I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the sole
exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I attribute it
to beginning piano lessons at age 4½ and continuing them through college.

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem to be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitchen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their right
or left dominance.

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?

--
Wayne in Phoenix

If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.

Wayne wrote:

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem to be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitchen.

I'm ambi in many things, but not kitchen things. I feel more
comfortable doing it with my left (dominant) hand, and that's the
important thing for me.

--
'Tis Herself

(Elana Kehoe) wrote in
:

Wayne wrote:

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem
to be ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in
the kitchen.

I'm ambi in many things, but not kitchen things. I feel more
comfortable doing it with my left (dominant) hand, and that's the
important thing for me.


Feeling comfortable and confident in what you're doing is the most
important. The whole thing of being ambi in the kitchen never really
crossed my mind until observed me cooking and commented. That's when I got
curious.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.

Duh'Wayne

I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the sole
exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I attribute it
to beginning piano lessons at age 4½ and continuing them through college.

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem to be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitchen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their right
or left dominance.

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?

Hmmm, another with which hand do you masturbate troll...


---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

"Wayne" wrote in message
...
: I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the
sole
: exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I
attribute it
: to beginning piano lessons at age 4½ and continuing them
through college.
:
: Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking
also seem to be
: ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in
the kitchen.
:
: Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by
their right
: or left dominance.
:
: Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?
: --
: Wayne in Phoenix
:=============

I'm agreeing with you! I fully believe the piano helped in the
ambi... , too. I definitely think foodies/cooks have an
ambi-edge over non-cooks due to the fact that there are so many
things that require 2 (or more) hands to cook/prepare food
efficiently.

Good topic Wayne!

--
Cyndi
Remove a "b" to reply

Wayne wrote:

I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the sole
exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I attribute =
it
to beginning piano lessons at age 4=BD and continuing them through coll=
ege.

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem t=
o be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitc=
hen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their r=
ight
or left dominance.

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?

I write right handed, but can also write legibly with my left hand. I pl=
ay
guitar and throw balls right handed, but I paddle a canoe, swing a baseba=
ll bat
and ax left handed. When cooking, I can switch hands with most chores, =
but
for fine cutting, beating or whisking by hand I would do it right handed.=

Wayne wrote:
I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the sole
exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I attribute it
to beginning piano lessons at age 4½ and continuing them through college.

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem to be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitchen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their right
or left dominance.

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?


What an interesting question. I'm right handed and remain so in the
kitchen. I've never noticed others but will have a look for now on.


There's another point about handedness that should be brought up,
though, and that's overall dexterity and clumsiness. Ambidexturous just
means equally good with either hand or close to it. There are people
who are dominant right handed meaning that they're better with their
rights but overall quite clumsy with both. There are people who are
dominant right handed but excellent all round with fine motor work and
overall coordination. That person might be better with his left than
the first guy with his right though they're both right handed.


Then there's something called "task specific." That person isn't really
right handed or left handed or ambidexturous. He's someone who sees one
task like writing or sewing or ball throwing or pot stirring or basket
shooting or guitar strumming and knows immediately which hand will be
best at it, then continues to use that hand. He might write with his
left and feel totally awkward holding pencil in his right. He might sew
with his right and feel just as awkward holding a needle in his left.


--Lia

On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 06:30:20 GMT, Wayne wrote:

I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the sole
exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I attribute it
to beginning piano lessons at age 4½ and continuing them through college.

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem to be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitchen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their right
or left dominance.

Can you give an example of what you mean? I've never seen anyone who
can't use both hands while cooking. Even if one prefers to hold the
knife with the dominant hand, the other hand holds the vegetable.
How would being ambidextrous help? What is "almost crippled" in this
context?

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Wayne wrote:
Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem
to be ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in
the kitchen.

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?

I don't know about most foodies/cooks. I'm definitely not ambidextrous when
it comes to writing. But I can sure type fast with both hands Now, as
to my cooking, I chop with the right hand (being right handed) but reach for
other things with my left. Example: stir fry or making a sauce - the right
hand is busy with a whisk or a spoon or other implement, the left hand is
reaching for whatever ingredient is next. It all works out

Jill

In article ,
says...
I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the sole
exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I attribute it
to beginning piano lessons at age 4? and continuing them through college.

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem to be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitchen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their right
or left dominance.

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?


I'm left-dominant, which is to say, I write and eat with my left hand,
but do most other things with my right hand.

In the kitchen, I seem to switch off depending on what I'm doing. If I'm
slicing and dicing, the knife is in my left hand; if I'm peeling, the
peeler is in my right hand.

I think people who enjoy cooking (or really any activity requiring the
almost constant use of both hands) will generally adapt to the use of
both hands.
--
Donna
A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist hopes they are.

One dark day on Usenet, Wayne said:

snip

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem to be
ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in the kitchen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their right
or left dominance.

Which are you?

I'm completely right-handed, with the exception of playing golf. Weird.

What do you think most foodies/cooks are?

I can only guess, but as right-handers usually outnumber lefties, I'd
say most are the former...


--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
(COLD to HOT for e-mail)
"Why do my knees feel like the wanna tear up?"
- Carl, ATHF

I'm left handed, but do most other things with my right hand. When I started
using a computer mouse, I made it a point to use my right hand for the mouse so
it would leave my left hand free to write. Most people, I think, set their
mouse up to use with their dominant hand.

As far as cooking goes, I am quite ambidextrous, but I think part of that is
due to the fact that many kitchen items such as a hand operated can opener are
made to be used with the right hand. I know they make left handed can openers,
but I've never seen one and probably wouldn't be able to use it as well as I
can a right handed can opener. And I do use my left hand when working with
knives or cleavers.

Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man

"The likelihood of one individual being correct increases in a direct
proportion to the intensity with which others try to prove him wrong"
James Mason from the movie "Heaven Can Wait".

Wayne wrote:

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?

I think most efficient cooks use both hands. I'm pretty ambi, but
writing and cutting I do with my right. Actually, with some arthritis
coming on, my left hand has improved with practise. I also had years of
piano lessons.
The first time I ever saw a master of anything at work was in a kitchen.
Robbie could walk the length of the kitchen and accomplish more than
three underlings running around for 5 minutes. He was a joy to watch.
blacksalt

Wayne writes:

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?

Dunno about foodies, but I became ambi when I suffered ongoing right shoulder
problems after a fall. I had to leard to do a LOT of things left handed, and
now that the shoulder's better, I really like being able to do so.

Connie
************************************************** ***
My mind is like a steel...um, whatchamacallit.

Julia Altshuler wrote in
newsZxFc.2119$JR4.934@attbi_s54:

Wayne wrote:
I've gone through life almost completely ambidextrous with the sole
exception of handwriting. Neither of my parents were, but I
attribute it to beginning piano lessons at age 4½ and continuing them
through college.

Most people I know who do any significant amount of cooking also seem
to be ambidextrous, at least as pertains to functions and motions in
the kitchen.

Other people I know who don't cook much seem almost crippled by their
right or left dominance.

Which are you? What do you think most foodies/cooks are?


What an interesting question. I'm right handed and remain so in the
kitchen. I've never noticed others but will have a look for now on.


There's another point about handedness that should be brought up,
though, and that's overall dexterity and clumsiness. Ambidexturous
just means equally good with either hand or close to it. There are
people who are dominant right handed meaning that they're better with
their rights but overall quite clumsy with both. There are people who
are dominant right handed but excellent all round with fine motor work
and overall coordination. That person might be better with his left
than the first guy with his right though they're both right handed.

You're absolutely right, but there are also people who are virtually
helpless with their non-dominant hand. The best they can do with it is
hold a bowl.

Then there's something called "task specific." That person isn't
really right handed or left handed or ambidexturous. He's someone who
sees one task like writing or sewing or ball throwing or pot stirring
or basket shooting or guitar strumming and knows immediately which
hand will be best at it, then continues to use that hand. He might
write with his left and feel totally awkward holding pencil in his
right. He might sew with his right and feel just as awkward holding a
needle in his left.

Right again. The more I observe (even myself) and the more I think about
it, probably most people that are relatively active with their hands are
"task specific".

--Lia





--
Wayne in Phoenix

If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.