Good Morning, digital neighbors! Happy Friday to all! Today’s Word of the Day comes from Endangered Words: A Collection of Rare Gems for Word Lovers by Simon Hertnon. Simon makes a disclaimer at the beginning of his book that he is not a philologist—just another lover of words and what they tell us about ourselves.
Curglaff: The shock felt when one first plunges into cold water. The verb is curgloff and the adjective is curgloft.
Example: “Aye, the curglaff got me as I jumped into the loch—I could hardly catch my breath!”
Apparently our Word of the Day never made it into the Oxford English Dictionary, but it does appear in Jamieson’s Dictionary of the Scottish Language. https://jamiesondictionary.com/ I was not aware of this dictionary before—there are some wonderful rabbit holes to pursue for those who love words! While I rarely watched Seinfeld, I cannot help but think of George Costanza and his “shrinkage” comment. Happy Friday, my friends!
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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 Best Friends Day Y'all!
I strongly suggest combining celebrations for this with National Name Your Poison Day and National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day. Think I'll have to wash a custard doughnut down with a cold beer later.
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
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