strange words

The english language has some strange words. Heard somebody call a lazy person lackadaisical. Good word but sounds more like we have a shortage of daisies. 

Two things that don’t belong together are called oxymoron, a word that sounds more like a stupid person who needs air. 

When I come home I park my car in my driveway. Seems like I should park it in my parkway, but no, we drive on our parkway.

How about the word maulifuff.

Not one that pops into daily conversation but it means a woman of low energy. Looks more like someone who would beat up a fuff. Yes fuff is a word that means a desirable object. 

Here is the best word ever, and it’s definition is “the fear of long words”. The word is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. Here is a quick fun link for a song about this word. (Click here) 


Here is a good word. Thanksomuch. It is what we say every time someone joins our blog as a follower. It is a great word and we would like to say it often. It is also used when people go to my book page on Amazon (Click here).

Sometimes strange words are nice. Just Say'n

Writer’s analogies

As an author, I spend a lot of time reading other peoples work to get an idea of how they approach their art. It is amazing how some people create words and sentences that make little or no sense. For example: “Last October 30 people disappeared without anyone being notified, except possibly the last people who saw them disappear.” What??

The ones I really love are analogies. Good analogies act like mirrors to give us an additional perspective on a subject. (That was an analogy) Or perhaps we could say a good analogy brings life to a thought like spice brings new flavor to a meal. (hmmm, not sure I liked that one). Here are some I found that really make me wonder:

• She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again.
• The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
• McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty Bag filled with vegetable soup.
• From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and "Jeopardy" comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
• Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze.

Like nose hair after a sneeze!!!!! Not a line from Hemingway for sure. Just Say’n

If you join our blog then you will find peace like Gandhi found at a spinning wheel. If you don't, then life will be missing joy like a wedding caught in the rain. Or something like that. Just say’n

Want to read a couple books filled with adventure and not a lot of sick analogies? Try my books CATCH AND RELEASE and the sequel HOOK, LINE & SINKER. International thrillers and winners a several award shows. Click here

How do they do It?

My wife and I went to a diner tonight. Maybe it’s my age, but going to a diner is a very overwhelming task. How can any restaurant have a menu that is ten pages long with a thousand different choices? I just about figure out what I want and then I turn the page and am faced with another hundred different option.


 Glancing into the kitchen, which is not much larger than mine at home, I usually see two people cooking. I’m sure a lot of things are prepared ahead of time, but really, how do they keep up with all the choices?


Then tonight, after handing me the ten pound menu, the waiter hands me a separate sheet with about twenty five “Specials”. I thought I would start to cry. 


I finally made a choice, but it was touch and go for a minute. Guess maybe I’ll let my wife order for me in the future. It is hard to lead a stress free life. Just Say’n.

Want a good stress free read - try my award winning book Forever Yours. 

 A couple explores the adventure of life from college in the 60’s to retirement in the 2000’s. Of all my books, this is the one I enjoyed writing the most as it was about my generation’s journey. Take a look at Amazon to see all my books. 

New Orleans Inspiration

As a writer I find I have to make trips to certain areas to receive inspiration for new thoughts and plots. One of my favorite places for this is New Orleans Louisiana, a part of America that is different than anyplace in the country. History shows the territory was run mostly by the Spanish, but the impact of the French is found throughout the region, mostly due to the impact of French Canadians in the early years of New Orleans development. Then there is the strong influence of the Caribbean Island reflecting the days when the city was a major port for slavery. In my book “Hook, Line and Sinker”, Steve Sanders, one of the main characters describes New Orleans as follows:

A block away I heard the “clang, clang, clang” of the big green trolley as it moved down St. Charles Street toward the divide through New Orleans. This was definitely a crazy town with a flavor unlike any place I’ve ever lived. Often called “The Big Easy”, a title reflecting the almost daily party-like atmosphere perpetrated by the inhabitants, the city replicates a culture and heritage not found in the remainder of the country. As a person raised in the eastern section of the USA, I pictured my country’s history through the eyes of our ancestors who landed on Plymouth Rock, declared our independence in Philadelphia, fought the British in Boston and then spread out over a semi-inhabited land to establish America.

New Orleans is from a very different background and provides an abundance of history and culture, proving that my eastern America understanding was very presumptive. Created by the French, run periodically by the Spanish, inhabited by Canadians, molded by the Caribbean and planted in the south, it is a part of America truly declaring its own independence.

The afternoon breeze pushed through the banana palms with the promise of a cooling afternoon rain on this hot August day, a welcome relief in this tropical part of southern Louisiana. The air was filled with the smell of magnolias and gardenias reminiscent of a beautiful woman fresh from a long shower. The intense green of the tropical foliage seemed to have a strength and beauty not found in more urban parts of the world, and it all blended together in a rather mesmerizing place known simply as New Orleans.

So I, like Steve, am in need of New Orleans and thus I am going. It is French Quarter Festival time and I need to be inspired.

Gary “US” Bonds wrote a song that goes:

“Every Southern belle is a Mississippi queen,

Down the Mississippi,

Down in New Orleans.

Come on take a stroll down to Basin Street

And listen to the music with the Dixieland beat.

The magnolia blossoms fill the air

And if you ain’t been to heaven, then you ain’t been there.”

If you cant make it to New Orleans, you can catch some of it in my book “Hook, Line and Sinker.”

Check it out (click here).

Starten over

Woke up this morning and got out of bed.
Stepped on something sharp that really hurt.
As I hobbled around with my pain, I stubbed my toe on the door.


Finally got to the kitchen and found the coffee pot unplugged.
As I glanced out the window I saw it was raining and miserable.


Went back to bed and pulled the covers over me.
Took a few deep breaths, thought of something I was grateful for,  and then got up and tried again.


Sometimes it is just a good idea to start over with a new perspective.


Just Say'n


Enjoy our blog, then join in as a follower, leave a comment, or just hit "share it" on the Facebook or Twitter section. If that is overwhelming, try going back to bed and starting over. Works for me. Just Say'n.

A professional review of my book - Catch and Release

Catch and Release in now in ebook, paperback and audiobook 
Reviews are 5 Star - here is the latest:

When Catch and Release arrived, I didn't know if I'd do a review or not. Then I opened the book, read the prologue and was delightfully hooked...only putting it down when the need for sleep or the demands of life prevailed.

And so, what do we have here and why is it so special? First, we have a suspense-filled, mystery/romance, fiction/non-fiction novel guaranteed to engage and hold you to the very end. And second, as to why it's so special, we have a gifted, consummate author, J. T. Twerell, who takes us on a trip which feels believable and so we follow as he leads us through the convoluted maze he's created. 

      He writes in the third party about Jennifer Blade, "J", the complicated femme fatale who continually morphs as we try to define and trust her. Dr. Steve Sanders, a New York therapist, is our first-party-perspective protagonist who also tries to define, trust and love "J". The uniqueness and quality of the novel stem from the non-fictional psychotherapeutic insights into human nature and Steve's subtle, easy-going humor and personal therapist, Johnny Red.

     The story flows--keeping those pages turning-and is nicely balanced. The references to the `catch and release' concept throughout ties it all together. Catch and Release has enough naked ladies, action and suspense to keep the men interested and enough female superhero, romance and true love for the women. It would be a delightful movie. Highly recommended. Kaye Trout

To take a look or a listen (click here). 

And now the sequel to this book is out. "Hook, Line and Sinker" J and Steve are caught up in intrigue that takes them from Cuba to New Orleans. Click here for more information 

SEX PLANS ???????

Talking to this person the other day and they were telling me a lot of things about all the problems they were having in life. The fact that I’m a therapist probably explains why they were telling me this. Most of the time when people come to see me it isn’t because they’re having a good day. 
Anyhow, they said something about a problem they were having and I said, “Explain”.

They hesitated, looked at me strangely and then said, “Well, I don’t have any right now, but is that something I should think about?”

Now I looked at them strangely trying to understand just what in the world they were talking about. 

Finally I asked, “You don’t have any 'what' right now?”

Then they replied, “Sex plans.”

At last it all made sense. I told them,  “I didn’t ask you about 'sex plans', I asked you to 'explain'.”

When we get a conversation off track, it can often cause a real wreck. Just say’n


Want to have fun, boing our log. What? No I said join our blog. Just say’n

Stay'n Healthy

I go to the gym several times a week. Not because I really like the gym, but I do like staying alive, and the gym helps.

I work hard, go a couple miles, lift all kinds of fancy weight machines, and basically wear myself out.


I am told that I burn off between 300 and 500 calories, which is good.


Went to Starbucks today and found out that a fancy coffee and a brownie have about 800 calories.

It is enough to make a grown man cry.


Just say'n


If you like our blog, become a follower and make our hearts happy. If our hearts are happy, that may burn off a few more calories and that would be great. Telling your friends on Facebook and Twitter also helps. Just say’n

Reading my books also burns off calories. Take a look at my library (click here) 

The New Drug!

FDA TAKES DOWN CHEERIOS.

The Federal Drug Agency claims the language on the Cheerios box suggests the cereal is designed to prevent or treat heart disease. Regulators say only FDA-approved drugs are allowed to make such claims. The FDA warns that if General Mills doesn’t “correct the violations,” it risks having its cheery-looking boxes seized by federal agents right off store shelves.

Poor old Cheerios, there they are just making little round circles of oats and grains, just like they have been doing for years, and suddenly they are gong to be raided by federal agents.

Child welfare will soon get involved and arrest parents who are giving this drug to children.

Chapters of “Cheerios Anonymous” will soon spring up as Cheerios Drug Users try to break the habit by turning to a higher power of Tony the Tiger.

And you can count on lawsuits springing up from people who claim that Cheerios ruined their life by making them addicts.

Ten percent unemployment, an economy in the pits, politicians we can’t trust and the Federal Drug Administration decides to attack Cheerios. Give me a break. Just Say'n

Childhood Trauma

Watched some of the neighbor kids waiting for a school bus the other day. They are about seven or eight years old and look pretty small compared to that bus. I guess we all survived the trauma of our early school bus years, but I am sure it left a few psychological scars.

I mean, here we are, innocent young children trusting in the decisions of the adults around us and what do they do?  Stick us in the huge yellow container and send us off to someplace we can't even locate. The first trip on the bus is complicated by having to find a seat next to someone you don’t know with the words of your parents ringing in your ears, “Don’t sit with strangers.”

We survived, but to this day I still have a little anxiety when I see a school bus. Just Say’n


If you enjoy our blog, tell others on Facebook and Twitter. Join as a follower and we can ride the bus together. 
Want to see how one person survived trauma on an international scale? Read my book THE DRAGON'S ORB, a story about a young girl who goes on vacation in Paris and ends up in an international conspiracy. Now that is trauma. Click Here to see more about the book. 

Oldies but ?????

I have been listening to some of the old music of my generation. Kingston Trio, Peter Paul and Mary, Limelighters, and others.

The internet provides so many ways to find music and artist, it is a real treat to just drop out into old memories. However, when you find the good, sometime you find the absurd. This is a real album from the 70’s. Let Me Touch Him. I am sure they meant well, but just didn’t think it through. Don’t think I will say anything more. 


This one never quite made my top ten list back in the 70’s. Can you imagine a romantic night with David Niven and love letters? Guess not all the oldies were goodies. Just Say’n.




Here is a modern request. Join our blog as a follower by hitting the “Follow this Blog” button. Would love to have your comments on the posts. Just hit comment button. The 30th person to sign up gets a free David Niven Love Letters album. Not really. But you may want to take a look at my books, lot's of good things there and they are not from the 70's. (Click Here)

On Second thought

Saw a store the other day that proclaimed ALWAYS OPEN. Then right under it was a sign that said CLOSED. 

I got a big kick out of that. It started me thinking about how we sometimes display things that we really need to think about a second time.

For example, let's be real proud Americans and tell people what language we speak here:

Or how about these:

There are really times when we need to take a second thought about what we are saying. Or maybe we just need a good laugh once in a while


Here is a good sign, Join in our blog family. We really, really, really love it when you sign up. Just hit the "Follow this blog" app or hit the Facebook or Twitter apps. Add comment below. You have no idea how much it means when we know you are with us. 

Damn Diet

My wife and I decided we were carrying around a lot of holiday good cheer in the form of excess body weight. Don’t know where it came from, I laid hands on all the sugar cookies and cast out unwanted calories, so it can't be from that. 
In any case, it became the after January 1 diet time.
I guess I never realized how many good things are just not good for my waist line. 
My stop at Dunkin Donuts has come to a screeching halt. 
My Starbucks afternoon Iced Venti Extra Carmel, Carmel Machiato is now a distant memory. 
Cookies at night have died a sudden death. 
Life is now dull, boring, and not very tasty. 
Granted, the weight is coming down since these changes took place, but I now find myself standing outside Dunkin Donuts quietly crying. I hate diets. Just Say'n

Another Year!

Time flies when you’re having fun, so I guess I’m having a blast. At this rate, it will be Spring in a few days, then Summer the day after, and then I can put the boat back in the water. I know it doesn’t work this way, but why not just think positive.

2016 has a lot of new adventures to explore as the political race heats up. Seems like this presidential campaign has been active for the last two years, yet somehow we still don’t know what is going on. 

I’m sure the Kardashians will provide some type of hype, the economy will continue to hold center stage, the middle east will continue to be unpredictable and my two books Catch and Release and the sequel Hook, Line & Sinker will become international best sellers (just thought I would slide that in but click here if interested).
In any case, thanks to all for a great year together and best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year.