The Origins of Alcazabedabra

I thought I ought to explain how I came up with this wacky name I use online. It has become the name I use the most online, and if you see it anywhere again, it will be because of me.

The name is valuable because it is unique. When I encountered it, it was in the James Clavell novel, Tai-Pan. A certain intriguing character named Aristotle Quance uttered it. He was a painter, painting a portrait of a young girl, when he exclaimed "By the beard of Alcazabedabra!". When the girl asked who or what "Alcazabedabra" was, Quance told her that he was an old freind of his, a bearded freind that watched over painters and "little girls like you."

I don't know exactly what Alcazabedabra is, but the name was so unique that I found myself memorizing it and its spelling.

Since then I've used it everywhere and for everything. I use it as a username in online games, I use it for this blog, and I use it in my email addresses (hence, Alcazabedabra@gmail.com).

I doubt Clavell minds my use of the name, I've never had the chance to ask him. In any case, I've made the name my own.