On Being A Lefthanded

I still remember when my brother and I got our first writing lesson from mum. Both of us uses our left hand to write. My mum keeps pulling the pencil from our left hand and switched it to our right. My brother is successfully converted to a right-handed but not stubborn me. And then in school, my teacher will keep straightening my book since as most left handers, I have to write at a 90° angle. Don't bother lah teacher, I'm comfortable writing my way.



Before I was adept at making 'correct marking' or 'tick' using my lefthand as it will be of a wrong side, I have to change hands whenever i have to make the correct angle tick mark. My right hand is still useful for that purpose. I don't have that problem anymore as I've practiced using my left. In another instance, my arabic class teacher forced me to use my right hand when writing on the board. Either she really thinks its not clean to use my left hand to write arabic letters or she just believes I can actually use my right hand. I managed to do it but all the characters are thick and big and look a bit like I'm writing 'khat' instead. Writing on blackboard was OK since the surface is rough and I can control my writing. Whiteboard's smooth surface poses another problem as my handwriting will look worse than that of doctors :)



I'm not a hardcore left-handers though. I'm only left-handed when it comes to writing and blowing my nose. Really can't figure out why the act of blowing nose requires my left hand and right brain. I do that a lot since I'm prone to allergies and it really is useful especially when I'm eating. Bowling... I'm not good at it but I can use both hands for the purpose. I've tried using only one hand hoping that I can find the best rhythmn, at least 25% of Shalin's skill but I'm still nowhere near that mark. Sigh!



Some Facts About Lefthanders



Some researchers suggest that left-handed people are, on average, more creative or intelligent. There is no evidence that left-handers are any more or less intelligent overall than right-handers but there is evidence that the range of talents is greater among the left-handed. Some famous names in the “southpaw community” are Joan of Arc, Winston Churchill and Alexander the Great as was Buzz Aldrin, who steered his craft onto the moon with his left hand.



Skills that are normally found in one or the other side of the brain can be found in the opposite side or on both sides for left-handers. For example, while language skills are located on the left side of the brain, they can often be found on the right side or even on both sides for left-handers. This results in a greater recovery rate for left-handers from stroke and other head or brain injuries.



More reference on left-handers can be found at For Southpaws Only!