet there is no temptation to buy. I know who I am, and it isn’t a high roller with deep pockets for beautiful yet ultimately impractical things.

That said, aren’t the 3 Harry Winston rings👆, a canary diamond with white diamonds, an emerald with diamonds, and a sapphire with diamonds, gorgeous! Yes, siree, Bob!

If you love gemstones and admire jewelry design, you love seeing high-end jewelry for inspiration. First a dreamer, then a realist is my motto. Take it in, then find something similar ... the design, the vibe, the size, within your budget. You can follow the same practice if you love designer bags, shoes, apparel, or art, whatever your hot button temptation is. I mean, we don’t have to deprive ourselves of enjoying the apex of quality by ignoring it. Try your temptation on if you get the chance, then search for something more budget-friendly that gives you the same effect as a big-ticket item. No need to go without completely. Deprivation is not a virtue!

Pretty rings at Macy’s, more affordable commercial-grade gemstones, including sapphires with diamonds, an emerald with diamonds, and canary diamonds with white diamonds.😊

Jewelry is a luxury buy, just like all other designer goods, so it is more of a want than a need, but we can justify owning a few pieces to add sparkle to outfits. If your splurge is a ring, you can enjoy looking at it all day long!

Finally, remember that lab-grown gemstones are physically, chemically, and optically identical to earth-grown gemstones, making large precious stones -- emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds -- far more affordable. 

Photo: Harry Winston

Harry Winston's rings look to be as thin as lower-cost vendors’ rings at Macy’s. The HW gemstones are better quality, but for the money, Harry Winston could make the bands of his lovely, yet extremely pricey, rings thicker. Don’t you agree?!?

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Photo: Geology.in: Click to go to the website to learn more about garnets. Usually the Hessonite hue is more of a cinnamon orange.

Gemstone durability is a blend of 3 major characteristics: Hardness, toughness, and strength. Hardness is its resistance to scratches. Toughness stops breaking, cracking, and chipping. How tightly a gemstone's atoms are packed together determines its toughness. A gemstone's strength measures its resistance to shattering under pressure (i.e., how hard it is to crush).

Spessartite Garnet

If you're looking for everyday jewelry that will endure, the following 3 gemstones always top the lists of jewelry insiders. Two of the 3 gemstones are so under the public's radar, and thus less in demand, they are also good value for the money.

I. Jewelry experts consider garnet a wildly underrated gemstone. The jewel is a whole family of minerals that comes in a wide array of intense colors. With a 7.5 rating on Mohl’s Scale of Hardness, a garnet is hard enough for everyday rings. But that’s not the whole story; a garnet has no cleavage, giving it excellent toughness. A vivid green garnet, known as tsavorite, is far cheaper, cleaner, and tougher than emeralds, with none of an emerald’s fragility for chipping, cracking, or breaking. Unlike emeralds, garnets do not need oiling to hide industry-accepted inclusions. Rodolite (a combination of pink, red, and purple) exudes a raspberry hue. Spessartite is a fiery orange, and Demantoid sparkles more than diamonds.

Wikepedia

II. Another hard, tough, strong, and underrated gemstone is spinel, with an 8 in hardness. Spinel (MgAl2O4) grows in the same mines as rubies and, for centuries, was mistaken for a ruby (Al2O3). The only reason spinel is overlooked is that it lacks the marketing push of diamonds. Collectors understand the beauty, durability, and true value of spinel. Insiders predict that once the public catches on, the price of spinels will skyrocket. 

Photo: GIA

III. The last, most durable gemstone for everyday wear is the priciest of the 3 but worth considering as an alternative gemstone for engagement rings: Corundum has a 9 hardness rating. Rubies (red corundum is more expensive because red gemstones in nature are rarer). All other colors of corundum are sapphires. Corundum is a more durable gemstone than diamonds. They are often selected by royalty (Diana and Catherine of Wales, the York princesses) for their engagement rings, and jewelers buy them for their own family. I met a jeweler at Tiffany's who bought herself a 3.5-carat blue sapphire ring, and a jeweler at Effy who bought a sapphire ring for his daughter that will last forever!

Jewlery isn't cheap, so it pays to know which gemstones have the best combination of durability. 

💍💎💍💎

A blue spinel

Other gemstones insiders cite for durability include Alexandrite (a 9.5 in hardness), Moissanite (9.5), and Jade (6 - 7). The coveats with them are: Alexandrite is rare and thus super expensive. Moissanite is very affordable, but always lab-grown. Jade, the softest on the list, can be scratched if careless, so durable yet not to be banged around, set in rings.

Which of the durable gemstones appeals to you? I wish I owned blue and red spinels. Vietnam grows vivid blue ones.

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