A2A Teen Years: Who Were These People?!

Tip of the Day: Check out the argument on Harper Collins' decision to limit the number of times a public library can loan a copy of an e-book to a mere 26 (?!) before the library has to purchase it all over again. That's insane!

This week on Author2Author, I'm not really going back to my teen years. Looking at my senior yearbook is no time machine. My three besties never even signed it. Why would we sign each others' yearbooks? We were going to be together forever, so we'd never need a yearbook signature to remind us of each other. Duh.

But here's an inspirational writing from my English teacher, senior year, the wonderful Ms. Vahey: "I hope you continue writing so the rest of the world can get as much enjoyment as I have." Awww.

And then there's this intriguing line from a guy named Kevin: "We had some good times and some bad times but all in all we're still friends." What's intriguing about it? I went to high school with like 25 guys named Kevin. Which one was it? I have no idea! The one I found out in college was a total creep? Or the one I see on Facebook all the time but never friend? Does that mean we're not "still friends"? Grr, how did I think I was going to remember all this in the future?

Seriously, teen girls, make every guy write his last name when he signs your yearbook. I don't care how well he likes to think he knows you, I don't care that in his little brain, he daydreams that you'll remember his machismo for the rest of your life with happy sighs. Make him write that last name. Also, make your best friends sign it, even though they'll tell you you're a dork because you're all going to the beach tomorrow, so they have nothing to write other than "Bring sunscreen this time, lobster girl."

Hey, they should print that advice on yearbooks! I wonder why they don't?

-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages