Thursday, March 18, 2021

Long Time, No Write

 Getting through these days, and  I am doing OK.

I haven’t disappeared, I am just in the shadows.  Blogger has not been kind and has caused me all kinds of aggravation and frustration these past few months.  Being part of the “older than dirt”generation, frustration is the last thing that I (or anybody else) need now, and throwing in the towel has been considered. My problems started when I was not allowed into a few blogs because a new security app that was installed deemed them “Red Alert”, Do Not Open. I contacted the company and after investigation, the red alert was removed and I could read those blogs.  However, my problems continued, although this time it had to do with sending comments. Now, after reading posts and writing a comment, the comment disappears and a “Whoops, Sorry, Try Again” page appears.  At first, I did try again and again but kept getting that message.  I followed their instructions to no avail.  Now, some comments do publish every now and then and if I power down and reboot hours later, I can get a few more to publish.  I feel bad about not responding to all your posts.  I read them every day but until I can get help from someone technically smarter than me to fix my problem, I do not know what to do.  My feeling is that a new iPad will probably have to be in my future.

On a positive note, My Retired Man and I are fully inoculated from Covid and we are past the two week wait period.  I know that we will still have to be careful and wear our masks in public because of variants, but in the past week we ate at two, not crowded, outdoor restaurants.  I can’t remember what we had to eat, but that wasn’t the point. A few days later I got to hug my grandson on his 21st birthday and yesterday I picked up my one year old granddaughter and held her tightly.  A hug is worth a million dollars to me, so that makes me a very rich woman.

Fingers crossed that this post gets published.

72 comments:

  1. Pleased to see you blogging Arleen but sorry to read of all your problems with blog land.

    It is great that you have had your jabs and are now able to visit your family. Onwards and upwards.

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  2. I'm so happy to see you! How wonderful to hug those grandchildren - isn't that just the best! After missing family first, I have missed going to restaurants which was a favorite past time for us. I'm also so glad to know you have both had both shots so you can do those things. We have had our first shot and will get the second this coming Wednesday.

    I'm sorry to hear about all the blogger problems you've had. It seems like a lot of people I talk to have trouble with blogger and it is not easy to deal with it either. Sometimes I think blogger is just messing around with things and testing out new things. Well I'm sure happy your post got published because it is great to see you! Take care!

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    1. There is a lot of emotion when getting the Covid vaccine shots. I will admit to a few tears and a desire to hug the pharmacist. Thankfully, I resisted the lattter. Good luck next Wednesday.

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  3. I am thrilled to see another post from you - and even more thrilled at the wonderful news it contains. I am so glad that you have been vaccinated and can only imagine just how wonderful those long awaited hugs must have been.
    Blogger is messing with all of us on the comment front. Sigh - and hiss and spit.

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    1. From the comments that I am reading, Sue, I am not alone in my frustration with Blogger. I have noticed many long-time writers have disappeared from this media and gone to other sites like Instagram. Frustration at time wasted, words lost, and remedies that don’t work can break the most loyal writer. However, it is the people we had met and learned to care about on Blogger that bring us back.

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  4. Good to see you back, those blogging problems can be so frustrating. I have a short time-lapse (on my own page) between replying to comments; I have to wait about 20 secs. Not earth shattering, but still very annoying.

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    1. I have tried to answer each of these comments twice this morning only to have them not published. Third time seems to be the charm today. I may be able to get on our newish computer later today (Retired Man has taken ownership) and will be able to do this much quicker and with less anxiety.

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  5. It's lovely to see a post from you, Arleen and it's great to know you have now received your vaccination.
    Those hugs must have felt wonderful. X

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    1. The things we took for granted before are now so valued. I am blessed to have been vaccinated and will have opportunities to see many of my loved ones. The hugging has just begun

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  6. Hi, Arleen!

    It's nice to see a new post from you, dear friend. When last we met in your space, we were commiserating about the events of Jan. 6 and our shattered belief that "It Could Never Happen Here." It would be swell to say that things have improved significantly since your last post, but with congress and country still bitterly divided and this week's massage parlor massacre strongly suggesting another hate crime targeting Asian Americans, I don't think we can make that claim. As least you and I have both received our two doses of the COVID vaccine and have lived to tell the tale. I am delighted to learn that you and your man felt comfortable dining in the outdoor sections of two restaurants and that you resumed close contact with your grandchildren. Recently Mrs. Shady and I had lunch indoors at a lovely little cafe, the first time we have dined indoors in public since last August.

    I too have been experiencing difficulties with Blogger. It won't keep me signed in. I signed in before clicking on your link, but the moment I arrived here it signed me out. Now I must hope that I can get this comment through to you, one of my best friends. Please hang in there and don't give up. Look for tutorials on YouTube that might help with the specific issues you are having. You can also submit reports to Blogger and describe the problems. It makes me happy to know that you read my posts even though I dont always hear from you. I believe blogging is an important connection. If we give up on it, something valuable is lost.

    Please continue to take care of yourself and remain in good spirits. I wish you a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Arleen!

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    1. Every day I have more hope, Shady, albeit, with some new worries. I have trust that we will get through this, maybe battered, but to a place we should have been years ago. We could ignore things before, pretend that we did not see, and live in our own cocoon, but that is no longer possible. Our children will become the teachers as they see things much more clearly than us. I am alsograteful for the leadership we now have.

      I am not going anywhere for now and hope that whatever is going on with Blogger will be solved soon. It seems like I am not the only one with these problems.

      I thank you so much, Shady, for your friendship.

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  7. I've had some issues when I am using my IPad. My comments often don't publish. Same thing. I get the whoops! error. As I result, I do most of my commenting on my laptop, which seems to work fine. It does seem the more they try to make things better, the more they make them worse...I am delighted to hear that hugs are in your present day life. Once more folks are vaccinated, I expect to collect on some long-overdue hugs.

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    1. I am sorry that you too are getting that awful Whoops page, but it does give me some expectation that Blogger will try to solve this problem as many people are iPad users.

      I cherished those hugs and look forward to more in the future, but I might be a little more hesitant and selective than before when it comes to acquaintances. I also doubt if handshakes will make a comeback for years to come. It has become a fist bump world now,

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  8. I just had an issue posting on a blog with my computer. Strange.

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    1. When I first saw the Whoops page, I would say, “Darn”. My language has become more colorful since.

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  9. Those hugs sound wonderful! So happy for you. I too am fully vaccinated and past the two weeks. I thought but I have no one close here to hug, which of course is not true: Samson and Faith love their hugs.

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    1. I have gotten my hugs from my Daisy Cat, but her nails have not been cut in six months and she has left me bloody at times. I love her none the less.

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  10. Glad to see you back, and I'm glad that you are innoculated!

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    1. I hope you also have been given the vaccine or will get it soon, Debbie. It is so freeing, although I know we still have to be cautious and wear our mask in public.

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  11. So glad to see you again. And what a relief to be vaccinated. You can start to tiptoe into outside life again.

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    1. Thank you Boud. I am tiptoeing it and think that is where I will stay for awhile.

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  12. Isn't it wonderful to be able to hug again? I wish that everyone would be vaccinated as soon as possible.

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    1. Oh, yes it is. I don’t know who cried more tears, my grandson or I.

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  13. Hello, hello, hello. How good to hear from you.
    It seems we're all living the same life. Old enough to be vaccinated, spry enough to get out and find grandkids to hug.

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  14. Glad we both have the shots over with for whatever that means or how long.
    So I have never heard of a red alert. Sorry you are having so much trouble!😉

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    1. This is all so new and science is still learning and so are we. Right now I am hoping for the best and believe that along with improvements in the vaccine in regards to the variants, doctors will come up with more therapeutics to treat this horrible disease. We need everybody to do what is right to beat this. Right now when I see the crowds in Miami partying, I am dismayed.

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  15. Im so glad to hear you and the Mr. are vaccinated. Great news.Im not yet...but look forward to the jab. In the meantime Im still staying with pandemic guidelines myself. But don't count yourself as old as dirt. The blogger issues get to me too. At least once a week, for some reason, I cant access a blog for no reason, or I get the comment being eaten also. Very frustrating. And I cant say I understand what the issue is.

    Hang in there. I only pop in occasionally. And I see you in the blogospehere. Your always a bright spot with lovely words and views.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, MM. This has been a difficult year for everyone and when I get down on myself and feel at the end of my rope, I know that I can find a friend on Blogger who will lift me up.

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  16. Sorry about all your Blogger problems. I also cannot make comments on my iPad, so I rely more on my laptop. I'm so happy that you and your husband had the vaccines and were finally able to hold your grandchild for the first time! I agree that hugging your 21-year-old grandson was also priceless. You deserve only good things, Arleen!

    Julie

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    1. Thank you, Julie. Yesterday we met with friends who were also past vaccination and we all had a celebratory fru-fru drink. No umbrellas we hurt in this encounter.

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  17. Glad you're vaccinated! I'm half way and can't wait to do some 'normal' things like go out to eat! So glad you got to hug your grandkids :)

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    1. i am happy you got your first shot and soon you will be getting the second. This time we can really see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we have to still put on our glasses/mask at times. No big deal as the reward is great.

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  18. Glad to see you posting. I'm not very good at fixing any computer issues and I just about pray every day that my computer and blogger will cooperate. I'm thankfully weeks past my second vaccination and slowly doing a little more. I am so glad that Passover will be in person this year. Smaller group than usual, but in person!

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    1. Others have said that they too are having this problem on their iPad. I have been using my iPad for years and not until recently, have I had this issue. I hate upgrades because for many of us, things were fine before.

      Have a wonderful holiday, Carol.

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  19. Hi Arleen. Somehow I missed this post until today! I seem to have been lucky with no Blogger bugs - so far. I'm on an Android PC (or sometimes, my phone). We have began to wander out a bit, although we have always been walking. Only takeaway food over here at present but soon things will loosen up a bit. I believe that, after Israel, the UK has the largest percentage of vaccinated adults at present. More than 50%. We hope to be hugging grandchildren very soon...
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s mathematically magnificent Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. I hope you are hugging them real soon, Barry. I have been reading about how well the UK is doing with vaccinations, especially in comparison to the EU. Well done! With our new administration in the US, vaccinations are on the uptick and I have hope that things will keep improving. Unfortunately, we are opening up too many places too soon and cases are ticking up again also.

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  20. right now after reading all this i want to hug you tight dear friend !

    i am sorry that you constantly confronted with weird and so many problems while posting
    i agree that hugs are priceless and i think BEST EARNING of any one :) lucky you :) and lucky me :)
    how nice that you are going to be vaccinated,this can be huge relief !
    my heartfelt best wishes to you and precious family!

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  21. I felt a virtual hug from you Baili and it was lovely.

    It was a lovely Spring day out and it was so nice to be outside. I hope you are also having a sunny day.

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  22. Blogger has been Weird, Alerts have scared crap out of me too since I'm Tech Challenged and wonder why all of a sudden they are Alerting me to stuff? Glad that's the only reason you've been MIA, in these times of Pandemic I worry about everyone whose in our Season of Life and if they've managed to get fully vaccinated yet or not? Glad you got your Jabs and Hugs. I'm hopeful the Pfizer for Teens is released soon so that our 15 year old Granddaughter we're Raising gets hers, she had to return to in-person classes and I'm more than a bit paranoid about it.

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    1. I know what you mean, Dawn. When somebody disappears from Blogger without prior notice, I am concerned. It looks like the Pfizer for teenagers will be approved soon. They might say August now, but my thought is that it will be June.

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  23. Hi Arleen! xx I'm so happy you got vaccinated and I agree about the hugs! :)) What can I say about Blogger...you get what you pay for. I'm starting to lean towards Wordpress and buying a theme. Blogger is continually annoying to me. I hope that you have a better time of it as they work out their continual kinks!!! xx

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    1. Yes,Rain, and Blogger seems to be getting worse. I have heard from others that they are having the same problems as I. Everything was fine, then they upgraded it. The upgrade is not a. downgrade.

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  24. We finally went to eat at a restaurant, inside! Hugging a grandchild is such joy.

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    1. I went into Costco yesterday. I felt very brave and we were inside for a whole 15 minutes. We have gone to outside restaurants at around 2 pm, after lunch and before dinner and empty tables surrounding us. Again, I felt brave. It will take me awhile to sit inside, but it is a goal of mine.

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  25. I'm soooo glad to hear you and your hubby have been fully vaccinated. I get my second shot on Tuesday. I was never so happy to get a shot as I was the first one, and I know the second will be even better. Talk about a new lease on life! I'm over-the-moon excited at the prospect of hugging my grandchildren sometime soon. It's been way too long.

    Take care, sweet lady, and Happy Easter! You might wanta put all your (chocolate eggs) in one basket... easier to find 'em that way. :)

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    1. I was tearful when I got that first shot and the second shot made me want to hug and kiss the pharmacist. I held back because I did not want him to report me to the DA for sexual harassment.

      Good luck on Tuesday. I have heard from others that if you are hydrated (with water or Gatorade), you have less chance of after effects. I don't know if it is true or maybe it is something Gatorade put out to improve sales. However, it can't hurt.

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  26. Congrats on getting your vaccination. Hubby and I have as well, like you we are still being careful..masking etc. Sorry for your computer troubles. Do you have apps on your ipad that you can remove, movies, pictures etc? Things that take extra space maybe part of your troubles. I would be inclined to remove everything and then each provided things are ok, I would add one app back on that you want. Sometimes apps don't work well and cause problems. Best of luck.

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    1. I followed your advice, Sandy, and removed some apps and at first, I thought it worked. It lasted for a day. I get a few in but for most, I have to wait till My Retired Man falls asleep so I can get a turn on our main computer. I sure wish that the people behind Blogger hadn't upgraded it to the point that it can't be used by many.

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  27. To get those shots is like seeing sunrise after a dark night isn't it. So glad you can hug again. And well done for keeping cautious while the virus is still about.

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    1. That is the perfect way to express how we feel when receiving the shot - "Sunrise over a dark night". Thank you, Jenny, for that lovely statement and reminding me of how lucky I am.

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  28. Dear beautiful Arleen, I'm scheduled for 2nd covid19 shot on 4/19. Norma already got both hers from Kaiser. Have heard result is 95% immunity. I like that. I'd like 100% even more. We've had neighbors succumb to this pandemic and their housecats assemble at our back door. I can only treat them with kindness. I even released a raccoon who got under our house for a week before I finally met him. I didn't shoot him, even though I had a gun, but dragged myself out in my old age to seal up his under-house access. All my best wishes, Arleen, we'll get through this.

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    1. We have visiting raccoons also. My Retired Man shoos them away and I feed them. They have such sad faces and are the #1 roadkill on our winding roads. I want them to have happiness in their short lives.

      Good luck and congratulations on getting your shots. It is such a emotional moment when they put the shot into your arm and hope that it works 95% on you.

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  29. Glad to read you and husband were vaccinated against the virus. We’re all waiting to see how these variants evolve. Meanwhile, take care.

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    1. Joared, I have total faith in the vaccines and the scientists because I have no other choice. We are being told now that we will probably need a third shot this year and probably one ever year. Oy Vey

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  30. Wonderful to get the shots! I'm venturing out a bit more than I did, although carefully and masked. Hope your computer issues are resolved. How frustrating!

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    1. We will all have PTSD when this is all over, but everyday now, I am less fearful but still careful. I am not ready to go inside a restaurant yet, but will enjoy their food outside. I always preferred that anyway, except during a snowstorm.

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  31. My God that we can see every sunrise of a new day your immense love 🙌 and your infinite mercy 🙌🙏thanks my god for absolutely everything 🛐🛐🙌

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  32. You have my sympathy about blogger: as you know, I've been in the same boat, paddling in circles. I can understand that frustration. It's not as if we had a huge number of other Blog sites to choose from, here...

    Our shots will be on Wednesday. Im beginning to long for gracery shopping, which my husband has taken to with all the preplanning of the mechanical engineer that he is. He writes it all out, goes to three stores, and is back in an hour. Amazing. Annoying.

    Chins up, darlin', it has to get better sooner or later.

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  33. Sympathies re blogger..but despite all its problems it is the easiest to use!
    Good to know that you are around and to have your comments too.
    We have both had our second dose...now we need a dose of get up and go!!

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    1. After a lock down and lots of disturbing news, it is mentally hard to get up and go. It is a process but we are putting ourselves out there and becoming more comfortable as the days go by.

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  34. don't worry, you always have time to write a post again.

    Would you like to follow each other? If the answer is yes, please follow me on my blog & I'll follow you back. thank you.

    http://www.rosetinz.com

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  35. Dear Arleen, I, too, am experiencing problems with Blogger and so you may never see this comment. However, I am so in agreement with you that as we age, frustration and stress can be tipping points for us--or least me--into feeling even older than I am. Feeling sort of stupid and out-of-it and inept. That's what technology does to me when I run afoul of its glitches. I hope all is well. I, too, have had both doses of the vaccine and have been to three restaurants--one here in Missouri and two in Utah when I visited a young friend. Please take care and know that your postings--whenever they appear--are welcomed by all of us who value your wisdom. Peace.

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  36. Ive been having problems too, I blame Google, which seems to have taken over everything, much like a fussy landlady. It's annoying, and yet comforting to know we are all in here trying to paddle with one oar. =) We got our last covid shot yesterday, so things are looking better. Now I have to learn how to drive his car, again. yikes.

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  37. Popping back in to say hi. Hoping you're able to improve whatever the blog problems were. The only recent problem I'm having is when I try to respond to comments on my blog. Used to click reply and type and all was well. Now often the reply click doesn't work. Seems to work for one comment; but then I have to click refresh and wait before clicking on the next comment. No idea why, never was a problem before. I am on the computer. The only time I use my ipad is when we're out of town. I'm windows 10 on the computer so it shouldn't be an issue of space or speed, cause I have tons of space left. HANG IN THERE. Hope to see you soon.

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  38. Dear Arleen, are you okay? Peace.

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  39. Hi Arleen, Just checking in to say I miss you and hope that you and your family are all doing well. Please just drop a quick note in your comments section to set our minds at ease. Hope to hear from you soon, my friend!

    Julie

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    1. Hi Julie and Dee,

      I am OK but my life has taken some detours and I am working on time management and figuring things out. I also have problems with my computer and they have exasperated me to no end.

      Thank you so much for caring. I always have and always will believe in hope and kindness. You, and so many who I have met on Blogger, have taught me so much about courage and acceptance. I am so grateful to call you friend. I may come back because I hate the word “quit”, but I will know better in the next few months.

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