Today I will have an eye exam. I always leave the doctor’s office looking like this:


It usually takes all day to get my eyes back to their normal ability to focus through my Floaters and Flashers, so even though I should be back here soon I may not be able to read you until later.

If you have a bloodshot eyeball story to tell, please share it today and I promise I’ll reply to you as soon as I can see again!

29 Comments

  1. pareidoliac – What appears as my consciousness. – Attempting to be the first human and let nature and reality create culture. http://beyondpareidolia.shutterfly.com/
    fred ressler says:

    One can always get ones eyes refracted by an optometrist. Not using “eye drops,” one will find ones eyes in the same condition as when one entered the office. Optometric training stesses that not only is there the above mentioned advantage; but the refraction is more representative of the actual, natural needed correction, as the eyes are refracted by an optometrist (as opposed to an opthalmologist), in their natural, un-pupil dilated state.
    fred ressler O.D.

  2. I feel for you!
    My son and I just had our eye exams yesterday and we both had our pupils dilated by the eye doctor at the local Walmart that features low cost eye exams and frames along with $4 scripts in its pharmacy. (Just make sure that your doctor specifies tabs or caps, depending on which $4 med you wish to get, because they won’t substitute).
    Of course, walking out of the store, I noticed the greeter was staring at me and my extremely dilated pupils thinking I was someone who was up to no good. Wide, blood shot eyes are never a good sign. Especially since my vision was blurry because I had lost a lens from my regular glasses and was using an old pair.
    If I had been thinking, I should have bought a cheap plastic bottle of vodka and asked him to check my receipt as I was leaving. 🙂

  3. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    UPDATE!
    I’m back! Sort of. My MD was seeing “13 patients in 2 hours” so he was cranky and frazzled — that’s what you get the day after surgery when you do follow-ups.
    He forgot to complete Janna’s eyeglasses prescription. He forgot to give me a new allergy drops prescription. He forgot our reversal drops. He was having a bad day!

  4. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    UPDATE!
    I’m back! Sort of. My MD was seeing “13 patients in 2 hours” so he was cranky and frazzled — that’s what you get the day after surgery when you do follow-ups.
    He forgot to complete Janna’s eyeglasses prescription. He forgot to give me a new allergy drops prescription. He forgot our reversal drops. He was having a bad day!

  5. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Dave —
    Eye, eye, sir! Reporting for duty!

  6. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Dave —
    Eye, eye, sir! Reporting for duty!

  7. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Thanks, Nicola! The eyes are not bloodshot this time. I guess it’s the reversal drops that cause that bloodshot look.

  8. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Thanks, Nicola! The eyes are not bloodshot this time. I guess it’s the reversal drops that cause that bloodshot look.

  9. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Hi fred!
    Say that again in plain English and work Nietzsche into it this time!

    My doctor is one of the top Ophthalmologists in NYC. Are you suggesting it doesn’t make a difference between going to him or going to an Optometrist?

  10. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Hi fred!
    Say that again in plain English and work Nietzsche into it this time!

    My doctor is one of the top Ophthalmologists in NYC. Are you suggesting it doesn’t make a difference between going to him or going to an Optometrist?

  11. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Hi Chris!
    Yeah! That’s it! We always look googly and high after our eye appointments: Dilated and Bloodshot in NYC means high on weed or tripping on speed!
    Sunglasses help a little, but they don’t explain very well why we keep bumping into things.

  12. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Hi Chris!
    Yeah! That’s it! We always look googly and high after our eye appointments: Dilated and Bloodshot in NYC means high on weed or tripping on speed!
    Sunglasses help a little, but they don’t explain very well why we keep bumping into things.

  13. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    cube!
    You are so right. They are absolutely necessary — even if you have to go twice a year. My MD is extremely thorough. He tests everything and you need to plan to spend half a day in his office just to get through all his rigor.

  14. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    cube!
    You are so right. They are absolutely necessary — even if you have to go twice a year. My MD is extremely thorough. He tests everything and you need to plan to spend half a day in his office just to get through all his rigor.

  15. pareidoliac – What appears as my consciousness. – Attempting to be the first human and let nature and reality create culture. http://beyondpareidolia.shutterfly.com/
    fred ressler says:

    David- “Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful.”
    Author: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
    Eyedrops punish the eye. There is not only no need, but
    loss of benefit. The natural, unaltered eyes are what should be examined, as those are the eyes you see with, except for the the moment they are being examined by an opthalmologist. Call up both Optometric advisors and Ophthalmologist and ask them each why their method is best. After listening to both judge for yourself.
    i, and the living Nietzschian principles speaking thru me, state that a top notch optometrist uses a superior method and gives a better more accurate eye exam than an opthalmologist. If one has eye disease- see an ophthalmologist. If one needs a refraction see an optometrist.

  16. pareidoliac – What appears as my consciousness. – Attempting to be the first human and let nature and reality create culture. http://beyondpareidolia.shutterfly.com/
    fred ressler says:

    David- “Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful.”
    Author: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
    Eyedrops punish the eye. There is not only no need, but
    loss of benefit. The natural, unaltered eyes are what should be examined, as those are the eyes you see with, except for the the moment they are being examined by an opthalmologist. Call up both Optometric advisors and Ophthalmologist and ask them each why their method is best. After listening to both judge for yourself.
    i, and the living Nietzschian principles speaking thru me, state that a top notch optometrist uses a superior method and gives a better more accurate eye exam than an opthalmologist. If one has eye disease- see an ophthalmologist. If one needs a refraction see an optometrist.

  17. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    That’s interesting, fred, and the insurance industry and Medicaid agrees with you because they no longer pay for a refraction prescription from an Ophthalmologist.
    That seems wacky to me and that policy changed in 2004.
    You are instead supposed to see the mall Optometrist if you need a new prescription, I guess, so we have to pay $25 out-of-pocket for that prescription from our MD.
    Our MD doesn’t do the vision test under dilation. He has minions do that for us. He only does the deep exam and the intimate inspection of the eyes with all kinds of handheld lenses in dark rooms while we’re dilated.
    Love the Nietzsche quote, thanks!
    😀

  18. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    That’s interesting, fred, and the insurance industry and Medicaid agrees with you because they no longer pay for a refraction prescription from an Ophthalmologist.
    That seems wacky to me and that policy changed in 2004.
    You are instead supposed to see the mall Optometrist if you need a new prescription, I guess, so we have to pay $25 out-of-pocket for that prescription from our MD.
    Our MD doesn’t do the vision test under dilation. He has minions do that for us. He only does the deep exam and the intimate inspection of the eyes with all kinds of handheld lenses in dark rooms while we’re dilated.
    Love the Nietzsche quote, thanks!
    😀

  19. My eye doctor gave me a choice to have dilation or not. I chose to have dilation because I’ve always been told it’s the best way to detect any problems.

    Dilation is very important for people with risk factors for eye disease, because it allows for the most thorough evaluation of the health of the inside of your eyes.

    From Eye Exams: What To Expect.
    My O.D. did my retinoscopy and refraction exams before the dilation.
    The tech did the glaucoma test and used machines for some other tests — such as the visual field test — before I even went into the doctor’s exam room.
    After my eyes were fully dilated, then the slit lamp and other detailed eye exams were done.

  20. My eye doctor gave me a choice to have dilation or not. I chose to have dilation because I’ve always been told it’s the best way to detect any problems.

    Dilation is very important for people with risk factors for eye disease, because it allows for the most thorough evaluation of the health of the inside of your eyes.

    From Eye Exams: What To Expect.
    My O.D. did my retinoscopy and refraction exams before the dilation.
    The tech did the glaucoma test and used machines for some other tests — such as the visual field test — before I even went into the doctor’s exam room.
    After my eyes were fully dilated, then the slit lamp and other detailed eye exams were done.

  21. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Hi Chris!
    Yes, I was also raised that the best way to find something wrong with the eye before it is too late is to dilate each eye. I don’t know how one would find disease with just a vision test. I guess there are some people who just want glasses or contacts and don’t care about getting a deep eye check every year. Even if your eyes have been healthy, it seems a safer road to have a doctor check you out from all available angles if you have the time and money.

  22. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Hi Chris!
    Yes, I was also raised that the best way to find something wrong with the eye before it is too late is to dilate each eye. I don’t know how one would find disease with just a vision test. I guess there are some people who just want glasses or contacts and don’t care about getting a deep eye check every year. Even if your eyes have been healthy, it seems a safer road to have a doctor check you out from all available angles if you have the time and money.

  23. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Love the new head(er) on your blog, Dave! I also like your previous snazzy street scene.
    I’m sorry to hear about your health problems and I hope you whip that Diabetes right out of your body — but if you can’t, I hope you stick with the right therapy to treat it long-term.
    Make sure you get a good eye check, too, Dave! Call your Ophthalmologist tomorrow!
    NOW GET YOUR AVATAR FIXED! You may have to re-upload it.
    😀

  24. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Love the new head(er) on your blog, Dave! I also like your previous snazzy street scene.
    I’m sorry to hear about your health problems and I hope you whip that Diabetes right out of your body — but if you can’t, I hope you stick with the right therapy to treat it long-term.
    Make sure you get a good eye check, too, Dave! Call your Ophthalmologist tomorrow!
    NOW GET YOUR AVATAR FIXED! You may have to re-upload it.
    😀

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