I decided at work today that I want to be ambidextrous. As it is, I use my left hand for some things - cutting with scissors, holding my fork, and until recently, wearing my watch - but I want to write left handed. I think it’d be incredibly practical. It’s not like I write to write two things at once, but I want to be able to jot something down with my southpaw in case of right hand incapacitation. So I set out to do it. I’m going to be a lefty.

When was the last time you really thought about how you write? I mean, stopped and thought about each letter, each stroke of the pen. It’s been a while since I have, and wow, writing isn’t easy.

I don’t remember how I learned to write. I do remember using an incredibly big pencil and tracing, but that’s it. Have you considered the fine muscle control needed to make such little, straight lines? Being able to look at the point on paper and hit it with you pen? Not easy. And the motion of moving the pen slightly to the side is a lot more work than it seems.

I’m determined. Line by line, letter by letter. Capitals first. I’m going to do it. But I think I may be going about it slightly wrong. I have a fairly defined handwriting with my right hand, and the course of action I’m trying to use has me mimicking that style with my left. Maybe that’s wrong. Lefties seems to all have fairly similar writing styles, so perhaps instead of trying to copy I should start over. I could go to a bookstore and buy a writing lesson book for kids and start there. What of my right, though? Can my brain really handle two sets of instructions for the same task? Perhaps. I guess we’ll see.

I would scan my first page of letters and post it, but I’m embarassed. I wrote better right-handed with a split than I can lefty right now. Maybe later.