Let's Pay Attention - Hacking Consciousness

Cathy Dimarchos
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Let’s Pay Attention - Hacking Consciousness invites you to slow down in a fast-moving world, to notice what truly matters. Hosted by Cathy Dimarchos, this podcast is for seekers, conscious leaders, and anyone ready to live and lead with deeper awareness. Together we’ll explore what it means to challenge the noise, live deliberately, and listen deeply. Because awareness isn’t just a concept. It’s a daily practice.

  1. 3d ago

    17. Child Protection, Conscious Leadership & Systemic Change with Nicole Hague

    Guest Speaker: Nicole Hague Episode Title: Child Protection, Conscious Leadership & Systemic Change With Nicole Hague Episode Duration: 01:09:27 Episode Release Date: 21 July 2026 About This Episode What does it look like to lead from the heart inside a system that rewards compliance over compassion? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Nicole Hague, Director of Progressive Youth Care, for a conversation that is raw, urgent, and deeply human. Nicole works at the intersection of law, policy, community, and lived experience to protect the rights and dignity of children and young people. In this episode she speaks honestly about generational trauma, the courage it takes to stay in a broken system, what youth workers face on the ground every single day, and why fear is not a stop sign, it is a signal to keep going. Episode Highlights [00:05:00] Consciousness as presence: you cannot afford to operate on autopilot in child protection [00:08:00] Fear at every level of the system: why people stay silent rather than risk their role [00:09:00] Reactive systems and generational trauma: responding to outcry instead of asking what outcome we actually want [00:13:00] One size never fits all: forcing people into a single process leaves them more broken than before [00:19:00] Intuition is not unprofessional: it is the subconscious synthesizing decades of lived experience [00:23:00] Logic assesses risk. Intuition detects what is driving the situation. Both are needed. [00:29:00] Let intuition pick the destination and logic map the route [00:35:00] Choose Your Own Adventure: why systems need to offer choices, not just gates that open or close [00:51:00] Standing alone: the cost of being the one who keeps raising hard questions [00:57:00] The 98 percent: what youth workers face on every shift, and why they keep showing up [01:07:00] Closing: walk through the door of fear, because someone is always watching and will follow What You'll Take Away Why reactive systems keep producing the same outcomes no matter how much funding goes in How to bring both intuition and logic to decisions in environments where only one is officially allowed Why prevention in child protection cannot be measured in a two-year political term Why being emotive in a professional environment is not a weakness, it is the most necessary thing What it costs youth workers and foster carers to keep showing up, and why that cost is invisible to the system Quotes "Walk through the door of fear. If fear is present, that is not something to be fearful of. That is something to be excited about." — Nicole Hague "We are not showing possibility. We are showing what we cannot do. Let us change that." — Nicole Hague "If you do not question yourself, no matter what job you are doing, you are in the wrong job." — Cathy Dimarchos About Nicole Hague Nicole Hague is a deeply conscious advocate for children and young people and Director of Progressive Youth Care. She works at the intersection of law, policy, community, and lived experience to promote the rights, wellbeing, and protection of every child. Known for her passion, integrity, and ability to bring diverse stakeholders together, Nicole leads with humanity, courage, and care. She is a former foster carer whose own lived experience shapes every decision she makes. 🔗 Progressive Youth Care: https://www.progressiveyouthcare.com 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com 🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

  2. Jul 13

    16. Health Sovereignty, Better Way and the Courage to Question Everything With Dr. Tess Lawrie

    Guest Speaker: Dr. Tess Lawrie Episode Title: Health Sovereignty, Better Way and the Courage to Question Everything With Dr Tess Lawrie Episode Duration: 00:50:34 Episode Release Date: 14 July 2026 About This Episode What does it look like to walk away from a career built on decades of academic credibility because your conscience leaves you no choice? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Dr Tess Lawrie, medical doctor, research consultant, health sovereignty advocate, and founder of the World Council for Health, for a conversation that moves between personal trauma, the courage to question authority, raising children outside the system, and what it truly means to be the author of your own life. Dr Tess is not here to tell you what to think. She is here to remind you that you already know. Episode Highlights [00:04:00] We can all become great: the hero's journey as a lived practice, not a concept [00:05:00] Loss, violent home invasion, and the layers of trauma that eventually forced a reckoning [00:09:00] Working for the WHO and realizing the system was not helping anybody [00:12:00] Ivermectin, stonewalling, and the moment Dr Tess became a health sovereignty advocate [00:17:00] Following your conscience is not optional: the dissonance of knowing and not acting [00:19:00] Sovereignty as self-mastery: questioning every "I should", "I must", and "I ought to" [00:23:00] What parents can do differently: kindness, unconditional love, and letting children lead [00:28:00] Going so far off the soul path that it took decades to find her way back [00:32:00] The World Council for Health: eight principles for a better world, translated into 30 languages [00:41:00] The hand heart symbol: I love myself, I take responsibility, and I say no [00:44:00] Closing message: trust yourself, trust your intuition, be the author of your journey What You'll Take Away Why not acting on what you know to be true creates a dissonance that quietly destroys wellbeing How sovereignty is not a political position, it is a personal practice of self-mastery and self-governance Why children who follow their curiosity rather than the system are often the most whole What the eight principles of the World Council for Health actually mean in daily life Why the word authority needs to be replaced with the word author in every area of your life Quotes "Once you know something is wrong, if you don't act on it, you're living a lie." — Dr Tess Lawrie "Sovereignty is self-governance, self-control, self-mastery. Nobody is going to be your master." — Dr Tess Lawrie "You need to be the authority in your life and the one that you listen to." — Dr Tess Lawrie "Your heart knows. Your intuition is right. Trust that, be guided by that." — Cathy Dimarchos About Dr. Tess Lawrie Dr. Tess Lawrie is a medical doctor, research consultant, and health sovereignty advocate with clinical and research expertise across both developed and developing countries. She prepared evidence-based guidelines for the World Health Organization from 2012 to 2021 and is the CEO of Evidence-Based Medicine Consultancy Limited, a director of EBMC2 CIC, and the founder of BIRD International. She is an ambassador for the World Council for Health and the Better Way Movement, and author of the science and wisdom experiment Game of Trust: The Lawrie Files. 🔗 Dr. Tess Lawrie: www.lawriefiles.com 🔗 World Council for Health: www.worldcouncilforhealth.org 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com 🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

  3. Jul 6

    15. The Courage to Use Power Well | Conscious Leadership and Systems With Adam Awty

    Guest Speaker: Adam Awty Episode Title: The Courage to Use Power Well | Conscious Leadership and Systems with Adam Awty Episode Duration: 01:01:52 Episode Release Date: 7 July 2026 About This Episode What does it look like to lead a profession that deals with the most intimate moments of people's lives, while navigating governance, policy, and systemic change? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Adam Awty, CEO of the Law Institute of Victoria, for a conversation that moves between authentic leadership, the role of trust in democracy, youth crime and prevention, how pottery taught Adam about control, and why power is a privilege, not a right. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever wondered whether the system can actually change, and what their role in that change might be. Episode Highlights [00:04:00] Unconscious consciousness: three decades of leading before asking why[00:07:00] Lawyers and vicarious trauma: how do you protect yourself while staying genuinely human?[00:11:00] Conscious leadership in the legal profession: the LIV's work on wellbeing and the whole person[00:14:00] The law as society's checkpoint: trust, institutions, and what happens when credibility erodes[00:19:00] Youth crime, prevention, and why we keep treating the symptom rather than the cause[00:26:00] Technology has not changed values, it has just made them harder to live[00:31:00] COVID, working from home, and the recalibration of what presence in leadership actually means[00:33:00] Pottery, clay, and why you cannot force control: the leadership lesson Adam did not expect[00:44:00] Ego is not the enemy. It is how you apply it that defines your impact.[00:51:00] The right people at the table: why title should never determine who is in the room[00:59:00] Closing message: move from the me to the we What You'll Take Away Why authenticity in leadership is not a value you declare, it is a behavior you practice dailyHow the legal profession carries vicarious trauma that most training completely ignoresWhy systems built without the right people at the table keep patching at the top while leaking at the bottomWhat pottery teaches about releasing control, and why that matters for every leaderWhy power is a privilege, and what the obligation of holding it actually looks like Quotes "Power is a gift. It is not a right." — Adam Awty "The more you try to force the clay, the worse the outcome. You have to release control." — Adam Awty "We have gotta move away from the me to the we." — Adam Awty "When people say they have done work on themselves, I know exactly where they are sitting. It does not stop." — Cathy Dimarchos About Adam Awty Adam Awty is the CEO of the Law Institute of Victoria, appointed in 2018. His leadership is grounded in the understanding that systems, policy, and people are inseparable, and that meaningful progress occurs when all three are shaped within a human-centred environment. With deep experience across membership associations and the not-for-profit sector, Adam brings expertise in finance, governance, and strategic leadership. His career includes 18 years at CPA Australia, including as interim CEO, alongside board roles across government and nonprofit sectors. He is currently a director of Legal Super. Outside of work, Adam tends to his hobby farm, cooks for family and friends, and spends time at the pottery wheel. 🔗 Law Institute of Victoria: www.liv.asn.au 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com 🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

  4. Jun 8

    14. What Your Fear Is Actually Trying to Tell You | With Eric Stopper

    Guest Speaker: Eric StopperEpisode Title: What Your Fear Is Actually Trying to Tell You | With Eric StopperEpisode Duration: 00:46:16Episode Release Date: 9 June 2026 About This Episode What does it look like to make decisions from a place of genuine alignment rather than fear, logic, or survival? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Eric Stopper, founder and CEO of Turnstone Partners, professional podcaster, YouTuber, jujitsu coach, and Amazon investor, for a conversation that travels from chakra meditation to ayahuasca ceremonies, from the Mormon church to the boardroom, and from skinny cow thinking to radical clarity. Eric has spent years bridging deep spiritual practice with practical business decision making, and this episode is one of the most honest conversations about consciousness, values, and inner knowing the show has produced. Episode Highlights [00:03:00] Opening chakras, the void, and the eight entities that taught Eric his fears one by one[00:10:00] Leaving the Mormon church, ayahuasca, and the existential crisis that cracked everything open[00:13:00] What consciousness actually is: the moment of full aliveness, and how to access it on demand[00:18:00] The skinny cow parable: why staying in the wrong business keeps you surviving instead of thriving[00:22:00] Why decisions made from fear are always the wrong ones, and what to do instead[00:27:00] Values as a decision making framework: the double elimination bracket that changes everything[00:32:00] Speaking to the shards inside your body: fear, doubt, and the inner voices that always tell the truth[00:39:00] Gratitude and fear cannot coexist: Cathy on the simplest tool for nervous system regulation[00:40:00] The seven day fast as a prescription for consciousness: what Eric experienced on the other side[00:44:00] Closing message: embody the future version of yourself today What You'll Take Away Why being in the wrong business makes every decision feel wrong, regardless of your logic or experienceHow to use values as a filter that removes most decisions before they even need to be madeWhy your intuition is only as good as the preparation behind itWhat it means to speak to the fear and doubt that live inside your body, and why it worksWhy consciousness is a daily practice, not a destination you arrive at once and keep forever Quotes "You can steer and navigate the ship rather than just cursing the water and the storms tossing your vessel." — Eric Stopper "Doing is not the solution. It's being." — Cathy Dimarchos "If you can just be the future version of yourself that has already figured it out, that version of you is going to be making all of your decisions from this point forward." — Eric Stopper "Everything that you need is actually within you. We have experiences for a reason." — Cathy Dimarchos About Eric Stopper Eric Stopper is the founder and CEO of Turnstone Partners, a RevOps technology company specialising in automated off-market deal sourcing for busy acquisition entrepreneurs. A jujitsu coach, professional podcaster, YouTuber, and Amazon seller and investor, he has worked with over 2,000 brands across his career. Eric lives in San Antonio, Texas with his wife and two sons, and his work sits at the intersection of business strategy, spiritual practice, and conscious decision making. 🔗 Eric Stopper: www.turnstonepartners.com 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com 🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

  5. May 25

    13. Know Yourself And Make It Count | With Adelaide Fraser

    Guest Speaker: Adelaide Fraser Episode Title: Know Yourself And Make It Count | Ethical Marketing With Adelaide Fraser Episode Duration: 00:51:10 Episode Release Date: 26 May 2026 About This Episode What does it look like to work in marketing and refuse to compromise your integrity? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Adelaide Fraser, purpose-driven leader, founder of Lumens Digital, and head of digital at Solutions2You, for a conversation that covers ethical marketing, conscious boundaries, the noise we create versus the messages we mean, and what it takes to truly know yourself in a world designed to distract you. Adelaide has spent over 15 years helping organisations grow with clarity, integrity, and genuine impact. This episode is for marketers, leaders, and anyone who has ever wondered if the work they do is actually making a difference. Episode Highlights [00:05:00] Why Adelaide came to marketing through data and human psychology, not creativity or trends[00:07:00] The courage to fire a client: what boundaries look like when your values are non-negotiable[00:11:00] Finding your voice as a woman in a loud room: clarity of purpose as the antidote to fear[00:15:00] Freedom is not something that just happens. You have to plan for it[00:20:00] Becoming a mother and discovering a whole new identity the day before did not exist[00:25:00] Why Adelaide works in B2B: choosing not to exploit vulnerability as a marketing strategy[00:31:00] Moving from noise to message: the evolution every conscious marketer needs to make[00:36:00] Marketing across cultures: why France, Norway, Australia, and Asia require completely different approaches[00:40:00] React versus respond: your first thought is what society put there, your second is who you are[00:47:00] Know yourself. Make it count. The two things Adelaide wants every listener to walk away with Key Takeaways Why knowing your why is not a one-time exercise, it is a practice you return to as life changes youHow to set boundaries in business without losing your livelihood or your integrityThe difference between making noise and sending a message, and why most marketing confuses the twoWhy your reaction belongs to society and your response belongs to youWhat conscious marketing looks like in a world that rewards volume over value Quotes "Freedom doesn't just happen. You need to plan for freedom." — Adelaide Fraser "Your reaction is what society has been putting to you. Your response is what you are." — Adelaide Fraser "It's not about getting it right the first time. It's about acknowledging when something goes wrong and making a conscious effort to improve." — Adelaide Fraser "Know yourself. Then everything else, the whys, the message, the grace, all of that will come from there." — Adelaide Fraser About Adelaide Fraser Adelaide Fraser is a purpose-driven leader with over 15 years of experience helping organisations grow with clarity, integrity, and impact. Born in France and having lived in Norway, Spain, and Australia, she brings a global mindset to her work across business, technology, and professional services. She is known for building strong, aligned teams and for turning complex challenges into practical, human-centred solutions. Through senior leadership roles and her business, Lumens Digital, Addy supports organisations that want to do good work and do it well. A mother of two young boys, she is passionate about feminism, ethical leadership, and cutting through the noise to create real change. 🔗 Adelaide Fraser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelaidefraser/ 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com 🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

  6. May 11

    12. Sound, Vibration and the Technology of Human Awakening | With Laurent Novatin

    Guest Speaker: Laurent Novatin Episode Title: Sound, Vibration and the Technology of Human Awakening Episode Duration: 00:49:29 Episode Release Date: 12 May 2026 About This Episode What if technology could bring you into a deep meditative state in minutes, without plant medicine, without years of practice, without anything external at all? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Laurent Novatin, founder of Zensate and head of experience design at Ammortal — for a conversation that weaves together Buddhism, biohacking, embodiment, and the cutting edge of immersive wellness technology. Laurent has spent over two decades bridging deep contemplative practice with science, and his work is now taking physical form as a product set to enter wellness centers around the world. Episode Highlights [00:06:00] Why Laurent felt called to study Buddhism at 16, and what luxury environments taught him about the void that material wealth cannot fill[00:12:00] Freedom is not about how much you have. It is the ability to choose what you give your time and energy to[00:15:00] The healing power of embodiment: why bringing spirit into matter matters more than the spiritual path alone[00:19:00] How Zensate works: haptic vibration, sound, light frequencies and the science behind creating states of deep coherence[00:25:00] The intention behind sound matters. Music curated without care can create agitation we do not even notice[00:29:00] Why intuition and logic are not opposites, and how Laurent uses technology as a tool for intuition rather than a replacement for it[00:33:00] Consciousness as a field: why it enters any intelligent system, biological or otherwise[00:40:00] Understanding what drives your choices: fear or genuine inspiration? The question that unlocks everything[00:44:00] Purpose is not planned. How Laurent found his by following curiosity with no goal in mindWhat You'll Take Away Why self-discovery must come before wealth, or wealth becomes a cageHow sound and vibration regulate the nervous system faster than almost anything elseWhy the world still needs logic alongside intuition, and how to hold both without compromiseWhat adaptive technology means for the future of wellbeing, organisations, and human potentialWhy intention is always more important than outcome Quotes "Freedom for me is not about how much I have. It is the ability to choose what I use my time and energy for." — Laurent Novatin "I didn't really find my purpose until things started flowing. Opportunities stopped needing to be sought. They just came."— Laurent Novatin "It is not the outcome that is important. It is the intention. Because then everything can be remedied." — Cathy Dimarchos About Laurent Novatin Laurent Novatin is the founder of Zensate, an immersive wellness technology company creating light, sound, visual and vibration based experiences designed to awaken human potential. He is also head of experience design at Ammortal, a leading US based biohacking technology company. His path bridges deep contemplative practice with cutting edge technology, drawing on decades of training in meditation, sound therapy, core shamanism, psychedelic therapy, tantra, Qigong, and yoga. 🔗 Laurent Novatin / Zensate: www.zensate.com 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com  🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

  7. Apr 27

    11. Don't Procrastinate Your Happiness | With America's Happiness Doctor - Dr. Elia Gourgouris

    Guest Speaker: Dr. Elia Gourgouris  Episode Title: Don't Procrastinate Your Happiness | With Dr. Elia Gourgouris  Episode Duration: 00:43:51 Episode Release Date: 28 April 2026 About This Episode What if happiness isn't something you arrive at — but something you practice, choose, and refuse to postpone? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Dr. Elia Gourgouris — America's Happiness Doctor, bestselling author, and founder of the Kindness Factor International — for a conversation that is equal parts joyful and profound. Together they cover self-forgiveness, self-care without guilt, the power of showing up for others, and why the greatest gift you can offer the world is the happiest version of yourself. Episode Highlights [00:05:00] — What consciousness actually means: awareness, heart, and spirit [00:08:00] — When your life ended today, could you say "I did it"? [00:18:00] — Nelson Mandela's life-changing reframe: either you win, or you learn [00:19:00] — The one word that breaks the cycle of victimhood: from "to me" to "for me" [00:25:00] — Self-forgiveness as the ultimate act of self-compassion — and the process that works every time [00:30:00] — Every parent wants their child to be happy — so why is it so hard to want that for yourself? [00:31:00] — Self-care is not selfish: why filling your own bucket is the most generous thing you can do [00:36:00] — Showing up for people even when it's inconvenient — and why you'll never regret it [00:41:00] — Do not procrastinate your happiness What You'll Take Away Why happiness is both a choice and a skillset — and what doing the work actually looks like The self-forgiveness process where 100% of clients say "I wish I'd done this sooner" Why self-care without guilt is not selfish — and what happens to people who skip it How to show up for others in the hardest moments — and why it always gives more than it takes The danger of postponing happiness until the next milestone — and how to stop Quotes "Self-forgiveness is the ultimate act of self-compassion. No greater gift can you give yourself." — Dr. Elia Gourgouris "Do not procrastinate your happiness. The happiest version of you walking around on this planet is blessing so many lives." — Dr. Elia Gourgouris "It's not what if — what if is about doubt. What else is the positive." — Cathy Dimarchos About Dr. Elia Gourgouris Dr. Elia Gourgouris is a clinical psychologist turned executive coach, international keynote speaker, and bestselling author known as America's Happiness Doctor. His book Seven Paths to Lasting Happiness has been translated into five languages. He is the president and co-founder of the Kindness Factor International and producer of the documentary For Such a Time as This on the global impact of kindness. 🔗 Dr. Elia Gourgouris: www.dreliagourgouris.com 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com 🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

  8. Apr 13

    10. Integrity, Intuition & Playing the Long Game | With Daniela Tixi

    Guest Speaker: Daniela Tixi  Episode Title: Integrity, Intuition & the Long Game | With Daniela Tixi  Episode Duration: 0:58:00 Episode Release Date: 14 April 2026 About This Episode What does it look like to operate with full integrity inside high-pressure boardrooms and capital raises — for over 25 years? Cathy Dimarchos sits down with Daniela Tixi — strategic global connector, angel investor, and founder of Strategic HR Asset — for a conversation that is equal parts strategic and soulful. Daniela has reviewed over 3,000 ventures and facilitated more than $40 million in funding. But what drives every decision she makes is one question: does this benefit humanity? Episode Highlights [00:07:00] — Why Daniela pauses in every high-pressure meeting — and why her clients started predicting it[00:13:00] — Just because you can, doesn't mean you should: second, third and fourth order thinking[00:16:00] — Being asked to break your integrity to get the result — and why she was never good at it[00:23:00] — Your life is a prayer: the nun behind the wall and the insight that changed everything[00:32:00] — The hazelnut tree and the composer: what genuine long-term vision actually looks like[00:36:00] — Who are you — not what do you do: why most people can't answer the most important question[00:38:00] — Imagine yourself at 80: the decision-making framework Daniela's father taught her at 16[00:49:00] — Does this benefit humanity? The three-bucket investment framework that guides every decision[00:56:00] — Closing: be fearless, maintain your integrity, life is a prayer What You'll Take Away Why slowing down your thinking in fast-pressure environments is a leadership skillThe difference between first, second, third and fourth order thinkingWhat happens to culture when people are quietly asked to compromise their valuesWhy intuition in business has nothing to do with mysticism — and everything to do with pattern recognitionWhy the second you stop being a student is the second you need to step away from leadership Quotes "I always had in mind the long-term consequences for the short-term decision." — Daniela Tixi "Your life is a prayer. If you conduct your life in a certain way, you are an instrument of the greater good." — Daniela Tixi "Just because you can — doesn't mean you should." — Cathy Dimarchos About Daniela Tixi Daniela Tixi is a strategic global connector, angel investor, and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. She has reviewed over 3,000 ventures, facilitated more than $40 million in funding, and mentored hundreds of founders worldwide. She is the founder of Strategic HR Asset and Mentor Me Mondays — a pro bono initiative supporting founders every week. 🔗 Daniela Tixi: www.strategichrasset.com 🔗 Cathy Dimarchos: www.cathydimarchos.com 🔗 Solutions2You: www.solutions2you.com.au Subscribe and join a growing community committed to leading with consciousness, courage, and integrity.

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Let’s Pay Attention - Hacking Consciousness invites you to slow down in a fast-moving world, to notice what truly matters. Hosted by Cathy Dimarchos, this podcast is for seekers, conscious leaders, and anyone ready to live and lead with deeper awareness. Together we’ll explore what it means to challenge the noise, live deliberately, and listen deeply. Because awareness isn’t just a concept. It’s a daily practice.

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