HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SENOR OTIS

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 7:54 pm

Happy birthday!

Funny, but I turned 39 this year...and also the year before, too.

Anyway, glad you had a good birthday and many happy returns, but what I need a quick English-to-American translations. What were you doing when you "punting"....

I know "punters" are betters as well as, possibly, people who watch or participate in something. (My sources include "Rumpole of the Bailey" and "Croupier.")

But how could you hurt your shoulder betting? (Well, I guess you could do that throwing dice, but do they play craps in the UK?)

Inquiring minds gots to know!

Bob

taz · Post by **taz** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 8:12 pm

Happy Birthday Otis!!!

Mr. Misery · Post by **Mr. Misery** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 9:57 pm

Happy birthday to the star of every Elvis Costello message board, Mr. Otis Westinghouse! Have a great day, mate!

legman open to offers · Sun Jul 13, 2003 11:04 pm

Happy Birthday Otis, I enjoy reading you.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 12:38 am

My apologies to anyone on the other side of the Atlantic, or the Pacific, or the other end of the world, for assuming that Brideshead Revisited meant that Oxford/Cambridge's punts were almost as renowned as Venice's gondolas. Similar concept, but punts are flat, and steered by a pole that you sink to the river bed, which can veer bizarrely between 6 inches deep or 6 feet within seconds, and which can be quite sticky and pole-trapping. In Cambridge there are two routes: up the 'backs', i.e. the backs of many of the colleges, which is the best way to see them if you're not actually entering, though you have to avoid the hordes of strawberries and Pimms guzzling toffs in term-time or the utterly inept tourists at any time; or you can head down river to Grantchester, as in Ruper Brooke ('And stands the clock ay 10 to 3/And is there honey still for tea?', Grantchester epitomising all he pined for in the fields of France whilst at war), and as in Pink Floyd. You can stop your punt and have a picnic or whatever in Grantchester Meadows, a PF song title. Surprising amount of nocturnal activity down there. Punting is amazingly good exercise. It takes an hour to get there, and I did it both ways, so am still sore, not exercising those upper body exercises enough in general.

So now you know, Bobster.

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 2:11 am

Hey Otis.....this is something that I've always wanted to do. Can you tell me how i go about it. i might take the lovely Mrs Doofster for a punt over the summer. Where in Cambridge do we go ?

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 8:34 am

Happy Birthday from me too! (One day of self-control re:Internet, and everything just slips away from me...)

How many of those borderline-inappropriate kisses are going around?

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 8:59 am

hey otis, mug made a point of telling us of your b-day while we were heading into to see elvis saturday in Boston. many many happy returns of the day.

when i next get to england, i want to go punting!!! that sounds cool.

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 10:44 am

Jackson Doofster wrote: i might take the lovely Mrs Doofster for a punt

Hey Jackson, someone said they take me for a punt....at least I think they said punt............

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 10:53 am

Gilli, as long as they don't take you for a fool... and who would?

Personally I think borderline-inappropriate kisses are one of the chief joys of adult life, and there should be as many as possible, don't you, MBA?

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 12:13 pm

happy b-day to you-uuuu-uuuuu, Mr. Westinghouse!

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 12:59 pm

Otis is 39! Well, damn...he doesn't look a day over 37.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 1:19 pm

SLC: that's because that photo was taken two and a half years ago!!! I'm now wrinkly and sad-looking, with a goatee with a worrying percentage of grey in it.

MBA: you don't have to be married, but it helps.

JD: as described, up the 'backs' or off to Rupert Brooke-land. To be combined with a visit to Westinghouse Mansions.

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 3:00 pm

Don't talk to me about grey-speckled goatees and beards, Otis. GRRRROWL.

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 8:06 pm

Thanks, Otis, for the response....I actually thought I posted a long, rambling dissertation on how I actually DID see "Brideheads" but forgot it, about the American meaning of "punting" and how I, as a alumni (alumnus?) of Venice High School can be technically termed a "Gondolier" even without having ever gondoed! I then thought I closed by reiterating the original happy birthday thought.

But I guess I didn't.....

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SENOR OTIS

well, it's a little late, but better late than never...