Lefty Me

Just read an article on left-handed people and it arouses in me much interest and memories. You see, I am a lefty too. If you know me, you would probably realize that I am a lefty only when I use the scissors, play badminton or use an electric drill. Reason is because I write with my right hand. A feat “forced” out of me because my dad used to cane me whenever I used my left hand to write.

Well, this world had designed products, devices and gadgets for the right-handed. Camcorder, camera, scissors, guitar … talking about guitar, I was always the slower learner in class not knowing why. Another is the rifle. Being in NS, I remember I had to always remember to draw this thing called a “Deflector” whenever I go for shooting practices. Without the Deflector, lefties will have the hot shells come crashing into our face.

The article also talks about how the industrial assembly lines are designed for right handed people. No wonder when I set up one few years back in my ex-company, I am the only one who seems to enjoy teaching people how the process should go. I am an Engineer and I do product design. I wonder how many products will turn out to be in favour of lefties in the near future.

And do you know that some of the famous lefties in history include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Ludwig van Beethoven, Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin. Not bad huh!!

The World Cup and I.

I have no love for soccer and thus, no enthusiasm for the coming World Cup. The other day, a friend asked me if I watched the “whatever team against whatever team” match the night before, I was put in a dilemma of whether to tell him the “unacceptable” truth of me not interested in World Cup or to just simply say “No”.

“Unacceptable” because, it is like a social norm that boys … or rather guys … ok,ok men, to be interested in the World Cup and if you are not, you must be some kind of a freak. I had tried to embrace the sport in the past but it simply bores me and so I stopped trying. I had also put in efforts to try play the game, and in the entire 90mins game, I probably come in contact with the ball not more than 10 times (with 5 times being hit by it). And when I finally had the ball under my foot, I will be so uptight I simply ramp it with maximum force, in an unknown direction.

Now it is the season again: The World Cup Fever. Everyone will be talking about Ronaldo and David Beckham and Francesco Totti (yes I did my research on the internet to get those names) and I will be among them trying to “catch some (soccer) balls”. (speaking of which ... maybe I will make an excellent ball-picker.)