I'm a left-hander - I have been for as long as I can remember :D
My wife is obsessed with it - she loves to sit and watch me use my left hand. She says she wouldnt have married me had I not been left-handed. I guess we'll never know...
I didnt realise what a f**ked-up left-hander I was until the age of about 6 or 7. In school the teacher asked us all who were left-handed. I proudly raised my hand along with a couple of others (in a class of 30). She then handed us the left-handed scissors (I never knew they existed before then). I soon realised I couldn't use the scissors with my left hand at all - I'd never considered which hand I used for scissors. I felt a fraud but couldn't turn back. I ham-fisted my way through the lesson - the artwork was terrible!
So, turns out I do everything except writing and playing pool right-handed. No wonder my wiring's a bit loopy (and my handwriting rubbish). But I can use a screwdriver and power-tools with either hand so that's a bonus! I wouldnt say I'm ambidextrous but I'm more adaptable than most.
Many great artists and thinkers were (are) left handed (including Bart Simpson apparently!). So I wonder if we have a disproportionate number here...
Are there any of you here who were forced out of using your left hand as children? Let's have your left-handed stories...
I'm a lefty. I actually had to teach myself to write sideways because I was tired of getting pencil smudges on my hand.
Voted ambidextrous... Oh, wait! >:(
Quote from: Asmodean on May 10, 2012, 09:07:41 PM
Voted ambidextrous... Oh, wait! >:(
Of course you are. Try now...
Quote from: Scissorlegs on May 10, 2012, 09:11:44 PM
Quote from: Asmodean on May 10, 2012, 09:07:41 PM
Voted ambidextrous... Oh, wait! >:(
Of course you are. Try now...
Typical, aint it? If there is a choice left out, The Asmo will usually find it. ;D
Quote from: Budhorse4 on May 10, 2012, 08:59:37 PM
I'm a lefty. I actually had to teach myself to write sideways because I was tired of getting pencil smudges on my hand.
Da Vinci seemed to have solved that problem by writing in mirror text ;D
I'm right-handed.
1/10 is an oddly low number, even if it's a recessive gene, and so needs two copies to manifest into left-handness. Would it be a long shot to say that the fact that left handers were persecuted in the past have anything to do with it (not exactly a fitness question per se, but a purely superstitious one)?
Out with you, sinister devil! ;D
I remember reading something about how lefties tend to be more ambidextrous. It kinda makes sense given that they're forced to live in a mostly righty world. I'm right-handed. Though, weirdly enough, picking up dance lessons has improved my left-side "usability."
I also find it interesting to watch my son. He's just started getting into the "I'm obsessed with colouring" phase and he's definitely right-handed. If you hand him a marker to his left hand, he'll instantly switch it to his right. He's only started doing this in the last few months. When he was smaller, he could scribble with either, but now that his motor skills are starting to hone a bit, it's like he's realized that one side is better than the other. It's really interesting to watch.
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 04:39:59 AM
I remember reading something about how lefties tend to be more ambidextrous. It kinda makes sense given that they're forced to live in a mostly righty world. I'm right-handed. Though, weirdly enough, picking up dance lessons has improved my left-side "usability."
I also find it interesting to watch my son. He's just started getting into the "I'm obsessed with colouring" phase and he's definitely right-handed. If you hand him a marker to his left hand, he'll instantly switch it to his right. He's only started doing this in the last few months. When he was smaller, he could scribble with either, but now that his motor skills are starting to hone a bit, it's like he's realized that one side is better than the other. It's really interesting to watch.
Same with my niece.
Out of curiosity, do people still insist that lefties use their right hands to write? back in my day the number one justification for doing that was that writing with the left arm strained the muscles near the heart, which I'm skeptical of...
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 04:39:59 AM
I remember reading something about how lefties tend to be more ambidextrous. It kinda makes sense given that they're forced to live in a mostly righty world. I'm right-handed. Though, weirdly enough, picking up dance lessons has improved my left-side "usability."
I also find it interesting to watch my son. He's just started getting into the "I'm obsessed with colouring" phase and he's definitely right-handed. If you hand him a marker to his left hand, he'll instantly switch it to his right. He's only started doing this in the last few months. When he was smaller, he could scribble with either, but now that his motor skills are starting to hone a bit, it's like he's realized that one side is better than the other. It's really interesting to watch.
Indeed.
Between my penchant for 'experimenting' with our children and my wifes obsession with left-handedness my kids had many a crayon thrust into their left hand. From very early on it was obvious that both had a right-handed dominance. Wife was very upset!
On the causes, wiki says:
Quote
Hand orientation is developed in fetuses, most commonly determined by observing which hand is predominantly held close to the mouth.[2]
In 2007, researchers discovered that specific alleles of at least one of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms upstream of the already known LRRTM1 gene were linked to left-handedness.[3][4]
Twins theory: this theory postulates that left-handed individuals were originally part of an identical twin pair, with the right-handed twin fetus failing to develop early in development. Although Australian researchers claimed to have debunked[5] the related vanishing twin theory, it is re-examined in Rik Smits's book "The Puzzle of Left-Handedness (2012)", which considers the fact that twin children have a high frequency of left-handedness / right-handedness in the pair.[6]
Prenatal hormone imbalances may play a role in the gene expression for left-handedness. While the Geschwind–Galaburda testosterone hypothesis is often cited as cause, there is not any evidence to support the theory. However, more recent research has emerged suggesting that high prenatal estrogen exposure is a plausible alternative to Geschwind. In a study endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is suggested that men who were prenatally exposed to diethylstilbestrol (a synthetic estrogen based fertility drug), are more likely to be left handed.[7]
Here're some interesting snippets about animals handedness:
http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/left-handed-animals.html (http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/left-handed-animals.html)
I'm plain right-handed, right-footed and right-eyed. When I taught shooting, it was much harder to train a right-hander who was left-eyed. Left-handed shooting is no problem except with a bolt-action rifle.
The Sri Lankan cricket players are mostly lefties.
Leftie here. :)
When I was very young (under the age of 6 or 7), I could print with both hands. I was slightly better at using my left, but I could use my right, if I had to. My 2nd grade teacher was teaching us cursive writing (sadly something that doesn't seem to be much of a focus nowadays... *waves old person cane, haha*) and she noticed me switching back and forth between hands. She insisted I pick one, and stick with it. So I chose the left. The rest is history. :D
Quote from: Amicale on May 11, 2012, 01:24:51 PM
Leftie here. :)
When I was very young (under the age of 6 or 7), I could print with both hands. I was slightly better at using my left, but I could use my right, if I had to. My 2nd grade teacher was teaching us cursive writing (sadly something that doesn't seem to be much of a focus nowadays... *waves old person cane, haha*) and she noticed me switching back and forth between hands. She insisted I pick one, and stick with it. So I chose the left. The rest is history. :D
You really do not want to see my cursive. It is awful.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 11, 2012, 05:08:18 AM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 04:39:59 AM
I remember reading something about how lefties tend to be more ambidextrous. It kinda makes sense given that they're forced to live in a mostly righty world. I'm right-handed. Though, weirdly enough, picking up dance lessons has improved my left-side "usability."
I also find it interesting to watch my son. He's just started getting into the "I'm obsessed with colouring" phase and he's definitely right-handed. If you hand him a marker to his left hand, he'll instantly switch it to his right. He's only started doing this in the last few months. When he was smaller, he could scribble with either, but now that his motor skills are starting to hone a bit, it's like he's realized that one side is better than the other. It's really interesting to watch.
Same with my niece.
Out of curiosity, do people still insist that lefties use their right hands to write? back in my day the number one justification for doing that was that writing with the left arm strained the muscles near the heart, which I'm skeptical of...
I had never heard of that, although I doubt it's likely. I think they let kids do whatever nowadays. I remember hearing stories about the nuns in Newfoundland whacking kids with rulers when they'd use their left hand, but when I went through it never seemed to come up.
I'm ambidextrous. My writing with my left isn't as good as it is with my right but that's because writing in English with the right hand is much easier, though when I have attempted Japanese I find it easier with my left hand. Sports I have always been able to do both handed and footed, but in general the right is my go to hand.
Quote from: Scissorlegs on May 10, 2012, 08:53:22 PM
Many great artists and thinkers were (are) left handed.
Also the same is true for dyslexics.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 11, 2012, 04:20:54 AM
Quote from: Budhorse4 on May 10, 2012, 08:59:37 PM
I'm a lefty. I actually had to teach myself to write sideways because I was tired of getting pencil smudges on my hand.
Da Vinci seemed to have solved that problem by writing in mirror text ;D
That's a trait of dyslexic left handed people. It's also the main reason I find writing with my left harder in English due to the fact that I naturally want to write mirrored and consciously have to write the other way. [edit] Though its not necessarily a confirmation that he was, but the leading consensus among experts is that he was.
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 05:08:45 PM
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
I think so, too. Also, left-handed people are probably more inclined to click on a thread titled 'are 1/10 atheists left handers', whereas right-handed people may subconsciously think "oh, that doesn't apply to me" and they might move on without reading/commenting.
Quote from: Amicale on May 11, 2012, 06:50:25 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 05:08:45 PM
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
I think so, too. Also, left-handed people are probably more inclined to click on a thread titled 'are 1/10 atheists left handers', whereas right-handed people may subconsciously think "oh, that doesn't apply to me" and they might move on without reading/commenting.
Not to mention that some left-handed people (no one here) carry on like it qualifies them for genius status. :P
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 07:03:07 PM
Quote from: Amicale on May 11, 2012, 06:50:25 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 05:08:45 PM
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
I think so, too. Also, left-handed people are probably more inclined to click on a thread titled 'are 1/10 atheists left handers', whereas right-handed people may subconsciously think "oh, that doesn't apply to me" and they might move on without reading/commenting.
Not to mention that some left-handed people (no one here) carry on like it qualifies them for genius status. :P
:D yeah, it's funny when someone does that.
My friends often joke (lovingly, of course ;)) that I'm lefthanded, lesbian, atheist and a few other things :P so nothing about me is 'typical'. ;D But I don't think being atypical makes me a genius. It just makes me a bit different, and I'm VERY okay with 'different'. :)
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 07:03:07 PM
Quote from: Amicale on May 11, 2012, 06:50:25 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 05:08:45 PM
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
I think so, too. Also, left-handed people are probably more inclined to click on a thread titled 'are 1/10 atheists left handers', whereas right-handed people may subconsciously think "oh, that doesn't apply to me" and they might move on without reading/commenting.
Not to mention that some left-handed people (no one here) carry on like it qualifies them for genius status. :P
It doesn't??
Quote from: Scissorlegs on May 11, 2012, 07:27:47 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 07:03:07 PM
Quote from: Amicale on May 11, 2012, 06:50:25 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 05:08:45 PM
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
I think so, too. Also, left-handed people are probably more inclined to click on a thread titled 'are 1/10 atheists left handers', whereas right-handed people may subconsciously think "oh, that doesn't apply to me" and they might move on without reading/commenting.
Not to mention that some left-handed people (no one here) carry on like it qualifies them for genius status. :P
It doesn't??
LOL :D
You thinking correlation or causation?
One question: do any of you have a preference for one side while walking? I feel very uncomfortable when walking to somebody's right.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 11, 2012, 07:37:24 PM
One question: do any of you have a preference for one side while walking? I feel very uncomfortable when walking to somebody's right.
It differs from person to person for me, but otherwise yes, I do like to stick to one side.
Righty here, although I skateboard "goofy foot." Not that I skateboard any more, but back when I was a teen.
My brother is a lefty (and an atheist) so I guess you could count him in if you wanted.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 11, 2012, 07:34:16 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on May 11, 2012, 07:27:47 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 07:03:07 PM
Quote from: Amicale on May 11, 2012, 06:50:25 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 05:08:45 PM
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
I think so, too. Also, left-handed people are probably more inclined to click on a thread titled 'are 1/10 atheists left handers', whereas right-handed people may subconsciously think "oh, that doesn't apply to me" and they might move on without reading/commenting.
Not to mention that some left-handed people (no one here) carry on like it qualifies them for genius status. :P
It doesn't??
LOL :D
You thinking correlation or causation?
You choose. Which one d'you think I'll have more success with? :D
Quote from: Scissorlegs on May 11, 2012, 09:53:00 PM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 11, 2012, 07:34:16 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on May 11, 2012, 07:27:47 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 07:03:07 PM
Quote from: Amicale on May 11, 2012, 06:50:25 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 11, 2012, 05:08:45 PM
Quote from: kraftycheese on May 11, 2012, 04:12:38 PM
Woo! glad to see that 26.3% of the 19 atheists in this forum are lefties!
I suspect that there might be more "lefty pride" than "righty pride", so I think that could be throwing the numbers off a little bit.
I think so, too. Also, left-handed people are probably more inclined to click on a thread titled 'are 1/10 atheists left handers', whereas right-handed people may subconsciously think "oh, that doesn't apply to me" and they might move on without reading/commenting.
Not to mention that some left-handed people (no one here) carry on like it qualifies them for genius status. :P
It doesn't??
LOL :D
You thinking correlation or causation?
You choose. Which one d'you think I'll have more success with? :D
:D
Now its clear why there was so much superstition surrounding lefties. You're trying to get me to work with my own biases.
;)
Lefty here. Although I play hockey right handed. And I golf lefty, but putt righty. Who knows?
Ever since we've been married, I've slept on the right of the bed (as viewed when lying in it) and Mrs Git has therefore slept on the left. We'd feel very strange now if we had to swap.
I'm right handed and right eyed, but I have learned to shoot ambidextrously with pistols.
As for having a preference while walking, I don't walk next to people. People walk next to me! ;D
Quote from: Guardian85 on May 12, 2012, 08:49:46 PM
I don't walk next to people. People walk next to me! ;D
*Snerk* Okay, Chuck Norris, Jr. ;D
I am an artist and a hardcore gamer , so i can use both.
I don't think being an atheist has anything to do with anything.
I'm also right-brained and right-eyed. It's been a long time since I shot anything, so I don't remember...can you shoot well by using your left eye? ???
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 13, 2012, 02:32:23 PM
I'm also right-brained and right-eyed. It's been a long time since I shot anything, so I don't remember...can you shoot well by using your left eye? ???
With pistol I was taught to shoot with both eyes open. So I guess I'm still getting input from the right.
right handed