… and make my fortune. Err, not really. Actually, I’m going to have my first actual holiday, with the going away and relaxing and drinks and sightseeing, in eight years. Then I’m off to Göttingen, Oxford, New York and Washington, a conference at the University of Notre Dame, and then to San Francisco. It’s going to take six weeks. While I will be in occasional contact, and may post sporadically, and Tweet (I’m still not sure why I’m doing that, but Henry Gee was live Tweeting a conference yesterday, which is a good idea; I may do it for the primatology conference in Göttingen), I may not post so much. Stay in the RSS, though, in case I get inspired. Which is the point of the trip.
So, off to Venice. I’m told it’s quite nice. You all talk amongst yourselves. Yes, play Mornington Crescent if you must, but only using the Tudor Court Rules as amended in 1966.
Evolving Thoughts 
Tudor Court Rules? Crap, I thought I understood how the game was played from AtBC. Oh well, maybe I ought to by a rule book or something…
You have to let me know when you are in New York so I can get your autograph on my soon-to-be-incredibly-valuable First Edition of your book.
(Seriously, I hope we can share a beer or two, though my own family circumstances are somewhat limiting right now.)
John, if you check the talk.origins usegroup there is info about a BBQ being organized for the Wilkins NY appearance.
It’s much too far away for me but I am certain you would be enthusiastically welcomed if you show any interest in attending.
I had thought of going, but only if I can organise the drop bear commando squad.
Planning to enlighten Dawkins about agnosticism while in Oxford, perchance?
Enjoy the hol, though, you’ve earned it.
Have fun in Venice. Remember, it’s traditional to hire a bike to get around the city.
When are you in Göttingen? If it’s after next week, I might be able to find a free day to pop up there: it’s not too far from Frankfurt.
As it’s Tudor Court Rules,
Ye Elm Park
Oxford is right around the corner John. Let me know when you are over and there could be a beer involved.
Louis
Seems a lot of travelling in a short time, I hope it isn’t too tiring.
Remember to report back on the variety of beers in each place.
Ye Elm Park
The Tower
Embankment
Hampton Court
happy hols.
Blackfriars
Whitefriars
When are you in Oxford? I will be there early next week. If you’re in or near Berlin at all, drop me a line.
Oh and I see Wolsey’s rule is being ignored wildy. For the life of me I will never understand why such things are committed during games under Tudor Court rules, luckily no one mentioned an AntiPapistry clause therefore:
St Pauls!
Louis
Temple
As we still don’t care about Wolsey
Mile End Road
Evoking the Tudor Monarch Multiple-Wives Rule
Cockfosters
Don’t forget: the 1966 variations.
Ah, thanks. But I’m not going to fall for Wembley Park.
Aldgate East
Aldgate East? ALDGATE EAST? That’s a Northern Approach, surely? Chairman’s ruling on that one I feel. Can anyone whip up a seance to contact Humph?
In the meantime:
Fairlop!
Louis
If the Northern Approach was good enough for Henry VIII, it’s good enough for me.
Dollis Hill
Henry prefered hunting
Richmond Park
Henry prefered hunting in the east so;
Richmond Park
Bosworth!
Richmond Park? I see elevators are wild. in which case I shall invoke the Tudor King’s Spanish Alternative:
Tufnell Park!
Louis
Tuffers Park? Leading a fine dance, eh? Spin this…
St. John’s wood.
It’s a buck dancers choice my friend
Baker Street
True. But I’ve still got
Neasden
Neasden! NEASDEN!! May I remind you sir that this is a Royal game!
Queensway
Queensway? Tasty play that. We haven’t seen Neasden to Queensway in a Tudor Court game since the World Semi Finals in 1973 when Warkovsky showed the crowd his magnificent ending. I can only reply as Lyttleton, the eventual winner, did by plumbing for:
Burnt Oak!
Louis
P.S. how does one neatly nest one’s replies?
By clicking on “Reply” above the response to which you wish to … reply. It’s all very arcane.
Reply!
That ending was analysed by the supercomputer Deep Innit (made up of 34 million BBC microcomputers linked together in one of the first examples of mist computing). The best next play is
Canada Water
Despite all attempts to hijack this game
Queen’s Park
Using this new fangled reply thingummy ( I don’t hold with such convenience, it is against the will of the Gods):
Hmmm Canada Water, playing the Colonies eh? Interesting, well in honour of our host I’ll play the reverse near to Australia House on Strand. I could plumb for Charing Cross but under the 1966 amendments I am still permitted to go for:
Aldwych!*
Which should give me Mornington Crescent in six. Unless….
Louis
* It was closed in 1994
BTW, have you found your underpants yet, John?
Reply? REPLY? REPLY?!?!?!?!?!?
Never saw it. Now don’t I feel like a total tit? Coo stap me vitals, etc. I offer the excuse of over work and new fatherhood induced sleep deprivation for the general refusal and mockery of the assembled masses. My bad, I shall commit three acts of contrition down the pub later.
Louis
Unless someone remembers the third Stokes reversal, Louis.
Queen’s Park
(damn, “reply” limits the amount of nesting)
I think we all need a quite day in the country
Uxbridge!
Bushey.
I need to pick up some specialist electronics so I shall employ Hubert’s Fifth Variation of Brooke-Taylor’s Motion En Passant to get me to:
Tottenham Court Road!
Louis
I’m on home territory
Goodge Street
Wild play there. A Northern Approach would have finished the game. Luckily I’m a gentleman. I can only conclude your medication is wearing off, therefore time for a trip to St Thomas’, nearest tube:
Lambeth North!
Louis
A little too close to Waterloo for my taste with its nasty Napolionic overtones; we need something a little more London here
Bow Church
Oh now that’s lovely play. However, I think that under Tudor Court rules, with the 1966 amendments, with elevators being wild (as noted above) and it being a Sunday I can play Garden’s Northern Shunt and end up at:
Mornington Crescent!
Louis
Not when you’re running the inner line, you can’t.
I knew it would be controversial, but 1966 amendments remember? The rule regarding running the inner line didn’t come into effect until 1967, after the debacle between Bishop Spong and Bishop Williams (later Archbishop of Canterbury) at the Ecclesiastical All Comers Mornington Crescent Bake Sale and Nude Mud Wrestling Championship. And we all know what happened there….
Louis