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Original poster

What dumb thing has taken you forever to realise?

734 replies

muchalover · 26/08/2023 19:45

Nights in white satin song was playing in the car today. A favourite song of mine so I was singing along and it dawned on me that the word is "nights," not "knights".

Whole song makes much more sense now 😳

I had a similar issue with "Toyota, the car in front" but it's a Nissan I'm behind (or other car brand).

And in the film Winnie the Pooh where the gopher says "I'm not in the book" and I thought it was the phone book😬 for decades!

I promise I'm intelligent.

OP posts:
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Equimum · 26/08/2023 23:28

I always thought the song was about knights in white satin. Always imagined it was written on drugs! But now I know!

When my mum became a great aunt, she called me to say that my cousin's wife had had the baby but she couldn't get over the fact they had called it 'Percy-phone'. I was in tears laughing as I tried to tell her it was said 'Per-seph-ony!

mondaytosunday · 26/08/2023 23:29

@ThewaytoAmarula OMG I thought it was a cheeky half smile! I had to google the logo to see it is indeed an arrow going from A to z! Damn and I have a degree in graphic design too 🤦🏻‍♀️!

BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn · 26/08/2023 23:30

The thing it took me far too long to realise was that my unruly hair - unsmoothable, always sticking out in random directions and trying to climb into my own ears, and (which really should have been a clue), and prone to turning into perfect spiral ringlets if it gets rained on - is, in fact ... curly.

Took me about 40 years, that one.

Surely2023IsTheYearForMyRainbowBaby · 26/08/2023 23:30

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 26/08/2023 21:34

I spent years wondering how the police would know whether it was robbers driving and that they needed to follow the van, or if it was just the poor securicor person trying to do their job and getting constantly pulled over! One day I read it and it just clicked. My red face probably contributed to global warming

I think I even mentioned it to my Dad once when I was a teenager and he gave some sarcastic reply that years later I realised he thought I was taking the piss!

Other things have mostly been pronouncing words I'd only seen written. I remember saying gesture as
guest-ture when I was a teen at school and nearly dying from the embarrassment of the resulting laughter. I still, 20 odd years later, read it as guest-ture in my head.

The other is hyperbole. Surely it should be hyper-bowl. Like the bole of a tree!? I thought someone was on a wind up the first time I heard it said Blush

How is hyperbole pronounced? I would literally say it how it sounds hyper- bowl

AInightingale · 26/08/2023 23:33

When I was younger, I always thought the phrase 'helping the police with their enquiries' meant that someone civically-minded, maybe from Neighbourhood Watch or something, had gone into the station with valuable information.

I also thought the phrase 'Vietnam vet' meant someone who had gone to Vietnam to assist with the cavalry or something.

Spookyseasontime · 26/08/2023 23:33

Surely2023IsTheYearForMyRainbowBaby · 26/08/2023 23:30

How is hyperbole pronounced? I would literally say it how it sounds hyper- bowl

Show quote history

Hi-purr-bowl-ee I was always taught in school

BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn · 26/08/2023 23:34

kinderbuenoyum · 26/08/2023 23:26

It is isn't it? Just another name for the Netherlands?

Show quote history

No, it's a region of the Netherlands. Calling the cointry Holland is a bit like calling the UK 'Yorkshire'.

cakeorwine · 26/08/2023 23:36

kinderbuenoyum · 26/08/2023 23:26

It is isn't it? Just another name for the Netherlands?

Show quote history

Holland is a region of The Netherlands.

Holland - Wikipedia

Holland - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland

CustardySergeant · 26/08/2023 23:37

The6thQueen · 26/08/2023 22:41

I remember seeing ‘Pennsylvania’ on a car number plate in the US and proudly telling my dad, that’s where Dracula lives. He about died laughing

You've reminded me that when I was a child I used to call it Pennyslavia. 😳

highlandcoo · 26/08/2023 23:37

My friend thought it was sweet that each green duck had as its friend a brown duck. "Isn't it nice that each one likes to swim about with one of a different species?"
Her husband explained that the green one is a daddy duck and the brown one is a mummy duck ..

Same friend thought ARAF signs on the road in Wales were warning drivers that low-flying aircraft might be nearby.

At prenatal classes, we were advised to buy a Book of Childcare by Huge Olly.

And, working in a bookshop, my colleague took a telephone call and noted down an order for Donkey Oaty (by Cervantes)

lto2019 · 26/08/2023 23:38

I didn't know the meat Tongue was actually tongue - despite the clue being in the name!

Until last year - I thought Haggis were animals, native to Scotland.

As a kid, We three Kings of Ory and Tar - I wondered if it was 2 from Ory or 2 from Tar

Dunnoburt · 26/08/2023 23:38

Always thought "TO LET" signs were toilet.......

cakeorwine · 26/08/2023 23:39

BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn · 26/08/2023 23:24

That depends on the app - some use one, some use the other (from memory, I think the area version is more common in US forecasts and the chance of rain one un UK forecasts).

They aren't exactly the same, but in terms of the risk of you personally being rained on they are near enough.

Show quote history

On the BBC, it means that if there is a 25% chance of rain at 12pm, if you put a container out the hour before, there is a 25% chance it would contain rain at 12pm.

Which is more useful than saying that 25% of the region will experience rain

GattinaGattona · 26/08/2023 23:39

😧 oh you’ve just taught me something!

my82my · 26/08/2023 23:40

WildAndFree123 · 26/08/2023 19:56

I was about 35 when I realised the wombles were from Wimbledon Common, not that they were from Wimbledon and were common.

Omg 😂 Me and DH have also been picturing common Wombles.

AppropriateAdult · 26/08/2023 23:41

pa-pil-OH-ma

hy-PER-buh-lee

Yo-ZEM-uh-tee

Loving all the stories!

highlandcoo · 26/08/2023 23:42

Yes, it sounded as if there was a full stop after Wimbledon. Common are we ..

Another one who pictured the piggy off to the market with his wee shopping bag.

And I used to say PennySylvia

my82my · 26/08/2023 23:43

It's taken me 41 years to realise its not Prawn and Cocktail crisps. Asked DH to get me some last week.. He asked what the fuck I thought a cocktail was.

Bananazebra · 26/08/2023 23:43

All this Yosemite talk reminds me that I used to think this guy was called 'Yo Sammity Sam' as I'd never heard of the place. It was only when planning my 2017 hol at 33yrs old that I realised.

What dumb thing has taken you forever to realise?
Forgottenmypasswordagain · 26/08/2023 23:45

That my parents didn't actually have friends on a big farm, to whom they gave our dog & cat to.

Furryrug · 26/08/2023 23:47

Dunnoburt · 26/08/2023 23:38

Always thought "TO LET" signs were toilet.......

Omg ! So did I, especially when , as a child, I asked my dad what the sign meant and he said , it's where people do business .

JudgeJ · 26/08/2023 23:47

winewolfhowls · 26/08/2023 23:12

When I was a kid I thought ' to let' signs were pointing out public toilets

We were once driving through an industrial estate when I saw the most enormous TOILET sign, it took me a while to realise what had happened.

FussyPud · 26/08/2023 23:47

Sunflowers765 · 26/08/2023 23:20

Lyrics: I thought Mary on a Cross Ghost were singing "trying to make macaroons" and the obvious one bohemian rhapsody and the poor boy with his pork sausages

A friend was convinced that Bohemian Rhapsody involved a devil for a sideboard.

Georgeandzippyzoo · 26/08/2023 23:47

HyggeTyggeDotCom · 26/08/2023 22:09

I always used to think Elton John was singing about Coco Pops and a sack of rice. Needless to say it’s cold cold hearts and sacrifice! I did giggle to myself every time the dua lipa version came on the radio remembering my past errors!

I always sing 'coco hearts' fits much better than gold cold hearts!

angerelle · 26/08/2023 23:48

DarkPsy · 26/08/2023 22:01

Dd5 pointed out that cars have a white license plate in front and a yellow one in the back. I was 38 at the time.

Didn't realise raisins are just thirsty grapes.

I've also recently learned that when you see 25% next to the rain picture on your weather app, it doesn't mean there's a 25% chance of rain. It means 25% of your area will experience rain. Or does that equate to the same thing? I'm not very bright.

On British apps it is usually the chance of rain at the given place, that's definitely what it means on the Met Office weather forecasts and seems to be the same on the BBC