Secret Agent L Needs YOU! Yes, YOU!

Alright, lovers of the Secret Agent L Project!
I need your help!

I’m working on a very special and very top-secret mission that will help the Secret Agent L Project touch even more lives, but I can’t do it without you. That’s what I love so much about our community: it really is about all of us. It functions and flourishes because we all come together.

[cue group hug]

So here’s where you come in:

I want you (yes, you!) to film your next mission.

It’s simple, and I think it’ll be a lot of fun! You can even have a friend help if you like!

Here are the specifics:

1. Please limit your final filmed mission to a maximum of 4 minutes. (Less is fine!)

2. Please upload your finished product to YouTube or Vimeo and email the link to me via the Contact button above.

3. Introduce yourself speaking directly to camera, tell me where you are from, and your reason for being a part of the SAL Project.

4. Introduce your mission idea.

5. Show the exterior and interior of the location of your mission if possible.

6. Film yourself with limited explanation of what you are doing.

7. Film from a hidden spot the person finding your mission. (This part might be tricky, so a busy location, like a bus stop or shopping center parking lot might be best, because that way you won’t have to wait around too long. Also, please give limited explanation at this point, too.)

8. Afterward, film yourself directly into the camera concisely speaking about the success of your mission, how you thought it went, and how it made you feel.

9. DO NOT do anything illegal, and if asked to stop filming while on any property, please do so and find another location to better execute your mission.

10. BE SAFE and HAVE FUN!

p.s. If you need some more help, check out this video mission I completed last December. Yours doesn’t have to be quite as long or as involved, but it might help you get an idea of how to film and complete your mission. I just used my iPhone’s video option, but even a FlipCam could work.

I would like to have your missions by
Friday, October 21, 2011, please.
That gives you a little over two weeks. Easy peasy!

I realize that we’re all very busy, but I cannot express to you how much this act of kindness will mean–not just to me, but to many others. I wish I could say more, but just trust that this request is made out of love and kindness. I will not be using ANY of this footage without your final permission, so I’ll be sure to contact you if your filmed mission is chosen to be a part of this very special project.

Thank you!
xoxo,
Laura

[photos from here and here]

Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L says, "Be Kind. No Exceptions."

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NAMI Walk 2011 with Team Secret Agent L

Happy National Mental Illness Awareness Week!!!

This week marks National Mental Illness Awareness Week, and I’ll be highlighting it a bit over the next couple of days.  To start us off,  I thought I’d share my weekend experience with you. As many of you know, I recently embarked upon a fundraising effort for the National Alliance on Mental Illness’s annual walk, NAMI Walks, here in Pittsburgh at the South Side Works. On Sunday, October 2nd, despite the cold, rainy weather, my team and I gathered together with thousands of others in a celebration of recovery and awareness. Combined, we probably had on close to 329 layers! (I had a puffy vest on under my t-shirt. I wasn’t taking any chances!) It was miserable outside, but in our hearts, we were warm and happy.

Here, team members Jill and Lynnetta throw up our gang sign (a heart, of course!) with me:

 My Number Two, Vivian, rocks. And puts up with my silliness:

No Pittsburgh event is complete without the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Pierogies. Here they are getting ready to join in singing the National Anthem:

I’ve got so much love for my team!

We even had some Mini Superheroes of Kindness with us, capes and all!

The event wouldn’t have been the same without AWESOME t-shirts from the amazing Commonwealth Press on Pittsburgh’s South Side (right up the street from where the walk was held, actually). My contact at Commonwealth Press, Dan Rugh, is officially a superhero.  If you ever need t-shirts, I’m telling you: Commonwealth Press are your go-to peeps. I LOVE THEM.

Dan, you. are. the. man. Thanks for sponsoring us and for giving the most excellent customer service experience a secret agent could ask for. Your generosity and all-around awesomeness will never be forgotten. I’m a customer for life now, thanks to you.

Team Secret Agent L raised over $2,300 for this year’s walk, and I couldn’t be more proud of and thankful to everyone who contributed. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And, of course, a big thank you to my lovely Darcey Garda from NAMI Southwestern PA. Darcey heads up the marketing and communication efforts at NAMI SWPA and has continued to be a source of inspiration, love, and friendship. I simply can’t imagine my life without her. And, goodness! Did she work her tail off (along with many others) to make this year’s walk a success! Way to go, Darcey! Love you, lady!

I also wanted to highlight just how important the NAMI Walk is, especially to our team members. I did a mini-interview during the walk with team member Kathy–who drove in with her husband ALL THE WAY FROM BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, just for the walk!  Kathy, thank you for your courage and your inspiration.

After the walk was over, the Mini Superheroes of Kindness, their mom, and I all completed a mission! It included a gift card to a very popular restaurant chain here in Western Pennsylvania called Eat n’ Park, as well as a lovely card. We left it at the South Side Works movie theatre for some rainy-day moviegoers to find. It was so much fun! The Mini Superheroes of Kindness kept asking, “Is it time to do the mission? Is it time to do the mission?” throughout the entire walk. I loved their excitement and desire to spread kindness!

All in all, it was a very wonderful day, and I went home one happy secret agent.

Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L says, "Be Kind. No Exceptions."

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MISSION: Send Secret Agent L on a Scavenger Hunt

What I love is when people turn the SAL tables on me and send ME on a mission of kindness–the receiving end!

Today, while I was at work, a colleague of mine drew my attention to the doorway to my office.  “Laura,” she said, “you might want to come take a look at this.” She sounded concerned. “It looks like it might be a trick.”

I got from my desk and slowly made my way over to the doorway. My colleague stood there, staring at something, a puzzled look on her face.  “I don’t know what this is,” she continued.

I stepped around the doorway and saw this:

It was an envelope, hanging from some string, fishing wire, and a fishing hook. And it was clearly marked for me.

I took it to my desk and opened it. A clue was waiting for me:

I. Got. So. Excited.

On my lunch break, I met with a fellow cast member with whom I am currently performing in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. We ate our lunches, ran some lines, and then he walked around campus with me to find the second clue.

Sure enough, under a bench, near a tree, I found it:

Again: SO. EXCITED.

Here’s what it said:

My friend was like, “You HAVE to text message me when you find out what it is.”  And off I went. I went into the building where my office is, which is also right near the bench where I found the second clue. I took the elevator up three flights to the TV that’s mounted on the wall by the Journalism and Multimedia Department. And then I looked left: to the door of that very department.

I walked in, told my colleague and fellow administrative assistant Sally what was going on. I looked at her desk.

And I found this:

Clearly, I was on the right track.

So I opened it up. And much to my happy surprise, I found these:

I was so, so touched. I later found out that one of the graduate students in the Journalism and Multimedia Department put it all together for me.

And it completely made my day.

THANK YOU, VITO!!!

Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L says, "Be Kind. No Exceptions."

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MISSION: Walk Hard

Remember that time I was a brave secret agent {um, yesterday} and told even more of the world about my struggle with depression? And remember that time all these amazing, beautiful people left comments about their own struggles? And remember how those amazing, beautiful people showed me {and you} that there are so many of us struggling and that we’re not alone and that we’re loved and cherished and have value?

Yeah. That was an amazing time.

And now, I want to make it even more amazing.

I’m currently on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness {NAMI} Southwestern PA. And with this position comes not only the opportunity to really get involved in a cause I feel very, very strongly about, but it also carries with it tremendous responsibility.  Today I had the honor of speaking at NAMI’s annual kick-off luncheon for their annual walk. I shared my own struggles with depression and thoughts of suicide, as well as my mother’s experience of living with schizoaffective disorder. Afterward, I had nearly a dozen people come up to me to share their own stories, to hug me, to offer support and love, and to just say thank you. Again, these actions just confirmed that there are so many people with stories. Staying silent is no longer an option.

A few years ago, I created a team to walk in NAMI’s annual walk. We called ourselves Team Laura’s Mom. Our t-shirts were pretty sweet, huh?

This year? I’m doin’ it again, y’all. Only this year’s team is Team Secret Agent L. And I want YOU to join me.

That’s right. I just asked you to do something. Again.

Now, I know many of you won’t be able to actually join the team and walk with me {and, subsequently, wear an equally awesome t-shirt, which I am in the process of designing, and which YOU WILL LOVE}. BUT. Do you think you might be able to give up that Starbucks latte some morning and donate the moolah to this important cause instead?

Yup. Less than $5. It’d make a difference. I promise.

Now. If you want to join my team {which would make me OH SO VERY HAPPY}, you can do so here.

But if you’d rather just donate $5 {or, you know, $50 or $500, or FIVE BAZILLION}, then you can do so here.

And if you feel like spreading the word, go ahead and link this post out to anyone and everyone in all manner of ways. Facebook it, Tweet it, blog it, Google+ it {I don’t even know how that works–something to do with circles maybe?}, etc. And if you’d like to have huge banners printed up and hung from overpasses on major highways, I’d be okay with that, too.

I will love you forever. True story.

From the bottom of my {and my mom’s} heart of hearts, thank you, thank you, thank you.

{Me and my adorable, loveable, sweet, favorite mom in San Francisco in June 2011. She is my heart. Recovery IS possible.}

Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L says, "Be Kind. No Exceptions."

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MISSION: Save a Life.

Yesterday I learned of the death of NHL player Rick Rypien. While I am not a fan of sports, I am a fan of people, and when I learned of the possible reason for his death, I was deeply, deeply saddened. Sources are saying that Rick’s death may have been suicide, a result of addiction and depression. I am praying for his family and friends as they grieve this loss. Lots of people were Tweeting about it, re-Tweeting the news, and the topic of mental health and depression were blowing up all over my Twitter feed.

This, to me, was a sign. I needed to be brave and speak up.

As many of you know, I am a staunch advocate of mental health awareness, and I currently serve on the Board of Directors for NAMI Southwestern PA. A very close family member of mine suffers from schizoaffective disorder, which is kind of like a cross between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. In short, it is devastating.  Three years ago, my family member overdosed in what appeared to be a suicide attempt. My loved one was on life-support for three days, and there were moments when I wasn’t sure if she’d make it. Thank God, she did make it. And her life has taken a dramatic turn for the better. Recovery. Is. Possible.

I write this post today to bring attention to the seriousness of and the possible devastation caused by mental illness. And to share something deeply personal with all of you.

One weekend a few weeks ago, I couldn’t get out of bed because I was so depressed. In fact, I didn’t want to live.

I spent two solid days seriously considering ending my life.

I suffer from severe depression. I have for many years. A few months ago, I slipped into depression so deep that I wasn’t sure I’d make it out of the other side. This depression is one of the main reasons I stepped away from the Secret Agent L Project. It’s one of the main reasons I stopped showing up on Twitter.  It’s one of the main reasons that Vivian (aka Number Two) stepped in.  And about a month ago, it all came to a head. I wanted to die.

I, Secret Agent L, wanted to die.

The pain of my depression was so deep that I couldn’t imagine carrying on another day. I didn’t think I could spend another day breathing and living and feeling the pain I was feeling.

Thankfully, my family and a couple of my closest friends stepped in. I talked with my doctor, am taking advantage of resources that will help me, and am taking one day at a time. And now, almost three months after the initial onset of this depressive period and a few weeks after seriously considering ending my life, I can see some light. It’s not blinding, but I can see it. And I feel like I might have the strength to walk towards it a little more each day, even if it’s only one or two steps a day.

The Secret Agent L Project serves not only as a way to encourage people to enact kindness with intention, but I’ve learned through the many emails I receive from people all over the world that the project also serves as a beacon of hope. We are hurting. We are struggling. We feel alone and helpless and hopeless. Many people write to me and share personal stories of their struggles, or the struggles of their loved ones and friends, that center around mental illness.

We cannot stay silent about this any longer.

We cannot accept the stigma.  We cannot accept that mental illness means we’re weak, “crazy,” or less-than. We cannot believe that we are alone. Because we are not.

Today, I am asking you to complete a mission. I am asking that you do something today that centers around mental illness awareness. Maybe you’re struggling: please, please reach out for help. Maybe a loved one or friend is struggling: call them, often. Maybe you want to learn more about mental illness: learn more. Maybe you decide to give up buying that Starbucks latte and donate to help those who may not be able right now to help themselves. Maybe you feel like being courageous and leaving a comment on this post about your own experience with mental illness, whether it’s that of yours or a loved one or friend. Don’t know where to turn? Contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). They will help you with what you need. I promise.

We must come together on this. We must be there for one another. We must realize that mental illness is a real, legitimate disease. We must fight for more funding, more resources, more awareness, and, most importantly, more compassion.

We must.

I’m not back 100% here, but I will be stepping in when I can and when I feel up to it. I really, really struggled with whether or not to share this deeply personal part of myself with you. But I came to the realization that I cannot be the only one out there struggling with this illness. And so, I reached out. Because I love you. And because I want you and your loved ones and friends to know that you are not alone.

Today I have decided that I’m going to fight for my life. And I hope that you will fight for yours.

Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L says, "Be Kind. No Exceptions."

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Hey, Number Two. I Love You.

Life is interesting. It takes you from place to place without warning sometimes. It surprises you, stuns you, tests you. It can bring you joy like nothing you’ve ever known, and it can bring sorrow that you think you’ll never recover from.

And it can bring you people like Vivian.

As many of you have noticed, I took a significant break for several months from the Secret Agent L Project. And I am by no means back 100%. Life? Well, it’s thrown me some curve balls. And let’s just say that I have some things outside of this project that really need my attention and energy right now. But, dipping my toe in the water a little bit is something I feel like I might be able to do, so I hope you’ll bear with me as I occasionally poke my head in to say hello, post some missions, Tweet some Tweets, and drop some messages on Facebook.

All of this, of course, brings me to Vivian.

I want to publicly thank her for being, in my opinion, the true definition of kindness. She is kindness. She lives it, breathes it, speaks it, thinks it, is it. And she has shown me kindness that I can never, ever repay. In short, I love her. Deeply. And her friendship has, without a doubt, changed my life. I don’t know what would have happened if she hadn’t stepped up and said, “I’ve got this, Laura. You rest. Take care of you.” Who knows where the Secret Agent L Project would be right now?

Vivian,

Girl, you are my heart. How I got so lucky to have you enter my life, I will never know. Thank you, from my heart’s heart, for being the very epitome of kindness and love. I only hope that I can be to you someday what you have been to me. Thank you for all of the work you’ve done to hold up the Secret Agent L Project over these past few months. And thank you in advance for what I know you will still want to do.

Thank you for rescuing me, in more ways than one.

love,
Laura

Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L says, "Be Kind. No Exceptions."

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Hello From Secret Agent L

Hi, Everyone. Secret Agent L here.

As you have noticed, I’ve been away from the SAL Project for a bit. Part of it was due to being out of town, but another part was for very personal reasons. I’m not returning in 100% capacity yet, but I thought I’d post a few missions over the next week or so, just to keep connected to you all.

I received an email about a month ago from someone wanting to become an Affiliated Agent, and she went so far as to complete a mini-mission prior to her official affiliation. I LOVE THIS.

Hello!

I am just wondering if my strong will to join this fascinating team
was received.

I decided to donate 10 copies of Lady GaGa’s latest album to seniors
living in local nursing homes.

This idea came from the long lasting friendship with Carl who passed
away at age of 75 years old.

He had been a strong fighter against ill-health. We became real friends
when I brought him Lady GaGa’s Poker Face. We sang, danced and went
crazy at the hospital (as you can imagine).

I hope my mission can bring cheerful moments to seniors with no
relatives or family.

At the end of day, I believe that we all need to get energy injected.

I hope I can become a part of this inspiring community – Secret Agent
L.

Sincerely,

yoda

Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L says, "Be Kind. No Exceptions."

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MISSION: Many Mini Missions

I’ve been working my way through many emails over the past few weeks and decided to post a few quick missions together. Not to take away from the missions, but to provide a post that features several great missions at one time. Hope you enjoy your many mini mission roundup!

Valentine’s Day

DATE:

February 14

OPERATIVE:

Affiliated Agent E

LOCATION:

Starbucks in Lakewood, CO

TIME:

8:45 am

I got around to my third mission today. I found a super cute Valentine’s Day mug with a little bear in it on sale at the grocery the day I did my first missions and I knew it was perfect for another drop. I picked up a small bag of coffee and a hot chocolate mix and wrote a simple card “A little something to warm your heart today. This random act of kindness brought to you by Affiliated Agent E”.

I decided to drop it today since the mug is a Valentine’s Day mug and I decided on Starbucks for the location since anyone there would probably enjoy a mug and coffee I hadn’t considered how difficult a drop at Starbucks could be on a weekday morning but I managed to leave it on one of the tables out front Hopefully it brings a smile to someone this Valentine’s Day.

Step by Step

DATE:

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

OPERATIVE:

Affiliated Agent K

LOCATION:

South Park Shops, Bethel Park, PA

TIME:

7p.m.

1st Mission Accomplished

the plan . . .

1) finally use the $5 gift card that has been sitting around forever in my non-coffee-drinking daughter’s room

2) call to see if it still had a balance on it – hooray, it was still active for $5

3) become an affiliated agent and copy business card

4) create packaging (that my other creative daughter still doesn’t believe I created . . . but I did)

5) find lost digital camera

6) find the time for the drop off

7) almost have the time so decide pet store a few doors down from Starbucks is a great place for the drop

8 ) spend too much money on this doggy product, that didn’t work successfully enough, but am thrilled it was a good place for my gift

9) thanks, secret agent L – you ROCK!

Sweet and Simple

DATE: April 7

OPERATIVE:

Affiliated Agent D

LOCATION:

South Hills, Pittsburgh

TIME:

Evening

Just a brief note to let you know that I did put out a couple money envelopes in the South Hills of Pittsburgh!

One Smooth Daddy

DATE:

August 10, 2010

OPERATIVE:

Affiliated Agent T

LOCATION:

Pearland, Texas

TIME:

5:50 p.m.

In keeping with a previous mission carried out by another Affiliated Agent, I decided to go with a bit of a twist. As a mom and now grandma, I am very impressed with how dad’s take a active roll in their children’s care. I wanted to let dads know that taking care of kids is such a awesome thing to do for their children and yes their wives, and I admire them. What chore is more ucky than changing diapers? That usually sends the gag reflex into hyper-drive in guys! I figure a man that can conquer that and carry out that job is a manly man and…well he deserves a manly high five (grunt grunt).

I set out to Smoothie King to get a gift certificate for the well deserving dad, and after authenticating the quality of the goody to be offered, I set about making my purchase. I checked into home base to assemble my goody drop where once again, my sidekick “The SOTH” helped. We tied it all up with a tidy bow for our super dad.

At 5:50 pm I slipped into a church which has a diaper changing table in the men’s restroom. I checked to make sure it was not occupied and pulled down the changing table, snapped my picture, made my drop and put it back in the upright position. No one but a well deserving dad is going to find this one. I got off a wide angle picture, then quickly left the area with one wide push of the door and snapped off my departing shot.

This was a simple mission and not much risk factor involved, but a rewarding mission none the less. Kudos to diaper changing dad’s out there, you’re the best!

Good things come in 3s

DATE:

August 18, 2010

OPERATIVE:

Affiliated Agent Yetti

LOCATION:

Natrona Heights, PA

TIME:

2:00 p.m.

The first part was making a greeting card with Angels on the Front to show love for all people. Second, was the inside left of the card that had the business card and signed Affiliated Agent Yetti…affiliate for Secret Agent L. Third, the inside right of the card said, “Thinking of you…..This is just a gift for you just because you are SO SPECIAL to find it! Enjoy! God Bless You! Fourth, we put in 3 dollars to represent good things come in 3′s. Finally, the kids and I put the card in a plastic bag so shed it from the weather and we put it on a random blue car in the Walmart Parking lot as we were going there shopping for things for dinner that night. We checked about 3 hours later and it was gone.

Conclusion: Mission accomplished by Secret Agent Yetti…..

These are such great missions. Very inspiring. Thanks to each and every one of you!

Number Two

An involved Pittsburgh volunteer, Vivian also spends her time with the Garage League (of Writers), The Pittsburgh Morning Mix, Zola Design, LLC, UpTo Know Good, The Mattress Factory, an amazing kitchen co-op, biking with Flock of Cycles, hiking, and traveling with her boyfriend and dogs.

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MISSION: Everyone has a story

I could not have said or done better myself. LOVE this mission.

Date:

May 31, 2011

Operative:

Affiliated Agent T (assisted by Covert Assistant S)

Location:

a Sheetz in Western PA

Time:

Dusk

I am a huge book lover, and my favorite books are always those that tell the stories of real people. I am a firm believer that every person has a story to tell, and we are the authors of our own destiny. We all have the power to make our story great, but sometimes we all need a little encouragement. My mission today was to bring that encouragement to someone who may need it.

A while ago, I had found a bunch items that followed this theme. They included a paperweight, a mug, and some decals that said “write your own story”. I decided to add a journal to this, and throw in a little packet of coffee for the mug. I used a plain white bag, and decorated it, so that the recipient would know it was a gift for him/her. I then jotted a little note of encouragement for the recipient to go out and write their own story, and included the SAL card. I put the bag all together, and tied some pretty ribbon on it.

The drop was harder than I expected. With the weather nice, everywhere we went to make the drop was really crowded. Stealth was pretty much impossible. Finally, we stopped at a Sheetz gas station, and I had my husband (Covert Assistant S) make the drop. He placed it out in the open, in front of the store portion of the gas station. By the time we pulled out of the lot, someone had picked up the gift.

I truly hope this small act of kindness provided some encouragement for a person in need.

 

 

I can really identify with Agent T and S in this mission. We all have a story to tell. Next time someone is telling you theirs, take a minute to actively listen and find the way you can identify. I’m always surprised when I open my ears and my heart.

Number Two

An involved Pittsburgh volunteer, Vivian also spends her time with the Garage League (of Writers), The Pittsburgh Morning Mix, Zola Design, LLC, UpTo Know Good, The Mattress Factory, an amazing kitchen co-op, biking with Flock of Cycles, hiking, and traveling with her boyfriend and dogs.

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Celebrating a Return

Hello all. Number Two here. While my boss, Secret Agent L is taking a much deserved break, including a recent vacation to California (!), I’m going to try and fill in as much as I can. I want to start the return to the blog with an email from the finder of a mission. But first, some thoughts.

Reading the email from ‘Recipient E’ caused me to think about recent events in my own life. The death of a family member. The anniversary of the birth of our country. The things we put off or don’t accomplish because life just gets in the way. We plan and hope and pray only to find that life doesn’t always go according to our wishes.

And sometimes, that’s a good thing.

DATE:

December 14, 2010

OPERATION:

Holiday Treats in Texas

LOCATION:

Jason’s Deli, Dallas, TX

TIME:

12:30 p.m.

 

I found an orange envelope inside the bathroom of a Jason’s Deli in Dallas, TX. Its definitely been a couple of months, it happened in December of 2010. There was a note and an iTunes giftcard. I haven’t used it yet, but I remember it brightening my day because my boyfriend wasn’t being very pleasant. Its been in my car ever since, and I stumbled upon it again today.

Those reminders are nice to have and even nicer to stumble upon later.

So to welcome you all back to the blog and to welcome the blog back to you, I leave you with a heartfelt prayer for letting go and welcoming back.

In search of my mother’s garden, I found my own. – Alice Walker

Number Two

An involved Pittsburgh volunteer, Vivian also spends her time with the Garage League (of Writers), The Pittsburgh Morning Mix, Zola Design, LLC, UpTo Know Good, The Mattress Factory, an amazing kitchen co-op, biking with Flock of Cycles, hiking, and traveling with her boyfriend and dogs.

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