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Word of the Day #109: December

December: the twelfth and final month of the year December comes from the same root word that gives us the English decade (a period of ten years), decennial (occurring every ten years), decimal (to the tenth place), and dime (ten cents). December means: the tenth...

Tip of the Week #284: Dreaming Spanish

Like never before, I am attempting to level up in Spanish.  Compass classroom and I want to produce some thing like Visual Latin, for Spanish. It's been a dream for sometime. Unfortunately, my Spanish skills are the hold up.  I still have a much to learn. One site I...

Word of the Day #108: Noel

Noel: the period from December 24 to January 6. I have to admit, I did not know this was the definition of Noel until I did some research for this word. Noel came up the other day in a French class I am taking.  The teacher was telling us about the French 'Santa...

Tip of the Week #283: No Degree? No Problem!

In my never-ending quest for alternatives to college, I recently discovered the No Degree podcast. In the podcast, the host interviews people who opted out of college, and found success.   If you decide to check it out, I recommend this episode...

Word of the Day #107: Advent

Advent An awaited arrival; an important arrival. The season or period of the Christian calendar between Advent Sunday and Christmas. The word advent comes from the Latin word adventus.  Adventus, in Latin, is an arrival, an approach, a visit, or an appearance....

Goals: a lifestyle move

Last year I wrote a book on goal setting.  I am now in the process of editing that book.  As I edit, I will post excerpts here on my blog.  This is from chapter four: _______________________________________________________________________________________________...

Word of the Day #106: Cookie

This week, in a French class I attend, another student wanted to know how to say "cookie" in French. I expected the teacher to respond with le biscuit.  Instead, he responded with le petit gateau.  In French, the word for cake is gateau.  A cookie, then, is a little...

Goals: What to Eat

Last year I wrote a book on goal setting.  I am now in the process of editing that book.  As I edit, I will post excerpts here on my blog.  This is from chapter four: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ What...

Word of the Day #105: Eisenhower

Not long ago, in a German class, we learned the German word for iron, Eisen. Railroad, for example, in German is Eisenbahn.  Eisenbahn, a combination of Eisen (iron) and Bahn (road, or way) is the iron road. I thought of the name of one of our former presidents,...

Word of the Day #104: Confetti

Confetti: small pieces of paper thrown into the air during celebrations. This word came up in a Latin class this morning.  A student wanted to know if confetti came from confitieri, the Latin word for confession.  It does not. Instead, confetti comes from the Italian...

Word of the Day #103: Gratitude

Today, in America, we celebrate Thanksgiving, a time we use to reflect upon all the blessings in our lives.  Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude. Gratitude: thankfulness; a feeling of appreciation. The word came to English via Medieval Latin.  The word for...

Word of the Day #102: Quixotic

Quixotic: Idealistic, yet impractical.  Visionary. Quixotic comes from the name Don Quixote in the famous tale by Miguel Cervantes. I try to post a word a day on my site and on Facebook.  Judging by my record, this may be a quixotic goal on my part.  Oh well. ...

Tip of the Week #282: Great Course-Audio Option

Like most of you, I love learning.  I spend much of my free time learning. Over the years, I have subscribed to the site formerly known as The Great Courses.  These days, the site goes by the name Wondrium.  I still call the site, The Great Courses. Honestly, the...

Word of the Day #101: Vita

It's been a while since I've posted a word of the day. Back.  At least for today. This morning, in a Latin class, we learned the word Vita.  Vita, in Latin, means life. From vita, English gleans multiple words.  A bunch of them showed up in Word up: Volume 2. This...

Tip of the Week #281: Night School

Recently, I discovered the book, The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz.  I recommend the book. Among many other good suggestions, Mr. Schwartz recommended taking college classes for the rest of you life.  Schedule it in.  Plan on taking at least one class a...

Latin. Something to Consider Before You Are in Too Deep

I received this question.  It sparked a short correspondence between us Good afternoon and thank you for your resources! What is the most important/significant material to glean from Virgil's Aeneid, from a grammar and/or rhetoric perspective? I am leading a class of...

Word of the Day #100: Thrift

Just found out today that the Old English/Anglo-Saxon work for wealth and prosperity is... thrift. From now on, I refer to thrift stores as wealth stores. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Almost every...

Just don’t quit.

I received this comment from an online student: Hi Magister, This was triggered by "If you come to Latin class every day for 30 minutes you will learn Latin..." I heard an interesting quote on a different definition of intelligence. The speaker did not believe in a...

Word of the Day #99: Ultracrepidarian

Ultracrepidarian: someone giving opinions on something beyond their knowledge.    The habit of talking constantly about subjects you know little or nothing about. From the Latin word ultra (beyond) and crepida (slipper, or sandal). According to legends, a famous Greek...

Word of the Day #98: Grammando

Grammando: someone who frequently corrects the grammar mistakes of others. I just discovered this word in a series I am watching on Wondrium (formerly known as the Great Courses).  The series, if you are interested, is English Grammar Boot Camp.   The fact that I am...

Tip of the Week #280: Your Money or Your Life

Not long ago, I finished reading Your Money or Your Life by Vicky Robin and Joe Dominguez. For years, I have read financial books.  Not sure how I missed this one.  The authors published it years ago. These days, during times of high inflation, we need all the help we...

Word of the Day #97: Sententious

Words change over time.  We know that.  Sententious is one of those words. Sententious once meant full of wisdom.  These days, it kind of means full of it.  (Hint.  The it in full of it is not wisdom.) In Latin sententiosus meant full of meaning.  This word came from...

Word of the Day #96: Penny

Penny: a small coin worth one cent. In German class this morning, we learned the word for penny: Pfennig.  Clearly related to English, my students and I went off to find out where this word came from. In Middle English, the word was peni.  In Old English, pening, and...

Tip of the Week #279: ThreeThingsMagazine.com

I recently finished writing a book about working online.  I hope to show other teachers how to make a living online. While writing the book, I researched dozens of ways to make some extra money online. I have been earning my living online since 2011. After all this...

Tip of the Week #279: Three Things Magazine

I recently finished writing a book about working online.  In it, I hope to show other teachers how to make a living online. While writing the book, I researched dozens of paths. I have been earning my living online since 2011. After all this time, I believe one of the...

Word of the Day #95: Pram

Pram: a stroller, a baby carriage, a small vehicle with four wheels designed for a baby to lie in while you push it around. I was born in England.  I remember stories of my mom pushing me around Bicester, England in a pram.  Back then, says my mom, the British moms...

Word of the Day #94: Derange

My local French students and I (I am not fluent.  We are learning together.) have been watching the language learning series Extra. In Episode three, one of the characters uses the phrase ça ne me dérange pas, meaning, it doesn't bother me....

Don’t think and grow rich. Do and grow rich.

The other day, I ran across my new favorite French proverb.  Not that I had a favorite French proverb before.  But, that's not the point. Qui s'instruit sans agir laboure sans semer.  Whoever learns without action, plows without sowing. For a while, I have had a...

Word of the Day #93: Cheesparing

Cheeseparing - Saving via extreme frugality If someone cuts for you a rather thin piece of cheese, they are cheeseparing.  Perhaps because they are frugal. Cheeseparing comes from the Old English word for cheese (case) and the Old French word for trimming, parer.  Not...

Word of the Day #92: Karmageddon

Karmageddon Karmageddon is like, when everybody is sending off all these totally bad vibes. And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer for all. Karmageddon comes from Sanskrit Karma, the sum of a person’s actions. This sum determines a persons...

Tip of the Week #278: Write it By Hand

I teach and work online.  I am also easily distracted.  Not a good combination. To combat distraction, I write everything by hand.  I have notebooks filled with tests, books, blogs, and tips I have written. I find I am much less distracted when I write by hand.  Once...

Word of the Day #91: Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia - Irrational fear of the number thirteen Triskaidekaphobia is a combination of multiple Greek words. Τρεῖς (tres) three, χαί (kai), δέχα (deka) ten and, or course φόβος (phobos) fear. This word came up in a Greek class this morning, as we were...

Tip of the Week #277: How to Find the Word You Can’t Remember

Not long ago, a friend asked me if I knew of any tools to find a word to describe something that you have in mind.   He went on to say, “There’s countless scenarios in my life where there’s something that I’d love to express - but I cannot think of the right word to...

Word of the Day #90: Disremember

Disremember: to forget. I ran across this word in The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough.  A book I enjoyed immensely, by the way.  If you are looking for a book capable of inspiring you to work incredibly hard, this may be the book for you. While testing their...

Tip of the Week #276: Make Copies of Your Drivers License

Before traveling, I always make a copy of my passport.  That way, If my passport is ever stolen or lost, I have a back up I can show when I end up at the embassy. Fortunately, this hasn’t happened to me. But, I have lost my wallet overseas.  I needed to rent a car. ...

Goals: Health and fitness are foundational

Health and fitness are foundational Have you ever heard of the fitness brand ASICS? ASICS is an acronym for an old Latin acronym.  It stands for Anima Sana In Corpore Sana. In English, it means a sound mind in a fit body. Like it or not, we need to prioritize our...

Word of the Day #89: Jargon

Jargon This morning, in an online Greek class, we learned some of the rules for Greek accenting.  The rules are complex and full of academic jargon. Later, I thought of what a weird word jargon is.  I wondered where it came from. This is what I found out. Noah...

Tip of the Week #275: Take a break

When I am on my game, I post a word a day on my blog and over at the Visual Latin Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/laughatlatin Coming up with a word a day is rather challenging.   Okay.  It’s actually really challenging.  Last week, I didn’t even try....

Word of the Day #88: Bailiwick

Bailiwick: someones special area of knowledge Your bailiwick is your area of expertise.  Bailiwick comes from the word bailiff (an officer of the court) and the Old English word for village, win.  Algebra was not my bailiwick in high school, or in college.  Made me...

Word of the Day #87: JOMO

JOMO - The Joy of Missing Out. I am sure I am behind the curve here. I've known about FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) for a while now. I did not know about the JOMO until today. Just found this word (if it is a word) and I love it. There are a bunch of Rivian trucks...

Goals: Dream Big

Dream big We are going to create a checklist based on our three main goals.   We already have a healthy goal.   We will create a wealthy goal, and a wise goal, as well. Our goals are based on Benjamin Franklin’s quote. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy,...

Tip of the Week #274: Supercharge Your Day With Checklists

If you have repetitive tasks in your daily schedule, I recommend using a checklist. Sitting down to write a checklist may seem like a waste of time, but I have found the opposite to be true.  In fact, I get more done with a checklist than I do without one.  Checklists...

Snort

https://youtu.be/zAYR-i4S-ZE

Tip of the Week #273: How to sell an Ebook online

The question I receive most is not, “How did you learn Latin?”  Instead, the question I get most is, “How did you learn to make a living online?” The answer is complicated.  To answer, I am writing a book. For years, I have watched in dismay as digital marketers have...

Pes, pedes and peditis confusion.

I received this question: The declension of the noun pedes is confusing us majorly. In the charts (which are usually so handy) rex is declined so differently. Where does the extra "it" come from? Pedes--pedITis--pedITi--etc. Thanks for any help you can give us! Here...

Spanish One and Two

I am getting lots of questions about the online Spanish class I will be teaching in the Fall. Just so everyone knows… I am still learning Spanish.  I am simply inviting everyone to learn along with me.  Last year, online, I took students through Madrigal's Magic Key...

Word of the Day #87: Anomalous

Anomalous Abnormal, differing from the norm, the standard, or the usual way of doing things. Anomalous is the adjective form of anomaly. Anomalous comes from the Greek words ἀν (an), meaning “not” and ὁμός (homos) meaning “same”.  Synonyms include atypical, divergent,...

Goals: Start slowly

Inch by inch We are about to create a healthy checklist.  Before we begin constructing a checklist, keep this in mind.  I built a checklist to give myself the life I wanted to live. I want this for you, too.  I want you to live the life you want to live.    I truly...

Word of the Day #86: Anomaly

Anomaly Something differing from the usual pattern.  A peculiarity, an abnormality.  A deviation from the normal.  An outlier. Synonyms include aberration, deviation, oddity, and rarity. Anomaly comes from the Greek words ἀν (an), meaning “not” and ὁμός (homos)...