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How to become an expert (book excerpt)
I have written a book on goal setting. I am now in the process of editing the book. This is an excerpt. ================================================= How to become an expert Expert, experiment, and experience all come from the same Latin word. The word is...
Tip of the Week #256: Why You Need a Deadline
Perhaps you have heard of Parkinson’s Law. Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time allowed. We have all experienced this. Give yourself the weekend to finish that report for school, and it will take the entire weekend. Give yourself only Saturday to...
Word of the Day #42: Vindictive
Vindictive: vengeful; given to revenge. Sometimes Latin and English get along quite well. A Latin word and an English word will find themselves in complete agreement. Vindictive comes from the Latin noun vindicta, meaning vengeance. Someone with a vindictive spirit...
Word of the Day #41: Postulant
Postulant This morning, one of my students taught me this word in Latin class. I had never heard it before. We were talking about English words that come from the Latin word postulare (to demand or ask). From the Latin postulare (to demand, or ask), English...
Tip of the Week #255: A simple system for setting goals
Hi, everyone! I hope you all had a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The New Year is a great time to set goals. I've been working on a book on goals for a while now. But, to be honest, the entire goal-setting process can be summed up in three quick steps....
Your Potential (an excerpt from my book on goals)
I have written a book on goal setting. I am now in the editing process. As I edit, I will post most of the book here, for free. This is from the introduction. ================================================= Your Potential If you do not know me, I should warn...
Word of the Day #40: Criticize
Criticize: to find fault; to point out flaws real or perceived I took some time off for Christmas and New Year. No one criticized me. Pretty impressive, guys. You could be nicer than you think you are. Criticize comes from the Greek word χριτιχός (kritikos)...
Classes resume next week
Happy New Year, everyone! Live classes on this site will resume next week on January 9, 2023. All previous classes are available 24/7 of course. If you are trying to catch up, you still have almost a week to do so.
Word of the Day# 39: Eggnog
This week, one of my students translated egg nog into French. She ended up with the phrase: lait de poule. Lait is French for milk, and poule is French for hen. Put the two together and you get, “hen milk”. Um. This threw me for a loop. I started wondering,...
Word of the Day #38: Truckle
Truckle: to yield out of weakness Most of us know what a trundle bed is. In case you don’t, a trundle bed is a low bed on wheels. When not in use trundle beds slide beneath other beds. Evidently, in some places, trundle beds are truckle beds. Truckle comes from...
Tip of the Week #254: How to Find a Book
Whenever I look for a book I go through several steps. Since I tend to be rather frugal, I always start with our local library. You can check out audiobooks from your local library using the free Libby app. To use Libby, you need a library card and, of course, the...
Word of the Day #37: Ham
Ever wondered why some cities have ‘ham’ attached to their names? Birmingham, Nottingham, Gotham, Buckingham, and even Hampshire? The Old English word for home or homestead is ‘ham.’ ‘Ham’ is also the source of our English word ‘home.’ As the three little pigs said,...
Word of the Day #36: Donner and Blitzen
A few days ago, one of my students asked where the eight tiny reindeer got their names. I knew there were some German names in there, but beyond that, I was not sure. So, I went looking. The reindeer first show up in a poem by Clement C. Moore. Mr. Moore wrote A...
English is dangerous
I don't feel like posting a word today. So, here is one of my all-time favorite jokes about the English language. Maybe. I can't tell if it's a joke or if it's true. The Japanese eat very little fat And suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans. The Mexicans eat a lot...
Word of the Day #35: Ballyhoo
Ballyhoo: to advertise noisily; to publicize using extreme, loud methods The marketers ballyhooed the movie, but it flopped on opening day. Ballyhoo shows up in English in the early 1900s. It was originally a circus word. A ballyhoo was a sideshow used to lure...
Word of the Day #34: Argumentum ad Baculum
A student recently posted this question in the forums: In Chapter four of Lingua Latina, a new word is “baculum”, meaning “stick”. In the world of logic, there is a fallacy, called Ad Baculum. I am assuming that these are related. Does it mean, “to the stick”? Here is...
Tip of the Week #253: How to Avoid College Debt
A few weeks ago my wife and I wanted to watch a funny movie. We were in the mood to laugh. We made it 15 minutes into one movie and turned it off. It was disgustingly crude. We tried a second movie. It was worse. Sigh. Hollywood. Reluctantly, we decided to watch a...
Word of the Day #33: Kibitzer
Kibitzer: someone who offers unwanted advice; someone who offers unsolicited opinions Kibitzer is a Yiddish word. Originally, a kibitzer described someone looking over your shoulder during a card game, offering unwelcome advice. These days, a kibitzer is an...
Word of the Day #32: Gardyloo
If you are throwing things out of your window today, consider first shouting "Gardyloo!" Gardyloo is a warning shout. Back in the old days, when pots were emptied into the streets, the one pouring whatever they were pouring into the streets would warn others by...
Word of the Day #31: Everywhen
I study words for a living. I am always a little surprised when I run across a word like Everywhen. It looks like a typo. It isn't. Everywhen is an English adverb. It means: always, at all times. So, there you go. When it comes to English, it's best to everywhen...
Word of the Day #30: Plethora
Plethora: an abundance, a superabundance; an excess or oversupply of something The United States has a plethora of natural resources. And, it’s a good thing, too. According to Peter Zeihan in his book, The End of the World is Just the Beginning, America, due to its...
Word of the Day #29: Perfervid
Perfervid: intense emotion, full of intense emotion; ardent; zealous Perfervid comes from the Latin word perfervidus, meaning very hot. In Latin, fervidus means glowing hot, or ardent. Adding per to the word only intensifies it. The letters don't need to be long,...
Tip of the Week #252: How to Work Faster at Your Computer
After accidentally closing down a tap on her computer, my wife recently asked me if I knew a quick way to reopen a tab. Of course, you can go back into your history. But, I thought, there’s got to be an easier way. Turns out, there is. If you accidentally close a tab...
Word of the Day #28: Berserk
Berserk: violently or frenetically destructive; wildly destructive To go berserk is to have a fit of destructive rage. Berserk came into English from Old Norse. In Old Norse, a berserkr was a raging warrior. The Norse word is likely a combination of ber (bear) and...
Word of the Day #27: Galore
Galore: plenty; abundantly; in abundance Galore is from the Irish go leór meaning sufficiently, enough. May you find black Friday deals galore out there today. Synonyms: plenty, aplenty, abundant, ample ================================================= Into Words? ...
A Good Thanksgiving Day Tradition
Years ago, Michael Masterson posted this tip on the site Early to Rise. ================================================= Being the day before Thanksgiving, I have a 30-minute "task" for you that will make you feel good and bring you many future blessings. Step One:...
How to Handle Anxiety
You've seen the studies. You've seen the reports. You've probably experienced it yourself. Anxiety is on the rise. Covid didn't help at all. Made it worse, actually. A few weeks ago, the pastor of the church I attend tackled anxiety head-on. Turns out, the Bible...
Word of the Day #26: Lethargic
Lethargic: Drowsy; dull; inactive. On Thursday, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day in America. We will remember our hard-working hungry ancestors by stuffing ourselves with food. We will follow up with a lethargic afternoon of football. I think our ancestors...
Word of the Day #25: Capricious
Capricious: impulsive; fickle; whimsical; changeable; erratic The ancient gods were capricious. They were happy one moment, and irate the next. Source: Capricious came to English via the French word capricieux meaning capricious, or whimsical. In French, a whim...
Confessions of a Washington Reject
I am almost 50 years old. For most of my life, I have watched people around me waste time on National Politics. I recommend you do not do this. Instead, find out why God put you here on earth. My guess? He put you here to serve others. To help others. To make the...
Tip of the Week #251: The Books I Read Again and Again
Here’s a tip. When you find a life-changing book, read (or listen to) it over and over. These days, I have three books on constant repeat. I make it a point, daily, to listen to a bit of each. While biking, my phone is strapped to the handlebars. I usually have one...
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 #24: Sanguine
Sanguine: Hopeful, confident, cheerful; having an optimistic outlook. Sanguine comes from the Latin word sanguineus, meaning blood red. Doctors once thought patients with excess blood were more cheerful, hopeful, and confident. But, sanguine can also mean...
Word of the Day #23: Frenetic
Frenetic: Frenzied, frantic, feverishly excited; excessively agitated After missing his deadline, the author wrote at a frenetic pace in order to have something to show his publisher. Greek phrenetic, “frenzy, disease of the mind, inflammation of the brain.”...
How does one figure out what to do with their Life?
Last week, I received this question from a former student How does one Figure out what to do with their Life? I'm Lost! Here is my reply: I am really struggling through this one right now myself. I am writing a book on goals. Almost done. Editing it. But, the...
Word of the Day #22: Jocund
Jocund: Merry and cheerful; jovial; having a cheerful disposition Example: Her jocund personality cheered everyone around her. Jocund comes from the Latin word jucundus, meaning pleasant, agreeable, or delightful. Jucundus is related to the Latin word for joke,...
The National Latin Exam
I received this question: We are looking at the National Latin Exam for my two daughters who are taking Latin right now. My older daughter is going through Lingua Latina and should be finished with it (Pars I) by the time of the exam. My younger daughter will be...
Word of the Day #21: Absquatulate
Absquatulate: to run away, usually with someone or something you shouldn’t be running away with After robbing the bank, the thieves absquatulated with the money. Absquatulate looks Latin. Oddly enough, it was once popular to make up words that looked and sounded...
How to Check Your Answers
I received this question: When my son does the Lingua Latina tests, is there a way for us to go back and see the answers he got correct and wrong? Here is my reply: https://vimeo.com/770306929
Word of the Day #20: Equable
Equable: Even and steady; serene; does not vary; not easily irritated Example: His equable manner made all those around him instantly comfortable. I like this from Vocabulary.com: An equable person isn't moody. You wouldn't expect him or her to fly into a rage one...
Tip of the Week #250: How to stay focused as a writer
I spend a lot of time writing. Six days a week, I write tests for my site. Spanish, French, Latin, and German tests. I've also begun writing tests for the Word up! series. Then, there is the Tip of the Week and I'm currently writing a book on goals. In college, I...
Word of the Day #19: Caucus
Caucus Well, this is a complex word. A caucus can be a private meeting of members of a political party to choose candidates or determine policy. A caucus can also refer to a group of people within an organization. This group influences through legislation. The...
Feed your mind
"One forgets words as one forgets names. One’s vocabulary needs constant fertilizing or it will die.” - Evelyn Waugh Want to boost your vocabulary? You may like Word up!
Word of the Day #18: The Bozone Layer
The bozone layer: The bozone layer prevents good ideas from penetrating—these days, also known as college. The bozone layer comes from the word bozo and the word ozone. A bozo was originally a muscular, low-intelligence male. Bozo likely came from the Spanish word...
Word of the Day #17: Arachnoleptic fit
Arachnoleptic fit: The wild fit you throw right after you walk through a spider web. Arachnoleptic fit is a made-up word. My mom sent it to me. It’s a useful made-up word though. I nearly wiped out once after biking through a spider web. I threw an arachnoleptic...
Word of the Day #16: Laconic
Laconic: using few words; terse; concise. Laconic means brief. Laconic comes from the Greek region Laconia, land of the ancient Spartans. The Spartans were famous for their blunt speech. King Phillip of Macedon once threatened to invade Spartan territory. “If I...
Tip of the Week #249: It’s Not the End of the World as We Know It
A few months ago on a long summer road trip, I listened to the audiobook Apocalypse Never by Michael Shellenberger. The subtitle says it all. Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts us All. Mr. Shellenberger's book is a cry in the wilderness these days. As climate change...
Word of the Day# 15: Criterion
Criterion: a standard of judging or making a decision; any established law, rule, principle or fact by which correct judgment may be formed. A model or test. We also speak of meeting the criterion, as in “She met the criterion for the position and we hired her.” If,...
Word of the Day #14: Debonair
Debonair: charming and carefree; suave; gracious; urbane; nonchalant; having sophisticated charm We all admired the dinner guest with his laid-back, debonair attitude. Debonair comes from the old French phrase de bon aire. De bon aire in old French means “of a good...
How I discovered goal-setting
This year, I wrote another book. A book on goal-setting. Right now, I am in the process of editing. I am guessing it will take me a few weeks. As I edit, I will post sections as blog posts. As for the title, I am still tossing some ideas around. For now, I will...