Good morning, Digital Neighbors! Happy Monday! I hope all of you had a great weekend. I was tremendously blessed by God with wonderful company, good weather, and gratitude in abundance. I had company over yesterday for cards, poker, and Pass the Trash. It was a fun afternoon filled with laughter, cards, and plenty of BS. There were three couples, Fancy Pants Irene, and myself. Irene is a lovely lady in her 70s who always dresses nicely for church. One of her friends calls her “Fancy Pants,” and I liked the endearing nickname so much that I adopted it — along with calling her Aunt Irene. Here are a few quotes for your Monday morning musings. Have a great day my friends.
Genuine morality is preserved only in the school of adversity; a state of continuous prosperity may easily prove a quicksand to virtue. — Johann Schiller
Adversity makes men, good fortune makes monsters. — French Proverb
I love the man who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ’Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. — Thomas Paine
Who hath not known ill fortune, never knew himself, or his virtue. — David Mallet
The climb - Andria Elia Photography - Unsplash
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 ...
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.
