August 13 is Left Handers’ Day, a time for South Paws to celebrate their talents. Left-handedness is more common in twins than in singles, and overall left-handed people are also usually more physically balanced. Although lefties were once believed to be cursed and have direct links to evil, now it’s obvious that they have an advantage in sports like basketball, tennis, fencing and boxing.
Studies have also shown that even temporary “practice” activities that make lefties use their right hands and righties use their left hands is a good challenge and also encourages creativity and clearer thinking. For a real challenge, also try “Mirror Writing,” which is reversed writing that resembles ordinary writing reflected in a mirror. Emergency vehicles like ambulances often have their identification also written in mirror writing so drivers can look in their rear-view mirrors and read it clearly.
In the movie (and the book) THE SHINING, Danny writes REDRUM, which is murder in mirror writing, and in MEMENTO “facts” are tattooed on Leonard’s chest so he can read them in reflection. Episodes of “The Simpsons” and “Scooby-Doo” have used it, too.
I was printing words and coloring ambidextrously when I started first grade. The teacher hit my hand with a ruler and said I had to choose which hand I would use…and my choice had to be right-handed because the world was set up for right-handed use. (This teacher retired at the end of that year.)
So at school I became only right handed, and it seemed to be working out fine…until at home and on the sly I began mirror writing. I’m still grateful that my mom did not make a big deal of this or tell me I had to stop. Instead, she got me chalk to write in mirror writing on the sidewalk, and she also asked me to write stories in mirror writing so she could learn to read it. After awhile I decided I was happy using it as a game and I went on to other things.
August 16 is National Tell A Joke Day. I’m including this special day because of the comments made on last week’s blog post about the time I took my mother to her senior exercise class where the favorite activity was doing the Hokey Pokey.
UK blogger Jenny Pellet wrote that “Here we call it ‘Hokey Cokey,’” which still has me smiling. And Colorado writer Nancy Parker Brummett shared this: “When the inventor of the Hokey Pokey died, they had trouble getting him in the coffin. They put his right foot in but then his left foot came out!” She had me taking this seriously until the final line of the joke! Thank you, Jenny and Nancy, for sharing these with us. On August 16 we should all tell a joke to make others laugh. The world definitely needs more good laughter.
Things I Want To Tell My Mother 