What did you 'invent' then discovered was already a thing?

[goingback]

When i was young i stayed in a tent watching my dad fishing and some people were on a boat fishing and i invented a floating cabin you could fish from and stay in . Years later saw someone had beaten me to it.
Also remember being told i was daft for suggestion using the vacuum cleaner to dry up the shower.

Mostly recipes, I have 'invented' panzanella (bread salad) then discovered its existence, I invented Muhammara, then discovered its existence, I could go on. Tons of things Ive cooked and felt really smug with myself, then I see it later on a holiday or some obscure cooking show.

The Allen key.
For background, my dad wasn't in any way a handyman so I learned nothing from him.
When I was in my 20s, I bought kitchen cabinets from MFI. When I was putting them together, I found a bit of metal in the packaging. Purely by chance, I discovered it worked really well on screwing in certain bolts, etc. I thought what a genius idea for a new type of screwdriver and I wondered how to develop the idea. I mentioned it to a friend...and that's when I learned about Allen keys.

Came up with the idea for USwitch / Moneysupermarket types websites before they were set up.

Petrol pumps where you put in the amount you want then deliver the fuel rather than risk going 3p over and not having enough only to find these are the norm in many other countries. (This was 20 odd years ago so long before we had any sort of pay at pump) 😆

Toothbrush with a tongue scraper on the back.

Walked into a shop the next day and they were on display as the latest thing in that range! 😩

Borrow my dog, told a few people who thought it was mad- who would pay to be a member of a site and walk dogs when people pay dog walkers, I thought lots of people who can't commit to being a dog owner would

Spray tans/paying someone to apply fake tan for you. I had that idea 30 plus years ago.

Use of the word ‘singleton’ like in Bridget Jones to describe a single person.

I invented a theory about colour - only to discover that other people had the same theory.

Ive just remembered a bit one. Texting

This was before mobile phones or home computers in the way we know them now

I remember saying that in the future, people wouldnt really write messages to each other, they would have a gadget that would type out the message and you give the message or send the message to someone somehow. I was talking in the context that people wouldnt write with pens/pencils in the future, they would write on technology.

Obviously I had no idea that this would be a phone but nevertheless, I invented texting.

And another one, I thought I was unique that I see certain words in colours, then found out it was a 'thing'. I see the days of the week in colours and numbers in colours and the colour has never deviated since I was a child

I invented the internet while sitting in a primary school assembly. I then invented EBay while playing dolls and wanting to replace a lost doll shoe. I’m constantly astounded that I’ve not received the recognition (or £) I am due.

Before Quora or Yahoo answers, I had the idea of a website where you could ask random questions and anyone could answer.

I also invented the phrase “be kind to your future self”, and was disappointed when I googled it and saw it already existed.

When DD was about 6 she invented faxes 😂

My grandmother 'invented' towelling changing robes in the mid 20th century. She created her own pattern and used the 'good' bits of old towels to make them for her children (1950s) and the grandchildren (1980s). She would even make a matching mini one for a favourite doll.

When my children were small (early 2000s) I made / created several items in response to a need, none of which had been produced at that time (that I could find, anyway). I can't remember all of them, but can remember these:

• Wristbands with our mobile number on, to wear on days out in case they got separated from us.

• Altered a grobag sleeping bag to create a hole for a car seat strap to go through: edges reinforced with bias binding.

• What I called a 'piss pad': a washable, absorbent but waterproof pad for potty training toddlers to sit on in the car seat. Complete with washable cover in child-friendly design.

I thought I'd discovered a soap tray which would stop the soap going soggy and the tray wouldn't get all soapy. A slice of a loofa. Discovered that you can buy ready made ones online.

I am not into fashion but quite often I'll think I'd really love to wear such and such, only to discover it's the must have item the next year! It's happened quite a few times over the years.

@MarshaMelrose 🤣 exactly the type of thing I'd do!

I'm very good at inventing place names and the locations of countries/cities. Geography isn't my strong point! This is a genuine conversation I've had with my partner (I promise this is true), "since when has Donegal been in Ireland? It's an African country!"

"Why is Belgium in the Olympics it's not a country." (My theory is it is sign posted from Calais, therefore it isn't a country ).

I invented calling Primark Primarni when I was around 15 (43 now) noone believes me but I honestly made it up

My mum was convinced she had invented glow in the dark dummies

The Allen key.
For background, my dad wasn't in any way a handyman so I learned nothing from him.
When I was in my 20s, I bought kitchen cabinets from MFI. When I was putting them together, I found a bit of metal in the packaging. Purely by chance, I discovered it worked really well on screwing in certain bolts, etc. I thought what a genius idea for a new type of screwdriver and I wondered how to develop the idea. I mentioned it to a friend...and that's when I learned about Allen keys

This is brilliant 😂

Videophones in the 70s (tbf I think it was already a trope in science fiction)
Facebook and videos also in the 70’s. And crochet!
The phrase knit your own muesli in the late 80’s. I lived in Notting Hill and I reckon some journo overheard me.
Non slip slipper socks for elderly dogs. My dreams of millions evaporated after a quick Amazon search.

I was driving along with the kids on a day out and thought it would be great if we could say "hey radio, play me ..... song" and it would play what you requested. Told a friend who is good at technology and yeah, apparently that was already a thing.

When I was really high once I had the brilliant idea of making cheese on toast but using garlic bread instead of regular bread…

Also known as a cheesey garlic bread.

Not quite the same, but...

For years when I've made mince pies and jam tarts, when I've cut out the circles of pastry I take a spare bit, roll it into a ball and push it into one of the holes in the tart tin to shape it. Then I place a circle of pastry over each hole and use the lump to press them down evenly into the tin, rather than doing it with my fingers.

On Bake Off once, when it was pastry week, a contestant did the same. Mary Berry went into raptures about what a brilliant idea it was, why had nobody thought about doing that before and she was always going to use that method from now on.

Miffed I was!

I thought of the idea to be able to text a photo that would then disappear after the person looked at it.

Agesssss before Snapchat.

I invented wearing a rucksack in one shoulder.

Up until the day I did it (year 6 at achool) , it had never been done, and no one had ever looked as cool as I did that day.