I don't know how many other meanings 'octopus' may have, but to a scuba diver, octopus also means the backup regulator that we use to provide breathing gas to an out-of-air buddy.
The origin lies in the looks of a regulator setup with its many hoses, and adding the backup regulator made it look even more like a cephalopod.
I'm a bit annoyed that 'octopus' was later used only to refer to the one backup regulator, a rather one-armed species, rather than to the entire setup of different elements, looking much more like the source of its name. Well, such is life.

Life is a beach, and then you dive.

Welcom InAd. Nice to see a new member on board.

I know we refer to a mess of electrical wires in a plug as an octopus also. At one point there were a slew of television commercials warning people that octopi were dangerous and that people should get load misers.

Every woman I know has dated her share of octopi! I know I have !
wow

>Every woman I know has dated her share of octopi!

I don't know about octopus, but I had a date once who said my name should be forewarned.

Thanks for the welcome. Oops, should I have introduced myself? Where?

My future ex-wife enrolled me and I got my first 'white elephant' today. German being my first language, this will be fun.

BTW, InADearThorn is an anagram of my full name and a good (if poetic) description of me. My future ex selected it ;-)

Life is a beach, and then you dive.

BTW, InADearThorn is an anagram of my full name and a good (if poetic) description of me.

Ok, in a small attempt to discern your real name, I've come up with the following:

Arron Edithan
Nathan Derior
Darth Niorane
Na Rhino-Tread
Thad Nine-roar (but I'm guessing you're not a Neanderthal)

Nice try! Did you do this with or without the help of the anagram machine? This machine won't help much here because my name is German, and even my given name is unknown in English (which makes introductions quite annoying).

Life is a beach, and then you dive.

My future ex-wife

Have you yet married this person and, if not, couldn't you avoid quite a bit of difficult by desisting therefrom?

Did you do this with or without the help of the anagram machine?

Using the anagram machine would have taken all the fun out of it.

>I don't know how many other meanings 'octopus' may have, but ...

Dear Thorny Diver,

Here in Australia an "octopus strap" is a thick elastic cord (like a tiny bungee rope) with a hook at each end, used to secure loads to a roof rack or trailer. Curious name, given there's only one "leg". The full name is hardly ever heard - most people refer to them as "ocker straps" or "ockie straps". All a bit confusing, since "ocker" is Australian slang for "typically Australian". "Ockie" is purportedly slang for octopus, but I have only ever heard the word in the "ockie strap" context, never on its own for the marine creature.

Check out ocker, ockie and ocker/ockie strap at:
http://macgate.dict.mq.edu.au/p/dictionary/slang-o.html

Father Steve,
Unfortunately, we are married, but it didn't work out. We're now separated, to be divorced by the end of this year.

Of course, it would not sound right to refer to someone as your future ex when you didn't even get married yet. Realistic, maybe, but not right.

Life is a beach, and then you dive.

I once knew a judge in Seattle who always introduced and referred to his wife as "my first wife." He thought he was being devlishly funny in so doing. It became less funny when, after a few years, she divorced him.

Father Steve sayeth: I once knew a judge in Seattle who always introduced and referred to his wife as "my first wife." He thought he was being devlishly funny in so doing. It became less funny when, after a few years, she divorced him.

And are you surprised at a self-fulfilling prophecy, um, fulfilling itself? SWMBO informed me that she wouldn't wait the "few years" if I used such poor judge-ment. But then, I wouldn't try, because she's not No. 1.

Somebody I knew back in the UK used to refer to his wife as "my young wife". I forbore from asking the obvious question, but always wondered. As far as I ever knew she was his only wife.

Bingley

An aquaintance of mine had always referred to his wife as "my present wife". She divorced him as well and a couple of weeks ago she introduced me to a guy being "her present husband!" I wonder if the term is 'transitive'?

"her present husband!"

A partner is not just for Christmas

A partner is not just for Christmas

As they said on a TV satire I saw some years ago: If you keep the leftovers in the fridge, then you can have shredded partner sandwiches on Boxing Day as well!

Somebody I knew back in the UK used to refer to his wife as "my young wife".

Yes, Bingley, but if he did have two wives he'd be obliged to refer to both as his "young wife", at least in their presence.