01/01/2017 / Lifestyle
2017 Goals
Firstly, Happy New Year! I was going to post this before the new year but since I had two reflection posts to publish I thought I'd save it for the new year. I guess these goals are resolutions in a sense; I'm not normally one for new year's resolutions but I think this year I've chosen goals (both personal and blog related) that are pretty doable. I say that, let's see in a years time whether that's the case. So without further a do here are my 2017 goals which I will try not to forget about the minute this is posted. In fact, I'll put them in my bullet journal to make them more prominent!
1. Less coffee, more tea
I hated coffee before I started university. Now I have at least one cup a day. I'm by no means a coffee addict but I am partial to a good cup of coffee. However, I've noticed that I've started to depend on it more, if I'm feeling tired I immediately make an extra strong coffee. But I don't want to rely on it to wake me up. I want to start drinking more herbal tea instead of coffee; partly to be a bit healthier but mostly to avoid having a tonne of caffeine.
2. Find out what's bloating me
Ok, this is not exactly a goal but more of a 'to do'. I'm pretty much bloated 24/7, more so by the end of the day. Sometimes I look pregnant (I'm most definitely not) and it's quite (extremely) annoying. Firstly, I do not want to look pregnant and secondly I can't wear my jeans without feeling like a whale. It's become worse over the last month or so but I have been eating a lot more dairy and wheat so I think it may be one of these two that's causing it. But to find out I need to cut them out, probably one at a time, to figure out if doing so will make a difference. I may even go to the doctors to see if they can tell me anything. All I know is the bloating needs to get sorted before I go to Asia so I can walk around the beach without the worry of somebody asking when I'm due.
3. Travel
This one's pretty self explanatory. Why would I NOT want to travel?! I'm going to make this a bit more specific though and set myself the goal of visiting 5 new countries, I think this is fairly doable but we'll have to see in a years time where I end up!
4. Improve my budgeting skills
I survived university without ending up in my overdraft and did manage to budget whilst I was there but I never quite did it properly. I always noted things down and knew how much I had but I wasn't always good at making myself save when I was short on cash. My travel plans for this year involve long term travel so I need to budget more than I normally and be much stricter to make my money last as long as possible.
5. Continue blogging and grow my blog
I'm really enjoying being back in the blogging world and want to continue blogging throughout 2017. I'm a bit worried it will die out once I start travelling. I'm unsure whether I'm taking a laptop with me and the thought of blogging on my phone does not fill me with excitement, especially editing and inserting photos. Blogger makes my posts go weird at the best of times so trying to sort out the layout of a post on my phone sounds like a nightmare. I'm sure I'll figure something out though!
6. Less Netflix, more reading
Ok, more like just as much Netflix but even more reading. I love a good book but unless I'm in the middle of one that I can't put down I always choose to watch something on Netflix rather than read. In my 25 before 25 post I said that I wanted to read 50 books so I need to get started. I have a book shelf full of books that I'm yet to read so I may just pick one at random and start!
7. Finish my travel scrapbooks
I have about three of these on the go. Don't get me wrong I love scrapbooking but I need to be in the right mood. I'm very good at starting them but never finishing. I have one just for Interrailing, one for India and then one with a collection of trips. None of them are finished. I really want to finish them all before I go on my next big trip otherwise they may end up unfinished forever.
8. Blog, blog, blog
The other goals are more personal ones but I've decided to set some blog related ones too. I want to still be blogging, that's the main goal. I also want to grow my blog and following. I know it's not all about numbers but I do like seeing my numbers increase so I'm going to set some social media goals:
Instagram: 4,000 followers
Twitter: 1,000 followers
Bloglovin: 400 followers
Pinterest: 200 followers
9. Be more spontaneous
Considering I love travel so much I'm not very good at being spontaneous, I like to know exactly what I'm doing and usually have my route well planned out. I also like to know specific plans form day to day, I don't like to suddenly be told I'm going out in the evening on the day. My first thought when I'm asked to do something is 'what could go wrong' but I want to change that to 'why not'. This doesn't mean I suddenly want to decide to jet off on an adventure the day before but if new plans are made or a friend asks me on the day to meet up I'm going to aim to say 'Yes, why not!' rather than 'I'll let you know' and think of all the reasons why I shouldn't go or do that thing.
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Sophie
And so 2017 is officially over.
2018 has begun.
So firstly,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope you all had a wonderful new year however you chose to celebrate. In all honesty, I don't really know how I feel about 2017. Or the fact that it's over.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2017
I went travelling for four months
I'm sure you all know about this trip because I certainly talk about it enough. I guess this was the biggest thing that happened in 2017. And by far the most exciting.
Four months seems like a long time until your sat on your flight back to the UK wondering why you're already returning home.
I won't go into too much detail about the trip in this post because I'm writing a post dedicated to my travel in 2017.
I won't go into too much detail about the trip in this post because I'm writing a post dedicated to my travel in 2017.
I adjusted to life after graduation
Ok so I did this in 2016 as well but 2017 was my first full year out of education. While a lot of my friends were well into their grad jobs I was figuring out my next steps.
I learnt a lot about myself
Other than the whole jumping on a plane for four months, I don't feel like I actually did a lot or achieved much in 2017. The rest of my year was either spent planning the trip or mourning the fact that it was over. Oh, and working at a local coffee shop, blogging and doing housework.
However, I had a lot of time to think last year. I've learnt a lot and I've grown in confidence. I think travelling helped with this, I wouldn't exactly say I found myself but I realised a lot of things and have had time to think about what I want to focus on in 2018.
Yep, that's the number of books I managed to read in the whole year. Bad I know. I really didn't read much at all whilst travelling especially compared to my two week Mexico trip where I read 8 books. The Netflix app is in part to blame, the times I usually read were filled with Netflix instead.
I read 5 books
Yep, that's the number of books I managed to read in the whole year. Bad I know. I really didn't read much at all whilst travelling especially compared to my two week Mexico trip where I read 8 books. The Netflix app is in part to blame, the times I usually read were filled with Netflix instead.
DID I MEET MY GOALS?
DID I MEET MY GOALS?
I set myself some goals at the start of 2017 and have just looked back at them to see if I achieved any. The short answer is yes. But seeing as this is a reflection post I thought I'd also bore you with the details of these goals.
I set myself 9 goals at the start of the year and I'd say I can tick off around 5 of them. Which I guess is pretty good going. Especially as I had forgotten what most of them were by the end of the January.
1. Less coffee, more tea
I don't rely on coffee to get me through the day anymore. In fact, I've been drinking less and less. Except while I was in Asia as sometimes I really did need a (very bad) coffee to wake me up. I think I might be becoming a tea person. Which is something I didn't think I'd ever find myself saying.
I always choose a cup of tea over a cup of coffee in the evenings now. However, I'm still very much a coffee drinker when I'm out and about, especially if it contains caramel syrup!
This was a pretty broad goal. I knew that I'd be doing some travelling in 2017 so this was a pretty easy goal to meet.
Something that can still be improved but is a lot better. I think travelling for so long helped me be more careful when it came to budgeting. I couldn't just brush something off as a treat because I had a set amount of money that had to last me for the whole trip.
Well, I'm still blogging so I think I can tick this off. The growth of my blog has been slower than I wanted but I did take a four-month break while travelling and haven't been the most active on social media.
This is a goal that's a bit more difficult to measure. It's also a pretty subjective goal, something may seem spontaneous to one person but a normal activity to someone else. I think, personally, I've achieved this goal even if most of the time it was smaller things.
I hope all of you started the new year well. If you have a 2017 summary post then leave a link as I'd love to have a read!
Sophie
2. Travel
This was a pretty broad goal. I knew that I'd be doing some travelling in 2017 so this was a pretty easy goal to meet.
3. Improve my budgeting skills
Something that can still be improved but is a lot better. I think travelling for so long helped me be more careful when it came to budgeting. I couldn't just brush something off as a treat because I had a set amount of money that had to last me for the whole trip.
4. Continue to blog and grow my blog
Well, I'm still blogging so I think I can tick this off. The growth of my blog has been slower than I wanted but I did take a four-month break while travelling and haven't been the most active on social media.
5. Be more spontaneous
This is a goal that's a bit more difficult to measure. It's also a pretty subjective goal, something may seem spontaneous to one person but a normal activity to someone else. I think, personally, I've achieved this goal even if most of the time it was smaller things.
WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2018
2017 was a year to get back on track with my blog, however, I wasn't as consistent as I wanted to be. In part, this was due to my four month trip to Asia, while I planned posts for while I was away I didn't schedule enough so there was a good couple of months of nothing.
I want to be more consistent this year and also improve my content. I still have a lot of posts to write for places I visited during my trip so expect to see these over the next couple of months.
I'm off to Copenhagen in early February so I'm hoping to produce some content for this trip. Also, that thing I talked about in my last nutshell post that I can't say much about yet is a lot more certain now but still not certain enough for me to tell you what it is. But if it all goes to plan I should have a lot of exciting content from April!
Lifestyle posts are also something I'd like to post more of. I've realised that while travel is very much my focus I enjoy writing lifestyle posts.
_______________________________
I hope all of you started the new year well. If you have a 2017 summary post then leave a link as I'd love to have a read!
Sophie
30/01/2017 / January , Lifestyle
In a nutshell: January
You may have noticed that I began doing monthly goal posts, I wrote one for November and then December but never got round to doing one for January. I was also doing separate posts about whether I'd met any of these goals. I enjoyed writing these posts but decided to do it slightly differently this year (it still sounds weird referring to a new year, it's too soon to call 2016 last year!). Instead, I want to do a post that combines these goals, as well as a reflecting upon the goals from the previous month and a brief summary of what I got up to in that month. I guess this makes the post more than just the month 'in a nutshell' but the posts will most likely vary in length depending on how exciting the months been.
So here's to my first 'in a nutshell post'. Also I apologise if anyone already has a series on their blog called this. I haven't intentionally copied anyone I just wanted something different than 'summary' or 'reflection' so came up with this!
Seeing as I didn't set myself any goals for January I can't reflect on any so I'm moving straight on to setting some goals for February.
February Goals
1. Interact more
I wrote about this in my 2017 goals post, so far I've been slacking on this. I need to take more time out to actually talk to people on twitter and comment on posts I read.
2. Finish my TEFL course
I'm currently completing the 120 hour online course. I've working my way through the assignments and really want to get it done by the end of February so I can put my focus on travel plans and blogging which are currently taking a bit of a back seat.
3. Read a book
Another thing I've been slacking with this year. I haven't even made it half way through a book yet! In fact, I gave up reading one book and started another. I'm hoping this one will be one I can get into and enjoy.
January Round up
January has been quite a slow month. I always found January a weird month, after the excitement of Christmas and New Year January always seems a bit bare and cold (literally and metaphorically!). Even work has been very quiet. I work in a coffee shop and a lot of the days I've cleaned the kitchen about five times because there's been hardly any customers!
One good thing that's happened this month is that we got an exercise bike and I'm actually using it. I'm so bad at exercising, you may be aware of this as I kept adding it as a monthly goal and then failing miserably. However, now I can exercise without leaving the house! I can't really afford a gym membership at the moment and even when I had one my motivation to get to the gym was always lacking. Now it so much quicker to workout, I can cut the journey to and from the gym and just put on my gym gear and walk downstairs.
January was also quite a social month. I was able to see some of school friends, some who I haven't seen in about six months. I also visited one of my uni best friends to do some travel planning and say goodbye before she heads off to Hong Kong for six weeks.
I've had a bit of a blogging slump the past week or so. I felt pretty unmotivated and like I wasn't making much progress. However, I checked my DA today and it's finally gone up. After being stuck on 1 it's gone up to 10! I know numbers aren't everything but this was just what I needed to get my motivation back as I feel like I am doing something right!
Have you set yourself any goals for February? How was your January?
Sophie
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I guess you could say that this post is a little late. But better late than never right?
I very nearly didn't bother with this post. I have a tendency to choose some goals and then forget them until the last week in December when I decide to have a look at them to see if I actually achieved any.
But this year I'm determined to firstly, remember my goals for the whole year and secondly choose goals I can actually achieve.
Sometimes I think it's good to have goals that are a bit more ambitious, however, this year I've decided that personally, I'm going to stick to realistic goals. Well, ones I think are realistic at this point in time!
01/12/2017 / Lifestyle
In a Nutshell: November 2017
Well, it's safe to say it's certainly getting a little chilly and I don't think it's even officially winter yet. But, oh boy, has the temperature dropped.
And so we enter the final month of 2017. I'm not going to tell you how I can't believe it's nearly 2018 or talk about the year. That's to be saved for a post all about 2017. For now, I'm going to tell you about what I got up to in November.
NOVEMBER ROUND UP
1. University reunion
Well, not quite a university reunion but a night out with some uni friends who I haven't seen in a while. Some of them I haven't seen in over a year! It was initially going be a night out and get together with an American friend some of us had met travelling but she had to cancel. Seeing as I'd already got the days off work I decided to go to Birmingham anyway. I'm so glad I did as it was so good to catch up with everyone and also to have a night out!
06/11/2017 / Lifestyle
In A Nutshell: October 2017
The clocks have officially gone back! And now that halloween is over it also means the official Christmas countdown can begin. Although to be honest it’s already started, as soon as the Boots Christmas catalogue is released it’s Christmas time for me.
Anyway I shouldn’t spend too much time talking about Christmas in my October post. I would talk about Halloween instead but I didn’t do anything this year. I have to admit I did miss covering myself in fake blood. But I did take full advantage of the halloween chocolate. Getting very few trick n treaters is a good thing.
This post was actually supposed to be posted a few days ago but I've had no internet and blogging on an iPhone does not work very well!
OCTOBER ROUND UP
1. No internet
Last Monday I sat down to watch Made In Chelsea on my laptop (so I didn’t have to move from my bed) and the internet died. And not just for ten minutes like it has the habit of doing. It stopped working for over a week, in fact it was nearly two weeks before it finally came back.
Having no internet is obviously a very first world problem and while I don't want to whine about it too much it was also really annoying. I haven’t been able to blog or do any job applications. And most importantly I haven’t been able to have my nightly Netflix binge.
It wasn't the end of the world, downloaded Stranger Things 2 at work and binged watched it on my Ipad. Thank god Netflix lets you download programs.
It made blogging a lot harder. I’ve been writing my posts on Word instead. And really if I'd wanted I could have gone and found internet somewhere but my days off work mostly involved errands or doing something else.
It made blogging a lot harder. I’ve been writing my posts on Word instead. And really if I'd wanted I could have gone and found internet somewhere but my days off work mostly involved errands or doing something else.
In a way I quite liked the unexpected break from blogging and social media. It’s gave me time to think about the posts I’m going to write without feeling like I needed to get them published straight away. My blog schedule has gone out the window but I’ve actually managed to plan all my content up to December!
2. I caught a virus
I mean it is that time of year. While we all seem to love the crisp leaves and fresh air Autumn brings I don’t think many of us are quite so joyful at the bugs and colds that start floating around.
I wrote about this in my burnout post. I’d managed to escape the colds at work and then ended up with a virus of some sort which not only gave me flu like symptoms but also had me up being sick for most of the night. Fun.
I’d like to say I’m feeling better than ever but I’m not. I have some sort of cold still. Nowhere near as bad but I am beginning to resemble Rudolph from the amount of times I’ve blown my nose.
3. Halloween
I haven’t done anything to celebrate Halloween this year which is a little sad because I quite enjoy dressing up. But I can’t do a October post and not mention Halloween at all can I?
Some people love it , others hate it. In all honestly, I sit on the fence. I love dressing up but I don’t love Halloween. If that even makes sense. I don’t decorate my house or watch scary movies but I don’t sit around thinking what a pointless holiday it is.
Having said that I may watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. I usually watch it at Christmas time but maybe I’ll have to start a new tradition.
IN RESTROSPECT: OCTOBER GOALS
1. Read three books
You know how I completely failed this goal in September and I’m pretty sure I did in August too. Well, I did it! I think I have lack of internet to thank for this.
I’m still not finished It. I mean it’s a very large book but I’m starting to think that I might have to just give up and admit that it’s not going to work. I’ve read other Stephen King books in the past and got through them quickly because I‘ve liked his writing style. But this time I’m so slow. I’m going to give it one more try. But I have read three books, which is pretty good for me. Including The Bell Jar which I read in a day.
2. Keep my blogging schedule
I was actually doing well with this until my loss of internet. However, I have realised that while having a schedule is good there's no point stressing and publishing posts on set dates for the sake of it.
3. Be more interactive
I don't really think this has happened. I'm being more interactive on Instagram but twitter and general blog comments are still lacking.
NOVEMBER GOALS
1. Book a trip away
I've booked time off at the end of November but the trip I originally booked the time off for has fallen through.
However, I really don't want to waste the weekend as I work most of them. I'm looking into going to Copenhagen as I'd love to have one more break before the new year.
2. Finish my travel journal
I still need to finish my journal from Asia. Yep, that trip that ended nearly four months ago now. I don't think I'll remember everything but as long as everything's stuck in and the key things are written down I'll be happy.
3. Plan 2018
My plans for 2018 keep changing but I think I know what I'm doing now but it's too early to talk about anything properly just incase. But I need to do a lot of research and start doing a lot of applications.
Basically, I just need to sort my life out.
______________________________
What were your October highlights? Are you excited for the countdown the Christmas?
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29/09/2017 / Lifestyle
In A Nutshell: September 2017
And so another month comes to an end. September is over for another year! I was going to write that I can't believe how quickly the year has gone but I'm unsure whether I've found it quick or not. For once, it seems like a normal pace. It is a little scary to think that we're nearly in 2018 though!
SEPTEMBER ROUND UP
September was a little more exiting that August was. I spent a lot of it working but I can't complain because I'm lucky to enjoy my job and everyone's nice there. Plus I need the money. Desperately. My four month trip to Asia definitely dented my savings.
07/12/2016 / Lifestyle
25 before 25
Yep, that's right this post is a 25 before 25. The very fact that I'm writing such a post makes me feel old. Not that twenty five is old but the fact I'm even thinking about turning twenty five makes me feel old . I feel old being twenty two. I think it's also to do with the fact that I've just graduated university and am officially adulting. Which I am totally not ready to do. Who knows if I'll ever be ready.
Seeing as I am the ripe old age of twenty two I thought it would be the perfect time to put this post together. That way I have three years to actually do the things on the list. I wanted to make my list as realistic as possible but still as exciting as possible. So after great thought here's the twenty five things I decided upon.
1. Teach English abroad
This is something I'll hopefully be doing in 2017. I've just started my online TEFL teaching course and am hoping to go to Vietnam for six months or so to teach.
2. Travel to 30 countries
I was going to make this 25 countries seeing as it's 25 before 25. My current country count is 22 so I didn't think 25 would be that much of a challenge so have changed it to 30 instead to make sure I travel as much as possible in the next three years!
3. Get a job
Over the next three years I want (NEED) to figure out what I actually want to do. At the moment I'm looking into marketing roles. After my gap year of travelling I really need to sit down and start working towards a career. The perfect scenario will be that by the time I turn 25 I'm working in the sector I want a career in. Bonus points if I actually like it.
4. Move out
This is something I wish I could do at the moment but it's just not the right time. Part of getting a proper job will be moving away. I live in a small town and don't really want to spend my life here. I'd love to move to a city and enjoy the city life that I loved at university.
5. Become a confident driver
I haven't driven since I started university. I was always a nervous driver but by the time I left for university I felt much more confident. Having not driven in so long I'm almost starting again so I'd love to start driving again and actually enjoy it rather than stressing out every time I have to drive somewhere!
6. Go to Dublin for St. Patricks day
This has been on my travel bucket list for a very long time. Hopefully (fingers crossed) it will get ticked off in 2017.
7. See the Northern Lights
I've always wanted to stay in an igloo and watch the Northern Lights. They look sooo amazing!
8. Still be blogging!
I've had quite an on/off relationship with blogging over the years. Hopefully, now I'm blogging about what I truly love I'll still be at it in three years time. Who knows what the blog will look like then! Or what opportunities I may get in the next three years! It's quite exciting to think about.
9. Read 50 books
This is something I have on my 101 in 1001 days list but that finishes in April so I thought I may as well add it onto this list and read another 50 books!
10. Travel solo
The most solo travelling I've done is spending the day alone in Warsaw because my flight was at 10pm whilst my friends flight was at 11 am. It wasn't as bad as I imagined but I still felt pretty lonely and that was just a day! But I need to push myself outside of my comfort zone, plus solo travelling will mean I don't have to wait until my friends are around to come with me. I can just go whenever I want!
11. Become a morning person
Mmmm. Not sure this will ever happen but I can be hopeful. Maybe in the next three years things will change. Maybe I'll love getting up early.
12. Get fit and look after my body
I am incredibly lazy when it comes to exercise but I need to start looking after my body. This means less eating rubbish and more taking care of my body. This isn't just to lose weight but to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
13. Go for a bra fitting
Yep, I've never had a bra fitting and I probably (definitely) should. I don't even know if the bras I'm currently wearing even fit properly so over the next five years (preferably sooner rather than later) I should find out whether I'm even wearing the right size.
14. Find 'my' drink
You know some people know exactly what drink they want? I want to be that person. I want to go into a bar and know that I'm going to have my favourite drink which doesn't give me a killer hangover the next day and that I enjoy no matter what.
15. Be able to run for more than 10 seconds
This may sound like an exaggeration but it's not. OK maybe it is. I can run for 20 seconds without keeling over and dying. Hopefully this will change. I'm yet to start the 30 day shred I wrote about in my November goals but maybe I'll succeed in the next month (year) or so.
16. Go to Australia to visit my friend Lili
I met Lili whilst travelling around Europe and we clicked straight away. Which was great. Except she lives in Western Australia. So basically on the other side of the world. She's been in London for a couple of months so I went down to see her and promised I'd visit her in Australia. And I really want to keep this promise. Because then I get to see Lili and visit Australia! I'm hoping I can take a trip to Australia as part of my long term travel next year but if not I want to get to Australia before I'm 25.
17. Go camping
Technically I've been camping at a music festival but I want to go camping where I wake up and go for nice country walks rather than wake up and discover that someone has peed up my tent.
18. Learn to play chess
I started to learn chess in India when we bought a mini chess set to keep us occupied. However, turns out we were playing it wrong even though we were following instructions! So I need to start over. I've found a chess set at home so hopefully my dad can teach me at some point.
19. Get a tattoo
I've been debating whether to get a tattoo for about four years now. I nearly got one whilst I was travelling Europe but I left it too late and wasn't quite ready. I think I know what I want so I just to pluck up the courage to actually get it!
20. Go on a girls holiday
I've always travelled with my friends but usually only in a pair and even when we were a group it was still backpacking. I'd love to go on a holiday, where I pack a suitcase full of really nice clothes. An outfit for each evening! And drink cocktails around the pool. A girl can dream!
21. Worry less
I worry about everything. I over think everything. If I have to walk to the post office I worry about how long it will take, who I'll bump into, what I'll say when I actually get there. I need to learn to worry less and be more relaxed in situations. This is something that will take time. I'm definitely better than I was before I went to university so hopefully over the next five years I'll improve even more.
22. Take more photos of myself
This one sounds really vain but I actually never take pictures of myself. I only ever take selfies with someone else. I've only just started getting more pictures of myself travelling. I normally snap pictures of others or scenery and spend less time trying to get one of myself. I want to change this because, as my friend says, I'm at my prime age and should be making the most of it. We're at the perfect age (apparently) so I should be documenting this otherwise all I'll have to look back on when I'm older is lovely pictures of others and none of myself!
23. Make the most of every opportunity
I feel like I've done quite well with this so far but there's still room for improvement. As mentioned in 21 I worry a lot which sometimes stops me from doing things and this sometimes means I miss out on really good opportunities.
24. Still be in touch with school and university friends
This doesn't necessarily mean I still want to be in touch with everyone, people do grow apart but I want to still be in touch with the friends that matter. The ones where it doesn't matter how long we've been apart, we still talk like we live with each other everyday. The ones who want to make the effect.
25. Wear what I want
I'm constantly seeing clothes that I love but then thinking 'I can't wear that'. Sometimes because I don't think I'm cool enough to pull it off, sometimes because I don't think it will suit me. But you know what, who cares? Why should I worry bout whether I'm cool enough, if I like something I should rock it anyway!
______________
So there's my 25 before 25. Hopefully I'll be able to achieve all of these over the next three years or so. I may do update posts whenever I tick one off. Do you have a 25 before 25 list? If you do then leave your link as I'd love to read them!
Sophie
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