大約四個月前開始，眼睛上方眼蓋的位置，久不久就會泛起一片橙紅。最初以為是活在爛公司氣鬱動肝火所致，誰知離開鬼地方後，eye shadow,「自然眼蓋膏」仍然揮之不去。淡紅有時，腫脹有時，起白屑剝落有時，而無時無刻都痕癢難當。
後來，返了國內探望做中醫師的表兄長，他一看我情況，就說那是動了肝風所致。但甚麼是「動肝風」呢？是外風，抑或內風？他說那是食積所致，吃了不當的東西，腸胃積了大量雜質，激發了肝風起，因肝開竅於目。
中醫理論:「風」者，無特定位置和行走方向，難以捉摸，來去如鬼魅，有點像沒結果的愛情。為甚麼會有風？是血虛生風？血燥生風？食滯了生風？
表兄說，小事而已，給你吃一片消炎藥、四片保和片和四片藿香正氣片，中西合壁，包保你立即康復。
表兄的「預言」比黃大仙更靈驗，加上對醫者的信任，眼蓋在翌日已消失了大半，甚至在返港前已完全康復。
然而，回港後，病況又再反覆出現。最初自我診斷，以為大概是肝鬱氣滯精神不振所致，可是無論怎樣喝玫瑰花、菊花茶和夏枯草（三者都歸肝經），眼睛紅腫的情況仍反覆出現。
一天，在茶餐廳吃了一片腿蛋三文治，兩個鐘頭後，眼睛開始劇烈痕癢起來。回想起表兄長所說，食積，食物是元兇，原來，動肝風，全因脾胃不靈抵受不了「化物」（蛋）所致（這就是中醫五行學說的「反侮」關係嗎？）。
回想從前，甚有口福，吃甚麼也不用避忌，甚麼化物，像海鮮、雞、鴨、鵝、蛋……統統吃之無問題，那時候還招招積積，自恃一生食得是福，比許多人幸福，誰料，人生如夢，一切皆空，食福似乎隨肝鬱氣滯慢慢溜走……
腫著一雙眼睛，心灰意冷，想，這樣下去無止無終，很消磨意志，還是中西夾攻，忍受一下幾天吃西藥的神昏日子，去對付這個名為「風疹」的問題，再用中醫方式調理腸胃吧。
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Thai elephant泰象行
My legs are long, as you can see. But what you cannot see is that my massage partner’s legs are even longer. See them in the pic? Of course you cannot!
Sorry, I should be as serious as I am professional (it is what I am trying to affirm myself each day right now)! Let’s talk about the pic this time. What are we doing? Doesn’t it look like a murder scene? Or that I am trying to kill, if not hurting her? But wait! why does she look so comfortable?
Because, in fact, she is enjoying the pleasure of pressure- I am using my body weight to press on her back, right after finishing the thai fish. This sequence is called the“elephant walk”, though it looks more like a walking downward-dog in yoga! But the name cannot be more correct and precise – like having an elephant on your back, this pose heavily and effectively PRESS and SQUEEZE your back muscles, which are mostly tight and weak for common sedentary people. Other than releasing the tightness of the back muscles, its main benefit is to improve the circulation of blood flow on the back, while pushing all the CO2 out of your lungs- you would not believe it until you try it yourself!
Oh! I love cooking the thai fish, but I also love this elephant. But this time, knowing how pleasurable it is, I love to be a receiver better!
Warning: like doing downward-dog, arms should be straight and shoulders should be externally rotated all the time while acting like an elephant on someone’s back, otherwise ( such as if your bend your elbow and or not opening your chest enough), not only the receiver will not enjoy the pleasure of pressure, the giver might hurt her shoulders joints as the result of this unstable position and wrong body mechanic.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Thai fish + cobra泰飛魚與眼鏡蛇
See? I am obsessed. I can’t take the fish pose out of my head and I am sure I will keep thinking about it until it is all written down.
The difference between thai-yoga fish pose and yoga cobra pose is that, with the assistance of a giver, the fish pose is more powerful than the cobra pose. The giver, while kneeling on the back of the receiver, uses her body as leverage to lift the receiver up by leaning backward, the receiver then “uses” the giver also as leverage to lift up herself more easily and effectively. The result is that the cobra pose originally in yoga, become more powerful: the receiver can almost effortlessly enjoy the benefits of the cobra pose without needing to engage too much of her arms muscles to get into the final pose; at the same time, the “leverage” from the back (i.e. the giver) enables the receiver to open her chest into a deeper level. As a result, the receiver will be able to lengthen more of her front deltoid and pectoralis major, whilst engaging the mid-trapezius to make it stronger to counter balance the collapse of the mid-back resulted from sitting too long. Moreover, this pose is done without the need to sacrifice the stability of the shoulder joints (i.e. the shoulder joints are effectively turned into a externally rotated position). This way, it protects, opens as well as strengthens these joints... all in all, doing 1 fish pose can yield 3 benefits for the shoulders! not to mention how it helps strengthen the lower back, how it lengthens the front hips, how it...!!!
The only drawback of the thai-fish pose, is that it is done and finished too quickly. 2-3 repetitions then done and you will have to say goodbye and move forward, unless the giver is kind and attentive enough so that you can ask for more without worrying you will be charged higher! Consider this, you are so blessed to have someone, such as me, around who knows and practices thai yoga massage, and who is not intended to charge... at least for the time being...!
The difference between thai-yoga fish pose and yoga cobra pose is that, with the assistance of a giver, the fish pose is more powerful than the cobra pose. The giver, while kneeling on the back of the receiver, uses her body as leverage to lift the receiver up by leaning backward, the receiver then “uses” the giver also as leverage to lift up herself more easily and effectively. The result is that the cobra pose originally in yoga, become more powerful: the receiver can almost effortlessly enjoy the benefits of the cobra pose without needing to engage too much of her arms muscles to get into the final pose; at the same time, the “leverage” from the back (i.e. the giver) enables the receiver to open her chest into a deeper level. As a result, the receiver will be able to lengthen more of her front deltoid and pectoralis major, whilst engaging the mid-trapezius to make it stronger to counter balance the collapse of the mid-back resulted from sitting too long. Moreover, this pose is done without the need to sacrifice the stability of the shoulder joints (i.e. the shoulder joints are effectively turned into a externally rotated position). This way, it protects, opens as well as strengthens these joints... all in all, doing 1 fish pose can yield 3 benefits for the shoulders! not to mention how it helps strengthen the lower back, how it lengthens the front hips, how it...!!!
The only drawback of the thai-fish pose, is that it is done and finished too quickly. 2-3 repetitions then done and you will have to say goodbye and move forward, unless the giver is kind and attentive enough so that you can ask for more without worrying you will be charged higher! Consider this, you are so blessed to have someone, such as me, around who knows and practices thai yoga massage, and who is not intended to charge... at least for the time being...!
PS: special thanks to my massage partner for her permission to publish the fish pic taken together.
My thai yoga massage泰式按摩之旅
The more I look at the photos taken the other day, the more self-obsessed I become. What a great picture I took with my partner doing the fish-pose in thai massage! I can't wait to share with everyone! But since so far I haven't asked for her permission to pose this pic on this blog, that i decided to have her face blurred into non-existence!
Can't you see? isn't it the cobra pose in yoga! a cobra pose which stretches the abs, hip-flexors, the spine, the chest and the shoulder joints! but it is a cobra pose practiced with a partner! The reason I am interested in thai massage is that it reminds me of yoga/partner yoga, both of which emphasis the importance of relaxation, balance, compassion and loving-kindness. One of the things that keep impress me, is that thai massage combines many things- thumb-pressing, 經絡, indian 印度醫學, yoga, chinese 醫學, acupuncture, to name a few...... so much to learn, so deep a science it is! and you can reap the benefit of having your whole body relaxed right away after a single session!
But of course, when you switch to become a giver of the massage, thing turns differently. Not only it is like you have completed an hour of exercise, it is also like you have sent messages to the world that you have great power and ability to heal yourself and other.
(this photo is private, taken by one of my friend, all right reserved, nobody should try to circulate la!)
Monday, April 21, 2008
我與死神擦肩而過
前天晚上，風雨交加。我與死神擦肩而過，拾回一命。
我在柴灣工作至夜深，正值黑色暴雨懸掛之際，下班準備回家。
途經豐業街之際，突然頭上傳來一陣怪異的聲響。我本能地用左手蓋頭保護自己，半秒內，已看到一塊差不多四呎乘四呎的擋風玻璃從天而降，正正掉在我右邊兩呎的路上。
我沒被嚇壞，只是呆了一呆，兩腳只加快地離開，倒是後面緊隨的兩位途人大叫起來，驚訝究竟這塊玻璃從來「飛」過來！
在餘下的歸家途中，整個人思想奇離地十分平靜，只慶幸沒受傷，而且好端端地繼續活著。人說，愈接近死亡，心愈會平靜。而這感覺，至這個晚上，依然存在。
我在柴灣工作至夜深，正值黑色暴雨懸掛之際，下班準備回家。
途經豐業街之際，突然頭上傳來一陣怪異的聲響。我本能地用左手蓋頭保護自己，半秒內，已看到一塊差不多四呎乘四呎的擋風玻璃從天而降，正正掉在我右邊兩呎的路上。
我沒被嚇壞，只是呆了一呆，兩腳只加快地離開，倒是後面緊隨的兩位途人大叫起來，驚訝究竟這塊玻璃從來「飛」過來！
在餘下的歸家途中，整個人思想奇離地十分平靜，只慶幸沒受傷，而且好端端地繼續活著。人說，愈接近死亡，心愈會平靜。而這感覺，至這個晚上，依然存在。
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Thai Yoga Massage
I have to admit- I hate what I am doing right now for a living.
But I found my new love- Thai Massage stretching that, along with yoga and exercise, balances the ordeal I endure in my daily life.
With my credentials as a freelance yoga instructor, I think I will soon succeed in "transforming" myself into a thai-yoga massage practitioner, as I will go with a partner to attend a 4-days intensive course. I am so looking forward to it right now.
Thai yoga massage, or simply thai massage, is sometimes called a passive form of yoga stretching... of course, it is more than that. In the beginning I thought it was a gentle form of partner yoga. However, the more it is explored, the deeper my interest to know it better.
It incorpates many things, from theroies of chinese medication, yoga to acupressure... I especially like the give-and-take communication between the receiver and the giver, it is a very subtle yet meditative communication between the two, a human interaction of compassion...of course, like yoga or any other form of exerecise, it is bodywork also, that basic knowledge about human anatomy is necessary to excel...
But I found my new love- Thai Massage stretching that, along with yoga and exercise, balances the ordeal I endure in my daily life.
With my credentials as a freelance yoga instructor, I think I will soon succeed in "transforming" myself into a thai-yoga massage practitioner, as I will go with a partner to attend a 4-days intensive course. I am so looking forward to it right now.
Thai yoga massage, or simply thai massage, is sometimes called a passive form of yoga stretching... of course, it is more than that. In the beginning I thought it was a gentle form of partner yoga. However, the more it is explored, the deeper my interest to know it better.
It incorpates many things, from theroies of chinese medication, yoga to acupressure... I especially like the give-and-take communication between the receiver and the giver, it is a very subtle yet meditative communication between the two, a human interaction of compassion...of course, like yoga or any other form of exerecise, it is bodywork also, that basic knowledge about human anatomy is necessary to excel...
Thursday, March 06, 2008
半自作孽
新年伊始至今，嘴巴吃不停。吃入口的東西，除悶悶的正餐外，基本上只能在胃和小腸內暢通無阻，一旦流入肝和大腸，就開始線路繁忙兼閉塞，毒素愈積愈多，都是打邊爐、吃燒鴿、酸辣米線、篤爽口辣魚旦、家鄉雞、麥當奴、薯片、蝦條、可惡的朱古力等等吃的罪孽的終極結果，加上近日天氣忽冷又忽熱、不知穿什麼衫好、家裡和辦公室滿佈流感的惡菌，終於在上星期的某一個晚上，正在埋首工作之際，突然天旋天轉，彷彿上帝降臨，身心有那麼一刻突然分離，在那離奇的一剎那，在那什麼都彷彿變了黑白二色的五秒鐘內，我，根據多年做人的經驗和皮毛的醫學常識，就知道，我已經徹徹底底地中了流感的招了。
其後，病情反反覆覆，時好時壞；人說，淡白的鼻水變了濃黃的時候，就是快要康復的指示。但似乎，個肝及大腸也夠垃吸堆積了，為甚麼排極毒也好像排不去，情緒激動少少，呻鼻包雲吞大力小小，就會呻出一些血水，以自己這麼不怕血和肉，也吃了一驚！真夠毒呀我，裡面！
都是自作的孽，如果身體潔淨少少，吃少點零食，就不會積存那麼多毒在體內，以致削弱了免疫系統的功能，無法抵禦刻下惡菌滿天下的季節！
他媽的！冬天和春天真討厭！尤其是這個冬天和春天，真是十年難得地令人討厭。對於我這個穿多過兩件衣服就會叫苦連連的夏天人而言，真真的希望，這個內外都這麼難熬的情境，「可一不可再」。
其後，病情反反覆覆，時好時壞；人說，淡白的鼻水變了濃黃的時候，就是快要康復的指示。但似乎，個肝及大腸也夠垃吸堆積了，為甚麼排極毒也好像排不去，情緒激動少少，呻鼻包雲吞大力小小，就會呻出一些血水，以自己這麼不怕血和肉，也吃了一驚！真夠毒呀我，裡面！
都是自作的孽，如果身體潔淨少少，吃少點零食，就不會積存那麼多毒在體內，以致削弱了免疫系統的功能，無法抵禦刻下惡菌滿天下的季節！
他媽的！冬天和春天真討厭！尤其是這個冬天和春天，真是十年難得地令人討厭。對於我這個穿多過兩件衣服就會叫苦連連的夏天人而言，真真的希望，這個內外都這麼難熬的情境，「可一不可再」。
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Body talks_1
All things happen not at random. They are the result of the past.
I have long been conscious about the existence of my body. I have always been since middle-school. When I looked into the mirror I was ashamed of the pimples that spread over my face and made me looked ugly. When I grew older, I started noticing the change of my breast, of their growing out of my control, along with menstruation from the age of 13, then I started to realize that I was stepping into a new phase of life into womanhood.
I didn’t treat and take care of my body very well in my early womanhood, from time to time I would fall into a deep hole of sadness and loss that I was skeptical of my own being, the very essence of life and existence. When looking back, I guess all these was the result of my ignorance of how this machine, name it as the body, was working.
It was until I got rid of the darkest phase of my life that I had built up a very deep attachment to it. It was not my physical body I acknowledged, for this had happened as soon as I started to work out in the gym, but my physical and emotional body united as a whole (thanks to yoga). There can never be any separation of them as they are the reflection of one another- neither of them can exist without the other. In English, when 2 people say to each other, “we have a connection”, it implies not only the physical (romance) side, but also the connection between their mind and heart.
I have a connection with my body which is as deep as being in love with her. She is the reflection of my heart and a place for me to rest and nurture. When I hold my hands I feel the pleasure of touch; I caress it in the expression of love and care. It feels pain when I am dismayed and sad, it feels light and strong when I am caring and optimistic. It is the way we communicate, as intimately as making love of 2 lovers. The awareness of its existence sometimes makes me broody and obsessed, that sometimes I just can’t bear to look at it withering with ages unless they would cause no sadness in my mind.
I have long been conscious about the existence of my body. I have always been since middle-school. When I looked into the mirror I was ashamed of the pimples that spread over my face and made me looked ugly. When I grew older, I started noticing the change of my breast, of their growing out of my control, along with menstruation from the age of 13, then I started to realize that I was stepping into a new phase of life into womanhood.
I didn’t treat and take care of my body very well in my early womanhood, from time to time I would fall into a deep hole of sadness and loss that I was skeptical of my own being, the very essence of life and existence. When looking back, I guess all these was the result of my ignorance of how this machine, name it as the body, was working.
It was until I got rid of the darkest phase of my life that I had built up a very deep attachment to it. It was not my physical body I acknowledged, for this had happened as soon as I started to work out in the gym, but my physical and emotional body united as a whole (thanks to yoga). There can never be any separation of them as they are the reflection of one another- neither of them can exist without the other. In English, when 2 people say to each other, “we have a connection”, it implies not only the physical (romance) side, but also the connection between their mind and heart.
I have a connection with my body which is as deep as being in love with her. She is the reflection of my heart and a place for me to rest and nurture. When I hold my hands I feel the pleasure of touch; I caress it in the expression of love and care. It feels pain when I am dismayed and sad, it feels light and strong when I am caring and optimistic. It is the way we communicate, as intimately as making love of 2 lovers. The awareness of its existence sometimes makes me broody and obsessed, that sometimes I just can’t bear to look at it withering with ages unless they would cause no sadness in my mind.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Notes from a troubled mind 煩「腦」筆記
自從知道甚麼是「幻痛」後，就對人腦的妙奇功能更為之讚嘆。其實每個人的性格、特徵、思考模式，以至種種生理及心理現象，都是離不開腦背後所指喚。有些研究更發現，心靈至宗教的一些個人經歷，例如「看」到神的出現、與神對話，以及其他涉及靈魂的事，都可能與腦顳葉的活動有關。
以此推論，於是大家或會明白為何多做冥想、靜坐這類與腦活動有關的事，是可以改變腦細胞的活動和分泌，從而達到合一、當下、超越時空natural high的境界。
***
自從認識到有「幻痛」這回事（人體斷了肢後，原本負責該活動區的腦細胞會「轉移地盤」入侵別的大腦活動區，以致觸碰該活動區所負責的地方，例如臉，時，就會產生該已斷的肢體所「產生」的幻痛），就益發覺得人腦，保養不好的時候，真的會有「踏錯線」的情況出現，即政府禁毒宣傳片所說的「壞腦」。
酗酒不但會傷肝、也會傷腦，它尤其會干擾小腦的運作，令它失去協調複雜的人體活動和平衡的功能。
難道清醒真的如斯痛苦，非要借酒逃避現實不可？而這些現實，又是否真的是「現實」？
當然，我仍然是主張「正正常常」地活著。所以當昨天晚上在尖沙咀海旁站了多句鐘頭，期間看到不遠處有幾個十零歲的、樣子長得以為自己好有型其實面目猙獰的小朋友在吃大麻吃到出神時，除了真想打巴個佢地之外（因為在旁的我們也因此間接地吸了「二手草」），也實在黑心得希望低能（又是腦問題啊）的他們早日食壞腦（腦細胞死了就不會復活的，即英文所謂的gone for good），那麼他們就可以早日與其藏在大腦顳葉的快樂之神會面。
***
大腦保養不當，真的會「踏錯線」的。尤其是處於失意和悲觀情緒時候，甚麼都惡性循環，彷彿蒙上一層灰，就會開始質疑做人的價值，為甚麼別人有的我沒有、為甚麼別人平步青雲我就一無所有、為甚麼我事業愛情兩失意、為甚麼我老豆唔係李家誠諸如此類，明明身邊有愛惜自己自己又愛惜的人，也想統統與之斷絕來往獨個兒鑽牛角尖死鬼左佢……
大概，這就是憂鬱症了，即腦神經細胞傳導物分泌失調，也即是時候看醫生治肝鬱吃逍遙丸了——嗯，這是經驗之談，而我真的希望歷史不再重演（雖然近日精神真的頗低落）。
***
究竟大腦是甚麼的東西？
以此推論，於是大家或會明白為何多做冥想、靜坐這類與腦活動有關的事，是可以改變腦細胞的活動和分泌，從而達到合一、當下、超越時空natural high的境界。
***
自從認識到有「幻痛」這回事（人體斷了肢後，原本負責該活動區的腦細胞會「轉移地盤」入侵別的大腦活動區，以致觸碰該活動區所負責的地方，例如臉，時，就會產生該已斷的肢體所「產生」的幻痛），就益發覺得人腦，保養不好的時候，真的會有「踏錯線」的情況出現，即政府禁毒宣傳片所說的「壞腦」。
酗酒不但會傷肝、也會傷腦，它尤其會干擾小腦的運作，令它失去協調複雜的人體活動和平衡的功能。
難道清醒真的如斯痛苦，非要借酒逃避現實不可？而這些現實，又是否真的是「現實」？
當然，我仍然是主張「正正常常」地活著。所以當昨天晚上在尖沙咀海旁站了多句鐘頭，期間看到不遠處有幾個十零歲的、樣子長得以為自己好有型其實面目猙獰的小朋友在吃大麻吃到出神時，除了真想打巴個佢地之外（因為在旁的我們也因此間接地吸了「二手草」），也實在黑心得希望低能（又是腦問題啊）的他們早日食壞腦（腦細胞死了就不會復活的，即英文所謂的gone for good），那麼他們就可以早日與其藏在大腦顳葉的快樂之神會面。
***
大腦保養不當，真的會「踏錯線」的。尤其是處於失意和悲觀情緒時候，甚麼都惡性循環，彷彿蒙上一層灰，就會開始質疑做人的價值，為甚麼別人有的我沒有、為甚麼別人平步青雲我就一無所有、為甚麼我事業愛情兩失意、為甚麼我老豆唔係李家誠諸如此類，明明身邊有愛惜自己自己又愛惜的人，也想統統與之斷絕來往獨個兒鑽牛角尖死鬼左佢……
大概，這就是憂鬱症了，即腦神經細胞傳導物分泌失調，也即是時候看醫生治肝鬱吃逍遙丸了——嗯，這是經驗之談，而我真的希望歷史不再重演（雖然近日精神真的頗低落）。
***
究竟大腦是甚麼的東西？
Sunday, December 23, 2007
沒傷肝
發現身邊不少人都有或多或少的肝毛病。
Liver，肝，英文的名字真的改得好——Live-r，活著就是靠它好好的活（明白這個雙關語嗎？）。自我修復的能力是內臟之冠，即使出了毛病，割去一半很快又可以生長回復原來大小。
能者多勞，肝的工作量也是最多最繁忙：製造營養、儲存營養、造血、酵素、排毒、分解化學物質、分解毒素、製作膽汁……一旦出了毛病，健康大概是瀕臨破產的邊緣。
中醫所說的「肝」，與西醫解剖理解的「肝」也大同小異。失眠、休息不足、嗜甜、嗜精製美食、抽煙、壓力、缺乏運動，統統與肝的健康對著幹。萬一生活出了岔子、消沉失意，又會傷肝，變了惡性循環，身心健康雙雙變負資產，雪上加霜，長此下去，大概也命不久矣！
去照一照鏡中的自己吧。有沒有現代人生活的寫照：雙目無神、帶黃、眼睛繞著兩個黑圈子上路嗎？臉色黑/萎黃無生氣？這些都是最基本能推論得到肝的健康的提示。
心情不好嗎？可能會連累肝的運作。
要好好護肝，它才能好好保護你今後的健康。
由今天起，少吃零食、多休息、運動、喝檸檬水、吃蔬菜、勤排毒、生活定時……還有，找愛護關懷你的人傾訴、分享生命……你的肝，以至你的人生，就會快快樂樂健康起來。
（貼士：服用中成藥的「逍遙丸」和「舒肝丸」也是不錯的選擇。我的中醫表哥極力推薦）
Liver，肝，英文的名字真的改得好——Live-r，活著就是靠它好好的活（明白這個雙關語嗎？）。自我修復的能力是內臟之冠，即使出了毛病，割去一半很快又可以生長回復原來大小。
能者多勞，肝的工作量也是最多最繁忙：製造營養、儲存營養、造血、酵素、排毒、分解化學物質、分解毒素、製作膽汁……一旦出了毛病，健康大概是瀕臨破產的邊緣。
中醫所說的「肝」，與西醫解剖理解的「肝」也大同小異。失眠、休息不足、嗜甜、嗜精製美食、抽煙、壓力、缺乏運動，統統與肝的健康對著幹。萬一生活出了岔子、消沉失意，又會傷肝，變了惡性循環，身心健康雙雙變負資產，雪上加霜，長此下去，大概也命不久矣！
去照一照鏡中的自己吧。有沒有現代人生活的寫照：雙目無神、帶黃、眼睛繞著兩個黑圈子上路嗎？臉色黑/萎黃無生氣？這些都是最基本能推論得到肝的健康的提示。
心情不好嗎？可能會連累肝的運作。
要好好護肝，它才能好好保護你今後的健康。
由今天起，少吃零食、多休息、運動、喝檸檬水、吃蔬菜、勤排毒、生活定時……還有，找愛護關懷你的人傾訴、分享生命……你的肝，以至你的人生，就會快快樂樂健康起來。
（貼士：服用中成藥的「逍遙丸」和「舒肝丸」也是不錯的選擇。我的中醫表哥極力推薦）
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