Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Original poster
Tinkofhousepan · 24/02/2018 08:08

timefortea99 I learned that a while ago, but never truer words spoken. Fake it till you make it is still a little mantra I say in my head when I'm feeling beaten or overwhelmed.

OP posts:
JustDanceAddict · 24/02/2018 08:08

Never knew that re side - ithpught it was ‘extra’ material too.

Njordsgrrrl · 24/02/2018 08:00

The suit thing! I had no idea. Thought it was about the fit / cut too. If women were as prissy as men about strangers touching them legitimately, the human race would die out.

Timefortea99 · 24/02/2018 07:54

Attitude is everything. Also, it really is not what you know, it is who you know - if you want to get ahead at work, network, network, network. I have seem some not very bright people soar in workplaces because they smile a lot and they network.

angularmerkel · 24/02/2018 07:48

I was 35 before I realised that Brussels sprouts grew up that stalk thing. Cue me outside rural greengrocers skwalking 'what's that?' And then having to slink off humiliated.

allegretto · 24/02/2018 07:45

Sirlee - I had a similar revelation regarding Sicily and Scilly when I was a child (and Grenada/Granada!)

allegretto · 24/02/2018 07:44

I only found out that the Galapagos islands were off the coast of Ecuador recently - I thought they were way down off the south coast of Argentina.

sirlee66 · 24/02/2018 07:42

That Naples and Nepal are two very different places and not just one place but people pronounce it differently. tomato tomarto

StripySocksAndDocs · 24/02/2018 07:39

Possibly Dirk Diggler does.

Punta · 24/02/2018 07:35

Circleofwills....that’s what I used to think! I thought they needed extra fabric on that side ha ha.

Punta · 24/02/2018 07:34

I think -and I am clearly not an expert in these matters - that if the tailor wants to measure, say, the leg length, he asks which side the man dresses on. If the man’s penis hangs down on the left, he will measure the right hand side.

StripySocksAndDocs · 24/02/2018 07:33

I'll answer for Punta.

They answer left or right. Depending which side the penis is resting. The tailor the measures the inside leg on the other side.

CircleofWillis · 24/02/2018 07:32

Punta I didn’t know that either. I always thought it was so the could add extra material on that side to accommodate a penis

howthelightgetsin · 24/02/2018 07:29

Punta what does that mean? What are you supposed to answer?

StripySocksAndDocs · 24/02/2018 07:24

The 'side' is where the penis is.

bushtailadventures · 24/02/2018 07:22

It's a mn favourite, but the thing with envelope neck vests and being able to pull them down rather than up when there is a nappy explosion. I have 4 adult dc, all wore that type of vest, but it was only when my dgd was born that I found this out!

That it is ok to say no, sounds simple but I've been a 'people pleaser' all my life and it's only been in the last couple of years that I've felt able to say 'No', wish I had learnt that a long time ago, would have saved myself a lot of worry, not to say time.

EllieMe · 24/02/2018 07:22

That Billericay isn't in Ireland. It sounds like it should be.

StealthPolarBear · 24/02/2018 07:21

Punta I didn't know that!
And is the 'side' the penis side or the non-penis side?

StealthPolarBear · 24/02/2018 07:20

For me specifically. I didn't used to work hard and I struggled. Now I work quite hard and am doing well in career and studies. A little bit of hard work is taking me beyond what is seen as possible.

StripySocksAndDocs · 24/02/2018 07:20

I can tell you something I'm still never sure about. When people suggest live yogurt for thrush: are they telling you to eat or apply.

I get the idea different people mean different things.

BrainlessDailyMail · 24/02/2018 07:18

To laugh at my own mistakes.

Punta · 24/02/2018 07:17

When tailors say ‘on which side does sir dress?’, I only found out a couple of years ago it was so that the tailor could avoid accidentally touching the man’s penis. I thought they had to some kind of special tailoring for that side before my husband told me. I’m 45. Blush

LemonRedwood · 24/02/2018 07:17

@Leilaniiii I am never sure of the correct way to pronounce laboratories! I think always saying laboratoires is the perfect solution!

Original poster
Tinkofhousepan · 24/02/2018 07:16

Another fun fact/embarrassing realisation for you all. Was discussing camels (she just came back from holiday and had a camel ride) and the use of their hump. I very confidently said that they store water in their hump(s) as that is what I had been told as a kid and have never had reason to question this. We talked about the logistics of storing water like that (cause gravity) and turned to Google to give us the answer. Turns out they store fat in their humps. Blush

OP posts:
Elllicam · 24/02/2018 07:11

Oh I also discovered an egg cooker that does 6 eggs at once. It’s great for the morning.

Swipe left for the next trending thread