Proud to be Left-Handed' but sometimes it's a Challenge!!!

[jazzcat]

Any other left handers out there that wish they had an oven mitt that was designed for left handers? Usually I can improvise pretty well, but when I went to lift something "heavy" this was a little difficult and I was wishing I had A left handed mitt.

[LaraW]

Jazzcat, I know how you feel!!!! I do have a left-handed oven mitt that I got for Christmas a few years ago.

Do you find that you have had to adapt to a right-handed world? DH and I had to be really careful picking out kitchen utensils, as there are some out there that are made only for right-handers. He had never even considered the fact that I might not be able to use different utensils because of that.

[LaraW]

Jazzcat, I know how you feel!!!! I do have a left-handed oven mitt that I got for Christmas a few years ago.

Do you find that you have had to adapt to a right-handed world? DH and I had to be really careful picking out kitchen utensils, as there are some out there that are made only for right-handers. He had never even considered the fact that I might not be able to use different utensils because of that.

[Vanessa]

Oh DH would love this post. He uses both hands but is definitelly left handed. Yes it is a challange because things tend to be more for right handed people. I always tease him about his handwritting but I tried writting with the left hand and it was not pretty... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[HARRYET]

jazzcat,

I'm right there with you http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

we are left-handed people living in a right-handed world.

I do have a left handed oven mit, given to me when I got married (18 years ago, Yikes!)

I also have a left handed bread knife I bought at a local craft fair, and I absolutly get a chuckle whenever anyone else tries to use it, it's almost impossible for them, so then they get to feel what I have had to adapt to over the years in almost all aspect of my life. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Ann

"south paws rock!"

[BosunsWife]

It appears that our DD might be a leftie. She totally favors it and when she does use her right hand it appears very awkward for her.

Okay, both DH and I are righties. How did this occur. No one in my family is a leftie and no one in DH's to our knowledge.

We certainly are going with the flow, but it is sure going to be hard to teach her to do things like tie her shoes, etc. We aren't of the school that forces a child to use the right hand simply because someone thinks they should. I remember a kid when I was going to elementary school (late 60s) being forced to use his right hand.

[Mamasue]

BosunsWife.....I use both my hands but write with my right hand. I iron, throw balls, bowl, and have more cleaning strength in my left. I believe the reason I am like this is because my mother is left handed. Mom tried to teach me how to knit and crochet many years ago but I had a hard time trying to learn, so I either learned on my own or someone else who was right handed taught me. My husband is also left-handed and so is our daughter.

[donleyk]

BosunsWife,

Just make sure you are facing her when you teach her to tie her shoes. It will be natural for you both then.

I too, am a lefty. Some of my greatest memories are getting to eat dinner next to my grandma because we were both lefties. I really miss that.

I have never seen a left handed oven mit! I wouldn't have guessed that. I make do with pot holders.

I have adapted for some things... like scissors. Those left handed kid scissors never worked for me anyway!

[KValley]

After I read this message I went immediately to the kitchen to determine exactly what I do with my oven mitts- my first instinct was to put it on my right hand. If I need to wear two, I just turn one around!

Both my parents and one of my brothers is left-handed, as am I. But, I cut, bat, play tennis, and throw with my right hand. Learned to adapt, but grudgingly.

Southpaws rule, indeed....

[jazzcat]

KValley, Turning the mitt around is usually fine if things are not too hot. For those mitts with the teflon on one side, it lacks effectiveness. I think it's time for me to search for a left handed oven mitt.

[GayeC]

I have an old vegetable peeler (belonged to DH before we were married) that is completely dull when used by righties, but perfectly sharp when used by me (a leftie). My mother was here once and said, "How in the world do you use this peeler!" I said, "Oh, it works great. Look." That's when I realized that it has two blades and one is dull and one is like new.

[chefbec]

Although I'm a "rightie", I wanted to let you know that Pampered Chef has many left-handed items (yes, we think of you!!) Our Oven Mitts are for either right or left hands, and they're heat resistent to 600 degrees. Our Cheese Grater is for lefties, as is our Slice 'N Serve, Lemon Zester/Scorer, Micro-Cookers, and many other tools. If you don't have a local rep and want anything, please e-mail me privately.

[cdm]

Jazzcat, I am a rightie and have been wondering this for awhile. Does it feel strange to start the car with the right hand?

[jazzcat]

cdm, No it doesn't seem strange starting the car with my right hand. I never gave it a second thought. When I took guitar lessons as a teenager, my instructor tried me with a left handed guitar but it felt strange so I did it "rightie". I play golf "leftie". Most things I do with my left hand. I suppose there are other things I do the right handed way without thinking about it much. P.S I think I ought to check out those Pampered Chef Mitts. I know they'd come in handy. I've burned myself too, fortunately not too badly.

[This message has been edited by jazzcat (edited 05-17-2001).]

[laughsandlaughs]

Check out http://www.thelefthand.com for tons of leftie products.

My sweet husband is totally attracted to lefties, even though he's not. Both his parents are (neither he nor his sister are though), I am, and out of his 8 groomsmen in our wedding, 7 were lefties!!!

HE LOVES US!! Either that or he's a wannabe!

[eks]

I am proud to be a leftie!! One of the greatest challenges I have had is learning to sew this past semester. As a requirement for my major, I had to take a sewing class. The teacher along with everyone else in the class was right handed. Everything seemed backwards to me!!

[KValley]

My greatest challenge as a leftie came while living in a Muslim-dominated area in Chad, Africa. All eating was done by hand from communal dishes. In the Islamic tradition, the left hand is considered unclean. It is, in fact, the hand used to wipe one's bottom (no t.p. in this area, either, mind you).

I literally had to sit on my left hand during meals for the first several weeks, to avoid eating or accepting anything with my left hand.

Second biggest challenge was learning to use chopsticks in Japan. Children are not allowed to be left-handed and no one could quite figure out how or why I would eat that way. I persisted and somehow got the food to my mouth with a fair amount of dignity.

Now, tell me how it is that I can throw a killer spiral with the Nerf football using my right, but I'm hopeless with a left pass!

[matt]

I am proud to say that i too am a leftie. However, I am never in my right mind. It can be a challenge . I use my knives with my right hand, yet I play sports with my right hand. What can you do?

[aggie94]

I'm a rightie, and take for granted (like most other righties do) that we live in a right-handed world.

A leftie friend of mine once educated me on all the things that I take for granted as a rightie. Some were obvious, but the two I found most interesting that I had never thought of were watches (yes, you can wear them on your right wrist, but the pin/stick is still on the right side of the face) and felt-tipped pens (lefties push rather than pull their pens when they write, so the tips get all munched).

Sorry we make it so hard for you guys. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[JeanneW]

I have to second ChefBec's suggestion of the Pampered Chef oven mitts. I'm a lefty and had always used hot pads until I burned my forearm on the upper oven rack one day. Ouch!

That got me looking for mitts that went high on the arm. I bought two of the Pampered Chef mitts and they are fabulous! They're ambidextrous so you can use them with either hand and they come halfway up the arm so no more burns! You've got to give them a try.

Jeanne

[Susann]

Another leftie checking in...
KValley-Your post was fascinating!! Here I thought I was challenging myself by using a right handed mouse! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[KValley]

Susann- who knew being a leftie had such cultural implications!

I have tried to use my mouse with my left hand, but can't quite manoever it. Isn't it funny? I think so much is dependent upon how and from whom we learned something. And of course, the mouse is constructed for righties.

I just look at using my right as a way to challenge my brain- going against what comes naturally.

[jazzcat]

KValley, How long were you in Chad? Just curious.

[Cindy Rafferty]

As a Mother of a leftie, it's certainly been interesting! I bought the "wrong" baseball glove for my son the first time. Now that he's 10, we just got him his first set of golf clubs, junior lefties. Shiny and new, they're beauties, but cannot be "handed down" to my younger guy, he's a righty!

They say left handed people are artistic and creative. This is certainly true of my son, he's been drawing wonderful pictures since he was three, and is a good creative writer. You guys are lucky in so many ways!
And...I believe it runs in families. My mother-in-law is left handed, and so are two of her sons (thought not my husband).

[KValley]

Originally posted by jazzcat:
KValley, How long were you in Chad? Just curious.

jazzcat- 4 months. It was to have been 2 years, but a grenade going off in our apartment building and a strike at our respective schools (DH and I went as newlyweds) were strong indicators that it was the wrong time to be there and a bit much to ask of a young marriage.

I could write a book on this experience-perhaps someday I will, but it would be WAAAY off topic for the BB! Suffice it to say, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Julie

[tovie]

Okay, I just looked at all my potholders and they're for either hand. I didn't have any that were hand specific, which is a good thing, I suppose, since I'm both handed. About the only thing I don't do is write with my left hand. I've never been able to remember which is left and which is right, and the only way I can is to say I write with my right hand.

KValley, I thought your comments about the chopsticks were interesting. I didn't know they didn't let the kids be left handed. I can use chopsticks with either hand and every couple years I take a pot of rice and a bag of chopsticks to church and teach all the kids, right handed or left handed, how to use them.