Six Odd Things #2: Besteck

[muckefuck]

#2: I employ silverware like a reverse European

I wouldn't've known this about myself if e. hadn't pointed it out one day during a family meal. For those of you wondering what I'm talking about: Europeans tend to keep knife in one hand and fork in another. They don't switch hands, as most Americans do; they cut as they go and they don't rest their cutting hand in their lap when not in use. I'm left-handed, though, so whereas most Europeans would have the knife in the right hand, I hold mine in my left.

What I find oddest about this is that I have no idea how and why I picked it up. It's true, I did live in Europe for a while, but I almost never dined out in anything resembling a formal setting. There are European customs I adopted deliberately during my stay, like writing the date day-month-year or starting with the thumb when counting on my fingers, both of which I do to this day. But this wasn't one of them.

Both my younger siblings have also spent a considerable chunk of time in Europe and/or dining with Europeans, but my sister (who was once engaged ot a Spaniard) still eats like an American. My left-handed brother (who actually married a Spaniard) also uses knife and fork like a European, but a right-handed one. Now that's just plain weird.

Comments

[teapot-farm.livejournal.com]

I eat like a left-handed European, despite being right-handed - my mum is left-handed so I think she always laid the table that way, though she swears not. I had to think about the counting though. If I'm just using one hand for counting (ie, stick out digit a for 'one', digit b for 'two') then I start with the thumb; if I'm pointing to the digits with the other hand, I'll start on the thumb for large numbers but on the index finger for numbers less than five.
Well, if you willl bring these things up...

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

Part of the reason for doing this series is to demonstrate that I'm not half as weird-ass as the people on my Friends list.