yellow underwear (yes, I just said underwear. scandalous.)
I have so much homework to do right now.
And some of it is spelled T-A-X-E-S.
And some of it is spelled D-I-V-O-R-C-E.
And some of it is even spelled E-S-T-H-E-R. Um, lest you think that Esther is some chick that I need to do, let me explain. I am referring to the rest of the music I need to write to go along with the script that my brother Jason has written for the church Easter musical.
But I took a bath tonight and it’s like all my energy went with the water once I unstopped the drain. Seriously, I was so tired that I didn’t even bother putting lotion on before hopping right into bed. And I’ve got the kind of dry skin that is at such a deficit that even a whole bottle of lotion would leave me still not quite as soft and silky as the average Joe. And there’s Joe with his nice and smooth skin and hardly even caring that it is, anyway; and here’s me with my skin that was only soft once in my whole life and that was the time that I almost died in bikram yoga, it was so hot and humid in there–and tell me, is this fair?
But then there are the small comforts that seem to leap out at you. Especially when you are tired. You know, finding a pair of clean and matching socks without even scouring your room for them.
And then there’s tonight when I reached into my underwear drawer and right there, sitting pretty at the top of the pile, was one of my absolute favorite pair to wear. Yellow and soft and huh, I wonder if this is TMI…oh well, it’s not like I’m saying it’s a thong or anything like that.
But despite that rush of extreme tiredness that about knocked me over, I smiled. And felt just a little bit happier. And I wonder how it is in a world where such horrifying things have recently happened to me, effectively causing me to stop caring about most things, that I am now reduced to feeling happier because of some underwear. Or maybe it’s not reduced, maybe it’s that I am feeling a little better. And able to appreciate some details again–which is so different from just not caring.
Cause seriously, I had stopped caring. I’m sorry, but it’s true. When that horrid earthquake devastated Haiti it was hard to drum up a lot of feeling at all. I guess I was so busy taking inventory of my own self, wondering if there were any survivors deep inside, listening for some sounds of life, that I just couldn’t bring myself to think much about whatever was happening on the other side of the world. And don’t quote me on that–the other side of the world, I mean–I am admittedly bad at geography.
Haiti might very well be somewhere in Canada.
Okay, so I’m not that bad at geography. But pretty bad. Just today a dear friend and I were laughing about how, when we were growing up as some of the coolest home schoolers around, the subject of geography was covered by a silly little game called geosafari. I guess our moms just thought that fifteen minutes of that every few days oughtta do it. And if the fact that I recently asked a friend if Kentucky borders Pennsylvania doesn’t prove that little theory flat out wrong, I’m not sure what does. In my defense, however, I had heard someone say the word Pennsyltucky and so concluded that must mean that those two states touch at some point.
Oh, but they don’t. Just to be clear.
And yes, heart wrenching things have gone on and are continuing to go on, but there it is: a pair of underwear makes me happy. Or at least happier. And I don’t know quite what that says about the world and I don’t know quite what that says about me, but well, I’m grateful to be wearing one of my favorite pair of underwear.
I guess I’ll leave it at that tonight.
in Funny Stuff, I Lift My Eyes Up, Thoughts and Feelings
as brother jason, Canada, easter musical, Esther, extreme tiredness, Haiti, Jason, Joe, Kentucky, pair, pennsylvania, skin, small comforts, tonight, underwear, underwear drawer, world
“Or maybe it’s not reduced, maybe it’s that I am feeling a little better. And able to appreciate some details again–which is so different from just not caring.”
That sounds like a very plausible reason. I also think that familiar and favorite things or rituals, no matter how small, are comforting. At least, that is how it has been with me through everything.
Yes, rituals–the good ones, at least!–can be very comforting. I remember when I started singing again, how amazing that was for me. It was like a confirmation that not everything was lost and that I was not entirely changed for the worse cause there I was, still doing something I had always done. It was huge.
1) I think the dry skin must be related to you never sweating. I don’t know why I formed that theory and I really don’t know why I felt the need to share it with you.
2) I’m almost embarrassed to say that nothing traumatic has happened to me and I get crazy-excited about underpants. Nothing better than soft underwear that fits just right. Even better if it’s yellow.
Also, I remember in high school my mom was very concerned about my love of pretty underwear. She was like “WHO’S SEEING YOUR UNDERWEAR?” I was like “ME!” Because I don’t care if nobody is seeing it – it’s super fun to wear cute underwear.
and haha, your mom was concerned about you wearing pretty underwear!! as if the fact that your underwear isn’t hideous will be enough to drive you to commit something that is sacred to marriage.. that is so classic!!
I have really dry skin, and I sweat. Try again, Hornbuckle.
Oh snap!!!
Haha. Okay. Maybe Latshaws just have dry skin. Sweat or no sweat.
Gotta say, “Hornbuckle” is a great name to use in a challenge. Well done, jason.
Ha! It’s also a great name to use on Fraggle Rock.
or in The Hobbit!
I LOVE your name, seriously.
Hahaha. The Hobbit. That’s probably true too. When I first got married I was a little weirded out by being a “Hornbuckle,” but I have to say – despite the fact that everybody I say it to makes me spell it or doesn’t understand it or makes fun of it, the username “mandyhornbuckle” is always open.
Also, it is a truly great last name to be called by, like Jason did above.
these are really good points–and it’s also the name of the man you love, too. Another great thing. Plus, I think it’s cool that it encompasses two entirely different words that stand for two different ideas but, together, makes one word that is something separate and totally cool.
It would be interesting to find out where the heck that name came from. I think it’s German or something. And we share it with a lot of black people, which is very interesting to me since Jack’s family is very much white. Maybe we’re related to those families of Hornbuckles somehow, which would definitely up our cool factor a bit.
But names like “Shoemaker” and “Johnson” were supposedly because people made shoes or someone was the son of John, but “Hornbuckle” doesn’t really infer anything obvious like that to me.
What I want to see is a belt that has a bicycle horn for a buckle and then when I’m walking along and other people are in my way, I can just honk my horn and they’ll clear the sidewalk for me.
Maybe the Hornbuckles could make that awesome thing.
(But then I guess you’d become the Hornbucklemakers – which is a pretty awesome name in its own right!)
HA! Wow, Jason. That would be quite a contraption. I’m not really sure how popular that would be, but if anybody could do it, it would be us. The Hornbucklemakers.
And then we’d have to call God the Hornbucklemakersmaker.
Okay, I’ll stop now.
that would be a heck of a title for a worship song, though…
and I like that you call them ‘underpants.’
basically ANYTHING is better than saying ‘panties.’ Ugh, that word makes me feel uncomfortable.
THere was a sign at the mall one time that said “Pretty Pink Panties” – I didn’t like it.
Haha. I agree. We should outlaw the word “panties.” Jack calls underwear “underroos” and “pantaloons” sometimes. Makes me laugh. I like “pantaloons.”
While I’m more than a little self-conscious about commenting on THIS post, I do want to say that I am also terrible at geography. And I went to a “real” school my entire life. So maybe geography ITSELF is the problem? Anyway, remember in my teaching last week – “It was on an island off the coast of Africa. . . wait .. .are there islands off the coast of Africa??” I’m still not totally sure.
Geography is a bad subject for Americans, because in general Americans only care about America. Our newspapers reflect this bias, with little coverage of international stuff.
yeah…I know absolutely NOTHING about geography on a larger scale…while I know NEXT to nothing about geography in America…
yep, I remember that! Didn’t you arrive on Madagascar being the island…? And that is somewhat comforting to know that you are pretty bad at it too–but I am even bad at geography right around HERE!!!
“real school”? Them’s fighting words!
um, pretty underwear is good for the soul, I am convinced of it, just like any other beautiful thing!
And as much as I have always really hated the word ‘panties’, I have taught my girls to say it! I don’t know why, maybe because tiny, size 2T panties are just plain cute.
And Christian, there are definitely islands off the coast of Africa. Zanzibar, for example.
I had the distinct impression while growing up that “panties” were wonderful, girly, lacy things. But I definitely wore the more utilitarian option, underwear. They simply did the job, no frills, so to speak. Although every once in a while you’d get the days of the week written on them, but even that sorta felt like there was a lesson in there for you since, you know, you were learning which day was when.
I can’t believe that a wholesome, Christian, homeschooled gal such as yourself would post about *underwear* on your blog. I think you need to geosafari your morals.
lol, Lindsay…at least I didn’t blog about my *bathing suit!*
Hahahaha. She’s got a point, Jess. Do we need to lay hands on you and pray?
I’ll save my outrage for the time when this becomes a photo post.
considering that we are talking about *underwear* and *bathing suits* I think any and all *laying on of hands* should be curtailed.
And Jase, I save all my pictures of me in my underwear for Darby because I know she truly appreciates them.
Oh, THAT’S why Darby’s always showing the homeless men in Venice pictures on her phone!
LOL. Always ahead of me. I do love putting my foot in my mouth around you, don’t I Jess? Seeing as how I also told you you deserve a few F words.
haha yep. that STILL makes me laugh! Mandy, where is your brain lately???
I don’t know. I’m starting to worry that this is just who I am – the awkward girl who says foot-in-the-mouth things. Who am I kidding? I’ve always been that girl.
well let me throw and F-word at you that I think you totally deserve:
FUNNY.
Haha. Thanks, but it’s okay. My F word can be FREAK.
just kidding, btw
for anyone who doesn’t know me.
oh Linds, don’t worry. We all know you love to read, write, and talk about underwear.
yep. basically synonymous with the word ‘lindsay.’