My father just forwarded me this email from my brother:

Subject: Dad, big news

Hey dad,
I have decided to drop out of college and pursue another path in life. I
know you may disagree with this decision, but it is what I love and I
think the only thing that will make me truly happy in life. This is what
I have decided to do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW6M8D41ZWU

Please accept my decision and love me anyway.

Love,
Mario

I ought to post (an) in-depth post(s) about my family some time. For now, I just want to state for the record that I absolutely and unequivocally love and adore my little (okay, okay, he's 17) brother.

He called me a few weeks ago and left me a voicemail, saying that he'd written an essay for his English class and he wanted me to read it. Yesterday, he sent me a copy of the essay.

( My Literacy or Lack-There-Of )

Not only does that part that I bolded fill me warm and happy fuzzies, but this is a pretty darn good essay. And the fact that he loves the smell of bookstores? There's no way he couldn't be related to me.

*hugs him from afar*

I really miss that kid sometimes.