On Reddit (and other corners of the Internet), the phrase “TIL” means “today I learned.” I love its annotative, asterisk-like use. For example, I found myself on a thread (awfully vulnerable of me to share this) about Northern cardinals, and someone wrote:
“I never knew (or thought about) cardinals being indigenous to NA. TIL”
This was in the context of the bird’s namesake, the red-robe-wearing priest from the Catholic Church, and Redditors were explaining that the songbirds were named after the priest when colonists discovered them in North America some time in the 17th Century. It was a TIL moment for me, too; I’d known they were named after one another, had marked the similarity in the cap, but had never specifically thought about which came first or when the naming had taken place. I then wondered what the Native Americans might have called the redbird. In Cherokee, totsuwa. The Cherokee believe redbirds are messengers from the spirit world. This nomination seems to have imprinted itself onto the mainstream: When a redbird appears, a departed love one is near. But in my view its an intuitive thing: how can you read anything else onto that red wing? Its shock of color, so commonly foiled by the green, brown, and drab, whistles at us, and most prominently when the rest of the world is gray and dead: a solo bugle from the other place.
I was thinking anyway about naming, and Linda Pastan’s poem “Deer Fence,” in which she writes:
“I pick a bunch [of wildflowers]: tooth wort,
and Dutchman’s-breeches,
so luminous with mystery
we must tame them with the names
of household things.”
And I thought how some things around us are just too big for their names. Book — an unromantic, clipped-sounding word for those elastic pages that can hold me together, or stretch the way I think of the world. Bird, tree. Love, of course, being the main one. Love should be sesquipedalian. But no — like bird, like tree, a monosyllabic term that appears to blunt its own meaning. Maybe that’s our purpose, though: to reveal these cherishings in their longer forms, root and branch and hyphen and syllable. To articulate love in its many-branched polyvalence. Bole, yes, but also leaf and trunk collar and berry and bark. Because isn’t love synonyms with staying awake all night as a companion, “let’s take the long way home,” gentleness when you’re at your worst, “stay a little longer,” the cool hand on the fevered forehead, the voice that says, “I’ve got you,” and the heart that does?
Sesquipedalian — polysyllabic; long. [As in, many-footed. As in, can carry us great distances.] TIL
Post-Scripts.
+Which books changed your life?
Shopping Break: More Early Black Friday + Other Fab Finds.
+Rag+Bone just bumped up their promo: now almost everything is 25% off. I think (?) you can use the code SHOPMY15 for an extra 15% off? Try! They’ve never included their sweatpant jeans in these deep discounts; now’s the time! Love this goyard-vibes green and white stripe pair; I have the tracksuit-inspired blue double stripe. And you know I love my black Sofies!!!
+La Ligne’s “Mercigiving” sale is live – their only sale of the year. You must check out their iconic mini marina striped sweater (I have in two colors) — on sale for $125! And then this LBD?!?! J. Crew price for an incredible quality piece. Finally, this ribbed cashmere cardigan filled a major hole in my wardrobe; I didn’t have a black cardigan before it somehow? It’s 50% off!
+40% off at Madewell. You know my thoughts on their darted barrel jeans! Great way to get the Nili Lotan Shon look for less; the fit is great. Go down one size from your usual size in them. LOVE that they have a petite inseam option! I also love their these double-strap Mary Janes, this balloon-sleeve top (the material looks low-key festive – pair with jeans for an easy, no-fuss holiday-lite look), and this Scandi triangle scarf (more on that here).
+25% off at Rhone. Their “DreamState” sets are a top rec for your husband this holiday — Landon now has several of the pieces and he lives in them. I call them his “retired athlete” outfits — for some reason he looks like a polished, retired, handsome football player when he wears them. Get him the joggers and either the hoodie or half-zip depending on his vibe. Athleisure can be attractive!
+Not on sale but my Shopbop cart currently holds this sweater, this gorgeous navy dress, and this skiing base layer.
+20% off at Margaux! Loving this new flat silhouette in the chocolate suede but of course have several of their iconic demis. The new leopard is so chic!
+Ruggable is 30% off!!! You can get my new bedroom rug at a great discount, or try one of these holiday runners for your kitchen. This Ralph-Lauren-coded one was a Magpie reader bestseller this month.
+30% off the best bra. I wear this 99.9% of the time. Supremely comfortable.
+Go-to gift for 8-year-old girls: Klutz sets. I just bought a variety of them (including this) to keep in my gifting closet. They love them and I love that they are handicraft oriented. More cute, quick-ship gift ideas for kids here.
+Rifle just launched their annual BF sale — 30% off sitewide. I always use this promo to stock up on their gift wrap rolls. The quality is incredible and I love the prints. Did you see this year they have a cardinal motif?! OF COURSE buying several rolls and the bags, too.
+40% off this sexy-chic swimsuit I was just mentioning earlier this week. So flattering on and I love the unexpected neckline!
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