Attending the ACT Boot Camp in the USA

I've just been to the USA - well to be honest, just a tiny portion of it, around Reno, Nevada and just a few small areas of California.

Like many professionals, to remain registered with our associations we have to accrue a certain amount of PD (Professional Development) points per annum. This is to show that we're up to date, moving with the times and not allowing dust to gather under our feet. For my association, (the CDAA - Career Development Association of Australia) we can include attending relevant training or conferences, writing articles which are published, reading and mentoring among other things.

I enjoy conferences, it's a great way to meet with colleagues from around the country and share experiences - both the joys and frustrations of our work and learn new things in a concentrated environment.

Training:
This year, however,  I wanted to extend my skills in a specific area, so when information about an ACT Boot Camp in the US appeared in my in-box I was delighted ... except that ... well ... it was in the US, and that's not just down the road. A 15 hour direct flight isn't something to be tackled lightly when you're travelling economy, even when the fares are heavily discounted. That's fifteen, long, boring hours, with crying babies, coughing adults and smoking deprived addicts, cooped up, farting, twitching, and generally desperately wishing they were somewhere else, mostly safely on the ground at their destination. QANTAS is a good airline, but 15 hours is stretching the friendship quite a bit.

But four days of intense training in ACT was extremely attractive! My training so far has been with Dr Russ Harris, (there's more about him, his books and work here) and he's great. But this boot camp would give me the opportunity to meet Dr Steve Hayes and other influential people in the field, learn more, and would be relevant for both my clients and myself.

Core Values:
Encouraging clients to think about their core values is how I work. When you know what's important to you, it provides a solid basis on which to make career and life choices, and ACT is both mindfully and values based. It complements career development for those wanting to make decisions which will support their life goals and values. Perfect!

Four solid days of training were offered, 8:30 am till 9:30 pm, an hour for lunch, and a dinner break of 1 1/2 hours - a couple of meagre tea breaks were included. That's full on! Would I have the stamina to last the distance? I could see why Dr Steve Hayes called it a Boot Camp, even though that's not an expression we use frequently for anything other than extremely demanding exercise classes.

Reno has never been on the short list of places I wanted to visit, but with the Yosemite, Sequoia and Death Valley National Parks not far off, I decided to extend the trip and have a bit of a holiday as well (after all it is such a very long way to travel if you only stay a few days!). This is the land of the TV shows I watched as a child, the wild west, rugged landscapes and familiar place names. (More about this over at jumping aground soon.)

And it was fantastic! More than 360 people attended, mostly from the US, but also from Belgium, France, Israel, South America, Ireland, London and of course Australia!

Casino:
A casino seemed to be an unusual place to hold the training, but the facilities were excellent and we fitted comfortably into the conference room.  I'd rarely go into a casino as they remind me of a large parasite, sucking the lifeblood out of their victims who have been enticed into the lair. The machines seem like voracious pulsating stomach and intestines. This casino was huge; multi levelled, glittery, maze-like, airconditioned and soulless. Few gamblers appeared happy and seemed to be in a zombie like state. I wonder if they go home after a weekend of gambling and eating and say they've had a fantastic time? There must be some attraction I'm missing or the places would go broke and that never seems to happen!

I'm told the Boot Camp attendees stood out like the proverbial sore thumb as appearing very different to the gambling patrons, perhaps it's because many of us not only dressed for comfort and had note books and name badges, but showed complete disinterest in the "attractions" on offer.

But I digress; back to the ACT Boot Camp! There were so many benefits to attending training out of my own country. I didn't know anyone so couldn't take the easy option of sitting with people I already knew. Every person I met was interesting and generously shared information about their work life and the challenges which are so different to what I experience in Australia. The training was structured so that we quickly dropped the facade of "all is well" and shared information about fears, insecurities, and the personal challenges and hurts which affect us all ... we all have some sort of demons to contend with.

Whilst Australia and the US share a common language (more or less), we don't appear to share similar work experiences or opportunities. The bulk of the attendees seemed to be social workers and psychologists working in government departments or institutions of some sort, and I was certainly in the minority being a career counsellor working privately - yet in Australia, this isn't uncommon. It seems that the closest work title to being a career counsellor for adults would be a life coach. Specific career development discussions seem to be provided mostly for students or through companies providing outplacement services for redundant workers (a term that was considered quite harsh by the Americans) or for veterans (who we refer to as returned service personnel).

I talked with those at my shared table about how I already use ACT in career development work with my clients. Much of what I learnt at the Boot Camp is applicable to people who are unhappy in their careers, who are the targets of bullying, seeking a new direction or who are uncertain about course choices - it's definitely not only for people struggling with PTSD, addictions or abuse, although it's been consistently shown to be of benefit to those groups.

I'm glad I went. ACT complements career development beautifully. I've extended my skills, met some wonderful welcoming people, shared information, hopes and dreams as well as personal challenges and learnt more than I dreamed was likely or possible. I've been enriched by the training as well as the travel experience - for all my initial questions about the value of attending overseas training, it was a worthwhile investment!

wikipedia information on ACT
A non-academic article about ACT by Dr Russ Harris here




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CDAA workshop: 33. Your roller-coaster

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


And so we come full circle.

This roller coaster hasn't been painted with your colours yet. It's just waiting for you to climb aboard. No doubt you'll paint it with some energetic, vivid reds and oranges, interspersed with some more soothing and nurturing greens and blues. with the occasional splash of pure individuality.

The speed will change abruptly, and may even take you by surprise. You'll be barreling along, full tilt towards an apparent abyss and get a moment's pause before a sudden, frenetic and stomach churning decline. A bit of a slow down before you re-gather your energy, and focus on the climb ahead. Some dark and long tunnels await, but in all, the ride alone should be worthwhile and extremely satisfying.

My personal journey giving the presentation has been a bit like this analogy. I began full of nerves, wondering if anyone at all would attend. Even then I was daunted with the breadth and depth of experience of the private practitioners who joined in.

Was it worth it? An emphatic yes.

Would I do it again? Yes, when I have something worthwhile to share.

... and as Douglas Adams would say: "so long and thanks for all the fish" ;)

CDAA Workshop: 32. What can you do next?

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

Participants were invited to jot down their answers to these questions.

Interestingly, some have really taken this to heart, and communicate with me regularly, updating me with their goals, and what they've achieved. They also share their frustrations, and we brainstorm ideas on how to overcome the inevitable obstacles.

CDAA Workshop: 31. To do list

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

How does any self employed person become known? Whether you be an artist, author, musician or career development specialist, it seems we all face similar challenges.

I was reading the blog of an author this morning, and she was commenting that whilst she can write well, and her books sell, there is still the need for self promotion - it happens to be a major hurdle for her, and was certainly mentioned by most of the workshop participants. I think it may be one of the reasons why so few people "make a go of it" - it comes back to that feeling of being really exposed and vulnerable. We all have skills, not all of us have the skill of promotion.

Have you also noticed that often when someone does go down the road of blatant self promotion, it can come across as them having an inflated sense of their own EGO, so they get flak for that too. It's a fine line isn't it.

CDAA Workshop: 30. Portfolio or Mixed Business model

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

I've tried teaching full time, I've tried counselling full time. Both are great, but leave me a bit twitchy. I've found I work best and most happily when I follow the "Portfolio" style of career package.

For me that means a bit of teaching/training, a bit of career development and life coaching, some work at organizations, some private work, and with the open mindedness to keep space available for the unexpected.

So much to do, so little time...

CDAA workshop: 29. HBDI influence

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

I came across the The Whole Brain model of thinking at "The Mind and its Potential" conference in Sydney late 2009. It's an excellent conference with relevance for many people in their day to day living; covering aspects of science, learning, creativity and personal development.

The "Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument" is a helpful way of getting a 'birds eye' view of whatever it is you're setting up or beginning. It follows the idea that the brain has a right and left hemisphere, each with it's own distinct way of looking at the world. It then subdivides those halves, so there is a total of 4 parts, giving them particular attributes as well. These are colour coded which makes them easy to remember.

The diagram on the top left gives an idea how I used the ideas in my own small business setup.

I found the ideas helpful even at this late stage having already begun my business, and with clients already making appointments. It reminded me to look at the 4 quadrants and check that I'd covered the different aspects and hadn't got carried away with a feel-good, hair-brained scheme and forgotten about the facts and details. 

The model is particularly useful when you get on a roll with a brilliant idea, as it brings you down to earth with an easy, sequential and logical way of checking that you are being rational, thinking of the financials and all the things that can be ignored in the excitement of a new venture.

For anyone who is particularly pedantic, I suggest you don't get caught up trying to find the exact spot in the brain that equates to the concept being covered. It's not meant to be a map of the brain, but a way to help us relate to others at work and at home.

The Whole Brain Business Book by Nedd Herrmann is user friendly, easy to read and practical. It focuses more on the personal and inter-personal business aspects of the uses of the instrument but was still a useful addition to the overview I gained at the conference. Differences are celebrated, careers suggested to complement a person's strengths, and we're reminded of ways to get the most from all members in a team.

Another book using the HBDI could be good for parents of young children. "Why don't you understand?" by Susie Leonard Weller. Weller discusses the 4 thinking styles, and using these, suggests practical ways to improve communication within the family.

Whilst I'm not accredited in the HBDI, I've found the information gained from reading the books, attending talks and having my profile completed have been extremely useful for day to day living, family interactions and within my business.

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CDAA Workshop: 28. Ladies who Launch

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

After the disappointing experience with the business mentor, this book was a God-send. I came across it while rummaging around in the local library.

Written by women, for women - bliss! It tapped into so many experiences I'd had personally, so many of the setbacks and negativity surrounding a new project.

It also goes into how women think differently from men, and that the male business model isn't necessarily the best for us. So all that guff I'd been fed about the necessity of creating a sound business plan BEFORE I even began was enthusiastically thrown out the door with gusto.

I gave one of these books away at the end of my talk, and hope the recipient is as enthusiastic as me, and finding it encouraging for her new venture.

CDAA Workshop: 27. Shoulds and Oughts

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


Do others know us better than we know ourselves?

"You should only see young clients"

"You should brand yourself"

"Everything from your business card, to your invoices, to your web site to your ... should reflect your brand"

"You ought to return calls within an hour"

"If you really want to be successful you have to work evenings and weekends"

"Why did you get a blue business card? Everyone knows people don't trust people with blue business cards". OK, I'm making that last one up, but I've heard all the others, and more.

One unfortunate experience I had was making use of a business mentoring service where the mentor may have been very experienced in selling goods, but apparently had little expertise in the service arena. She insisted I needed a comprehensive business plan before I embarked on my venture, and promptly shot down all my dreams. She brought few new ideas to the table, but managed to belittle all the plans I had. I felt completely demoralized and disillusioned, and seriously questioned my ability to take that vital first step.

Thankfully I had already had a successful tutoring business, which operated for 3 years until I decided to try working for an organization again.

When I began tutoring, friends and acquaintances said it would never work if I only worked school hours. That didn't sit well with one of my values. (ie: it is important to be around after school for teenagers as well as for younger children.) It was something I was reluctant to compromise on. I stuck to my guns and it worked for me. Which is another way of saying that I was somewhat stubborn!

This isn't to say that the world always adapts to your whims. I don't believe in that rose coloured glasses version of events. Crap happens, not everyone can be at the top of the tree, we can't all be "Tall Poppies". But, it's important to trust yourself, try, see what happens, and be adaptable and open to possibilities.

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CDAA Workshop: 26. Gremlins

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

I'm pretty sure we've all experienced these haven't we. The sneaky little voice that undermines us so effectively and quickly.

We can begin the day with great will, determination, and enthusiasm. But way too often the gremlin will appear - niggling and questioning, carping and moaning about how difficult it all is. How we aren't good enough. How no one will use my expertise. How we're not as good as .... (insert name here).

I've been hugely reassured when a couple of high profile people, widely regarded as leaders in their field, and with enviable world wide reputations have expressed this same private doubt about their skills. One said he often begins consultations feeling "like a bit of a fraud", and wondering how it will all turn out. It has normalized this extremely uncomfortable experience, and made me realize that if people I respect feel this way, then it's OK.

It's a bit like when you're a mother of young children, and animal hour hits, or teething, or any number of other dreary events, and the mantra is: "This too shall pass". That's a pretty good mantra for anyone in the challenging start-up phase of business as well.

CDAA Workshop: 25. "The One Thing Holding You Back" Raphael Cushnir

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


I heard Raphael Cushnir interviewed on the radio one morning. He was inspirational. I think the title of the book says it all really.

I invited the workshop participants to reflect on what is holding them back from pursuing their dreams. It would have been good to have allowed more time for this, as it struck a cord with many people. Sharing could be empowering, and it's often reassuring to know you aren't alone when it comes to obstacles to change.

After some months I was able to borrow the book from the library - it was certainly in heavy demand, and lived up to my expectations. Cushnir uses skills related to Mindfullness Meditation and invites readers to work with the ideas to the best of their ability. It'd be worth buying to work through the exercises in an unhurried way.


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CDAA Workshop: 23 - 24. Web site or not?

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

I eventually had a web site created. It was one of the most confronting things I've ever done. I found the whole process extremely daunting, and it took around 9 months. Very like having a difficult pregnancy, but an exciting birth, with due celebration!

I approached a student of mine who I knew had done some good web sites. She was a young mum, and was so supportive, and gave me loads and loads of information, advice, and lots of tactful, kind cajoling. When it came to doing the "about me" segment I did rather stick my heels in. I just couldn't see the point, and as for a photo - there was no way I was going to go there! But, as you can see I did cave in to her experience. And she's right, people do look at the photo, and read the blurbs.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that not everyone is alike. That kind of thing wasn't so important to me, but having gone through the process, I take more notice of what others have done now. I also thought the whole Testimonials page was unimportant, but have been assured people take note of them. I had assumed they were made up, but used real comments from real clients.

I became sidetracked and read research papers on eye tracking, how to write for the web and the like. I found it really interesting. Some people might call it procrastination ;-)

Because of my interest in Learning Difficulties (including Dyslexia) I tried to make it all user friendly, with lots of pictures that would give a feel for the kinds of people I like working with.

I like colour, and it's important to me to be surrounded by tasteful design and complimentary colours. I've got friends who've said they're happy to go with whatever is recommended by their webmaster, but perhaps because I've been burnt by people who say they have in depth experience of writing and design (but ultimately turn out to be novices) that I - how do I say this nicely - take more of a hands on approach.

Michelle was extremely patient, and worked above and beyond what anyone else would have done. I am indebted to her, and so grateful for her persistence with my fine tuning tones of colour, fonts and overall layout.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I have since found some people use LinkedIn in place of a web site. Not a bad idea really; cheap, efficient, and easily updatable.

I also have an artist friend who has used iWeb to produce his own, and it looks great.

I think there's a place for doing it all yourself if spending a lot of money if out of the question.

People get to my website from my listing in the CDAA find a practitioner. I am also listed in the Russ Harris ACT link.

It's always important to CELEBRATE!! our achievements no matter how insignificant, but especially when they have been a long time coming. A pat on the back (even if it's your own hand doing the patting) is not to be shunned.

CDAA Workshop: 20 - 22. Advertising

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


The kinds of things I've done and people I've spoken with to promote myself as a private practitioner.

I've had 3 versions of my business card so far -I'm the kind of person who can see room for improvement! The most recent was produced by my lovely local printer in under a week. I knew I was going to work at the Reinvent Your Career Expo in Melbourne a couple of years ago, and it seemed sensible to have something suitable for the event.

I'd been unhappy with the previous card which had been designed by a graphic artist. I'd been procrastinating hugely about getting another done as I knew I'd been ripped off with the earlier one. Thankfully this experience was really different. I got to chat with the designer (no charge!!) and he suggested something cheerful that might appeal to the demographic I sort of expected to be working with. No rip off, AND quick printing! What more could I ask for (apart from heaps of enthusiastic clients)?

We had a general discussion about what worked, what didn't and why. There was some great input from the participants. Interestingly very few people had received leads from psychologists. I had seen us as working in tandem with them, but the general view is they see us as more or less poaching their clients. Hmmm.

I've placed ads in the local paper (got one client - so didn't cover costs), a glossy local magazine that had a bit of an alternative angle and encouraged work life balance/life coaching etc. (no clients). I regularly attend networking functions (no clients) (so maybe the BNI would be better as they are more into marketing, not so much for the social scene.

Generally it was felt that word of mouth was the best marketing possible. Strangely (or not) a friend who is a psychiatrist said he'd be unlikely to be in a position to refer people to me, but has at the time of writing been my best, most consistent support.

A couple of local allied health professionals were very keen when I spoke with them about my business, and appeared to genuinely believe they would have lots of referrals for me: however after 2 years, I've had none.


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CDAA Workshop: 18 - 19. Resources for business start up - a sample!

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

Here's a sample of the websites/institutions available to assist the Career Development private practitioner with business ideas, marketing, and general information.

BNI is unapologetically a marketing organization. Is costs somewhere around $1000 to join and for a year membership. You are expected to attend a breakfast meeting each week and be an active advocate for the other members of your group.

Each group only has one representative of each business, so there is effectively no competition. I can see that it would be beneficial, and everyone I have known who has belonged says it is excellent for leads and generally keeping your enthusiasm going.

Each week you give a little blurb about what kinds of leads you are looking for that week, and the other members try to assist.

Have I joined? For me, the deal breaker was making a commitment to turn up for breakfast each and every week during the year. It is effectively $30 per week to market your business, and may be really good value, as long as you're able to make the time commitment. You're only 'allowed' to miss 2 meetings, and above that need to find someone to substitute for you. 

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CDAA Workshop: 16 - 17. An overload of brochures & publications

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


A sample of the amazing variety of publications available for free to assist small businesses.

Frankston City Council offers a series of informative brochures suitable for small businesses. On the whole they seem more relevant for a goods rather than service based business, however some are interesting.

Good title here!

I showed these to encourage participants to make use of the variety of institutions offering support.

However, as I mentioned, some of this comes with an emotional rather than financial cost.

CDAA Workshop: 14. Business Plans

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


One of the many tools available for free to assist in the setting up of your business.

I also borrowed books from the library like "Business Planning for Dummies".

I wonder how useful they are in the "day dream" phase though, as sometimes rigid planning seemed to stifle the creativity I needed for this new venture.

My carry on luggage for the conference was heavy with all the freebies I'd accumulated over the last few years. I brought them along in the hope that someone might like to use them to assist in setting up their own career development private practice. In general there's little given for free for business start-ups, although having said that, I do like the free "Yellow Pages" listing - it's minimal, and has consistently brought me clients.


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CDAA Workshop: 13. Working locally

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


I live in a beautiful part of Victoria, and showed these pictures to emphasize the contrast between the heavy peak hour traffic, and the roads near my home town.

And yes, there is a car down there!

In my ideal world, I wanted to work locally, in a generally relaxing environment, smell the sea and meet and work with locals. 


This goal fits in with my belief that it's not helpful for ourselves or the environment if we spend hours and hours driving to and fro to a stressful job. I'd often think of how much petrol I used each week, and found it challenging to rationalise. there was a marked disconnect between my stated values and how I was living.


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CDAA Workshop: 12. Values

Change for the sake of change can lead to deep disappointment if your underpinning values haven't been explored as fully as possible.

The desire to live by my personal values, beliefs and principles including the desire to have a smaller carbon footprint was integral to my decision to resign from permanent part time work.

In my first foray into solo work some years ago, my decision was based on the value of family time over employer, and in the importance of being at home when my children got home from school.

Participants were again asked to explore their core values, and jot them down.

CDAA Workshop: 11. What makes me feel creative?

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


Participants were encouraged to brainstorm privately and then to think about the questions, then answer them over the next couple of weeks or so.

So often we get caught up in the process of working to earn a living that we forget that work can, and ideally will have some element of personal satisfaction.

Sometimes we're locked in to an unsatisfying career due to a mortgage or loan repayments, but even then it's often possible to find an area where there's a bit of "give" and room to find enjoyment, although often we need outside help to find this.


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CDAA Workshop: 9-10. Life's better with no boring bits!

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


What's important to me, where do I want to work, How do I want to work? 


 As Career Development Practitioners, we often ask clients these questions, but how often do we apply them to ourselves? How often do we sit quietly and think about our own future, satisfaction with work and life?

For participants of the workshop, the question was: Do you want to make changes in your career? 


What are the issues you face that need to be addressed? 


Is there something you can do today to begin the process of change?


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CDAA Workshop: 6-8. The tyranny of 'ungreen' traffic

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


The theme of the 2010 conference is "Greening Career Development". I'd been getting more concerned about the environment, and wanted to have a smaller fuel consumption 'footprint' . Driving 100 km per day, an hour each way to and from work in heavy peak hour traffic wasn't sitting well with my philosophy of "living green".

My issues with traffic began to get the better of me. Too many accidents, constant road works, driving home in the dark on wet, miserable roads in winter with kamikaze trucks looming beside and behind me were a constant stress.

It was time for a major change in my life.

Alongside what I believed was a crazy amount of time driving, was the frustration of working across 4 campuses over 3 days.

I was heartily sick of living out of the boot of my car. Never able to confidently know that the paperwork or files I would need were on hand. But also knowing that it was considered inappropriate to carry confidential client files in a private vehicle. It did seem a bit of a double bind. Added to this was the seemingly insignificant issue of never being able to leave personal things, such as my tea mug, at the office. Anyone who has worked like this will understand.

It was time to move on.