What commonly known thing did you learn at an embarrassingly older age?

[Anonymous]

My best friend in my not-very-diverse school district was half Japanese and half Jewish. They were observant Jews and there were three kids in the family. For a long time, I thought all Japanese people practiced Judaism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My best friend in my not-very-diverse school district was half Japanese and half Jewish. They were observant Jews and there were three kids in the family. For a long time, I thought all Japanese people practiced Judaism.

That’s kinda funny

I grew up in NY and I assumed everybody’s schools closed for the Jewish holidays. I had no idea it was just a NY area thing.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t understand that Bill Clinton and Monica had oral sex. I remember being confused about the cigar mentions and not getting what really happened. I didn’t get it until I was in college and a friend made a joke about Clinton and blowjobs and it finally clicked!

[Anonymous]

When I was really little and listening to the radio news, I thought that the governor of my state was Mary O'Cuomo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was really little and listening to the radio news, I thought that the governor of my state was Mary O'Cuomo.

I don’t get this.

[Anonymous]

I love this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That jojoba is pronounced (ho-ho-ba)

NP. Similar to mine. Thought Camp La Jolla - weight loss camp advertised in every single Teen magazine issue- was Camp “la joe-luh”. It clicked as an adult when I heard La Jolla, CA mentioned in a different context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was really little and listening to the radio news, I thought that the governor of my state was Mary O'Cuomo.

I don’t get this.

The governor was Mario Cuomo not Mary O’Cuomo.

[Anonymous]

These are soooo funny!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What an advent calendar is. I bought a few at Costco the other year without really looking at it, thinking it was cute and I could give it out as part of bday presents.... for birthdays of my kids’ friends from their Jewish preschool. Whoops! The first mom was like, thaaaaanks

I read this whole thread just to see if you posted HOW you found out what Advent calendars are. Please share!

I have had many word pronunciation issues the years due to being an avid reader as other posters mentioned. I’m from Oregon and never pumped my own gas until I went away to college—I told the attendant I wanted $10 on pump number 86 not realizing that’s the octane. I also thought “approximately” meant “exactly” until my 20s (I guess I though people were using it sarcastically?).

[Anonymous]

The strings sewn into dresses and sweaters (hanger strings)

https://www.dailyedge.ie/hanger-strings-are-so-annoying-2865909-Jul2016/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The strings sewn into dresses and sweaters (hanger strings)

https://www.dailyedge.ie/hanger-strings-are-so-annoying-2865909-Jul2016/

I didn’t know that you were supposed to cut the thread out of a new coat pocket. For years I worse an expense coat with flaps and no pockets. I just didn’t want to rip it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i.e. = id est (roughly, "that is")
e.g. = exempli gratia (for example)

This

[Anonymous]

I thought eg meant example given

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That it's astigmatism and "a stigmatism."

me too!

This raises an interesting spinoff. Do you correct your spouse when they say something like this? I do, because I don’t want others to think less of my spouse. However, I appreciate it can be viewed as patronizing. I always struggle whether to say something.

I used to, but he will never admit to any mistake or change his behavior accordingly,.so I stopped. This is why our Tupperware lids are all warped beyond usefulness (he insists on leaving lids on in microwave even after being shown the nearly invisible instructions not to on the lid). Last week he made a cake for our son's birthday and put plates over the round pans when he took them out of the oven to cool, then refused to acknowledge that this might be why the cake was soggy not "moist," as he insisted.