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Nicole Stankovic started learning piano

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when she was just six.

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By 16,

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she was winning

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international competitions and performing

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in Carnegie Hall.

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A self-described introvert,

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it was piano that set her free.

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When I play,

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it really just expresses how I feel

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at the moment.

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Sometimes I don't even know

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how I'm feeling until I perform

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Nicole was thrilled

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when legendary pianist

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Dr. Robin McCabe

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accepted her

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into the University

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of Washington's music program.

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By late 2019,

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Nicole was preparing

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for the most consequential performance

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of her life:

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Her senior recital

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This is the bulletin board

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that students hang up posters

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just advertising their upcoming

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recitals.  Around March of 2020.

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I started seeing them get canceled,

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and so I kind of had a feeling

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that mine would be canceled, too.

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And it was.

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Then the in-person graduation

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at Husky Stadium was scrapped.

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It's bittersweet.

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Pomp and Circumstance

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is one of those pieces

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where when you hear it,

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you're kind of

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saying goodbye to something.

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But also saying hello to the future.

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But that future had

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just become a big question mark.

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So Nicole flew

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home to Park City, Utah, where

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she'd grown up.

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She performed that senior recital

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in her parent's living room.

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The family took photos,

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watched U-dub's virtual commencement

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and tuned in for the piano department's

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grand finale.

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Which just didn't feel so grand

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on a computer screen.

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I think it was better than nothing,

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but still a little disappointing.

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Once back in Seattle

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craving connection, Nicole began teaching

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piano full time.

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You get that sticker.

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And through hours of reflection,

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Nicole discovered

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the pandemic didn't so much

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stop her in her tracks.

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It sent her in a new direction.

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I'm going

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to do a master's in piano performance

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as well as a master's in public health.

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A million people died in

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just our country alone

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and it really showed

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the weaknesses of our system.

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But first,

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Nicole and her friend

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Jessica have something important to do.

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What kind of dress do you want to get?

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I don't know.

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The Udub is holding

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a special commencement ceremony

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for the classes of 2020 and 2021.

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I don't want to miss out on this,

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and I want to give my parents

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the appreciation that they deserve

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and the moment that they deserve.

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After two years,

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I realized how much I wanted them here

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As immigrants.

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Her parents need this moment

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just as much as Nicole,

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who's now

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the first in the family

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to earn a college degree.

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But COVID isn't finished wreaking havoc.

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Hi. You on the way to the airport?

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Oh, you're wearing purple.

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That's our school color.

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Nicole's mother owns

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a busy Chinese restaurant in Park City.

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That's short staffed.

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So the family booked an evening flight

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the night before the graduation.

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They got to the airport last night,

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and their flight got canceled.

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Were there any tears there?

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There were for me.

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My mom was just angry.

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The best they can do

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is standby for a 5:30 a.m.

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flight, which will still get them

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to Seattle in plenty of time.

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But that plane is overbooked.

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I immediately got on the phone

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to try and see if, you know,

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we could get them another flight.

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OK, so they will make it

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Hey, so exciting.

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We're going to see Koko!

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So you guys went over there.

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Are you all class of 2021?

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2020 is this side.

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We're with Jessica's mom right now.

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4 a.m. in Taiwan.

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As the returning graduates

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start to enter the stadium, Nicole

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finally has good news.

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They're on a plane.

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It's a two hour flight.

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If they arrive early and commencement

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starts late, they could still make it

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Now, entering the stadium

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are the bachelors

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Nicole is missing her family

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feeling far more emotional

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than she anticipated.

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2020 feels light years away from today.

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And I realize that,

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you know,

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I actually cared

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a lot more than I thought.

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Hello.

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Graduates of the class of 2020

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and 2021.

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It's so good to finally be here

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in Husky Stadium.

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Graduation

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ceremonies are notorious

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for moving slowly.

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If time is on Nicole's side.

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This one will go really, really slowly.

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There are a few lessons

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one learns as a dean.

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One is not to be long winded

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as master students begin

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walking up to accept diplomas.

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Nichols family is entering Oregon.

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52 minutes to arrival

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now.

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The turning of the castle.

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On the count of three.

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One, two, three.

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Nicole is keeping tabs on her phone

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as bachelor students start to walk.

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Only 14 minutes left in the flight.

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But in a cruel twist of fate, as Nicole

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finally takes her iconic walk,

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her parents are over the stadium.

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Not in it.

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They tried their best for sure.

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And, you know, I'm

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just I'm glad

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that they still decided to come

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After two years of waiting,

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all Nicole needed was another 40 minutes.

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But time was never on her side.

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Where are you guys?

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Oh, no, I think I see them.

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That's them.

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It's been an unforgettable day of twists

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and turns and bitter disappointments.

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Jessica! But Nicole and her family find

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joy in the simplest way

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by being together.

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It's me.

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Hey. Hey.

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Hi!

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It no longer matters

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they missed the entire ceremony.

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Life is about stories.

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We made it!  I made it!

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This one will be told for years to come.

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I told you over the phone,

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I say, like, look, we try

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we try,  we try.

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We will be there one way or another.

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Even this morning,

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we had no chance of getting on the airplane.

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And I say, we've got to go.

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It definitely gives me

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a sense of closure.

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Oh, I'm so happy right now.

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Yeah, this is all I really wanted

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Watch

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City Stream

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Tuesday nights

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at seven on the Seattle Channel

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or find us anytime

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online at Seattle Channel, dawg.