"Geekman, why are you carrying all the heaviest shopping bags with your left hand?" Sudden suspicion dawns. "You don't always do that, do you? Deliberately?"
"Yes, of course."
"Because being right-handed means your left arm is naturally a bit weaker than your right? And you think this will eventually make it catch up?"
"Yes. It's perfectly logical."
I start laughing. He looks irritated. "It is logical."
"I know it is. But it's still funny."
"I don't see why!"
"I'll tell the internet," I threaten. "And they'll take my side. They'll help me laugh at you."
"That's only because they don't THINK."
Saturday, March 24, 2007
For physicists, symmetry is everything
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27 Comments:
You do realise that this is a perfect excuse to always load geekman up with the heaviest things when you go anywhere! :) No more carrying heavy bags for you.
He's right. I do that all the time, too. :P
Only as long as they are in his left hand, clair.
And Ben, you have to take my side in this, or you aren't allowed to comment :) (Are you a physicist too, because I bet that would explain it.)
And yet, according to Styleygeek, her going to the gym to lift heavy weights is entirely rational, because that's time she's put aside specifically to lift things. The idea of training muscles outside this window is "just wrong."
See what I have to put with? See?
Anyway, she'll end up all lopsided, and then everyone will stop laughing at me and turn on her. Oh yes.
Geekman wanders off, muttering things like "Vindication will be mine!" and "Good thing one of us is rational" under his breath.
Do we have any evidence that geekman's left hand/arm has been strengthened by this? I would like to see pre- and post-testing please, double-blind studies, with a control group. It seems to me if this were plausible, it would have worked already and the left arm would be strong and equal bags would now be necessary.
And, umm.... we don't *think*? At least our Borders aren't being taken away cuz we're too busy lifting things to buy and read books! :)
I always carry most of the bags in my left hand (also a rightie) because that way, when I need to do things like unlock the door, I don't need to put all the bags down.
I don't think.
Right, so Geekman was obviously referring to Anastasia, and not the rest of you.
And Wolfa, you clearly think too much.
Shrinky, you're making me sad again. I'm trying to forget I heard that news.
OK, sorry styleygeek but I'm with geekman on this - I do it as well. But wait! I can't lift much with my right arm due to rsi so I have to do all the heavy lifting with my left.
Am I a physicist? Nah! Chemists but that is probably close enough!
I'm just glad to see I'm not the only one who says "I'll blog about it and everyone will think I'm right too!"
Well it *is* perfectly logical.
(But then again, I'm a physicist)
Can I laugh, a lot, and still agree with Geekman?
I'm a ling major and I agree entirely with Geekman: "Let the world be you gym"
I'll put my vote in with Geekman too - I know quite a lot of people who do this, not all are physicists but most have a solid basis in it (actually, most are mechatronic engineers which is close enough to physics as makes no difference to anyone but them)
Are they really closing Borders? That stinks!
All right. I give up. I'm the freak :)
Miss M. All I know is that Shrinkykitten said on her blog yesterday that she had read an article in the newspaper saying they were closing all Australian and NZ branches of Borders. Let's hope it was wrong.
Oh, and I like Geeka's rationale the best.
(Just to explain my own stance, although I had thought it was perfectly obvious, I carry the heaviest bags in my RIGHT hand, BECAUSE my right hand is stronger, and therefore it is easier. I'm not so much into personal development when I am doing my shopping.)
I say Geekman is in the right. Left for the win.
Personally, I constantly swap hands.
It seems the best option.
I tend to switch hands (when each arm becomes tired), but I always do feel smug when I'm carrying heavy things in my left hand, like I'm getting some hard work in.
ok, i see geekman's point, but i agree with styley. i want to make it easier for me, so i use more on the right. but actually, i carry slightly more in the right, but carry in teh left as well. i think it's easier to be balanced while walking with heavy things... so can i be switzerland and sorta neutral?
"Borders said it is exploring strategic alternatives for most of its international unit, including its United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand superstores and Books etc. business. Strategic alternatives often can include a sale of assets."
Herald Sun
^ummm they can't be closing, they *just* opened a mega store in Wellington last week!
(cached from google - dominion post article)
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:DM0-NHpUv4kJ:www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3991758a13.html+borders+books+wellington&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7
^ ugh, tryng again with the link:
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:DM0-NHpUv4kJ:www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3991758a13.html+borders+books+wellington&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7
^I give up. Search for "borders wellington" and "stuff" on google.
Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either. They only opened the branch here a couple of months ago.
Maybe they are just selling to someone else?
I do the same thing.
Lately this behavior is reinforced by my making sure that my stronger arm is unencumbered by anything but my massive spiky keyring of death.
ok, i think geekman is a little freakish to have even thought about this. (but now I'm thinking about it...) i'm a rightie, and i load up the groceries in my right hand, but then i can never open the door to bring them in. every time. and still, i don't think about this.
maybe i'm the freak.
Styley, I think your rationale makes perfect sense, but I myself agree with your hubby on this one. I am left-handed, and therefore carry the heaviest bags in my right hand. And, since I never go to the gym, that is the most weight-lifting that I will ever get.
Talk to me! (You know you want to!)