BEING A DEIPNOSOPHISTMAXX

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- FEBRUARY 21, 2026

If you want to be the life of the party being a deipnosophist can be beneficial. It's a big word that means a simple thing – skilled in table talk. To enhance your status, just add a suffix popular with internet influencers – maxx. That maximizes any word. So, if you are a deipnosophistmaxx you'll be the top of the hierarchy at any gathering. 

Now, this lofty status carries with it a serious responsibility. To wit, you need a plethora of topics at your disposal. Heavy is the burden of the true deipnosophistmaxx. Luckily, there is no shortage of a variety of talking points. 

For instance, since February is National Time Management Month, it's interesting to discuss how people use their time. “We all get the same 168 hours each week. CEOs. Entrepreneurs. Teachers. Parents. Students. Retirees. Time is the ultimate equalizer and the true currency of life. If people want to start managing their hours better, the solution isn’t complicated, but it does require discipline.” (https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2026/02/17/time-management-tips-stress-burnout/88625933007/)

Stonehill College has some suggestions to help manage your time. “There are some concrete steps you can take to ensure that you manage your time effectively and accomplish your goals.” One is a golden oldie – the 'To-Do' list. “Make a list of the tasks that need to be completed.  Use a calendar, planner, or online app to create a schedule of when tasks will be completed.  Treat the items on your schedule as things that must get done, and stick to your plan.” (https://www.stonehill.edu/library/library-newsletter/news/past-news-stories/national-time-management-month/)

Speaking of time, there may be a wrinkle coming in the area of bonus pay for workers. “Certain hourly employees at national fast-food chain will soon begin earning a bonus that could be worth thousands, or almost nothing at all. Employees will receive a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 for every hour worked. Employees will be able to collect their Bitcoin pay after a two-year vesting period.” Whether this will work or not is a good topic for a discussion. Don't ask me. I'm so old school that I actually carry folding money in my wallet. (https://www.mlive.com/news/2026/02/fast-food-chain-to-pay-bonuses-in-bitcoin-for-hourly-employees.html)

 Still with time, when you run in a race your goal is probably to post the best finishing time possible. Given that, would you compete in a race that has had no finishers in  twenty-six of its forty year history? Tennessee's Barkley Marathon is a cult ultradistance event.

How challenging? “Runners must complete five brutal loops—typically around 100 miles within 60 hours, navigating unmarked, steep, bramble-choked slopes using only paper maps and compasses while collecting pages from hidden books to prove they stayed on course. Just 20 people have ever finished.” (https://www.newser.com/story/383894/notorious-race-goes-back-to-back-years-without-a-finisher.html)

My guess is that most people might consider ultradistance racing a bit daunting, but a normal running routine is one of the activities listed in a BuzzFeed article: “People Are Sharing The Hobbies That Genuinely Made Their Lives Better.” Running was number eight on the twenty-nine item list. “It helps me unwind, clear my head, and stay grounded. Life feels more balanced because of it."

Ah, but number four lasts a lifetime and spans all age groups. “Reading. It's improved my life in so many ways that it would be nearly impossible to list them all. I've learned so many skills that are applicable in my everyday life." More at: https://www.buzzfeed.com/kellymartinez/people-are-sharing-hobbies-that-made-their-lives-better. 

When it comes saving time to get from one place to another can be a problem. Air travel these days is an arduous slog. However, if you're a horse things can be pretty cushy. “Our equine friends often need to be brought from point A to point B. There’s a plane dedicated to ferrying horses known as Air Horse One. Owned and operated by Tex Sutton Equine Air Transportation, it’s a Boeing 727-200 cargo aircraft used for race horses, show horses, and other VIP clients. A one-way trip can set you back $5,000.”

Sounds expensive, but the passengers experience a first class ride. “Everything about the trip in general and the plane in particular is tailored to its passengers’ needs, from custom-built ramps and padded stalls to smooth rides that avoid steep ascents, descents, and adverse weather conditions.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/there-is-a-dedicated-airplane-for-transporting-horses-called-air-horse-one/)

A horse-related term was part of a DictionaryScoop.com article: “City folks use these 12 agricultural terms daily without even knowing it.” Muckraker was an item on a list with yield, broadcast, haywire, and lame duck.  “Farm workers used rakes to clear out manure (muck) from stalls. The job was dirty but necessary for hygiene and order. By the early 1900s, 'muckraker' was applied to journalists who exposed corruption. Like stable cleaners, they dealt with society’s filth to bring truth to light.” (https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/City-folks-use-these-12-agricultural-terms-daily-without-even-knowing-it)

Finally, I have proof that you can be an “expert” on anything under the sun. Since I'm putting on my sarcastic wiseacre hat for this topic, I am not going to embarrass anyone by giving the source of the article. It deals with “expert” advice about what to do with old towels. The first suggestion was a revelation. When you read this you will probably wonder why you never thought of it. Turn old towels into rags. I rest my case.  

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and Neffzone.com/cadillacnews.