Thursday, December 20, 2012

Holiday Ambidextrianism

So I made a startling self discovery the other day.   I was peeling an orange and, since I have amazingly managed to cut my left thumb in 3 different places recently, (separate occasions) it's been rendered pretty useless to me right now so I put the orange in my left hand to peel with my right hand, since thumbs are vital in peeling an orange. And now that I think about it-- how does anyone with no thumbs peel an orange?? you can't just claw at it with your fingers.  I tried it.  It's awful and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. If you know someone without thumbs, do me a fave and ask, will you?

(side note: and if your thumbless friend is bummed out about having no thumbs, tell them i stayed up super late one night watching a show called Saving Life and Limb where a woman's thumb (and major thumb tendon) was ripped off by a dog (incidentally, she was a mail lady--cliche!) and guess what? They used her big toe and sewed it on and she had a new thumb! I thought it was amazing. This story has come up many times in my life. Glad to have another opportunity. Anyway, so pass that on.)

Anyway, so when I did this i discovered that when it comes to peeling oranges, I am completely left-handed! And left-thumbed.  It felt so awkward to try with my right.  I guess this all began because the orange was more sturdy to hold in my right (back when I peeled an orange for the first time which is probably recorded somewhere in my book of "firsts.")  But I would have thought that anything my left hand can do, my right can do better.  Not so!

I know there are other instances like this.  For example, we might be right-handed but left-footed, say, if we're going to play kick ball.  This is not me.  Or, i have a friend who is right-handed except for when she plays frisbee.  That one is whack.  And she might do well to check this out.

So do you have other examples? Have you made this orange discovery for yourself? Were you as startled as I am?? Are there certain activities you can do as an ambidextrian? Did i ask this question just so I could use the word ambidextrian?

***ALERT***THIS JUST IN***

I am not kidding. I JUST cut the tip of my other thumb.  Thank you, tissue paper fingertips!   Now what do I do??  Well, i was just peeling some oranges for Julian before we leave and because he eats them like a ravenous dog and can't have just one, i had to peel him three, and I used my other fingers. My four other, completely useless fingers. I had to claw the peels off.  It was miserable.  :(   But you know, I'm really glad I now know what life is like for those thumbless people. I'm grateful for this experience and what it's taught me. It is NOT easy. So my hat's off to you folks.  Thumbs up to you.   
OHHHHH!

1 comment:

Alanna said...

I'm too lazy to look for it right now, but I'm pretty sure Louise Plummer had a student who was born with no thumbs. I think he commented that he wished he could open yogurt containers... Yup, those would be IMPOSSIBLE.

Happy healing!