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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask you to tell me things that you learned way too late in life *lighthearted*.

238 replies

Tinkofhousepan · 24/02/2018 06:43

I started talking with a friend who emigrated to the states a few years ago for work. He lives in New York. We were discussing me going over for a holiday as I've never 'done' NYC. Started discussing the time difference between there and here 5 hours which surprised me as when I went to California the difference was larger 8 hours I think.

This lead to me being informed that the two states are on totally opposite ends of the country.

This is my thing I learned late, ive gone 26 years assuming florida and California were next to each other, And i have learned today that Florida is on the same side as NYC. AND IS AS FAR SOUTH AS TEXAS??? I also learnt that Washington is the most northern state on the side of California, where as Washington DC is just below Maryland and right next to Virginia, which is not at all in the middle part of America where I assumed it to be Blush. I didn't learn USA geography at school, but surely I should have picked this up before now, especially considering I have been to both California and Florida!

Anyone else never realised this? Or is it just Me!

OP posts:
LolitaLempicka · 27/02/2018 05:01

Americans have loads of other weird pronunciations of French words, Enn-rowt, Cordon Blooo, lahn-zhe-ray etc.

LolitaLempicka · 27/02/2018 04:56

How can you not know about which “side” a gentleman dresses? Did you never watch the Fast Show? 😂

callmekitten · 27/02/2018 04:38

The entire population of the USA pronounces "chaise longue" as though it were "chaise lounge".

I'm actually not sure how this is "supposed" to be pronounced but mine is called "shayz" and we completely ignore the longue part. That's how I've always heard it. I'm in the upper midwest of the US.

SenecaFalls · 27/02/2018 01:07

It's pretty nice, I think, Skiiltan. I live in Florida. Good porch weather right now, not so much come August. Smile

Skiiltan · 26/02/2018 22:56

No, we most certainly do not. At least those of us who learned French don't. I have an always perfectly pronounced one on my back porch.
Sorry, Seneca falls. Over-generalization on my part. Is your back porch somewhere nice? (Obviously it's at the back of your house, but is that somewhere nice?)

SenecaFalls · 26/02/2018 20:44

The entire population of the USA pronounces "chaise longue" as though it were "chaise lounge".

No, we most certainly do not. At least those of us who learned French don't. I have an always perfectly pronounced one on my back porch. Smile

Skiiltan · 26/02/2018 20:21

It was only recently that DH snapped and said: "FFS, why do you say it like that? In that stupid French fake accent?". I then checked the spelling and realised I had been saying it wrong all these years.

The entire population of the USA pronounces "chaise longue" as though it were "chaise lounge". They don't get even slightly embarrassed.

Jjpeston · 26/02/2018 15:01

Yeah, don't go nuts with a Muller Corners yoghurt down there

livyw1 · 26/02/2018 03:22

@StripySocksAndDocs & @Punta that is brilliant!! I NEVER knew that!

woodhill · 25/02/2018 22:00

TMI about sides Grin

hagsrus0 · 25/02/2018 21:53

Uses both hands, perhaps, or alternates.

callmekitten · 25/02/2018 20:11

Some penises don't have a 'side'. Centralised danglers.

When I was younger, I was told that the penis leans to the side of the hand that the owner uses to masterbate. I am highly dubious but now wonder that a "Centralised dangler" means. Hhhhmmmmmmm..

Firesuit · 25/02/2018 19:52

I'm usually good with maps, but I've just in the past couple of weeks noticed where Luxembourg is. I vaguely thought it was in the vicinity of Switzerland.

GUMBYMUMBY · 25/02/2018 19:33

Some penises don't have a 'side'. Centralised danglers. What does the tailor do then?
Some things are never known. Life is mysterious.

WingsOnMyBoots · 25/02/2018 16:57

The more you try to people-please, the more people hate you!!

1forAll74 · 25/02/2018 15:22

I had to laugh about the USA states thing, as I lived in Washington State, the pacific north west for three years in the 70 era, people used to write to me from home here, and say, oh, must be nice having the president, and the white house down the road ! Nobody seemed to have looked at an atlas and maps etc.

sugarlost · 25/02/2018 14:31

orangecake I wish I learnt what you have at your age.

Minxmumma · 25/02/2018 14:16

That babygrows and vests with foldy necks are designed to come down in a poonami! Only took 4 kids and mumsnet to learn that one Smile

StripySocksAndDocs · 25/02/2018 14:13

Didn't know that ZenaThor!

MongerTruffle · 25/02/2018 14:08

change the volume on*

MongerTruffle · 25/02/2018 14:08

You can change the volume (or mute) self-service checkouts.

ZenaThor · 25/02/2018 13:42

That you can take a selfie by pressing the volume buttons on your phone -found that out recently and when I told DD aged 12 she was like duh!

caroldecker · 25/02/2018 13:22

The petrol thing is true, but not fitted on all cars. Also some cars do not have an arrow but a petrol pump symbol. The petrol pump symbol doesn't help.

tafftum · 25/02/2018 12:15

@thUnderdog I always thought the toast thing was how powerful you wanted to set the toaster, as in how intense you wanted the lights inside to beBlushBlush

Queenoftheblitz · 25/02/2018 12:12

Boule thankyou! My friend gave me the wrong info on marrowfat peas. We shall be having words!

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