throwing tantrums at the apple store
and finding joy in the sweet passage of time
welcome to brb crying, a weekly newsletter where two thirty-something teenagers talk about what made them cry. laugh along as we dive into what moves us to tears (movies! books! personal stories! tbh anything is fair game!) and why crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other. check out the pod for more.
💌 dear diary reader: a love note from nins
my husband made me cry the other day. not unusual since I cry about most things, but also not concerning since it was a sweet reason to cry. and it was all because I threw a tantrum at the Apple store.
I know Apple products rule our lives (aw capitalism <3), but I gotta be honest and tell you that I hate anything to do with being in a tech store. why does it take so long? why are the lights always so hot? and what’s with the commas in all the prices? I would literally much rather post videos of myself ugly crying on youtube once a week (oh wait, I already do that).
but, alas, I found myself with the dreaded notification that my phone’s battery health was on a severe decline. like any good mother, I waited three more months until I nagged my husband to make an appointment at Dr. Apple’s medical offices to get my battery replaced, and that’s how my husband and I found ourselves waking up early on a precious saturday morning to cross this agonizing chore off my to-do list.
as I dropped off my phone for surgery, I was told that the whole procedure would take 2 hours. “it usually only takes one hour, but we’re so backed up today it’s going to be a bit longer.” love that for me <3
to kill time, Husband and I walked aimlessly around the mall. we window shopped, we laughed, we held hands. we got bored so we ventured outside to bask in the sun. we found a store serving acai bowls and decided to eat them under the shade of a tree while telling each other about the books we were currently reading. since I was phoneless, Husband also refrained from looking at his own little screen in solidarity. we spent that time together, all 120 minutes of it.
once we were back in the store, I was then met with a somber employee. “I’m so sorry, ma’am. we did everything we could…” lol it was not that dramatic, but long story short, tech support couldn’t replace my battery, and I either have to charge my phone every 6 hours or shit out $$$ and just buy a new phone. annoying!!!!!!! (I know, god gives his toughest battles to his strongest warriors.)
as soon as we left the store, Husband got a front row seat to my rage. fuming, stomping, brat summer incarnate. “UGH. can you fucking BELIEVE that??? this is why I hate going to this store!!! I woke up early for this??? I waited two hours for them to do NOTHING???? that was SUCH a waste of time!!!!!!”
at that last line, Husband grabbed my hand in an attempt to assuage my fury. “it wasn’t a waste… I had a great time.”
and then I shut up as my mind flooded with the memories of our morning.
shopping. sunlight. smoothie bowls.
no phones. warm breezes. dumb jokes.
and holding hands. holding hands. always holding hands.
with tears in my eyes, I let the guilt flow through me. how did I let this small inconvenience erase the quiet joy of those two perfect hours? why couldn’t I see that passing time could actually be a happy time? a wonderful time? a great time? how quickly I let myself forget.
“you’re right. I’m sorry. it wasn’t a waste of time.” and then we walked back to the car, hand-in-hand.
🍯 short n sweet
🧵 ARNS SCROLLED PAST: this thread from @jessejessejoyjoy about the funny things grief makes us do.
“Grief is so weird. Today it has me crying over a boyscout selling popcorn…” talk about a fucking hook; I knew I was gonna cry before I even clicked it.
🔥 slow burn
🎙️ LISTEN: Let's Not Be Kidding with Gavin Crawford - 💧 3/10 tears 💧
this 7-episode podcast gives us a peek into what it’s like to lose a parent to Alzheimer’s. comedian Gavin Crawford shows us that this harrowing journey “can be heartbreaking, but sometimes also hilarious.” laugh and cry along, much like you do with us.
🌱 community
📢 CALLING ALL SOB STORIES 📢
did something make you cry? we want to hear about it. not because we’re bullies, but because we love being in community with you. (refer to our first newsletter for some structured prompts, complete with a thoughtful, culturally relevant example.)
🎧 pod drop
we’re back in the throes of the pod! some highlights from ep 012: LDR / fake a** moms…
✨ HBD ARNS
our hosts lovingly debate whether crying on your birthday is an age-old tradition or a plea for help.
✨ ARNS WENT TO NEW YORK AND WAS SAD
arns recounts visiting her beloved cousin in new york and *actually* letting herself cry when leaving instead of brushing off her feelings as silly and inconsequential (as one does). listen to a clip here:
“how unlucky for me that someone i love so much lives so far away. how unlucky for any of us who have loved ones who are really far away. you can’t just hug them when you want to hug them.”
✨ NINS REMINISCES ABOUT ANIMAL CROSSING
nins takes us back to march 2020, a blip in time that we’ve weirdly blocked from our minds. her saving grace? none other than Animal Crossing: New Horizons. in this ep, nins delves into how the coziest of games captures a mother’s unconditional love.
that’s it. that’s all we got. we can’t wait to hear from you. ok bye love you!!!
in shambles,
nins & arns