Do you notice this at Mass?

[anon65111186]

That you think that… I’m not sure if I should laugh or feel sorry for you. Just let me say your perception and reality are two different things.

You said that some people in the thread agreed with you. You were talking about a very specific behavior (adjusting normal clothes). The two other people were talking about a guy in a cape that was probably a joke and a guy whose pants were falling off. Not really the same thing as your blouse tugging lady.

Alright, I admit it, it’s not the same thing, I was wrong and you were right, I widened the scope of what I was talking about without thinking.

This is certainly been an eye opener for me, and I think I confirmed what I originally thought, that my experience has been unique, and that I am in fact the only one who notices this phenomenon at Mass occasionally, unintentionally, and passively. I wasn’t expecting for others to have the same experience, and wasn’t invested in people agreeing with me on this, like you seem to think.

It makes no difference if nobody has the same experience. In any case, I can say my wife has, because she was in the same particular place and context I was, so at least I can say I’m not alone there.

Whatever you think of me, you probably would think of my wife, but then again, so what?

If you are this disagreeable in person and at Mass as you are here, Lord have mercy on those around you. I hope for your sake your in person self is inconsistent with what you present here.

 

[Allegra]

I’m trying to imagine a person in my real life coming up to me and complaining that they were distracted by a person tugging on the back of their own shirt in Mass. It’s pretty hard to imagine. Did you talk about this with people you know in real life, other than your wife? It’s hard for me to imagine anyone criticizing someone in their church for adjusting her shirt and people responding with, “I know right! What’s her problem?!” Though I struggle to imagine someone actually having the nerve to say that to me in person, I’m pretty sure my response would be more or less the same, though the conversation probably wouldn’t have gone on nearly as long.

 

[Canvas]

Now I don’t have that problem…which is good considering I am a guy. But I do sympathize.

 

[anon65111186]

I’m trying to imagine a person in my real life coming up to me and complaining that they were distracted by a person tugging on the back of their own shirt in Mass.

I have no intent of complaining to someone doing this in person.

Did you talk about this with people you know in real life, other than your wife?

Yep, come to think about it, my parents noticed it too because it actually happened at their church. I forgot about that. So there, my wife, my parents.

It’s hard for me to imagine anyone criticizing someone in their church for adjusting her shirt and people responding with, “I know right! What’s her problem?!”

I would never say that and I haven’t said that.

Though I struggle to imagine someone actually having the nerve to say that to me in person

Mute point, I didn’t nor do I intend to say that to anyone.

Anyhow, since it appears you go to Mass, and hopefully realize there are more important things than this, like loving God and loving your neighbor, forgiving those who trespass against you etc. I hope you forgive me, and honestly do apologize if I myself have been disagreeable, unreasonable, abnormal, or offensive. I am not perfect, and have a lot of learning to do in my life. I make mistakes, and one of those is paying attention to things that deserve no attention, like people adjusting the back of their clothes constantly (not the front, mind you)

Pray for me and I will for you, for the devil loves to divide, but it is the Spirit that unites. God bless and goodnight.

 

[Allegra]

I appreciate your apology and I’m glad you have gotten over “blouse lady’s” lack of decorum and hopefully you can find peace and focus in Mass once again.

 

[Gingersnaps4]

Yes I have been distracted before by persistent fidgety movements, including clothing adjustments or hair-playing. Not in a annoying I-Can’t-stand-it way, just moreso that my attention was diverted toward them a few times by the movement. Of course I have 3 younger kids to deal with during mass and I’m sure they attract people’s eyes sometimes too with their movements m, or mine in occupying/quieting the youngest one, even though I try to be discreet.

 

[blackforest]

Wow, talk about a homily As I already stated, I am conducting research in a way, to see if this is a common phenomena, and I am simply giving others the courtesy by replying to their comments, I am not “on about it”.

You won’t get accurate “research” because not everybody being “polled” is noticing what you are. My guess? Clothes-fidgeting happens in 100% of parishes at 100% of their Masses.

 

[blackforest]

My biggest distractions? Cute babies. And anytime someone in front of me has a stray hair in their sweater. Yes. I did succumb to the urge once . . . That probably belongs in the Confessional and not on CAF.

We all have “on” days and “off” days at Mass. I just have to fight extra hard to stay on guard during the latter.

 

[CatholicZ09]

I have a bad habit of doing this and/or pulling up my pants when I stand after sitting or kneeling. I typically sit close to the front of the church, so I don’t want anyone to unintentionally see my
butt crack.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

There is a penalty for flags that do not stand up. Its got to do with trust levels and moving up and down them.

Meta discourse has info on it.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

Timothy, is this one person in particular, you said someone a foot away from you constantly doing this.

Is this person struggling with a tic or illness, social anxiety, etc.

Or, do you have a challenge that sees you magnifying what others are doing as massive distractions.
for example, I know someone who cannot handle others chewing.
The noise drives this person to complete and utter meltdown

 

[blackforest]

Again, it’s a manufacturing problem. Starting in about the early otts, jeans and pants started being made low-waisted. You’ll never please the scorecard-holding judges, who will zap you either for immodesty or for creating a distraction to avoid immodesty.

I don’t think anyone has an appreciation for how many stores I have to stop at to get a single pair of pants that fit. Just. Right. Maxi skirts were the best, but they’re falling by the wayside, fashion-wise.

 

[crenfro]

Could be a habit from years of other people criticizing how I dress plus wishing to be modest… also, a lot of clothes aren’t tailored correctly and people don’t pay enough attention to getting their clothes to fit properly.

It could, too, be partly the fashion industry at fault. If we all demanded that our clothing fit correctly and didn’t buy anything unless it fit well there’d probably less adjusting of clothing.

It also could be vanity - people buying smaller sizes that don’t fit because they don’t want to face the fact that they put on weight.

My two cents.