Saturday, April 01, 2006

Pull chocks!

The military has contributed many phrases to the modern American lexicon, such as FUBAR and SNAFU.
Having been raised in a second-generation military family the military, the Navy specifically, has donated some colorful or interesting phrases to our family lexicon.
Head (latrine to the AF and Army types) ~ the facilities
Cluster f*** AKA Goat rope ~ an irretrievably messed up situation
soup sandwich ~ anything sloppy in appearance or poorly run
Gee-dunk ~ Snacks or place to aquire same
Bug juice ~ kool-aid type beverages
Fart sack ~ sleeping bag (I don't personally use this one, but the males in the family do)
Last, but not least, we have...
pull chocks.
Here you have not only the phrase, but also the accompanying hand gesture. Hands start together in front with fists closed, thumbs extended, and move out horizontally.
This is one of the most used around here, great for signalling escape time from public gatherings, even from the other side of the room, so you can converge at the exit and decamp smoothly, undetected even, if necessary.

8 comments:

Minka said...

This pull chocks reminds me of Ross in Friends. When he is annoyed, he put his hands infornt of him. Fisted he moves them horizontally out and back in again. very funny!

I might be the only one, but I have no clue what SNAFU means :)*blush* comes from living in iceland that has not a single soldier:) Except at the American base, which is returning home in June I hear!

lime said...

i could see where 'pull chocks' would be most useful.

my son will love 'fart sack'

Anonymous said...

Minka~ No problem, I will explain,
SNAFU is an aronym for
Situation Normal All Effed UP
FUBAR means
Effed Up Beyond All Recongnition
You can see why everyone finds them useful.

Lime~ Always happy to share the joy. Pull chcoks is so useful because so few people know what it means.

The Grunt said...

The FUBAR and SNAFU terms have been regulars in my family, as well. Fart sack is funny.

S said...

skivvies ` under wear (learned that from dad, charming, huh?)

commisary! :P

mess hall! Take that!

"The Base"

"On Base School"

Military housing

I'll come back if I have any more military flashbacks.

Anonymous said...

Grunt~ Yup, the kids love like that one too. Boys will be boys.

Suse~ mess hall? Oh, you mean the chow hall! :p
and don't forget the PX, or NEX, as the case may be.
We call 'em DoDs (department of defense school)

Stephanie said...

KP duty - kitchen patrol (dad also used for telling us to clean up.

Shit On A Shingle - some kind of nasty beef on toast

Rack - a bed on a ship

I know I have more but I am soooo tired.

Anonymous said...

Snav~ good ones!
Years ago, after Mr. Logo returned from a Big Grey Boatlines cruise he said something to me about swabbing the deck. I laughed my ass off at him, it just sounded to pirate wannabe, but they really still say that!