After dinner, Liam and Nate are watching the stellar kids’ music DVD, Here Come the ABCs by They Might Be Giants (Thanks Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jess!) TMBG must be up to their mic stands in some deadly black magic to have created a product that appeals to both the under 5 and the over 30 demographic. I highly recommend it to those of you choking on the purple swill that is Barney.

“Here Come the ABCs” is, obviously, about letters and the alphabet and features maddeningly clever songs paired with charming animation. In one song, a tin man reminiscent robot sings the alphabet in a gravely, synthesized voice as letters drift up slowly from his silver toaster head. As he is wont to do, Liam tries to take possession of the unpossessable. He informs Nate, “Those are Weem’s letters!” and thrusts his pointer at a ‘J’ as it puffs out of the robot’s head. He waits for the fight to begin, but Nate, who turns into our short-circuited little robot when in front of a TV, cannot process Liam’s transmission. Liam tries again. “Nate! NATE! Those are WEEM’S LETTERS!!” Nate continues his tree bark impersonation. Frustrated by his inability to goad his little brother into a duel, Liam leans across the table and positions his face two inches from Nate’s and says very calmly, “Those are Weem’s goddamn letters, Nate.”