Skip to main content

Quixoticism

"All the heroical fictions of ecclesiastical quixoticism"

That, claims, Wikipedia, is the first time quixoticism is mentioned, giving Pulpit Popery, True Popery as the source. Urban Dictionary defines quixoticism as unattainable idealism.

Let's take ism from quixoticism and we have quixotic. Anyone who knows Don Quixote would have an idea what the adjective is about.  Merriam Webster defines it as foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action.

"It doesn't do to be quixotic. Telling the truth to people who misunderstand you is really promoting falsehood." ~ Anthony Hope

Then we take ic from quixotic and finally we have quixote. Enter (drum roll please) Don Quixote of La Mancha, the windmills, skinny Rosinante, ladylove Dulcinea.... Chivalry at its quixotic best! 

"The Quixotes of this Age fight with the Wind-mills of their owne Heads"


This post is linked with ABC Wednesday.
Labels:

Comments

  1. JedediahNovember 8, 2011 at 11:26 PM

    That is a gorgeous illustration and a good choice for Q.
    I have a drawing hanging on my bedroom wall showing Don Quixote and his Sancho Pansa riding up to a giant cuckoo sitting on a skull (maybe I'll be back with a photo).

    ReplyDelete
  2. CarverNovember 8, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    Great post and I've always been rather partial to fighting windmills as in impossible dreamers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Meryl Jaffe, PhDNovember 8, 2011 at 11:47 PM

    Quality post!

    ReplyDelete
  4. helenmacNovember 9, 2011 at 12:31 AM

    Hazel, great minds aligned!
    HelenMac
    ABC Wednesday Team

    ReplyDelete
  5. Roger Owen GreenNovember 9, 2011 at 12:38 AM

    we should all tilt at windmills sometimes.

    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

    ReplyDelete
  6. NankaNovember 9, 2011 at 12:58 AM

    Interesting deductions!!
    The 150 year-old original of Don Quixote's Charge by James William Glass is enchanting!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. photowannabeNovember 9, 2011 at 12:58 AM

    A perfect choice for the letter Q. Very interesting and sometimes I feel I am chasing windmills in my life.

    ReplyDelete
  8. EG WowNovember 9, 2011 at 3:27 AM

    Great chice for Q - one which I didn't even think of when considering what to post myself. Maybe next round. ;))

    ReplyDelete
  9. RajeshNovember 9, 2011 at 8:10 AM

    Wonderful post.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

Tacloban . It's where I spent two months of great adventure with college buddies at about the same age as the young adult artists in this video  We Are The World for Philippines ( Cover by Filipino Artsts ) This is the church where I served as piano accompanist for the 1990 summer student choir, and some of the services. According to reports it was filled with dead bodies when this shot was taken. Photo Courtesy: AUP Network on FB On Saturday, November 24th, Central World management (the former WTC Bangkok) lent space for a Haiyan fundraiser without charge. I'd like to commemorate the highlights:   One Voice: Help Haiyan Victims was a serendipity. Organizing events is something I had to pay money to study in grad school. But it was live learning right there that night and observing the process was free. Skywatch : Mission Tacloban The Bangkok Charity Orchestra   reflected tranquility in their music. Poor typhoon victims would benef
30 comments
Read more

Dyslexics and Developmental Pediatricians

Let me begin with an observation on the latter.  Developmental pediatricians in the Philippines are a rare breed. Or that's what I noticed. From society and organization websites, to forums, to word-of-mouth, to my own experience, they seem to be outnumbered by people who need their expertise. A parent of a child with developmental delays has to wait weeks or months to see one developmental pediatrician. Only thirty are listed on the Philippine Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Twenty-five in one Filipino autism blog, and that is not purely DevPeds. A child psychologist, child psychiatrist, and pediatric neurologist are mixed in the list, although they certainly are a big help too. At my son's speech therapy and psychology center I hear the same account from other parents - securing a time slot with a DevPed is hard. They are all fully booked throughout what could turn into a year. You may be lucky if someone withdraws but that rarely happens. I'm playing
25 comments
Read more

Honor, Awards and a Game

Tuesday Couch Potatoes: Made of Honor Awards and a Game/Meme follow. Please scroll down a bit. My pick for this week's TCP theme (wedding movie) is Made of Honor. I like the humor in it. We've all been to several weddings but how many of us can say I've been to one in which the maid of honor was a he? The scene which particularly cracked me up is when the priest mistook the maid of honor for a gay man =) If you're familiar with some of my likes, you'd know why I also love the Scotland location of the wedding. For more of the synopsis click here ; and here's the trailer: Head over to Just About Anything for more wedding movies. ************ My super duper bloggy friend Thom of Thom's Place for Well Whatever and fellow Mom Tetcha of Pensive Thoughts awarded me this Beautiful Blogger award. I have to list seven things about me so here they are: 1. I love wearing jeans more than skirts. 2. One of my favorite colors is purple. 3. I don't mind spending su
19 comments
Read more