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Original poster

What things took you far too long to realise was a, erm... "thing"?

335 replies

ChippySauce · 03/02/2025 18:35

Sorry for awkward title!

I never realised until a couple of years ago (I'm 52 😳) that at the ends of the tubes of foil, clingfilm etc, there are two little tabs you push in to "hold" the roll when you pulled it.

What other "things" can you teach this old dog?

OP posts:
ForeverDelayedEpiphany · 03/02/2025 22:21

HellofromJohnCraven · 03/02/2025 20:07

That left luggage at stations is not lost luggage.

What is it then? And where does the lost luggage go instead?!

DappledThings · 03/02/2025 22:22

JustLikeJasper · 03/02/2025 22:20

@DappledThings ever heard of the saying it's not always the words you say but the way you say them? Your replies are rather animated for a supposedly light hearted thread! If you get this uptight on the internet perhaps it's time to go to bed!

Hardly animated. Nor uptight. Mildly bemused as to why you've taken such umbrage about being corrected on a rather silly misconception. Not even as sarcastically as others on the same misconception

JudgeJ · 03/02/2025 22:23

Nannylovesshopping · 03/02/2025 22:10

Mine do it and are sash

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Some windows, common in Germany but never caught on here, can open in two ways, they are hinged at the bottom and open that way or they can be opened from the side, inwards, great for cleaning. I have one in a room upstairs, I can leave it 'open' hinged at the bottom with no worry about security.

stanleypops66 · 03/02/2025 22:28

@MxFlibble

*That Jail and Gaol are pronounced the same way.

Early 40s, and I hadn't realised that it wasn't pronounced with a hard G, and was the exact same word as Jail.*

They're completely different words to me. The second word Gaol means jail in Irish but pronounced with a hard G and eo-l type sound (hard to describe) at the end.

LovelySunnyDayToday · 03/02/2025 22:30

Eminybob · 03/02/2025 19:10

That it is remuneration, not renumeration.

Ooo yes!!!!

LovelySunnyDayToday · 03/02/2025 22:31

Anotherfrozenpizzafortea · 03/02/2025 19:16

That the outside of the tomato puree lid can be used to break the foil lid of the tube, there's like a teeny Philips screw but in there!

All tubes do this. Not just tomato purée.

StormingNorman · 03/02/2025 22:33

Lefty Lucy Righty Tighty. I was 46 when it was explained to me what this meant and that everything works in the same way.

Patterncarmen · 03/02/2025 22:35

Spreadsheets are brilliant for creating book indices.

PrincessofWells · 03/02/2025 22:35

KetteringQueen · 03/02/2025 20:32

@PrincessofWells why would you want a directional spray on your kitchen tap?🤔

To rinse the sink, or the draining board 🙄

ilovepixie · 03/02/2025 22:35

dramaaaalamaaaa · 03/02/2025 19:30

The tiny arrow on the petrol indicator level on your car telling which side it is on. Found that well into my 30s.

This comes up every time! NOT ON EVERY CAR!!!!!

Florence19791 · 03/02/2025 22:38

BigAngeOut · 03/02/2025 18:56

That 'merge in turn' signs on roads mean that you take turns to do so rather than you physically are turning towards one another. Was almost 40 before the penny dropped.

You’re not the only one. People in the U.K. don’t seem to know how to use merge lanes and get quite aggressive when people use them and think they are pushing in

LowSunshine · 03/02/2025 22:38

stanleypops66 · 03/02/2025 22:28

@MxFlibble

*That Jail and Gaol are pronounced the same way.

Early 40s, and I hadn't realised that it wasn't pronounced with a hard G, and was the exact same word as Jail.*

They're completely different words to me. The second word Gaol means jail in Irish but pronounced with a hard G and eo-l type sound (hard to describe) at the end.

Australian spelling is gaol too

Jacopo · 03/02/2025 22:40

ForeverDelayedEpiphany · 03/02/2025 22:21

What is it then? And where does the lost luggage go instead?!

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Left Luggage is where you can leave your suitcase for a day or longer while you go and look around shops and art galleries etc. You have to pay of course.
I’m amazed people don’t know this! But this shows how useful these threads can be.
Lost luggage on the other hand is put in Lost Property.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 03/02/2025 22:41

modgepodge · 03/02/2025 21:05

Except money is not spelt with a u, so I maintain it still makes no sense 😂

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It comes from the Latin 'munus' (gift or reward).

floppybit · 03/02/2025 22:43

ChippySauce · 03/02/2025 18:35

Sorry for awkward title!

I never realised until a couple of years ago (I'm 52 😳) that at the ends of the tubes of foil, clingfilm etc, there are two little tabs you push in to "hold" the roll when you pulled it.

What other "things" can you teach this old dog?

What the heck?? I never knew this!!

willowbrookmanor · 03/02/2025 22:43

You can set your iPhone up to single, double or triple tap the apple icon on the back to turn on your camera or torch or whatever in settings.

Noparticularplacetogo · 03/02/2025 22:43

I don't get the baby vest thing. It's 30 years too late for me anyway, at least until/if I have grandkids but surely with a poonami you just strip 'em off and put them under the shower?

On the fuel filler indicator issue, it's sort of irrelevant as, brace yourselves, the hoses STRETCH. Unless you are parked a silly distance from the pump or are driving an artic the hose will reach to the opposite side of the vehicle. No more queueing for the pump on the right. Gaily cruise up to the left hand pump, pull it out and smugly stick it into your opposite side filler hole (ooh-er missus), pay and carry on your way while drivers waiting for the "right side" pump are still queuing.

Happy trails!

sansou · 03/02/2025 22:44

ChippySauce · 03/02/2025 18:35

Sorry for awkward title!

I never realised until a couple of years ago (I'm 52 😳) that at the ends of the tubes of foil, clingfilm etc, there are two little tabs you push in to "hold" the roll when you pulled it.

What other "things" can you teach this old dog?

I had to check too! Tesco Cling Film has it but the foil from Lakeland doesn't! I'm 53. 😂

WimbyAce · 03/02/2025 22:44

Eminybob · 03/02/2025 19:10

That it is remuneration, not renumeration.

Is it??!! 😱

Vergingontheridiculous · 03/02/2025 22:46

HamandCheeseSandwich · 03/02/2025 22:12

In Italian
But we're speaking English. We don't use that term, we use cow for the female if distinguishing. So buffalo is correct, surely? Just like you'd say "goats cheese" not " Doe's cheese".

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I was being somewhat light-hearted, sorry. Hence the joke about the male product being inferior.

Although as far as I'm aware we only refer to mozzarella as "buffalo", so why not get the word right? Buffalo isn't an English word either.

We manage cow and (usually) ewe when referring to English cheeses, rather than cattle or sheep. Goat may be trickier because doe (or nanny) is less specific 🤷‍♀️

HamandCheeseSandwich · 03/02/2025 22:48

Vergingontheridiculous · 03/02/2025 22:46

I was being somewhat light-hearted, sorry. Hence the joke about the male product being inferior.

Although as far as I'm aware we only refer to mozzarella as "buffalo", so why not get the word right? Buffalo isn't an English word either.

We manage cow and (usually) ewe when referring to English cheeses, rather than cattle or sheep. Goat may be trickier because doe (or nanny) is less specific 🤷‍♀️

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Sorry 😁

tattoonewbie · 03/02/2025 22:48

HollyBerryz · 03/02/2025 21:14

I discovered last week you can open two docs at once with word.....and synchronise scroll them!

Ooh. Opening two side by side I can do but syncing scrolling? Fancy that ! Off to Google

HamandCheeseSandwich · 03/02/2025 22:50

Noparticularplacetogo · 03/02/2025 22:43

I don't get the baby vest thing. It's 30 years too late for me anyway, at least until/if I have grandkids but surely with a poonami you just strip 'em off and put them under the shower?

On the fuel filler indicator issue, it's sort of irrelevant as, brace yourselves, the hoses STRETCH. Unless you are parked a silly distance from the pump or are driving an artic the hose will reach to the opposite side of the vehicle. No more queueing for the pump on the right. Gaily cruise up to the left hand pump, pull it out and smugly stick it into your opposite side filler hole (ooh-er missus), pay and carry on your way while drivers waiting for the "right side" pump are still queuing.

Happy trails!

If you pull the poo covered baby grow with an envelope neck up over their head... you're pulling the poo up and over their head.

The envelope neck allows you to pull it down over their shoulders and down the body..no poo near baby's mouth, nose, eyes etc.

DappledThings · 03/02/2025 22:50

I don't get the baby vest thing. It's 30 years too late for me anyway, at least until/if I have grandkids but surely with a poonami you just strip 'em off and put them under the shower
The point being with the way the shoulders stretch on a baby vest you can remove it downwards, removing the need to have to awkwardly shield the baby's face from the poo if you take it off the traditional way.

Alifefulloflemons · 03/02/2025 22:54

YourSnugHazelTraybake · 03/02/2025 19:13

Yes, currently no photo uploads allowed due to a horrific overnight incident last night.

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What happened?!