Violet went to her first meeting of the new Juliette group yesterday. She seemed to have enjoyed it. Mr. I was a little worried when he picked her up and she was just sitting there with the other girls, but not talking or eating her snack. But she did tell me several things they did, and things she said during the discussions. She said she likes the other girls and the Cadette mom is really nice. She had an assignment, which luckily she remembered to tell me about today before I left on my trip, and she did it (she needed to find a picture of something she wants to be when she grows up, a children's librarian in her case).
She took her sash with and said she did show it to the other girls (none of them wear them at most meetings per the moms who run it - typical of most troops too). And she wants to keep taking her sash with her.
So I am cautiously optimistic that this will work out for her. Those of you who've known us a long time will know that she's very quiet, shy and prone to being overly sensitive. Those qualities don't really lend themselves to big group activities with kids, so we've avoided them. (Or tried them to have them fail miserably.) She's been showing more and more signs of maturity and it would be so nice for her to come more out of her shell. So far so good.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Slow motion and fast forward
I feel like my life is going in both slow motion and fast forward at the same time. Slow motion because I can't get anything done. I start on things and never get back to them to finish. And fast forward because time is just flying by.
I'm two-thirds of the way through Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, I'm confident I'll finish in time for class. I renewed Drowned Hopes, a Dortmunder novel by Donald Westlake because I couldn't finish it in time. (Haven't read Dortmunder? I highly recommend it. He's a criminal. He and his gang try to carry out capers. Comedy ensues.) And I'd really like to get back to reading Roast Beef, Medium by Edna Ferber. Maybe I wouldn't be in such slow motion if I didn't read more than one book at a time. Hmmm.
I want to get Juliettes underway. But I just have so few free dates coming up that I want to offer up to the other families. In fact, tonight I just admitted potential defeat and asked if we could postpone the planned Juliette Low birthday party. I had it scheduled for 2 days after we return from vacation in October. That's just too quick. I know I won't be ready. Juliettes is in slow motion too.
Fast forward to work. There's so much to be done, and the time flies by. I'm going to a conference next week, but only have one presentation to make. Yay!! And double yay, my co-speaker told me today that he's been speaking on our topic so much the last couple of weeks that he's comfortable with any part of the handout. I need to look at it tomorrow to see if there is a half I'd rather do. That's pressure off.
Did I tell you about the second group of Girl Scouts Violet is joining? A couple of moms from our local unschooling group also run a co-op through a local park district. They started up a Juliette group. Kinda like what I do, but on a bigger scale. I have 3 other families involved and we meet haphazardly, about twice a month if I ever get going. This year they will have 18 girls (Daisies, Brownies and Cadettes) and meet weekly. Shhh, don't tell council, they'd probably try to make them into a troop and from what I've seen, this group works just fine they way they are, thank you very much.
We found out there would be other Cadettes this year (they are all a year younger than Violet and were Juniors last year), and Violet said yes, she'd like to join them for a while. Our main goal is for her to meet other girls. And homeschooled Girl Scouts sure seems like a good place to look for potential friends. They start this week. One mom is taking over the Cadettes, and guess what? It isn't me!!! I think that's what Violet likes best about this group, I'm not involved.
In fact, I can't even take her to the first 3 meetings, due to work commitments. Mr. I will handle her transportation needs. They are tackling the journey, AMaze. I wouldn't have picked that one myself, but I'm not doing it. It is about stereotypes, and bullies, and cliques. Things that will be good for Violet to know how to deal with, but that she hasn't run into much. There's been discussion among the Cadette moms about where the girls all are with the subject and I think it will be kept low key.
The sessions run for 6 weeks at a time. I've told Violet it is 100% up to her if she stays in it or not. And for once, it really is. The weekly meetings are more than I typically like, but if she hits it off with the group - we'll make it work. If she decides it isn't for her, no biggie. We'll look for something else for her.
I'm crossing my fingers it works out for her. Violet would really like to be among other girls more often than she is now. And at the fast forward pace of weekly, she sure will have more time with girls!
I'm two-thirds of the way through Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, I'm confident I'll finish in time for class. I renewed Drowned Hopes, a Dortmunder novel by Donald Westlake because I couldn't finish it in time. (Haven't read Dortmunder? I highly recommend it. He's a criminal. He and his gang try to carry out capers. Comedy ensues.) And I'd really like to get back to reading Roast Beef, Medium by Edna Ferber. Maybe I wouldn't be in such slow motion if I didn't read more than one book at a time. Hmmm.
I want to get Juliettes underway. But I just have so few free dates coming up that I want to offer up to the other families. In fact, tonight I just admitted potential defeat and asked if we could postpone the planned Juliette Low birthday party. I had it scheduled for 2 days after we return from vacation in October. That's just too quick. I know I won't be ready. Juliettes is in slow motion too.
Fast forward to work. There's so much to be done, and the time flies by. I'm going to a conference next week, but only have one presentation to make. Yay!! And double yay, my co-speaker told me today that he's been speaking on our topic so much the last couple of weeks that he's comfortable with any part of the handout. I need to look at it tomorrow to see if there is a half I'd rather do. That's pressure off.
Did I tell you about the second group of Girl Scouts Violet is joining? A couple of moms from our local unschooling group also run a co-op through a local park district. They started up a Juliette group. Kinda like what I do, but on a bigger scale. I have 3 other families involved and we meet haphazardly, about twice a month if I ever get going. This year they will have 18 girls (Daisies, Brownies and Cadettes) and meet weekly. Shhh, don't tell council, they'd probably try to make them into a troop and from what I've seen, this group works just fine they way they are, thank you very much.
We found out there would be other Cadettes this year (they are all a year younger than Violet and were Juniors last year), and Violet said yes, she'd like to join them for a while. Our main goal is for her to meet other girls. And homeschooled Girl Scouts sure seems like a good place to look for potential friends. They start this week. One mom is taking over the Cadettes, and guess what? It isn't me!!! I think that's what Violet likes best about this group, I'm not involved.
In fact, I can't even take her to the first 3 meetings, due to work commitments. Mr. I will handle her transportation needs. They are tackling the journey, AMaze. I wouldn't have picked that one myself, but I'm not doing it. It is about stereotypes, and bullies, and cliques. Things that will be good for Violet to know how to deal with, but that she hasn't run into much. There's been discussion among the Cadette moms about where the girls all are with the subject and I think it will be kept low key.
The sessions run for 6 weeks at a time. I've told Violet it is 100% up to her if she stays in it or not. And for once, it really is. The weekly meetings are more than I typically like, but if she hits it off with the group - we'll make it work. If she decides it isn't for her, no biggie. We'll look for something else for her.
I'm crossing my fingers it works out for her. Violet would really like to be among other girls more often than she is now. And at the fast forward pace of weekly, she sure will have more time with girls!
Monday, September 5, 2011
The problem with homeschooling
We're starting out 8th year of homeschooling and I finally found one problem with it. Since we weren't going back to school, we didn't buy back-to-school clothes, which is when families buy fall/winter clothes. The temperature dropped 20 degrees in the last 2 days and left Violet with no long pants that fit her. I suppose you could argue that wasn't homeschooling's fault, it was parental error, but I don't. :)
So off we went to Wally World today. We found her 3 pairs of jeans and one pair of denim capris. Hopefully that will tide her over for a bit. I was relieved that girl's size 16 jeans fit her. I am dreading the switch to junior's for jeans. The price, the styles, trying to find ones that are long enough but still skinny enough, it all scares me. For now, I've avoided it.
Although it was technically a holiday today, we did a little school work. We played with the prepared slides we bought at American Science and Surplus yesterday. Violet started her next book club book, "The Shakespeare Stealer." And we started some reading and watched a DVD on the Dewey Decimal system, a requested elective of Violet's. I'm expecting tomorrow to be busy for me with work, so I don't think we'll get much done.
So off we went to Wally World today. We found her 3 pairs of jeans and one pair of denim capris. Hopefully that will tide her over for a bit. I was relieved that girl's size 16 jeans fit her. I am dreading the switch to junior's for jeans. The price, the styles, trying to find ones that are long enough but still skinny enough, it all scares me. For now, I've avoided it.
Although it was technically a holiday today, we did a little school work. We played with the prepared slides we bought at American Science and Surplus yesterday. Violet started her next book club book, "The Shakespeare Stealer." And we started some reading and watched a DVD on the Dewey Decimal system, a requested elective of Violet's. I'm expecting tomorrow to be busy for me with work, so I don't think we'll get much done.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Caught up
In some aspects of life at least. I have finally gotten through all my e-mails and all the posts in my blog reader! I totally enjoy all the blogs I subscribe to, so I really didn't want to skip anything. Most of my e-mails that got backed up were digests from various yahoo groups. I can skip a lot of those. But not the blogs. :)
We made our trip to American Science and Surplus today. We got prepared slides and blanks and covers to make our own. Plus some crafty items. I figured out a few more things to do for Juliettes this year, so I'm happy about that. We found those little metal ball key chains which we'll use for the jewelry badge. And these awesome purple foam boxes that they can decorate for jewelry boxes.
I plan to offer the Juliettes 3 badges, Jewelry (for both Juniors and Cadettes), Eco-Action (again for both) and GS in the USA for Juniors and Women through time for Cadettes. The Juniors will probably just do more than their badges require in order for the Cadettes to complete their badges. (For now we're just using the old badges, I already bought the badges to be sure to get them.)
In addition to the key chains and jewelry boxes, we're going to make Shrinky Dinks, yarn scarves (not actually jewelry, but definitely a cool accessory - I can't describe it well, so I'll post photos later), beaded necklaces, and pins. I'd like to set up a tour of a jewelry store. I have to find one that will have us. I'm hoping one of the other families might have a contact at one.
I need one more good idea for the Eco-Action badge. Anyone have any thoughts? I'm going to have them make solar ovens with pizza boxes and make an art piece from recycled materials. Then I have a bunch of tour possibilities I'm hoping to do at least 2 of: tour a recycle facility, tour an ecologically friendly dry cleaner, and meet with a lady who has a website of environmentally friendly businesses to hear why it is important to choose green businesses. Not exactly by the book requirements, but I feel like we've done the same sort of things over and over.
The Cadettes will be going to a local historical museum and working on their own on the women's history badge. Reading about women in various historical settings or who made a great impact on the world or a profession, and sharing it. The Juniors will do their GS in the USA badge by celebrating the 100th anniversary of GS and all the GS holidays.
Well, this has been a rambling post, but I think it all came together. I'm finally caught up in my plans for Juliettes. I have to set dates and arrange tours, but I have all year to do it. We have the historical museum trip set up and the Juliette Low birthday party date set. I think the rest of it will fall together. I'm just glad to have the basic plan finally in shape!
We made our trip to American Science and Surplus today. We got prepared slides and blanks and covers to make our own. Plus some crafty items. I figured out a few more things to do for Juliettes this year, so I'm happy about that. We found those little metal ball key chains which we'll use for the jewelry badge. And these awesome purple foam boxes that they can decorate for jewelry boxes.
I plan to offer the Juliettes 3 badges, Jewelry (for both Juniors and Cadettes), Eco-Action (again for both) and GS in the USA for Juniors and Women through time for Cadettes. The Juniors will probably just do more than their badges require in order for the Cadettes to complete their badges. (For now we're just using the old badges, I already bought the badges to be sure to get them.)
In addition to the key chains and jewelry boxes, we're going to make Shrinky Dinks, yarn scarves (not actually jewelry, but definitely a cool accessory - I can't describe it well, so I'll post photos later), beaded necklaces, and pins. I'd like to set up a tour of a jewelry store. I have to find one that will have us. I'm hoping one of the other families might have a contact at one.
I need one more good idea for the Eco-Action badge. Anyone have any thoughts? I'm going to have them make solar ovens with pizza boxes and make an art piece from recycled materials. Then I have a bunch of tour possibilities I'm hoping to do at least 2 of: tour a recycle facility, tour an ecologically friendly dry cleaner, and meet with a lady who has a website of environmentally friendly businesses to hear why it is important to choose green businesses. Not exactly by the book requirements, but I feel like we've done the same sort of things over and over.
The Cadettes will be going to a local historical museum and working on their own on the women's history badge. Reading about women in various historical settings or who made a great impact on the world or a profession, and sharing it. The Juniors will do their GS in the USA badge by celebrating the 100th anniversary of GS and all the GS holidays.
Well, this has been a rambling post, but I think it all came together. I'm finally caught up in my plans for Juliettes. I have to set dates and arrange tours, but I have all year to do it. We have the historical museum trip set up and the Juliette Low birthday party date set. I think the rest of it will fall together. I'm just glad to have the basic plan finally in shape!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Wagon Train
Remember our family friend Harvey? I wrote about him in the blog post Goat Snot and Other Adventures. With a title like that you know you want to read it again, go ahead. I wrote one other post about him too. I must confess, I never did read his book. They are working on a second one. Maybe I'll read them both when the sequel is published.
Anyway, I bring that up because we went to visit him last weekend. He's getting ready for a cross country trip. This is what he'll be driving:
He expects it will take 6 or 7 months to get out west and back. He and his friend Richard will be pulled by 2 mules. The wagon is equipped with 2 beds, a table, windows that open, a rear view mirror (it seems to serve no purpose other than it looks really cool in the "cab" of the wagon) and 2 seats from cars:
Traveling with Harvey and Richard is Harvey's faithful companion Sadie:
They'll have a cell phone with them, but no internet access. Richard plans to journal the trip but Harvey wasn't sure if he would or not. He says it is long, hard days and there is very little time to do it. And apparently when you come to a town, you can't just drive your wagon and mules up to the nearest Starbucks to use their wifi access.
Most of the animals on the farm have been sold pending the trip. The chickens are still there. Violet, who took most of the pictures I'm posting, had a heck of a time getting a chicken to stand still to take its picture. This turned out the best I think.
The cat isn't going. A cat would hate a wagon trip. Harvey offered to let us take the cat. But can you imagine a cat who is used to living on a farm with free range chickens, all the mice you can eat, lots of freedom, would hate living in a house in the suburbs with 3 other lazy housecats. The cat will board with another farm while Harvey's gone I'm sure. Doesn't she look happy on the farm?
A lot of us are hoping Richard finds a way to post his journal during the trip. He's been looking into various technologies, but money is a factor. If he does, I'll post about it here. Maybe they need commercial advertising to subsidize the trip? You know a big corporate logo on the wagon, photo stops along the way, "Harvey and Richard drink Gatorade to stay hydrated on the wagon trip." They'd hate that. We may have to wait to hear their adventures. Just like when the first wagons went West.
Anyway, I bring that up because we went to visit him last weekend. He's getting ready for a cross country trip. This is what he'll be driving:
He expects it will take 6 or 7 months to get out west and back. He and his friend Richard will be pulled by 2 mules. The wagon is equipped with 2 beds, a table, windows that open, a rear view mirror (it seems to serve no purpose other than it looks really cool in the "cab" of the wagon) and 2 seats from cars:
Traveling with Harvey and Richard is Harvey's faithful companion Sadie:
They'll have a cell phone with them, but no internet access. Richard plans to journal the trip but Harvey wasn't sure if he would or not. He says it is long, hard days and there is very little time to do it. And apparently when you come to a town, you can't just drive your wagon and mules up to the nearest Starbucks to use their wifi access.
Most of the animals on the farm have been sold pending the trip. The chickens are still there. Violet, who took most of the pictures I'm posting, had a heck of a time getting a chicken to stand still to take its picture. This turned out the best I think.
The cat isn't going. A cat would hate a wagon trip. Harvey offered to let us take the cat. But can you imagine a cat who is used to living on a farm with free range chickens, all the mice you can eat, lots of freedom, would hate living in a house in the suburbs with 3 other lazy housecats. The cat will board with another farm while Harvey's gone I'm sure. Doesn't she look happy on the farm?
A lot of us are hoping Richard finds a way to post his journal during the trip. He's been looking into various technologies, but money is a factor. If he does, I'll post about it here. Maybe they need commercial advertising to subsidize the trip? You know a big corporate logo on the wagon, photo stops along the way, "Harvey and Richard drink Gatorade to stay hydrated on the wagon trip." They'd hate that. We may have to wait to hear their adventures. Just like when the first wagons went West.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Trying to squeeze it all in
First, thank you for the kind comments on my post last night. My blog buddies are the best! This post isn't nearly as deep.
I'm trying to figure out how to fit everything in to the days that I want to do. I have a library book checked out, I'm never going to finish it on time, but want to. I'll have to renew it. I also want to reread Carry On, Mr. Bowditch before our next Classic Moms class. We did it as a read aloud last year, but I want to read it again with an adult eye and take notes before our discussion. Then there is school and work and housekeeping and everything else.
After next week I'm out of town again for a week. It is the last conference of the year. If I have to go out of town again after this, it will only be for a night or two. I think I'm just going to have to take time each day to read a few chapters of Mr. Bowditch. It should read faster because I have read it before. I get back from the conference the same day as our class. I'm hoping to get in a few hours before class, so I have time to see the family quickly before plugging in to my computer. I don't want to miss the discussion!
Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary. Mr. I is working. Violet and I have errands to run. Tomorrow Violet and I are going to my parents' to celebrate my mom's birthday while Mr. I finishes up more work. Then Sunday we'll celebrate. We're going to American Science and Surplus to look for microscope supplies. We just got an awesome microscope for school. On our way home we'll go out to dinner. If you've ever read the American Science and Surplus catalog, you know what fun a trip to their store is. It is like the catalog, but in 3-D with all the neat toys and gadgets right there. We love going.
I have work to do, but I really want to take most of the weekend off. Some stuff may just not get done until next week. I think if I really want to squeeze everything in to my days, that's what I'm going to have to do. Besides, they put me on salary this year and I am consistently working more hours than I'm getting paid for. That isn't cutting it. Time to put my foot down, then put my feet up and read.
If you haven't read Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, I really recommend it. Violet and I both loved it.
I'm trying to figure out how to fit everything in to the days that I want to do. I have a library book checked out, I'm never going to finish it on time, but want to. I'll have to renew it. I also want to reread Carry On, Mr. Bowditch before our next Classic Moms class. We did it as a read aloud last year, but I want to read it again with an adult eye and take notes before our discussion. Then there is school and work and housekeeping and everything else.
After next week I'm out of town again for a week. It is the last conference of the year. If I have to go out of town again after this, it will only be for a night or two. I think I'm just going to have to take time each day to read a few chapters of Mr. Bowditch. It should read faster because I have read it before. I get back from the conference the same day as our class. I'm hoping to get in a few hours before class, so I have time to see the family quickly before plugging in to my computer. I don't want to miss the discussion!
Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary. Mr. I is working. Violet and I have errands to run. Tomorrow Violet and I are going to my parents' to celebrate my mom's birthday while Mr. I finishes up more work. Then Sunday we'll celebrate. We're going to American Science and Surplus to look for microscope supplies. We just got an awesome microscope for school. On our way home we'll go out to dinner. If you've ever read the American Science and Surplus catalog, you know what fun a trip to their store is. It is like the catalog, but in 3-D with all the neat toys and gadgets right there. We love going.
I have work to do, but I really want to take most of the weekend off. Some stuff may just not get done until next week. I think if I really want to squeeze everything in to my days, that's what I'm going to have to do. Besides, they put me on salary this year and I am consistently working more hours than I'm getting paid for. That isn't cutting it. Time to put my foot down, then put my feet up and read.
If you haven't read Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, I really recommend it. Violet and I both loved it.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Transformation
The topic of tonight's Classic Moms class was transformation. Those of you who are taking Classic Moms with me will understand why I was inspired to post tonight. Those of you who aren't in the class, well, why the heck aren't you in it? Classic Moms from Abigail Adams Academy absolutely rocks! Well, your loss. Try to enjoy the blog post anyway.
Andrea introduced us to the idea of how truths transform us. How when we learn a new truth it takes us on a path and in the end we grow from it. There were middle steps, but I'm going into it here. You should have been in the class, you missed out. As she was talking I realized that I recently did learn a new truth, and wanted to share it. Caveat for those of you who aren't in the class, this was a spiritual related truth. What I learned is a truth to me, it may not be to you. I don't intend to try to try to make you believe the same things I do, we all have our own beliefs and we must be study within them and be true to them. (Those of you who study TJed with Andrea already know that.)
Background, last week I was out of town at a conference for work. One evening I had dinner with a co-worker who in the course of our wandering, non-work related conversations, said that she believes that there is only one God and that God presents himself (edited by me to include herself and/or itself) to each individual in the way that the individual can best understand and perceive him/her/it/etc. A light bulb came on in my head and after years of not being able to reconcile my own spiritual beliefs it made sense. Years of thinking and reading and wondering and it finally became clear to me over steak and salmon (we eat well when the company sends us out of town and picks up the check) who/what god is. I now know who my spiritual being is.
Even farther back, background: I was raised both in the United Church of Christ and with Native American spiritual beliefs. I could never get the two ideas to gel in my head because of the commandment about worshiping only one God. At home I was taught that there was not only the Great Spirit but other spirits watching over us and helping us find our way. It all makes sense now. There is just one God. But God presents him/her/itself (I haven't figured that part out yet) to me both as the Great Spirit and as my spirit guide and as other spirits. I don't have to completely throw Christianity out the window, I just have to accept both as the truth.
Okay, at this point let me remind you that I'm not saying that my truth has any grain of truth to you. I encourage you to have your own beliefs, I respect your beliefs, I will even fight for your right to believe what is true for you. I just will not stand for anyone to disparage my truth. (And for my new Classic Mom friends, I am addressing this to the blog spammers. My friends and blog buddies wouldn't leave nasty comments, whether they agree or disagree with me. That's why they are so cool. Freakmom, who often talks about herself in the third person, does not tolerate nasty comments from idiots with nothing better to do than wander cyberspace interfering in other people's blogs. Don't make me get out my spam swatter and smack you.)
Back to my new found truth. I learned tonight that my journey isn't over now that I know the answer. I have accepted it, but I must also work hard and grow from it. Perhaps that will be part of my classic moms path this year in learning who I will become.
Thank you for listening to my new truth and for respecting it. I have a long way to go, but gosh I feel like I've made huge strides already.
Andrea introduced us to the idea of how truths transform us. How when we learn a new truth it takes us on a path and in the end we grow from it. There were middle steps, but I'm going into it here. You should have been in the class, you missed out. As she was talking I realized that I recently did learn a new truth, and wanted to share it. Caveat for those of you who aren't in the class, this was a spiritual related truth. What I learned is a truth to me, it may not be to you. I don't intend to try to try to make you believe the same things I do, we all have our own beliefs and we must be study within them and be true to them. (Those of you who study TJed with Andrea already know that.)
Background, last week I was out of town at a conference for work. One evening I had dinner with a co-worker who in the course of our wandering, non-work related conversations, said that she believes that there is only one God and that God presents himself (edited by me to include herself and/or itself) to each individual in the way that the individual can best understand and perceive him/her/it/etc. A light bulb came on in my head and after years of not being able to reconcile my own spiritual beliefs it made sense. Years of thinking and reading and wondering and it finally became clear to me over steak and salmon (we eat well when the company sends us out of town and picks up the check) who/what god is. I now know who my spiritual being is.
Even farther back, background: I was raised both in the United Church of Christ and with Native American spiritual beliefs. I could never get the two ideas to gel in my head because of the commandment about worshiping only one God. At home I was taught that there was not only the Great Spirit but other spirits watching over us and helping us find our way. It all makes sense now. There is just one God. But God presents him/her/itself (I haven't figured that part out yet) to me both as the Great Spirit and as my spirit guide and as other spirits. I don't have to completely throw Christianity out the window, I just have to accept both as the truth.
Okay, at this point let me remind you that I'm not saying that my truth has any grain of truth to you. I encourage you to have your own beliefs, I respect your beliefs, I will even fight for your right to believe what is true for you. I just will not stand for anyone to disparage my truth. (And for my new Classic Mom friends, I am addressing this to the blog spammers. My friends and blog buddies wouldn't leave nasty comments, whether they agree or disagree with me. That's why they are so cool. Freakmom, who often talks about herself in the third person, does not tolerate nasty comments from idiots with nothing better to do than wander cyberspace interfering in other people's blogs. Don't make me get out my spam swatter and smack you.)
Back to my new found truth. I learned tonight that my journey isn't over now that I know the answer. I have accepted it, but I must also work hard and grow from it. Perhaps that will be part of my classic moms path this year in learning who I will become.
Thank you for listening to my new truth and for respecting it. I have a long way to go, but gosh I feel like I've made huge strides already.
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