The end of the day was marked by another red X on the calender under December.

      10 more days until Christmas. Only 10 more days until the chaos that was reaked apon the Hanson household took place.

      Streamers would be flying, family would come down from all over the nation, talking would be heard in every room, and Mackie would be the little charmer he always was, showing our grandparents the latest Christmas gift.

      Then we would all have a large family prayer in thanks to God before eating the huge dinner that all the women folk had spent the day preparing. Only 10 more days.

      I put the cap back on the red felt marker and set it back in the pen can near the calender that hung in our living room.

      Staring blankly at the TV screen, I decided to make good use of my time and go down to the studio/garage.

      I found Ike laying on the couch we had in there reading a "Mad" magazine. No matter how old he ever got, I don't think he would ever stop reading those things.

      Zac was on the stool behind his drum kit, patting at the bass drum softly without much thought to what he was doing.

      "Hey Tay!" They both greeted.

      "Hey guys. I'm gonna play a little. You don't mind, do ya?"

      "Nah. In fact, I'll join you. This magazine is starting to give me a headache anyway." Ike chimed.

      He walked over to his guitar stand and picked out one of them before sliding it on and pulling a pick out of his pocket. I was surprised he had one so conveniently. Back in '97, he almost always had to borrow one from Ravi.

      But that was at least two years ago.

      Isaac had become more responsible. He was still the same old frizzy goofball he always was, but with a bit more adultness about him. And it was odd to see him ilke that, but Ike wuold always be Ike. The changes just came with the territory.

      I walked over to my keyboards and flipped them on while Isaac tuned his guitar. The changing weather and temperature required that he frequently tune the strings.

      Soon we were ready to play. The entire mood of the roomwas light and cheerful, something it hadn't been behind our instruments in quite a while.

      The album wouldn't be out until the Spring but I sure hope it was worth all the troubles that came up with it.

      Switching labels due to Mercury's collapse, having Fenster and Orcasek quarrel until Orcasek was booted, trying to hurry to get it out in album only to find out that it wouldn't even be out until 2000. Everything weighed down on us all pretty heavily.

      And somewhere during that time frame, we all grew up.

      I don't think I changed much. But Zac had gotten taller, quieter, more intellectual, and his voice had definately changed. Isaac was switching over to adulthood a lot faster than I think he wanted to go.

      And I was stuck in the middle watching all of this happen around me. It's like I was frozen in time while everyone else was fast forwarding through it. All the changes, all the new things, all the difference.

      I rested my hands gently on the keys before I just started to play. I had no idea what I was playing but Isaac obviously did because he started playing along and Zac caught on quickly.

      It felt really good to play for the fun of it.

      As I played the last note, Isaac walked over to me.

      "What on earth made you want to play that?" He asked.

      "Play what?" I still hadn't figured out or clued in to exactly what I had been playing. Ity was like I was an entirely different world when I played. Just me and the music.

      "Taylor, we haven't played 'Weird' in a long time. And if your voice had been any more heartfelt, I would have had you commited. Is anything wrong, man?"

      "Nah. Just haven't played for myself in a while. I dunno. It was cool though." I shrugged it off.

      Ike laughed and said , "Yeah. It was. Considering that I just broke a string trying to keep up and be heard over you, yeah. It was."

      All three of us laughed before Zac mentioned that he accidently broke a drum stick. My keyboards had made it through just fine.

      I walked over to the couch and flopped down while Zac went to get another drum stick and Isaac replaced the string.

      By the time they were done, I had fallen asleep.