1). Everyone knows about Santa who fills a stocking with gifts for you, right? I don't ever remember believing in Santa but for many years I believed that my parents were standing there by my bed literally stuffing the stocking with gifts while I slept. It needed pointing out that they had another stocking ready filled which they just swapped.
Subsequent investigation proved that not all parents realise this either.
2). The laundry machines in my apartment block require a dollar and three quarters to operate. Right now the bank is shut and I have a lot of quarters in the coin jar but am out of loonies (Canadian dollar coins). I did manage to work out on my own that I could pay the entire price in quarters and the machine would accept it, but it took me a while.
[EDIT: 3). It did need pointing out that the coin jar concept also works quite well for subway tokens.]
Today I learned that you can toast marshmallows in the oven.
By "learned", I mean "I read a recipe which included as a step toasting marshmallows in the oven". I didn't have to try it out to realize that this would obviously work. It was plain as soon as I heard the idea. And it shouldn't have needed pointing out. I know how ovens work. I am familiar with the marshmallow species of food. I love roasted marshmallows while hating them in most other forms and often occurrently lament the difficulty of arranging open flames over which one may safely toast them. I routinely try new things in the kitchen to get results I want.
And yet I read it, and was surprised. And so were the people I reported this finding to. It needed pointing out.
What other facts need pointing out, although they are plain on inspection? What is the pattern behind these facts and a good way to find more?