Frank H. DeMars

Yesterday we looked at Frank H. DeMars’ postcards. Today, I’d like to share two more charming photos from his collection, from the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. The subject was Anse Barnes, the left-handed fiddler of Sandy Brook. The year was 1895.

I have a great affection for left-handed people. I’m right-handed but I’ve always been surrounded by lefties. Last year, I conducted a little experiment by doing everything with my left hand for a few days. If I forgot and used my right hand, I made myself go back and redo whatever it was with my left. I’m not coordinated enough to ever become ambidextrous but my goal was to disrupt my thinking. So much of what we do is automatic and with no conscious thought. Using your non-dominant hand requires you to think because everything is harder. One interesting side effect of this experiment was that my text messages got much more concise!