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?

Here you go OP!

@Kevinishot

It would put me off. Genuinely! I’d also be gutted if he didn’t know the words to Just Say No (I’m a couple of years older than you though) or be able to chat about Hi-di-Hi or Dynasty or Jossy’s Giants or taping songs off the top 40 in 1987. These are literally the things my DH & I chat about all the time. I think it’s really important & would feel I had nothing in common with someone who didn’t ‘get’ stuff like that. And Superman is great 😁

I'm with you on this - if you can't laugh about the Come and Praise hymn book or say it's all done in the best possible taste, what's the point?

Oh god it’s even worse than I remember! Maybe he’s just blanked it out of his mind to protect himself?!

Mind you I remember meeting a French guy and he was keen. I said I loved French literature. The 2nd date we arranged to meet in a park. He was slouched all beatnik, wearing black and reading Balzac!

I think it would depend if these were just blind spots and he was knowledgeable about other things. I was shocked my Dh had never seen changing rooms but he’s read war and peace

[quote Uribentmyspoon]@DontMakeMeShushYou It really was an olive branch on the floor, off a tree, we’re not in the U.K. 😅[/quote]
If you're not in the UK is his first language actually English? If it isn't, I wouldn't be that surprised if someone hasn't heard of Wuthering Heights.

I don’t think it’s a case of thinking he’s thick or thinking less of him but more if you can have a relationship when you don’t understand the same cultural references.
For example I couldn’t tell you who has had a number one song in the last 10 years and I’m only vaguely aware of who the Kardashinans are. I’ve never used TikTok. If that knowledge was important to someone I was seeing then I don’t think we’d be suited to each other.

Aside from that, people on this thread saying they’ve never heard of Wuthering Heights, do you mean you literally have no idea what it is or that you don’t know the plot/characters or song?

@Kevinishot

It would put me off. Genuinely! I’d also be gutted if he didn’t know the words to Just Say No (I’m a couple of years older than you though) or be able to chat about Hi-di-Hi or Dynasty or Jossy’s Giants or taping songs off the top 40 in 1987. These are literally the things my DH & I chat about all the time. I think it’s really important & would feel I had nothing in common with someone who didn’t ‘get’ stuff like that. And Superman is great 😁

Jossy's Giants was one of my favourites....de day Jossy's giants, footballs just a branch of science, head the ball now Jossy boy, dum dumJossy's giants.... (I might have made up some words there....)

FWIW my DP often makes cultural references that I don’t get. He’s only a few years younger than me, but being a boy who was heavily into gaming etc his world was quite different from mine. A few years difference in your teens is a big deal and all the bands, TV shows etc would have moved on in 5 years, not to mention whether you’re an ITV or a BBC family. My parents always told us that ITV was trash so I never watched Tiswas on a Saturday morning, always SwapShop etc. DP had no idea what SwapShop was! And he didn’t know who Sade was as I guess a 10 year old boy wouldn’t be interested, whereas a 15 year old girl was, and Sade wasn’t around for long. Smooth operator and one or two others and that was her done!

Anyone remember Blockaboots?

MumDiva that was beautiful

@lottiegarbanzo Ahh ha ha, yes the window…I seeeeee. You see, I’ve just sort of done a ‘Him’ there 🙈🤣

The weird thing is that I heard that Superman song earlier today! Otherwise wouldn't have known what song you were talking about, I only vaguely remember ever having heard it before (and I'm nearly 47)

Is anyone else now thinking what a strange expression offering an olive branch as a peace offering is? Is it supposed to be from the Noah's Ark story? But the dove brought back a branch to show dry land was near by. Is it supposed to symbolise peace between god and the surviving humans to show god was no longer angry? that didn't last did it so olive branches would not seem like a good symbol and the lands were the olive grows have historically been riven with conflict. The more I think about it the odder it seems.

What the hell is that Superman thing? I'm 44 - never heard of it before.

I love Wuthering Heights the book but I don't really know why you are surprised he hasn't heard of it. Why would he? Some people don't read much and might only be familiar with the books they were forced to read at school and a handful of other books. As for Kate Bush - well maybe he's not into her.

I don't really think your specific examples would put me off, nor would I be put off someone who barely reads even though I read avidly, as long as we were compatible in other ways.

You obviously don’t like him, why bother wasting his and your time by blaming on not knowing about a silly song that is usually only heard at a Spanish package holiday mini disco?

@ViciousJackdaw Oh the come and praise hymn books..that’s my next one..if he’s not heard of ‘If I had a hammer’ ‘Lord of the dance’ or kum by yah (spelling) I’m outta there

@tomorrowalready Ohh, that’s interesting, I had no idea if it’s origins

@lottiegarbanzo

'Superman!' 'Let me into you-or window' 'na na na naaah'

🤣🤣🤣

@TheHouseIsOnFire Thank you 🤣🤣

Thank fuck for that, I was beginning to wonder if I’d imagined it!
That’s hilarious 😆

@Marlena1

Meh, I don't think it would overly bother me but who knows, after a while maybe. I went on a date once and the guy was like "Ive never had pasta before". Not for me as I'm a foodie but that might not bother someone else. It's only a problem if it would annoy you.

Wait wait wait.... You dumped a guy because he'd never eaten pasta before???? 😧 What the actual f?!?!

@Mumdiva99 😂

@Susannahmoody

Do you live in Howarth?

I think if Op/he lived in Haworth then he would definitely have heard of Wuthering Heights!

That one and “Agadoo push pineapple shake the tree” were staples of my childhood! But I have to say I wouldn’t worry if my DP didn’t know or remember them

sloutside
Listen and seriously tell you've never heard this before!🤣🤣