Second, this is the second time I’ve come across someone who can write with both hands simultaneously. In grad school, a patient of mine was one of the richest men in UK. He came to the Cleveland Clinic to get hearing aids. He noticed I was left handed and I told the short story of how my grandfather believed I should have my hand tied behind my back to learn correctly with my right. While my parents didn’t allow it, my patient explained that is exactly what happened to his father in grade school. His father, however, continued to write with his left hand at home while the nuns didn’t allow it in the classroom. Before he knew it, he could write with both hands, perfect cursive, different words. His father would write letters this way as it took him half the time! It is a skill I’ve occasionally practiced but am no where close to proficient.
Your practice of numbers with one hand and letters with the other is brilliant! One I’m going to start trying!
Thanks Kyle! I’m fairly certain my mom tied my left arm down when I was little, but I didn’t want to write that explicitly in the post, LOL!!
The left handed and simultaneous writing are really interesting experiments. I can’t describe how in any way, and there’s a chance I’m imagining it, but after practicing them consistently for just a little while I think I can actually feel a difference in my mind! It’s wild!!
The desk set up is fairly new, in my rearranged library/study. It’s working out better that I’d hoped! I appreciate you brother!!
I felt the same thing when I broke my right shoulder and then had surgery immobilizing that arm for several months. I’m fine motor left hand and gross motor right. I began having to use my left arm for everything and become quite adept pretty quick while noticing other related benefits mentally. Fascinating consideration and worthwhile pursuit to practice outside of necessity.
The latin word “sinister” meaning left is also used to mean evil. People actually believed that left-handedness was a sign of the devil, and made the lives of lefties miserable to “save” them. Beware the paradigms we use. They can do great harm!
It takes me back to my childhood. I was predominantly right handed. About the sixth grade, i thought I should practice with my left hand both art and writing, just in case I broke my rìght arm. I did this for about two weeks, which wasn't enough time to get very good at it. As fate would have it, I threw a water logged baseball as hard as I could and my right arm snapped just below the shoulder. I got the opportunity to practice writing and drawing with my left hand for another six weeks.
I have been told by others that I do certain things left handed, but I am completely unaware of it. This time period was probably the beginning of ambidexterity for me.
I agree that life is as much about learning and growing as photography and writing is. Hopefully we gain in wisdom, understanding, and empathy so that we have something that we can pass on to others.
Woah, that injury sounds painful but also weirdly serendipitous!! And I wholly agree that crafting our lives as skillfully as we can is for the ultimate goal of sharing our insights for the benefit of others. Great point!
My favorite writer EB White, sitting in his little spare writing shed overlooking the bay near his Maine farm, would approve of your setup, Erik!
“You do not rise to the occasion, it is said, but fall back to the level of your training”, is profoundly true. The virtue of “arete” as the pursuit of excellence by diligent practice is for me one of the best prescriptions for an interesting and productive life.
When I was learning how to write, I learned both cursive and printing. Somehow and I am not sure why, I no longer write in cursive but print my words. My husband writes in cursive. I cannot read his writing either.
As for what I am training for today, that is a good question. This year, in 2026, I just want to be healthy enough to get outside and do those activities that I want to do. Last year, I had a knee injury to contend with. Nothing serious but just enough to curtail my adventures. I decided that as I get older, I rather not look too far ahead and focus on moving each day.
It’s a shame they don’t teach cursive in schools anymore! I learned it once upon a time. Then I had a period of writing in tiny all caps before I settled on this slanted print version of writing. Weird!
Movement definitely crosses domains. We can use it to ‘train’ for bigger physical goals, but we can also practice movement, especially in a mindful way, to build more efficient movement patterns. I’ve had to work to overcome a knee injury, too. Keep at it Jenn, even the recovery is a worthwhile process!
Very cool look at your process, Erik. My writing desk has become aspirational. I have one, but over time I start to hate it....then I return...then work elsewhere....then return.
I actually do write in a variety of settings, but this desk has become a refuge this winter. That will likely change when the weather gets nicer! Thanks Jesse!
Erik, a gosh, you have a special brain to make it with both hands at the same time.
I have been interested in photography, nature, and the landscape for five decades, and understanding the many personalities of light is so important. I remember many years when photographing with a friend out west, when we both shot with film, learning to recognize a type of light, which we called Magic Light, where we would shoot with (Fuji Velvia 50) at f-22 aperture and a 1-second exposure, and the results were exquisite!
That sounds incredible! I shot film, developed it, and made my own prints in a class in high school. There’s a lot to be said for a non-digital approach to the art. I shot a roll of film this past August, but haven’t gotten over the hurdle of having it developed yet.
I used to spend a lot of time and money at my local photo lab. It was a watering hole for photographers. Digital photography came along, and we became digital hermits.
Fascinating stuff you covered in this piece. I love that you're practicing handwriting. I know which hand I write with and I still don't know if I could write a full paragraph cursive anymore. I haven't done it since junior high school!
What am I practicing lately? Great question....maybe staying alive?? It's not going well 🤣
I did buy some craft paints the other day so I'm about to start experimenting. Stay tuned!
Hey, craft painting is good! Practicing as a skill builds competency, obviously, but as a practice it can help develop new pathways in the brain and expand our thinking. That’s the reason I like to write by hand as much as possible!
First of all, your desk set up is awesome.
Second, this is the second time I’ve come across someone who can write with both hands simultaneously. In grad school, a patient of mine was one of the richest men in UK. He came to the Cleveland Clinic to get hearing aids. He noticed I was left handed and I told the short story of how my grandfather believed I should have my hand tied behind my back to learn correctly with my right. While my parents didn’t allow it, my patient explained that is exactly what happened to his father in grade school. His father, however, continued to write with his left hand at home while the nuns didn’t allow it in the classroom. Before he knew it, he could write with both hands, perfect cursive, different words. His father would write letters this way as it took him half the time! It is a skill I’ve occasionally practiced but am no where close to proficient.
Your practice of numbers with one hand and letters with the other is brilliant! One I’m going to start trying!
Another outstanding post brother.
Thanks Kyle! I’m fairly certain my mom tied my left arm down when I was little, but I didn’t want to write that explicitly in the post, LOL!!
The left handed and simultaneous writing are really interesting experiments. I can’t describe how in any way, and there’s a chance I’m imagining it, but after practicing them consistently for just a little while I think I can actually feel a difference in my mind! It’s wild!!
The desk set up is fairly new, in my rearranged library/study. It’s working out better that I’d hoped! I appreciate you brother!!
Hahaha go Mama Hogan! While I appreciate the sentiment of my parents not tying my arm, the older me kind of wishes they did now.
I felt the same thing when I broke my right shoulder and then had surgery immobilizing that arm for several months. I’m fine motor left hand and gross motor right. I began having to use my left arm for everything and become quite adept pretty quick while noticing other related benefits mentally. Fascinating consideration and worthwhile pursuit to practice outside of necessity.
The latin word “sinister” meaning left is also used to mean evil. People actually believed that left-handedness was a sign of the devil, and made the lives of lefties miserable to “save” them. Beware the paradigms we use. They can do great harm!
Interesting post@
It takes me back to my childhood. I was predominantly right handed. About the sixth grade, i thought I should practice with my left hand both art and writing, just in case I broke my rìght arm. I did this for about two weeks, which wasn't enough time to get very good at it. As fate would have it, I threw a water logged baseball as hard as I could and my right arm snapped just below the shoulder. I got the opportunity to practice writing and drawing with my left hand for another six weeks.
I have been told by others that I do certain things left handed, but I am completely unaware of it. This time period was probably the beginning of ambidexterity for me.
I agree that life is as much about learning and growing as photography and writing is. Hopefully we gain in wisdom, understanding, and empathy so that we have something that we can pass on to others.
Woah, that injury sounds painful but also weirdly serendipitous!! And I wholly agree that crafting our lives as skillfully as we can is for the ultimate goal of sharing our insights for the benefit of others. Great point!
My favorite writer EB White, sitting in his little spare writing shed overlooking the bay near his Maine farm, would approve of your setup, Erik!
“You do not rise to the occasion, it is said, but fall back to the level of your training”, is profoundly true. The virtue of “arete” as the pursuit of excellence by diligent practice is for me one of the best prescriptions for an interesting and productive life.
I’m right there with you on that Baird!
Great reflection, Erik. Lot to think about here — I love it.
Also, I might need to get photos of everyone’s writing desks for my next “observing” section of a ploughmans lunch!
Haha! That would be interesting to see, for sure!
When I was learning how to write, I learned both cursive and printing. Somehow and I am not sure why, I no longer write in cursive but print my words. My husband writes in cursive. I cannot read his writing either.
As for what I am training for today, that is a good question. This year, in 2026, I just want to be healthy enough to get outside and do those activities that I want to do. Last year, I had a knee injury to contend with. Nothing serious but just enough to curtail my adventures. I decided that as I get older, I rather not look too far ahead and focus on moving each day.
It’s a shame they don’t teach cursive in schools anymore! I learned it once upon a time. Then I had a period of writing in tiny all caps before I settled on this slanted print version of writing. Weird!
Movement definitely crosses domains. We can use it to ‘train’ for bigger physical goals, but we can also practice movement, especially in a mindful way, to build more efficient movement patterns. I’ve had to work to overcome a knee injury, too. Keep at it Jenn, even the recovery is a worthwhile process!
I want to hike more so I have motivation to get my knee working again.
Very cool look at your process, Erik. My writing desk has become aspirational. I have one, but over time I start to hate it....then I return...then work elsewhere....then return.
I actually do write in a variety of settings, but this desk has become a refuge this winter. That will likely change when the weather gets nicer! Thanks Jesse!
Erik, a gosh, you have a special brain to make it with both hands at the same time.
I have been interested in photography, nature, and the landscape for five decades, and understanding the many personalities of light is so important. I remember many years when photographing with a friend out west, when we both shot with film, learning to recognize a type of light, which we called Magic Light, where we would shoot with (Fuji Velvia 50) at f-22 aperture and a 1-second exposure, and the results were exquisite!
That sounds incredible! I shot film, developed it, and made my own prints in a class in high school. There’s a lot to be said for a non-digital approach to the art. I shot a roll of film this past August, but haven’t gotten over the hurdle of having it developed yet.
I used to spend a lot of time and money at my local photo lab. It was a watering hole for photographers. Digital photography came along, and we became digital hermits.
Fascinating stuff you covered in this piece. I love that you're practicing handwriting. I know which hand I write with and I still don't know if I could write a full paragraph cursive anymore. I haven't done it since junior high school!
What am I practicing lately? Great question....maybe staying alive?? It's not going well 🤣
I did buy some craft paints the other day so I'm about to start experimenting. Stay tuned!
Hey, craft painting is good! Practicing as a skill builds competency, obviously, but as a practice it can help develop new pathways in the brain and expand our thinking. That’s the reason I like to write by hand as much as possible!
And the older we get, the more competency we'll be searching for lol.