|
02/28/01
|
09:34:43
|
<Larisa>
|
hi all
:) I am going to talk about something we experience all the time : Stress in
our lives
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:34:56
|
<Larisa>
|
Lets
try to find answers to questions : what is stress and how to handle it
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:35:09
|
<Larisa>
|
Stress
is really a reaction to change.
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:35:19
|
<Larisa>
|
Therefore,
just about anything that involves change can provoke stress:
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:35:34
|
<Larisa>
|
marriage
can be as stressful as separation, and starting a new career can be as
stressful as losing a job
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:35:49
|
<Larisa>
|
Myths
About Stress :
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:36:01
|
<Larisa>
|
Stress
is always bad for you.
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:36:10
|
<Larisa>
|
Zero
stress makes us happy and healthy ?
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:36:29
|
<Larisa>
|
Wrong.
Stress is to the human condition what tension is to the violin string: too
little and the music is dull and raspy; too much and the string snaps
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:36:47
|
<Larisa>
|
The
issue is how to manage it to be productive and happy
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:37:05
|
<Larisa>
|
not to
hurt and even kill ourselves mastering the art of stress management
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:37:31
|
<Larisa>
|
next
myth : Stress is the same for everybody.
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:37:52
|
<Larisa>
|
Stress
is so different for each of us
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:38:06
|
<Larisa>
|
What
is stressful for one person may not be stressful for another
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:38:20
|
<Larisa>
|
each
of us responds to stress in a different way
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:38:37
|
<Larisa>
|
If
something causes you stress, you must perceive it in some way as threatening
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:38:57
|
<Larisa>
|
An
activity which causes intense stress for one person may not be at all
stressful for someone else
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:39:10
|
<Larisa>
|
. I
know a pilot, who's wife would freeze in panic at just the thought of flying
:)
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:39:34
|
<Larisa>
|
Myth
3: Stress is everywhere, so you can't do anything about it
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:39:48
|
<Larisa>
|
You
can plan your life so that stress does not overwhelm you
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:40:09
|
<Larisa>
|
Setting
priorities and working on simple problems first
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:40:18
|
<Larisa>
|
solving
them
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:40:33
|
<Larisa>
|
and
then going on to more complex
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:40:52
|
<Larisa>
|
When
stress is mismanaged, it's difficult to prioritize
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:41:04
|
<Larisa>
|
All
your problems seem to be equal and stress seems to be everywhere
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:41:17
|
<Larisa>
|
There
are major sources of stress for traders
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:41:40
|
<Larisa>
|
Survival
: this may occur in cases where your survival or health is threatened, where
you are put under pressure, or where you experience some unpleasant or
challenging event
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:42:12
|
<Larisa>
|
Internal:
this can come from anxious worrying about events beyond your control, from a
tense, hurried approach to life
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:42:32
|
<Larisa>
|
It can
also come from an 'addiction' to and enjoyment of stress
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:42:57
|
<Larisa>
|
Fatigue
and overwork: here stress builds up over a long period. This can happened
where you try to achieve too much in too little time
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:43:15
|
<Larisa>
|
Where
you are (or think you are) in a threatening situation
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:43:27
|
<Larisa>
|
your
body adapts to help it react more effectively by release of adrenaline
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:43:42
|
<Larisa>
|
mobilizes
sugars and gives your body access to more strength and energy
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:44:02
|
<Larisa>
|
This
helps you to fight harder or run faster.
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:44:16
|
<Larisa>
|
it
reduces the blood supply to your skin and short-term inessential organs
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:44:28
|
<Larisa>
|
so
energy is not wasted on processes that are not immediately useful
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:44:39
|
<Larisa>
|
Take a
guess what emotion links to these changes in your body
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:44:48
|
<Larisa>
|
It is
'fear' :)
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:45:06
|
<Larisa>
|
Where
speed and physical strength are important this short-term adrenaline stress
will be helpful and beneficial - fear can help you to survive or perform
better
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:45:26
|
<Larisa>
|
Prolonged
exposure to adrenaline can cause ill-health
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:45:40
|
<Larisa>
|
For us
traders calm thought is important, it is best to learn to control and,
ideally, eliminate these adrenaline responses
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:45:55
|
<Larisa>
|
Why ?
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:46:11
|
<Larisa>
|
It
interferes with clear judgment and makes it difficult to take the time to make
good decisions
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:46:31
|
<Larisa>
|
. It
can seriously reduce your enjoyment of our work.
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:46:56
|
<Larisa>
|
It
causes difficult situations to be seen as a threat, not a challenge
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:47:15
|
<Larisa>
|
It
damages the positive frame of mind you need for high quality trading by
promoting negative thinking
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:47:31
|
<Larisa>
|
damaging
self-confidence, narrowing attention, disrupting focus and concentration
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:47:46
|
<Larisa>
|
It
consumes mental energy in distraction, anxiety, frustration
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:48:01
|
<Larisa>
|
. This
is energy that should be devoted to the work
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:48:27
|
<Larisa>
|
Your
personality affects the way in which you experience stress
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:48:43
|
<Larisa>
|
You
may be familiar with the idea of 'type A' personalities who thrive on stress
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:48:57
|
<Larisa>
|
and
'type B' personalities who are more relaxed in their approach
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:49:10
|
<Larisa>
|
Different
aspects of personality can cause stress
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:49:28
|
<Larisa>
|
perfectionism,
with extremely high standards for yourself and others
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:49:51
|
<Larisa>
|
excessive
self-effacement, where constant attention to the needs of others can lead to
dissatisfaction when no-one looks after your needs :)
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:50:09
|
<Larisa>
|
Anxiety
occurs where you are concerned that circumstances are out of control
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:50:23
|
<Larisa>
|
Sometimes
worrying over a problem too much may generate a solution
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:50:36
|
<Larisa>
|
Normally
it will just result in negative thinking
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:50:55
|
<Larisa>
|
Albert
Ellis, one of the most influential psychotherapists listed unrealistic
desires or beliefs that cause anxiety
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:51:03
|
<Larisa>
|
just
look how each of them 100%% applies to us traders
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:51:12
|
<Larisa>
|
The
desire to be thoroughly competent at all times
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:51:23
|
<Larisa>
|
This
is unrealistic because you only move to a new level by making mistakes
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:51:38
|
<Larisa>
|
Everybody
has bad days and makes mistakes
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:51:49
|
<Larisa>
|
The
belief that external factors cause all misfortune
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:52:05
|
<Larisa>
|
Often
negative events caused by you
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:52:19
|
<Larisa>
|
Similarly
your own negative attitudes can cause you to view neutral events negatively
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:52:35
|
<Larisa>
|
and
someone else might find something positive in something you view as a problem
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:52:54
|
<Larisa>
|
The
desire that events should always turn out the way that you want them to
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:53:20
|
<Larisa>
|
and
that people (stocks) should always do what you want
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:54:02
|
<Larisa>
|
The
belief that past bad experience will inevitably control what will happen in
the future
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:54:20
|
<Larisa>
|
You
can very often improve or change things if you try hard enough
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:54:43
|
<Larisa>
|
or if
you can not change it : look at things in a different way :)
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:55:00
|
<Larisa>
|
How to
recognize that you are under too much stress ?
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:55:22
|
<Larisa>
|
While
a certain level of stress is necessary to avoid boredom, high levels of
stress over a sustained period can damage your health
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:55:53
|
<Larisa>
|
When
you or other people are under pressure and not managing it right , this can
show as: Talking too fast or too loud , Fiddling and twitching, drumming
fingers, pacing
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:56:04
|
<Larisa>
|
Bad
moods: Being irritable , Defensiveness , Being critical , Aggression ,
Irrationality , Overreaction and reacting emotionally
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:56:27
|
<Larisa>
|
Reduced
personal effectiveness: Being unreasonably negative, Making less realistic
judgments , Being unable to concentrate and having difficulty making
decisions , Making more mistakes
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:56:45
|
<Larisa>
|
We are
responsible for our own stress - very often it is a product of the way that
we think
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:57:01
|
<Larisa>
|
Learning
to monitor stress levels, and adjust them we can significantly improve the
quality of trading and life
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:57:11
|
<Larisa>
|
Lets
try to link stress and performance
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:57:24
|
<Larisa>
|
The
approach to optimizing stress depends on the sort of stress being experienced
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:57:45
|
<Larisa>
|
Short
term stress such as this minute trade details, may be difficult situation
like blown stop or quotes down
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:57:59
|
<Larisa>
|
In
this case we need to manage adrenaline to maximize performance
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:58:17
|
<Larisa>
|
Long
term stress, where fatigue and high adrenaline levels over a long period can
lead to degraded performances:
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:58:27
|
<Larisa>
|
:
losing streak or some repeated problem you have tough time overcoming,
overtrading, you name it.
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:58:47
|
<Larisa>
|
Here
we need to concentrate on management of fatigue, health, energy
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:59:08
|
<Larisa>
|
please
look at http://www.realitytrader.com/calls/Pic_1.gif
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:59:21
|
<Larisa>
|
Here
is the relationship between stress and the quality of performance when you
are in situations that impose short term stress
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:59:37
|
<Larisa>
|
If you
can keep yourself within zone of best performance
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:59:48
|
<Larisa>
|
then
you will perform well while not being over-stressed and unhapp
|
|
02/28/01
|
09:59:55
|
<Larisa>
|
unhappy
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:00:07
|
<Larisa>
|
Zone
of optimum performance is different shape for different people
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:00:18
|
<Larisa>
|
Some
people may operate most effectively at a level of stress that would leave
other people either bored or in pieces
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:00:40
|
<Larisa>
|
someone
who functions superbly at a low level might experience difficulties at a high
level
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:00:53
|
<Larisa>
|
someone
who performs only moderately at low level might perform exceptionally under
extreme pressure
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:01:18
|
<Larisa>
|
http://www.realitytrader.com/calls/Pic_2.gif
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:01:32
|
<Larisa>
|
This
graph shows the way in which performance can suffer when you are under
excessive long term stress
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:01:51
|
<Larisa>
|
four
major stages that you may go through in response to sustained levels of
excessive stress:
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:02:04
|
<Larisa>
|
During
the first phase you face challenges with plenty of energy. Your response will
probably be positive and effective
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:02:21
|
<Larisa>
|
After
a period of time you may begin to feel tired, then seriously tired . You may
start to feel anxious, frustrated and upset
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:02:47
|
<Larisa>
|
As
high stress continues you may begin to feel a sense of failure
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:03:05
|
<Larisa>
|
If
high levels of stress continue without relief you may experience depression,
burnout or some other form of serious stress related illness
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:03:25
|
<Larisa>
|
people
may move between these stages with different speeds under different stress
conditions
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:03:47
|
<Larisa>
|
It is
essential that you learn to pay attention to your feelings
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:03:59
|
<Larisa>
|
This
ensures that you know when to relax, slacken off for a short period
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:04:08
|
<Larisa>
|
get
more sleep, or implement stress management strategies
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:04:21
|
<Larisa>
|
If you
do not take feelings of tiredness, upset or discontent seriously
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:04:34
|
<Larisa>
|
, then
you may find that your trading performance goes to pieces
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:04:53
|
<Larisa>
|
The
goal is to treat stress as a learning experience and adopt stress management
strategies
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:05:03
|
<Larisa>
|
Today
I am just going to define problems person can face , not talking much about
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:05:04
|
<Larisa>
|
Techniques
for Stress Reduction, this is topic for next week
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:05:29
|
<Larisa>
|
Depression
may often be initiated by high levels of long term stress, by failure
associated with under-performance
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:05:48
|
<Larisa>
|
when
you feel out of control , you are very tired or you are bored for a long
period of time
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:05:59
|
<Larisa>
|
How to
keep yourself out of trouble ?
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:06:21
|
<Larisa>
|
do not
laugh.. positive thinking really can help. As long as you can draw useful
lessons from failure, then failure can be positive
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:06:35
|
<Larisa>
|
Talking
about problems to someone you respect can often help
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:06:47
|
<Larisa>
|
They
may have been through a similar situation, seen the problem before, or may be
able to gently point out that you have the wrong perspective on a situation
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:07:06
|
<Larisa>
|
Ask
yourself whether it is realistic to worry about the things you worry so much
about
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:07:26
|
<Larisa>
|
When
you look at them rationally, you may find that worries are out of proportion
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:07:40
|
<Larisa>
|
You
may find that you have set your standards unrealistically high
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:07:53
|
<Larisa>
|
where
you believe that a certain standard of achievement is necessary
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:08:11
|
<Larisa>
|
but do
not really have either the financial, time, mental resources available to get
there
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:08:33
|
<Larisa>
|
Burn-Out
occurs where highly committed people lose interest and motivation
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:08:55
|
<Larisa>
|
it
will occur in hard working, hard driven people, who become emotionally,
psychologically or physically exhausted
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:09:15
|
<Larisa>
|
You
are at risk of burnout where :
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:09:23
|
<Larisa>
|
you
find it difficult to say 'no' to additional commitments or responsibilities
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:09:39
|
<Larisa>
|
you
have been under intense and sustained pressure for some time
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:09:51
|
<Larisa>
|
you
have been trying to achieve too much for too long
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:10:07
|
<Larisa>
|
Often
burn-out will show itself in a reduction in motivation, volume and quality of
performance
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:10:22
|
<Larisa>
|
or in
dissatisfaction and dramatic reducing activity altogether
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:10:44
|
<Larisa>
|
Loss
of a sense of purpose and energy
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:10:55
|
<Larisa>
|
If you
working very hard, then you should take great care not to burn-out
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:11:09
|
<Larisa>
|
You
can avoid mental burn-out by ensuring that what you do remains fun
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:11:29
|
<Larisa>
|
there
is a limit to our mental energy that we should respect
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:11:59
|
<Larisa>
|
When I
feel that I am not enjoying much what I do
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:12:13
|
<Larisa>
|
I am
trying to re-evaluate goals and priorities them again
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:12:24
|
<Larisa>
|
Evaluate
the demands placed on me and see how they fit in with my goals
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:12:37
|
<Larisa>
|
Identify
my ability to comfortably meet these demands
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:12:46
|
<Larisa>
|
and
you know what? :)
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:12:54
|
<Larisa>
|
developing
alternative activities such as a relaxing hobby to take your mind off
problems really helps
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:13:09
|
<Larisa>
|
This
means that a person in a high-stress job, such as trading might find
woodworking or knitting to be relaxing
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:13:18
|
<Larisa>
|
even
though woodworking may have its own stresses, its relatively lower stress can
be a major relief from the high-stress
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:13:31
|
<Larisa>
|
Just
imagine Threei knitting and Learner quilting : )
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:13:44
|
<Larisa>
|
Some
activities are more efficient at relieving stress than others
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:13:53
|
<Threei>
|
sigh
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:14:01
|
<Larisa>
|
This
means that even though a person in a high-stress job might find knitting
relaxing
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:14:20
|
<Larisa>
|
,
there may be other activities, such as meditation, that can be more relaxing
than knitting
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:14:25
|
<Larisa>
|
there
you go threei :)
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:14:38
|
<Larisa>
|
you
should try to pursue the lowest-stress form of relaxation possible and the
most enjoyable for you
|
|
02/28/01
|
10:14:55
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<Larisa>
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Some
forms of relaxation can turn out to be more stressful than you imagined
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02/28/01
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10:15:12
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<Larisa>
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My
friend that works with children tried to make a sewing her relaxing hobby. A
kimono-project became a real nightmare after 12 yards of silk was wasted
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02/28/01
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10:15:27
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<Larisa>
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So be
careful not to get trapped in what started as a good idea
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02/28/01
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10:15:41
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<Larisa>
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point
is :
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02/28/01
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10:15:44
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<Larisa>
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No
matter what relaxation method you choose for stress relief, the underlying
mechanism is the same
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02/28/01
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10:16:00
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<Larisa>
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This
means that meditation works in essentially the same way as knitting
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02/28/01
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10:16:11
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<Larisa>
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the
basic physiology : relaxation works by ""turning off""
the stress response
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02/28/01
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10:16:22
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<Larisa>
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A
low-stress activity provides relief from a high-stress activity simply
because the higher level of stress is turned off-or at least turned down
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02/28/01
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10:16:40
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<Larisa>
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Once
you understand the level of stress under which you trade most effectively
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02/28/01
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10:16:49
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<Larisa>
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, the
next stage is to work out how to manage stress effectively
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02/28/01
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10:17:12
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<Larisa>
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Next
time guys allow me speak , lets talk about specific Action and Mental
Techniques for Stress Reduction to boost your performance
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02/28/01
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10:17:40
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<Larisa>
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ty
all.. did I put you all to sleep ? :)
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