I've got difficulty with left and right. Not politics - hands, or rather directions.
If you ask me to point to the right, I'll probably point left - unless I've spent a confusing few seconds reminding myself which hand is which. I've always been like that, and it's never been a big problem.
Well, apart from a failed driving test and a habit of getting lost in corridors.
I'm not left handed, in fact I'm extremely right handed. For what it's worth, my father is ambidextrous, and my favourite teacher at college described himself as right handed even though his right arm had been paralysed for decade - he had the neatest whiteboard writing I've ever seen, all with a retrained left hand.
Actually the main problem is when other people, knowing I tend to transpose directions, saying right when they mean left, hoping I'll retranspose. That can get quite confusing.
"Where's the pen?"
"It's to your right."
"Do you mean right-right or Kapitano-right?"
"Um, I mean it's on the left."
"Ah. Do you mean my left or your left?"
"Gaaah!"
I used to try to break the pattern...but then I discovered there's a perfect place for mirror-universe people like me - the classroom!
I'm a teacher - at least I am when there's any work - and I'm quite expressive with my hands when I'm explaining stuff, always drawing diagrams in the air. My last head teacher said it made me an unauthoritative teacher - but then, he was a prize twat and really boring teacher.
But if I'm facing the class, and tend to use spatial metaphors when explaining things, and tend to count things off on my fingers right-to-left...then our left and right match. It's surprisingly helpful.
Unless of course any of them have trouble with left and right in which case...Gaaah!
The only way i manage to tell the difference between left and right is by thinking of them as 'watch' and 'not-watch' instead.
ReplyDeleteI get hideously confused when i have to transpose them, though. The number of people i've given wrong directions to because their car was pointing in the opposite direction to the one i was walking in... ;o)
It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that you're 'expressive' with your hands.
ReplyDeleteThis is a surprisingly very common occurrence.
ReplyDeleteHere's the quick way to tell your left from your right.
Look at the back of your hands, fingers curled; extend your index and thumb fingers. Whichever hand makes the L correctly is the Left hand, left side.
Or you could get a tattoo on your left hand that says 'left' on it. Then again, tattoos are risky, esp. if somewhere down the line you decide to become an outlaw and rob banks--those dang tattoos can be used as identifying marks.
@Aethelreadtheunread:
ReplyDeleteThe number of people i've given wrong directions to because their car was pointing in the opposite direction to the one i was walking in... ;o)
Oh yes. Done that. And as the car pulls away there's the sudden realisation that if only they do they exact opposite of what you say, they'll be fine.
@Piggy and Tazzy:
It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that you're 'expressive' with your hands.
I'm better with my mouth.
@Eroswings:
This is a surprisingly very common occurrence.
You mean I'm not special? [Pouts].
Whichever hand makes the L correctly is the Left hand
That's quite a good way. I usually have to ask myself which is the had I write with.
As for getting tattoos...no. I wonder if somewhere there's a guy with a tattoo on his knob saying "My other penis is a porsche"?
re the 'My other penis is a Porsche' bit... Wouldn't it be more appropriate tattooed on the forehead?
ReplyDeleteI once asked my bf for directions. He said things like “go southeast for three-quarters of a mile”. Oh please! I can’t tell my left from my right without pretending to eat so how the heck am I supposed to know what southeast is? Oddly enough, I have no trouble reading maps.
ReplyDeleteI prefer a teacher who is expressive. The best class I ever took was taught by a man who divided the class into lines and refought famous battles. Not sure what that had to do with geography, but I certainly learned a lot about the Battle of the Bulge.
I have the same problem, and have to do the L shape with my finger and thumb all the time. I just instinctively feel that left and right should be the other way round!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous Female:
ReplyDeleteAh, so your bf is one of those men who takes pride in always knowing which way he's facing. And shows this pride by faking astonishment that others don't have the same skill.
Yeah, met that one before.
@Bob:
Welcome to Le Blogge Kapitaneau.
It's good to know there's so many other people "flipped" like me. And that everyone who's told me it's strange is talking out of their hat...or their arse. Or their arsehat.