Edited - 030110, 0300 hrs for some minor errors; added a small paragraph about Aaron as I had left him out >.<

Title says it all I guess. My 4.5 days of rest and relaxation is coming to an end already.. sadly.

CHRISTMAS LONG WEEKEND

Seems to me that time always seem to accelerate while on the mainland.
Maybe its a psychological thing.

Cabbed to Expo in the morning to attend the Christmas service. Thankfully Liting and Sharon managed to arrive with Ting's relatives in time before the ushers took back the seats I koped. We ended up right at the side though.. Haha. This year's drama tugged at the heartstrings much more intensely than previous years.. Not much comedy on offer. Then again the drama team never fails to impress by illustrating the same fabled take from different angles and scenarios every time.

Later that afternoon some of us went to Huyuan's place to party.. The food was plentiful indeed.. and we had to leave much behind. It feels good just to see everyone again after 2 weeks plus of hell. Enjoyed being the lead singer (again..) on Guitar Hero before the dinner started.

Before that I went to meet Waimin, Judy and Louis at Kovan to collect the food and drinks from his family-run bakery somewhere in Serangoon North. Waimin actually managed to walk past me at the bus stop without noticing me.. Lol. =/ She mentioned that I look less drunk now.. and more like a bloody stalker with the windbreaker and cap.

The night ended too early.. Even the alcohol did not help prolong the feeling of zen I so desperately craved after the first two weeks of shit.

Walked with Woon and Jtay to the station.. then reached home at about 2330 hrs.

The next day was totally burnt at home.. Doing nothing much.

I went for my first ever CGM (after so long.. and Sharon's house is super far away and ulu =/). It was a Thanksgiving CGM cum gift exchange and I did not manage to get a gift in time =/ The food was good though! (: Especially the fries and sandwiches! Our team 2 managed to win the grand prize of 3 PC games for the guys and 50 bucks worth of Taka vouchers for the ladies. Also the 2 teams put aside their friendly rivalry at the end to gang up on Yankai using shaving cream to celebrate her birthday. Lol!

To think that its been 8 months plus since W515 was established.. Cool..


NEW YEAR SUPER LONG WEEKEND thus far..

Our coy booked out super early.. on Wednesday afternoon instead of Thursday as the other companies did. Apparently all the commanders were heading for a Family Day event down at the zoo that afternoon.

I slept so much (must be the medication from camp for my flu and cough) that I woke up at 6pm.. Super pig =/ We enjoyed a steamboat dinner/family gathering that evening. That's why I was unable to meet up with Judy, Jtan and Louis to head towards Marina Square.

Went alone in the end and saw the immense size of the crowd that had gathered by then. As I reached at about 2320, the crowd had swelled to such an extent that the police had to cordon off the entire Marina Square/Esplanade/Fullerton Bridge area - the end result was that it was impossible to meet up with them as they had already reached the Esplanade by then. The mobile phone networks were jammed as well.. thus establishing contact was a major problem I had to contend with.

Actually, don't you feel that fireworks as a whole are over-hyped? I mean, people hogged the best seats braving the sun and rain, missing the whole concert/entertainment in the process just to see rockets light up the night sky on the stroke of midnight in an exhilarating combination of sound and colour that lasts.. only a few minutes.

These events also tend to attract others as well.. The gangsters, clubbers, skinheads, construction workers, foreign nationals.. Blah blah. By 2355 I had jostled and got well-acquainted with Banglas, Indians, Malay punksters, Hokkien bengs and the like trying to get the hell out of the Fullerton Bridge underpass dead end (people were stuck on the stairs to road level approaching the harbour). Witnessed a punch-up as well when a Bangladeshi barged through the crowd of people and pissed some punks.

Lol.. to come up close and personal with my favourite people on the North-East Line every Saturday evening. What a way to welcome the new year..

Alright, in the end I conceded that the fireworks were impressive visually as they were aurally. Was quite irked off by a stupid roadside plant that blocked my view though. Coupled with people pushing from the back wanting to catch a better glimpse (in reality how much difference does arching your head 1 cm make? You still get blocked by the tree and irritate everyone in front of you) and little wonder why my mood was a bit sour.

I realised only later on my way home that Aaron was in the same area as me all along. Then again what're the chances of meeting him amidst a restless and humongous crowd of revelers? =/

So next time if I decide to catch the fireworks live again, I would either follow Jtay and book a room in advance overlooking the harbour at exorbitant rates or get a ticket ($30) and grab a good spot by the river.

It gets pretty frustrating alone as well.. So next time I would be wiser and meet up with friends before navigating the mass of people there. Hopefully at a much earlier time as well instead of 2300 hrs.

Getting out of the area after the show was a nightmare as well. Typical Singaporeans.. all kiasu to siam straight after in all directions. I was quite amazed there wasn't a stampede with the number of people barging into one another and so on. As for myself, I managed to walk down to Raffles Place and then turned to make my way to Clarke Quay.

Finally some air-conditioning after all that. Phew..


Alright that pretty much sums up my weekends.. Shall illustrate with photos next time.. if I'm still alive after next week.



HAPPY NEW YEAR to all once again!
Go spread some love this festive season (;

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Some interesting facts with the FriendGuru App on FB

Number of photos where I'm tagged: 429
Number of tagged friends: 146
Gender of tagged friends: 50% female, 50% male

Common photos
Judy: 127
Jtay: 97
William: 83
Louis: 80
Huyuan: 72
Aaron: 69
Tiantian: 68

Paparazzi (Most photos taken by)
Jtay: 85
Aaron: 45
Samuel: 36

Just felt bored.. Haha.

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Here I am alone in my room at 0425 hours on 010110 wondering what to blog about for the first post of the year.
(crap the SAF norms about times and dates seem to be getting into me)

It just feels so.. weird that in less than 72 hours time I would be back on my wretched little abode far away from this place.

Typing this, I feel as though I had never left. The room still looks the same, layout and all - notes and things pertaining to academia stacked rather neatly on a tray beside me, just like it had been for the past two years. Maybe yesterday was just prom night; perhaps the fact that I woke up in the afternoon just now implied that I'm just enjoying my summer holidays lazing about at home waiting for the commencement of the new school term. Oh, what if last week was just a surreal dream, an Outward Bound School or Sec 3 camp of sorts, and that everything would all be over now.

Yes I am living in self-denial, trying to convince myself that what I had been through was just a dream with a lousy script. A dream that will end when I wake up the next day. In reality this dream came too early.. way too early to me. There are so many loose ends that I had yet to tie up; things I had not accomplished; friends that I had not met up with. No night ever passes without a glimpse back into the past - a flashback of sorts. Back at my halcyon days, where I was still a free man, free to pursue my own devices. A blast of the past.. to the moments that can never be replayed in reality anymore.

2009 probably was a year of missed opportunities; though I had gained much too. If today was 010109 instead, I can be confident of doing well in every single exam. And I will learn to play the High School anthem. Maybe I will start listening to the World Service now instead of 'discovering' it just after Prelims. Perhaps I can have been more industrious perfecting my tone and technique. Most importantly of all I will visit the gym and run three times a week without fail to keep fit.
_____________________________________________________

Last year I had three main goals which I wanted to achieve.. One year on.. Its apt to look back and see how much had I actually accomplished..

1. I want to LOOK FORWARD, and FORGET the past.
It has not been easy, yet today I can truly say that I have moved on from the events of 2 to 3 years ago. I forgave myself for who I was in the past. It had been a process fraught with agony and disappointment; yet it has also taught me much. While some of my ex-classmates still meet up and so on, I am not sad or emo about it for I know I had not earned the right to do so. 'Time heals all wounds' or so as they say. It is very true indeed. Teenage adolescence, impudence and egos reign no more.

2. Continue to CONNECT, and to GIVE
I am just thankful to have friends whom I can rely on in times of need. Friends who will always just be a phone call or SMS away. (: People who can whisk my attention away from the rigours of training.. And organise outings to relieve my sian-ness.

3. Striving hard in STUDIES
Alright, I have to admit I was quite lucky to even receive a Diploma with Merit at the end of my course. My results had not picked up significantly over the past year.. With the elusive A grade still unattained. Then again, I can say unashamedly that I'd put in my all for the A's. Maybe the end-product will be pleasing visually.. yet I know I could have laid a better foundation in 2008 instead of switching off at times.
_____________________________________________________

This year.. Even with these unfortunate circumstances surrounding me, I hope that it will be a most enriching year yet. So much so that when I look back on 010111 I can say unabashedly "Wow.. 2010 was really great.. And I had gained so much using what I have by God's grace".

1. Work HARD - Endure, EXCEL
Maybe its fated that I have to surrender my pink identification card this early, and that this will be the threshing floor on which I will be refined into gold. Gold for IPPT. Unattainable? Well that's what this resolution is for.The next few weeks will be both physically and mentally torturing. Imagine having to do OCPT after some strenuous activity, or sustaining the plank or push-up position when we're already shagged. Or getting RT-ed on Saturdays hence dashing any plans to meet up with someone or some people - this is the ultimate man, with a cooldown of 7 days.

First break the zero barrier by late Jan/early Feb - then concentrate on getting the 6 to pass. RTs are inevitable - there's a reason why I enlisted so early no? I also need to overcome the repulsion towards my little island that I currently possess (quite evident to all that I absolutely abhor it).

Its not by chance I happen to be in a platoon that has the most emphatic commanders, or in a section that thinks smartly and does not do stupid things that will lead to confinement (probably we need to touch up on area cleaning skills though). Army - A rite of passage or a waste of time? I guess its up to us to decide what we want this term to mean.

2. STRENGTHEN bonds; foster DEEPER relationships
Ecc 4:10 - If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Its very easy once all the guys enlist for us to just drift apart from one another. Hence it is imperative that we all keep in touch and go out often.

Last year I wrote about the importance of phone calls.. and that has not, and never will, change this year. As i'd mentioned many times.. a phone call is not just about hearing someone else on the other side. It is more to do with a connection between souls, even if they're an ocean away from my little island - an avenue for sharing, distraction, motivation, encouragement. I guess these calls will be the only means by which I can remain sane and sanguine throughout my stay. (It speaks a lot about the 'resort' if people have to pay you to take up lodging there! =/)

Here's wishing also to have the time to meet up with the cell group every weekend as well. In addition also for our section 3 to bond, to stick through this shit together; as well for Mark to visit our level more often so we can chat.. and let someone hear a different voice at the end of the phone line for a change =P

3. Aim HIGH, PLAN for the future
This looks similar to the first point but this is more to do with the long term, i.e. after BMT and ORD.

If my results are somewhat stellar, then I can start considering Uni applications already. Most probably I'll stay in Singapore still unless a miracle transpires that I attain an A for GP and correspondingly a scholarship overseas.

I'll try to study for SATs (just for fun.. who know how useful it might be) during my
free time while on vocation and sit for it next year. I just hope I don't need to recourse my A Levels.

Vocation wise.. I don't have any high hopes right now given my circumstances. Yet this is after all a resolution.. and who knows what might happen by the end of the year. So the next best alternative besides being a storeman or medic is probably command school. So this links back to point 1 too.
_____________________________________________________

The past is gone.. What's left is the future.
I both dread and anticipate 3rd Jan.. Dread because it will be the day I board the vessel to my holiday chalet. On the other hand.. there will be people returning from overseas.. so we can all go have outings as a full section/class again on Saturdays. And I can go kajiao them during admin time (just kidding..)


Normally I would be lazing about in bunk waiting for first parade after breakfast. Today I am still by my computer.. still energetic and not feeling lethargic at all.

Well then.. at 0700 hours, I wish all readers and friends..
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
and may all your wishes and dreams come true (:

or translated roughly as..
新年快乐!
在新的一年里希望你的梦想都能起飞! (:

(I wonder where I adapted that last line from.. Wonder if I can go for this year's 黄城夜韵.)

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Photo credit: Yankai
I think the lyrics speak for themselves.

In two more days we usher in 2010.
I hope to be able to thank everyone properly this year (:

Reminiscing ..

08S6A
Its been two years..
Memories that really made my college life so meaningful.
And the people as well (:
Especially the ones who always turn up for events, outings and random gatherings after papers.
On 30th Nov most of us wore our uniforms for the last time.
Never again would we meet at our CT bench every morning,
and get chased by Ken Yeow to the terraces on Mondays.
The tennis, squash and badminton sessions; the mugging gangs; lectures and tutorials.
Music room, hall and LT piano recitals
The CIP we did at Ju Eng where Woon was the lead guitarist
Taking photo with the Merlion with the help of tourists
Staying over at Aaron's house on his birthday last year
All the PE modules.. from badminton to squash to swimming and finally tennis
William being targeted almost every single day just for being.. himself.
And last but not least.. the couples (:

HcBand
Thank you all for accommodating a non-ip noob player like me and even allowing me to serve you guys as the QM.
Hopefully I did not perform that badly.. even though we broke the budget with the contrabass clarinet and gave out the most reeds.. ever.
Can you remember..
The saikang we took on at the end of last year renovating the college band room.
Performing for Capriccio XIV, Noel, Luce, 2 Arts Festivals, flag-raising ceremonies and ultimately SYF.
KAP every single Friday night without fail with more or less the same people
The super long walk from college band room to SALT (and back)
All the Hymn to the Sun and Overture No. 1 recordings, including the ones in the 'toilet'
Sectionals at all sorts of places, from the roadside to the terraces to the zen garden.
Exco meetings with Ms Lin..
Moving the percussion down the flight of steps to the affable Uncle Toh with his truck.
Leng's ice-cream treat (: and birthday celebration
And so on.. >.<

W515
I believe I'd said a lot on Sunday during Thanksgiving..
Yet once again thank you all for always praying over me (:

Hm.. there're some other people I'd like to thank as well. Haha. Lazy to write more. Shall tell them over the phone.. soon.


Enjoy the last day of 2009..
And this decade will be over in 24 hours.
Wow. And people thought the world would end in the year 2000 due to the Y2K thingy.

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We wake up so early that a day in camp feels like two days outside (given most of us wake up about late morning/noon previously).

0530 - Reveille

No one actually wakes up at this time since we need to be water paraded and our strength accounted for by 0545 or we'll get screwed.

0540 - Water parade.

"Bottles out!"
(Echo)
"Caps off!"
(Echo)
"Half full water bottle drink up!"
"The SAF seven Core Values are - Loyalty to Country, Leadership, Discipline, Professionalism, Fighting Spirit, Ethics, Care for Soldiers. Drink up!"
..
"Anybody still drinking?"
"1, 2, no i/c!"
"Caps on!"
(Echo)
"Bottleees down!"
"Apache!"

0545 - 5BX

"2 minutes - Put your black sling bags in the training shed and form up 20 rows in front of me. Move!"
"Move!"

"Front row recover"
"Recover!"
The rest of you, on your feets up"
"*Clap, clap* Apache!"
"Reference row, reference row ready!"
"Ready!"
"Class ready"
"Ready"
"Class moveee out"
"Move!"

"First exercise - Jumping jacks. Jumping jacks in position ready"
"Half-left ready!"
"5 counts of 4!"
(Echos)
"6 counts of 4"
(Louder echo)
"7 counts of 4"
(Even louder echo)
"Exercise begin!"
"1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4 ... last, 2, 3, 4"
"Recover!"
(Echo)
"High jumper. High jumper in position ready"
"Half-left ready"
"5 counts of 4!"
(Echo)
"Exercise begin!"
"1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4 ... last, 2, 3, 4"
"Recover!"
(Echo)
"Squat benders. Squat benders in position ready"
"Ready!"
"5 counts of 4!"
(Echo)
"Exercise begin!"
"1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4 ... last, 2, 3, 4"
"Push up in position ready"
"*Clap, clap* Apache! 1, 2, ready!"
"5 counts of 4!"
(Echo)
"Exercise begin!"
"1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4 ... last, 2, 3, 4"
"Crunches change!"
"Change!"
"5 counts of 4!"
(Echo)
"Exercise begin!"
"1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4 ... last, 2, 3, 4"
"Recover"
"*Clap, clap* Apache!"

"Whole lot, form up in your platoon level on the red track. Platoon1, 2, 3 and 4. I give you 1 minute. Move"
"Move!"

Running in the morning's pretty sian. To think we have to go through this shit everyday. =/

Anw, we booked out rather early this time round (4.5 days of rest!) due to New Year's Day. The next long weekend for us will be CNY in Feb. Maybe we can laugh at the enhanced batch people =P

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Mood: Resigned
Listening to: Beethoven's Sonata No. 8 in C minor Op. 13 'Pathetique'

Hopefully the day when I finally pass my IPPT will come sooner rather than later. Getting RT on Saturdays is a very sucky prospect indeed. Who wants to go back on Saturday when you can do so on Friday evenings? Saturdays are now very precious to all of us as it represents a whole day away from the hellhole (coincidentally it is the largest island besides the mainland). It comes in the form of free personal time that can be spent with those who matter most..

Admin time everyday allows me to keep hold of my sanity while looking ahead to at least 15 more weeks of mental torture and anguish. Life on Tekong is just as taxing on the mind as it is on the body. That's why we are usually quite pissed when we were made to do pointless stuff (like going for nightsnack) and random fire drills during our free time at night.

I spend every night with my phone under the pillow, always ready for the slightest hint of a (real or presumed) vibration from it.

My bunkmates know me as the guy who's almost perpetually on the phone during any free time we have, especially in the first week. I calculated that I'd already clocked a few hours on my phone already, more than what some would chalk up for the whole of BMT.

After the 17th to the 21st.. My phone usage dropped drastically. Only called Judy and Louis in this period to say hi and inquire about the Christmas party. Lots of things happened actually in the past 14 days. For one, the winter solstice passed by as well as the release of the PSLE and posting results. Supply of newspapers in camp is pretty erratic as well. I reckon out of the 14 days we spent we only had about 4 days worth of news.

I tried keeping a diary in there.. but it only has 2 entries as of now. I'm not like jh who can write for his gf everyday. Not that I'm writing it for any gf.. Lol.

And alot of the girls found jobs.. Really envy them. At least they can go home (and online) everyday.

Mark just messaged me regarding the band chalet from 4th to 6th Jan in an EXECUTIVE SUITE nonetheless. Argh. Of course the both of us cannot make it. Sian. You guys have fun k? I guess when our batch had ours 11 mths ago I sort of knew it would be the last one I'd be attending for a long long time.

Results will be out soon in 2 months plus time. I'm praying that it will provide motivation for me to serve out these 2 years and being able to enroll for my desired course(s) in a preferred university.

Adjustment period is over. Can prepare for hell come Monday. Oh wells.
Just about 40 more days before the rest of the guys join me. There's alot of things that can be done in these 40 days. Just that I will not have the luxury of choosing what to do. So cherish them guys.. At least you all can get silver or gold for IPPT easily.

I want 3rd Jan to come.. so that my nights will never be dull =P Thanks arh! (:

Why are so many people holidaying in Europe nowadays.. I want to go back there once more =/

Tmr night I'll be boarding the ferry leaving civilization adrift behind me yet again. A recruit leads a sucky life man.

101211. Long time away.
070410. At least this date's earlier..

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Never thought that this period of time would finally come to pass. Ultimately, I have survived mentally, even if its just by a little bit.

Everyone used to say that there's so much time until A Levels and NS come rolling about. When you were young, in secondary school or even in J1, you feel like you have lots and lots of time to burn.

The problem is that time, once past, can never be retrieved again.

I spent every single night of the past 2 weeks reflecting upon my life. So much so that I just started to tear while on the phone. To think that just a few weeks ago I was in the hall taking my A's; and wearing the school uniform for the very last time. Well, it also wasn't that long ago too that I received the SMS that I was posted to HC.

Haha, how naive we were in the past thinking that we could stay young forever. And that the 18th year would never come - at least so soon.

It has not been an easy 14 days. I look around me right now in my room and realised I could have done so much more. I opened up the certificate folder and I concurred that I should have been more hardworking, more.. natural at the subject and not end up with a barren desert of A's. Maybe I should have tidied and sorted out my notes and tutorials since J1. Probably I would give anything just to restart the whole A Level process.

While everyone else is like lazing about at home, working or going overseas, here I am stuck in a shitty conundrum. I guess the only thing that kept me from going insane was the calls. I'm indebted to you and you for tolerating the ramblings of a disillusioned person unacquainted to days without Internet connection, random sleeping times, good food - freedom, in general.

Christmas.. Its that time of the year again isn't it? When you know that the present year is ending and a new one is beginning. In January one would most likely think 'Aiyah, Christmas still so far away, got alot of time to do this and that, to make resolutions come to pass'. Then again, it sorts of mirrors the year I've had.

I remembered that the Christmas period last year was the best one I've ever had, with all the concerts, class outings (Marina Square again close to 25th!), Hcband bbq and band room clean-up (still remembered that we were doing P&C there!); a time when Machu Picchu, Superman and rehearsals at the music room were commonplace.

Whoa, reading the archives made me relive the actual events once more. A trip down memory lane. I had taken so many different roads over the past 2 weeks.

My life story, since 2005, laid out bare over a few webpages. Perfect road-map for planning subsequent or impromptu journeys in the future with just a few clicks.

The past shall remain past; the present will become past, and the future the present. We are all mere passengers of time's momentous voyage, never stopping, never reversing, waiting only for our turn to disembark. What we do while we're still on board, is solely up to us..

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7th Dec

HC Prom - Bella Sera.

Last year when I first stepped into HC, I'd never thought that this day would come. It all seemed oh so distant then, and that two years would be a very very long time indeed.

Thanks to all those who'd made my two years an enjoyable, meaningful and enriching one. I knew that I had made the right choice then, and never regret choosing HC over the one at Bishan or around Dover. To each his own, but for me, I truly grew to love the school and the culture. We work super hard, and play even harder - ok not to the point of rogue birthday celebrations, but does flag-poling count?

Maybe I could have been smarter and more on the ball in the first year (and not get to distracted and driven over something unattainable). I came to the school on the back of 7As. and leave with not a single A (PW notwithstanding) on the books. Perhaps that's the thing I yearn for most now looking back.

Anyway, Samuel, Judy, Jontan and I met up at Louis' place before his brother drove us there. Met Annabel there while waiting for KH as NJ's having prom next to us. Couldn't pinpoint it.. but there's just something different about her after not seeing her for the most of 2 years..

Prom was good, and the food was alright (though the waiters were overly zealous and cleared perfectly untouched food). Did not partake of the dessert though as everyone suspected that it contained coconut milk. (Blue-haired) Aaron was so happy when he got a second bowl :P

Lots of photo-taking, even when the proceedings were underway - but all came to a halt when Mr Ang went to the rostrum and announced his retirement officially to the C2 cohort. For all his quirkiness and suspect pronunciation.. Haha, too bad future generations cannot go through it. Words like 'Farmily' and 'Hunkypunky' will always remain firmly rooted in HC lore.


Spot Aaron.. this time in my photo. LOL.


The ladies (:


Coloured hair! xD Kinda sad my silver din really stand out elsewhere..


Hm.. Din know someone so tall after 3.5 inches. Or did I bend down? =P


The other 2 who were missing in the above ladies photo (:


Dota! Hahaha. Last time. Wonder where's William, Sunshuo and Linyi. All overseas =/


Our table.. taken by sY (:


HcSaxas without Yikun..


HcBand! (:


Us with Mr. Remedios (Best Phy tutor! =P). I got cutout. Lol..


Our legacy that will hopefully endure for many years to come (:

Prom ended after midnight and we drove to Louis' place this time with Wincoln, Huyuan, Woon and tpy in place of Judy and Jontan. Played mahjong for the whole night, and managed to help Hy win.. in-game since no money actually changed hands in the end. Feel like playing mahjong again. Don't think Tekong will have. Lol.

The rest of us abandoned Louis (who couldn't be woken up despite doing everything humanely possible) and Pinyan and went our separate ways. Did not manage to experience the post-prom clubbing and class hotel-stays that everyone else seemed to be onto - yet the chitchat and overnight mahjong more than made up for it. Oh, the Carlsberg helped as well (:

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