High Life / A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Trouble With Sisters and Brothers? They Can Relate to That

“Mom always liked you best.”

Perhaps you’ve heard comedian Tom Smothers say this to his brother, Dick, as part of their celebrated comedy routines. Perhaps you’ve even felt this way yourself. While we may love our brothers and sisters like, well, brothers and sisters, they’re not always easy to get along with.

Hot Topics wonders, “What’s the one thing your brother or sister does that makes you the most angry?”

“When he turns off the TV the moment my parents drive into the driveway and proceeds to study as if he never was watching TV.”

Elizabeth Yi, 16,

sophomore, Villa Park

“She puts her dirty feet on the kitchen table when she eats.”

Jonathan Watson, 18,

senior, Fullerton

“My older brother doesn’t allow me to do anything.”

Jae Park, 18,

senior, Garden Grove

“She’ll be in an argument with me and she’ll hit me and I’ll hit back, then she’ll tell my parents and I’ll get in trouble.”

Scott Judd, 17,

junior, Troy

“Whenever my brother visits from college, he sits down and tells me what a loser I am for 17 minutes.”

Jon de Vera, 18,

senior, University

“My brother always deliberately excites my cocker spaniel puppy so that she goes to the bathroom on my carpet.”

Sally Bassett, 16,

sophomore, Villa Park

“When she gets angry at all men in general for not experiencing PMS.”

Ian Fasack, 18,

senior, Fullerton

“They ask me very stupid questions.”

Binh Dang, 16,

junior, Garden Grove

“My 6-year-old brother hits me and doesn’t get a clue when I tell him to stop.”

Brian Blumer, 16,

junior, Troy

“When my sister fights with my parents, I always defend her. But when I fight with my parents, my sister doesn’t defend me.”

Multi Khurana, 18,

senior, University

“When she mixes my clean laundry with the dirty laundry so I don’t have anything to wear.”

Lisa Lan, 15,

sophomore, Villa Park

“My brother breaks into my room when I’m on the phone and yells at me for the fun of it.”

Mike Fillmore, 16,

sophomore, Fullerton

“When they don’t do anything but watch TV and need help with homework.”

Christine Eyi, 17,

junior, Garden Grove

“My brother wears my clothes and then returns them.”

Tim Roach, 18,

senior, Troy

“Every time I ask my brother if anyone called me when I wasn’t home, he says ‘yes’ but can’t remember who called.”

Steve Rhee, 18,

senior, University

“He curses horribly and completely ignores my lessons in etiquette and gentlemanly qualities.”

Maryam Akhavi, 16,

junior, Villa Park

“He comes in when I’m doing my homework and won’t get out and starts yelling. He says it’s because he has nothing else to do and he’s bored.”

Eden Garisek, 15,

sophomore, Fullerton

“Everything I do or say she wants to beat me at.”

Mon Nguyen, 16,

junior, Garden Grove

“She pesters me and asks me a hundred questions.”

Fred Marsh, 17,

senior, Troy

“My sister gets on my case a lot about not helping around the house.”

Elmer Jayme, 19,

senior, University

“When my brother tells my mom everything I do.”

John Bogris, 15,

sophomore, Villa Park

“He always has to be right.”

Denise Lutz, 17,

junior, Garden Grove

“When my brother takes things without asking me first.”

Danny Yoon, 18,

senior, University

“Embarrassing me in front of my friends.”

Shang-Lin Chuang, 15,

sophomore, Villa Park

“They exist.”

Caleb Wright, 16,

junior, Troy

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

What attracts girls?

Responses gathered by Kelly St. John (Fullerton), Laura Wible (Garden Grove), Layne Mosler (Troy), Claudine Ko (University) and Juanita Chang (Villa Park).

DR, JUDY TSAI