Both Hands on Deck

My last couple of days have been spent wallpapering and painting our soon to be master bedroom with ensuite.  The repetitive nature of the jobs gave my brain an opportunity to wander.  Conversations with my hands ensued as I encouraged my right hand to teach my left hand to do her usual tasks.  In my yoga practice and with the juggling sessions, my left hand manages to meet all expectations - keeping me balanced and even.  Why not share the load?  So I load the brush just as I like it with my right hand: not overdipped up to the ferrell, just a wee dip with paint loaded on both sides of the brush, with enough paint to dab onto my wall without dripping and without scraping on the side of the tin.  Leftie takes this perfectly loaded brush only to show how clumsy she can make painting look.  This is uncharacteristic of the left hand I’ve come to rely on.  Rightie is obviously not teaching very well. 

So I take back the brush, reload and pause to observe how my right hand is holding the brush.  Okay so it’s a completely different grip to how I made my left hand tackle the job.  Let’s give leftie another chance to shine.  Take a detailed mental note of where my fingertips are, how curved is my hand, is my wrist relaxed.  Secure this picture and pass the brush, baby, leftie is having another go.  For a start my hand feels way more comfortable and in control than before.  Let’s get to work.

I’m brush painting over an embossed wallpaper called Anaglypta.  This one is in the style of pressed tin tiles.  I’ve hung it before in the house as the backdrop to a free-standing gas fire; painted it glossy black.  Looks great.  I’m not going for black in the bedroom.  Half Copyrite by Resene.  

I’m back in front of the wall with leftie poised ready to paint.  I dab a blob on the tile above, then dab on the tile below with the other side of the brush - just as rightie would have done.  I’ve now made two paint reservoirs to refer back to as the paint thins out.  Staying with the lower tile, start the small circular motions spreading the paint around and upwards.  The paper with its ridges demand attention.  The upward strokes lead the brush to the second reservoir and allow for larger, longer strokes with the brush over both of the loaded tiles.  The circles and the straight strokes are both movements that my left hand and arm can do beautifully when the boss of my right hand concentrates and mentally sends mimicking instructions.    I realise my left hand and arm get tired more quickly than my right and that without me even noticing  - rightie steps in quite naturally and takes over.   I’ve got this system in place to balance my own workspace and rightie’s sneaking in there being dominant and leftie is letting her.

Focus!  I place the step ladder with the paint can in front on it’s own little ledge, square to the wall about three tiles in from the corner on my left.  Standing in position, leftie has to do her job.  There can be some job sharing in the middle, then right can do a row of tiles, but not too many.  I move the step ladder along making sure left has plenty to paint.  

Ambidextriousness is not new to me.  During my welding years I was a qualified, ambidextrious ASME IX welder.  Imagine welding pipe on a 45 degree angle, one side works well, the other you have to be twisted upsidedown to perform the same two handed task.  I thank Scott and Patti my juggling teachers. Having two left handed parents may have something in there as well.  They were of the era that society believed lefthandedness was the sign of the devil so were made to write with their right hand.  The power of our brains!   

Give your non dominant hand an opportunity to shine occasionally, but be sure to have your “dominant hand teacher” hat on.  I’m sure it’s good for the brain and it passes the time.