2.22.2011

which one are you...

Most people are right handed, about 70-90%.  Around 15% of the world's people are left handed.  Then there are those people who are ambidextrous, which means they are equally adept using both hands.  They can do everything equally well with either hand.  This is very rare and only one out of one hundred people are naturally ambidextrous (that number seemed high to me).  I am none of these things.

I have "cross dominance", generally called mixed-handedness.  I do some things like a right handed person - write, cut, throw and brush my teeth etc.  I do some things like a left handed person - play cards, count money, eat (using silverware), gymnastics (when I was young).  It's not that I just favor my left hand to do these things, I cannot deal cards with my right hand and could not cut food with a knife in my right hand without looking like I have a physical disability. 

I have had surgery on my left ankle, my left wrist, my left ovary, have ruptured my left eardrum and have had 2 lumps in my left breast - the right side of all of these things, nothing.  Oddly, every headache I've ever had (and I've had plenty) has always been on the right side of my head, never the left.  It's sometimes like I'm divided down the middle.

When I try new things, I don't know whether or not I'm doing the thing like a lefty would do it or like a righty would do it.  I blame my poor handwriting and inability to cut a straight line on my mixed-handedness.  It's always nice to not have to blame yourself for your shortcomings.  I think I make jewelry for left-handed people but I'm not sure.  I put a necklace on like a left handed person (open/close the clasp) so I try to do the opposite when making jewelry but I sometimes forget.  I'm sorry to you people who buy my jewelry and feel like the clasp is on the wrong side, I really am.

What about you - righty, lefty or like me - somewhere in between?

32 comments:

VildesVerden said...

I am def a right handed one! After the operation I am now stuck with only my left, and everything takes forever! Cannot wait to get my "proper" hand back

shopgirl said...

Jeanette, this is a fascinating post. That's really interesting about your maladies, but I'm sorry that you have to suffer too.

I believe I'm mostly right handed. However, I tend to use my left hand to open bottles and jars, to use the computer mouse, and arm wrestle with. For everything else, I use my right hand.

So what am I?

xo

Felicity said...

I'm a RHG [right-handed girl] and a bit like you, most of my injuries, ailments and accidents have occurred on my LHS.

An interesting post Jeanette, it will be interesting to return and see the results.

Felicity x

k said...

haha! funny about the jewelry :) I'm a righty through and through!

Anonymous said...

This is so interesting! My migraines are always on the right side and I am right handed.... hmmmm.... can't do anything w/ my left hand, (but use inappropriate sign language... hee hee). xo

quintessence said...

SO interesting!! I am totally right handed - can't do a thing with my left. Husband and one son are lefties. Rest all righties like me.

Tess Kincaid said...

Interesting stuff. You must have been reading my mind, since I've been thinking a lot about this lately. I, like you, have cross dominance. Most things I do with my right, but some things, like turning pages of a magazine, dusting, opening jars and doing necklace clasps, I do with my left.

I have had all right side of the body stuff, kidney stone, root canal, TMJ, etc.

Reya Mellicker said...

I bet your brain is so cool! My sister is ambidextrous - I've always been jealous of that.

I'm right handed ... sigh ... how boring! Lefties are always such interesting people.

Very cool post.

MJM said...

Totally cool post! I'm a total right handed person. Like, barely even hold the phone left handed...

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Ah, holding the phone - never thought of that. Yep, left handed for me of course.

Diana Mieczan said...

That is such an interesting post. I use mostly my right hand but my Balazs (as you) can use both of his hands. He writes and eats with his left hand and brushes teeth with right hand:) Wish you a lovely Tuesday, darling
Kisses

bronwyn said...

I'm completely right handed but I used to only be comfortable using a mouse left handed because my husband is left handed and he set up the computer. He is completely left handed except for when he uses scissors. He was too shy as a kid to ask for the lefty scissors so he just learned to cut right handed and to this day can't use lefty scissors. My mother is mixed handed like you. She writes left handed and everything else is split pretty evenly right/left. Really interesting post.

Anna@Directions Not Included said...

Very interesting post! Apparently I have cross dominance tendencies. I write and do some things with my right but do use my left for others like holding the phone, opening things, etc.

KR said...

Libras do have to have balance! I am totally right handed. 99.9% of my headaches occur on my right side. I hold the phone in my left hand, it feeels wrong to hold it to my right ear.

Julie Smith said...

I am cross dominant too! It makes me feel ambidextrous, which I like. Interesting about the left side of your body. Very interesting...

Stitchfork said...

Interesting - and just makes you even more talented! I have a set of identical twins that are mirror images, one is right-handed and the other is a leftie.
xo Cathy

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Wow Cathy, that opposite twin thing is very interesting.

Thelma Frayne said...

This is too funny. I have never heard of this.

Im a righty through and through.

KR said...

Forgot to mention that I love the photo! M (the smaller hands) and J?

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

I'm a total righty, but the dude looks like he might be able to use both!

pamela said...

very interesting, indeed. definite righty. my daughter is a south paw, like her grandparents. and so is JUSTIN BIEBER! (took a few girls to see the movie, don't know who enjoyed it more!)
has anyone heard the theory that lefties were once an identical twin but the right handed twin never developed, like beyond the split? saw the comment that one identical twins were mirror images.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I forgot J was a lefty. Both grandparents but not her Dad? Interesting. Nope never heard that theory.

Jillian said...

oh my when my right hand was in a cast i could barley do a thing without making a mess haha

Vicki said...

Love this post! I am dominately left but do a few right things. But I am the only one in my family who is a southpaw!

Nicole said...

for the most part I'm a righty, but I can bowl better left handed....

lisaroy said...

I'm right handed and only do very little with my left. How odd about all the left-sided incidents you've had! what an interesting post! :)

French Basketeer.com said...

I have never seen these stats; I am ambidextrous, though I write with my left. I have a really tough time telling left from right and often have to look at the crook of my thumb and index finger; if you put it at a right angle the left hand makes an L for LEFT. It does make playing the harp easier :)

koralee said...

I am 100% a righty...very interesting thought today my friend....especially with your headaches...thanks for sharing.

Hugs. xo

Charlotta Ward said...

How interesting! I must pay attention to myself and see if I too have some 'left handed' habits.

My mother is left handed but was forced to learn to be right handed when she was little. In those days there were no room for being different nor were there any tools or toys for left handed people. So sad. But it has taught my mum to use both hands in an ambidextrous manner.

Lovely post.
Also thanks for your comment today.

x Charlotta

Jane Kilpatrick Schott said...

Use them both and am so glad I can.

Maria said...

OK I am late on this - but worth backtracking for - I was out all day yesterday. As I read your post - I had to laugh for I am SO much the same as you! There are things I must do right handed or left handed.
Cartwheels for example - left. Talking on the phone - left. Steering the car - left. In tennis - I would just as much like hit a left-handed forehand rather than a right handed back-hand (kills the TM every time I do it! But I do it without thinking - actually it was TM that pointed it out to me!)

Eating, right. Cooking, right. But writing - mostly right, but can write well lefty if the occasion calls for it(and upside down and backwards - but I think comes from years of sitting across from students reading upside down).

Daddy was a lefty...hmmmmmm

RockinJ9designs said...

Mainly right handed but, in high school I learned how to shoot (basketball) with my left hand. That way, if I ever broke my arm I could still play.