Life of lefties - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

leftyderek · 11-30-2005, 08:01 PM

I have done a brief search and couldn't find similar topics.

And.. somehow I feel obliged to raise such a discussion:

Life of lefties- how we are (un)intentionally discriminated in the world.
(or simply, special experiences due to your left-handedness)

Let me start-

Experience #1:
In kindergarten we were learning to use scissors... and ta-daa! Little lefty could not manage to cut normally and was shouted at.

Experience #2:
It happened when I was still young, 4 or 5 years old. In the subways in Hong Kong, the gates separating the paid and unpaid zone looks like this:
_____
EDIT: the 'drawing' was f---ed up in the real post. I'll try to describe it:
A metal box, waist-height (for adults) with a little slot for putting the ticket in, and a few metal bars sticking out on the left side of the box(like, your left side when you look at the thing). Get what I mean?

And they stand one next to another. So I always used my left hand to put the ticket in, and walked into the metal bar, and of course, got VERY confused.

So.. actually, any lefties here?

P.S. Have you ever noticed one can only read the brand on a pencil properly when it's held in his/her right hand?

maleficent · 11-30-2005, 10:06 PM

I was born a lefty, but educated in parochial school in the dark ages... so they made me a righty.. I write with my right hand, but out of spite, I do everything else with my left..

leftyderek · 11-30-2005, 10:24 PM

In a lot of cultures lefty kids were forced to do so- like my Dad. According to my dad he would get beaten up badly by his father or teacher when he ate or write with his left hand. (Don't forget we chinese use chopsticks

)

I can't imagine how it would be to live in the Dark Ages for lefties...

/senses that the righties out there don't really care about the 'lefty issue' that much...

Toaster126 · 11-30-2005, 10:35 PM

People are (in normal circumstances) biologically wired to be right handed.

I'm left handed, and like most left handers, I'm pretty ambidextrious. Basically I write, eat, and throw with my left hand, and do everything else with my right.

My big pet peeve is writing on a dry erase board or chalkboard. I end up smearing my writing as I go. Makes me wonder why some languages evolved to be right to left. Seems like it would make the majority of people have that problem.

leftyderek · 11-30-2005, 10:39 PM

I had the same problem when I had to write on blackboards in high school. Getting white chalk on the sleeve was not exactly fun.

Oh it's pretty interesting. I have never thought about the problems with right-to-left languages. Chinese was supposed to be written vertically, from right to left originally- and then it got 'westernized' and 'right-handized'...

I know a couple of people whose languages are right-to-left, like Hebrew (correct me if I'm wrong) but none of them are left handed... I should ask them if they have any lefty friends.

Carno · 11-30-2005, 10:42 PM

Wtf? You feel discriminated against because you're left handed? Yeah, there are certain instances where being left handed might leave you at a disadvantage, but so what? Adapt and overcome; it's not a big deal.

When I was in boot camp and OCS I was forced to eat with my right hand even though I'm left handed. Guess what else those bastards made me do?? Fire a weapon that was made for a RIGHT HANDER! Fiends! I had hot shell casings flying past my eyes! Shell casings! Three inches in front of my eyes!

I should sue the government and make them purchase rifles that are manufactured for us handicapped people.

leftyderek · 11-30-2005, 10:46 PM

Oh... of course I have adapted and overcome in a lot of ways. I can do most things with both left and right, including writing. Sometimes it's just interesting to see myself doing things with the weird (right) hand. :P (Just like when you were a kid, your classmates were ALWAYS so amazed when they saw you write with your left... at least it happened to me. Not after grade 5 or 6 though-)

Righty firearms? I always thought there were left handed versions provided, or at least I've heard you can switch the parts pretty easily to have the empty shells flying on the 'right' side.
EDIT: (oh, i forgot to say) but I can totally imagine how weird, or in a more extremist sense, opressed you felt when you were forced to eat with your right...

Aye we aren't handicapped! We are gifted! I always think it's cool that we are in some way forced to learn to adapt. We can do a lot of stuff with both of our hands but most righties can't really do so... so, I'm proud of my left handedness while I sometimes, feel a little bit discriminated. Can't blame them though. We are weirdos (and I'm proud of it).

Carno · 11-30-2005, 10:54 PM

Well, whatever you want to think. Being left handed is hardly extraordinary though..

There are tons of left handed people in the world, and it's not like we all should be given medals because we are forced to mangle sheets of paper with those evil right handed scissors.

leftyderek · 11-30-2005, 11:03 PM

Oh, I have to admit that I'm obsessed with my left handedness...

In the middle ages lefty fencers/knights were very popular in attacking squads because the way the sprial stairs turns. In those days I'm sure a lot of the lefties got some medals or rewards. :P

Anyway- I'm really obsessed with my left handedness... sorry :-\

Carno · 11-30-2005, 11:10 PM

Actually, being left handed is actually very useful when it comes to fighting. Since the majority of people are right handed, they usually never expect that power house left hander that comes out of nowhere.

But one time I made the same mistake righties do: I thought the punch was coming from the right hand... Turned out the other guy was left handed also

leftyderek · 11-30-2005, 11:13 PM

I'm a fencer myself before I went to uni... right handed fencers see us as the nightmares since they technically have no one left handed to train with, in most cases that is.

Aye.. about the fight- did you return a left punch and make both of you standing there with

faces?

Carno · 11-30-2005, 11:44 PM

I don't know if he was surprised. I know I sure was. Completely caught me off guard. Now that I think about it, I think that was the first time I boxed a left hander.

I think it was pretty much a stale mate since we were both used to blocking mainly from the other side.

leftyderek · 11-30-2005, 11:58 PM

I get what you mean- exactly the same when I fenced lefties- both of us just did not know how to begin our attacks. It was awkward.

feelgood · 12-01-2005, 01:05 AM

I fucking...fucking hated my grade 3 teacher because of the fact that I was left handed. She forced me to write with my right hand and I could never get it right. My Dad found out about the whole crap and he was flipped off at her.

Thanks god my Daddy protected me...

Now, please excuse me while I collect my manhood again...

rlynnm · 12-01-2005, 01:26 AM

I know this sounds weird, but I really dislike how spiral books are curtailed for righties. Everytime I write, I have to angle the notebook almost vertically so I dont get spiral identations on my hand. Ugh so glad someone said something about being a lefty.

rlynnm · 12-01-2005, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feelgood

I fucking...fucking hated my grade 3 teacher because of the fact that I was left handed. She forced me to write with my right hand and I could never get it right. My Dad found out about the whole crap and he was flipped off at her.

Thanks god my Daddy protected me...

Now, please excuse me while I collect my manhood again...

Roundabout that time, probably 4th grade for me, I got in trouble in school for fogetting homework, the teacher had me handwrite letters A through D (that's a lot of words!) of the dictionary, and to add insult to injury, all with my right hand..that was horrible.

dlish · 12-01-2005, 02:04 AM

being an arab myself, and having some knowledge of arabic. it is written left to right. however, you will notice that most people will slant the pages quite a lot just so they can see what they are writing, almost to the extent of a 90 degree turn, so much so that you might some people who seem to be writing vertically from top down.

my 2 cents worth...

FngKestrel · 12-01-2005, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carn

Wtf? You feel discriminated against because you're left handed? Yeah, there are certain instances where being left handed might leave you at a disadvantage, but so what? Adapt and overcome; it's not a big deal.

When I was in boot camp and OCS I was forced to eat with my right hand even though I'm left handed. Guess what else those bastards made me do?? Fire a weapon that was made for a RIGHT HANDER! Fiends! I had hot shell casings flying past my eyes! Shell casings! Three inches in front of my eyes!

I should sue the government and make them purchase rifles that are manufactured for us handicapped people.

Should have had the govt use P90s. Those eject casings downward.

*Nikki* · 12-01-2005, 06:56 AM

I am left handed.

I can do everything a right handed person can do, and sometimes I do it better.

Charlatan · 12-01-2005, 07:09 AM

I'm a lefty but I don't feel discriminated against or handicapped. Mostly it isn't something I even think about. I just get on with it.

The few things that do bother me:[list][*] Scissors[*] Papermate erasable pens... when I was a kids these were all the rage. My hand would be blue from the ink smudge.[*] Binders and ringed notebooks... fucking rings are always in the way.[*] Neat handwriting. I hated cursive writing and eventually switched back to a cross between printing and cursive that worked well for me...

I do benefit when I am doing Kendo. The power hand is the left hand, the right hand is used for directionality (i.e. where you will hit). Most right-handed people starting out in Kendo have a hard time not using their right hand to power their strikes. It was easy for me...

Carno · 12-01-2005, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlatan

I'm a lefty but I don't feel discriminated against or handicapped. Mostly it isn't something I even think about. I just get on with it.

The few things that do bother me:

Scissors
Papermate erasable pens... when I was a kids these were all the rage. My hand would be blue from the ink smudge.
Binders and ringed notebooks... fucking rings are always in the way.
Neat handwriting. I hated cursive writing and eventually switched back to a cross between printing and cursive that worked well for me...

I do benefit when I am doing Kendo. The power hand is the left hand, the right hand is used for directionality (i.e. where you will hit). Most right-handed people starting out in Kendo have a hard time not using their right hand to power their strikes. It was easy for me...

Yeah my handwriting was always messy and smudged when I wrote in cursive. I quit writing in cursive back in grade school and now I only print. Cursive is kinda pointless anyways, whenever you have to write something or fill out a form, it's always supposed to be printed.

They do make left handed scissors now though. I hate spiral binders and notebooks also, but these are all minor annoyances to me. I really don't care any more.

Charlatan · 12-01-2005, 07:34 AM

Like I said, I rarely think about it anymore... I've grown accustomed to using right-handed scissors (but when I get left handed ones I realize what I've been missing... no hand cramps). As for binders... I don't really right in them all that much anymore...

Most of my work is done on a computer now. Oddly I prefer to use the right handed mouse.

alansmithee · 12-01-2005, 09:14 AM

You lefties should be discriminated against, you're all evil. Where do you think the word "sinister" comes from?

vanblah · 12-01-2005, 09:17 AM

The best sword fight ever filmed: "The Princess Bride", really exploited the left-handed/right-handed thing well.

Cimarron29414 · 12-01-2005, 12:41 PM

God only made so many perfect people, the rest he made right-handed.

Carn -

I am painfully left-handed. Up until 5 years ago, my right hand was useful in typing, holding trays, and balance. Since then, I have taught myself to do virtually everything with my right hand, as well. The first thing I learned was to pistol shoot with my right hand. I am right-eye dominant, so it has improved my accuracy tremendously. I don't shoot rifles much, so I still have a tendency to pick up a rifle left-handed. Someone made mention that the government should issue "left-handed" rifles to the perfect people. This is a bad idea. If you are in a fire fight and your weapon jams, it would be a shame that you were the only perfect person in your platoon!

Did you know that the average life span of a perfect person is less than that of a right-handed person!? Don't ask me why!

maleficent · 12-01-2005, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cimarron29414

Did you know that the average life span of a perfect person is less than that of a right-handed person!? Don't ask me why!

it's because it's so stressful trying to use right handed scissors

leftyderek · 12-01-2005, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cimarron29414

God only made so many perfect people, the rest he made right-handed.

Did you know that the average life span of a perfect person is less than that of a right-handed person!? Don't ask me why!

It's because a lot of the perfect ones were murdered or kidnapped secretly so that we cannot breed massively and start a lefty revolution...

But is it really true? Like, fine, they found the stats, but what's the reasaon/hypothesis/explaintion then?

EDIT:

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanblah

The best sword fight ever filmed: "The Princess Bride", really exploited the left-handed/right-handed thing well.

Uh? I'll definately check it out.

Willravel · 12-01-2005, 01:51 PM

I'm ambi, but only because of piano. I did have several severe right arm injuries resulting in a cast and limited mobility. I feel like I might have walked a mile in your shoes. I really, really wish that the "Leftorium" that Ned Flanders runs on the Simpsons was real. I'd be in there all the time. Left handed nun chucks..hahaha.

Cimarron29414 · 12-01-2005, 02:15 PM

Anyone ever traveled to a traditional middle-Eastern country?

Eat with the right, wipe with the left. I wonder, what is the view of a left-handed person? Are they forced to switch when young because of this cultural habit? Wait a minute, I have some middle-eastern friends! I will ask and get back to you....

Grasshopper Green · 12-01-2005, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carn

Adapt and overcome

I can't tell you how many times my hubby has told me to do this...silly Marines....

Anyway, I'm right handed, but my brother's best friend growing up was a lefty, and I remember watching in fascination as he wrote. He would stick his elbow out and curve his hand downward so that the side of his hand wouldnt smudge his ink as he went. He refused to use pencil because of the inevitable smudge-factor.

FngKestrel · 12-01-2005, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

I really, really wish that the "Leftorium" that Ned Flanders runs on the Simpsons was real. I'd be in there all the time. Left handed nun chucks..hahaha.

http://thelefthand.com/

ngdawg · 12-01-2005, 03:49 PM

Being left-handed and the only one in my family posed a few problems:
Tying shoes. No one could teach me properly and I couldn't teach my own kids-their father had to.
Scissors: Cutting my own bangs while looking in the mirror holding scissors backwards would make an amusing film short.
Art: I have to consciously start painting on the right or I'll ruin my work-that's happened more than once. Not to mention the ruined shirt sleeves.
One thing I am used to is drawing with the mouse with my right hand. I can't do it with my left.
I remember a gym class in 8th grade-for playing basketball the teacher thought lefties against righties...only problem was, there were only 5 of us...about 20 of them...

hunnychile · 12-01-2005, 05:53 PM

Being a lefty & damn proud of it BTW, I used to mouse with my left hand until I got carple tunnel from too many hours "drawing" maps & designing graphics. So I had to learn to use my right hand to mouse & it's great because I can write with my left hand while I mouse. Yes I am the Queen of Multi-Tasking.

Over the years I've become very ambi...(hey now, don't get cocky) ...though I golf like a righty. Didn't want to ever have to use rented clubs & say "Do you have any ladies, extra-short clubs for lefties."
I mean, c'mon, talk about being a minority.

I do believe lefties are extra artistically talented. All my graphic jobs had several other left-handed geniuses on board.

We rock!

leftyderek · 12-01-2005, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunnychile

I do believe lefties are extra artistically talented. All my graphic jobs had several other left-handed geniuses on board.

We rock!

At least they say we do.
Oh wait- I'm a theatre major in uni...

I have taught myself mouse with my left last summer. I was just too bored and thought 'why not?'

As for the website posted above by FngKestrel- oh my... the KEYBOARD? It's wicked but I wouldnt want to spend years learning how to type as fast as I am again... I would like to get one just to annoy my gf or people who want to use my computer though...

Look at this- it made me chuckle:

Left-Handers Lament by Ian Radburn

Now here's the story of my life,
I've had fun but lots of strife,
For I was born left-handed, but I'm proud
To be one of the elite, right-handers we can beat
We're the 10% that stand out from the crowd!

But as a little lad, oh the problems that I had
Winding clockwork toys was just a mystery
Tying laces was a pain, couldn't get it in my brain
Everything was back-to-front it seemed to me

Chorus
We're the Cack-Handed Kings, we're the LEFTIES
You right-handers just haven't got a clue
'Cos if you'd been through what we've been through
Then maybe you would feel superior too!

At 5 I started school where I was treated like a fool
Being left-handed I stood out from the pack
And learning how to write was not a struggle - more a fight
For I had my left hand tied behind my back

"Now get it in your head" the sympathetic teacher said
"You use the right and not the Devil's side"
Those supposed men of vision caused me pain and such derision
Is it any wonder often times I cried?

We're the Gibble Fisted Friends, we're the LEFTIES (repeat chorus)

Time then came when my voice dropped
And my face was one big spot
But I was glad to see my teenage years arrive,
Because I use my left, I was different from the rest
And the girls saw me as something of a prize!

I learned some handy tricks in the back row of the flicks
It used to drive my girlfriends all berserk
For their eyes would keep apace of my right hand - just in case
And they never saw my left one go to work!

We're the Southpawed Princes, we're the LEFTIES (repeat chorus)

Well I'm married now, worst luck
But my wife has given up
Asking me to help with chores like peeling spuds,
Or trying to cut the bread, I'll get a 4 x 2" wedge
Lose three fingertips and half a pint of blood

I would love to be a dad, but we've hit a little snag
If you can help please tell us what to do
The problem simply said, is that I'm a left-hand thread
But my wife you see, now she's a right-hand .....OH, YES WE'RE THE

Scrummy-Handed Heroes, we're the LEFTIES (repeat chorus)

Now we reach today, where you stand and watch me play
And yes, I play right-handed it is true
For the very simple fact is that I've had to adapt
Something all we southpaws have to try and do

We have trouble tying ties, writing cheques out, using knives
and scissors made for use in your right hand
And when it comes to sport once again we are left short
In hockey and in polo we are banned

We're the Cuddy Wifter Winners, we're the LEFTIES (repeat chorus)

Now I've finished off my song and as you move along
Please bear in mind the things I've had to say
And please show some respect for your friends who use the left
Thanks for listening to me this Left-Handers Day.

(Copyright: Ian Radburn, 2004)

And here's the link to get the song:
http://www.lefthandersday.com/lefty_lament.html
(below the lyrics)

zz0011 · 12-01-2005, 06:42 PM

Speaking as one who writes left-handed [but does just about everything else right-handed] -- I'm glad in the area that it counts I'm in my right mind.

rlynnm · 12-01-2005, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlatan

[*] Binders and ringed notebooks... fucking rings are always in the way.[*] Neat handwriting. I hated cursive writing and eventually switched back to a cross between printing and cursive that worked well for me...

I do benefit when I am doing Kendo. The power hand is the left hand, the right hand is used for directionality (i.e. where you will hit). Most right-handed people starting out in Kendo have a hard time not using their right hand to power their strikes. It was easy for me...

YES! somebody knows how I feel...ringed notebooks..UGH...I have pretty ucky penmanship, and everytime someone saw it, they'd go 'future doctor huh' and I laughed it off but thought in my head, 'no...just left handed I guess'..I haven't found any great niche for this lefthandedness, but I guess I function pretty well with my right...there are quite a few things that I do better with my right than I do with my left..I think that was left to adaptation though, gotta survive right?

leftyderek · 12-01-2005, 08:15 PM

Talking about handwriting, I have spent some time on developing my own hand writing style- I do have a messy handwriting but I am satisfied with it. Some people told me it looks cool while some just said it's a total mess. I like the uniqueness of it- most righties' handwritings are neater but more boring in a sense. I know a left handed girl whose handwriting looks EXACTLY like a 3rd grader (and she loves to takes notes in color pencils or crayons), and I think it's so sweet

.

At least when I posted/left hand written notes on a notice board (in a small community of around 200 students in my high school in Norway) or on peoples' desks, I didn't really have to sign it since left handers' handwritings are more recognizable and unique anyway- think this as an advantage!

About adaptation. (the movie is great btw), I actually try to use my left to do as many thing as possible while sometimes I do have impulses to learn to use my right- I learned to use chopsticks equally well (well I'm chinese...) with both hands. I learned that when I was small, after my Dad (born lefty, raised righty under violence of his father) kept switching hands during one dinner.

When I was still at 'home' in Hong Kong, I loved to switch hands suddenly during dinner just to make the family feel confused.

Once during dinner mom was like, 'Derek... I thought you were left handed...'
*me switches back to left hand*
And I went, 'you were just hallucinating mom...'

Oh about my father raised righty under violence. I think this happens mostly in Asia, probably China since we only use one hand to hold our eating tool- the chopsticks.

So when the family sits at the table, enjoying some nice rice and steamed fish, the lefty would ALWAYS elbow the person on his/her left. And of course, it's considered very impolite, so some old-fashioned fathers tried to train their kids through conditioning. Punishments (for my father) include getting whipped with chopsticks on his left (yes, they are powerful weapons- trust me it hurts), no dinner, face smacked hard... my dad told me that he got a wooden chair thrown at him once. The horror, the horror.

Sadly I never got the chance to have a meal with Grandpa- heavy drinking didn't make him last long. I was told he died when I was around 2 years old or something. I was also told that as a pretty bad tempered and violent man, he behaved completely different when he held me in his arms- so I always wonder what kind of person he ACTUALLY is/was/would be.

Luckily my dad is a rather understanding person (in most cases) and let me grow up as a jolly lefty boy.

ngdawg · 12-01-2005, 08:45 PM

Sitting on the left end of the table never occurred to anyone? That's been my seat all my life....no one's allowed there but me

My handwriting is very neat...spouse says it's the neatest handwriting he's ever seen, but can't read it. More than once I've been asked, when my printing was seen, if I was an elementary school teacher.

leftyderek · 12-01-2005, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngdawg

Sitting on the left end of the table never occurred to anyone? That's been my seat all my life....no one's allowed there but me

My handwriting is very neat...spouse says it's the neatest handwriting he's ever seen, but can't read it. More than once I've been asked, when my printing was seen, if I was an elementary school teacher.

Left end of table?

AH! I get what you mean now- but what if it happens to be a round table :-\

rlynnm · 12-02-2005, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftyderek

Talking about handwriting, I have spent some time on developing my own hand writing style- I do have a messy handwriting but I am satisfied with it. Some people told me it looks cool while some just said it's a total mess. I like the uniqueness of it- most righties' handwritings are neater but more boring in a sense. I know a left handed girl whose handwriting looks EXACTLY like a 3rd grader (and she loves to takes notes in color pencils or crayons), and I think it's so sweet

.

At least when I posted/left hand written notes on a notice board (in a small community of around 200 students in my high school in Norway) or on peoples' desks, I didn't really have to sign it since left handers' handwritings are more recognizable and unique anyway- think this as an advantage!

About adaptation. (the movie is great btw), I actually try to use my left to do as many thing as possible while sometimes I do have impulses to learn to use my right- I learned to use chopsticks equally well (well I'm chinese...) with both hands. I learned that when I was small, after my Dad (born lefty, raised righty under violence of his father) kept switching hands during one dinner.

When I was still at 'home' in Hong Kong, I loved to switch hands suddenly during dinner just to make the family feel confused.

Once during dinner mom was like, 'Derek... I thought you were left handed...'
*me switches back to left hand*
And I went, 'you were just hallucinating mom...'

Oh about my father raised righty under violence. I think this happens mostly in Asia, probably China since we only use one hand to hold our eating tool- the chopsticks.

So when the family sits at the table, enjoying some nice rice and steamed fish, the lefty would ALWAYS elbow the person on his/her left. And of course, it's considered very impolite, so some old-fashioned fathers tried to train their kids through conditioning. Punishments (for my father) include getting whipped with chopsticks on his left (yes, they are powerful weapons- trust me it hurts), no dinner, face smacked hard... my dad told me that he got a wooden chair thrown at him once. The horror, the horror.

Sadly I never got the chance to have a meal with Grandpa- heavy drinking didn't make him last long. I was told he died when I was around 2 years old or something. I was also told that as a pretty bad tempered and violent man, he behaved completely different when he held me in his arms- so I always wonder what kind of person he ACTUALLY is/was/would be.

Luckily my dad is a rather understanding person (in most cases) and let me grow up as a jolly lefty boy.

That was great read leftyderek..

Some people like my writing, some people feel it's chicken scratch, and I have to agree with them, when I'm taking notes in class I usually write sloppy, to the point that sometimes I can't read it. I generally have to sit and rewrite notes. I mean it serves a dual purpose, I can make my notebook look that much neater and the rewrite actually forces me to remember the content better....colors? Supposedly lefties have a creative way about them..i've yet to find mine so if I do, i'll let you know haha.

People tend to doubletake on my signature. When the UPS or FedEx guy comes around and I sign his little electronic device thingie (well UPS at least) he lets out a chuckle, each and every single time. Then he'll ask, 'you CAN read and write right?'

I realize, I write only with my left hand, but a lot of other things I do are with the right, I'm sure a lot of that is just a product of necessity. I dial a cellphone with my right, yet I use a calculator with my left..Supposedly when you're righthanded you snowboard regular, and lefties snowboard goofy, I haven't quite made affirmed that yet because my cousin's a rightie and snowboards goofy, while I'm lefty and I'm more comfortable regular (even if I'm still bad at it lol) And its funny, now that it's been mentioned, I'm that much more aware..

I'm utterly amazed that you can use chopsticks with both hands. I wonder if your mom's figured you out yet haha. I've always been amazed by those really big cooking chopsticks. I'm not sure why..

I can actually relate to the whole beaten your kid in chinese culture thing. My best friend's chinese and he's told me lots of stories about getting his ass kicked by his parents (of course mostly to straighten him out) and it's actually worked..He's in his upper 20's and he's still afraid of his parents...I didn't realize it was that prevalent in chinese culture.

I still tend to elbow people who sit on the left side of me. I always have to make a very conscious effort not to hit others or I just sit a little farther cause if we bump elbows it's likely to be my fault. It sucks cause I don't think the righties even have to make that consideration. I also heard somewhere that lefties die, on average, 8 years before righties do. That's a little disturbing...I dont think we're that much more hazardous than our counterparts.

About your grandfather...It's very sad that you never got a chance to sit and have a meal with him, but at least he held you, and he held you lovingly (so it seems) Sometimes even the most violent of people can be softhearted in the presence of a child....

I went to a lefthanded store in San Diego once, and it was cool, but the sad part was a lot of what was sold were there for gag gifts..There were a few items that could've been applied to 'real life' but for the most part, everything just tickled a part of me that went 'no shit huh'...

I do, however, feel very special when I'm in a classroom and notice that more than half the class is righthanded. I kinda like being lefthanded....ok I really like being lefthanded.

11-30-2005, 08:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	Life of lefties I have done a brief search and couldn't find similar topics. And.. somehow I feel obliged to raise such a discussion: Life of lefties- how we are (un)intentionally discriminated in the world. (or simply, special experiences due to your left-handedness) Let me start- Experience #1: In kindergarten we were learning to use scissors... and ta-daa! Little lefty could not manage to cut normally and was shouted at. Experience #2: It happened when I was still young, 4 or 5 years old. In the subways in Hong Kong, the gates separating the paid and unpaid zone looks like this: _____ EDIT: the 'drawing' was f---ed up in the real post. I'll try to describe it: A metal box, waist-height (for adults) with a little slot for putting the ticket in, and a few metal bars sticking out on the left side of the box(like, your left side when you look at the thing). Get what I mean? And they stand one next to another. So I always used my left hand to put the ticket in, and walked into the metal bar, and of course, got VERY confused. So.. actually, any lefties here? P.S. Have you ever noticed one can only read the brand on a pencil properly when it's held in his/her right hand? __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light... Last edited by leftyderek; 11-30-2005 at 08:04 PM.. Reason: explained in post.

11-30-2005, 10:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	I was born a lefty, but educated in parochial school in the dark ages... so they made me a righty.. I write with my right hand, but out of spite, I do everything else with my left.. __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less. Last edited by maleficent; 12-01-2005 at 05:06 AM.. Reason: i'm an idiot

11-30-2005, 10:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	In a lot of cultures lefty kids were forced to do so- like my Dad. According to my dad he would get beaten up badly by his father or teacher when he ate or write with his left hand. (Don't forget we chinese use chopsticks ) I can't imagine how it would be to live in the Dark Ages for lefties... /senses that the righties out there don't really care about the 'lefty issue' that much... __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light...

11-30-2005, 10:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
Toaster126 Extreme moderation Location: Kansas City, yo.	People are (in normal circumstances) biologically wired to be right handed. I'm left handed, and like most left handers, I'm pretty ambidextrious. Basically I write, eat, and throw with my left hand, and do everything else with my right. My big pet peeve is writing on a dry erase board or chalkboard. I end up smearing my writing as I go. Makes me wonder why some languages evolved to be right to left. Seems like it would make the majority of people have that problem. __________________ "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)

11-30-2005, 10:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	I had the same problem when I had to write on blackboards in high school. Getting white chalk on the sleeve was not exactly fun. Oh it's pretty interesting. I have never thought about the problems with right-to-left languages. Chinese was supposed to be written vertically, from right to left originally- and then it got 'westernized' and 'right-handized'... I know a couple of people whose languages are right-to-left, like Hebrew (correct me if I'm wrong) but none of them are left handed... I should ask them if they have any lefty friends. __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light...

11-30-2005, 10:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	Wtf? You feel discriminated against because you're left handed? Yeah, there are certain instances where being left handed might leave you at a disadvantage, but so what? Adapt and overcome; it's not a big deal. When I was in boot camp and OCS I was forced to eat with my right hand even though I'm left handed. Guess what else those bastards made me do?? Fire a weapon that was made for a RIGHT HANDER! Fiends! I had hot shell casings flying past my eyes! Shell casings! Three inches in front of my eyes! I should sue the government and make them purchase rifles that are manufactured for us handicapped people. __________________ http://how-to-spell-ridiculous.com/

11-30-2005, 10:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	Oh... of course I have adapted and overcome in a lot of ways. I can do most things with both left and right, including writing. Sometimes it's just interesting to see myself doing things with the weird (right) hand. :P (Just like when you were a kid, your classmates were ALWAYS so amazed when they saw you write with your left... at least it happened to me. Not after grade 5 or 6 though-) Righty firearms? I always thought there were left handed versions provided, or at least I've heard you can switch the parts pretty easily to have the empty shells flying on the 'right' side. EDIT: (oh, i forgot to say) but I can totally imagine how weird, or in a more extremist sense, opressed you felt when you were forced to eat with your right... Aye we aren't handicapped! We are gifted! I always think it's cool that we are in some way forced to learn to adapt. We can do a lot of stuff with both of our hands but most righties can't really do so... so, I'm proud of my left handedness while I sometimes, feel a little bit discriminated. Can't blame them though. We are weirdos (and I'm proud of it). __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light... Last edited by leftyderek; 11-30-2005 at 10:50 PM..

11-30-2005, 10:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	Well, whatever you want to think. Being left handed is hardly extraordinary though.. There are tons of left handed people in the world, and it's not like we all should be given medals because we are forced to mangle sheets of paper with those evil right handed scissors. __________________ http://how-to-spell-ridiculous.com/

11-30-2005, 11:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	Oh, I have to admit that I'm obsessed with my left handedness... In the middle ages lefty fencers/knights were very popular in attacking squads because the way the sprial stairs turns. In those days I'm sure a lot of the lefties got some medals or rewards. :P Anyway- I'm really obsessed with my left handedness... sorry :-\ __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light...

11-30-2005, 11:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	Actually, being left handed is actually very useful when it comes to fighting. Since the majority of people are right handed, they usually never expect that power house left hander that comes out of nowhere. But one time I made the same mistake righties do: I thought the punch was coming from the right hand... Turned out the other guy was left handed also __________________ http://how-to-spell-ridiculous.com/

11-30-2005, 11:13 PM	#11 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	I'm a fencer myself before I went to uni... right handed fencers see us as the nightmares since they technically have no one left handed to train with, in most cases that is. Aye.. about the fight- did you return a left punch and make both of you standing there with faces? __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light...

11-30-2005, 11:44 PM	#12 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	I don't know if he was surprised. I know I sure was. Completely caught me off guard. Now that I think about it, I think that was the first time I boxed a left hander. I think it was pretty much a stale mate since we were both used to blocking mainly from the other side. __________________ http://how-to-spell-ridiculous.com/

11-30-2005, 11:58 PM	#13 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	I get what you mean- exactly the same when I fenced lefties- both of us just did not know how to begin our attacks. It was awkward. __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light...

12-01-2005, 01:05 AM	#14 (permalink)
feelgood Free Mars! Location: I dunno, there's white people around me saying "eh" all the time	I fucking...fucking hated my grade 3 teacher because of the fact that I was left handed. She forced me to write with my right hand and I could never get it right. My Dad found out about the whole crap and he was flipped off at her. Thanks god my Daddy protected me... Now, please excuse me while I collect my manhood again... __________________ Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war

12-01-2005, 01:26 AM	#15 (permalink)
rlynnm Psycho Location: so cal	I know this sounds weird, but I really dislike how spiral books are curtailed for righties. Everytime I write, I have to angle the notebook almost vertically so I dont get spiral identations on my hand. Ugh so glad someone said something about being a lefty. __________________ The hardest thing is to be honest with yourself, especially if that means completely redefining the world you've come to know. Don't look too hard, I'm right in front of you.

12-01-2005, 02:04 AM	#17 (permalink)
dlish Currently sour but formerly Dlishs Super Moderator Location: Australia/UAE	being an arab myself, and having some knowledge of arabic. it is written left to right. however, you will notice that most people will slant the pages quite a lot just so they can see what they are writing, almost to the extent of a 90 degree turn, so much so that you might some people who seem to be writing vertically from top down. my 2 cents worth... __________________ An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay? - Filthy

12-01-2005, 06:56 AM	#19 (permalink)
Nikki ~~~~~~~ Location: Charleston, SC	I am left handed. I can do everything a right handed person can do, and sometimes I do it better.

12-01-2005, 07:09 AM	#20 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	I'm a lefty but I don't feel discriminated against or handicapped. Mostly it isn't something I even think about. I just get on with it. The few things that do bother me:[list][] Scissors[] Papermate erasable pens... when I was a kids these were all the rage. My hand would be blue from the ink smudge.[] Binders and ringed notebooks... fucking rings are always in the way.[] Neat handwriting. I hated cursive writing and eventually switched back to a cross between printing and cursive that worked well for me... I do benefit when I am doing Kendo. The power hand is the left hand, the right hand is used for directionality (i.e. where you will hit). Most right-handed people starting out in Kendo have a hard time not using their right hand to power their strikes. It was easy for me... __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

12-01-2005, 07:34 AM	#22 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	Like I said, I rarely think about it anymore... I've grown accustomed to using right-handed scissors (but when I get left handed ones I realize what I've been missing... no hand cramps). As for binders... I don't really right in them all that much anymore... Most of my work is done on a computer now. Oddly I prefer to use the right handed mouse. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

12-01-2005, 09:14 AM	#23 (permalink)
alansmithee Junkie	You lefties should be discriminated against, you're all evil. Where do you think the word "sinister" comes from?

12-01-2005, 09:17 AM	#24 (permalink)
vanblah Junkie	The best sword fight ever filmed: "The Princess Bride", really exploited the left-handed/right-handed thing well.

12-01-2005, 12:41 PM	#25 (permalink)
Cimarron29414 Still Free Location: comfortably perched at the top of the bell curve!	God only made so many perfect people, the rest he made right-handed. Carn - I am painfully left-handed. Up until 5 years ago, my right hand was useful in typing, holding trays, and balance. Since then, I have taught myself to do virtually everything with my right hand, as well. The first thing I learned was to pistol shoot with my right hand. I am right-eye dominant, so it has improved my accuracy tremendously. I don't shoot rifles much, so I still have a tendency to pick up a rifle left-handed. Someone made mention that the government should issue "left-handed" rifles to the perfect people. This is a bad idea. If you are in a fire fight and your weapon jams, it would be a shame that you were the only perfect person in your platoon! Did you know that the average life span of a perfect person is less than that of a right-handed person!? Don't ask me why! __________________ Gives a man a halo, does mead. "Here lies The_Jazz: Killed by an ambitious, sparkly, pink butterfly."

12-01-2005, 01:51 PM	#28 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	I'm ambi, but only because of piano. I did have several severe right arm injuries resulting in a cast and limited mobility. I feel like I might have walked a mile in your shoes. I really, really wish that the "Leftorium" that Ned Flanders runs on the Simpsons was real. I'd be in there all the time. Left handed nun chucks..hahaha.

12-01-2005, 02:15 PM	#29 (permalink)
Cimarron29414 Still Free Location: comfortably perched at the top of the bell curve!	Anyone ever traveled to a traditional middle-Eastern country? Eat with the right, wipe with the left. I wonder, what is the view of a left-handed person? Are they forced to switch when young because of this cultural habit? Wait a minute, I have some middle-eastern friends! I will ask and get back to you.... __________________ Gives a man a halo, does mead. "Here lies The_Jazz: Killed by an ambitious, sparkly, pink butterfly."

12-01-2005, 03:49 PM	#32 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	Being left-handed and the only one in my family posed a few problems: Tying shoes. No one could teach me properly and I couldn't teach my own kids-their father had to. Scissors: Cutting my own bangs while looking in the mirror holding scissors backwards would make an amusing film short. Art: I have to consciously start painting on the right or I'll ruin my work-that's happened more than once. Not to mention the ruined shirt sleeves. One thing I am used to is drawing with the mouse with my right hand. I can't do it with my left. I remember a gym class in 8th grade-for playing basketball the teacher thought lefties against righties...only problem was, there were only 5 of us...about 20 of them... __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

12-01-2005, 05:53 PM	#33 (permalink)
hunnychile Alien Anthropologist Location: Between Boredom and Nirvana	Being a lefty & damn proud of it BTW, I used to mouse with my left hand until I got carple tunnel from too many hours "drawing" maps & designing graphics. So I had to learn to use my right hand to mouse & it's great because I can write with my left hand while I mouse. Yes I am the Queen of Multi-Tasking. Over the years I've become very ambi...(hey now, don't get cocky) ...though I golf like a righty. Didn't want to ever have to use rented clubs & say "Do you have any ladies, extra-short clubs for lefties." I mean, c'mon, talk about being a minority. I do believe lefties are extra artistically talented. All my graphic jobs had several other left-handed geniuses on board. We rock! __________________ "I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

12-01-2005, 06:42 PM	#35 (permalink)
zz0011 Crazy Location: buckle of the snow belt	Speaking as one who writes left-handed [but does just about everything else right-handed] -- I'm glad in the area that it counts I'm in my right mind. __________________ 10th sig ~> "How many a dispute could have been deflated into a single paragraph if the disputants had dared to define their terms?" -- Aristotle

12-01-2005, 08:15 PM	#37 (permalink)
leftyderek Crazy Location: Currently Canada. I have been in Norway in the last two years, and in Hong Kong before Norway.	Talking about handwriting, I have spent some time on developing my own hand writing style- I do have a messy handwriting but I am satisfied with it. Some people told me it looks cool while some just said it's a total mess. I like the uniqueness of it- most righties' handwritings are neater but more boring in a sense. I know a left handed girl whose handwriting looks EXACTLY like a 3rd grader (and she loves to takes notes in color pencils or crayons), and I think it's so sweet . At least when I posted/left hand written notes on a notice board (in a small community of around 200 students in my high school in Norway) or on peoples' desks, I didn't really have to sign it since left handers' handwritings are more recognizable and unique anyway- think this as an advantage! About adaptation. (the movie is great btw), I actually try to use my left to do as many thing as possible while sometimes I do have impulses to learn to use my right- I learned to use chopsticks equally well (well I'm chinese...) with both hands. I learned that when I was small, after my Dad (born lefty, raised righty under violence of his father) kept switching hands during one dinner. When I was still at 'home' in Hong Kong, I loved to switch hands suddenly during dinner just to make the family feel confused. Once during dinner mom was like, 'Derek... I thought you were left handed...' me switches back to left hand And I went, 'you were just hallucinating mom...' Oh about my father raised righty under violence. I think this happens mostly in Asia, probably China since we only use one hand to hold our eating tool- the chopsticks. So when the family sits at the table, enjoying some nice rice and steamed fish, the lefty would ALWAYS elbow the person on his/her left. And of course, it's considered very impolite, so some old-fashioned fathers tried to train their kids through conditioning. Punishments (for my father) include getting whipped with chopsticks on his left (yes, they are powerful weapons- trust me it hurts), no dinner, face smacked hard... my dad told me that he got a wooden chair thrown at him once. The horror, the horror. Sadly I never got the chance to have a meal with Grandpa- heavy drinking didn't make him last long. I was told he died when I was around 2 years old or something. I was also told that as a pretty bad tempered and violent man, he behaved completely different when he held me in his arms- so I always wonder what kind of person he ACTUALLY is/was/would be. Luckily my dad is a rather understanding person (in most cases) and let me grow up as a jolly lefty boy. __________________ -Imagine how beautiful the world would be if we could only do things for the first-and-last time. Imagine this is the last time you would ever be able to imagine. Imagine that. -Die Lust der Zerstörung ist gleichzeitig eine schaffende Lust. -...and god said Lx1,go! and there was light...

12-01-2005, 08:45 PM	#38 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	Sitting on the left end of the table never occurred to anyone? That's been my seat all my life....no one's allowed there but me My handwriting is very neat...spouse says it's the neatest handwriting he's ever seen, but can't read it. More than once I've been asked, when my printing was seen, if I was an elementary school teacher. __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.