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

[Anonymous]

When I was dating my husband, he wondered why he was going through toilet paper so fast. He thought that girls only had to wipe when they poop, like boys. So he thought that I was constantly pooping in his apartment.

We met at 30...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That you should hover on public toilets, not touch them. Toilet seats are encrusted with foul bacteria

Nobody has told you how the foul bacteria gets lofted into the air every time the toilet is flushed? Or the bacteria that comes out of an air dryer in a public restroom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know how at Sears the tires are displayed as complete wheels with rims? Well I assumed when you replaced your tires you replaced the hole thing. I was moving cross-country at 23 with my car completely full when I got a flat in an area with no cell service. I managed to change the tire myself and then left the wheel on the side of the road because there was no space and it was muddy. Then I blew the spare 20 miles later when I’d nearly made it back to the interstate. Called my dad while waiting for the tow truck who informed me that no, sears doesn’t replace the whole wheel. Kind tow truck driver drove me to retrieve the wheel before towing my car to a shop. My family enjoys telling this story too much...

Also I didn’t know Azerbaijan was a country until in my 30s. I thought my coworkers were teasing me with a made up word.

My sister didn’t know you had to remove the lint from the dryer. She’d been living in her first home with its own washer dryer for like a year when her husband finally did a load of laundry and discovered the lint store. It’s a miracle the place didn’t burn down.

Have you been changing your exhaust oil regularly like you're supposed to?

[Anonymous]

I know this is going to sound b*tchy, but this thread has me feeling so smart. The only thing I didn't know was the gas light indicator arrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That Jews are not considered white. I was born in the hood and actually never knew anyone Jewish or at least no one that said “I’m Jewish” until I was about 38 years old. I wasn’t educated on the anything about Jewish culture or even the Holocaust. I never understood why Jews would say they were discriminated against, because to me they looked white. I was really ignorant to all things Jewish until my then 7 year old DD starting learning about it the Holocaust in school. I felt pretty stupid. But it was never anything I was taught about.

???? Um, your "discovery" is very wrong. Jews are definitely white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That Jews are not considered white. I was born in the hood and actually never knew anyone Jewish or at least no one that said “I’m Jewish” until I was about 38 years old. I wasn’t educated on the anything about Jewish culture or even the Holocaust. I never understood why Jews would say they were discriminated against, because to me they looked white. I was really ignorant to all things Jewish until my then 7 year old DD starting learning about it the Holocaust in school. I felt pretty stupid. But it was never anything I was taught about.

Jewish people are white, or can be. Who knows, maybe I am still ignorant of this but I don't think so.

I think this is one of the ways in which race is a social construct in the US. A Black/Hispanic person from “the hood,” as OP puts it, probably sees Jews as white. The same as she’d see white people of other religions and/or ethnic backgrounds. On the other hand, a white Christian person from a Midwestern small town might not see Jews as white.

I'm a white protestant from the deep south, and I have never heard anything in regards to Jews not being white. They might be seen as "ethnic", but they are certainly considered white.

[Anonymous]

I didn't realize until I was in my late 20's that the song Lola was about a transvestite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That “this little piggy went to market” meant it was going to be sold as meat. I thought it was going to the grocery store.

OMG. I didn't know until right now. I thought the piggies were going to buy food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That Jews are not considered white. I was born in the hood and actually never knew anyone Jewish or at least no one that said “I’m Jewish” until I was about 38 years old. I wasn’t educated on the anything about Jewish culture or even the Holocaust. I never understood why Jews would say they were discriminated against, because to me they looked white. I was really ignorant to all things Jewish until my then 7 year old DD starting learning about it the Holocaust in school. I felt pretty stupid. But it was never anything I was taught about.

Jewish people are white, or can be. Who knows, maybe I am still ignorant of this but I don't think so.

I think this is one of the ways in which race is a social construct in the US. A Black/Hispanic person from “the hood,” as OP puts it, probably sees Jews as white. The same as she’d see white people of other religions and/or ethnic backgrounds. On the other hand, a white Christian person from a Midwestern small town might not see Jews as white.

I'm a white protestant from the deep south, and I have never heard anything in regards to Jews not being white. They might be seen as "ethnic", but they are certainly considered white.

I assumed the poster was making a joke based on Trump's jewish thing. I hoped so- anyway.

[Anonymous]

The United Kingdom flag is made up of the flags from Ireland, Scotland and England.

[Anonymous]

I came to the US as a high school exchange student, and back then I thought that “fine for littering” meant it was ok to throw trash there
I also only recently realized that Tiffany Kamhi (sp?) from NPR is not someone called Tiffany Kam who says “hi” every time she introduces herself on air.
My son (9) loves to read and he did say “com-promise” and also “obsecure” instead of “obscure”. I have a hard time pronouncing it the right way now!

[Anonymous]

I also laughed so hard about Mary and Barry and “Marion Barry pie”!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t realize until learning on DCUM in my late 30s that you are not supposed to flush tampons. Oops!

At least you learned on DCUM, not when you were writing a $700 check to the plumber.

OMG, this is news to me?! Are you serious? I thought it’s just plastic applicators, wrappers, and pads that you’re not supposed to flush?

DP. I actually don’t flush tampons Bc I didn’t think it was a good idea but I was actually under the impression that they were designed for flushing if I was so inclined. Weird! I wonder if that has changed from the 90s.

I actually started a heated debate on this around 2010 - if I recall. Flush or Toss, or something like that. I couldn't fathom "tossing" it, so I always flushed. After that debate, I changed my ways.

Tampons were marketed, I'm pretty sure, to be flushable back in the 60s--70s and everyone flushed them. I imagine part of the concept of OB tampons was that there wouldn't even be an applicator lying around to tell the world you were having a period. I think the cardboard applicators used to be flushed as well. It might actually be that when they replaced the original cotton (I imagine it was) with fibers that expanded more it became more apparent there was an issue.

I think there are products that "can" be flushed but shouldn't be. Eg hemorrhoid cleaning pads, tampons and feminine wipes will probably go past the toilet U-bend, but then they won't break down while traveling down your sewer pipe, or while in your septic tank (for those not on the city sewer). If one tampon or wipe catches on a rough patch (eg in old cast iron pipe), then that lump will catch wipes and tampons that come pass in future flushes. Eventually there is a giant clump that blocks the sewer, necessitating that the sewer be snaked. Plumbers tend to recommend the thinnest toilet paper eg Scotts because that falls apart when wet. Triple ply cushiony toilet paper can also be a disaster for sewers - so go cheap!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The meaning of the lyrics of most of my favorite songs from the 70s...and 80's for that matter!

Me too! I just learned today oddly enough that "The Year of the Cat" is set in Viet Nam. Also that "The Hotel California" is about drug addiction. Never realized.

it is??

Ok. I thought it was about Hollywood lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That headphones had a Right and Left ear. I’d didn’t know it mattered until I was 30.

Wait. What? Is this true? How do you know which is which? Why would it matter?

Well, you would know because they are labeled that way with a R and L. Plus, they are typically economically designed to fit one side or the other.