Things you assumed and were astonished to find out you were completely wrong

[Cattery]

For example: The Elgin Marbles. Heard these mentioned from time to time over the years. Always pictured marbles; kids’ marbles. Then I heard they were something to do with Greece and I’ve always thought Elgin was there. Got it all completely wrong

I thought those Italian sounding chaps in trouble over ‘Strictly’ were one and the same. Seems there are two of them.

hence sea horses. The wild little ones have been bred to be really big for humans to use for water polo.

When I was a child my dad told me that houseboats were made of bricks. I believed him for slightly longer than I should have.....

I had to google who that is - I never watched Gavin & Stacey!

To be clear I have known for a long time where Billericay actually is, but I did also for a long time assume it was in Ireland 😂

I used to think TIA at the end of posts was a persons name and wondered why they posted all the time! Didn't realise it meant Thanks In Advance 😂😂

I thought Guyana was in Africa, and Brunei in the Middle East

It's easy to confuse Guyana (South America) and Ghana (Africa).

Brunei, being a sultanate, sounds like somewhere that should be in the middle-east. It is a bit surprising to find it on the north coast of Borneo and surrounded by Malaysian territory.

As a child I always thought the guests on Desert Island Discs actually got sent to live on a desert island.

When I first went on an aeroplane (I was 3) I asked my mum when we would start getting smaller - because I imagined we'd shrink to specs of dust to fit in the tiny aeroplane you saw high in the sky and then gradually grow back to normal, as it came down and landed! 🤣

Obviously I learnt that wasn't the case fairly instantly

I also credit Eden project for this shocking discovery.

I'm not much of a porn watcher, which is why I was about 30 before I learned that "Ebony" is not the name of a really, really prolific porn star.

(For anyone else that needs further clarification: "ebony" is a term the porn industry apply to films that feature black people.)

Read the room. 🙄

The history of the term being used as a perjurative for gay men is interesting though, albeit horrific. Relates back to the witch burnings.

I have learned so much from this thread. Mostly I have learned that I am an utter dingbat 😂

I had a stupid moment watching the Olympics swimming. The swimmer winning each race was called LEADER. I said to dh “wow leader’s been in every race so far, he’s doing really well.” I seriously didn’t twig that Leader was not the swimmers surname. Sometimes I worry myself.

It woz the sunglasses wot did it.

https://store.royorbison.com/products/7603016-roy-orbison-signature-sunglasses

Very beauty-specific, but I thought cleansing balms were just skin ointments.
I got Elemis cleansing balm as sample from spa day out, smeared it on my face waiting for magic to happen....

(yes I didn't know anything about double cleansing,not one to wear make-up)

What does it mean?

So sweet - and you prewrote the Father Ted joke: These cows are small but the ones out there are far away 🤣

It means ayes and nays (voting yes or no to a proposal).

The ayes (yes) to the right and the nos (no) ((or is it nays??)) to the left when they are voting in parliament.

PP mentioned that she thought Shirley Temple was black - she wasn't. But her married name was Shirley Temple Black

should have quoted the original post to make that clear - sorry

It’s a worry that was the Librarian though 😳

Always makes me think of a Picasso painting or something like that (eyes to the right, nose to the left). Yes, I know, I'm strange. 😆

Didn't know that😄 This thread is brilliant.

Oh God, I thought they were giant stone marbles for ages 😂 so embarrassed when I was talking to my partner and it became apparent they were not …