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Goals: Act

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 one: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Act...

Word of the Day #62: Eucatastrophe

Eucatastrophe: a sudden turn of events for good.  Eucatastrophe happens when all seems lost, and at the last moment, all is saved.   J.R.R. Tolkien came up with this word.  He combined the Greek prefix eu (good) with catastrophe.  In one of his essays, he called the...

Goals: Trust the Process

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 one: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Trust...

Word of the Day #61: Ignite

Ignite: to start a fire, to light up. In a Latin class today, we learned the Latin word for fire, ignis. From ignis, English derives the words ignite (to start a fire), ignition (this is why some grandpa’s ‘fire’ up the truck), igneous (rock formed via intense, fiery...

School did not help

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 one: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ School...

Word of the Day #60: Inexorable

Inexorable Relentless, stubborn, unyielding, unrelenting When something is inexorable, it cannot be stopped, such as the inexorable passage of time. Inexorable comes from the Latin word inexorabilis, meaning that which cannot be changed, even by prayer.  The Latin...

How I Forgot about Goal Setting

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 one: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ How I...

Word of the Day #59: Nebulous

Nebulous: indistinct, hazy, confused, or cloudy; lacking definition.   She didn't come to the party and she gave nebulous reasons for skipping. Synonyms: vague, indefinite, or uncertain  Nebulous comes from Latin nebulosus meaning misty, foggy, or obscure...

Word of the Day #58: Spurious

Spurious: counterfeit; false; bogus; not proceeding from a true source. Spurious writings are not composed by the authors to whom they are ascribed.  With new technologies, it is sometimes difficult to determine authentic writings from spurious writings.  Politicians...

Tip of the Week #267: How I Fight Allergies

For me, May is allergy season.  Since I don't completely trust pharmaceutical companies, I tend to avoid allergy medicines. Years ago, my wife discovered a DoTerra supplement called TriEase.  I take a few every morning before classes start.  It seems to do the trick....

Tip of the Week #266: Make Your Smartphone Dumb

For the past few weeks, the church I attend has taken on a new challenge. It's called “digital detox.” Many of us are addicted to our smartphones these days.  That’s no secret. The pastor is calling for a radical rethinking of the way we use our phones. Last Sunday he...

Word of the Day #57: Quercetin

It's allergy season for me. During allergy season, I take quercetin.  Thomas at Compass Classroom told me about Quercetin years ago.  I've been taking it ever since.  It really seems to help me.  Consider giving quercetin a try if you are currently suffering from...

Latin pronuciation

I received this question a few days ago: Hi.  I got the Bible.is app. I've memorized part of John 1 with Classical Conversations. The version you like has a few differences in pronunciation. We say 'prin-kip-io". The app says "prin-chip-io"  We say "lu-ket" and the...

Tip of the Week #265: Git an Editer

Git an Editer Last weak, I sent owt an email with a mispeled wurd.  Ironikly, I titled the email “Chose your words carefully.”  It was suposed to bee “Choose your words carefully.”   This week, I am beeng a bit mur karefool. Mispeling wurds can bee humileeating.  ...

Tip of the Week #264: Choose Your Words Carefully

This may sound a little woo-woo.  But, I believe what I am about to write is extremely practical.  Call it “practical woo-woo” if you like.  Practiwoo, maybe? Anyway, the older I get, the more I believe our words become our reality. We have all heard some variation of...

Aim at nothing, and hit it every time.

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 one: _______________________________________________________________________________________________  ...

Word of the Day #56: Factotum

Factotum: Someone who does it all.   This word came up in a Latin class a few days ago.  A factotum is a handy jack of all trades.  A factotum is the kind of person we all need around.   Alfred, for example, is Batman’s factotum.  He keeps Batman supplied.  Would...

How I rediscovered goal-setting

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 one: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ When I...

How I forgot about goal-setting

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 one: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ How I...

Word of the Day #55: Voilà!

Voilà came up in class this morning as we were reading through Le Français par la Métode Nature. Voilà is a French expression meaning "Here it is", "See there" or "Look there". Ultimately, voilà derives from Latin videre (to see) and ille (there). In English, we use...

Tip of the Week #263: My Favorite Books

Not too long ago, I posted a list of some of my favorite movies.  I am adding to the list from time to time.  It's here: https://dwanethomas.com/my-favorite-movies/.  Many of you responded with your own recommendations.  I am sure I will be adding movies for a while....

Words matter.

“Words matter. They help us define meaning. We think with words. We learn with words. Words are the fundamental tools we use for communicating. If we use them well, we can cut and shape and polish our ideas precisely and beautifully. If we use them sloppily we put...

Word of the Day #54: Surquidry

Surquidry: Overbearing pride; arrogance Forgot to post for over a month.  My surquidry doesn’t want me to admit this, but… who needs surquidry?  So, I am back.  Surquidry comes from Latin, but it made its way into English via French.  In Old French, the word was...

Introduction to my book on Goal-Setting

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 the introduction: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ I...

Tip of the Week #262: Don’t Wait for Motivation

I have written a book on goal-setting. It is in the editing process now.  This is from the book: Do not wait for motivation Many people wait for motivation before they take action. I recommend not doing this.  Do not wait for motivation.  Motivation follows action. ...

Tip of the Week #261: Snow Sports near Nashville, Tennessee

Late in life, I am learning to snowboard and ski.  Never got to do this stuff when I was younger, so I am doing it now.  Mid-life crisis, I suppose. Around Nashville, there are not many places to snowboard.  You can learn in Ober Gatlinburg, about four and a half...

Two Buses. Different Colors

I read this article every year.  I read it because I need to be reminded.  I read it because it's brilliant. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Picture this. You’re driving down the highway with your...

My Favorite Movies

Sometimes, after studying languages all day, I just want to sit on the couch and not think for a while and watch a great movie. Unfortunately, there is so much filth and junk out there, I often end up searching for a movie instead of actually watching a movie. To help...

Why I Try to Blog Every Weekday

https://youtu.be/livzJTIWlmY   You have likely heard of Seth Godin and Tom Peters.  Both are writing masters.  Both admit that blogging has changed their lives. Wordpress.com is free.  Blogging is free.  This has not changed in a long time. If you are launching...

Six Resolutions for the New Year

Years ago, I followed Bill Myers.   He no longer posts online.  He retired from the internet. Long before he retired, he posted a short article on how to hit your goals.  He posted this article ten years ago, in 2013.  Since human nature does not change, his ideas...

Tip of the Week# 259: Save Money With Ibotta

This tip is for the moms out there.  My wife, Gretchen wrote it.  She gave me the week off.  Heh.  Here she is: ______________________________________________ How grateful I am that we no longer have to watch every dime spent and be painfully rigid with our spending,...

Test out of College Classes

I receive emails from Modern States.  They recently highlighted a student who went back to college after taking some time off.  Robert Ayres describes his experience here. As you probably know, you can test out of some college courses by taking CLEP exams.   In case...

Word of the Day #53: Beef

In a Latin class today, my students and I looked at the Roman word for cow, bos.  Latin adds its complicated endings to the root of this word, bov.  From this root, English derives the word bovine.  Something bovine relates to cows.  English even uses bovine as an...

Word of the Day #52: Candidate

Candidate A person who seeks office by election.  From Latin candidus meaning bright, clear, clean, or spotless Roman togas were white.  Romans hoping to win elections wore extra white togas.  The candidate would add chalk power to his toga to further whiten things...

Why Set Goals if the World is Coming to End?

I am in the final edits of a book I have been working on.  The book is on goals.  Inspired by all the vulgar language in so many goal-setting books, I decided to write my own.  I have set and hit goals for years.  People ask me how I do it.  The book is the answer to...

Word of the Day #51: Reintarnation

Reintarnation: to come back to life as a hillbilly. Over the weekend, I was sick. Sicker than I have been in a long time. It was awful and exhausting. Since recovering, I have experienced a strong urge to listen to country music. I am beginning to think I may have...

C Students Rule the World

I struggled in school.  I was not a good student.  I failed English grammar and had to repeat several grades.  I graduated from high school one month before I turned 20. I thought I was doomed to a life of mediocrity. Then, in my twenties, I discovered the...

Tip of the Week #258: Chicken Little was Wrong

Remember the story of Chicken Little?  Chicken Little is a fictional character in a children’s story. One day, an acorn falls on Chicken Little's head.  He instantly assumes the sky is falling.  He panics and spends the rest of the day running around stirring up fear...

The Millionaire Next Door

Years ago, I read The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley.  I remember thinking... "Is this a commentary on the book of Proverbs?" This morning, I ran across a summary of the book. Investment writer Mark Skousen wrote this:...

Word of the Day #50: Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia

This week we are looking at words of fear. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: fear of long words.  Brace yourself.  This one is tough to break down.  First, the easy part.  Phobos, from the Greek word φόβος, is fear.  From this word, we get all of our phobias.  The...

Word of the Day #49: Trepidation

Trepidation: a condition of anxiety or dread; a quaking or quivering, particularly from fear or terror; a state of terror. The men were in great trepidation. Trepidation is from the Latin trepidus meaning, nervous, jumpy, or agitated. From trepidus, English also...

The fastest way to learn Latin

You just found the fastest, most affordable Latin classes online! Now, you can join EVERY CLASS I teach with ONE simple subscription option.  Yep.  Subscribe once and you will have access to each and every class I teach. I fully intend to win for you.  I intend to do...

Tip of the Week #257: How to practice speaking in your target language

After several years of studying French, I am able to understand most of what I read.  I can also understand much of what I hear. But, when it comes to speaking French?  When it comes to turning my thoughts into French?  That's a different story. I find it quite...

Word of the Day #48: Destinesia

Destinesia: to reach your destination only to forget why you were going there in the first place. Destinesia is a portmanteau word.  It is a combination of destination and amnesia.   Amnesia, in case you have forgotten, is a word meaning forgetfulness. I’ve been...

Word of the Day #47: Webinar

Webinar Webinar is a portmanteau word I hear every weekday morning.  Every time I turn on GoToWebinar, I hear, “Welcome to the Webinar.” A webinar is an online presentation.  The word is a combination of “World Wide Web” and “seminar.”  Web is from the Old English...

Word of the Day #46: Fortnight

Fortnight fourteen days; two weeks. Fortnight is a portmanteau word.  A portmanteau is a blended word. The combination takes on the meanings of both words. Fortnight is a combination of fourteen and night.   Change the spelling and, for some reason you end with the...

When to retire (book excerpt)

I have written a book on goal setting.  I am now in the process of editing the book.  This is an excerpt. ================================================= When to retire I have known people who retired at the age of 60 simply to play golf and watch TV.   What if they...

Word of the Day #45: Slactivism

When we fuse two words we can create a new word, and sometimes a new concept.  We call such words portmanteau words. Not long ago, I heard the portmanteau word slacktivism for the first time. Slactivism: half-hearted activism We participate in slactivism by posting...

Word of the Day #44: Lawfare

Lawfare The use of the judicial system against one's opponents Lawfare, a portmanteau word, is a combination of law and warfare. C.S. Lewis once pointed out that we live under something like administrative lawfare.  “I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of...

Word of the Day #43: Portmanteau

I like portmanteau words. If you have no idea what I am talking about, let me explain.   A portmanteau was once a traveling case for clothing.  Once you reached your destination, it could double as a small piece of furniture.   The word comes from the French...