a)  Things that seem alike but are really different

a)  Things that seem alike but are really different. For example, to the untrained ear all rap (or jazz or classical or bluegrass, etc.) music sounds the same, but in fact there are many different varieties of it. Or, instead of music, you could write about food or poetry or car racing or running track or baseball bats or cell phones or whatever strikes your fancy.

b) Things that seem different but actually have a lot in common. For example, apples and oranges, trees and teeth, squids and fountain pens, friends and enemies, Republicans and Democrats, Kathmandu (or Accra or Seoul) and Troy, The Front Porch and Snuffy’s Deer Processing, or whatever strikes your fancy. Email it to me by 9:00 a.m. Wednesday. Be sure to put “COMPARE AND CONTRAST 2” in the subject line.