Thoughts Of A Samuel: Pokémon And Ethics

For Christmas last year, my brothers each got a Nintendo DSi (apparently the "i" is important because every time I say "DS" they correct me). When I found out that my dad and step mom were getting them the DSis, I remembered a Christmas many years ago when I got a Gameboy color. What game did I get with my Gameboy? Pokémon, of course! So, naturally, I decided I'd get my brothers a Pokémon game as well. Sometimes I regret that decision, because they ask me questions all the time. 90% of conversations they have with me are related to Pokémon. At first I didn't mind. I think it was nostalgia - me remembering how captivating Pokémon was for me when I was their age. Now, though, I sometimes don't want them to talk to me. The other day they had taken the hint that I wasn't in the mood for Pokémon talk, so they discussed it amongst themselves. I don't really remember what they were talking about, but then Sam said something I thought was noteworthy: "Liam, we should release some of our Pokémon that we caught." Liam and I both looked at him questioningly and simultaneously asked, "Why?"

"Well, I mean, the ones that we never use. Since we don't use them, they just stay locked up inside and that doesn't seem very nice. I bet they'd rather be free." He was very concerned for their well-being, and I feel like he was genuinely upset that the fictional creatures were not able to roam about freely.

Really? My nine year old brother just brought ethics into Pokémon? Next he's gonna start talking about how it's wrong to make them fight and make a joke about Michael Vick just trying to be a Pokémon master.

Just kidding - he doesn't know who Michael Vick is.

The Jokester - Thoughts Of A Liam

If I didn't have to go to college and could stay home forever, I think I could start a whole new blog titled "Thoughts Of A Liam." Alas, I do have to go to college and cannot stay home forever. That just means that I have to take advantage of my brother's puzzling little cranium while I can. Luckily, in order to do that, I don't actually have to do anything. I just sit here and he'll come up and start talking to me. Today, he had a joke. I think. It was more like a different way to present me with a fact, but it was told as a joke.

Liam: What do you call a turtle without a shell?

Me: Naked?

Liam: Nope!

Me: Homeless.

Liam: Nope!

Me: Okay, I give up. What do you call a turtle without a shell?

Liam: A not-turtle! Get it? Because all turtles have shells, and if this one didn't have a shell, it wouldn't be a turtle!

Me: ...That doesn't make any sense.

Liam: Oh...

Me: Well, I mean, it does, but it's not very funny.

Liam: Oh...

Me: Maybe you should go back to making up knock-knock jokes.

Liam: Maybe. What kind of ice cream are you going to get?

Me: (Confused stare)

Little kids are definitely in my top five for sources of entertainment, and having two brothers that are little kids is kind of like having two personal sources of entertainment, available to be used at any time. That's kind of a dark twist to the positive side of having little brothers, but I think you know what I mean. I don't "use" my brothers, I just get to be entertained for free almost every day I'm home.*

*Don't get me wrong - they're funny or whatever, but they're still my little brothers, which automatically makes them annoying. Like, really annoying. Most of the time they just annoy each other, though, so it's okay.