Redlemon

For quite some time, I've been amused that my wife can only wink her right eye. If she attempts to wink her left eye, it just ends up as a blink. (Obviously, I can wink both.)

Now that he's old enough, we've determined that my son can only wink his right eye as well. Searching further, my wife's sister and mom can only wink their left eye. The mystery continues.

So, I hit the web. Not much information there; I only found this rather lame forum post, which didn't really go anywhere. Google isn't finding anything more useful that that for me. So, I turn now to TFP. Can you wink with both eyes? Anyone know the science behind this? Is it genetic, or just random?

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.

Grasshopper Green

I've never heard of people not being able to wink both eyes. I can wink both of mine. You learn something new every day!

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"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king"

Formerly Medusa

Charlatan

Both eyes... I can also shake my eye in the socket (if you look close it looks like they are vibrating my skull). It freaks my wife out when I do this.

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JStrider

I can wink both eyes independently of each other....

I can also raise both eyebrows independently of each other...
the right one came much more naturally then the left one, the left one took a lot of training

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-=JStrider=-

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maleficent

I an pat my head and rub my tummy all the while alternately winking my right eye then my left eye then my right eye - in fact, I'm being given some rather strange glances while I prove my winking ability... No honey... i"m not winkig at you - don't be scared..

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fresnelly

How is it possible that someone can't close both eyes at the same time for a just short moment? Is there more to "winking" than I understand?

I can't seem to raise my right eyebrow by itself though - kind of like how I can do the "Live long and Prosper" symbol easier with my left hand than my right.

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Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

maleficent

Winking is closing just one eye... at a time.. often accompanied by a leer or a suggestive remark

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SecretMethod70

wow, I'm the only person so far that can only wink one eye.

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Le temps détruit tout

"Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

Toaster126

Freak.

In all seriousness, I had no idea there were more types than "can't" and "can do both".

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"The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand)
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

raeanna74

I can wink both eyes. But I can only wiggle my left ear by itself. If I try to wiggle my right they both move. I am somewhat ambidextrous. I don't know if that would have an effect on the ability to do things alone on either side of the body. I used to write with my left hand instead of my more dominate right when I was trying to stay awake and take notes in college class.

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ubertuber

I thought I was the only person that could do that. It seems to really freak people out.

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CSflim

I'm another person who can only wink with one eye - my left. I didn't realise that there were so few of us! I've no idea why I can only wink with my left. If I try to wink my right eye....I just end up winking with my left anyway!

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Redlemon

Both eyes at the same time is considered "blinking". "Winking" is one eye only.

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.

onodrim

Add me to the only one eye list. I can only wink my left eye, any attempt with the right becomes a blink for me as well.

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"The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides"
-Carl Sagan

noodle

I love freaking people out with that trick. It gives me a terrible headache after awhile because anyone who hasn't seen it is told by others that have at parties and I get a ton of "oooohh! Lemme see! EEEEWWW!!!". My boyfriend made me promise never to do it again to him when he is unaware. So now I just look at him, wink and squint and he freaks.

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newtx

Another left eye only here. My ears don't move on their own and my eye brows move in unison or not at all. Yes sir I must be a freak. :-)

Willravel

I can wink either eye in morse code. I can also move my eyebrows independently, and can even to 'the wave' with them. I can wiggle either ear, also independantly. Why? I think it's the way the world found an equilibrium because of my horrible allergies.

Brewmaniac

Left eye only. I can't whistle either, which sort of sucks.

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"That's a joke... I say, that's a joke, son"

mo42

I used to only be able to wink my left eye, when I was a kid. Then I forced myself to learn.

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kramus

Wink both eyes. Check.
Wiggle ears independantly of each other. Check.
Vibrate eyeballs. Check. (but I don't do it now because it is uncomfortable, don't you know)
Raise and lower eyebrows independantly. Check.
Vulcan salute - and switch to the little finger only, ring finger with middle finger together, and forefinger with thumb together - both hands. Check.
Whistle both traditional pursed lip method and through the teeth (drove the teachers nuts in school, because you can do this while chewing on a pencil, which makes it a perfect stealth whistle). Check.
Curl tongue into a tube. Check.
All things a kid teaches himself while on the john. Then I found books and stopped playing with myself

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CaliLivChick

I can wink both eyes, raise each eyebrow independently, raise one eyebrow while lowering the other, both ways, curl my tongue into a tube, do the "Live Long and Prosper" with both hands and switch to the other separation, whistle with my lips (would LOVE to learn how to do it with my fingers or teeth), but that's about it. Whenever I raise just one eyebrow, my boyfriend raises just one of his, but he has to do it manually... funny and very cute. =)

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maleficent

OOOOH -- I'm impressed...

I can put two fingers in my mouth and whistle - I did it once in ny to get my mother a cab and she was completely mortified... Whistling girls and crowing hens always come to some bad ends, she said... (I think there's something to that superstition...) I however, can whistle for a cab...

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Grasshopper Green

I've tried and tried and tried to learn how to whistle with fingers in my mouth and never could get it, much to my dismay.

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"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king"

Formerly Medusa

Toaster126

I wanted sooo bad to learn how to whistle with fingers in my mouth when I was younger. After trying and trying and trying and reading about it and watching others do it, and still being unable to do it, I gave up. :'(

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"The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand)
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

Elphaba

I can wink with either eye, but I can only do the Vulcan greeting with my left hand. How sad is that?

I've never seen vibrating eyeballs, but I can bend my fingers at the first knuckle only. Very freaky to some, and it does hurt after a bit. I can touch thumb to wrist, but I think that is pretty common. My ears have *never* moved on their own.

genuinegirly

never made a habit of winking - but tried it for fun. Looks like I can wink both independently.

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theguyondacouch

I can wink with either eye, but when I was younger I couldn't do it with my right eye. I can move each eyebrow independently, though the left comes more naturally. I can wiggle my ears but only at the same time, and when I do it my whole scalp moves back and forth several millimeters. I can also do the elvis lip thing, you know what I'm talking about.

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Redlemon

OK, thanks everyone. Looks like there's only about 10% freaks out there, and my extended family has more freaks than the general population.

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.

Redjake

if by "winking," you mean "closing one eye and keeping the other opened," I can do that. but I can't do it nonchalantly like Gandalf or my girlfriend. I have to make a big deal about, contorting my face muscles to keep the other eye open. but I can close them independently. just not good at it.

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Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

Redlemon

So, last night, he turns to me and says "Daddy! I fixed it!" Sure enough, he can now wink with both eyes. I guess it bothered him enough that he decided to practice. I hope I didn't hurt his feelings before, I'll have to chat with him about it.

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.