My cord came, and it works. That was written in a happy tone. Written words are sometimes better than spoken words but not usually when one is describing real life. With spoken words, the words themselves are usually simpler, but the tone and body language can make the words mean almost anything. I occasionally have conversations with friends consisting entirely of one repeated sentence (maybe a few variations). "I like this part." "This part?" "Noooo...." "ohh. That part?" "that part." "Yeah, that part." "and when?" "oh yeah." "me too." Contrary to popular belief, guys do have conversations like this. Not quite like that, but similar. Today, I am listening to Flyleaf's 'Arise' and 'Circles.' I had not heard of them before, but they are an amazing Christian rock group. Band. Thing. What is the difference between a 'group' and a 'band?' For example: David Crowder is a band. David Crowder is also a singer in a group. I do not understand, but I am told there is a difference. I just finished Pay the Piper, which is a decent book. I am not really a fan of Jane Yolen, but I love the story of the Pied Piper. It is one of many unwritten story ideas floating around in the back of my head. Maybe when I finish Rale, (based on beauty and the beast [not the disney version]) I can fill it out a little more. Although I think I have 6 stories in progress at the moment. I probably need to finish more than one to justify starting another. I just got back from the youth Christmas banquet at church. There were 9 people there including me and DD. Last year there were over 20 people. It was not what I expected, but we played 'Pounce' and 'Cheat,' which are card games, and I had a really good time. There are hairs stuck to my computer screen and they are distracting me. Good now they are in a triangle. That is much less distracting. I love the story of the Pied Piper. I've done some research and it seems that there are many versions of the legend. Some say that the children were taken on a crusade, some say that the town was infected with the black plague and the piper was really saving the children. Some say that he took them magically to Germany when they disappeared into the crack of the mountain. Some say that there was a child left behind who was crippled and he would stare out of the window and cry for the piper to come back with his beautiful, laughing music and take him away too. Some say that the children were taken to the land of the fairies, and this is the version that Jane Yolen uses. Some say that they were left hidden in the mountain cleft and remain there even today. They are forever young and wait for the spring when the piper always comes to visit them, playing his music. So is the piper a good guy? A bad guy? An impatient guy with a short temper? Is the piper the personification of some illlness that struck Hamelin's children? Is he human? Fairy? Piper? Rats, Rats, They fought the dogs and killed the cats, And bit the babies in the cradle, And ate the cheese out of the vat... That's all I know so far. Sorry. I don't like rats. killed the cats???!!! Big rats. Today is a dark fir against a pink and purple bruised sky. Evergreen.