In A Word: Tea and Vocab with Raphael Whalen

Sit down with Raphael for a cup of tea, a clean mind, and a fresh vocabulary to start your day! Ten minutes is all you need. ~ There’s a bottomless market for intelligence nowadays, with especial respect to compositional skills which, in modern society, tend towards decay and extinction. ~ Knowledge of a simple word like “acumination” just might land you that selective job for which you just applied. ~ However, the utility of vocabulary extends far beyond immediate pragmatic domain. With precision of tongue comes precision of thought, and, after having learned many new words, you will no doubt find yourself smarter, happier, and in ultimate possession of both peace and clarity of mind. ~ If you’re interested in such prospects; or if you’d care to append dozens of novel terms to your vocabulary; or if you’re simply a tea-drinker and have no preoccupation to accompany your imbibing of nectar; then take your daily dose of sophistication. ~ This is: “In A Word: Tea and Vocab with Raphael Whalen.”

Episode 18 ~ Curtain

Raphael, as thalassocratic Emperor, prevails over his piscatory subjects; tries the world’s (purportedly) oldest tea; and proffers his valediction in this, the final episode of the show. || Caprice ~ Broach ~ Jocular ~ Decoct ~ Polyphony ~ Febrile ~ Antiquated ~ Umlaut ~ Substantive/Substantiate ~ Discomfiture ||

06-25
09:22

Episode 17 ~ The Smithereen Session

Raphael speaks of chunky dice and Curaçao parties; flashes his true, monstrous colors; and is found guilty of fraud by the Court. || Sobriquet ~ Tidings ~ Carousal ~ Vituperative ~ Aplomb ~ Olfactory ~ Trite ~ Amnesty ~ Sanguine ~ Brio ||

06-25
06:57

Episode 16 ~ Math Donuts

Raphael confirms the existence of a cure for all affliction; downs an uninspired orange spice blend; and philosophizes on the intrinsic perfection of the infinite nature of mathematics. || Politesse ~ Thalassocrat ~ Effete ~ Vagile ~ Forfeiture ~ Parvenu ~ Sumptuous ~ Toroidal ~ Valetudinarian ~ In Saecula Saeculorum ||

06-23
07:35

Episode 15 ~ The Dictionary’s Villain

Raphael tries and convicts the late reprobate, Noah Webster; makes merriment of a fruity Madagascan vanilla tea; and, as maître d' of the evening, publicly endorses Meatland. || Demitasse ~ Traduce ~ Appurtenance ~ Rosinante ~ Restive ~ Periapt ~ Helot ~ Bivouac ~ Sangfroid ~ Hegira ||

06-22
07:13

Episode 14 ~ Great Adaptations

Raphael experiments with a new format for the show; waffles on the topic of his strange, Janus-faced dandelion root tea; and appoints himself arbiter of the English Dictionary. || Panoply ~ Bouleversement ~ Thraldom ~ Fey ~ Paisaje ~ Hobgoblin ~ Factotum ~ Phaeton ~ Cacoëthes ~ Estival ||

06-22
08:48

Episode 13 ~ Sunday Morning

Raphael observes the merry occasion of June 20th; drones ad nauseam (quite literally) on his seemly S. Morning blend; and odiously transgresses with regards to his six-minute time constraint. || Gallic ~ Paterfamilias ~ Agnate ~ Magnanimous ~ Philologue ~ Byzantine ~ August ~ Panegyrize ~ Kairos ~ Illuminate ||

06-20
08:05

Episode 12 ~ The Quilt of Good Words

Raphael enumerates the events of raconic (of, or pertaining to, raccoons) warfare; eulogizes blackberry tea; and momentarily penetrates the literature of Voltaire. || Furor ~ Iracund ~ Levity ~ Meliority ~ Pococurante ~ Pectinate ~ Souse ~ Eupepsia ~ Vatic ~ Sinistrad ||

06-19
06:16

Episode 11 ~ The State of Being Not-Samuel Johnson

Raphael flounders about in a muck of poetic devices; swills a strong Scottish Breakfast blend; and watches his comedy sink like the Hindenburg. || Aliquot ~ Bloviate ~ Synecdoche ~ Condign ~ Lorgnette ~ Purposive ~ Advert ~ Scutage ~ Milquetoast ~ Tergiversation ||

06-18
07:05

Episode 10 ~ Podcasting: The Last Resort

Raphael indulges his notorious tendency towards digression; frustrates your tea-reviewing expectations; and confesses his (literally) godly secret. || Excurse ~ Foliate ~ Propitiate ~ Maunder ~ Risible ~ Obstreperous ~ Bombinate ~ Plenipotentiary ~ Rococo ~ Pis Aller ||

06-17
06:41

Episode 9 ~ The Scottish English Breakfast

Raphael depicts his new therapist; jealously guards the identity of his vigorous English Breakfast; and delves into the tradition of the Scottish people. || Execration ~ Expectoration ~ Anodyne ~ Inundant ~ Endue ~ Undulate ~ Prurient ~ Aphotic ~ Trewsman ~ Videlicet (Viz.) ||

06-16
06:15

Episode 8 ~ Porcus

Raphael can't help but make uncomfortably excessive allusions to mythology; sips on a tea that belongs in Malibu; and composes a title for himself by which you are obliged to address him henceforth. || Pergola ~ Gregarious ~ Accouchement ~ Farrow ~ Fallow ~ Ambit ~ Emolument ~ Disport ~ Quisling ~ Anfractuous ||

06-15
05:57

Episode 7 ~ The Start of Something New

Raphael offers a breezy note of motivation; has recourse to his beloved Yorkshire blend; and feigns knowledge of Gaelic pronunciation. || Benison ~ Venery ~ Pilosity ~ Otiose ~ Susurrus ~ Limn ~ Nimiety ~ Inimical ~ Keen ~ Abecedarian ||

06-14
06:49

Episode 6 ~ The Context Bell

Raphael befriends a new appliance; drinks of the simplicity of black tea; and reminisces on the habits of his late compatriot, Aristotle. || Persiflage ~ Eventide ~ Harangue ~ Promontory ~ Éclat ~ Compendious ~ Belie ~ Bastinado ~ Garboil ~ Peripatetic ||

06-13
05:41

Episode 5 ~ Age-Old, Timeworn, Trusty, Tried, and True

Raphael confesses his peccadillo; grimaces his way through a cup of lemon ginger; and far overloads the average human capacity for plosives. || Vapid ~ Lurid ~ Gravid ~ Pallid ~ Florid ~ Intrepid ~ Sordid ~ Placid ~ Stolid ~ Pellucid ||

06-12
06:12

Episode 4 ~ Strike of the -Oquy

Raphael, allegedly through coincidence, tends toward the macabre in the morning's vocabulary selection; prates about matcha tea; and chronicles the curious events of the eve of this morning. || Algid ~ Gascon ~ Mollify ~ Demesne ~ Adventitious ~ Immure ~ Ossuary ~ Gnathic ~ Obsequious ~ Obsequy ||

06-11
06:27

Episode 3 ~ Shepherds and Braggarts

Raphael begins to take note of unfortunately persistent themes that are developing within his word choices; sips one of his favorite brews in the meantime; and questions whomsoever wrote his script. || Thrasonical ~ Eftsoons ~ Repast ~ Bucolic ~ Concatenate ~ Colloquy ~ Lassitude ~ Vulnerary ~ Cantillation ~ Pecksniffian ||

06-10
06:06

Episode 2 ~ Storehouse Brainlobes, &c.

Raphael tries and fails to exercise the adept pronunciation skills of the Spanish language; sips delightedly on a cup of Yorkshire; and finds himself saying things he never would have imagined. || &c. ~ Oubliette ~ Abstemious ~ Halcyon ~ Uxorious ~ Locuaz ~ Threnody ~ Erose ~ Arch ~ Eclogue ||

06-09
05:33

Episode 1 ~ Your Host, An Unctuous Hooligan

Raphael brews his debut as he explores the morning's decade; relates the splendors of white chocolate peppermint tea; and shares an invaluable technique for warding off both Jimmy the Jamoke and also your typical playground menaces. || Ado ~ Confluence ~ Askance ~ Vaunt ~ Sedulous ~ Tout Ensemble ~ Caitiff ~ Fettle ~ Trenchant ~ Globus Cruciger ||

06-08
08:12

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