Surprising “I Was Today’s Year Old” Moments That Prove How Much We Don’t Know

By: Lauren Wurth | Last updated: Oct 15, 2023

Every day we are encouraged to learn something new. Some of these things are hilarious, while others show how much thought goes into seemingly trivial things and statements.

A fun trend on Twitter tagged, “I was today years old when I learned,” is guaranteed to throw some insight your way that you never even thought of. Enjoy this interesting and strange things that we were today years old when we learned.

I Was Today Years Old When...I Learned About This Bat

“I was todays year old when I learned about Hammerhead bats”

Bats are one of the most misunderstood animals. They are feared and disliked by many. However, studies have revealed how they help in pest control and pollination, thus making them very important. That notwithstanding, have you heard of the hammer-headed bat? This bat looks so mysterious. It will definitely make your heart palpitate a bit if you suddenly come across it.

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The hammer-headed bat is widely distributed in West and Central Africa. It’s the biggest bat in this region, having a wingspan approaching one meter (or three feet).  The male is twice as heavy as the female. Interestingly, people eat the bat in some areas of countries such as Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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I Was Today Years Old When...I Found Out About These Sweet Sleepers

“I was today years old when I found out that harvest mice like to crawl inside flowers, eat the pollen and then sometimes fall asleep inside.”

I can bet a few dollars that a mouse has, at least once, sent your heart racing when it crawled randomly out of its hiding. You might have screamed and even jumped up and down, scrambling for safety. Today, we shall explore some of the nicest mice, the harvest mice.

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The harvest mice are active climbers and feed on pollen, unlike the mice in your house that eat through any cloth or plastic. These mice often fall asleep inside the flowers while harvesting pollen, which is a charming image. I bet it would make a cute screen lock image.

I Was Today Years Old When...Wait, There's No Turtle In There?

“I was today years old when I found out Turtles are not “inside” their shells, they are “part of the shell.”

Throughout most people’s childhood, they believe that when turtles are threatened, they retreat back to their shells, but apparently, that is a very wrong analogy. This is because the turtle skeleton is shaped like a shell and develops with the turtle. They are not two separate entities, the turtle’s body, and the shell. They are one. The shell is the skeleton.

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The turtles can’t just slip in and out of their shells like most of us thought. This is because it is an exoskeleton. It is weird to think that turtles are hollow inside and have feeling in their shell.

I Was Today Years Old When...Ready, Set, Match

“I was today years old when I realized the Tinder logo is a flame because you get matches.”

With more than 55 billion matches, Tinder has become one of the leading and most popular dating apps. Most of us have heard of it, some of us have used it… But have you ever thought of where the word ‘Tinder’ came from? Or even why is their logo a flame? So let’s be your eye-opener.

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According to the English meaning, Tinder means a dry flammable material used to light a fire. So, to put it in context, Tinder is where matches (matches light a fire) happen. And the logo is a flame, as it creates sparks with a potential lover when they get matched.

I Was Today Years Old When...Hold Your Horses

“I was today years old when I found out that when someone tells you to “hold your horses” their telling you to be stable.”

It is puzzling how we use expressions in our everyday language without thinking about where the expressions came about in the first place. For instance, ‘hold your horses’ is a common saying when telling someone to calm down and consider the decision they will make.

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However, one Twitter user, ‘John Snow,’ took this literally, and according to him, when saying ‘hold your horses’ to a person, you are telling them to be stable, since a stable is where people hold their horses.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Holy Krabs

I was today years old when I realized the Krusty Krab was a crab trap.”

:et’s uncover another clever joke from our Nickelodeon favorite show, Krusty Krab. If you are a 90s baby, you definitely saw an episode or two in your day.. The show was full of hidden messages.

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The restaurant where Spongebob flips burgers is a crab trap, and Mr. Krabs runs the restaurant. So subtle and detail oriented!

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I Was Today Years Old When...Donkey Nannies

“I was today years old whenI found out about donkey nannies, which are donkeys that are used in Italy to transport newborn lambs down from the mountains for seasonal grazing.”

Donkey nannies are appropriate titles as these are donkeys that are more-or-less nannies to newborn lambs.

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During the search for pastures from the mountains to the plains in Italy, the Italians used to put newborn lambs in donkey saddles since they couldn’t walk the long journey. The donkeys would serve as nannies for these lambs during the voyage. Isn’t that heartwarming?

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I Was Today Years Old When...They're So Fluffy I'm Gunna Die

“I was today years old when I found out fluffy French Bulldogs EXSIST.”

We can never get enough of dogs and we keep wanting to create the best or cutest dog in the world. Apart from the common breeds we know, such as the Labradors and Golden Retrievers, among others, have you heard of the FLUFFY French Bulldogs?

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The French Bulldog is as cute as any Bulldog, but they are much fluffier. They retain all the awesomeness of the bulldog and add some more to their thicker coat.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Ay, Ay, Captain!

I was today years old when I found out the houses in Bikini Bottom are car mufflers that fell into the ocean due to pollution.”

Another Spongebob tidbit! Have you ever been keen enough to look at the structures of the houses in Bikini Bottom?

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How many of the homes at Bikini Bottom are really automobile mufflers that fell into the ocean as a result of pollution? It turns out that’s all of them. It’s amazing how this message was subtly passed to us as kids.

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I Was Today Years Old When...The White Wizard

“I was today years old when I found out Gandalf carried his pipe as his staff.”

The Lord of the Rings is considered among the greatest series of three fantasy adventures based on a novel. And to date, it is regarded as a very successful and influential series of our time.

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Gandalf, the wizard, makes the series and his character more lovable. His other significant feature is his pipe. One Twitter user keenly observed that Gandalf loves his pipe so much that he carries it on his staff. Wow, what an effective way to blend it.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Coming to America

“I was today years old when I found out the voices of Mufasa and Sarabi were also played by the King and Queen of Zamunda from Coming To America.”

If you have watched the Disney classic and the famous film Coming to America, you may think that the two shows have no common ground, but surprisingly, if that’s your line of thought, you are a bit out of the line. The two movies share the same cast.

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This is because the voices of Mufasa and Sarabi were also played by the voices of King and queen Zamunda in Coming to America. So now you are in the know.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Woof Woof

“I was today years old when I found out the lyrics to “Who Let The Dogs Out?” were”Who Who Who”…this whole time I’ve been barking.”

’Who let the dogs out” by Baha Men became a sensational song to many in the 2000s. This song was nominated for the Grammys award for best dance and Kids choice Awards for favorite songs, among many other awards. Unfortunately, however, many people have been singing the lyrics wrong.

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Many think the chorus, ”who let the dog out,” is followed by four barking sounds. However, the Baha Men were singing ‘who, who, who, who,’ this is funny. Sorry the Baha Men, for murdering your lyrics by barking them instead of singing. No pun intended.

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I Was Today Years Old When...A Serving Of Pasta

I was today years old when…I found out the hole in a pasta utensil is the suggested serving size.”

A simple but delicate meal for many people around the world. This dish is made from unleavened dough and other ingredients such as water and eggs, then cooked by boiling. However, do you know the story behind the pasta spoon?

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People think the pasta spoon’s role is to drain excess water from the pasta and serve using it. Well, jokes on you. The hole in the pasta measures one serving size. This enables you to know the right amount of pasta to cook.

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I Was Today Years Old When...The KFC Secret

“I was today years old when…I realized the KFC Twitter account only follows the 5 Spice Girls, & 6 guys named Herb. This is because of their “secret blend” of 11 herbs & spices. The 1st person to notice this and point it out was sent a painting of himself holding a drumstick while riding piggyback on the Colonel.”

Social media is like an intake of fresh air for a modern business to thrive and enable them to expand. The likes of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook are just a few that, when utilized well, may make your business blossom further. Well, for the Kentucky fried Chicken, they decided to use their Twitter account creatively.

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They only followed 11 people comprising the five members of spice girls and the other six whose names were herb. This secret riddle was cracked out by a fan, who revealed that it represented their secret blend of herbs and spices. This fan received a rare painting, where he was painted on Colonel Sander’s back holding a drumstick.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Your Biggest Fan

I was today years old when I figured out that “Stan” = stalker + fan.

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, popularly known as Eminem, is an American rapper and songwriter who is definitely among the best rappers of all time. One unique feature of Eminem is how he incorporates chunks of his life into his music.

hiphopdx.com

In a song, he sings of a character obsessed with him and gives him the character Stan. One Twitter user pointed out that ‘Stan’ is a combination of fan and stalker. If this is how he came up with the character’s name, then his creativity is once more proven.

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I Was Today Years Old When...I Wanna Dance With Somebody

“I was today years old when…I found out Whitney Houston was in a proud relationship that was hidden by her family. The proud icon we deserve.

“I wanna dance with somebody” by Whitney Houston is a classic from 1987 that she recorded for her second studio album. The renowned musician was an incomparable talent and also a global icon. However, behind all this success, there is one secret she hid well from the world: her queer relationship.

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Sadly her life was monopolized without her control. For example, her family made her keep her relationship with an openly gay woman, Robyn Crawford hidden. In her memoirs, Robyn confirms she had a romantic and sexual relationship with Whitney. However, it didn’t last long because of homophobic pressure in those days.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Just Vibing?

“I was today years old when I found out that Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher had an affair when Harrison was married and Mark Hamill didn’t even question why they were sleeping over at each other’s houses he just thought they were vibing.”

Are you a Star Wars fan? If yes, you have probably heard what transpired between some actors. The co-stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher were having an intimate affair while filming Star Wars. You might be wondering what’s wrong with that.

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At that time, Harrison was married, making the act between them complicated as he broke his wedding vows. Other actors thought the two were having sleepovers on set because they were close friends and “vibing.”

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Cashews or Mushrooms

“I was today years old when I found out cashews grew from trees.”

Have you ever wondered how cashew nuts grow? Probably not, unless you are a botanist or plant enthusiast. Thanks, one Twitter user showed us how cashew nuts grow on trees.

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The cashew fruit looks like an oversized hat; inside, the hats resemble what we eat as nuts.  The fruits resemble little gremlins! Well, now you know.

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I Was Today Years Old When...True Friends Stick Together

“I was today years old when I found out the cast of FRIENDS used to make 1 Million per episode in the final 2 seasons and now make 20 Million per year, per cast member, for reruns. The show still generates 1 bBillion a year for Warner Brothers. This is all thanks to David Schwimmer for encouraging the cast to negotiate as a team.”

Actors get paid so much money for any movie or episode they create. The best part is that they still earn money when the movie is showing on reruns. Let’s explore one particular show whose actors have profited massively from this model.

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The cast of Friends each made one million dollars per episode in the final two seasons and now make $20M per year per cast member for reruns. David Schwimmer (who played as Ross) encouraged the team to bargain together and ended up landing this mouth-watering deal.

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I Was Today Years Old When... I Realized Times Are Changing

“I was today years old when I realized millennial Dads are spending 3 times as much time with their kids then their fathers spent with them. ”

Not so long ago, dads never used to change diapers because society had coded them with the mentality that it was women’s work. In addition to their roles, women had to cook and take care of the children.

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However, this notion is slowly changing as statistics show that millennial dads are spending up to three times as much time as their fathers spent with them. Men are also gradually accepting the idea that they should be more active in both the child’s life and the wife’s. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see a man cooking for his household.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Work Smarter, Not Harder

“I Was Today Years Old When…I realized Microsoft tried a 4-week workweek in Japan as part of a “Work Life Choice Challenge” and productivity increased by almost 40%, compared to the same period the previous year.”

Imagine just working for four days a week. This makes me smile when I contemplate that such may be the norm one day, since it’s not far from reality. Modern companies are trying to figure out ways to increase employee satisfaction but are keen not to compromise productivity.

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The Microsoft company tried a 4-day workweek in Japan as part of the ” Work-Life challenge” where they shut down offices every Friday. Interestingly, productivity in terms of sales per employee increased by 40% compared to previous years. This is because employees felt they had enough time to relax, hence becoming more dedicated to their work, and productivity increased.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Car Hacks

“I was today years old when I realized the seat adjuster in my car is shaped like my seat.”

Maybe you might have noticed, but the biggest probability is that you have missed it. The set adjustment lever in your car is shaped like a car seat.

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This is a very subtle detail. It might be that the lever is shaped like a tiny seat so that you can intuitively tell how far you have adjusted your car seat.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Leave Your Stress Behind

“I was today years old when I realized stressed spelled backwards is desserts.”

This common saying means leaving behind what’s troubling you and focusing on your current undertakings. The phrase looks normal until you scrutinize it keenly and realize that the word ” stressed ” is spelled backwards.

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Desserts are heavenly treats, which is why this can’t just be a coincidence. Maybe because when we are under pressure or stressed, we go for desserts to relieve some of that pressure. It might explain why we turn to sweet desserts when feeling stressed. What do you think? Reaching?

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I Was Today Years Old When...Pew Pew

“I was today years old when I learned an iPhone user can text another iPhone user the words “pew, pew” and it will send lasers.”

Whether you are an iOS or an android diehard, there are those simple things that you love about your device. It turns out that apart from significant software upgrades and rivalry, iOS has a neat trick under its sleeves, albeit childish.

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When one iPhone user texts another iPhone user the words ‘pew pew,’ which are the sound a laser makes, the receiver of the message will get a laser show on their screen. Isn’t that cool?

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I Was Today Years Old When...Linguistic Twist

“I was today years old when I realized if you replace the “W” in where, what, and when with a “T”, you answer the question.”

My mind was blown upon learning this exciting fact that when you replace the “W” in words when, where, and what with the letter “T,” you answer the questions starting with the W words. The words become, Then, There, and That.

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Maybe it explains to us why teachers tell us that the answer is usually in the question!

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I Was Today Years Old When...Goofy the Cow?

“I was today years old when I found out Goofy was actually a cow not a dog.”

Disney characters are all animals, and we often can’t appropriately distinguish the species they come from. A particular example is Goofy’s character, who people can’t identify if it’s a cow or a dog.

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Many believe that it’s a dog, but recently Twitter flared up, with many claiming that he is a cow and was concealed by the government for political and social reasons. This was further propelled by the fact that Goofy and Clarabelle Cow were once an item, proving they belonged to the same species. However, this notion has been criticized by many.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Chuck E. Cheese's Secret

“I was today years old when I found out that Chuck E Cheese’s full name is Charles Entertainment Cheese.”

Chuck E Cheese is a big fast-food chain with over 600 locations. I am sure as a child you have either attended or celebrated your birthday at their entertainment space. But have you ever wondered what the full name of the franchise is?

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The full name of Chuck E Cheese is Charles Entertainment Cheese. That is a long name for a food chain. Chuck E Cheese sounds more appealing. The creativity there is impressive.

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I Was Today Years Old When...You May Want To Fact Check That

“I was today years old when I learned Beethoven was black.”

We are in the social media era, where we can easily find massive amounts of information online. But unfortunately, this information largely depends on people’s opinions, making a huge chunk of it false.

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A random tweet depicted Beethoven as black, but a deeper analysis of his bloodline reveals otherwise. This means that we should not take everything on the internet as the true gospel and start sharing it with others, which may lead to misleading others.

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I Was Today Years Old When...French Fries Will Never Taste the Same Again

“I was today years old when I realized the flap on your fries box is there to hold your ketchup.”

Did you know that the French fries box and the flap have a purpose? Let’s unbox this little-known fact. The flap part is where you should put on the ketch to avoid being all messy, especially when traveling.

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Mcdonalds devised a creative way to ensure that everything from their meals to packaging comes with a touch of convenience.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Shower Thoughts

“I was today years old when I found out that BAR means, Beer & Alcohol Room.”

Have you ever sat down and questioned the origin of words, like who invented the word smile and many others? Well, some Twitter users should be rewarded for having a microscopic analysis of words. A good example is the word bar.

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A Twitter user, Anthony martin, reveals that the word bar is an acronym. In his literal analysis, he says the word ‘bar’ represents beer, alcohol, and room. Maybe people who came up with the term were too drunk to say the whole phrase, but who knows.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Creatures of the Night

“I was today years old when I realized how long owls legs actually are.”

Owls are considered very mysterious, and in some places like Africa, when they hoot at night near a homestead, it is thought that in the particular homestead, bad luck is about to occur to them. Let’s leave the bad luck behind and focus on some of their unique characteristics.

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They are nocturnal creatures, and they can turn their head 360 degrees, and that’s not all. They have incredibly long legs. It looks like there’s a lot about owls that continue to be mysterious. The more the mystery, the more we are intrigued.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Phineas and Ferb

“I was today years old when I realized that Phineas and Ferb are shaped like the letters P & F.”

This popular Disney show featured two brothers embarking on various adventures while trying to keep their sisters from their plans. The show gained a lot of fan base, and everything looked normal until a viewer noticed an exciting fact between the two brothers.

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The viewer interestingly noted that the comedy characters, Phineas and Ferb, are shaped as letters P and F. This is a credible observation. You may not have noticed this feature, or if you belong to the group that analyses everything, you probably already knew this.

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I Was Today Years Old When...The Middle of Nowhere Is Somewhere

“I was today years old when I realized the Middle Of Nowhere is an actual place located in New Mexico.”

In the 2000s, there was an animated television series for kids known as Courage, the Cowardly Dog. This show reminds me of the screams I would make when a scary scene would appear on the screen. The show featured strange characters, including aliens and monsters, and the farmhouse they lived in.

Carrizo Peak, 7/16/06.

I was today’s old when I learned that their farmhouse was in the middle of nowhere. This actual place in Kansas is called “the Middle of Nowhere”.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Skittles Gimmicks

“I was today years old when I found out skittle have the same flavor, but the scents trick our brain into thinking they taste different.”

Skittles are multi-colored fruit-flavored candies. Remember when you and your siblings would rush for the strawberry-flavored or orange ones because they tasted way better? Guess what? Your life has been a lie if you think that they taste different!

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A pretty mind blowing observation floating currently on social media is that skittles do taste the same despite them having different colors. Their scent is different depending on the color, which tricks our brain into thinking that, because of their multicolors, they have different flavors and all taste different. I will buy skittles to accept this fact.

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I Was Today Years Old When...More Than a Buttload

“I was today years old when I realized that the term “buttload” was an actual measurement.”

The term buttload sounds unreal and made up to describe something probably big. To others, it sounds vulgar because of the word butt. I thought that it was a mishearing of the word boatload. It turns out it is a buttload.

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The term buttload refers to a large number. It is a traditional unit of volume used to measure alcohol, beverages, and wines. It can be compared to two hogsheads. This is an interesting new fun fact to decipher.

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I Was Today Years Old When...The Lion King Is What?

” I was today years old when I learned the Lion King is the plot of Hamlet and I will never be the same…”

The plot of Hamlet goes something like this. A young man believes that his uncle is responsible for his father’s death because the uncle wanted his father’s throne and wife.

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While watching Lion King, you cannot but notice the early similarity between the two plots. The difference is the setting and production can mask the plot, but Shakespeare is all over the Lion King plot.

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I Was Today Years Old When...But Why Eggplants?

“I was today years old when In learned aubergines are called eggplant because they literally look like plants that have sprouted eggs.”

Eggplant, commonly known as aubergines, is a plant species in the nightshade family, and its unique shape and color will make you spot it immediately in grocery store alleys and markets. You’re probably wondering how a purple fruit got associated with an egg.

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When growing, the eggplant resembles a white goose or chicken egg! When they are ready to eat, they are purple.

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I Was Today Years Old When...I Said Good Day!

“I was today years old when I realized Fes from that 70’s Show really just stands for Foreign Exchange Student and that Fes was never his real name.”

“That 70s Show” is a sitcom that depicts the life of young adults in America in the 70s. One of the characters in the show was Fez. Unfortunately, in the show, there is little background as to where he is from or even his second name.

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It turns out that Fez, written as Fes, is an abbreviation for Foreign Exchange Student. Who would have thought?

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I Was Today Years Old When...Seatbelt Signs On

“I was today years old when I found out that the first episode of a show is called the “pilot” because it’s the first time the show has been on the air.”

Have you ever wondered why the first episode of a new TV show is called a pilot? Have you been tempted to think that that’s the title of the first show? Well, you are not alone in this.

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It’s called pilot because it’s the first time being on the air. Well, people out here are pretty imaginative.

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I Was Today Years Old When...Break a Leg

“I was today years old when I learned that when someone tell you to “break a leg” at an audition it is because they are hoping you end up in the cast.”

In a literal sense, imagine going for an interview or an audition and someone telling you to break a leg. This may sound like an insult. After all, why would someone wish you to break your leg with all the pain and discomfort that comes with it?

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It turns out a Twitter user broke the code behind this wise saying. If someone says you” break a leg” in an audition, it means they hope you will end up in the cast. But others argued it is because you bow, “breaking” your leg to do so. What do you think?

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