WORD OF THE DAY - "quixotic"

The English author, �Sir A T Quiller-Couch�, wrote under a pseudonym, (which was very uncomfortable for him, because he was a very tall man).  The alias was �Q�.  This alias kept him out of trouble with the police for many years.

However, the French, in order to make more work for English school-children, invented the phrase �nom de plume� (�name of the pen�).  This is really quite inaccurate, because there is not one name of a pen, but several --- Papermate, Bic, Parker, etc.

What was worse, they then introduced: �La plume de ma tante�, (the pen of my aunt), which has haunted English school-children ever since, especially those who don�t have an aunt.    

�Q�, born in Cornwall, in the UK, is infamous for his publication of a complete list of Members who have actually read the �Rules and Instructions� of ESLP, and, without fear, he reveals all 7 names.

In addition, he wrote movingly, in his novel of modern-day dancing: �Robotic or Quixotic � Which Shall It Be?� about the problems of where a girl should put her handbag.

This incisive, melodramatic, and extremely boring handbook of the Art of Ballet could be regarded as a manual.  (Indeed, his co-writer was Spanish!)

The Pages, (but there are no Servantes), describe every movement.  (Please note, I don�t mean �movement� in the Medical sense).  I mean �dance movement�, from the �pas-de-deux� right through to the �pas-de-twelve�.

Every gesture is scrutinised until it can be scruted no more.

Even the facial expressions are examined minutely, every sixty seconds: �The smiles; the frowns; the ups; the downs, are second nature to me now; like breathing out, and breathing in!�  (Obviously, �Q� saw himself as a second Professor Higgins, the linguist in �My Fair Lady�, singing "I�ve Grown Accustomed to her Face").

And this brings me to our definition.

�Quixotic!�

�Q�= the author, �Sir A T Quiller-Couch�; �ui� = �You and I�; �x� = �the unknown factor�; �o� = �oh!�; �tic� = A �tic� is a sudden, repetitive, non-rhythmic, stereotyped motor movement or vocalization involving discrete muscle groups. Tics can be invisible to the observer, such as abdominal tensing or toe crunching: common motor and phonic tics are, respectively, eye blinking and throat clearing.

Quixotic = As �Q� so wisely wrote: When you and I first met, something happened to my life, but I didn�t know what it was.  Oh!  It was so wonderful!  I blinked my eyes; I cleared my throat; but I couldn�t speak.  And then I realised: �Love Changes Everything!�

Les