In my “New Mexico Journal” today, there are many items, but one I omitted, which I’d like to throw at you now. It’s a language item.
When I was in New Mexico, I heard from several people the phrase “back east” — as in the sentence, “I think she went to school somewhere back east.” I heard the phrase even from people who have never been to the eastern United States. And it struck me that “back east” is a marvelous holdover — a linguistic holdover — from pioneer days.
Think of it: If the country had been developed west to east — from California to Maine — we’d have the phrase “back west.” Which no one has ever said, to my knowledge.
Somewhere in my journal, I say, “A lot of the men are in bolo ties. I wasn’t sure whether people wore bolo ties in real life. I thought it might be something for TV shows and movies.”
Kevin Williamson sent me this link — which is to a bolo tie from Versace, costing $475. Kevin does not recommend the tie.
Speaking of Kevin, I ask in my journal, Is there such a thing as fair pricing? Or does such a concept offend economic sense? This morning, Kevin gave me a (typically) superb response. I asked whether, as a public service, he’d write it up — which he said he would. So stay tuned.