1. Okay, bear with me, because I know I say this every month but: how is it almost JUNE? Where did the spring go? One minute it’s March and then WHOOSH it’s almost summer. Maybe this is a sign of getting older. Or being busy? Who knows. It just makes me think that I need to step out of the chaos of my daily life a bit more and be present, as the Buddhists say. Of course, the Buddhists also say to meditate, but whenever I try to do that and “clear my mind” I end up running over my To Do lists in my head and thinking about lunch. I am not cut out for quiet contemplation, apparently. Or, um, quiet anything.

2. Earlier this week, I pulled my iPad out of my purse only to find….the screen shattered. Cue Munch-like screaming face: NOOOOO! It was in a case and in my purse when it happened, so at least I didn’t drive off with it on the roof of my car or something. I made an appointment with a Genius at the Apple Store (they have so many there: it’s like M.I.T.!) and went in, where they told me I could swap it out for a replacement one for considerably less than buying a whole new model. Yay! I signed some paperwork, they told me they’d call when it was in, and I left happy. The next day, I was back at the mall for another reason so I figured I’d check in and see if it was in yet, save myself a trip if it was. The guy at the door asked me what I needed, I told him, and he pointed at another guy at the back of the store. “He can help you,” he said. I went up to said guy and told him the guy at the door said he could help me. He just looked at me, face irritated. “He was mistaken,” he said. O-kay. Then he sighed. “What do you need?” I showed him my receipt, explained, and he turned away, looking annoyed. “She needs….” he sighed, before giving it to someone else to deal with. It just so…not nice, you know? Eventually another woman came back, said it wasn’t in yet. I thanked her and went to leave. But before I got to the door, I was like…you know, I’m not down for this. So I turned back, went up to the same woman, and canceled the order. She asked why and I told her how the guy was just really rude and I didn’t feel like spending my money there. “You know,” she said, “you won’t be able to get the same replacement deal somewhere else.” Maybe not. And it’s not like Apple even cares or will miss my couple hundred bucks. But as my mom would say, “It’s the principle of the thing.” So I will just keep rocking my busted iPad and call it Modernist, even as I occasionally have to pick glass shards out of my fingertips. Next week I’ll be in New York, where there are a LOT of Apple Stores. Maybe someone will be nicer there? (Edit: after I wrote this earlier today, it occurred to me to just check and see if I’d bought my iPad at Best Buy. I had! Better yet: I bought the protection plan. So that rude guy at Apple actually saved me money! I love how stuff like that works out. Went to Best Buy, they switched my busted one out for a brand new one. VERY nicely, even. Hooray!)

3. Right now, it is 6:52 and my kid is nagging me incessantly to go outside and play Frisbee with her. I’m like: “NO FRISBEE BEFORE SEVEN AM!” like this is an actual steadfast worldwide rule. I never in my life, back when I was all pregnant and rubbing my belly and dreamily thinking of chubby baby cheeks, thought I’d be doing this. That’s the crazy thing about being a parent. You can’t ever know what you’re going to get. Some folks have kids that sleep until 9am: mine wakes at 5:30, 6 if I am super lucky. And she is ready to GO. And play Frisbee. It’s a good thing I’m a morning person, although, left to my own devices (and back in the belly-rubbing days) I’ll sleep until seven. But really, what did I do THEN with my mornings? Drink coffee, watch a little TV, do my makeup slowly and with great care. In the grand scheme of things, Frisbee is more interesting. But only after seven, because THAT IS THE RULE.

4. As I mentioned above, I’m heading to New York next week, part for fun, part for work. The fun part is my best friend from high school had her first baby a few weeks ago, so I’ll TOTALLY get to pinch some chubby baby cheeks, and hold a baby, which I am so freaking looking forward to I can’t even tell you. I’m also dropping in to visit my publisher and sign some stuff for upcoming giveaways, as well as talk about SUPER COOL STUFF that’s going to be happening in the next couple of weeks. I know I haven’t been blogging much except on Fridays, but I’m going to be posting some fun stuff here, so check in if you can. I promise I will be REALLY nice and polite to you. Here at sarahdessen.com/blog, we LOVE our customers. Or readers. Or whatever.

5. Finally, this week was also big because I got to go back and visit my high school for Tigerfest, the annual day of speakers and activities. It’s not the first time I’ve been asked to come back—I was there last year, warming up for my book tour—but it’s always a bit of a nostalgia bomb. This year, it was especially so, as they directed me to park in the lower lot, where I always parked back in the day. And I will be honest here: I spent a lot of time in the parking lot. I was not a great student and definitely not in a great place in my life. I’m not proud but there it is. So I’m pulling in, days before my 42nd (!) birthday, to this scene of so many crimes. I park, take a deep breath, and remind myself that I am not that girl anymore, even if it feels like it in that moment. As always, it was super fun to talk to the students, take questions about writing and my books, and basically walk around without having that much of a panic attack. Because a lot HAS changed, thank God. But some stuff stays the same. Like the breezeway between the main building and the cafeteria, and the benches there that I spent so much time sitting on:

Whew! There’s that nostalgia bomb/panic attack again. Good thing it’s past seven and I have to go play Frisbee.

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!