In a message dated 10/24/98 12:32:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
hedgehog@s... writes:

> Not to pick a nit... well oh hell why not! Isn't the term bezel and not
>  bevel? I've always used and heard/read bezel... when applied to cutting
>  tools. Bevel is a rule with an adjustable arm, as in "bevel square". In
>  geometry a bevel is any inclination of a line that meets another line at
>  any angle other than 90 degrees. ok, ok ...I know...picky picky...It's
>  just that I grew up reading dictionaries...well I don't get out much ..oh
>  hell...

Well, now that you've opened the door to word origins, I'd like to examine
the origin of SWMBO. I'm a newcomer, so if this has already been covered,
I apologize.

In an exchange of email before I crept up onto the porch, Galoot Steve
Butti told me that SWMBO originated on this list when some lucky fellow was
told by his wife to go buy some more tools. In an act of obedience, he did
so, referring to her as "she who must be obeyed".

I first encountered this title on "Rumpole of the Bailey" (PBS "Mystery"
series) maybe ten years ago. Rumpole, a crusty old barrister, had an equally
crusty old wife whom he referred to as "she who must be obeyed" (no acronym).
In another post, it was pointed out that the "Wireless" catalog has a SWMBO
sweatshirt; I'm sure that "Rumpole" inspired the sweatshirt.

So, did the Galoot who introduced the term to this list watch Rumpole? Or
did he and the writers of Rumpole come up with the title independently?
Does anyone but me care?

Steve Jones
Once an academic, always an academic

Steve wrote:

>I first encountered this title on "Rumpole of the Bailey" (PBS "Mystery"
>series) maybe ten years ago. Rumpole, a crusty old barrister, had an equally
>crusty old wife whom he referred to as "she who must be obeyed" (no acronym).
>In another post, it was pointed out that the "Wireless" catalog has a SWMBO
>sweatshirt; I'm sure that "Rumpole" inspired the sweatshirt.
>
>So, did the Galoot who introduced the term to this list watch Rumpole? Or
>did he and the writers of Rumpole come up with the title independently?
>Does anyone but me care?

The term was borrowed from Rumpole, but I dare say that no other forum
has made such frequent use of it. The term evokes a certain image for me,
at least in the OldTools sense, of the watchful (and somewhat fearful
spouse) trying to maintain a sense of normalcy while her mate struggles
with his passion for rusty and or strange looking objects.

Has anyone noticed that the terms Galoot, SWMBO and other Porch jargon
are finding increasing use on rec.woodworking? Yep. I always knew I was
ahead of the curve.
****************************
Tom Price (TomPrice@a...)
"...spit-tanggg...dang, hit the railing again...(whittling away)...yeah,
I'm once again on the cutting edge, so to speak...heh, heh,...OW!...ooh,
ooh, that's a deep one!...MEDIC!..MAN DOWN!..BANDAID!..."

At 12:10 PM -0400 10/24/98, Duke of URLs wrote:
>Another newcomer slowly navigates the steps up to the porch

My good golly!!!  Could it be!?!?!?!  Another convert from wreck.norm

Welcome Brother Bohn.... out of the shadows and into the light of that
which is good and pure, and simple. Whacher' squnting so much for there
buddie.....Ohh, here I got a spare pair of Vuarnet's, no not those
PX5000's.. those are mine, here,  these should suite you for now.... can
you pass that jug over here, I need a nip.

Another newcomer slowly navigates the steps up to the porch all the
while avoid the spittoons littered about and with a cracked voice
says, "Hey, ummm I got something you may, ummm like.  Some of you may
even had heard it before so I apologize in advance...".  O'Deen,
seeing the discomfort in our young newcomers face gives him a slight
nod as if to say, "come forward Grasshopper".

>In an exchange of email before I crept up onto the porch, Galoot Steve
>Butti told me that SWMBO originated on this list when some lucky fellow was
>told by his wife to go buy some more tools. In an act of obedience, he did
>so, referring to her as "she who must be obeyed".

"Cool!", the newest of newcomers blurts.  A shot from O'Deen let's the
youngster know not to start hyper ventilating.

>I first encountered this title on "Rumpole of the Bailey" (PBS "Mystery"
>series) maybe ten years ago. Rumpole, a crusty old barrister, had an equally
>crusty old wife whom he referred to as "she who must be obeyed" (no acronym).
>In another post, it was pointed out that the "Wireless" catalog has a SWMBO
>sweatshirt; I'm sure that "Rumpole" inspired the sweatshirt.

"Ummm, mister?".  By now Grasshopper wishes he'd stayed down by the
road leaning against the mailbox, straining to hear all the fun being
had up there on the porch.  "Umm, like I was saying, I'd heard that it
was first used by H. Rider Haggard in his book "She"."  His voice
cracks again on the word she.  He goes on, "If I might be permitted",
a hand is thrust into his back pocket extracting a worn piece of
paper.  Our boy looks up again only to see the faces of grizzled but
amused Galoots.  He's encouraged enough to read, "How is it that ye
hold your lives so cheap as to place them in the hollow of the hand of
Hiya, into the hand of "She-who-must-be-obeyed"?", again, his voice
cracks on the word she.  This isn't going so well and he begins to
walk backwards down the steps.

>So, did the Galoot who introduced the term to this list watch Rumpole? Or
>did he and the writers of Rumpole come up with the title independently?
>Does anyone but me care?

Our young hero stops at the stairs, turns and says, "I'd like to know
this because I've always had an interest in entomology too!"
Realizing his blunder he freezes while a cold sweat overcomes him.
O'Deen's head drops a little and our newcomers makes a dash for the
safety of the mailbox he'd earlier claimed for his own.

Keith Bohn
Galoot hat #110
Bio to follow

STJones911@a... wrote:
>
>
> Well, now that you've opened the door to word origins, I'd like to
> examine the origin of SWMBO. I'm a newcomer, so if this has already
> been covered, I apologize.
>
> In an exchange of email before I crept up onto the porch, Galoot
> Steve Butti told me that SWMBO originated on this list when some
> lucky fellow was told by his wife to go buy some more tools. In
> an act of obedience, he did so, referring to her as "she who must
> be obeyed".
>
> I first encountered this title on "Rumpole of the Bailey" (PBS
> "Mystery" series) maybe ten years ago. Rumpole, a crusty old
> barrister, had an equally crusty old wife whom he referred to
> as "she who must be obeyed" (no acronym).  In another post, it
> was pointed out that the "Wireless" catalog has a SWMBO sweatshirt;
> I'm sure that "Rumpole" inspired the sweatshirt.
>
> So, did the Galoot who introduced the term to this list watch
> Rumpole? Or did he and the writers of Rumpole come up with the
> title independently?  Does anyone but me care?

Rumpole was a great character.

I suppose if I were a social psychologist, or even reputable, I
could explain the adoption of the term, SWMBO, and the mythology
which was developed to explain its origin here.

But I'm not, I ain't, and I can't.