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right and left -- a poll
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Subject: right and left -- a poll From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 12 Sep 00 - 11:59 AM I am taking a poll because I got the idea from the thread on being left-handed. The poll has two questions.
1. If you are told to move left or right (say when learning a new dance) do you instantly and gracefully sense and move left or right, or do you have to think about it?
2. Are you right-handed, left-handed, or mixed? I ask because I belong to a group of brilliant, good-looking, intelligent people who are always having to "other left!" to each other. How common is this?
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: sophocleese Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:08 PM leeneia, does this mean that if I'm one of those people who needs the "other left" direction I am brilliant, good-looking, and intelligent? If you tell me to move right I will gracefully and easily move right. If you tell me to move left I will gracefully and easily move right until my brain kicks in and a jump hastily left. I am right-handed. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Ebbie Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:11 PM Sorry- (boo hoo for me, no problem. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Tinker Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:13 PM I can't move right or left with out a moments thought. Years ago when I was learning to drive friends began giving me directions to either turn to the drivers side or passenger side when it became clear that directing right or left didn't get us where we needed to go. Does this mean I can join the brilliant, good-looking, intelligent ones too? Tinker
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: thosp Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:14 PM that's what i call Ball and the Jack!peace (Y) thosp |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: MMario Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:17 PM it depends on the day, how much sleep I've had and whether or not I'm paying any attention at all, plus whether or not I happen to like the person giving directions. I'm left handed. What does goodlooking have to do with intelligence? Would a brilliant, plain, intelligent person percieve direction differently from a brilliant, ugly, intelligent person, or a brilliant, good looking, intelligent person?
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: catspaw49 Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:22 PM This isn't a Mudcat thread! By this point, a Mudcat thread would have crept over to:
Which breast is bigger? You know....that kind of thing. I must say I'm very disappointed. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: GUEST Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:57 PM Mine are the same because I'm ambidextrous Depends on how many nuts I'm holding The only willie I've ever had situated on my right side because he was nearly deaf in his right ear. I don't have a problem with moving either way, but I'm more prone to move to the left. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Morticia Date: 12 Sep 00 - 01:10 PM for years, having been brought up catholic , I used to have to bless myself to figure out which hand was which ( caused some startled looks in certain situations like my driving test I can tell you)till my son pointed out that your left hand naturally makes an L-shape if you hold it out palm away from you. Of course, I am also brilliant, intelligent and good -looking......ask anyone......except Micca......and Liz......and..... oh bugger! |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: katlaughing Date: 12 Sep 00 - 01:38 PM And I thought it was referring to political directions....
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Joe Offer Date: 12 Sep 00 - 01:48 PM I'm left-handed. I have an awful time responding to directions to raise my left (or right) hand. Dancing is well-nigh impossible for me. At a contra dance, I can make everybody in the room run into each other. So I usually don't dance unless dragged screaming onto the floor. It's a truly sad thing. Stop laughing at me, willya? -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: campfire Date: 12 Sep 00 - 01:52 PM I'm also left handed. If someone asks for a right or left hand, or motion, I often stop and "play the piano" in my mind. Melody is the right hand, chords are left. So yeah, it often takes me a moment to respond. I CAN dance, though. I grew up square dancing, and for some reason, THEN, right and left is automatic. Go figure. campfire |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 12 Sep 00 - 02:28 PM My Beautiful Wife, a professional pianist who is, I'll say, "functionally ambidextrous", and as an organist, ambifootstrous too, is not much help to me in my car's passenger seat as navigator. If she says, "Turn left," I'll confidently ease into the right lane and turn right. What's more, we have lived in our present house about thirty years now, and she's STILL not oriented to the directions. All of this from a lovely, brilliant, well-educated, cultured lady of the world! Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Pseudolus Date: 12 Sep 00 - 02:59 PM I'm right handed. When I'm told to go left, I go left, when I'm told to go right, I go right, but there ain't nothing graceful about it!!! I can dance ok (especially a polka!) but at 6'1", 275 mostly people just try to get out of my way!!! Frank |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Bert Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:25 PM Having square danced for many years I have no problem with going either left or right without hesitation. The only exception is when Tree is giving me driving directions. She'll warn me ahead of time that I should be looking to turn left. Then when we get to the junction she'll say - "Right Here!" Bert. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: dick greenhaus Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:34 PM Do we have any members of DMA (Mothers Against Dyslexia)? |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Catrin Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:08 PM I am left handed. I always have to think when someone says 'left' or 'right'. My strategy is very similar to Morticia's (without the religious connotations). I have to 'sign my name' in the air. I know that I always write with my left hand, so that must be left then. It has never come naturally. My tuppenceworth. Catrin |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Amergin Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:18 PM I'm right handed and like many others here, I see, I have to be constantly told "the other left"..... |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Wesley S Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:28 PM I was once told that I'm a "sitting" left handed person. The only things I do with my left hand are the things most people when they are sitting { using a fork or spoon and writing }. Everyting I do standing { throw, bat, play guitar, ect } I do right handed. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: mousethief Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:28 PM Very right handed. Seldom mix them up. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: kendall Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:30 PM I'm right handed and never have a problem with port or starboard...it could be a serious problem in navigation. (Ask Capt. Hazelwood) |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:32 PM I too am brilliant, good-looking, and intelligent...er, at least, I, too, am directionally impaired. Just ask my morris team! |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Mbo Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:42 PM And now it won't be long Cause we are right and they are wrong I gotta get out of this world somehow I gotta be free I gotta be free now |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: kendall Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:47 PM Mbo. ?????? |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 12 Sep 00 - 06:19 PM Dick Greenhaus, the acronymn is DAMN, for National Mothers Against Dyslexia. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: bflat Date: 12 Sep 00 - 06:32 PM No problem with only audible instructions directing left or right. A small problem when someone is physically before me saying "left" and he moves right, then I probably will move in the same direction as that person despite the instruction. Got to concentration hard in any Simon Says game. bflat |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Dave (the ancient mariner) Date: 12 Sep 00 - 06:38 PM Kendal Hazelwood got his ticket at Paddy West's House |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Helen Date: 12 Sep 00 - 06:43 PM I always have to stop and think about it. I'm dyslexic, and if anyone is interested in the thread on that type "dyslexic" in the forum search and a nice long thread will come up - it was early this year. When I first started riding my bicycle to school I could never remember which side of the road to ride on until I bought a ring and put it on my left hand. I didn't buy it for that purpose but I found that by looking at my hands i would know to ride on the same side of the road as the hand with the ring - in Australia we ride/drive on the *right* (i.e. correct) side of the road, which is of course the left. I still have to think about it but there are little tricks I have learned over the years to make it easier. Helen |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: MarkS Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:04 PM Throw, write, and play guitar right handed, even though my natural swing (bat, axe, broom, shovel, golf club, etc) is left handed. Does that make me a moderate? But that brings up an interesting point. How many of us do some things naturally righty and other things naturally lefty? And have you ever caused confusion? MarkS |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: catspaw49 Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:17 PM Well Mark, did you read Wesley's post? The two of you ought to get together. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Quincy Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:24 PM I'm very left-handed but have no problem at all with directions.....s'pose that means I'm neither good-looking nor intelligent!! With reference to MarkS....I hold my knife and fork 'right-handed' cos it's more comfortable to lift the fork to eat, but I do tend to 'tear at the food' with the fork rather than 'sawing it' with the knife. (sound like an animal don't I? Nobody's gonna ever invite me round for dinner now!!!!!!) best wishes, (more civilised than I sound) Yvonne |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: kendall Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:37 PM Its amazing what leaving out a comma will do to a sentence Dave! |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Cap't Bob Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:47 PM IF YOU ARE A SAILOR THE FOLLOWING MAY HELP YOU OUT:
Paddy says "Now pay attention, these lessons you will learn. Cap't Bob |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Dave (the ancient mariner) Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:48 PM Yes, I agree Kendall, sorry for omitting them, and sorry for the way it turned out. I did'nt do very well at school; and never learned punktuation, ur spellin the kweens inglish. Shows you what a miss pent youth I had eh? ha ha . Yours, Aye. Dave |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Barbara Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:59 PM I'm left handed and totally disfunctional during the teaching phase of a dance, as I mirror what the teacher does, while ignoring words like 'right' and 'left' because if I think about them it takes me too long to figure them out and I lose my place in the pattern. It also amuses many of my friends to watch me while driving turn in the opposite direction from what they just told me. A mortifying discussion of my supposed intelligence often follows. Sigh. Glad to know I'm not alone. Other than this, I'm not dyslexic. Can I join the ranks of talented, brilliant and beautiful now, thank you very much? Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: northfolk/al cholger Date: 12 Sep 00 - 08:02 PM Had my hopes that this was going to be a political thread, but instead... neither brilliant nor good looking, I would give my left arm to be ambidextrous...guess that makes me a righty, at least anatomically. or as Jim Hightower says, to wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do...Pass the port, thousands of portugese can't be wrong. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Bugsy Date: 12 Sep 00 - 08:26 PM I'm Left Handed, Dress on the Left, Politically Lean to the Left, Play guitar Right Handed, Use cutlery Right Handed(knife in right, fork in left) Wink with Either Eye, Change hands at 99 and have not problems with directions. CHeers Bugsy |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Mbo Date: 12 Sep 00 - 08:26 PM I don't dance, so... |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Mrrzy Date: 12 Sep 00 - 09:43 PM Oh, I am very definitely an other-left person. I can't do right from left even if I DO think about it, half the time, and I'll say one thing while gesturing the other, which drives people who can tell up the wall. All of my sisters are the same, and so is Mom. We all, and Mom too, dance around an ironing board for about 15 mn before figuring out where to stand, where to hang the cord, and which way to face the skinny end. I am also very right-handed, my sisters are all right-handed, mom is the kind of leftie forced (literally - hand tied behind her back and all) to learn to write right-handedly. She is extremely ambidextrous in most things. I have one very left-handed niece, one very ambidextrous nephew (of whom I think, as I do of Mom, as being really neither-handed), all other niblings are righties. One of my twins is a rightie and I think the other is neither-handed too. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: guinnesschik Date: 12 Sep 00 - 10:34 PM I'm so glad to know there are other "other left" folks out there. I'm right handed, but have had trouble with the left/right thing my whole life. I even have to think about which hand I fiddle with, although a wedding ring does help. However, directions such as north, south, east and west don't confuse me at all. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: The Beanster Date: 12 Sep 00 - 10:56 PM Oh, I've been the source of much amusement for many people over this issue. In a car, when I'm a passenger trying to give directions is when it's most apparent because of course, drivers hate it when they ask, "Which way?!" and you, as passenger say, "That way!!" frantically pointing in the air with your finger! (They don't seem to appreciate having to take their eyes off the road to look at where you're pointing.) So...I've learned to SPEAK instead of gesture, only there's about a 50% chance I'm going to get it wrong--and then, of course, the driver is mad at me again! lolol I used to know my right from left very well, didn't have to hestitate--but that was because I had a mole on my right arm. Then, when I was about 12, I had it removed and it's been downhill ever since! I really have to stop and think now, which is which. Pain in the neck. I'm right-handed (very). Good to know that others are being chuckled at also, their overall intelligence questioned because of this one little quirk.... maybe their just jealous because they're not brilliant and good looking like us. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Lyrical Lady Date: 12 Sep 00 - 11:08 PM ...been acting on stage for 20 years...still don't know up-stage from down or stage-left from right ...a directors dream!!!?...say WHAT? |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Ebbie Date: 12 Sep 00 - 11:13 PM Did you realize that when you must choose Right or Left, you actually have three choices? You can choose Wrong... Ebbie |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Cap't Bob Date: 12 Sep 00 - 11:20 PM It's really quite simple (why all the fuss).... the write hand is the hand you rite with... er.. unless... Cap't Bob |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 12 Sep 00 - 11:27 PM Well, I've been away for a few hours and am amazed and gratified by the number of interesting responses here. And of course, you are all good-looking and intelligent. BTW, I put that in about "good-looking and intelligent" because a few years ago a couple of education professors from some Midwestern University published a study saying that a high percentage of felons are left-handed. The implication was obviously that lefties have serious social or intellectual problems. If Mudcatters are anything to go by, they were obviously wrong. I'm mixed -- do delicate things leftie, big jobs rightie. I do have to stop and think about which is right and which is left, but I suppose that's because to me it's not important. One day I was sitting in church listening to the Gloria, which says "you are seated at the right hand of the Father.." and I suddenly realized that for 45 years I had been erroneously picturing Jesus at God's left side. Oh well, I don't suppose He minds. Now my DH wants me to tabulate the results of this.
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Bill D Date: 12 Sep 00 - 11:52 PM a very good musician used to give me a ride near my house....when we got to the neighborhood, I would say "Turn left here" and he would say.."Point!"...he literally could not tell/remember/sort....totally dyslexic!...his fingers knew where to go on banjo & guitar, but he might as well have called his hands "Frank & Ernest" as 'Left & right" |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: GUEST,Dumb Horseplayer Date: 13 Sep 00 - 12:26 AM I move in the direction called for insinctively, instantly, and without question. Perhaps it comes from a nasty experience playing football back in high school. Now, this was a little while ago, back when Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers won for many seasons, with one of their chief plays being their trademark "sweep" play. For those of you who don't know what this means, just picture that nearly the entire team with the ball goes storming over to one side of the field, leaving half of the other team's defense behind on the deserted half of the field, thus resulting in the other half of the defense being vastly outnumbered and mown over by the blockers for the ball-carrier, who "sweeps" around the end. Well, although it would have been sacreligious to call our high school team's play "the sweep", we still tried to work this play. We just called it someting else, namely, "828 right" if we were to go right or "727 left" if we were to go left. So here's all these football players trying to remember right and left. Makes a contra dance gang look like einshtein. But if you were in the line, blocking, you tended to get this wrong only once. After getting mowed over like the wheat beneath the scythe, by your own line all going the other way, trampled like a prickly pear under the thundering herd of buffalo from your own backfield, squashed into the mud under the cleats of your own ball-carrier, then stomped by all the oppossing team members who had been left behind and are enraged at being fooled, and finally castigated by your coach, booed by your fans, abandoned by your cheerleader girlfriend, dropped from candidacy in the fraternity of your choice, drummed out of school where you reverted to a life of crime and ended up living under a bridge... well, then you remember left and right. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Bearheart Date: 13 Sep 00 - 01:51 AM I thought this was going to be political too! Write, eat, throw a ball, crochet, bead and do needle work left-handed. Play fretted instruments and bat a ball right-handed. Can't do right and left directions, etc. I always point, it's less confusing. I love to dance, but it always takes awhile to learn something new because I also do the mirror thing. (And I am definitely left in the political arena... sometimes radically so.) |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Llanfair Date: 13 Sep 00 - 03:50 AM I am gobsmacked that so many people have the same "handicap" as me!! My husband knows to point the direction to go in the car, preferably within my range of vision!! I write left-handed, play guitar right handed, and most other things with whichever hand is most convenient. Bron. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 13 Sep 00 - 04:13 AM Does anyone have the same problems with up and down? |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Bagpuss Date: 13 Sep 00 - 04:58 AM I'm right handed, but I cant tell my left from my right (my sister is the same). When I am giving my husband directions in the car, I dont say turn right or left, I say "to me" or "to you". Bagpuss |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Patrish(inactive) Date: 13 Sep 00 - 05:43 AM I'm right handed, but cannot give directions or receive directions. I tend to point with my hand in the general direction I want to go and say "this way" for right and "that way" for left. Sometimes when I try using the words right and left i get them mixed up and get very upset when someone turns left(because I told them to)when I obviously meant right, to make it worse I continue shouting left. Going anywhere in a car with me is a joy (not) Patrish |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: L R Mole Date: 13 Sep 00 - 11:09 AM I eat lefty, throw and play righty, and am, says my wife, geographically impaired. Maps don't represent places to me: they're just one more remove from figuring out where I am and which way to go. In the car, someone saying "left" might just as well be saying, "turn": I change the direction obligingly enough, but not reliably in any one way. In High School, when there were more passengers than riders in what cars we had, I recall people yelling, "Your door," or "my door".More useful. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: GUEST,Kim Date: 13 Sep 00 - 02:26 PM I don't think I have trouble (too much) with right and left, but if I'm giving somebody driving directions, I seem to always tell them to turn North when I want them to turn South. Lots of pizzas never made it to my house because I told them I was a half mile NORTH of the main highway, when I was really south. Kim |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: catspaw49 Date: 13 Sep 00 - 02:48 PM Well I have never had this particular problem, but I told this story awhile back and it seems to apply to you guys. I was at our station on I-7o in Columbus, Ohio when a couple drove in and the man got out and asked, "How far is it to St.Louis?" I said, "About 500 miles." He proceeded to tell me I was wrong and it couldn't possibly be that far. "Okay," I said, "Its 475." He angrily said I was completely wrong as he had been driving for several hours and he KNEW it had to be closer than that. I began to smell a problem and asked, "Where did you drive from?" to which he responded, "Kokomo, Indiana." If you're unfamiliar with US geography, this clown had been driving for several hours in the wrong direction and had crossed a state line to the east of his home....not the west. He drove down to Indianapolis and turned left instead of right. The best part was when he asked, "What am I going to tell my wife?" As he drove off, we all watched and took bets on whether or not he'd turn onto 70 west or east. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Kim C Date: 13 Sep 00 - 02:57 PM I am so right-handed it's not funny, although playing the fiddle has helped me out quite a bit. I usually have to point right or left because I can't think it fast enough. I think I'm pretty intelligent, but y'all can go lookit my picture to figure out if I'm good-looking or not. :) |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Les B Date: 13 Sep 00 - 03:11 PM I'm basically a "rightie," but am always confused by those introductions that say "sitting on my right, your left is Mr. XXX..." ! If I remember my stats right, you'll find that about 10 to 13 percent of the population are left handed. But it's kind of difficult to judge. Do you take the lid off a jar with your right hand, or the jar off the lid with your left ? I'll be curious to see if a higher percentage of musicians are left handed. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Helen Date: 13 Sep 00 - 07:01 PM leeneia, I forgot to add that I am mostly right handed but do a bit of left handed stuff - although not often. BillD, Frank & Ernest: that's part of the trouble with being dyslexic - right & left *are* just labels invented for ease of communication, and the way my brain works is that when I am looking for a word (label) to describe something or as a name for something or someone I have to go from the visual/conceptual side of my brain over into the verbal/analytical side, find the word and bring it back to the speech part so that I can say it. It's like having a room full of files but working in an adjacent room and having to get up and go into the file room to find what I need. That's why there is a delay in my responses. It's not that I don't have a clear concept of something it's just that I have to translate the concept into the generally accepted word or label. Helen |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Jim Krause Date: 13 Sep 00 - 07:34 PM 1. I move gracefully and immediately right or left as instructed. 2. I'm left-handed. Now Missus on the other hand has to be told "The other right/left." and she's right handed. |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: Cap't Bob Date: 13 Sep 00 - 08:58 PM No problem McGrath ~ there is no such thing as UP what most people call UP is simply INVERTED DOWN. Cap't Bob |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: CarolC Date: 13 Sep 00 - 09:24 PM I am left handed. I don't think I have a particular problem with moving in the direction indicated. My problem at dances is motion sickness. Dancing partners take it kind of hard when you have to rush over to a chair and sit with your head hanging down between your knees after dancing with them. Carol |
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Subject: RE: right and left -- a poll From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 13 Sep 00 - 10:50 PM It's obvious by now that quite a few of us have trouble processing left and right, and that people using the terms ought to allow everyone time to get oriented. I am particularly flummoxed when a caller says something like "pass your partner's left shoulder." Heavens, I have yet to locate my own left shoulder. I like the idea of saying "to me" "to you" "your door" or "my door" in the car. this is a true story: a bossy woman I know was giving me directions to a copy center, very vague directions. Finally I said, "Tell me, is it on the east side of the street?" And she replied huffily, "Well it is, if you're going south<\i>!" But that's a whole nother ball game. |
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