Wonderful phrases, found in the world

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This is the thread where you transcribe randomly encountered bits of prose that have brightened your days.

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Monday, 21 February 2005 21:59 (twenty years ago)

"The Heavy Pieces in Action"

--title of a chess book on a sale table at the Strand

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Monday, 21 February 2005 22:00 (twenty years ago)

"Random pits may appear."

--warning on the label of a jar of Turkish sour cherry jam

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Monday, 21 February 2005 22:02 (twenty years ago)

― nabiscothingy, Monday, 21 February 2005 22:07 (twenty years ago)

"Ineluctable modality of the visible, at least that if not more... "

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Monday, 21 February 2005 22:11 (twenty years ago)

"I was talking to a man on the Internet, and he said, 'No matter how much you say "sugar," the salt still ain't gonna turn sweet'"

― Maria (Maria), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 00:58 (twenty years ago)

Aap jaise koi mera zindagai mei aya

― Tannenbaum Schmidt (Nik), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 01:14 (twenty years ago)

what does that translate as Nik?

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 01:15 (twenty years ago)

One of my favorites for many years, strapped haphazardly to my Crumar Performer synth:

"We are transmitting from a Xerox 4572."

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 01:55 (twenty years ago)

carefully fall to the river.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

"You know ten make twenty? I want thirty"- angry man on streetcorner to other man.
"Partied with Thunders last night. Partied with Thunders"- Goth-looking Sunday morning shift rehearsal studio guy, said to no one in particular.

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 02:27 (twenty years ago)

"You fucking brilliant witch, you. :)".

My friend B, to me, yesterday. Really hit me as a compliment, that phrase. I love it.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 02:31 (twenty years ago)

"Brenda's one of those burning bed types. You lay down beside her, you wake up in the morning, you barbecued"- man on subway to other man.

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

five months pass...

mission control (found here: But over all, spirits were high - aboard the shuttle, here at the Kennedy Space Center and at mission control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.)

― youn, Wednesday, 27 July 2005 10:46 (twenty years ago)

artfully threaded the needle (found here: "They've artfully threaded the needle," said a senior Democratic leadership aide, who declined to be identified, explaining the challenge that the party now faces..)

― youn, Wednesday, 27 July 2005 10:56 (twenty years ago)

'There is no need for solutions' [I think from a contact lens advert, heh]

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 11:08 (twenty years ago)

"good old fashioned sodomy"

-favorite phrase of mine

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Friday, 29 July 2005 00:03 (twenty years ago)

"Ugly as a hatful of assholes" - a saying of my Dad's that always makes me laugh. Quite a visual...

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 29 July 2005 00:39 (twenty years ago)

"Contains no more than 25 insect parts per million."

― Truckdrivin' Buddha (Rock Hardy), Friday, 29 July 2005 01:18 (twenty years ago)

Hahah VG, my dad says that as well! Or "hat full of bums".

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:26 (twenty years ago)

making it with leather - a book title

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:35 (twenty years ago)

Hahah! Love that one :D

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:37 (twenty years ago)

my dad says that hatful one too. personally i prefer 'a face like a dropped pie'.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:39 (twenty years ago)

I hope your chickens turn into emus and kick your dunny door down

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:02 (twenty years ago)

I'm fond of "face for radio."

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:05 (twenty years ago)

"may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your left nostril".

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:06 (twenty years ago)

"Back, Crack'n'Sack Wax"

- said by an Australian friend of mine.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:08 (twenty years ago)

A friend of mine reminded me today that Coors Light ads used to say "The world's coldest tasting beer."

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:09 (twenty years ago)

The same friend also reminded me of the more subtly odd Miller slogan: "Get out of the old, get into the cold." WTF does that mean?

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:10 (twenty years ago)

The Australians are indeed a poetic people

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:14 (twenty years ago)

Dont come the raw prawn with me, mate!

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:15 (twenty years ago)

(wtf does that even mean?)

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:15 (twenty years ago)

I am an avid Biggles reader, and I admit I get a shiver every time one of the characters utters "blanket drill" and such double entendres

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:15 (twenty years ago)

Technicolour Yawn!

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:16 (twenty years ago)

Liquid Laugh

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:19 (twenty years ago)

talking on the great white telephone

― gem (trisk), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:20 (twenty years ago)

Riding the porcelian bus!

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:21 (twenty years ago)

Worshipping the porcelain god

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:22 (twenty years ago)

calling for ralph

― gem (trisk), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:22 (twenty years ago)

Crying Ruth.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:22 (twenty years ago)

when i got home last night i caught a snippet of that barry mckenzie movie with barry crocker in it on the telly and it was the bit where he says all the euphemisms about having a slash:

Barry: Now listen mate, I need to splash the boots. You know, strain the potatoes. Water the horses. You know, go where the big knobs hang out. Shake hands with the wife's best friend? Drain the dragon? Siphon the python? Ring the rattlesnake? You know, unbutton the mutton? Like, point Percy at the porcelain?

― gem (trisk), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:24 (twenty years ago)

not quite a delightful phrase, yet a delightful game all the same: Helicopter

drain the main vein

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:24 (twenty years ago)

Does anyone else know a person who uses the expression "touching cloth"? vivid and repulsive really

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:25 (twenty years ago)

point Percy at the porcelain

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:26 (twenty years ago)

xpost yep i have a mate who loves to rotate a number of those including 'dropping the kids off at the pool'

― gem (trisk), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:26 (twenty years ago)

I noticed a handwritten sign in the window of a shop:

WE NOW SELL WOOL

, which pleased me.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 29 July 2005 07:02 (twenty years ago)

Ugly as a hatful of assholes & hat full of bums

also "bag of arse"

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Friday, 29 July 2005 10:09 (twenty years ago)

I've come across 2 pieces of graffiti painted on pavements in Peckham, one reads 'Quentin Crisp is watching' and the other reads 'What is Jobseers (sic) Allowance doing in Britain?'. (the 'sic' is my addition). All this is in an admittedly somewhat rough part of London.

― Raston Warrior Robot (alix), Friday, 29 July 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

It'd be hilarious if there had actually been some sick next to the latter message on the pavement. HILARIOUS.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Friday, 29 July 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

Heavy Plant Crossing
Dim Parkio (Welsh for No Parking)

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Friday, 29 July 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

Someone described as having: "..a face like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle." Cracks me up every time.

― Stone Monkey (Stone Monkey), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:05 (twenty years ago)

This is a great thread for me, I tend to get hooked on certain phrase or combination of words. A long-time favorite has been "invisible crutch," which is a nonsense play on "Invisible Touch," the Genesis song name. I've used it for the name of my blog and other projects here and there. I liked the phrase "poison pen" for while. This morning I was thinking about "police procedural," how I liked the way that sounded, and also the word "innards" has been in my head lately.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:10 (twenty years ago)

"please confirm everything"
--spam i just got.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Friday, 29 July 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

"amoral disarmament" -- thank you so much, Green Gartside, you're amazing!

― When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a moray! (Eastern Mantra), Saturday, 30 July 2005 00:09 (twenty years ago)

"Fair suck of the sav, mate" Guys in my high school class used this when they thought they were being treated unfairly. Not sure where it comes from, but funny.

Also rhyming slang is the best thing in the world.
"Bag of fruit" -- suit
"Dog & bone" - phone

etc.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 30 July 2005 00:13 (twenty years ago)

My friend Shae was describing a fight she had with bum the other night:

"He shoved me and I went flying back, TITS AKIMBO!"

― Tinman: Set to Self-Destruct (cprek), Saturday, 30 July 2005 00:18 (twenty years ago)

HAHA!

I was listening to more Scritti Politti and remembered the lyric "true like the Tractatus" -- and figured it served inclusion here.

― When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a moray! (Eastern Mantra), Saturday, 30 July 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

I tend to view tattoos and piercings in the same light as fake tans and Rolex watches. Just a different side of the coin of vanity.

― Dude Who Cannot Be Named, Saturday, 30 July 2005 02:23 (twenty years ago)

A girl I overheard in line at Au Bon Pain: "Do you like tomatoes? Cause I'm a total tomato psycho!"

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 30 July 2005 02:32 (twenty years ago)

Seen scrawled on the wall of the men's room at the Comet Bar (the discerning Grunge rocker's hangout, evidently) in Seattle in the mid-90's: "Smells Like Teen Urine"

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 30 July 2005 02:47 (twenty years ago)

When discounting the opinion of others, my father uses the singular expression "Your ass sucks buttermilk."

I love it, but haven't had much opportunity to use it yet...

― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 30 July 2005 03:32 (twenty years ago)

An ex of mine used to say "don't make that cat's arse face!" if anyone ever pursed their mouth up and frowned at him. WHich was often, he was a little shithead. But I digress.

― Trayce (trayce), Saturday, 30 July 2005 04:11 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

When somebody does something helpful, my dad likes to praise them with "Ah, cheers, you're worth your weight in cockie shit!"

― When two tribes go to war, he always gets picked last (James Morrison), Monday, 3 August 2009 00:49 (sixteen years ago)

four months pass...

"You've a voice like butter on crisps"

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 23 December 2009 22:19 (fifteen years ago)

"merry christmas whether you like it or not"

― Maria, Wednesday, 23 December 2009 22:21 (fifteen years ago)

seven years pass...

"Pyjama jammie jam" (as heard on house party 2)

― F♯ A♯ (∞), Monday, 20 March 2017 05:51 (eight years ago)

one year passes...

… have a suck on the animal fat eye

― himalayan mountain hole (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, October 16, 2018 11:27 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

― mark s, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 12:27 (seven years ago)

not gonna lie, i was quite proud of that one

― himalayan mountain hole (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 12:29 (seven years ago)

sleight of hand

― marcos, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 12:45 (seven years ago)

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