Greetings friends and visitors @Padre's! It has been my habit during Lent to step back for the internet and social media in particular. I have so enjoyed my time spent on Locals that it will actually feel more like a sacrifice than in the days of giving up Facebook & Twitter. I will not be visiting some of my favorite Locals during Lent. I will be utilizing my Locals for Lenten activities and postings which I used to do years ago before the legacy platforms became more toxic. Any of you are welcome to join there (shameless plug, something I rather loathe) if you want to participate in the community here. There is a promo code for 30 days of free interaction if you want to do any posting there. I hope to see you there, and if it is not your cup of tea, I look forward to catching up with you during the Easter season and beyond. Thanks for being part of my renewed appreciation for the good that social media can promote and create.
Today marks the three hundred and thirtieth birthday of the Frenchman François-Marie Arouet, better known by his nom de plume, Voltaire (1694-1778).
Born into a bourgeois family during the reign of Louis XIV, the “Sun King” (r. 1643-1715), Voltaire suffered tragedy at a young age when his mother died. Never close with his father or brother, Voltaire exhibited a rebellious attitude toward authority from his youth. His brilliant mind was fostered in the care of the Society of Jesus, who introduced him to the joys of literature and theater. Despite his later criticisms against the Church, Voltaire, throughout his life, fondly recalled his dedicated Jesuit teachers.
Although he spent time as a civil servant in the French embassy to the Hague, Voltaire’s main love was writing—an endeavor where he excelled in various genres, including poetry, which led to his appointment as the royal court poet for King Louis XV. Widely recognized as one of the greatest French writers, and even hyperbolically referred to by ...
Happy National Autistic Pride Day! Here's hoping you're not too socially awkward to find celebrating with others exhausting. What an odd thing to proud of.
Anyway, here's some terrible memes from which you're cordially invited to choose your (least?) favourite.
Padre - Tom Miller invites you to a Coffee Talk, Speakeasies, Schmoozes, Tea Times, Afterhours and other gatherings.
https://teams.live.com/meet/93792382189049?p=DiBHsYfuECPgDrG7vO
2026 Coffee Talk with the ADD Irregulars
Thursday, January 1, 2026
6:00 AM - 8:00 AM (CST)
Occurs every day starting 1/1 until 12/31/2027
Coffee Talk - Daily beginning at 6:00 AM Central Time Zone - USA
White Pilled Wednesday - A break from the heaviness of news and current events to focus upon things more personal & positive for the first hour of Coffee Talk.
Afternoon Chats - Most Tuesday, Friday & Sundays 2:00 PM Central
Other chats as posted in the community.
