Blessing Chambers Hollyoaks Transgender Storyline Blog.

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
02/07
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Blessing goes Boy mode!

WARNING SOME OF THIS CONTENT MAYBE TRIGGERING TO PEOPLE WHO SELF-HARM!

Dennis hears some noises downstairs and goes down to investigate.

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He grabs an inflatable dinosaur instead of the tennis racket at first to defend himself for some light humour before the realisation that the hooded yoof is Blessing.

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Dennis - (IN A HIGH PITCHED PANIC VOICE) "STOP RIGHT THERE!" "Put the stuff down and step away from it, I have a loaded weapon here, well I have got news for you buddy you have messed with the wrong house!!!"

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The Hoodie turns around...

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Dennis - "Blessing?!"

Later...

Blessing is packing to leave.

Dennis - "Would you please stop this?"

Blessing - "What is the point in trying anymore?!" "I'll never be able to afford the surgery!"

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Dennis - "What about the fundraiser?! We raised nearly £300 quid!"

Blessing - "I know...n...well...I'm grateful. Really I am. But it's not enough it's is not nearly enough. And I cannot face waiting on the NHS list! With everyone thinking I'm a freak!"

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Dennis - "No one thinks that!"

Blessing - "Frankie [The woman who pulled her skirt off see above] does. She made her feelings pretty clear."

Dennis - "She's the freak! Have you seen some of the gear she knocks about in?

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Blessing - "She's the only one who has the guts to say what everybody else is thinking! What you are really thinking! Deep Down." (SHE HANDS HIM A BOX OF HER OLD POSSESSIONS) "There take them for the Emporium, someone might want to use them."

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[Aww a little pink make-up box called Little Cosmetic - I could cry! IM I see props dept have a heart of gold in that show kudos to them they are unrecognised a lot of the time in TV]

[This clearing away of the real you is called 'Purging' and is very common particularly with cross-dressers who can have a love-hate relationship with their femme self - it is cyclical].

Dennis - "Blessing wait!"

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Blessing - (POINTING ANGRILY) "THAT is not my name!" "Blessing's gone!"

Later...

For reasons of character identity and development and as at this moment 'he' insists Blessing is not who he is any longer I will report as such.

Tyson (MALE NAME) is looking at himself in the mirror and drops it and then picks up a shard and is about to continue the self harm Blessing carried out last night. But he is interrupted by non other than Frankie who abused Blessing last night at the fund raiser.

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Frankie - I just had Dennis in the pub giving me the third degree about what happened last night in the pub.

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Tyson - I didn't send him!

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Frankie - "Well it was just a bit of fun..you know?""I mean you're a big...Gi...Um..."

Tyson looks confused...

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Frankie - "Well you are all grown up now eh? You can take a bit of bantar?!

Tyson - "Yeah Frankie I can handle your stupid bantar! Now can you leave please?!"

Frankie approaches her...

Frankie - "I am not completely clueless you know, I mean my son, Craig, he thought he was gay and now he is going out with a woman!"

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Tyson - "I'm not gay Frankie!"

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Frankie - Non,no,no,no,no, I am just saying, its very easy to rush into these,...sexuality things... you know, just because you have a notion."

Tyson - "This has nothing to do with sexuality!"

Frankie - And Ether, you know... Well, she thinks she's a... Well I mean. she's had one girlfriend but it was more of a schoolgirl crush thing, you know.If she came to me tomorrow and said she'd got a thing about Russell Crowe, I wouldn't be surprised."

Tyson - "Get out."

Frankie - "Right, then, I'll be off. I can see you've made your choice."

Tyson - "Choice? You... You think I have a choice?! I don't have a choice at all. I am trying to do something - anything - to stop bigoted people like you with your cheap little jokes and your harmless 'banter'..."

Frankie - "Hang on a minute..."

Tyson - "Just get out, before I CHOOSE to do something I regret."

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A little struggle ensues at this point Frankie grabs Tyson's arm and reveals the wounds.

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Frankie looks in horror - "Blessing what have you done to yourself!"


Later...

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They are sitting at the kitchen table with coffee...

Frankie - "My Esther hurt herself, none of us realised until it was too late."

Tyson - "I don't need help I can handle it."

Frankie - "Not now you don't, but when a person's on the edge... It only takes a little thing to push them over. Do your mum and dad know what you've been doing?"

Tyson - "It has nothing to do with them."

Frankie - "Well, I think they'd like to know if you were...having trouble."

Tyson - "I haven't seen them in ages and... They don't even know me."

Frankie - "All right. What about Dennis?"

Tyson - "I've given that little brain of his enough to deal with already."

Frankie - "Dennis is a good boy, you know.You should have seen him today. He was, er...strident."

Tyson - "Was he carrying a tennis racket?"

(SMILES)

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Frankie - "No but he obviously cares about you."

Tyson - "I just thought... If I came somewhere new...I might feel better. But nothing makes it better."

Frankie - "You can't fight pain with pain. Believe me, I know."

Tyson - "You're not just a prejudiced old witch after all, are you?"

Frankie - "Well, I'll take "prejudiced" and "witch, but less of the "old", eh? Listen, I've got to get back to the pub. Come with me? We'll see if Dennis is still there, baying for my blood."

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Tyson - "Thank you but, er, I think I know what I've got to do."

(FRANKIE LEAVES AND TOUCHES TYSON GENTLY ON THE BACK AS SHE GOES)

Later...

Frankie goes into Dennis' shop 'The Emporium' and although Dennis is ready to have a go a Frankie she has a go at him and tells him to get home to his girl that needs him!

Dennis to Frankie - "Hang on, love. I'm the one that's meant to be mad at you!"

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Frankie - (SPEAKS TO BOTH MEN WHO HAVE GF) "There are two sweet, loving girls out there, and they are hurting." "And what are you two doing, eh? Sitting around like a couple of lemons whilst they still need you. Stop gawping at me and get out there and get your girls!"

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Meanwhile back at Home Tyson is calling home for the first time...

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Mother - "Delaney residence." "Hello?"

Tyson is silent for a while...

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Mother has an instinct... "Tyson?" "Tyson darling, is that you?"

Tyson - "Yeah." "It's me. It's Tyson.

Mother - "Where are you?""Talk to me.""Are you OK?"

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Tyson - "Mum..." "I'm sorry. I'm coming home."

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He hangs up walks across the room takes one last look at the flat...

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... puts up his hoodie, walks with a male swagga' grabs his holdall and walks out the door leaving a note for Dennis.

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Comment

Firstly FEW! and secondly FEW FEW - This intense dialogue is killing me - Thanks Hollyoaks that's a Transcripting nightmare - I should be working for them

OK intense stuff and a Purge session. The desire to flit or switcheroo back to the gender society can best deal with is common place. In this instance it is a little more complicated as the actress does look like a transitioning transman. She is a ciswoman. But she clearly if this were true looks, sounds and behaves like a girl, her voice is feminine and she would now likely have to bind her breasts. The Boy mode even with a swagga... Just looks like Blessing in a hoodie

But this is not what is happening in the Soap this is a pre surgical transwoman who has been humiliated and the only safety bolt hole for now seems to be mum.

I find the whole mother hearing her son for the first time since he went missing moving. I thought that was very well played. I spoke a long time ago to the then 'National Missing Person's Helpline' and raised the issue that many that go missing may well be trans. 10 years ago they had not considered it. But this episode shows this is more than a realstic consideration. So I did 'like' that addon.

The self-harm is a common misconception, although it does happen. It also is not something I have encountered that much. The self-harm of performing this constant act or pretending to be the gender you were assigned at birth is pain enough for many. So the whole arm cutting could be a red herring for families to be looking out for, if they do not have tram-lines up their arms does not indicate they are not trans. If you see what I mean.

This was also used in their last trans storyline where transitioning transman Jason Costello (played by Victoria Atkin) did the same see image below. Again this is something that might have been best to avoid.

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Read the whole of the Jason Costello Storyline right here on Transgender Zone
viewtopic.php?f=48&t=434&start=30#p10471

On the whole, I do still think that Jason Costello was written a bit better, it was more realsitic and had some humour amongst the angst. Blessing is crying non-stop, Dennis seems to be just lost. And there seems to be a convoluted effort to try and constantly humiliate Blessing. The fact is being trans is also about the frustration and red tape, as much as cat calls. We saw a glimpse of that with the hospital, but it was brushed over too much. In the Jason Costello version he went to a clinic and they did an OB (Outside Broadcast) for it. Tyson is now off to see his mum. This, I assume, is where we go next. Or is that it? Family dynamics are a dream come true for soap scripts, as we have already been introduced to his mum then I suspect that is not the last we have seen of her. Unless Dennis catches the train on time?

Again Blessing is identifying as Tyson atm so please no complaints I am aware of this issue obviously!

Interesting episode.

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
03/07
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A Blessing of a Bus Driver?

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Dennis slams down the note in the pub in front of Frankie.

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Dennis - "Blessing, she's gone! Gone for good!"

Tyson - "Is at the Bus stop when Dennis frantically tries to call him."

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He Ignores his call.

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Frankie - "Still no answer?"

Dennis - "Voice-mail. She even manages to make leaving a message sound sexy!"

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Frankie - "So there was no indication in the message where she would be heading?"

Dennis - "Knowing how spontaneous she is? Nah! She could be in Catford or she could be in Katmandu!"

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Frankie - This maybe nothing, but when I popped over (guilty expression) to make the peace. So to speak, she ah mentioned something about her mum about the past?

Dennis - "You think she may head back there?"

Frankie - "Well in times of crisis my lot always used to head home!"

Dennis gets up to leave in a hurry and nearly gets knocked over by other patrons coming through the bar doors - "THANK YOU!"

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He just misses the bus so steals a little girl's pink bike and chases the bus.

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(COMEDY MOMENT)

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He catches up with the bus by hitting the back of it then frantically taps on the window...

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Dennis - "GET OFF THE BUS...GET OFF THE BUS!!!" HE RUNS the the front OPEN THE DOOR! HELLO?! OPEN THE DOOR!!!"

HE ENTERS THE BUS AND APPROACHES Tyson.

Dennis - "How can you run away and not tell me?!"

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Tyson - "Dennis!"

Dennis - "No, NO, no, don't start rambling I can feel it! Cos this isn't awkward enough as it is! Here comes the verbal diarrhoea, there now I have said diarrhoea! Brilliant! (LOOKS AT PASSENGER AND APOLOGISES TO THEM) "SORRY LOVE!""

Tyson - "You need to go!"

Dennis - "No! You NEED to come home! So come on then what are you waiting for I will give you a ride on my new wheels!"

Tyson - "Don't, people are staring!"

Dennis - "So! Let em'."

Tyson - "That's the problem though isn't it, they will never stop! No matter what I do, I will be someone they have the right to gawp at! I don't expect you to understand!"

Dennis - "Sorry! Did you just say I wouldn't understand what it feels like to be an outcast? Look, all my life, I've been the funny little weirdo! 'Oh look, here comes Mole-Man!' If it's not me looks, it's me height, or me glasses, me freaky little walk - trust me love, I know how it feels!"

Tyson - "Then why carry on? Why not just hide away?"

Dennis - "Cos that'd be giving up! That's not who I am, or you. We're not quitters, People who quit never get to experience life at its sweetest! You are the bravest creature I have ever met! Right? And sometimes you need reminding of that!"

Tyson - "Why are you saying all this?"

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Dennis - "Cos I love yah! BLESSING! With every speck of me freaky Mole DNA! I've known that since the moment I met yah!"

Tyson - "How?! How could you love 'this?!"

Dennis - "You can't see what I see! I wish I could pop out my eyeballs and give em' to yah! But I can't! So I am gonna make it my life's mission to keep that smile where it belongs! Which is there!"

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[UM is this a patient bus driver or has he died? LOL IM]

Dennis - "PLEASE! I'm asking yah! Come home with me?! To our home?!"



Comment

Two key issues here - has the Bus Driver died at the wheel? I mean no bus driver would let the engine idel like this whilst two people chat... He should of at least shouted back, "C'mon off or on mate!!!" Or something this was just plain ODD!

Second... I have the original Coronation St openers with Roy and Hayley. The, "I am a freak too!" Dennis speech reminds me very much of Roy when he first met Hayley. Trans people tend to get paired up like this in dramas - the odd couples. Trans can never attract anyone other than the daft boy or girl. This is a bit of a shame. Whilst it works and Dennis is not as 'odd' as David Neilson's Roy Cropper Character. He is nonetheless the daftest boy in town. So perfect for any single transsexual knocking about. I am being harsh and just commenting as it is a fair comment. However he is played quite well by the actor. I assume Blessing will be back from her brief stint as Tyson in due course prolly Monday week as they need a week to film it!

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
11/07/14
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A Blessing Hen Party!


So Blessing is back from her stint as Tyson. She must have got off the bus then?

OK so pronouns reset!

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Blessing - "O-M-actual G Can you beleive it Dennis has just told me that Maxine's not having a hen do."

Lads - "What Maxine! Hang on a minute, I don't care, do I?"

Blessing - "I want a party. I'm not letting this lie. That girl's getting a a hen do whether she likes it or not and that's going to be my good deed for the day. (TO THE BOYS) Tour good deed can be sorting his miserable face out. Take him on a date or something, he's been stomping around all morning."

[I WANT, I WANT?! IM]

Lads - "Only because I didn't sleep very well last night."

Later in the shop...

Blessing approaches Maxine and two women.

Blessing - "There you are! What's all this I'm hearing about you not having a hen night? Don't worry I've sorted it. It's only at the loft but it's something."

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Maxine - "A hen do was never on the cards, to be honest."

(The man she is planning to marry is abusing her).

Maxine continues - "It's not really Patrick's thing."

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Blessing - "Patrick's is not invited."

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(LEANS OVER AND BLESSING WHISPERS IN MAXINE EAR) Blessing - "Is it cos she's here?"

Woman - "Excuse me, what is that supposed to mean?"

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Blessing - "It means she's probably afraid you're gonna go and tell the Demon Headmaster. No offence, but I bet you were a prefect. (TURNS BACK TO NERVOUS MAXINE) Come on! Come on. It's just a few cocktails. (TURNS TO OTHER WOMEN AGAIN) Non-alcoholic, before you give us detention."

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Maxine - "I guess one drink wouldn't hurt."

LATER...

(AT PARTY)

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Blessing - "See the party is just getting started!"

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They then joke about and get drunk - hmmm thought this was non-alcoholic?

Then Maxine's abusive fiance turns up and takes her outside and tells her in no uncertain terms to:

"GET HOME!"

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And pushes her...she trips and tumbles down the stairs.

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Closing scene

Unaware they continue to party inside!

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Comment

Gotta find things for Blessing to do now.

Maybe the script writers will read this so here is a chance to think carefully about what you are doing!

This is always a bit of an issue as on the one hand she is a trans character, but on the other hand she (if this were real) would be actually a person who happens to be trans, in as much as she happens to be black, or happens to have one leg. She is more than her skin colour she is more than her sexuality or gender.

So yes it is important to emphasise that she is a well-rounded human being who HAPPENS to be transgender.

However, this is a soap! A few weeks ago she was attacked in an alley way by a waiter with a ski mask who then filmed her. A week ago she was 'Tyson' in a baseball cap ready to go home to mum. A week ago she exposing herself to a room full of people.

So this is NOT a 'normal' world. We have to keep reminding ourselves that in fact Blessing is merely a carrier bag for scripts, and when used up will be jettisoned. Or become so cisgender (non-transperson who identifies to their assigned birth gender and straight). Blessing is a woman who needs some genital surgery and fancies men - she is a cisgender woman really.

She is also very 'femme' I mean why can't she look like Dennis in a frock? Plenty do!

This is a problem and a similar pathway was followed with Julie Hesmondhalgh in 'Coronation Street'. This is almost a clone of that.

Let's briefly compare the two characters:

Corrie - Cisgender Julie turned up to play Hayley - she was pre surgery.
Hollyoaks - Non-trans Modupe Adeyeye turns up to play Blessing - she is pre-surgery.

There is a partner doesn't know storyline but finally accepts it
Corrie - Roy Cropper.
Hollyoaks - Dennis.

Hollyoaks - Blessing gets abuse from cast - and was challenged over the toilets.
Corrie - Hayley got abuse from cast (Less Battersby) - and had problems with the toilets at work. She was called 'Harold'.

You see this has all been done before 16 years ago!!! It is actually kinda scary how similar it is and suggests nothing has changed in that time - which is nonsense!

This is old news! Sorry. The very fact they are going over these same issues is because they have a transgender character and it is a stereotype. I can pretty much guarantee, her family and then even engagement and marriage to Dennis is just around the corner - British Soap Award anyone? Whilst an equally talented transgender actress will go wanting as a result?

Anyone remember Hayley's wedding?

The difference is Hayley's was at least before the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and it was challenging.

Blessing by contrast is showing her age. As is this storyline. I suspect it is being written by people in their 40s? It certainly feels that way. Or they are simply not speaking to the right people.

It would have made more sense to have brought in the new doctor or police officer as a person with a trans history and they mention in passing yeah she is trans and they go, "Oh right...!" "Anyway..."

And that is it!

But the police officer by the very fact they ARE in reality A TRANSGENDER PERSON wears their story as the person they are. They do NOT NEED a trans storyline as they have already lived it. In social media and being invited on shows. They ARE TRANS. Why do you need a storyline to demonstrate that? In the same way we don't have a storyline about Blessing being black - SHE JUST IS!

Laverne Cox is not the best actress in the world. Quite average in fact. However, what she is is transgender! And that is what has made her so well known! For Hollyoaks to have not taken advantage of this maybe the biggest Soap mistake in 15 years!

As others will now overtake them and make you look fake! A bit like the Black and white Minstrels looking at black rap music today.

Russell T Davies' 'Banana' series will feature a transgender actress. Times have changed - I just hope they do a good job with her though

Then again shame Hollyoaks didn't ask my advice eh? It shows =) OUCH!

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
14/07/14
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No Blessing tonight but Dennis was the secret person who helps Maxine escape her fiance who injured her. He takes her to a safe place in his van at the end of the episode.

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Worried - Dennis.

I mention that because it might be relevant and involve blessing at some stage - just so you know.

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Never write things down that can be dropped

Maxine to Dennis as they leave - "I need to get away before Patrick hurts me or the baby ever again!"

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However we see the sanctuary/refuge address and as Dennis is the only one who know where she is I suspect Patrick may come 'a lookin'!'

Comment

Even if this is the last we saw of Maxine, The fact Dennis is likley to tell Blessing about all this and Blessing then might blurt it out could lead to a very angry violent man coming after her? Potentially? Possibility?

We shall see I will keep you posted!

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
15/07/14
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Patrick tracks down Maxine and Dennis and thwarts their plan to have her in a safe refuge.

He manipulates her to come home where he continues to control her.

Dennis is worried and says he is watching. But Later Maxine explains she is not under his control and she needs more time to escape but this time properly!

So this is a little side story for the Dennis character. Perhaps whilst Blessing is filming elsewhere