Did you know that today, August 13th 2007, is International Left handers Day? Yes I’m a lefty, a southpaw, a port sider, a sinister being and I’m in my right mind and proud of it!

I actually wish I’d been aware of this special day earlier as I would have let all my fellow lefties know.

Many lefties suffer in silence most of their lives living in a right handed world. Today we rejoice!

We often have to become quite ambidextrous in order to survive. I mean, if we use a computer in our work place or in a public library or internet cafe it’s set up for right handed people. Can openers, scissors, gardening equipment such as pruners and so many things are made mainly for right handed people. Sure – in some cases we can get left handed versions, but not always, so we must adapt. Plus buying items that are made only for left handed people can be expensive too.

Throughout school I always had teachers come and try to turn the angle of my paper to a right handed angle (which is to the left). Uh … if you want to read what I wrote on a drastic slant to the left sure … otherwise leave the paper that I turned at a right angle alone!

I also always had ink on the pinky side of my hand when I’d come home from school. Now, as an adult that still happens occasionally, but I use better pens with faster drying ink or perhaps my technique has improved as I don’t have a messy left hand quite as often unless I’ve been writing a lot.

My husband has been pretty good about my being a lefty. The only scissors we have in our home are for lefties and we have can openers, veggie peelers and serrated knives that are sharp on both sides so they are easy for both of us to use. I guess you could say that he probably knows better than some what a left handed person has to go through since our house has a lot of things set up for my ease of use and he’s the one who has to adapt.

I like being a lefty though, even though it hasn’t always been easy.

We’re said to have a tendency to be more creative and I believe that I am a fairly creative person.

There are also quite a few genius lefties – perhaps some lefties are smarter because of all the adaptions we have to make in this right handed world. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this, but I’ve had my IQ tested a few times and it’s in the genius level at 163. (blush). If you want to find out if your a genius you can take this Mensa Quiz for high IQ geniuses. The top of the Mensa Quiz has some interesting facts about lefties and intelligence. Apparently in a test conducted by researchers there were more lefties with IQ’s over 140 (genius level) than right handers.

I also am in quite good company with fellow lefties. Here’s a list of famous left handers. I bet you didn’t know that some of those people were lefties did ya?

Unfortunately lefties also seem to be prone to some disorders that aren’t particularly nice ones such as Crohn’s disease and autoimmune disorders …. hmmm that’s me too. Darn!

How many of my fellow readers are lefties too? I should add a poll thingy to this post to find out. Perhaps I’ll do that later.

Challenge for my Right Handed Readers:

Right handed readers … want to know what it’s like being a lefty? Why don’t you try doing everything that you would normally do with your right hand for just one hour. Try to cut something with a sharp serrated knife (don’t cut yourself please, and notice that most serrated knifes are only serrated on one side! the wrong side for most lefties), try using scissors (don’t get blisters!), open a tin of food, try to write or draw with your left hand and try using your computer mouse with your left hand. Report back to this post as to how you did. I’m curious. I’d also be curious if you lasted the whole hour.

I wonder how long it will take Mr. Fab to come along and say something interesting about my being a lefty.