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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve shared this one before. When my husband started a new job and purchased some very nice dress shirts, I wanted to be helpful and get them ready for him. I opened them, removed all the straight pins, threw out the cardboard under the collars and the little plastic tabs tucked into the collars. I washed and ironed them and had them all ready to wear. The first time my dh put one on, he asked where the collar stays were. I had no idea what a collar stay was. I felt so bad that I went back to Nordstrom and bought brass collar stays, which he still uses 20 years later.

Uh-oh, I am pretty sure neother.me nor DH has any idea what these are, and he has worn a suite to work every day for the last 20 or so years. PP - off to Google!

[Anonymous]

The wonders of a hand held bidet

[Anonymous]

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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!

Well now I understand why public restroom toilet paper is as thin as an oil blotting sheet

And that’s why I hover. You can’t rely on that flimsy TP if you put it on the seat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You aren’t suppose to call blacks negroes

Are you 80?

[Anonymous]

I found out last week that Yoda is dead!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

The only things that should be flushed are the 3 Ps! pee, poop and (toilet) paper.

And vomit. Don’t forget that one.

4 Ps. Pee, poop, paper and puke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I married my husband he didn’t know Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday.

My dh too. Every few years, he asks me "What day is Thanksgiving on this year?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I married my husband he didn’t know Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday.

My dh too. Every few years, he asks me "What day is Thanksgiving on this year?"

Mine too! Blows my mind!!

[Anonymous]

I was 16 when I finally figured out that despite it being pictured in a box in the ocean all by itself on maps the way Hawaii is, Alaska is, in fact, firmly attached to Canada and not an island. Mind blown. My friend was like “didn’t you ever wonder why one edge of it was totally straight?” like no, why would I ever question geographical formations.

[Anonymous]

That the exit numbers on 270 indicate how many miles you are from the start of 270. I just assumed they were random numbers and skipped numbers in the event future exits were built. Not one of my smartest moments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That the exit numbers on 270 indicate how many miles you are from the start of 270. I just assumed they were random numbers and skipped numbers in the event future exits were built. Not one of my smartest moments.

It's not just 270. It's all interstates. I just learned this last week... my boyfriend was explaining to me that if we are at exit 16 and need to get off at 26 we have 10 miles to go. I had no idea.

I did, however, always know that the numbers start over at state borders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I married my husband he didn’t know Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday.

My dh too. Every few years, he asks me "What day is Thanksgiving on this year?"

It’s not just a Thursday. It’s rule is it’s always on either the third or fourth Thursday of November, I can’t remember which.

[Anonymous]

I love this thread. I just realized that you do not have to bake cookies to go to a cookie exchange! Most of the time they will not turn you away at the door.
(no, I do not take away cookies with me, either.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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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!

Well now I understand why public restroom toilet paper is as thin as an oil blotting sheet

And that’s why I hover. You can’t rely on that flimsy TP if you put it on the seat

Can't rely on it to what, exactly?

[Anonymous]

I knew a grown man who thought that if you had most of the buildings and population concentrated on one side of an island, it would tip over.