Posts
Where in the World is D Today?
Reflecting on Surviving?
This will be short. My last post was about running away from crappy stuff. This one is simply to say..... Well..... Stuff Happens. When it does, yell, scream, fight, and most importantly find somebody to laugh with. Laughter is indeed the best medicine.
I am reminded daily of how blessed I am. I have some truly remarkable people in my life, and they make life worth living. To my best and Dearest friends, my kids and my family, both in Taiwan and the U.S.
Thanks! You guys are my Rock!
Peace
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Knock, Knock. Who's There? (Do I really want to know?)
Where in the World is D Today?
Running Away from the Devils Door?
I am in a funk and feeling pretty shitty right now. I am meeting a training at the gym in about 40 minutes but have this need to write.
OK, here's the deal. I have always tended to be a great observer of the Human Condition. People behave in any number of ways based on any given variables to a situation. There are no absolutes. We all are fallible and we all have great capacity for good. You can be the world's staunchest critic of gun control, but threaten your child's safety and you will pull the trigger. You can be the world's most righteous person, but if you get hungry enough you will steal money for food or the food itself. We all ultimately will ACT in our own best interest. So why do we, or in this case me, tend to shoot ourselves, myself, in the foot when it comes to certain situations in my life?! What is wrong with us, me?!
I try desparetly to present myself and a decent carrying man, But still manage to find the most unbalanced indecent people to associate with. If we know, and I think we do instinctively know, what is good and what is bad for us. Why do we continue to have blinders to the bad things/people.
(I've started and stopped several sentences here, but there's no "good" way to say what I need/desire to say and here's why. These words before can be twisted and manipulated to whatever the reader WANTS to see. It doesn't matter what I ACTUALLY said, they will take it however they want. Or maybe they will actually take my words and frame them to someone else in a way that is totally incorrect or change one word here or there that will change the context and meaning. This is the age of instant communication and virtual everything. I honestly don't know if anything "real" exists anymore. How do you know if someone is lying or telling the truth. Everything can't be true, neither can everything be a lie. So how do you know?
You don't. You will believe whatever you want to believe. Seriously, how many people actually believed Sarah Palin to be a good choice to be Vice Presidential nominee?! Millions of people did!! I couldn't disagree with them more, but they genuinely believed it. Was I right and them wrong or vice versa. I'd be willing to bet ALL those same people still believe it. Fortunately, we don't have to be concerned with it now, well at least for a little while.
So you get my meaning right. So many things are so subjective. I am owning my mistake of letting reckless hurtful people into my life and am paying consequences for not being entirely honest about things that were none of their business to begin with. Does that mean, I stop talking to and trusting people. Honestly, the answer to that is YES, for a little while. But when the dust settles, I'm likely to become my same gullible self and trust way to easily. But hopefully I will listen more carefully to the little voice better that says, "RUN!!!!!!"
So Be careful. But still try to give people the benefit of the doubt. There's got to be a balance in there somewhere.
Knock, Knock. Who's There????????? Ask yourself, Do I really want to know who or what is on the other side of that door?
If you go knocking on the Devils door, Don't be surprised when he answers!
Peace To You. (I'm desperately looking for some myself.)
Running Away from the Devils Door?
I am in a funk and feeling pretty shitty right now. I am meeting a training at the gym in about 40 minutes but have this need to write.
OK, here's the deal. I have always tended to be a great observer of the Human Condition. People behave in any number of ways based on any given variables to a situation. There are no absolutes. We all are fallible and we all have great capacity for good. You can be the world's staunchest critic of gun control, but threaten your child's safety and you will pull the trigger. You can be the world's most righteous person, but if you get hungry enough you will steal money for food or the food itself. We all ultimately will ACT in our own best interest. So why do we, or in this case me, tend to shoot ourselves, myself, in the foot when it comes to certain situations in my life?! What is wrong with us, me?!
I try desparetly to present myself and a decent carrying man, But still manage to find the most unbalanced indecent people to associate with. If we know, and I think we do instinctively know, what is good and what is bad for us. Why do we continue to have blinders to the bad things/people.
(I've started and stopped several sentences here, but there's no "good" way to say what I need/desire to say and here's why. These words before can be twisted and manipulated to whatever the reader WANTS to see. It doesn't matter what I ACTUALLY said, they will take it however they want. Or maybe they will actually take my words and frame them to someone else in a way that is totally incorrect or change one word here or there that will change the context and meaning. This is the age of instant communication and virtual everything. I honestly don't know if anything "real" exists anymore. How do you know if someone is lying or telling the truth. Everything can't be true, neither can everything be a lie. So how do you know?
You don't. You will believe whatever you want to believe. Seriously, how many people actually believed Sarah Palin to be a good choice to be Vice Presidential nominee?! Millions of people did!! I couldn't disagree with them more, but they genuinely believed it. Was I right and them wrong or vice versa. I'd be willing to bet ALL those same people still believe it. Fortunately, we don't have to be concerned with it now, well at least for a little while.
So you get my meaning right. So many things are so subjective. I am owning my mistake of letting reckless hurtful people into my life and am paying consequences for not being entirely honest about things that were none of their business to begin with. Does that mean, I stop talking to and trusting people. Honestly, the answer to that is YES, for a little while. But when the dust settles, I'm likely to become my same gullible self and trust way to easily. But hopefully I will listen more carefully to the little voice better that says, "RUN!!!!!!"
So Be careful. But still try to give people the benefit of the doubt. There's got to be a balance in there somewhere.
Knock, Knock. Who's There????????? Ask yourself, Do I really want to know who or what is on the other side of that door?
If you go knocking on the Devils door, Don't be surprised when he answers!
Peace To You. (I'm desperately looking for some myself.)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Catchin Up On the Past Few Weeks.
03.22.2009 10:30PM
Where in the World is D?!
Missing in Action, sort of.
Over the past week or so, I've been in another transitional place where writing was either not possible due to time or just took to much energy to do. So let me give you some high lights.
The Gym
The gym still rocks. The showers are still awesome. BUT, I've noticed some of the members "checking me out" in the locker room. This could be due to a couple of things. If you've ever seen me without my shirt, which only a few of you have, you have seen the huge scar running down the middle of my stomach. The scar is a remnant of a very sickly childhood spent by yours truly. I've lived with the scar for over 30years and tend forget its there. Or, the looks could be due to other curiosities. To that, the teacher in me says, "Eyes on your own paper mister!"
Taiwanese Dogs and Evolution.
Do you remember that crazy Taiwanese dog I told you about before? I have concluded that Taiwanese dogs are a more advanced species than American dogs. I see that one dog everywhere. He is the mangiest thing you've ever seen, but clearly a survivor.
Taiwanese dogs are by and large pretty polite. There seems to be a number of stray dogs in Jhongli, but it’s not like wild packs of them everywhere. I have seen the same ones over and over again. These pups are pretty precocious. I have seen this happen no less than three times… dog comes to a corner..looks left and right, waits and then crosses in the crosswalk! The first time I noticed it I was on my way to work when I saw this dog on the corner the first time it happened. It was something truly special. Taiwanese dogs are clearly more evolved than American dogs. These dogs would punk U.S. dogs in about 10 minutes.
Bills
I got my first bill in Chinese. Hmmmmm. What do I do with this? So what does one do with some of the bills you get in Taiwan? Take Them To 7-11!!! You can pay bills at 7-11, how cool is that! I think I mentioned 7-11 in one of my first blog entries since moving to Taiwain, but I can’t emphasize enough that 7-11’s are EVERYWHERE in Taiwan. Sometimes there are 2 on one block. Taiwanese love the convenience of 7-11. There is also Family Mart and . But you can only pay bills at 7-11.
The Movies
I went to go see Watchmen a few weeks ago. Did anybody else think that movie was…. Well… kinda weird. The pop culture references, of which there were many, threw me of. And the whole Nixon serving a fifth term is just ridiculous! I found myself thinking, I wonder if all of this is lost on Taiwanese viewers. I Slumdog millionaire and the Read on my list coming to a theater near you. Last weekend I went with friends to what is called the “Second time around” theater. You can see two movies for $100-140 NT. (in American money, that is about $3.15. A pretty great deal all around. I saw a really crappy indie film with Daniel Craig called Flashback of a Fool, and I also saw Bolt. Bolt was cute and funny. I saw Slumdog Millionaire today and seriously needed a hug afterward. But I see why it rocked the Oscars!
The Job
I had my first evaluation last week. It went well. I was pleased overall. I don't really feel threatened by the process. I will make the adjustments necessary and keep in mind it is not about me personally. Actually, they said I was a "natural teacher" and need to tighten up my lesson plans and stay closer to the core of what the English Village does. No worries there. OK, that's not true. I do worry about getting it right. But I also believe I can get it right.
The Human Condition
As I pass through my day I cross paths with all sorts of people. Young, old, in firmed, desperate, lost.... The human condition is the same everywhere. I wondered if they can read my face and eyes as I try to read theirs. The worry in a parents eyes over their kids well being and future is universal. I know the look. I've seen it many times as I look in the mirror. Even as I feel so alone at times, I know I'm not alone in the things I'm feeling and thinking. So at times like those I try to step back and be thankful for my many blessing. And hope and pray that they keep coming. We are all one step away from catastrophe, I don't want my tombstone to read, "Died of thirst while standing in the middle of a stream." Think about it.
Peace
D
Where in the World is D?!
Missing in Action, sort of.
Over the past week or so, I've been in another transitional place where writing was either not possible due to time or just took to much energy to do. So let me give you some high lights.
The Gym
The gym still rocks. The showers are still awesome. BUT, I've noticed some of the members "checking me out" in the locker room. This could be due to a couple of things. If you've ever seen me without my shirt, which only a few of you have, you have seen the huge scar running down the middle of my stomach. The scar is a remnant of a very sickly childhood spent by yours truly. I've lived with the scar for over 30years and tend forget its there. Or, the looks could be due to other curiosities. To that, the teacher in me says, "Eyes on your own paper mister!"
Taiwanese Dogs and Evolution.
Do you remember that crazy Taiwanese dog I told you about before? I have concluded that Taiwanese dogs are a more advanced species than American dogs. I see that one dog everywhere. He is the mangiest thing you've ever seen, but clearly a survivor.
Taiwanese dogs are by and large pretty polite. There seems to be a number of stray dogs in Jhongli, but it’s not like wild packs of them everywhere. I have seen the same ones over and over again. These pups are pretty precocious. I have seen this happen no less than three times… dog comes to a corner..looks left and right, waits and then crosses in the crosswalk! The first time I noticed it I was on my way to work when I saw this dog on the corner the first time it happened. It was something truly special. Taiwanese dogs are clearly more evolved than American dogs. These dogs would punk U.S. dogs in about 10 minutes.
Bills
I got my first bill in Chinese. Hmmmmm. What do I do with this? So what does one do with some of the bills you get in Taiwan? Take Them To 7-11!!! You can pay bills at 7-11, how cool is that! I think I mentioned 7-11 in one of my first blog entries since moving to Taiwain, but I can’t emphasize enough that 7-11’s are EVERYWHERE in Taiwan. Sometimes there are 2 on one block. Taiwanese love the convenience of 7-11. There is also Family Mart and . But you can only pay bills at 7-11.
The Movies
I went to go see Watchmen a few weeks ago. Did anybody else think that movie was…. Well… kinda weird. The pop culture references, of which there were many, threw me of. And the whole Nixon serving a fifth term is just ridiculous! I found myself thinking, I wonder if all of this is lost on Taiwanese viewers. I Slumdog millionaire and the Read on my list coming to a theater near you. Last weekend I went with friends to what is called the “Second time around” theater. You can see two movies for $100-140 NT. (in American money, that is about $3.15. A pretty great deal all around. I saw a really crappy indie film with Daniel Craig called Flashback of a Fool, and I also saw Bolt. Bolt was cute and funny. I saw Slumdog Millionaire today and seriously needed a hug afterward. But I see why it rocked the Oscars!
The Job
I had my first evaluation last week. It went well. I was pleased overall. I don't really feel threatened by the process. I will make the adjustments necessary and keep in mind it is not about me personally. Actually, they said I was a "natural teacher" and need to tighten up my lesson plans and stay closer to the core of what the English Village does. No worries there. OK, that's not true. I do worry about getting it right. But I also believe I can get it right.
The Human Condition
As I pass through my day I cross paths with all sorts of people. Young, old, in firmed, desperate, lost.... The human condition is the same everywhere. I wondered if they can read my face and eyes as I try to read theirs. The worry in a parents eyes over their kids well being and future is universal. I know the look. I've seen it many times as I look in the mirror. Even as I feel so alone at times, I know I'm not alone in the things I'm feeling and thinking. So at times like those I try to step back and be thankful for my many blessing. And hope and pray that they keep coming. We are all one step away from catastrophe, I don't want my tombstone to read, "Died of thirst while standing in the middle of a stream." Think about it.
Peace
D
Taiwan KNOWS How To Do Karaoke!
03.22.2009 10:25PM
Where in the World is D Today?
Singing his ass off!
This post will be mostly pictures, but let me tell you, I love KTV!! KTV is how Karaoke is done in Taiwan. Unlike in the U.S. KTV has PRIVATE rooms. You don't have to worry about making a fool of yourself in front of a bunch of strangers. You don't need the courage of alcohol or the cajoling of strangers. You and your friends rent a room, just like in a hotel go in and have at it. It was, say it with me, AWESOME! The group of course had me, Shaq, Pie and Shaq, but let me introduce you to Rawoo, pronounced Raoul. These pictures do not do Rawoo just ladies. He is easily the best looking Taiwanese man I've seen. (Sorry Shaq and Pie) He is funny and loves to laugh with the rest of us. And has the coolest motorcycle in Jhongli! Rawoo is headed for the U.S. this summer. He is beginning graduate school. He's already been accept to Columbia. Yeah, THE Columbia. Dude is funny, good looking AND smart. Oh yeah, he's got a girlfriend too. So I can't hook up any of you ladies out there. OK, here are the pics!
I love me some Party World!!!!
The room
Chillin' with Rawoo
Me and Cindy
Shaq soakin' up good vibes
Pie has a GREAT voice. Gettin' his R&B groove on!
This picture looks spastic, but Pie can dance! Pie could definitely hang with the brothas!
Shaq can get his song on too!!
My Taiwanese Brothers
This was a fun Duet. Did one with Pie too! But no pics, sorry.
Remember the song Kiss by Prince. Image me singing this like Julia Roberts in bathtub in the movie Pretty Woman. It was shameless and a classic performance.
You can't have KTV without Food!! This is a famous Taiwanese dish. Please to ask me to say it. I can't, but it tasted great. Found out afterward is has oysters in the bottom layer. I'm all in on new food just tell me what it is afterward.
And of course..... But only a little, Honestly!
This little guy pops up at the end of each song and scores your performance. What is this American Idol!?
Good Friends after a great night of food, fun and singing!
You can see all the pics on my Facebook page.
Peace!
Where in the World is D Today?
Singing his ass off!
This post will be mostly pictures, but let me tell you, I love KTV!! KTV is how Karaoke is done in Taiwan. Unlike in the U.S. KTV has PRIVATE rooms. You don't have to worry about making a fool of yourself in front of a bunch of strangers. You don't need the courage of alcohol or the cajoling of strangers. You and your friends rent a room, just like in a hotel go in and have at it. It was, say it with me, AWESOME! The group of course had me, Shaq, Pie and Shaq, but let me introduce you to Rawoo, pronounced Raoul. These pictures do not do Rawoo just ladies. He is easily the best looking Taiwanese man I've seen. (Sorry Shaq and Pie) He is funny and loves to laugh with the rest of us. And has the coolest motorcycle in Jhongli! Rawoo is headed for the U.S. this summer. He is beginning graduate school. He's already been accept to Columbia. Yeah, THE Columbia. Dude is funny, good looking AND smart. Oh yeah, he's got a girlfriend too. So I can't hook up any of you ladies out there. OK, here are the pics!
I love me some Party World!!!!
The room
Chillin' with Rawoo
Me and Cindy
Shaq soakin' up good vibes
Pie has a GREAT voice. Gettin' his R&B groove on!
This picture looks spastic, but Pie can dance! Pie could definitely hang with the brothas!
Shaq can get his song on too!!
My Taiwanese Brothers
This was a fun Duet. Did one with Pie too! But no pics, sorry.
Remember the song Kiss by Prince. Image me singing this like Julia Roberts in bathtub in the movie Pretty Woman. It was shameless and a classic performance.
You can't have KTV without Food!! This is a famous Taiwanese dish. Please to ask me to say it. I can't, but it tasted great. Found out afterward is has oysters in the bottom layer. I'm all in on new food just tell me what it is afterward.
And of course..... But only a little, Honestly!
This little guy pops up at the end of each song and scores your performance. What is this American Idol!?
Good Friends after a great night of food, fun and singing!
You can see all the pics on my Facebook page.
Peace!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Exercising Hurts So Good
03.02.2009 9:30PM
Where in the World is D Today?
Sitting, stretching sore muscles.
Today I joined a gym. My body has been craving exercise. I need the movement, the heart pumping out-of-breathness that comes with exercise. I need it for both good physical and mental health, especially mental health. I can feel the good endorphins racing through my body even as I write. Nothing is good as a physical exertion high. OK, maybe one thing but I dare not even think about that, lest the good juju I got going right now vanish. Back to the gym......
The first thing I must tell you is I was the full and complete embodiment of "Free Entertainment" tonight. I did two classes tonight. The first was Hi/Low. I saw them warming up and thought, "I can do that! It'll be a piece of cake." The warm up was a series of aerobic moves I've done a a million times. Then the class started for real!
Turns out that is class was one of those never stopping, one move or pattern builds on the next. It didn't help that many of the moves started on weak beats and had very irregular patterns. This was definitely one of the times having a music background was to my detriment because none of it made musical sense to me. And OH YEAH, The class is in Chinese! I'm sure many of the people in the class were thinking, "We've seen a black guy with no rhythm AND Terets. COOL!" Fortunately I was on an end and not in the middle of things, lest I hurts someone. My one consolation was that there was one guy that was only marginally better than me, And he WAS in the middle of things. So I felt a little better thinking he was taking the heat off me just a little. There was one nice lady that came to me at the end of class and encouraged me to keep coming and that I would figure it out in time. She was nice and helpful and as I was trying to make my escape, she basically made me stay for the next class, Body Pump.
Now I am a man who knows his limits. I have not exercised in 2 months, doing too much my first time back is asking for trouble. But that lady was so nice and we she started getting weights out for me I just couldn't say no. Once she got me set up, she burnt out. What the heck!? So while I was a total spaz before, I did break a sweat and get my heart rate up. Mission accomplished. So I did the body pump without incident. I've done it before and don't really need to speak Chinese to follow. Then the coolest part of my experience happened.
OK, before I go into this cool experience I have to say for the record, this is the Cleanest gym I've ever been in. It doesn't even smell like sweat. It has no smell at all. How cool is that. And when I was in class, at no point did I ever feel like I would loose my footing. (Anybody who has been to Key Lago, formerly Gold's Gym in Columbia will appreciate what I'm saying.) I've got my new shoes, my feet are feeling good, I've got a good sweat happenin', and I go up stairs to the locker room to change. They give you a towel,locker and key automatically when you come in thank you very much. I would normally just wear my gym close out but I've got this what are they going to think of the foreigner if I do that. I'm thinking I hate group showers just about as much as I hate spiders. But I'm willing to take one for Team America, more specifically Black America. (I can remember being called dirty just because I was Black as kid in the 60's so I'm kinda sensitive to that perception.) So when in Rome.....
I disrobe wrap my towel around me and go into the shower room....... OMG!!!! There is this huge sauna in the middle of the room. I seem huge at the time. I have to admit that I didn't look very hard because there were naked me sitting around the edge. But it was cool take my word for it. Then I look for the showers. Again, OMG!!! Not only are there private showers, but the have curtains! Say it with me people, AWESOME!!!! After sign of relief quickly followed by enthusiasm, I get in the shower. Nice nonslip stone floor, towel rake above and out of the way of the water stream, And a Soap and shampoo dispenser...... I love this place, truly I do. I stood in the shower easily for ten minutes. I haven't talked about the shower, such that it is, in my apartment, but suffice it to say, it's horrible. And any body who knows me, knows I LOVE taking showers. So I had multiple showergasms today. You have no idea how much that one thing made me so happy. I don't care what the membership fees are, the shower rock. And by the way, the fees aren't anymore than I was paying in the U.S. This place is first class!
Tonight I will sleep well. I am tired and can barely keep my eyes open and I still need to walk home. I anticipate the stiffness that comes with exertion. That's OK, because A nice hot shower awaits me after each workout! Awesome!
Peace
Where in the World is D Today?
Sitting, stretching sore muscles.
Today I joined a gym. My body has been craving exercise. I need the movement, the heart pumping out-of-breathness that comes with exercise. I need it for both good physical and mental health, especially mental health. I can feel the good endorphins racing through my body even as I write. Nothing is good as a physical exertion high. OK, maybe one thing but I dare not even think about that, lest the good juju I got going right now vanish. Back to the gym......
The first thing I must tell you is I was the full and complete embodiment of "Free Entertainment" tonight. I did two classes tonight. The first was Hi/Low. I saw them warming up and thought, "I can do that! It'll be a piece of cake." The warm up was a series of aerobic moves I've done a a million times. Then the class started for real!
Turns out that is class was one of those never stopping, one move or pattern builds on the next. It didn't help that many of the moves started on weak beats and had very irregular patterns. This was definitely one of the times having a music background was to my detriment because none of it made musical sense to me. And OH YEAH, The class is in Chinese! I'm sure many of the people in the class were thinking, "We've seen a black guy with no rhythm AND Terets. COOL!" Fortunately I was on an end and not in the middle of things, lest I hurts someone. My one consolation was that there was one guy that was only marginally better than me, And he WAS in the middle of things. So I felt a little better thinking he was taking the heat off me just a little. There was one nice lady that came to me at the end of class and encouraged me to keep coming and that I would figure it out in time. She was nice and helpful and as I was trying to make my escape, she basically made me stay for the next class, Body Pump.
Now I am a man who knows his limits. I have not exercised in 2 months, doing too much my first time back is asking for trouble. But that lady was so nice and we she started getting weights out for me I just couldn't say no. Once she got me set up, she burnt out. What the heck!? So while I was a total spaz before, I did break a sweat and get my heart rate up. Mission accomplished. So I did the body pump without incident. I've done it before and don't really need to speak Chinese to follow. Then the coolest part of my experience happened.
OK, before I go into this cool experience I have to say for the record, this is the Cleanest gym I've ever been in. It doesn't even smell like sweat. It has no smell at all. How cool is that. And when I was in class, at no point did I ever feel like I would loose my footing. (Anybody who has been to Key Lago, formerly Gold's Gym in Columbia will appreciate what I'm saying.) I've got my new shoes, my feet are feeling good, I've got a good sweat happenin', and I go up stairs to the locker room to change. They give you a towel,locker and key automatically when you come in thank you very much. I would normally just wear my gym close out but I've got this what are they going to think of the foreigner if I do that. I'm thinking I hate group showers just about as much as I hate spiders. But I'm willing to take one for Team America, more specifically Black America. (I can remember being called dirty just because I was Black as kid in the 60's so I'm kinda sensitive to that perception.) So when in Rome.....
I disrobe wrap my towel around me and go into the shower room....... OMG!!!! There is this huge sauna in the middle of the room. I seem huge at the time. I have to admit that I didn't look very hard because there were naked me sitting around the edge. But it was cool take my word for it. Then I look for the showers. Again, OMG!!! Not only are there private showers, but the have curtains! Say it with me people, AWESOME!!!! After sign of relief quickly followed by enthusiasm, I get in the shower. Nice nonslip stone floor, towel rake above and out of the way of the water stream, And a Soap and shampoo dispenser...... I love this place, truly I do. I stood in the shower easily for ten minutes. I haven't talked about the shower, such that it is, in my apartment, but suffice it to say, it's horrible. And any body who knows me, knows I LOVE taking showers. So I had multiple showergasms today. You have no idea how much that one thing made me so happy. I don't care what the membership fees are, the shower rock. And by the way, the fees aren't anymore than I was paying in the U.S. This place is first class!
Tonight I will sleep well. I am tired and can barely keep my eyes open and I still need to walk home. I anticipate the stiffness that comes with exertion. That's OK, because A nice hot shower awaits me after each workout! Awesome!
Peace
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Something funky happened.
I am leaving my usual Where is D format. This is note to say scroll down to a blog post that say Tuesday Feb. 24. This was a post I started and saved. I finished it today. And blogspot didn't put in on today. But it buried all the way down on last Tuesday. So please go there to see my latest thoughts.
Peace.
Peace.
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