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Original poster

Things I'm embarrassed to have realised so late in life...

1000 replies

OrangeFlowersAreLovely · 11/09/2022 17:03

Those ID necklaces? I had absolutely never heard of the word "lanyard" until around 3 years ago. All my friend's children learnt this way before I did. If you had told me "Lanyard" was a European city - I'd have believed you.

That little press send arrow in the top right hand corner? It only occurred to me in my mid 30s that it is in fact a paper aeroplane. I just thought it was a dodgy triangle.

I was absolutely stunned to find out the woman who plays Amanda in Motherland is not Catherine Tate.

Any confessions to console me I'm not the only one failing at life?! 😃

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
Sidisawetlettuce · 12/09/2022 17:13

cathycake · 12/09/2022 11:13

Many years ago I informed my colleagues that I was looking forward to going ‘dogging’ to the Bay car park that evening. I had heard that a local car park was being used for dogging and assumed this was a ‘meet and greet’ for dog walkers so that the dogs could play…. It wasn’t

Are you Peter Kay?

Midge75 · 12/09/2022 17:18

@FarmGirl78 Araf does mean slow, but I do like the image of the “less of it!” Man!

Itsybitsypiper · 12/09/2022 17:22

HunterHearstHelmsley · 11/09/2022 19:25

I used to work with someone who thought Neverland Ranch, Never Never Land and the Netherlands were all the same fictional place.

This thread is BRILLIANT! 😂😂😂😂

mydogisthebest · 12/09/2022 17:28

WrongWayApricot · 12/09/2022 15:26

Yes, as I said, I understand what it's supposed to mean. But, that's not what it actually says. If I said 'you have another biscuit coming', does it sound anything like me telling you to have another biscuit? If I wanted you to have another biscuit I'd say 'you should have another biscuit'.

Show quote history

But your comparison doesn't make sense. Why would anyone say "you have another biscuit coming"?

The phrase is used to express disagreement with a statement. Therefore to think again.

Thing just makes no sense whatsoever

TheLassWiADelicateAir · 12/09/2022 17:56

FurAndFeathers · 12/09/2022 15:42

Only if you entirely ignore the whole origin and phrasing of the saying.

you have another thing coming makes no sense. What ‘thing’ ?

Show quote history

It is another THINK. It is not a thing. The example someone has given of another biscuit makes no sense whatsoever

Here are examples

"I'm still a bit peckish, I think I'll have another biscuit- do you fancy one too?'

Reply- "Well have another think because x cleared out the biscuit tin"

"It's been really quiet here in the café today, I think we'll close up early"

Reply- " have another think, 2 coach loads of tourists have just pulled up"

Or more seriously

"I think Ukraine will lose this war"

Reply- " have another think- did you not see the fantastic result a couple of days ago"

FurAndFeathers · 12/09/2022 18:10

TheLassWiADelicateAir · 12/09/2022 17:56

It is another THINK. It is not a thing. The example someone has given of another biscuit makes no sense whatsoever

Here are examples

"I'm still a bit peckish, I think I'll have another biscuit- do you fancy one too?'

Reply- "Well have another think because x cleared out the biscuit tin"

"It's been really quiet here in the café today, I think we'll close up early"

Reply- " have another think, 2 coach loads of tourists have just pulled up"

Or more seriously

"I think Ukraine will lose this war"

Reply- " have another think- did you not see the fantastic result a couple of days ago"

Show quote history

Ummm… yeah if you rtft you’ll see I pointed this out on page 1/2 and it’s in my post that you actually quoted.

so not sure why you’re ‘explaining’ it to me?

Tuskanini · 12/09/2022 18:13

That the old road sign for school was the Torch of Knowledge. And that 'Man Opening Umbrella' was actually 'Man Shovelling Stuff'.

Ok, more one for Gransnet I suppose!

Things I'm embarrassed to have realised so late in life...
Originalmumster · 12/09/2022 18:13

No - Carolean

WestendVBroadway · 12/09/2022 18:16

MardyBumm · 11/09/2022 18:33

When I first joined Mumsnet, I kept seeing posts ending in TIA. I though to myself, "This woman Tia creates a lot of threads."

It took me a long while to realise it was not someone called TIA.

I had a similar thing as my daughter used to be known as Dee Dee (for a nickname.) I was dumbfounded that so many other people also had children called DD.

Kentucky83 · 12/09/2022 18:17

Been a sports fan all my life, have followed athletics since the first time I saw it on TV, competed in it for many years, follow every championship, and only this year realised that 'Commonwealth' = Common Wealth while watching the games. I'm 39.

Dittyditty · 12/09/2022 18:18

When I was a small girl we had a Victoria plum tree in the garden
until I was nearly 40 y old I truly believed the National Anthem was ‘Send her Victoria’s (plums” it never even occurred to me to wonder why the Queen wanted plums !!!

Metabigot · 12/09/2022 18:19

PaulineFowlersCardigan · 12/09/2022 14:33

When I was young and we would go on car journeys, I’d sometimes see the ‘Heavy plant crossing’ signs.
I used to sit in the back with my eyes shut and be as quiet as possible.. I thought it meant actual heavy plants, and I’d not long seen ‘Day of the Trifids’ and could never understand why my Mum and Dad weren’t terrified 🙈🤣

Reminds me of my son who freaked out at the 'cats eyes missing ' signs in Gloucestershire. He thought all the cats there were blind

waterlego · 12/09/2022 18:20

Tuskanini · 12/09/2022 18:13

That the old road sign for school was the Torch of Knowledge. And that 'Man Opening Umbrella' was actually 'Man Shovelling Stuff'.

Ok, more one for Gransnet I suppose!

Is that not a torch on the left?

wonderer9 · 12/09/2022 18:21

Just realised 50 years after my Ancient Greek A-level that the letter

Omega comes from "O mega" or "big O"
Omikron comes from "O mikron" or "little O"

Must have been ill on the day it was mentioned in class.

FarmGirl78 · 12/09/2022 18:22

Oooh get you lot, being all posh with your uvulas!!

ITS CALLED A CLACK!!

IWantAShitzu · 12/09/2022 18:24

Watching a baby birth programme with my husband. He was 34 at the time and I was pregnant with my first. He turned to me and said

“did you know, that after giving birth some women eat the foetus!”

he meant placenta, he didn’t realise the foetus was the baby.

Hattie1970abc · 12/09/2022 18:26

When I was about 11/12 I used to call people a dildo thinking it was another name for a moron and hadn’t a clue what it was really. I would use it in front of all sorts of people of all ages and was mortified when I learned what it was. I guess people were too embarrassed to enlighten me!

Alison1978 · 12/09/2022 18:28

What?! My children are 15 and 10 and I do not know this.

TheLassWiADelicateAir · 12/09/2022 18:29

FurAndFeathers · 12/09/2022 18:10

Ummm… yeah if you rtft you’ll see I pointed this out on page 1/2 and it’s in my post that you actually quoted.

so not sure why you’re ‘explaining’ it to me?

Show quote history

You need to open the quote history. I wasn't explaining it you. I was supporting you.

TrixieMixie · 12/09/2022 18:32

We’re in the Carolean age now.

Quietmouse · 12/09/2022 18:33

I’m embarrassed to admit that until recently I had thought that the yellow of an egg is the part that develops into a chick! I’m 56…

LpPp · 12/09/2022 18:34

I found out well into my 30s that black pudding is not cow’s Willy as I had always believed

Mollymoostoo · 12/09/2022 18:34

ImAvingOops · 11/09/2022 17:31

I'd had 4 kids before I found out that baby vests have that funny envelope neckline so you can pull them down in a poo explosion! I spent years carefully trying to get poopy vests over my babies heads without touching their faces and hair!

I never knew that! Thankfully my youngest is now 10 but I wish I'd known that sooner.

dlizi4 · 12/09/2022 18:39

FarmGirl78 · 12/09/2022 18:22

Oooh get you lot, being all posh with your uvulas!!

ITS CALLED A CLACK!!

😂

Doggate1 · 12/09/2022 18:39

That ‘left luggage’ is where you can leave your bags. I thought there was a ‘right luggage’ and when learning French had no idea why it wasn’t called ‘ baggage la gauge’ … I have never left my bags anywhere so this may explain but still very very puzzling

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