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Original poster

Obvious things that suddenly registered to you.

1000 replies

Soubriquet · 28/01/2023 18:43

I like watching things like NCIS.

Over the years, I’ve heard the phrase watch your six and just let it fly over my head expecting not to understand it.

Literally the other day, it suddenly occurred to me…it means watch your back!!

Of course it does!

OP posts:
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11
Snugglemonkey · 28/01/2023 22:07

StrapOnYourHeroHair · 28/01/2023 21:18

When I was 21 I asked my boyfriend what his dad’s name was short for. His name is Barry.

He looked at me like I was mad and I said ‘well you know, like if Harry is short for Harold…’ With absolute bemusement, he replied ‘so for a year you’ve been thinking my dad’s name is…Barold?’ 😂

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In Ireland, Barry is often short for Finbar.

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:08

WeThreeKingsofOrientAre · 28/01/2023 19:32

One thing I only recently found out about was that there’s a difference between spider webs and cobwebs. Cobwebs are old abandoned spider webs 🕷 😎

WHAT.

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:08

birdling · 28/01/2023 19:36

Do you remember the smarties adverts from the 80's and 90's.
A few years ago, I suddenly understood why 'only smarties have the answer'.
😂

WHAAAA. Mind blown.

PhilInt · 28/01/2023 22:08

Cherry60 · 28/01/2023 21:54

I thought 'orientar' must be a place, as in - "we three kings of Orientar". It didn't occur to me to wonder why a place would have three kings...

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You are not alone... 😶

Hillrunning · 28/01/2023 22:09

CrystalCoco · 28/01/2023 21:28

That cats and dogs have belly buttons - unless you're hatched out of an egg, you've got a belly button...(might not be visible due to fur, and maybe not a deep button like a human, but umbilical = belly button

Husband and I learnt this the hard way when we took our first cat to the vet, scrabbled around in his fur for 5 mins to find the 'concerning patch' only to the the vet look at us pityingly and say 'it is his belly button' still had to pay the £25 fee!

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:12

Sunshineboo · 28/01/2023 20:56

rsvp does not mean reply soon very please

I thought it was 'reply soon very promptly'

JudgeJ · 28/01/2023 22:12

georgethegeranium · 28/01/2023 20:16

Breakfast! Literally, break your fast. I was embarrassingly old when I realised this!

My late MIL always pronounced it as break-fast.

I only found out recently, actually I realised it, that the figures on the dashboard display showing how many miles I can go on what's in the tank is connected to my driving, go very fast it drops, go more sensibly it goes up. I thought it odd that it could indicate I had 150 miles in the tank, then 130 then 155 for example!

ToDoListAddict · 28/01/2023 22:13

LipsSoScarlet · 28/01/2023 21:05

I found out yesterday that paprika is made of dried red peppers. I had no idea.

I’m so glad “watch your six” has already been explained as I wasn’t getting that one.

Omg I can't believe I didn't realise that about paprika! I love paprika crisps as well and was always confused as to why there were pictures of peppers on the packaging 🤦🏻‍♀️

00100001 · 28/01/2023 22:13

Also, more words stuff.

Mediterranean Sea means... Sea in the middle of the land. Medi = middle terra = earth/land.

Pipe cleaners are for.... Cleaning (tobacco) pipes. Not crafts.

Mirabai · 28/01/2023 22:13

I’m just waiting for the people who thought capers were small fish.

Autumnnewname · 28/01/2023 22:14

Coffeesnob11 · 28/01/2023 21:59

It was only recently that I realised the main chap in UP was dead all along and the scout was a guardian angel trying to earn his wings.

That's not true

Mirabai · 28/01/2023 22:15

Initially I thought STBXH was shoot the bastard ex husband.

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:15

NewBootsAndRanty · 28/01/2023 21:21

Barold Grin

Get right over to baby names and suggest it! It's the new Balonz.

LipsSoScarlet · 28/01/2023 22:16

Mirabai · 28/01/2023 22:13

I’m just waiting for the people who thought capers were small fish.

People think that? Why? They look nothing like fish!

MrsMiddleMother · 28/01/2023 22:16

The saying '6 of one, half a dozen of the other' or something similar. My mother used to say it to us as kids when we'd fight and I didn't know what it meant until I was an adult and realised it means it's equally both of our fault

JudgeJ · 28/01/2023 22:18

Sunshineboo · 28/01/2023 20:56

rsvp does not mean reply soon very please

Surely you know it stands for Remember to Send Valuable Present !

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:19

WashAsDelicates · 28/01/2023 21:31

Working at height is also the reason why it's considered unlucky to whistle in a theatre. Crew would have whistle codes to communicate between those on the floor and those up in the roof lowering things. If you whistled randomly they might miss-hear your whistle as a code and drop a flat or weight without calling Heads Up. On your head.

I think I thought 'heads up!' came from when people would throw the contents of chamber pots out the chamber window...

00100001 · 28/01/2023 22:19

A could of film related ones.

Michael J Fox played his daughter in Back to the Future 2 (Marlene)

And also, in the 1968 film Oliver! Mark Lester, who played Oliver didn't sing the songs, it was dubbed by a woman singer.

minou123 · 28/01/2023 22:19

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:12

I thought it was 'reply soon very promptly'

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Its from the French: respondez s'il vous plait

Which essentially means please reply.

Cherry60 · 28/01/2023 22:20

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:12

I thought it was 'reply soon very promptly'

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Isn't it from the french 'respondez sil vous plais' ?

Tastytreats · 28/01/2023 22:20

Embarrassingly, ‘placeholder strategy meeting’ or ‘placeholder management meeting’ in a calendar means that the person is simply holding the meeting room for that date.

I was asked what a meeting was the other day and said ‘a placeholder strategy meeting’ and the DIRECTOR of the company did a little guffaw and as I walked away the penny dropped 🤭

Marmite27 · 28/01/2023 22:20

Conveyor belt.

To convey things from one place to another… we were watching a kids how do they do that type program about the post office last week when it clicked exactly why it’s called that Blush

BettyBoozer · 28/01/2023 22:21

I learnt from watching number blocks last week with my 5 year old that square numbers were called that because they made a square shape.

I am 41 with an A at GCSE maths. Never once did this come up at school. Husband looked at me like I was mental when I excitedly told him...

00100001 · 28/01/2023 22:21

LipsSoScarlet · 28/01/2023 22:16

People think that? Why? They look nothing like fish!

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Because they're a bit salty/briny

I think people think they're a bit like anchovies?

LuluBlakey1 · 28/01/2023 22:22

louderthan · 28/01/2023 22:12

I thought it was 'reply soon very promptly'

Show quote history

I thought it was French and meant 'Repondez, s'il vous plait' (not sure how to place accents on letters) or something like that. No idea why I think that.

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