Tuesday, October 25, 2011

It's not easy being left-handed...

My first experience with left-handed discrimination occurred at an early age. Since my mother wasn't much of a baseball aficionado, she taught me how to hold the bat the same way she did - right-handed. At some later point in time it became apparent I was left-handed and should be swinging from the other side of the plate. But by that time it was too late to change. My mom, who later became quite knowledgeable about baseball, always blamed herself for my inability to hit well enough to succeed in the big leagues.

 The next recollection of left-handed discrimination was when my 1st grade teacher forced me to conform to traditional penmanship style - resulting in the contorted writing form most left-handers adopt.





As I moved in to High School I also had to contend with desks designed for right-handers. Not a single fricking desk with the arm on the left side. 

Let's face it. The world is pretty much designed for right-handed people!!!



 And the discrimination continues...

Every time I fire up my edger I think - why in the H E double tooth picks can't they make a left-handed weed whacker? You righties hold the trimmer in your right hand and the clockwise motion of the head slings the debris away from you. We lefties hold it in our left hand (at least we'd like to) and as a result, we get pummeled by grass, dirt, gravel, etc. shot out ankle high. Not only is it irritating, it's down-right painful. I've come away with some pretty serious dings and cuts from trimming in "rough" areas.

Seems like some equipment manufacturer would recognize the problem and do something about it. But then again, I thought the same thing about the desks in High School.

The solution, of course, is NOT to hold the trimmer in my left hand. But just like a baseball bat - it's hard to change old habits.


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