Today's Forgotten English

enisle
To make an island of; to separate; to sever; to cut off or away; [1600s - 1800s].

--Edward Lloyd's Encyclopædic Dictionary, 1895

Monroe Doctrine Introduced
On this date in 1823, President James Monroe, in a benchmark message to Congress, announced that "the American continents ... are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers. ... In the wars of the European powers, in matters relating to themselves, we have never taken part, nor does it comport with our policies to do so." That same year, Thomas Jefferson, echoing Washington's sentiments in his Farewell Address of 1796, had written to Monroe: "It is our policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world. I have ever deemed it fundamental for the United States never to take part in the quarrels of Europe. Their political interests are entirely distinct from ours. ... They are nations of eternal war."

Or as I like to say it, "Isolationism is not only a practical policy, it is the only practical policy." I just wish we still practiced it. -.- But who am I kidding? People aren't capable of leaving their neighbors to live in peace, why should I expect 'em to not want to mess with the other side of the world?

-The Gneech

My Inner Shallow Airhead

Stealing a leaf from TygerMoonFoxx...

They seek him here!
They seek him there!
His clothes are loud,
but never square!

It will make or break him
so he's got to buy the best
'cause he's a dedicated
follower of fashion!

-The Kinks, "Dedicated Follower of Fashion"

It's time to go clothes shopping again! Not because I've shrunk out of more (don't I wish), but because the ones I bought after my last massive downsizing have started to wear out (or, in the case of today's trousers, have shrunk in the wash and leave a dorkily large amount of my calf exposed to the light).

( Oh yes he is! (Oh yes he is!) Oh yes he is! (Oh yes he is!) He flits from shop to shop just like a butterfly... )

Pants! Git In Mah Closet!!!

Three dressy shirts (black, blue, and "ruby?"), three dressy trouseys (black, brown, and grey), one pair jeans (In brown! In my size! On the clearance rack! St. Edna, patron of fashion, put them there just for me!). Cost, ~$260. Being able to send off to Goodwill/Salvation Army several older items that no longer fit properly, priceless.

In other news, I'm starting to feel those crunches now. 0.o

-The Gneech