by Dwane | Mar 20, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Mar 18, 2023 | Uncategorized
“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...
by Dwane | Mar 17, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Mar 13, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Mar 11, 2023 | Uncategorized
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. ...
by Dwane | Feb 25, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Feb 9, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Feb 8, 2023 | Education, Healthy, Tip of the Week, Wise
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...
by Dwane | Feb 7, 2023 | Wealthy, Wise
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 online, I recommend blogging. ...
by Dwane | Feb 6, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Feb 4, 2023 | Tip of the Week
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,...
by Dwane | Feb 3, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Feb 3, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Feb 2, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Feb 1, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Jan 31, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Jan 31, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Jan 28, 2023 | Tip of the Week
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...
by Dwane | Jan 26, 2023 | Uncategorized
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:...
by Dwane | Jan 25, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Jan 23, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Jan 23, 2023 | Uncategorized
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...
by Dwane | Jan 21, 2023 | Tip of the Week
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...
by Dwane | Jan 21, 2023 | English, Vocabulary
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...
by Dwane | Jan 20, 2023 | English, Vocabulary
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...
