The following incident happened to Otto, my thethe anika (great, grandmother’s) qïzaqa (elder sister’s) çhïqan sïñnï (younger cousin’s) qïz (daughter’s) haçï oghïl (nephew’s) qazïn ïnï (brother-in-law) twice removed. In my extended family, an affront to one is an affront to all.
It started with a mysterious short-circuit that baffled electricians at the Sea Star Aquarium in Coburg, Germany. Apparently, Otto the Octopus found the overhead light above his aquarium too bright for his taste and decided to take up arms … all eight of them … against the establishment. Otto climbed on the rim of his tank and extinguished the light with a jet of water.
According to Director Elfriede Kummer: "We've put the light a bit higher now so he shouldn't be able to reach it. But Otto is constantly craving for attention and always comes up with new stunts so we have realised we will have to keep [a] more careful eye on him - and also perhaps give him a few more toys to play with.”
Wrong, Director Dummkopf, you missed the point. Otto does not crave attention, or toys, or perform stunts for condescending, patronizing hyoomens. Maybe he just wants the friggin' light out.
Free Otto!
Mmmm - this story is about "OTTO?" So you say? Sounds more like the behavior of an OCTO I know . . .
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to mount a covert operation to free Otto, or at least keep the lights off. We all deserve some isolation from time to time....
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't dropped by, please do and see something that you helped inspire. It is conservative in nature, but putting that aside for the moment.....Jenn and I have partnered to write a blog together, and we will be spending more time there than on our solo blogs. It is an idea thathas been forming for some time, but after seeing the interaction with your crew, we moved on it. A tribute to a solid place with solid writing that you have here.
Kind of reminds of that Jim Carey movie when the young man discovers he's living in a TV series!
ReplyDeleteOtto may have been born at the aquarium, but I think he found out about the ocean and OTTO WANTS TO GO HOME!
I'll sign the petition! I'll lead the protest on the ground! I'll make the placards!
Is it me or are there a lot of people in the blogosphere suffering from election is over let down? ;)
Delighted to hear of your blog venture, Robert and Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteYes, Rockync, I think there's a bit of post-election letdown. The election season was exciting, and now it's back to the usual stuff. Oh well, to every thing there is a season.
As for Otto, maybe he is so mad that he's ready to start singing that Bob Marley anthem "War": "Everywhere is war, me say war." Me say war indeed!
By the way, yes, I thought The Truman Show was fantastic--Laura Linney (who plays Truman's wife) is fun to watch, and Jim Carey is excellent at playing characters like Truman. I found the end of the film genuinely moving, especially that sequence where Truman tries to contact whatever is beyond his little world, like Michelangelo's Adam reaching out to touch the fingertip of God. A cliche, but it works.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Robert and Jennifer. I can say from first hand experience, blogging and misery like company. I’ll change our Link List accordingly.
ReplyDeleteAt the End of Days, when global climate change brings high seas, and 8pus and Otto and Squid will be haunting those underwater posh hotels in Miami, Captain Fogg and Dino and Expat will be riding the waves on Blue Moon heading east.
Robert, I wish you a glorious sunrise on your maiden voyage.
Rockync: Is it me or are there a lot of people in the blogosphere suffering from election is over let down? ;)
ReplyDeleteTonight, there was a bonfire on the beach (I'm not making this up). All political signs and placards that had been erected in neighborhood front yards were dismantled and carried to the beach and burned tonight.
To have closure, you need a ceremony or festival. We had ours; the election is officially done (and I'll bet you could see the bonfire from 10 miles offshore).
Otto speaks Uyghur? What???
ReplyDeleteThere are no cephalopods in Western China - at least not in any world I know. They're only in the coastal waters where only 國語 is spoken.
I'm going back to bed. Maybe I'll wake up back in my own universe where people only make war on Christmas.
我完全被这问题弄糊涂了。
ReplyDeleteYou're confused about what?
ReplyDeleteI thought it meant: "I am in a fog."
ReplyDeleteCaptain Fogg, are there puns in Mandarin?
Well, in a fog means to be confused. I confess to having asked for help. My Chinese doesn't extend much further than asking where the bathroom is or for another pijio (beer) The latter necessitates the former, of course, in China or elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI don't know any puns, but Chinese is a great language for them, what with so many homophones. I once heard a story about a missionary in China who was delighted at having so many people listening to his sermons, but who couldn't figure out why they smiled or laughed every time he said the word God. Of course to a westerner, being able to do the tones exactly right makes God, (pronounced Jew) sound just like pig - you guessed it - pronounced Jew.
I should probably learn Mandarin but, at my present age, I am reduced to leading a wonton life and shall remain lo mein on the totem pole.
ReplyDelete