What a Pinhead
embarrassing May 30th, 2008
pinhead: (pin‘hed’) n.
1. dumbell: an ignorant or foolish person.
2. Slang. A stupid person; a dunce.
When I was little and looked at old black and white pictures, I thought it meant that there was no color.
Not that there was no color film. Rather, that there was no color in the world.
I’d ask if anyone had a more stupid idea in their heads, but I don’t think it’s possible.
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May 30th, 2008 at 5:57 am
Actually, a few weeks ago I did something even more stupid. Our language teacher said to find out what our baby names meant as part of our ‘optional homework assignments’. I just wanted to see what my name meant. Now, for the stupid part. One line said ‘Regan is on 1687 favorites list’. OMG! MY NAME WAS ON THE FAVORITES LIST IN 1687! I told this to my friend at the bus stop, and she told me, ‘Regan…that’s how many people’s favorites lists your on…. they didn’t have computers in 1687′
Oh.
May 30th, 2008 at 7:25 am
You’re not alone. My second son thought the same! He would talk about the ‘black and white days’. Actually, I regard it as lateral thinking, and quite a reasonable assumption.
Unless you’re talking about when you were a teenager! LOL!
Jay’s last blog post..Kids Today
May 30th, 2008 at 7:54 am
When I had my first baby, I called my sitter to ask if she could come babysit because I had a pediatrician appointment. Yeah - think some brain cells left with the placenta.
Sue’s last blog post..Rachel Ray is a Terrorist
May 30th, 2008 at 8:07 am
I come by Canucklehead honestly, as a kid - there is a girl in my school names Leslie. I took this to mean that she was into other girls ….
May 30th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Ofcourse when one becomes a citizen, they are supposed to remember by heart, the national anthem of their new country. But I just could not remember these to simple lines during my ceremony last year:
“…The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,…”
While everybody else was singing with joy and at top of their voices, I was reading it off the congratulatory package given to us that day. I dropped the French lyrics on the floor just in time they switched to French. And I was aware of the Judge keenly observing my antics the whole time.
I felt very stupid when I could remember the whole song after everything was over !
Until very recently, I thought Yankee Doodle was America’s national anthem.
Jaffer’s last blog post..Lister Block
May 30th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Kathy, you are not a pinhead! I actually think that’s a charming misunderstanding. Not so charming? When I responded to a friend’s warning about being careful not to get my hands near my eyes while handling hot peppers–by immediately touching my eyes with my peppery hands!
PINHEAD!
JD at I Do Things’s last blog post..I Have Insomnia so you don’t have to
May 30th, 2008 at 9:20 am
When introduced to Looney Tunes cartoons and I developed my fanaticism for them, I was under the impression that there were many coyotes named “Wile E.” each resigned to the fate of his predecessor.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:29 am
I was in 3rd grade when MLK Jr. was shot. When our teacher had a discussion about it, I thought he was an actual king and told my class I felt bad for the queen. Ya.
Jeff’s last blog post..Mini-Meme: Things that make me…
May 30th, 2008 at 10:08 am
I only just found out that the cartoon characters on TV do not actually live inside the set. This makes me a little bit sad.
Daisy the Curly Cat’s last blog post..Fashion Friday: I am a brunette!
May 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am
When I was a young driver and I would see the signs that warn “Bridges freeze before roadway”, I always thought they meant that metal expansion strip between the road and the bridge. Just the little strip “before” the roadway.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I thought all the people on Sesame Street used their real names. Maria was Maria, Gordon was Gordon. I JUST found out that wasn’t the case; my sister in law covered a lecture given by “Gordon”, whose name is something else and who also played a bad guy on a soap opera at one time. I felt like a little piece of my childhood broke off.
Shieldmaiden96’s last blog post..Inappropriate Laughter, The Best Medicine
May 30th, 2008 at 10:48 am
When we are younger we take the simplist route to explain things that we don’t understand. The lack of color in the world is a logical conclusion for a toodler. Now when I was that age, I had some really, really pinhead concepts about sex.
Bruce’s last blog post..Essential Cinema - 30
May 30th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Clearly, you have never been a teacher charged with a classroom full of freshman. Believe me, the stupid ideas, comments and questions in that environment would make your head explode. Your idea is cute by comparison!
kev’s last blog post..Friday Four: Strange Music Videos
May 30th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Kathy:
Very funny take on the statute. When I was a kid I was in a little corner Quonset Hut market one day. I noticed a sign on the cooler where they kept the beer and wine that read, “No alcohol sold to minors.” I was vexed, so I asked the sales clerk why they wouldn’t sell alcohol to people who worked in mines. You know - minors! Needless to say, his answer made me want to run out of the store and hide my red face. Ignoramus strikes again!
Swubird’s last blog post..A MUCH DIFFERENT FUTURE
May 30th, 2008 at 11:39 am
I used to think that too. Plus, I also thought that the guys who played baseball back in the old days … ran really funny. I mean, have you ever seen old film of old ball games? Not only are they in a colourless world, they run like funny little old ladies. Weird.
DrowseyMonkey’s last blog post..I Laugh, I Cried … Okay, Not Much Laughing
May 30th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
You know, I wracked my brain to think of something similar. Although I’m sure there were many misconceptions in my childhood, I can’t remember anything. Maybe I have a rude awakening still to come!
Actually that black and white idea is not really stupid. It’s rather sweet.
Babs - beetle’s last blog post..What treasure hunt?
May 30th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
When you’re a kid, you think some crazy things, though. I remember being confused and believing that Bill Cosby and Bing Crosby were the same person… And that Dorothy Hamill and Mark Hamilton were brother and sister…
Also, I was convinced I would go down the bathtub drain. As far as I’m concerned, the black and white world makes sense!
PS– that is some statue, isn’t it? The poor dear… One must suffer for art.
Jenn Thorson’s last blog post..The Gal with One Black Shoe
May 30th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
shieldmaiden96 - “I felt like a little piece of my childhood broke off.”
May 30th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Another comment to Shieldmaiden96: Um . . . I am just now finding out about the first name thing.
JD at I Do Things’s last blog post..I Have Insomnia so you don’t have to
May 30th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
i used to think veggies talked about god a few years ago
May 30th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
When I first saw that statue on here I thought, “not another post about poo!!”
How’s that for pinhead?
Rattln Along’s last blog post..Death and Dying
May 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
JD: You reminded me of these two times… Once I sniffed pepper up my nose, the other Diet Coke. It burns. =)
May 30th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
I can’t think of anything that I have thought or believed that was really stoopid.
I do recall aged about five being in class and the teacher asking us to tell us something about their dad. I put my hand up straight away - I was going to say something like he played football for St Etienne, or that he saw Ray Charles sing, or that while in the Cammeroons on peace keeping duty his best friend was shot in front of his eyes and the best friend’s brains were splatterd all over my dad - all of which are true - but the kid who spoke before me gave some long and interesting story about how her dad was a postamn, and by the time it got to me, all I forgotten all the interesting stuff about my dad (I should point out that I was not going to mention any of the above and was probably going to say something about his van) and said the first thing that came into my head, which was ‘that he fought in the dinosaur wars’.
I never got asked again - no matter how high I put up my hand.
Actually some time later - when the teacher had concluded I was a fantascist - (aren’t all small boys?) - we were having singing around the piano and sang baa baa black sheep and I put up my hand and said I could sing it in french. She of course didn’t believe me. But I insisted I could. So in the end she relented and played the tune, while I sang
baa baa mutton noir
aven doom doom maleine
wee messur, wee messur
twa posh plen.
un pour le messur
and un pour la mamwasell
and une pour le bitty gancon
who be down not truell.
My french spolling is as bad as my english, but you get the idea.
The teacher was impressed.
Actually I still see her occasionally and though she doesn’t recognise me, I often think of the times that I sat on her knee for a reading test, and those mini skirts she use to wear.
tfa’s last blog post..The Importance Of Being Stable
May 30th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I actually still think that sometimes when I’ve been drinking.
Meg’s last blog post..Couch Surfing, Chicago Style
May 30th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
EVERYONE: I had a very busy day at work today, so no time to comment until now. But I did pop in now and then to laugh my head off at your responses. Thank you all for making me feel a lot less stupid and for giving me something to laugh about during the hell that was my day.
Regan — Bless your little heart. I breathed a sigh of relief when I read your comment first. And things just got better and better! So now we want to know the meaning of your name. Fill us in.
Jay — Oooo! Now I quite possibly feel smart about it! For the record, I was about 4 or 5 yrs. old when I thought the world was black and white “in the olden days.”
Sue — Nice one! I’ll give you some leeway. I’m sure you were operating on little or no sleep. You get a pass.
Canucklehead — Beautiful! It’s when I hit your comment that I started laughing inappropriately loudly.
Jaffer — And then I hit the floor in uncontrollable fits of laughter. Jaffer, I could just picture this whole episode. You kill me.
JD at I Do Things — Oh, yeah. I’ve done that. Except nobody warned me. I was jumping around crying and screaming for half an hour. Please, dear JD, no more peppers to the eyes!
BabaBooey — This is so awesome. So how many Wile E. Coyotes did you think there were? OMG. I’m dying here.
Jeff — Precious. I love how a 3rd grade brain works. God save the queen!
Daisy the Curly Cat — I know, as a cat, it must look very fun inside that little box. Everything is just your size. Don’t worry, you can still pretend!
Augusto — A-ha! You and I had the same dumb thought. I always thought it was a stupid sign until I understood what it meant. D’oh.
Shieldmaiden96 — This I have never known until now. Consider part of my childhood shattered. And why shouldn’t they have used their real names??? All this time, it’s been a lie!!! Lying to little kids!!!
Bruce — I’m sure every kid has weird and bizarre concepts about sex. And I’d venture to say some adults don’t quite get it either.
kev — I always thought the Teachers Lounge was the place teachers went to share their stories about how dumb we students were, just so they didn’t have to quit their jobs on the spot. Honestly, how do they put up with all those kids every day of the week? God bless ‘em.
Swubird — Good one! Don’t feel bad. I can see myself saying exactly the same thing, dolt that I am. p.s. The statue is near my building at work, along a walkway filled with other odd pieces of art. I might blog about the others another day. Most of the pieces creep me out.
DrowseyMonkey — Yes! Yes! They do run funny. Like a half second too fast for how it’s supposed to look. Good one!
Babs (beetle) — Give it time. Maybe when you’re old and gray something will come to mind. Oh, I’m sure I could fill a book with the stupid things I’ll say when I’m 80.
Jenn Thorson — I always thought Julia Louis-Dreyfuss was married to Richard Dreyfuss. Until not too long ago. I’m such a goofus. Yeah, the statue is weird, but think how tiny her headaches must be!
Jeff — It’s all tears and shattered childhoods over here in the Junk Drawer.
JD at I Do Things — We’ll never be the same, now will we? There, there. Here’s a tissue.
brooke — Hmmm. Now I’m really confused. You’re going to have to explain that to my wee brain.
Rattln Along — Oh, please don’t worry. I shall never write another post about poo as long as I blog. Actually, I should never make a promise like that. Click cautiously in the future.
Regan — You know what else burns? When you laugh as your taking a shot of Peach Schnapps and it comes out your nose. Uncle Dave thought that was very funny, but I couldn’t breathe properly for an hour.
tfa — I think I’m kind of mortified now. And I think it’s safe to say you spared your classmates a lot of horrible nightmares. Dinosaur wars was a much better way to go, despite never being asked to speak again. And I see your French got you somewhere. Somewhere very fun for young lads.
Meg — Nothing like a good mind-altering experience, eh? Does the color come back when you wake up the next day?
May 30th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Ok, gotta share my stupidity.
When I was a kid, I couldn’t watch any shows where animals got hurt. I thought that they ACTUALLY hurt the animals to make the film. I would cry and cry if a dog got hurt or Heaven forbid died!
Also….in high school (I am aging myself here!) when Huey Lewis had a song out “I Want A New Drug” I always thought it was “I Want A New Truck”….I loved the song, would sing along (out of tune of course!) and then would wonder who in the world would write a song about wanting a new truck! My high school sweetheart and now ex (but we are still friends 25 years after high school) laughs about that to this day and loves to share my stupidity with anyone who will listen! Of course one day he asked “how old are clouds?” So, he had his moments too!
Have a great weekend everyone!
May 30th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
tfa: ROFL - after reading the French version !
May 30th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Well, when I saw a sign once that said “No Smoking No Pets” I thought it meant you couldn’t smoke pets and I wondered why in the sam hill anyone would want to do that anyway! This wasn’t all that long ago.
Also I thought when I was little that all the singers and musicians (although I didn’t know enough to call them by that word) were lined up at the radio station waiting for their turn to crowd around the microphone and sing their song. I never could figure out how they all fit until my mother told me they used records. DUH.
There was a dead possum in our front yard today. Just so you know.
Jenny’s last blog post..How Do You Spell Subway? Q-U-I-Z-N-O-S
May 30th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
What a funny thought! As a kid, it’s a cute thing to say. As an adult, it’s a sad thing to say.
A few years ago I went out to eat and the waitress asked what I wanted to drink. This is how our conversation went:
Her: What would you like to drink?
Me: A Coke.
Her: Pepsi.
Me:Um, Coke.
Her:Pepsi?
Me:No.Coke.
Then I realized that she meant that they didn’t have any Coke, only Pepsi. I felt so dumb.
Stephanie’s last blog post..just a warning
May 31st, 2008 at 1:03 am
Me thinks we were separated at birth.
I did too.
Margaret’s last blog post..Get Ready To Start Rolling Your Eyes
May 31st, 2008 at 5:35 am
Donna — I’m sure that’s fairly common for kids to think. How traumatizing! As for Huey Lewis, I shall now and forever hear “I Want a New Truck.” Hey, there are worse song titles (”If I Had a Hammer.” Wasn’t that done by The Carpenters?)
Jaffer — And you didn’t provide the translation? How good is his French? I would have no clue, since all I know is merci and bon jour.
Jenny — I think we can all agree that we need better signage with more words to make it clearer. I LOVE your idea that musicians sang from the radio station. That’s adorable! Sorry about the possum. Ew. Who gets the honors of disposing of it?
Stephanie — Funny! If I were the waitress, I would have just said “Sure” after the second round. It’s easier that way.
Margaret — Welcome to the pinhead club!
May 31st, 2008 at 6:16 am
My name is Celtic/GAelic, and it means Queen. =)
May 31st, 2008 at 6:35 am
What would life be without color? I shudder to think!
In the absence of color, the eye is trained to see more texture and contrast. Could that perhaps be the problem?
mizmell’s last blog post..Everything Old Is New Again
May 31st, 2008 at 7:52 am
My sister’s boy (who is a real character) has said some hilarious, not to mention embarrassing things- he was in an elevator with his mother one day when a black lady got on with them. Dalton had never seen a black person before and Jacki was just about in a panic to get him off that elevator before he opened his mouth. He just kept looking at the lady and finally reached out and stroked her arm. Jacki was just about beside herself, knowing that he was going to say whatever came into his head. He did. He looked up at the lady and said, “Your tan is so beautiful!”
Cindy’s last blog post..Theory Of Evolution- All Washed Up
May 31st, 2008 at 11:19 am
That puts a new meaning to the word. LOL:)
Curtis’s last blog post..Tried and failed theme etc
May 31st, 2008 at 12:45 pm
After reading some of these comments I’m sending in my application for Mensa tomorrow.
May 31st, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Sorry about the possum. Ew. Who gets the honors of disposing of it?
That would be Andrew. Around here, who finds it gets rid of it! Unless I find it … then Andrew or TG get rid of it. Another funny “pinhead” moment … Erica thought the possum looked like a fox. Erica is 22 and a college graduate. I’m surprised she didn’t think he looked like Marlon Brando. She thinks everyone resembles Marlon Brando. Erica is unique. I posted photos of the possum just in case you want to see him.
Jenny’s last blog post..Not Just Playing Possum
May 31st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Hi! Sometimes life is best viewed in black and white. Thank you for all the support you have given me over the past 12 months.
Take Care,
Peter
May 31st, 2008 at 7:28 pm
You know the song “Islands in the Stream” with Dolly and Kenny??? For years as a teenager, I sang “I am in Dentistry, that is what we are, no one admits we, how can we be wrong??”
KFJ’s last blog post..LOST Season Finale
June 1st, 2008 at 5:26 am
Regan — Very nice. I looked up mine. It’s from Greek for “pure.”
mizmell — I’d hate to imagine a black and white world. I think my problem is I was just dumb.
Cindy — That’s so sweet! Sometimes it’s risky with kids. Not only do they say inappropriate things very loudly, but they point straight at the victim, so everyone nearby is sure to know who they’re talking about.
Curtis — Indeed it does!
Lee — After reading these comments, I’m feeling less like a dolt. And that’s what it’s all about: making Kathy feel less stupid. You know that’s my whole motive, right?
Jenny — Oh, poor Andrew! I’m amazed you posted the picture. That beats my poo picture by a mile! You’re right. He does look like he just laid down and died right there. Erica needs to study up. Then test her with flash cards: “Marlon Brando? Or not Marlon Brando?”
Peter McCartney — If only. I’m thrilled for your blogging anniversary. It’s exciting, isn’t it? I’m happy for you!
KFJ — Love it! Thanks for admitting that and sharing. You must have others….
June 1st, 2008 at 8:02 am
Kathy I have to admit that as a kid I thought the same that the world must have been B&W because all old TV shows, movies and photographs were in B&W. But then again I also freaked out a bit as a 5y.o. because i knew the year was 1977, then came 1978, then 1979, what was next? My pea-brain couldn’t quite figure out “1980″ so I was sure the world was going to end after 1979!!
June 1st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I got news for you darlin’, the way your mind works you would never be confused with a dolt. Way too creative and too much imagination!
June 1st, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Andrew — I love that you thought the world would end in 1980! That’s so sad, but sweet. Hey, at least disco ended then, right? So that’s good.
Lee — Ah, thanks, friend! Bless your heart.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:44 am
Up until just a few years ago (since I’ve been married anyway), I thought the big Woodstock Festival took place in the small town of Woodstock here, in Southern Ontario! I reasoned, there are lots of big fields, other famous bands have played in Ontario and it just made sense. Yeah, a bit of a dodo, right here.
Kat
Poetikat’s last blog post..All about you!
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
do you know veggietales well see my friend grandma went a little over board with it when we were like 7 so i figured out it was a myth that veggies did not talk about god or anything
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Poetikat — That’s OK. I won’t tell anyone. Would it help if I told you I thought I saw Bob Marley in a Paris airport in 2004? He’s been dead since 1981.
brooke — Yes, I know VeggieTales. Thanks for the clarification.
June 4th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
When I was 8 we visited my grandparents on their winter migration to Florida, I asked Grampa if he had brought his “sports t.v.” with him. I really thought his t.v. only played sports because that’s all he ever watched when we went to their house on Sundays.
June 4th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
That makes sense to me! There’s a lot of famous dead people in Paris, aren’t there? Jim Morrison is there, right? So, hey, Bob Marley could have been there. Do you believe in ghosts?
(Btw, I’ve linked to my new blog with this one. Check it out when you get the chance. Hope the link works.)
June 4th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Nope. Didn’t work - trying that again.
Kat
Poetikat’s last blog post..The Hitchcock solution
June 4th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Nancy — I love it! That is so cute! Imagine if there was a separate TV for every program genre. Oh, this just made me giggle. Thanks.
Poetikat — Oh, there you go trying to make me feel better. My husband laughed at me loudly when I pointed him out. He shakes his head a lot at the things that come flying out of my mouth.
June 12th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
I think it stupid that there’s no colour in the world. It took me a long time to understand that when it rained here it didnt necessarily mean it rained there.
June 12th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
corrent above: i dont think it stupid
June 14th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Julie — Good one! Speaking of no color, someone should invent eye glasses you could put on that make you see in black and white. Oh, look. I’m not the first person to consider that: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_there_eyeglasses_that_make_you_see_in_black_and_white