You've Had A Birthday...

Shout hooray!

We'd like to sing to Joey today!

My brother, slightly older than me, celebrates today as the day that he came into this world where he was welcomed by a swift slap by my older sister, Sarah.

I thought that to celebrate this, I could talk about some of our moments as siblings and you guys can sit back and enjoy the mental slideshow.

1. Going down the down stairs in multiple forms
In our early childhood going down the stairs was not only a typical activity to travel through our house, but also somewhat of an Olympic sport. One of these was continuously running up and down the stairs while we slid down on our stomachs. How we did not obtain serious rug burn, I do not know. Usually these slides were interrupted though when our belts snagged on the stairs and we would continue to roll down the stairs in slight pain. The quickest way down though, was to have your older brother donkey kick you down the stairs because you kept pestering him.

"Over there is where I hid the body."

2. One half of Penn & Teller
As kids on Sunday afternoons, we would occupy our time watching a magic show on TV where the magician would escape from various devices. If he could, why couldn't we? With this in mind, Joey and I would sit on small chairs in our sisters' closet where they then tied us up with jump ropes and any other thing that they could find. It was then up to Joey and I to weasel out way out of the binds and then somehow open the closet door (that had since been tied up with more rope). This is what we considered fun.

3. The Most Annoying Smash Brother
Super Smash Bros. is a game that holds a dear place in our hearts as brothers. Throughout our years of mastering the controls, Joey has become one of the only people that I really consider a true adversary when this game is place. Matches are never silly with us, no no; these are dead serious to-the-death matches where tempers will rise and certain words might be yelled. This game might have prevented real life physical fights, but it has also caused its share of death threats coupled with a rivalry they should sing about in songs. Curse you Fox...

4. A personal DI (or Salvation Army or donation center or whatever)
In elementary school, my brother used to hate the fact that I was taller than him because other kids loved to point this out. I just have to assume by now that he is over this because he loves to partake in going through my closet and "borrowing" anything that he thinks would look better on him. Sometimes this is great when I no longer want something or something shrinks due to my sometimes neglectful laundry skills and then sometimes it becomes one of those "brother" arguments.

5. A Personal Radio
Car rides with Joey are not quiet nor are they slow. Every song that has any lyrics that are screamed rather than sung that I know is due to this. You can always count on Joey to teach you a new rap while also getting you to a 3 hour destination in 2 and a half.

6. Taco Tuesdays
Every Tuesday for the past year, my brother and I would hit up our local Costa Vida. There, we would both order 4 pork tacos each (because even though chicken is better for you, chicken is bland). This time was an opportunity for us to catch up on the weeks activities and usually talk about all the professor shenanigans that were happening (since we have all the same professors). During these trips we would also consume almost 3/4's of a small bottle of Cholula Hot Sauce since we doused each taco until it was dripping. Sorry, Costa.

I don't think I've ever met anyone who can each as much cereal as this kid can along with being able to drink an entire Mountain Dew Bottle (the big one guys) and then hold his pee for the duration of our drive from Cedar to Salt Lake. Calculating, but somewhat impulsive, my brother usually chases down what he wants at the time because he wants it now. Now he turns one year older so go wish him a happy birthday because that's what older brothers are for: Constantly reminding them how old they're getting.

He is my favorite older brother. Shocking, I know.

Mr. SUU, king of the Cedar city cows.