Learn How to Talk to Animals – A Practical Guide for a Magical Journey

Yes! My book by that same name is finally up on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BSOLWW! It should be in print on Amazon soon. AND, if you have a Kindle e-reader you can “borrow” it for free through Kindle’s new ADP Select program.

If you read it, will you please leave me a review? Here’s the book description:

Whether you aspire to be a professional animal communicator, want to talk to your own animals, or simply wish to understand animal communication better, this unique book is for you. Leta Worthington has distilled her 25 years of experience into an easy-to-read yet complete guide. Learn How to Talk to Animals answers commonly asked questions like: “What is animal communication?” and “How does it work?” You’ll find insights as to why opening the heart and learning to use the brain differently are important for ensuring success, and practical instruction for expanding your subtle awareness. Many other compelling topics, such as the dos and don’ts of animal communication, are covered as well, but if you’re eager to dive in you can skip to Part Two and start practicing with Leta’s step-by-step guidance. Verbatim case histories and fascinating true stories will spur your confidence and enthusiasm. This book is a one-stop-shop for anyone ready to experience the magical journey of talking to animals.

And stay tuned for my next book on animal afterlife and animal reincarnation. Thanks for visiting!

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How to Get Health Insurance for $40 a Month . . . When you Can’t Afford, Don’t Have, or Can’t Get Health Insurance!

“You have nothing if not your health.”

I don’t know who first said that, but you know just how true that is if you’ve ever had a chronic disease or ongoing pain. Quality of life is everything . . . and unfortunately having health insurance doesn’t ensure it. Only good health does.

If you could get health insurance for $40/mo., would you get it?

Of course you would. Even if it were a stretch, just cutting out a few cups of joe from your favorite gourmet coffee shop every month would cover this amount.

If you can’t get or can’t afford health insurance, you can ensure your good health by:

  • eating healthy food,
  • getting plenty of rest, and, of course,
  • never having any stress.

That’s the supposed formula. And maybe it used to work. But in present day circumstances, especially with the toxins in the environment and food we eat, this formula doesn’t really work any more.

What can you add to this picture that will ensure the best health possible and will improve your quality of life?

Super Blue-Green Algae. For $40 bucks a month. In a convenient one-month’s supply of one-a-day Simplexity “Essentials” packets.

Why Super Blue-Green Algae and not just a multi-vitamin? Because Super Blue-Green Algae is one of the few whole foods you can get these days that is wild-crafted, just as Nature created it, and is a complete organic nutrient in a highly digestible form.

The human body does a completely different thing with food in its natural state than with something man-made, even if from organic ingredients. It does not utilize a Vitamin C capsule like it does an orange. Period. So a vitamin pill is not going to change your health or your life. Super Blue-Green Algae can. Really!

You can read all about Super Blue-Green Algae Essentials HERE,  but the fastest way to get your $40/month health insurance is by going HERE and ordering a one-month supply, in convenient daily packets, of Super Blue-Green Algae, and seeing for yourself how this miraculous, natural food enhances your quality of life. Most people report a noticeable, positive increase in energy and well-being within the first thirty days, many much sooner.

There is a 90-day money-back guarantee on all Super Blue-Green products, so you have nothing to lose. $40 a month, really, can do far more for your health and for your quality of life than having an insurance policy.

Take the 90-day challenge and ensure your health! You’re worth it!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Live abroad? Super Blue-Green Algae is available to some countries overseas now too. Go HERE for more information.

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Dry Eye Symptoms in Chihuahuas

Well . . . not pretty. Read:  eye infection.

That’s what happened to my precious Frida when I first got wind of the fact that she is a bit prone to the “dry-eye” symptoms that some Chihuahuas exhibit.

Frida - co-pilot of not only my car, but my heart.

Naturally, I was out of town. The first time ever since getting her as a pup, so it was my pet-sitters who had the dubious distinction of getting Frida through what was actually a pretty serious medical event. Three trips to the vet, three prescriptions, drops every two hours, and a week later, and Frida was doing okay and “out of the woods,” as they say, in terms of the safety of her right eye. On the other hand, having me leave her — she, who is glued to my right hip — plus being with new people, plus having to wear a Queen Anne’s collar so she couldn’t scratch her eye ………….. well, you can imagine. She was one sad little puppy.

Frida’s problem began with compications due to our high desert climate: namely wind and dust. Her eye became so dry and irritated that an infection was able to set in, and her eye quit producing tears.

But what I learned from this was that Chihuahuas are prone to dry-eye symptoms (or syndrome), so many of them may have this problem sooner or later. The message being:  Keep a close eye on your Chihuahua’s eyes!!

Fortunately, in our case, Frida recovered beautifully and does not have a chronic syndrome requiring daily eyedrops. I do monitor her eyes for tear production regularly, however, and would recommend doing the same if you have a Chihuahua. Also, I think one reason Frida fared so well through her eye trauma was due to the excellent nutrition she gets, the key factor being Super Blue Green Algae. Every day Frida gets a little raw meat plus high-grade kibble, but also probiotics and micro-nutrients all wrapped up into one — go here to check it out:

  formula.http://www.herbsandanimals.com/simplexityhealth/acidophilus.html

(Order as a “PC” and get a 20% wholesale discount. And actually, in Frida’s case, she splits her capsule with her buddy, Tucker, because she only weighs 5 lbs. so doesnt even need a full capsule! So if you have a small dog, this added “health insurance” is super affordable!)

Having a good balance of healthy flora in the system is known to be the first line of defense in fighting infection, so Frida’s little eye invaders didn’t stand a chance!

BUT! Taking even greater precautions, I ordered these goggles  which Frida now wears on our daily walk/runs (I walk, she runs). These definitely help keep out the wind and dust in those little low-to-the-ground eyes she has! All she needs now is an aviator cap, don’t you think?!

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To Geld or Not to Geld – That is the Question

At least it is the question for many horse owners and lovers. Lots of people will want to shoot me for this, but I think there is a case to be made for leaving an animal in tact. But it depends on many things: the breed, the situation, the animal’s health and genetic make-up, and more. Don’t get me wrong. Being as involved with the local animal shelter as I am, and seeing the huge numbers of unwanted dogs, cats, and horses that meet sad ends, I’m all for rounding them up and getting them all “fixed” and then adopted out into perfect homes.

But still, I think there IS a case to be made for the occasional exception.

Tornado (A movie star if I ever saw one!)

Take Tornado, “Nado” for short, a 13-year-old stallion I talked to recently because his owner was in a terrible quandary about whether to geld him or not. Nado is exceptional in many ways: strongly bred, highly intelligent, and extremely skilled — he was a movie star in his younger years and in fact starred in The Legend of Zorro. So, as horses go, Nado is an outstanding example of his species. Yet Mary, Nado’s owner, felt he might have a happier life if gelded, because his management wouldn’t have to be so strict.

Nado talked to me about many things and was highly aware, on what I call a soul level. Our session was detailed and lengthy, and he showed me many past life scenes as well. On the question at hand – gelding – he was adamant in his opinion: ABSOLUTELY NOT! At least not any time soon. And he was very specific and eloquent in his reasoning. I include a part of that conversation here, exactly as it came across, with full permission from Nado and Mary. Nado’s actual words are in quotes, other impressions he sent me are in parentheses:

(He takes his time. He is reflecting and shows me that there are so many nuances to this question, he is simply sorting out the most important aspects and how to put them.) “Well first, I am well acquainted with this practice in the equine industry, and I do understand it.” (He shows me there has been much unreliable and irresponsible breeding of his kind, which is a horrible affront to the species, and for this reason alone gelding can be justified.) “Given that trend, it is of utmost importance that those among us who DO have the proper understanding and genetics to improve the ‘race’ be allowed to do so. It is the only way to preserve the better aspects of the species.” (He shows me then that he has so much to offer, and how this can continue down into time if he is allowed to continue siring offspring.)

This is just a short clip from our conversation, but I think it brings across the integrity and depth of thinking and feeling that many of our animal friends are capable of. As for the outcome with Nado, we worked on possible lifestyle options that would offer Nado more fulfillment, and Mary is going to take things one step at a time. For now, she is honoring Nado’s choice to stay in tact.

I concur. And I’m sure my friend Christina Savitsky, a therapeutic riding instructor, does too, as she recently took one of Nado’s offspring, a 2-year-old mare, to train as her personal ranch and teaching horse, and she reports almost daily how amazing this little filly is!

Christina & "Tiki," Nado's Little Girl

So, still, I do think there is a case to be made, now and again, for allowing certain individuals among ALL species to procreate, not just us humans . . . who often do so as irresponsibly as a puppy mill.

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SKUNKED!! Holy Moly, Where’s the Skunk Deodorizer?!

Charlie, humiliated. How would YOU feel if you had just taken a big inhalation of skunk spray?!

If you’ve ever had one of your animals sprayed by a skunk, then you know first hand how literally panic-stricken all become when that animal comes rushing into the house for your help!

It happened to us last week . . . at midnight, I might add. I have five dogs who have 24/7 access to a huge, safely fenced yard via their dog door, and they frequently use it in the middle of the night if they hear coyotes or other interlopers out and about on the property.

I was dead to the world when Charlie came flying in a panic through the dog door and into my bedroom, bringing the all-too-familiar and toxic, burning-rubber fumes of having been “skunked” with him. He was drooling and licking his nose and rubbing his head on everything, and every other living being in the house was immediately in alarm mode, the stench was so strong. One of my teenage kittens was so shocked she was up on the counter in the bathroom with her hair literally standing “on end” all over.

I won’t bore you by describing all the immediate maneuvers that were taken that night, but instead am here to share my homemade de-skunking recipe. I mean, who keeps a couple of those humongous cans of tomato juice in the house at all times? And tomato juice doesn’t work anyway . . . plus it’s super messy.

I got this recipe from the retired veterinarian, Dr. Price (God rest his soul), who owned the ranch next to mine in the Texas Hill Country. We had lots and lots of skunks there, so de-skunking was a somewhat regular necessity, though dealing with it fairly often never diminished this phenomenon’s uniquely stunning effect. If you’ve ever experienced skunk spray up close and personal, you know it smells nothing like the fleeting odor that wafts through your car when you are on a road trip at night. It is instead so strong and foreign it makes one panic, it is toxic, and it burns your nasal passages like heck!

Poor Charlie! I think it went right up his nose!

So here’s the recipe, and these things are fairly common to have on hand:

SKUNK DEODORIZER

  • 1 Quart 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
  • 1 Cup Baking Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon Liquid Soap

Rub into the victim’s hair and let sit a few minutes then rinse. Do not mix ahead of time as this mixture creates an oxygen reaction, which is why it works.

Just to be on the safe side, I keep a bottle of Nature’s Miracle Skunk Formula on hand in the barn at all times too. And that is what I used to initially wipe down Charlie’s head with. This is a product that works enzymatically, and it does help, so I highly recommend it as well. And it’s a quick fix for a small animal or area of the body. Fortunately for me, only Charlie’s head received the blast — not so fortunate for him, as I think a lot of it probably did go down his throat!

Ugh.

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Riding With a Bad Back

 

My riding boots. Can you guess which leg I ride with? Can you imagine how much attention and care it must take for a horse to adapt to a one-sided rider? Poor Bella!

I was cleaning house today and as I was moving these riding boots (pictured left) in order to sweep under them, I was shocked to notice the difference in “dirt pattern” on them. Notice the right boot has dirt and horse sweat  ground into the calf whereas the left boot shows none in this area.

I just stood there staring, This really brought home for me what I have been living with for at least the last 5 or 6 years, probably longer, and got me to wondering how it must have affected Bella, my main steady mount for all those years. As recently as 3-1/2 years ago I realized something must be wrong, because the back of my saddle always slipped to the right plus I had a lot of body pain while riding. Then I had a bad slip and fall not quite 3 years ago (not horse related) that took things over the edge.

What I learned from x-rays, due to complications from that fall, was that I not only had damaged nerves and discs, but a very marked curvature of the spine (scoliosis) which was no doubt at the seat of the earlier problems I had been noticing way before the fall. Other x-rays showed my right leg is anatomically shorter than my left. Not much, but a bit . . . and every little bit counts in body balance.

Me and my steady mount, Bella, during one of our 10-minute rides after my fall.

It took me quite a while to get back in the saddle after my fall. Oh I would get on, but after 5 or 10 minutes I was hurting so bad I had to get off. But I really, really wanted to be able to ride again, both in the ring and out on the trail.

So a year ago, when I heard about a certain therapeutic riding instructor in my area, Christina Savitsky, I had one of those magical ‘aha’ moments where you just “know” something is right — that she was the person who could help me ride again.

I called Christina, and the story gets better from that point on. She arrived on that first day with a big smile on her face, a huge cowboy hat on her head to shade her lovely face from our intense New Mexico sun, and an adorable 15-month-old hanging onto her back like a baby monkey. Before mounting up we started talking, and I told her what had happened: the fall, the scoliosis, etc., and before I could even get half of it out she said, “I can see it.” I said, “What?” She said, “I already saw it, when you had your back to me.” I was impressed.

Christina, schooling me in the ring in one our first sessions together, with little Mesa Ray hanging off her back.

Christina already had years under her belt of helping people like me, many with much worse conditions, so as far as she was concerned I was “not a problem.” We got me up on the horse and she began instructing me, gently and positively, in how to reposition my pelvis and back so as to sit in a more comfortable position. She also raised my stirrups so far up that I felt like I was sitting in a rocking chair (and kinda silly . . . but that takes pressure off the lower back, my problem area). 

I can ride an hour and a half now (haven’t tested longer), and I give all the credit to Christina. And I hope to do much more in the coming year or two.

I guess the message here — if anyone else with body problems is reading this blog — is to seek help. Don’t be shy or self-conscious. There are millions of people like us who have such problems! Find a kind someone who has experience and understands your problems and can help you “adjust” your body in such a way as to be successful in the saddle once again. Though I still am not a heavy rider as compared with most, and I ride only for pleasure, I am so very thankful I found the one angel disguised as a therapeutic-riding-instructor-cowgirl who could help me, Leta, get back to what I love so much!

So to all of you with pain and body problems:    Find your own riding angel!  He or she is out there!

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If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more about Christina and what makes a good riding instructor, go HERE!

 

 

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Native Grasses or Premium Horse Hay – Which is Best?

My sweet QH Corazon, taking her turn at liberty to chow down on some native grasses.

In my book, native grasses absolutely rule! If they are truly “native” and growing randomly and wildly, they present a smorgasborg of variety and nutrition for the ambling equine. In the wild, a horse may travel up to 20 miles a day, taking a bite or two here, moving a good distance, then sampling a few more bites there. He hardly ever stands still, and unlike us, is meant to “eat on the run” (or walk). Imagine not only the number of grasses that horse is getting, but also the varying nutrients the soil in each area provides!

Unfortunately, very few horses these days have access to a natural grazing pattern on native grasses. It’s sad, but it is true. We have some wonderful hay growers, thank goodness, but most hays are overfertilized to keep out weeds or add nutrients, so they are often overly rich or way off balance in terms of the minerals they contain.

If your horse has 10 different grasses and “weeds” to munch on, he will always know which ones he needs and will choose those first, until he’s had his fill of them. What better method for fulfilling your horse’s nutritional requirements? So for me? I’d always choose native grasses over hay, whenever possible.

In Texas my horses had access to about 500 acres 24/7 so had the great fortune to be able to pick and choose amongst the local fodder. I fed hay sometimes too, especially during drought or winter months, when grass was scant, but they always seemed to find some tempting, naturally growing morsel to complete their menu.

Here in the high desert of New Mexico things are radically different. My horses have eight acres of varied terrain but not one blade of grass therein. If one errant grass seed does dare to pop its little head up, they find it immediately and it’s toast!

I am fortunate, however, in that I do have some meadowy areas where several strains of grasses and weeds grow abundantly when we have even the slightest bit of moisture. We are in the monsoon season right now, so there’s grass galore. Whenever I can, every day or two, I turn the horses out for controlled grazing periods. Usually one at a time, since my 40 acres is not totally perimeter fenced and I don’t want to have to go chasing the herd over the hills. They love their “time in the sun” and gorge on the grasses as fast as they can, probably knowing their turn will be over in an hour or so. This rotated grazing during our grassy days really helps save on hay and really amps up everybody’s nutrition.

I know we don’t all have access to grass for our horses, or we don’t have that access all the time. But if you do, ever, try to make sure your equine gets some of it. It’s the healthiest thing you can do for him, plus it makes him just feel more like a real horse because he’s doing a real horse thing – grazing!

Corazon enjoying her grazing time with her two herd mates jealously looking on from the corral. Don't worry, they've both already had their turn to graze today. (And yes, she is wearing a halter, leather, and dragging a rope. All the better to retrieve her with if she goes on walkabout.)

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Animal Communication Ethics – When to Cross the Line

Several years ago, a farrier in one of my beginning animal communication classes reported that a draft horse at one of the barns he worked at had been talking to him every time he was on the premises, telling him about the abuse she was experiencing. He had never heard of animal communication — certainly never studied it — so he thought he was going crazy and of course had no idea what, if anything, to do about this.

Likewise, one of my good friends, Kara, once found herself caught in a dilemma. Should she or should she not tell the owner of one of the horses at her barn what that horse had been telling her for two weeks?

One of the  “rules” most of us animal communicators follow, from  a code of ethics for the profession developed by Penelope Smith many years ago, reads: 

“Unless someone is in great immediate danger, I provide assistance through telepathic communication with nonhuman animals only where requested, so as to honor individual choice and privacy.”

(You can read the entire Code of Ethics HERE.)

So how do you know when to “cross the line?” Here’s my friend Kara’s story.

Kara was making nightly trips to the barn where she was boarding her mare, Sasha, in order to tend an injury the mare had incurred. It was mid-winter – cold, dark and dreary by the time Kara reached the barn. She usually found herself alone as she sat in the barn aisle, patiently waiting while her mare’s foot soaked in a bucket.

Another boarder in a stall nearby, a gelding we’ll call Jim, began calling to her every night, “Help me! Please tell my mom I need help.” Kara ignored Jim as politely as she could, because she had studied animal communication so was well aware of the above stated “rule.” And although she was quite gifted in animal communication, Kara had no intention of practicing it professionally. But being the compassionate animal lover and horse person that she was, Kara finally succumbed to Jim’s pleas and engaged with him enough to hear what he had to say.

Jim told Karen “I can’t breathe!”, and she “saw” and “felt” something in his throat. The message was very brief but very strong, and Karen felt certain she was hearing Jim accurately.

Kara didn’t really know Jim’s owner, Sally, but she had noticed that Jim had been having problems that interfered with his training. He could not be worked for any length of time, or very hard, without seriously overstressing him physically. But nobody could figure out what was wrong. Kara was also pretty sure that Sally was the last person on earth who would be open to hearing that her horse had “talked” to someone — anyone — and told them what was wrong with him. But Kara’s impressions from Jim were so strong that she decided to approach Sally and tell her what Jim had said to her. She figured she had nothing to lose.

“I know you’re going to think I’m crazy …,” she began, and she then outlined to Sally what Jim had told her. Sally glared, Kara persevered. She encouraged Sally to have Jim scoped, a simple inexpensive procedure, just in case there was in fact something in his throat. Sally did not respond and stormed away. But a few days later, saying nothing to Kara, she had her vet out, they scoped Jim, and, sure enough, he had a large benign tumor growing in his throat. The tumor was one that could be removed fairly easily, Jim recovered perfectly, and the problems with his training were solved.

This is a perfect example of how and when it is okay to “cross the line” ethically and hear out what an animal is trying to tell you, even if you don’t have permission. If the animal feels they are in trouble or danger, it is the humane thing to do. You may or may not be able to help bring a solution to their problem, but you can at least reassure them that you understand, and that you will do anything you possibly can to help them. And, believe it or not, sometimes it gives an animal a huge sense of relief just to know they have been heard. Some of them need to vent just like we do!

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Saying Goodbye – Ode to Annie and Pilar

 

Pilar & Annie, July 8, 2011, on their last walk together.

 HOW DO WE KNOW, AND WHOM CAN WE TRUST

TO HELP US KNOW WHEN TO DO WHAT WE MUST?

TO LET GO AND LET GOD TAKE OUR LIFELONG FRIEND,

AND TO KNOW IN OUR HEARTS THAT WE’LL SEE HER AGAIN.

 

Blessings to you, Annie and Pilar, on this last day of Pilar’s earthly path.

Happy Trails, Dear Pilar. May you go with God.

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How to Tell Your Dog When You Are Coming Home … and Why

You’re reading this blog, so you’re an animal lover, right? Many of you would go one step further and say your animals are your children, right?

Well, would you leave your children home without telling them when you’ll be back? That right there says it all, but let’s look a little deeper, since our animals actually think and function differently than our children do. In this case, we’ll be talking about dogs.

It has been proven that many dogs know when we are coming home — even if it’s not at the usual time — and are waiting at the door … so why don’t they know that we’ll be back every time we leave? And why does this concern them?

Dogs are super intelligent, we all know that. But they do tend to exist more ‘in the moment’ than we do. So they don’t think too much about what’s going to happen tomorrow. If they have expectations, it’s due more to operant conditioning than to holding the thought, “Oh golly, gee, tomorrow at 8 o’clock a.m. Dana is going to leave me again!” Most dogs are able to settle into a routine, so are also conditioned to a usual home-coming time. But some dogs have extreme separation anxiety and go berserk every time they are left, whether it’s on a regular schedule or not.

That is certainly a major “why” you should let your dogs know when to expect you back — to minimize their anxiety. But common decency is another. Hmmm…. lots of issues for discussion here, but my main goal with this particular blog is to give you an exercise or two that you can use to show and tell your dog when you will be back.

First, please read Talk to Your Animals – Here’s How. This will give you an easy, down and dirty outline as to how to shape the message you want to send to your dog, in this case the day and approximate time you will be coming home. You will be using primarily silent words and mental pictures to convey your message to your dog.

Trust me. If you and your dog are close, just about anything you try to tell him or her will be understood, no matter how you go about doing that. But since we humans don’t tend to believe that, learning to project our thoughts and messages can be helpful. Here are two exercises you can practice that will help you send your messages to your dog more effectively.

1. THE RED BALL.  It’s nice to have a partner for this one, but if you don’t, that’s okay. Let your dog or cat be your partner, or an inanimate object. Sit comfortably in a quiet, relaxed space. Breathe deeply and become as “meditative” as you personally can become. Now visualize a huge red beach ball on the floor right in front of you. Push the ball so that it rolls over to your partner. Watch it move. Feel it roll away from you. Then “see” your partner push the ball back to you and feel its approach. Do this several times until you can really visualize and feel the action. Once you can feel this, put a short message inside the ball, such as “I love you” and practice sending it back and forth for a while. You can then use this red ball to tell your dog when you will be back by sending a message like “I will be back at 5:00 o’clock.” You might also include a picture as well, of a clock face indicating 5:00 o’clock. Pictures always help! 

2. THE HEART-TO-HEART LINK. Again, position yourself in a quiet space, breathe deeply, and center yourself. Then picture your heart chakra with little doors on it that you can open and close. Any kind of door(s) you like will be fine. Open your heart doors and see a laser beam projecting out from your heart to the heart of your dog. Picture him or her with little heart doors as well that will open in order for their heart to connect with yours. See the beam connecting the two of you, and you might initially just feel love and send it along the beam. Then form your message, with words and/or pictures, see yourself setting it on the beam, and watch it travel along the beam into your dog’s heart. This exercise always works, especially when accompanied by lots of emotion. If you show your dog you’ll be home at 5:00 o’clock, really FEEL the joy you will experience when you see him again, and this will help enhance the message!

However you do it, just please tell your animals when you’ll be home. They wait for us, every minute, and is there anything more joyous than our reunion with them? Knowing what to expect really helps them!

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