Good morning, Digital Neighbors! Happy Friday! Keeping Up Appearances was a delightful show on public television. Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet,” of course) and her long-suffering husband Richard provided hours of entertainment. Today’s venture into the wonderful world of words is inspired by Hyacinth and her pretentious “Bouquet.”
Popinjay noun | PAH-pin-jay
Sixteenth century. English. A person who dresses and acts with vanity and extravagance.
“Jayden was a popinjay who walked into class as if he were expecting the paparazzi.” — Joe Gillard, The Little Book of Lost Words
My mom would often call such a person a Jim Dandy. It was mostly a complimentary term for someone who did an excellent job or went the extra mile on their appearance, though it could also carry a slight hint of pretentiousness. The opposite of our illustrious popinjay is the equally neglected ragamuffin and the even more obscure tatterdemalion. Have fun exploring those words if you’re so inclined. Have a great day, Digital Neighbors!
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.
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