Lefty or righty?

weldrwomn

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
2,136
Purraise
11
Location
In the snow!!!!
I have had an increasing interest in Non-dominant hand abilities. I am right handed but I can write with my left hand...the problem is that it ends up being mirror image. What causes that? I am having trouble figuring that out. Also, if I concentrate enough, I can start in the middle of a page having a pen in each hand and write out from the middle at the same time with the left hand side being mirror image of the right.
 

addiebee

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 30, 2007
Messages
7,724
Purraise
17
Location
Michigan
I answered predominately left-handed, but I am somewhat ambidextrous. I can only do certain things - like cut with scissors - with my right hand.
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
I taught myself to write right handed in school after some friends broke their writing hand. The only things I do mainly left handed is write and eat. I cut and do most other things right handed (including using the mouse).

But I'm weird. I can draw on the computer right handed, but cannot do it on paper (have to draw left handed on paper). I can also eat with either hand if necessary.

I knew a person that not only could write their name with both hands at the same time, but also upside down!

Those that can use both hands are least likely to suffer the effects of strokes where one side is damaged - your brain can already take over either side, so its not as bad.
 

snake_lady

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
7,218
Purraise
13
Location
ON./Canada
I answered primarily right handed because that is the side with more accuracy.

My left has more strength. I cannot write with both hands, but everything else I can do with either. When working I used my left more than my right.

My hand/arm issues are more prodominent on the left even though I'm right handed.

I can describe it in one way: Say I wanted to pop someone in the nose. My right hand would hit their nose. My left would overshoot and hit cheek, but with alot more force than the right.

Hitting a punching bag: dead center with my right, offshot with my left but the force is much greater.
 

cruisermaiden

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
1,144
Purraise
3
Location
Hiding from my SS!
I am very right handed. I had to learn to write using my left hand in kindergarten because my right wrist was broken but I lost that talent shortly after the cast was removed. I still eat with my left hand though.
 

tierre0

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Messages
7,256
Purraise
1
Location
on the shores of Georgian Bay
I am pretty much ambidextrous. I can generally use both hands for everything but do favor my right for writing. My mother was left-handed so although I am technically right-handed I learn most things left-handed.
 

gingersmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
8,028
Purraise
22
Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

I have had an increasing interest in Non-dominant hand abilities. I am right handed but I can write with my left hand...the problem is that it ends up being mirror image. What causes that? I am having trouble figuring that out. Also, if I concentrate enough, I can start in the middle of a page having a pen in each hand and write out from the middle at the same time with the left hand side being mirror image of the right.
This exact same thing happens to me if I try to write with my left hand. Very weird how the brain works, lol.
 

going nova

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
1,951
Purraise
12
Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

I have had an increasing interest in Non-dominant hand abilities. I am right handed but I can write with my left hand...the problem is that it ends up being mirror image. What causes that? I am having trouble figuring that out. Also, if I concentrate enough, I can start in the middle of a page having a pen in each hand and write out from the middle at the same time with the left hand side being mirror image of the right.
Weird about writing with both hands at the same time! I chose primarily right-handed. I use my left hand for the computer mouse, and I can write with my left hand too. As you said, it's easier to write mirror image with my left hand. I can write the proper way, but it looks like children's writing. I think it's just a matter of getting used to doing things with my left hand.

As a child, I did things with my left hand but my mom stopped me because she didn't want me to be left-handed!
It's kind of OK, I remember in kindergarten, the left-handed kids had to wait extra long to use left-handed scissors!


I think with a little bit of practice, I could be left handed? It may sound silly, but I've always had this fear of losing use of my right hand so it's something I've definitely thought about.
 

twstychik

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
5,720
Purraise
4
Location
Northern IN
I'm right handed and not ambidextrous at all. My hubby is left handed and pretty ambidextrous except for writing. Growing up there were so few options for left handed (golf clubs, scissors etc.) that he can do most things with both hands... except writing. If either up us writes with out non dominant hand it looks like a 6 year old's writing.
 

carolpetunia

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
9,669
Purraise
17
Location
Plano, Texas
When I wrecked my right wrist a couple of months ago, writing became very painful (and still is), so I made an effort to learn to write legibly with my left hand. I found that all I could do was slowly and painstakingly draw plain block capitals.


The only thing my left hand knows how to do is play guitar and piano.
 

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I started life out left handed. However, the school I went to apparently didn't have supplies for left handed children so my parents were instructed to slap me every time they saw me using my left hand, and the teachers did too.

As a result I am not right handed", but I do many things left handed. For example, I write with my right hand, but I can also write with my left hand: it's slower but it's not hard to do. I need a left handed can opener. I also play baseball as a left handed person. I throw and catch with the same hand. My cousin tried to teach me the guitar but found out that I need a left handed guitar.

Ironically enough, I am dyslexic. I chalk it up to having been smacked around and converted to right handedness. The brain of a left handed individual is wired very differently than that of a right handed person.

The speech centre of the brains in a right handed person is on the left side. Some left handed people also have their speech centre on the left side, but for most left handed people it's on the right side.

I believe that as a result of having been converted to being right handed, and the fact that my speech centre is on the "wrong" side for a right handed individual, that the 2 halves of my brain struggle for control, causing the dyslexia.

Since I found out about my dyslexia, I have been doing an unofficial poll of people and so far I have found that everyone I have spoken with who have been "converted" from left handedness to right, have dyslexia.
 

rubsluts'mommy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 1, 2005
Messages
2,211
Purraise
11
Location
On the west side of... of... somewhere.
Originally Posted by AddieBee

I answered predominately left-handed, but I am somewhat ambidextrous. I can only do certain things - like cut with scissors - with my right hand.
I'm the exact same way. Working in a fabric store, I get comments on it a lot. The only thing i can come up with is that since my mom taught me to sew and all that, and she's right handed. She had specific RH scissors, so if I wanted to cut fabric, I had to use her scissors... in my right hand.

I write with my left but cut with my right. Many customers and my co-workers think it's strange... eh... okay. But then again... I've always been a little strange...

Amanda
 

kittyl0ve4

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
903
Purraise
2
Location
KiTTYDELPHiA, CATSYLVANiA
I chose predominately left handed. I write lefty, bat lefty, eat lefty. But I cut with my right hand, use scissors with my right hand. Basically anything else in life i can do with both.

For those who were forced into being rightys when you were born a lefty: Growing up my best friends mom was from Ireland. She was born lefty but said that back when she was younger, they didnt want kids to be left-handed and would force them to use their right hand in school. So she was really a lefty, but forced into being a righty, and her daughter (my best friend at the time) was lefty like me
 

rapunzel47

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2003
Messages
30,725
Purraise
8
Location
Lotus Land
I'm predominantly righthanded, but can do lots of things with both.

I'm the cats' scribe when they "write" notes or "sign" cards, and since lots of cats seem to be lefties (mine are) they "write" lefthanded. "Their" writing is quite legible, and I'm sure if "they" practiced at all, it would become even more so. It takes "them" somewhat longer to do the same amount of writing, but hey, with no opposable thumbs, I figure "they're" doing pretty well.
 

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

I have had an increasing interest in Non-dominant hand abilities. I am right handed but I can write with my left hand...the problem is that it ends up being mirror image. What causes that? I am having trouble figuring that out. Also, if I concentrate enough, I can start in the middle of a page having a pen in each hand and write out from the middle at the same time with the left hand side being mirror image of the right.
My son could probably do that. He is right handed, but has a neural issue where his left hand copies the movements of his right hand, no matter what he is doing. If he tries hard enough he can stop it from happening (like at the neurologists, to see if it is something he can control) but mostly he doesn't. When he is writing his left hand balls up like it is holding a pencil and then makes writing/drawing movements the exact same as the hand he is actually writing with. Same as if you asked him to just lightly rub his index finger on a piece of paper, he would do the same thing in the air with his left index finger. Weird, huh??

I'm right handed, but do a lot of things with my left hand. My husband is left handed and his teachers tried to force him to be right handed. When they realized they couldn't do that they taped a ruler to his left hand so he didn't hold it in the 'lefty' fashion and would hold it straight like a righty would.
 

katiemae1277

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 28, 2005
Messages
20,445
Purraise
17
Location
NE OH
I'm predominantly righty, but I can do lots of stuff with my left, lots of stuff I probably don't even realize I do
I have trained myself in the past to use my left for mousing and I can do number entry just as fast with my left as my right (calculator has to go on my left side because my mouse is on my right) I dribble a basketball with my left hand and I can throw better with my left, but catch better with my left (like a right-handed person does) also


I also have a terrible, terrible time telling my right from my left, I've had this issue forever. nothing helps, I just get them mixed up, even with doing the L with my thumb
 

missymotus

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
9,234
Purraise
254
Pretty much ambidextrous, I write with my left hand but use my right hand equally well at everything else.
 
Top