What did you learn today TIL

[MintJulie]

Why did people extend their pinky finger when sipping tea?  Syphillis perhaps?


https://www.interesly.com/bizarre-origins-extending-pinky-finger/

My pinky slips beneath the glass.  I never realized it until my brother in law asked one day why I did that.

Interesting article.  Thank you.   
Interesting new avatar also. 

[Jed_]

Why did people extend their pinky finger when sipping tea?  Syphillis perhaps?


https://www.interesly.com/bizarre-origins-extending-pinky-finger/

My pinky slips beneath the glass.  I never realized it until my brother in law asked one day why I did that.

Interesting article.  Thank you.   
Interesting new avatar also. 

I do that too Jules with beer, and I know why.  I use coasters, and condensation on beer cans, bottles or glasses causes the coaster to stick.  After having many plaster/ceramic coasters adhere and then fall and break, I developed a habit of flicking my pinkie under the beer when lifting to flick the coaster off if it stuck.  I do it without thinking now.

[ObiDongKenobi]

I discovered another cultural difference between the USA and the UK.  I have read several posts, culminating in one from Toe recently, about the virtues of corned beef. It suddenly occurred to me that this might not be the personally hated canned corned beef that exists in UK shops.  Wikipedia confirms that there is a difference, a good job I checked before expressing my revulsion at Toe's beloved sandwich in public.   

[Shiela_M]

I learned that reading a few posts about finger placement can make drinking a beverage a difficult task.  I have never paid so much attention to what my damn pinky was doing when holding a glass.

8 out 10 times it's a coffee mug, but those 2... I think I forgot how to properly hold a glass if water

[_priapism]

I discovered another cultural difference between the USA and the UK.  I have read several posts, culminating in one from Toe recently, about the virtues of corned beef. It suddenly occurred to me that this might not be the personally hated canned corned beef that exists in UK shops.  Wikipedia confirms that there is a difference, a good job I checked before expressing my revulsion at Toe's beloved sandwich in public.   

Corned beef is made from brisket, a relatively inexpensive cut of beef. The meat goes through a long curing process using large grains of rock salt, or “corns” of salt, and a brine. It's then slowly cooked, turning a tough cut of beef into one that's super tender and flavorful.

American corned beef is attributed to the Irish, who found cheap cuts of beef to be a more thrifty alternative to salted pork belly.  It is associated with St. Patrick’s Day, and is popular this time of year.

[MissBarbara]

I discovered another cultural difference between the USA and the UK.  I have read several posts, culminating in one from Toe recently, about the virtues of corned beef. It suddenly occurred to me that this might not be the personally hated canned corned beef that exists in UK shops.  Wikipedia confirms that there is a difference, a good job I checked before expressing my revulsion at Toe's beloved sandwich in public.   

Corned beef is made from brisket, a relatively inexpensive cut of beef. The meat goes through a long curing process using large grains of rock salt, or “corns” of salt, and a brine. It's then slowly cooked, turning a tough cut of beef into one that's super tender and flavorful.

American corned beef is attributed to the Irish, who found cheap cuts of beef to be a more thrifty alternative to salted pork belly.  It is associated with St. Patrick’s Day, and is popular this time of year.

The reason why Irish-Americans in the 19th century favored corned beef is because it was a very cheap cut of meat, and that was all that they could afford. At that point, St. Patrick's Day was religious holy day, and not yet the bacchanal that it has become.

Fast forward 150-200 years, and tens of millions of Americans eat corned beef on St. Patrick's Day -- including Americans with no Irish heritage.

Several years ago their was an Irish scholar spending a semester at my university, and at one point I asked him about corned beef. He knew what it was, but he remarked that in Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is one of the biggest days of the year, and they prefer to eat things like steak and roasts.

[_priapism]

Fast forward 150-200 years, and tens of millions of Americans eat corned beef on St. Patrick's Day -- including Americans with no Irish heritage.

My 2nd great grandmother (for whom my beloved grandmother was named) fled the Gorta Mor in 1850, and found work as an au pair in Wisconsin.  She married the local liveryman, who also ran a Mail stage route.

So we had corned beef on Sundays when I was a kid.  It reminds me of my Scandinavian friends in Minnesota who still eat lutefisk (cod lye) and lefse (an unleavened cracker).  When family from the old country visit, they say “Arne, we quit eating this shit when they invented refrigeration!”

At least they have aquavit to wash it down.  All the Irish have is...

[Jed_]

I made my own corned beef once a few years ago from a fatty brisket.  It was decadently awesome and melt in your mouth tender, so I sliced it thick for reubens with melted swiss, cabbage and home made thousand island dressing.  I prefer a slaw to sauerkraut on reubens, but recently I found a really good jarred kraut and have a half a jar in the fridge.  Based on that, corned beef and marbled rye bread are on my shopping list.  I already got the swiss.

None of this has anything to do with St. Patrick’s Day.  Over 30 years ago I was arrested on St. Patrick’s Day and to this day consider it bad luck to go out on the 17th.

[Shiela_M]

I always ask my dad what he's doing on St. Patrick's day, andnhe always answers the same way.

"Eating bratwurst with sauerkraut and drinking beer.  I'll celebrate it when the Irish learn how to drink."

One he doesn't really drink that much anymore, and two last two st. Patrick's day he had chicken poppykosh.  Yes I know it is spelled paprikash, but I spells it like I says it.

[MintJulie]

There are a few that know my real last name here. And they know it is Irish. So, St Patty's Day has always been a wee bit of a celebration in this lassie's family.

Through the 23andMe DNA testing kit, a couple years ago I discovered that my daddy is not my biological parent. It kind of f*d with my head a bit lot.

I got an email from 23andME a week ago and I never opened it. The whole thing put a huge damper on the excitement of 23andMe for me.  Well, I opened the email today and the person is shares 50.1% of my DNA.  It's my father.  And, it also matched me with two people and labeled them as a half brother and two half sisters.

Still kind of thinking things through about messaging them through the app. It's kind of a lot.

But to take something really positive away from the events from today....my biological parent match has a surname that is without a doubt Irish.

[msslave]

A couple people here know my last name and there's no way it could be any more Irish.

However...my name and ancestors are from England. When I told that to one person years ago that no, I wasn't Irish but English. He thought for a moment then said, " Ah, your people killed the Irish.

[Clitical Thinking]

It kind of f*d with my head a bit lot.

I can imagine. How did others in the family, e.g. the person who you grew up thinking was your father, react to your DNA test results? If I'm not being too nosey..

[_priapism]

Still kind of thinking things through about messaging them through the app. It's kind of a lot.

But to take something really positive away from the events from today....my biological parent match has a surname that is without a doubt Irish.

Take your time.  A secret held this long doesn’t require immediate resolution.  You owe no one anything.

My son’s girlfriend found out that her parents were not her biological parents, after sifting through paperwork in her mom’s closet.  She’s been dealing with a lot of emotions since then.  Anger.  Betrayal.  A feeling that she’s been lied to all these years, and perhaps that family conflicts were rooted in her not being their “real” child.

I can’t imagine what is going through your mind right now, but you have a “real” family now, and a lot of people who love you.  It will all be okay, whatever the outcome of this information is.

*hugs*

[MintJulie]

It kind of f*d with my head a bit lot.

I can imagine. How did others in the family, e.g. the person who you grew up thinking was your father, react to your DNA test results? If I'm not being too nosey..

No, you're not being nosey, CT.

I never told my father about the results saying he's not my biological father. I basically only told him about his geographical origin, which was Northwestern Europe focused on British & Irish.

I don't know if he knows I'm not his biological daughter. I do know that my mother and he dated for a very short time before they got married.
If he does know, then he didn't tell me for a reason. If he doesn't know, then I'm not dumping that on him at this stage in his life. I decided that we're going to keep it the same way it has been for the last 47 years of my life.  In my eyes there is no better man walking this earth, and I'm proud he's my daddy.

I didn't say it on KB at the time, but it's one of the reasons I stepped down as moderator almost two years ago. It was that and some other things that was messing with my mind too much. I was overwhelmed and too much was coming at me too fast.  I was pissed at my mom most of all, but I started taking it out on everyone in my life, including here. So I thought it would be best if I stepped away for a while.

[Clitical Thinking]

I decided that we're going to keep it the same way it has been for the last 47 years of my life.  In my eyes there is no better man walking this earth, and I'm proud he's my daddy.

I think that's very sweet. I've read some stories in the news about people with similar experiences -- well, and one person even found out they had dozens upon dozens of half siblings because their biological father turned out to be a literal sperm donor -- and there was of course the worry how this knowledge could change the family dynamic. Best as I could tell, most decided that it didn't change anything about the love and support their parent had shown them over past decades. I guess in the sense that actions speak louder than blood, that those who treat you like family are your family.

[Jed_]

I’ve been meaning to do a genetic test.  My maternal grandmother was adopted.  She was born around WWI.  I had this thought she may be Irish.  She had brown hair with hints of red.  But then again, she could be anything European.  Other than her, I’m supposed to be about half German and a quarter English. . . . roughly as those two nationalities are mixd on my father’s side, and probably on my maternal grandfather’s side as well, German family names and German bibles from the 1800s..  Then again, who the fuck really knows.  That’s part of the delay, what surprises you may find about your family.

[Shiela_M]

Through the 23andMe DNA testing kit, a couple years ago I discovered that my daddy is not my biological parent. It kind of f*d with my head a bit lot.

This has successfully turned me off from ever trying these DNA things. I can't imagine the shock it must have been. So much changed in the blink of an eye. If I found this out about me and my dad, it would be soul crushing. I would be devastated.  I'd still love the stubborn bastard the same.  Blood might not be the same, but the love would still be.

[MintJulie]

I can't imagine the shock it must have been. So much changed in the blink of an eye. If I found this out about me and my dad, it would be soul crushing. I would be devastated.  I'd still love the stubborn bastard the same.  Blood might not be the same, but the love would still be.

^ This.

[MintJulie]

Happy St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick: The Real Story Tops the Myth

[_priapism]

Orthodox impressions of Patrick.










https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/1949/03/17/100821-saint-patrick-bishop-of-armagh-enlightener-of-ireland