>>>>>>>>>I am old enough to remember school desks that were entirely designed for right handed writers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Also scissors and specialist tools - even driving a screw has muscular/mechanical advantage for a right-hander.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>A screwdriver is a completely symmetrical tool, so that leaves the screw. This would mean that lefties have some advantage when unscrewing, eh? Well, I beg to differ - the difficulty depends on many other factors, the direction of the thread being a distant fourth. I'm trying to practice both hands in as many applications as I can, and driving screws is where I'm pretty ambidextrous (writing... almost there, lacking speed, smooth moves and readability but got the rest :). I don't see that it's less handy on the left.
>>>>>
>>>>>Can I ask why? Just for the challenge of it?
>>>>
>>>>Partly. At some point, in my early twenties, I got scared shitless about what if I lost my right hand - would I be just stupid and helpless in that case? So I thought I'd rather prepare for the case. Turned out very interesting. Writing, somewhat of a challenge, but not much. After a while I could write with about third the speed and twice the ugliness as with my right. Eating utensils, easy - within a week I could switch spoon, fork, knife in either hand. Cutting meat was a bit of a challenge - the right hand didn't hold the steak with the fork properly. Chopsticks - passable without much practice. Hammer, axe - no way I can have both strength and precision at the same time. Saw, screwdriver, pliers, tongs, brushes - easy. Sandpaper... not easy. I just can't do the proper motion with proper pressure. Even when filing my fingernails, I always shake my right hand.
>>>>
>>>>I guess some psychologist could do a thesis on me.
>>>
>>>This reminds me of what was Bjørn Borg's biggest strength as a tennis player. He always used his right (stronger) arm to support his left (weaker) arm on his backhand strokes.
>>
>>Was he the one who invented that? I thought it was one of the lady players but could be wrong. For sure his epic set against John McEnroe at Wimbledon was a classic, maybe the best match ever played. Bud Collins, the announcer on NBC -- maybe going a little over the top -- said "This is the plot where the Swedish undertaker buries them all."
>
>I don't know if he invented it, but he used it ALWAYS. I don't recall having seen him beat the ball holding the racket in only the left hand, not even once. And in those days I saw as many of his matches as I could.
>
>>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qaweRhyAxk>>
>>Tennis fans have a modern matchup to rival it. Nadal and Federer played in the Australian semis today.
I was fortunate enough to spend the summer of 1980 in London. One of my pastimes was going to Wimbledon. It was a "ladies day," which one of the guys I worked with told me to skip, just watch the men. There had been a rainout the day before so about all of the female seeds were playing. I watched Chris Evert destroy a young Australian named Melissa Leo, if I've got the first name right, on Court 2. Tracy Austin, who was a big star at the time, walked right past me, about two feet away, bodyguards right in front of and behind her. A memorable day.
But nothing beat that Borg-McEnroe match.
