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Synotic · Aug 9, 2005, 05:24 PM

I've been wondering about this for a while and figured I'd cull the collective brains of MacNN and see if anyone had any advice on "unconfusing things" (excuse the word). To produce some interest in this thread (hopefully), I believe that it would be interesting to hear some other peoples' confusion, as well.

In my specific case, I always confuse east and west. My main problem is that I always think of "west" as being to the right, and, but to a lesser extent, east as being on the left. I'm not exactly sure why this is but I have two theories. Theory ones goes that I was born on the west coast, and, having a very poor general sense of geography, I must have, naively, believed the west coast to be the "main coast," and as is to be expected, associated it with the relative direction "right." Theory two is that the phrase "east-west" is heard far more often than "west-east," and due to the direction of our language, I figured "east-west" as "left-right."

I can't say that I've exactly exhausted any possible solutions (I have really tried any, really), but this is an annoying little nit that I'd like to get over.

Secondly, and this is less important, I can never remember whether Renault is the diamond or whether Peugeot is the lion. I don't really think of Peugeot as having the diamond logo, but I can never remember whether it's Renault or Peugeot that has the lion as its logo.

For what it's worth, I don't think I have a general memory problem or dyslexia. My memory isn't any better than anyone else's, but, unless I'm fooling myself, it isn't deficient. Also, unless I'm forgetting anything else (!), I don't think I confuse an unusual amount of things.

So my specific plea is for anyone who has any methods for reversing confusion or even just personal accounts of his or her personal niggles.

I don't know how well this thread will do, but it's worth a shot

Thanks.

micahgartman · Aug 9, 2005, 05:32 PM

I always get confused on which way to spin/twist the top to open a jar of mayonnaise...

Doofy · Aug 9, 2005, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Synotic

Secondly, and this is less important, I can never remember whether Renault is the diamond or whether Peugeot is the lion. I don't really think of Peugeot as having the diamond logo, but I can never remember whether it's Renault or Peugeot that has the lion as its logo.

Peugeot = pug = little dog = a bit like a lion (in the way that it's also a four-legged animal).

Zenbone · Aug 9, 2005, 05:41 PM

I confuse my girlfriend with Catherine Zeta Jones.

I don't know how to unconfuse that, and I'll kill the first person who tells me.

budster101 · Aug 9, 2005, 05:52 PM

I confuse this place sometimes with something that actually matters...

isao bered · Aug 9, 2005, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by micahgartman

I always get confused on which way to spin/twist the top to open a jar of mayonnaise...

is this only with mayonnaise? or anything in a jar? ;-)

laeth

ort888 · Aug 9, 2005, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by micahgartman

I always get confused on which way to spin/twist the top to open a jar of mayonnaise...

Righty Tightey

Lefty Loosey

Heavy Fluid · Aug 9, 2005, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

Righty Tightey

Lefty Loosey

I have this problem also, but only when I am underneath the car with a ratchet, and everything seems like it is backwards, especially when you are laying all cockeyed and at an angle.

lavar78 · Aug 9, 2005, 07:32 PM

East vs. West

Start calling the West Coast the Left Coast like some of us do.
The state of California makes a kind of L.
The settlers from Europe landed right where we'd expect.
Can you remember that Washington (state) is in the Pacific Northwest?
Are you an NBA fan? The California teams are in the Western Conference.
Think bigger. Can you remember that the USA is in the Western hemisphere?
Think about where the Middle East is.

sek929 · Aug 9, 2005, 07:53 PM

I regularly mistake green leaf Dutchmasters with Elegantes.

FYI, the dutchies smoke better.

GranolaBoy · Aug 9, 2005, 08:00 PM

I sometimes confuse lethargy with excitement, and accidentally work myself up to a long sleep.

teszeract · Aug 9, 2005, 11:49 PM

>>I sometimes confuse lethargy with excitement, and accidentally work myself up to a long sleep.

me is really giggling now.

Cubeoid · Aug 9, 2005, 11:57 PM

I am confused by this thread, uncofusing would be to delete it.

rickey939 · Aug 9, 2005, 11:58 PM

gorickey vs. ManOfSteal vs. rickey939

Cubeoid · Aug 10, 2005, 12:00 AM

I pick all one of three.

Randman · Aug 10, 2005, 12:01 AM

I've been confused trying to remember what stories I've told my SO about my past.

budster101 · Aug 10, 2005, 12:05 AM

I'm confused about what this thread is now about

tavilach · Aug 10, 2005, 12:35 AM

I've caught myself confusing the gas with the break

. Granted, I'm a new driver (started late), but I really shouldn't be doing that. After practicing for a while, I think my confusion is lessening. I haven't caught myself trying to hit the wrong pedal all summer

.

budster101 · Aug 10, 2005, 01:05 AM

I've actually confused the "command-Q

: back now :

I've actually confused the "command-Q

: back now :

I've actually confused the "command-Q

with the "command-A" key.

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 01:08 AM

For some reason I always call the colour yellow "orange" and immediately correct myself. It's been going on as long as I can remember.

budster101 · Aug 10, 2005, 01:12 AM

That's weird.

Cubeoid · Aug 10, 2005, 01:17 AM

That's hot.

Steve · Aug 10, 2005, 02:53 AM

I had a problem remembering the directions when I was younger, and I still go back to the saying that I was taught then:

Code:
_________________ Never 
_______Waffles______________Eat
__________________Soggy

Read that starting at the top, going to the right. So it ends up being Never Eat Soggy Waffles.

(sorry for the poor 'drawing')

B Gallagher · Aug 10, 2005, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid

Originally Posted by micahgartman

I always get confused on which way to spin/twist the top to open a jar of mayonnaise...

I have this problem also, but only when I am underneath the car with a ratchet, and everything seems like it is backwards, especially when you are laying all cockeyed and at an angle.

Unless I'm mistaken, it's always clockwisen to tighten it/screw it in; anti-clockwise to unscrew it/loosen it.

budster101 · Aug 10, 2005, 07:20 AM

He said "screw"....

mojo2 · Aug 10, 2005, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Zenbone

I confuse my girlfriend with Catherine Zeta Jones.

I don't know how to unconfuse that, and I'll kill the first person who tells me.

Excuse my tempting fate, but dare I say your girlfriend is undoubtedly the more beautiful and charming of the two?

Synotic · Aug 10, 2005, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Peugeot = pug = little dog = a bit like a lion (in the way that it's also a four-legged animal).

Did I forget to mention that I hate little mnemonics like that?

Specifically ones that actually have nothing to do with the actual meaning or history of the word? I'm specifically reminded of those vocabulary-building books that use cartoons and rhymes, for the sole purpose of memorizing the word, instead of focusing on understanding the words. That said, seeing as both of these words come from people's family names, I think I'll use this

Originally Posted by lavar78

East vs. West

Start calling the West Coast the Left Coast like some of us do.

I won't (

); but that does help, especially since they share the soft "e."

The state of California makes a kind of L.

Being from California (not saying that I wouldn't know the shape of California otherwise...), this helps; I'll use it. Also fits with the "left coast."

The settlers from Europe landed right where we'd expect.

Eh... I think your Middle East one works best for me. Luckily my American education has taught me to understand the Middle East to be "over there." So that'll work.

Can you remember that Washington (state) is in the Pacific Northwest?

Yes.

Are you an NBA fan? The California teams are in the Western Conference.

I am. I'll try and stick in this my mind.

Think bigger. Can you remember that the USA is in the Western hemisphere?

OK.

Think about where the Middle East is.

See above.

Thanks for these tips, I appreciate them. They're a lot better than when I tried to right "East" and "West" on my hands and try to use those terms instead of left or right. Unfortunately, after I wrote "East," I realized I wasn't left-handed! I still managed to scrawl "West" on, though. It didn't help much.

Originally Posted by Steve

I had a problem remembering the directions when I was younger, and I still go back to the saying that I was taught then:

<snip>

Read that starting at the top, going to the right. So it ends up being Never Eat Soggy Waffles.

I'm not sure exactly where I learned this, but I learned, similarly, "Never eat sour watermelons!" That said, in the end, I know where each general direction is, and if I think just a second or two more, I can "fix my head," so to speak. It's just that I want it to be stuck in my head as permanently as "North" and "South." My problem generally comes up when I'm reading a history book, and it mentions something to the east or west of a nation.

Please excuse my case of excessiquote (I'm on a roll now...

), and carry on.

P.S. micahgartman: Don't feel alone. Although I always had a general "feel" for it (whether it be screwing screws [have at it budster] or opening gherkin jars), if I ever thought about it, I stood a chance of messing up; more so in replacing the cap, rather than removing it. When I mentioned it to a friend, he told me the righty-tighy, lefty-loosey rule. I guess it's one of those things you learn in Kindergarden/Pre-School (like a hot dog fold vs. a hamburger fold), but I never learned it.

lavar78 · Aug 10, 2005, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Synotic

Thanks for these tips, I appreciate them.

Glad I could help. I was just throwing things out there to see what would stick.

Originally Posted by tavilach

I've caught myself confusing the gas with the break

Now that's scary!

m a d r a · Aug 10, 2005, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by tavilach

I've caught myself confusing the gas with the break....

"brake"

mojo2 · Aug 15, 2005, 06:41 AM

Which side of the fitted sheet goes at the head/foot and which goes on the side.

It's difficult because a fitted sheet, with it's elastic hemming disguises the head/foot and the side parts to appear the same length when you are holding it up fresh out of the dryer.

But I figured it out for the first time this weekend, the elastic goes on the SIDES of the mattress and the non elastic part goes on the head/foot of the bed.

I feel smart for figuring it out, FINALLY!

But I feel dumb that there was ever any question.

I don't usually DO or think about sheets. The female does. But I'm larnin.

Doofy · Aug 15, 2005, 06:55 AM

I sometimes confuse hippies and real people.

teszeract · Aug 15, 2005, 07:02 AM

....and being colour blind, changing plugs always gets me. ZZZZT. Wrong answer!

Hash · Aug 15, 2005, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by lavar78

East vs. West

Start calling the West Coast the Left Coast like some of us do.
The state of California makes a kind of L.
The settlers from Europe landed right where we'd expect.
Can you remember that Washington (state) is in the Pacific Northwest?
Are you an NBA fan? The California teams are in the Western Conference.
Think bigger. Can you remember that the USA is in the Western hemisphere?
Think about where the Middle East is.

Now, THAT's confusing!

mac-kerouac · Aug 15, 2005, 10:07 AM

I can never remember if the cathode is negative or positive. I always think it should be positive because of the "cat" prefix is positive, like cation. But then I remember it is called a cathode because it attracts positive particles (or repels electrons) and therefore must be negative.

Heres a really weird one. Sometimes when I mean to write the letter "f," I instead write the number "5." Clearly there is some faulty wiring in my brain!!

B Gallagher · Aug 15, 2005, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by mac-kerouac

I can never remember if the cathode is negative or positive. I always think it should be positive because of the "cat" prefix is positive, like cation. But then I remember it is called a cathode because it attracts positive particles (or repels electrons) and therefore must be negative.

Heres a really weird one. Sometimes when I mean to write the letter "f," I instead write the number "5." Clearly there is some faulty wiring in my brain!!

either that, or you're a really big fan of the boy band 5ive.

lavar78 · Aug 15, 2005, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by B Gallagher

either that, or you're a really big fan of the boy band 5ive.

"Baby, when the lights go out!"

memento · Aug 16, 2005, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid

I have this problem also, but only when I am underneath the car with a ratchet, and everything seems like it is backwards, especially when you are laying all cockeyed and at an angle.

The "right hand rule" never fails for normal thread direction. Doesn't matter how upside down and twisted you are.