This has put me off, would it you?

[Uribentmyspoon]

Met a new guy, really nice, getting on well.
Today we took our dogs for a walk and he grabbed a large stick off the ground, showed it me and said ‘It’s an olive branch’ I jokingly (isn’t funny, bit cheesy) said ‘Oh are you offering me an olive branch?’ 🙄 He was really confused and I explained that it was just a crap joke, like offering someone an olive branch, y’know, the saying…he had no idea what I was talking about and hadn’t heard that saying. Is it weird that I’m really surprised by that? He’s also never heard of Wuthering heights, and, silly one here, The Superman party song, played at practically every children’s party in our 80’s childhood.
We’re both the same age, 43, so he’s not done young guy. Would you be put off by these things (not the Superman one) but the others? It felt weird explaining the saying to him and explaining Wuthering heights 😳 or am I just a bitch?

My DH lacks a lot of similar cultural references as his upbringing was Swallows and Amazons and no TV at all.

So if I spoke about Hammer House of Horrors or Tales of the Unexpected he would have no idea!

@VladmirsPoutine We're both the same age, British and from the same area in the U.K. if he wasn’t British, of course it wouldn’t be the same

[quote Uribentmyspoon]@LegendaryReady Yes, it’s great that he can recognise an olive branch..but they’re growing all around, lots of people possibly can[/quote]
So why would he pick one up and tell you it's an olive branch if he didn't know it's a thing? I think it's you who didn't get it

I often tell my husband he lives in a bubble. If something doesn't actually come along and force its way into his bubble he really takes no notice of it. Things I soak up from just being alive and watching a bit of TV and having conversations with people he has no knowledge of.

Do you live in Howarth?

You mean Haworth

@AICM It wasn’t *Just the superman song, that was the least of it tbh

To be honest, it would put me off a bit.

My husband and I still laugh remembering things like all the words to the birds eye potato waffles old advert. Just daft old stuff that we find funny when we both realise we remember it. My sister thinks we're weird 😆, but these little shared jokes are one of the things we connect over.

If someone didn't have a clue what I was talking about when I tried to make a joke or a cultural reference, I would find it a bit boring.

@Sittingonabench I know, right! 🤣

[quote Uribentmyspoon]@AhNowTed I know?! It’s so weird to me, but then if you weren’t into music or books, I guess it wouldn’t be that weird 🤷🏻‍♀️He’s into planets and the stars and shit, I’m just not really, there must be so much he knows, that I don’t…but Wuthering heights and Kate bush 😳come on.[/quote]
Can you name all the planets in order?
Not trying to catch you out, you possibly can.
But I’d consider that fairly standard general knowledge - at least to name them all and get a vague order. So I tested myself. And I’ve been to an astronomy talk in living memory, too… I forgot Jupiter. Like - the fucking MASSIVE one 🤣
So not quite the same as if I’d never heard of Jupiter… but just showing an example of something that’s basic knowledge to one person, but easily mistaken by another.

@FawnFrenchieMum

Not sure I dare admit this but I know the olive branch saying and the super man song but honestly couldn’t tell you a thing about wuthering heights or a Kate Bush song related to it.

But you've heard of Wuthering Heights?

You don't have to know the plot, just be aware that it exists.

@FortunesFave True, but they might if the trees were all around you and you had one in your garden 🤷🏻‍♀️

Wouldn't put me off specifically but what you're trying to pinpoint really is that gut feeling that you're not well matched and that's fine. No point prolonging things if you're not feeling it.

@FlyingScott Lots of wailing, but she’s amazing

Not being an arborist myself... was it an Olive Branch?

I have been on dates with not one, but two men, who did not know what the Holocaust was. I only realised the second time when I was laughing about how the first man had never heard of it only to encounter a blank stare.

During a disagreement with one ex I called him arrogant and he asked me what it meant, and then proceeded to have a pop for my unnecessary use of 'big words'.

So he's only on holiday in Greece? He grew up in England? I don't think it's so important he spoke about the branch without knowing the saying. Maybe he was just trying to impress you with his knowledge? It being a tree you wouldn't necessarily recognise..I have known lots of these types ( and do it myself sometimes

Did he spend all of the 80s in the UK? I see myself very much as an 80s kid but was out of the UK until mid-80s.

Does he get your other cultural references?

@Fluffyandsilly your mezzanine ick has me inexplicably howling

Does he at least know Oops up, and that you sit on the floor in a line?
Or did all songs with dance moves pass him by (maybe he was always queuing for a hotdog when superman came on).

@Anycolourwilldo That’s exactly it. I feel like I’m having to explain things, which I find off putting to be honest, but then I feel I’m mean.

No idea about a Superman song 😳

The olive branch thing, a tad odd but also quite impressive he recognised one.

Wuthering Heights, assuming he grew up in the UK yes I'd say that's very unusual. Not necessarily a problem - quite possible to be very bright but have no interest in literature - but if culture and books are important to you, may be a compatibility issue.

It wouldn't really bother me, but it depends how important pop culture is for you.
DH and I grew up in different countries in very different cultures. We didn't grow up reading the same books/watching the same films/tv/enjoying the same music. Pop culture isn't massively important for us though so it doesn't really matter. We have very similar values and similar hobbies which means more to us. Plus it's fun to teach each other about our respective cultural things.