Prom Dresses UK | Formal Dresses & Evening Dresses | Pink

Income

• Base Income: $129,000
• Guaranteed Bonus: $18,000 (15% of base, but can get up to ~25% based on performance)
• Equity: $60,000 a year ($240,000 total vested monthly over 4 years, eligible to receive an equity refresh each year based on performance)

Debt
No debt/student loans; extremely grateful to my parents who paid for my tuition. I also worked 15-20 hours a week in college to pay for rent/food/books, etc.
Monthly Expenses

• Pre-Tax:
  • 401K: $2,680 (playing catch-up right now; employer matches 50% up to max contribution)
  • HSA: $140
  • Health/Vision/Dental/Life Insurance: $20, company perks are great
  • Transit: $120
• Rent: $1,800 (my share for the $4,100 1-bedroom in Manhattan I share with my boyfriend J)
• Investment Account or HYSA: $1,500
• Curology: $40 (I pay both mine and my little sister's bi-monthly subscription)
• Dance classes: $25 (I get $55 gym reimbursement from work every month which I use on classes. I’ve danced my whole life through college, and was in a rut when I started working because I missed it so much, but thanks to living in NYC, there are a lot of classes/workshops I can go to)
• Equinox membership: $0 (apartment building is owned by a conglomerate that also owns Equinox)

Part Four: Weekly Diary
Day 1 - Wednesday
9:00AM- Wake up and get ready for work. I try to wake up at 8:30AM on most days, but I had a late-night yesterday in Brooklyn attending a Think Olio seminar with some friends about “The Fear of Leisure.” We ended up getting pho afterwards at this amazing place in Greenpoint and spent a while discussing the lecture and what it means to have a balanced lifestyle. I remember to Venmo her for the Uber there ($12), and pick out today’s outfit: Pinky-mauve high-neck chunky wool sweater, tucked into a pair of burgundy windowpane trousers (both from Aritzia), and a pair of platform patent wingtip oxfords from Zara.
10:10AM- Get a reminder email from Amazon that my eBook credit is expiring soon. I bought my Kindle Oasis last year on a whim from an Amazon Bookstore, and it’s my favorite purchase to date. It’s super lightweight, water-resistant, comfortable to hold, and I love taking it to read in cafes and also on flights. I purchase Bad Blood ($11, about the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes' captivating -scam- company Theranos).
12:00PM- I meet up with a friend for our monthly lunch in our favorite cafe. Usually I have lunch with my team (we have a lot of fun personalities in the team and our lunch topics are always entertaining), but it’s nice to switch it up sometimes. She shares some stories about the guy she’s dating who seems very sweet, which makes me really happy. (Company offers free breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and coffee)
5:15PM- J and I leave work and take the train home. We stop by Whole Foods initially to get ingredients for pasta, but it’s too crowded and overwhelming so we head to Morton Williams instead. We pick up rigatoni, vodka sauce, eggplant, onion, french bread, and parmesan ($28 that J covers).
7:00PM- Done cooking dinner! I’ve made an effort to cook at home more this month, and I’ve been really enjoying it so far. I tend to favor Chinese dishes but today we were both craving pasta. We eat while watching an episode of a new anime we recently started (Gintama, recommended by my sister). J got me into anime when we started dating. It’s gotten more mainstream since then, but I never thought I’d love it as much as a I do now in the beginning.
7:45PM- Immediately after dinner, J surprises me with the new Switch Ring Fit Adventure game and sets it up for us to play. We saw an ad for it a few days ago and were really intrigued. According to the game, I “lightly jogged” for about 1 mile, did 36 squats, and 20 knee-to-chests. Would not recommend doing this with a full stomach :D but the adventure part of the game is awesome! Getting around is a lot similar to what I’d think Temple Run would be like in real life, for those who remember how fun and addicting that game was.
9:00PM- I paint my nails with OPI Bubble Bath after showering. Gel manicures are in my past (used to get them every 3-4 weeks), but ever since moving to NYC, the ~$45 after tip just didn’t seem worth it anymore. To all the gals who do their own nails at home-- SECHE VITE IS LIFE-CHANGING!!! I use their base and top coat and my manicure lasts me 2-3 weeks without chipping if I use OPI or Butter London polish.
10:00PM - This is when the shameful me comes out. I am pretty sure I have a shopping addiction. It’s very confusing in the sense that no, I’m not building credit card debt and still “reasonably living within my means,” but I realize the amount of money I spend on fashion is sickening. Growing up, my dad was extremely strict and didn’t allow me to wear makeup or buy clothes I wanted because he thought they would “distract me” from the more important things in life… mainly following the typical Asian-American life-track: excel in school and extracurricular activities, ace the SAT, get accepted to a prestigious college to study a lucrative major -> get a lucrative job. I resented him for taking away my freedom to do *anything* (couldn’t hang out with friends, date, go to prom, etc.), but I’ve come to terms with his parenting in a weird the-end-justifies-the-means” way. I am grateful to have this amount of financial privilege. But sometimes I feel like I’m making up for lost time. I’ve always loved makeup and fashion from sneak-watching videos on Youtube in between SAT practice tests. The 2010-ish Youtube era were full of girls who constantly uploaded videos of shopping hauls. I remember thinking how amazing it would be to be able to buy anything I wanted. Once I started working in college, that’s what I did. Now, living in NYC and following amazing Instagram fashion bloggers really eat up my self-control, but also constantly remind me of the years I wanted to feel fashionable and beautiful but couldn’t. This is a super long rant, and I know it does not justify me spending so much money on frivolous things, but… it is a problem for me, and I constantly feel guilty for wasting money I know I should be saving. The guilt and self-hatred is not enough to stop browsing and shopping, so the cycle continues. I purchase an Isabel Marant Etoile sweatshirt ( $140 on sale, but still not justified), and think about an adorable cozy LoveShackFancy cardigan which is... $495.
11:00PM- Browse some Youtube videos and head to bed.

Daily Total: $166 

Day 2 - Thursday
10:20AM- Get to work later than I wanted. I haven’t felt motivated for the past week, especially when I’m not working on something coding-heavy (usually how I measure my productivity). I’m also feeling demoralized about work right now, because this week we got back performance reviews, and even though I finished a somewhat impactful project within 4 months of joining the company/team, I didn’t get the feedback that my manager said I would if I did.
11:10AM- My manager brings out this week bread from a bakery on Grand Street, and he says they gave him the wrong bread. It turned out to be the best! Raisins and walnuts yum.
12:00PM- Lunch! Today an engineer visiting another office joins us. I get bok choy, tofu, and eggplant from a cafe.
4:00PM- I get a message from a friend who recently moved to LA. Her boyfriend contacted a bunch of us last week to send in clips wishing her happy birthday, and she just received the video. I’m super happy that she loved it, and that she’s scheduled to come visit for a week next month!
6:00PM- Get off work and take the E train to Saks. I’m meeting up with my friend’s fiance to browse the fall/winter collections. This is my first time hanging out with her-- my friend mentioned that she’s also very into designer things and I always love companions to share my indulgent designer cravings :P To be honest, I’m hoping I won’t find anything that catches my eye because I already splurged on my “yearly treat” to myself on a vintage Cartier watch earlier this year when I got my new job, and I’m just constantly buying clothes too.
7:00PM- We browse around all the boutiques but didn’t find a bag that she loved. Then, we head up to the 8th floor for shoes (my fav) and… WOW I found the most amazing pair of Chanel boots. They’re gold, mid-height heeled combat-ish boots with the classic Chanel black cap-toe design. I made the mistake of trying them on and it took everything for me to not cave and purchase them. $1450 is steep for a pair of boots that I know will get scuffed and ruined so easily… but wow, they’re beautiful and the saleswoman was great at her job haha.
8:00PM- We grab some sushi at a restaurant nearby ($48) and chat about bags, her upcoming wedding, relationships, and work. I love getting to know new people, and felt like we got along really well.
10:00PM- My cat comes to cuddle with me on the couch, and I suspect it’s because I’m using his favorite blanket. We adopted him from an ASPCA truck two years ago, and it was the best decision ever. He has such a funny personality and always brightens our day. I start reading Ali Wong’s new book and head to bed after.

Daily Total: $48 

Day 3 - Friday Hooray!
9:00AM- I had the weirdest dream yesterday… I think alien (?) attack, and then somehow I got out of a plane mid-air and they tried to rotate the plane to shake me off and I had to keep maneuvering clockwise around the wings to stay on the right side of gravity if that makes sense haha. But wow what an exhausting dream. Today I chose to wear a thick fuzzy black cardigan with gold stars over a white tee, high-rise straight leg denim, a black belt, and Golden Goose hi-stars.
11:40AM- Coffee/latte time. Usually I prefer oat milk, but I only really like Planet Oat’s extra creamy which not a lot of places use. I check my email and yay another item from my recent Thredup box has sold, and now I have a total of $40 credit from this box. I discovered Thredup when they started sponsoring a lot of Youtubers. I found out that they provide shipping labels for free, and it’s essentially the same as selling your clothes to Buffalo Exchange, but way less of a hassle. Granted they pay a lot less for each item, but these days I’m really lazy about listing my pieces on eBay/Poshmark/going into Buffalo Exchange, so sending clothes to sell at Thredup is the superior option over just donating stuff to a local Goodwill.
1:15PM- Late lunch today because I wasn’t hungry. Head to a cafe with a juice bar to get a mix of green juice and ginger shot, and grab a PB&J sandwich to go.
2:00PM- Work offers a lot of cool events, and today I’m signed up for a Japanese tea ceremony and tasting. I head down to attend with a friend, and I eat the best mochi I’ve ever had.
4:00PM- One of my teammates got his promotion!!! We’re all very excited for him and chat a bit about what he’s planning to do for celebration.
6:15PM- Leave work to take the train to Costco with J, my friend and his fiance C (my new friend hehe), who has a Costco membership! I haven’t been to Costco for almost two years so I’m super excited.
7:10PM- We eat dinner at Costco because it’s convenient and also just an insanely good deal. J and I combined get two slices of combo pizza, a chicken bake, a churro, and a diet Pepsi (Costco needs to get out of that partnership and get Coke instead, let’s be real), and the total was only $9.62!! (J pays). We eat in the food court, and talk about how J is the only one who really should be eating 1000+ calories since he runs daily.
8:30PM- Costco closes, and we finish shopping. J and I came mostly for entertainment, but we still managed to buy Alaskan cod, golden kiwi, an umbrella, chicken thighs ($10 for 10 lbs of chicken, crazy deal), salami, and contact solution. We uber back home after ($22, J pays). I venmo my friend who paid for everything with his Costco card ($76).
10:25PM- Finish shower and get ready for bed. I browse TJ Maxx (discount/outlet type store for designer brands), my biggest guilty pleasure. Their contemporary line is my favorite because sometimes they carry pieces from my favorite brands like La Maison Tullah, Vince, Theory, and recently Rebecca Taylor! They also regularly have OPI nail polishes for $4. I look through today’s new arrivals and spot this amazing pair of Joe’s lamb leather cropped bootcut pants. I have the Aritzia faux leather Daria leggings, but I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of genuine leather pants, and these are perfect and exactly what I’m looking for. In my cart, I already had this cute polka dot puff-sleeve sweater from Rebecca Taylor, but I move it to “Save-for-later” to make “room” for the pants. I purchase the pants and a faux leather headband with my TJ Maxx credit card which gives 5% cash back (through rewards) for purchases made within the TJX family ($192).

Daily Total: $268 

Day 4 - Saturday
9:00AM- Wake up and start pack for spa day in New Jersey! I bring my Kindle, journal, and makeup and jewelry to put on later. I choose a DL1961 washed black denim jacket (that @somethingnavy/Arielle Charnas sold me on) to go over a flowy light blue patterned midi dress from last season Zara, and a pair of Golden Goose superstars to wear for the day.
10:00AM- Head out to New Jersey. Last week, I purchased admission tickets to a sauna + spa place in Jersey for J and me. J offered to rent a Zipcar for a whole day so we can drive there, and then to the Queen’s International Night Market which we’ve been meaning to go to this whole summer, and today’s its last day.
11:00AM- Get to the sauna and spa to check in. This business is relatively new, so the design felt very sleek and modern compared to more traditional spas. I signed up for a 30 minute full body scrub ($55, J treats), and wait for my appointment in a Japanese Herbal bath.
1:30PM- I grab a green juice and continue reading Ali Wong’s book in the cozy lounge area. I love feeling warm and zen ($6, J treats).
4:00PM- Leave the spa and browse in a huge supermarket that is right next to the spa. Suburban supermarkets are the best because they have the square footage to carry so much more variety than the ones in the city. We pick up some snacks and a huge bag of rice since we had the Zipcar ($53, J covers).
4:30PM- We head out to pick up our friends who live in Long Island City (and meet their cat!). It’s about an hour and 15 minute drive, but felt manageable as J and I talk about random topics. Traffic wasn’t as bad as we expected on a weekend, so that was a plus :)
6:30PM- Arrive at the Queen’s Night Market! It was a bit chilly at night, but the food was incredible and affordable. We got popcorn chicken, bubble tea, potato crisps, takoyaki, waffle-wrapped mochi, peking duck bao, and lamb skewers ($43).
8:30PM- It starts drizzling a little, and the four of us decide to go to Flushing for dessert. We drive and find parking, and I pay for the 2 hours of parking (praise Flushing: $4).
9:30PM- I share a green tea crepe cake and a lemongrass ginger carrot herbal tea with J, and our friends share fruit crepe tea and jasmine tea. The boys split the bill (J pays $20).
11:30PM- We return the Zipcar successfully! At home, I wind down and put on an Origins charcoal mask for some skin detox.

Daily Total: $47 

Day 5 - Sunday
10:00AM- Wake up to the rain outside. I really love rainy/gloomy days; they have a calming effect on me, and make staying indoors extra cozy. I’m curled up on my couch with a soft blanket, watching the rain, and planning the day. Laundry needs to be done, which reminds me I have to stock up our laundry items. I order Tide Plus Bleach, fabric softener dryer sheets, and another fabric softener for pieces we hang dry from Target. I also throw in probiotic capsules to try them out, and a pack of 6 crew socks as the weather gets colder and I don’t want my ankles to freeze ($51).
10:15AM- Make an iced oat milk latte with the Planet Oat extra creamy (as mentioned before hehe it's the best), and a Vietnamese coffee mix. It’s delicious. I do some online browsing and find a gorgeous metallic bronze blazer which would be perfect for upcoming holiday parties, but I resist successfully whew. I also bookmark a Chinti and Parker sweater with a fun rainbow print to consider for later…
11:05AM- I head down the hall to the laundry room on our floor and start two loads. It's $3.60 total, but we have a prepaid card for laundry. J tells me he can take care of the drying cycle and folding since I'm going out later. I guess this is an appropriate time to talk about how amazing J is! We've been dating for a little over three years now, and he's been the most caring, thoughtful, funny and kind boyfriend I've ever had. He's always looking out for ways to make me comfortable and happy (biggest example is when he refills my water bottle at home without me asking... idk what to tell you, I drink a lot of water haha, and also just taking care of a lot of household tasks too-- especially cleaning the litter box!). He makes me feel so loved, and I cherish our relationship so much. I know without a doubt that he's "my person." :)
1:00PM- I love wearing bright colors on gloomy days, so I chuck on a chunky yellow high neck mohair sweater from Zara and a pair of Levi’s wedgie icon denim. I meet a friend to check out the newly opened Nordstrom near Columbus Circle. She got a promotion this week, and wanted to treat herself to some nice boots. Before we meet up, I pick out a maple coconut donut from the ultra-cute Nordstrom food court to congratulate her with ($3). Shopping was a success! I find her a pair of Acne Jensen dupes (the Marc Fisher Yale booties), and also AGL pointed suede block heel booties. Both look amazing on her, but she decides to only get the lower heel Marc Fisher ones for now, since the AGL ones are higher and tighter on the heel which we agreed would look good with straight leg denim, a style that she doesn’t yet own. We also saw some CDG Converse high-tops that are sold out everywhere, so I had to get them ($146)! We head upstairs to look at denim and I also successfully found her a pair of Reformation straight leg denim that look awesome on her, and AGOLDE Riley jeans, my favorite. She loves them both and splurges, and I feel very accomplished as a crazy shopping-enthusiast/enabler :P.
3:15PM- We head out to meet two other friends to see Hustlers! I’ve been wanting to see it for a while, so I’m super excited. J. Lo and Constance Wu?! I still remember when movie tickets were $8… not anymore ($18)! We split the largest bucket of popcorn which was delicious ($3).
5:30PM- Hustlers was such a fun watch, and we see an advertisement for Parasite as we head down to the lobby, which I recommend everyone to see as well. I love movies, and I probably should sign up for the AMC Stubs A-List… Anyway, we decide to go to Bibble and Sip to hang out for a bit longer, and I get a Matcha Jasmine latte, and an earl grey chocolate chip cookie for everyone to share ($9).
6:00PM- I start heading home and call J if he wanted me to pick up anything for dinner. Usually I cook on Sunday nights, but this weekend has been super busy (but full of adventures!). He’s craving McDonalds so I pickup a Quarter Pounder and 20 pieces McNuggets for him ($16 but who remembers when 20 piece was only $5).
6:30PM- I get home, and J has finished building the new coffee table from Wayfair that I purchased last week! It’s one that can lift up to table-height, and it's already so much more amazing than the one we currently have from West Elm, which is super aesthetic but completely non-functional. I think this new table fits in our space a lot better as well, especially since the color of the wood and metal structured legs match our CB2 bookshelf perfectly. I’ve been really impressed with Wayfair pieces, and also purchased a rug from them before. I eat some nuggets with J as we watch another episode of Gintama.
8:00PM- I watch some Youtube videos and talk with J as he packs a duffle bag for his business trip to California this week.

Daily Total: $246 

Day 6 - Monday
8:15AM- Wake up, and finally back on my regular schedule. I peel and slice a huge korean pear that J and I got on Saturday from the supermarket in Jersey for J and myself (it’s delicious). I get ready for work and put on yet another chunky knit, straight leg denim, and glittery bronze Aquazzura pointed-toe mules that make my heart sing. J and I take the train together, as he’s leaving to JFK later from work for his trip.
9:30AM- Grab my usual soy latte and fill up my 30oz Yeti mug with warm water. I try to drink two of those throughout the work day. As I catch up on emails, I found out a team that I did some work for last week thanked me for a “speedy investigation and implementation.” This really makes my day, and motivates me to work hard this week.
11:00AM- Officially the start of my oncall rotation this week. Being “oncall” is essentially getting paged whenever there’s an issue regarding our services that gets escalated through auto-monitoring. Last time I was oncall, I got a page around 1:30AM on a Saturday which I responded to and investigated/addressed the issue. At my previous company, we were expected to be oncall all the time, and weren’t paid for it, so this weekly rotation schedule + compensation for the 24/7 monitoring is pretty good to me.
11:50AM- Lunch with my team. I make a salad with spinach, roasted carrots, sweet potato, and cucumbers. We chat about our weekends and our coworker’s upcoming wedding which we’re all invited to. After lunch, we head down a few floors to grab coffee/juice. I get a green juice (celery, kale, swiss chard, cucumber), with a dash of the “spooky ginger shot” (cranberry juice, ginger, apple cider).
12:40PM- I suddenly remembered that the bundle of dance classes I bought last month were expiring on the 31st and I still had one left, so I book a contemporary class for 7:30PM tomorrow after work. So excited!
6:40PM- Oops still at work. This afternoon I got swamped with so much work, some related to being oncall AKA becoming the “go-to person” for any issue/question, and some from my manager who I had a 1:1 with earlier and thinks I’m ready to take on more responsibilities.
7:10PM- I wrap up, grab some food (salad again) from work, and head home!
7:40PM- Finally get home, feed my cat, take off my makeup, and eat while watching The Mindy Project.
10:00PM- Video chat my grandma. I’m really close to my grandparents because I spent more of my childhood with them than I did with my parents. I feel bad because once I went to college and then started working, I contacted them less and less… I just want to make the most of our time left together.

Daily Total: $0 

Day 7 - Tuesday
8:00AM- Wake up and watch the newly uploaded Sheerluxe (UK online fashion/lifestyle magazine that also makes Youtube videos) show. They are discussing event-wear in this episode, which reminds me I still need to pick out outfits for the two holiday work parties J and I have. I fall in love with what Katie Holmes wore to the Nordstrom Party: a black Saint Laurent ruched silk mini dress paired with sheer polka dot tights and black pointed pumps, and decide to order a pair of sheer polka dot tights from Nordstrom ($40).
9:15AM- Get to work and feel a little overwhelmed with all the things I need to work on, but I'm feeling extra motivated because I like being productive. I grab my soy latte, fill my Yeti mug with water, and start the day.
11:35AM- My team want to go to lunch earlier today but since I’m not hungry and have a lot to do, I skip out and think I’ll just grab something small later.
2:00PM- I went too late for green juice, so I got a smoothie instead with almond milk, spinach, and a banana. I also make a quick salad to-go.
5:40PM- Early dinner with a friend. We get in line for burrito bowls; I get spinach, chicken, and pico de gallo, and then get back to work.
7:15PM- I should be heading out to make it to my dance class, but I really want to stay and try to figure out a production rollout issue… I decide to stay at work and just forfeit the credit.
8:00PM- Ok, this week has not been a good work-life balance. It’s definitely also because J is away, and he usually reminds me to take breaks, and leave work at a regular hour. There’s just an endless amount of things to do at work, and I like getting things done.
9:00PM- I start The Politician on Netflix! What an interesting show… I watched Dear Evan Hansen with my mom and sister last year, and I love seeing Ben Platt and Laura Dreyfuss playing completely different roles. As I watch, I browse Leandra Medine + Mango collaboration, and consider a sweater. The colors make me really happy, but I know I need to buy a dress for the holiday party soon, so I resist.

Daily Total: $40 

Weekly Total: $815

• Clothing: $518
• Food and Drink: $201
• Household Items: $51
• Entertainment: $29
• Transportation: $16

Reflection
This was overall a normal week for me, with the exception of going out shopping with friends twice! I usually do most of my shopping online, and this week I tagged along with friends who were looking for specific things. The CDG converse were definitely an impulse purchase, but they are so comfortable and cute so... no regrets :P. I am aware I need to reign in my shopping habits, and stop mindlessly online browsing so often, because I know I will always find something I like. I haven't read many diaries that capture buying clothes/shoes on the regular, and feel like I would get ripped to shreds if I posted this on R29 for wasting money so here I am. :D
Also!!! So exciting to see so many women in tech on this sub! I just read the diary of the SWE in seattle, and Ohio diarist going through coding bootcamp :D

1. Pretty Little Things — a site that knows the importance of making a grand entrance.
2. Nordstrom Rack — an affordable option for anyone who wants Nordstrom clothes without the Nordstrom price tag.
3. Rainbow — a mall staple that has upped its game to provide surprisingly cute options in straight and plus sizes.
4. Unique Prom — an online boutique for people who are always saying they were born in the wrong decade.
5. City Chic — a plus-size purveyor offering some insanely cute gowns sure to make the night memorable.
6. Forever 21 — a colorful store filled with a wide range of styles and sizes that are always rotating so the chance of matching with someone else is slim.
7. Rent the Runway — a service that lets you wear clothing way out of your price range. The only catch is you have to give it back after prom.
8. Amazon — a reliable provider of pretty much anything, with solid reviews and customer pictures to help prevent buyer's remorse.
9. Charlotte Russe — an affordable store that sells out-of-the-box cocktail dresses and gowns for daring prom goers.
10. Boohoo — a reliable seller of affordable dresses for just about any style.
11. Lulu's — a treasure trove of comfortable, slinky maxi dresses and shoes to match.
12. Missguided — a seller of sexy, ~interesting~ dresses that probably no one else will have.
13. TJ Maxx — a classic standby for getting designer dresses at bargain basement prices. They don't call them Maxxinistas for nothing.
14. Saved by the Dress — a dress seller that will truly save you when you're not sure where to shop.
15. Yes Style — a Hong Kong retailer that offers unique dresses that will have everyone asking "where did you get that?"
16. Dorthy Perkins — a retailer offering traditional gowns in straight, petite, plus, tall, and maternity sizes.
17. Modcloth — a Texas-based seller offering charming and quirky frocks with famously inclusive sizes.
18. Torrid — a plus-size seller offering dresses for everyone from fashionistas to Disney fanatics.
19. Venus — a seller of flashy and fun dresses for when you want the whole school to turn their heads as you walk by.
20. Tobi — an LA-based retailer offering maxi and cocktail dresses you could honestly wear again after prom.
21. Asos — a UK seller that brings over fashion from across the pond that would otherwise be hard to get.
22. Kiyonna — a plus-size seller for elegant frocks that will be make you look like a ~goddess~.
23. Express — a reliable store known for adventurous frocks everyone will love.

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