the habit of changing habits
Aug. 26th, 2010 02:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
guslAlthough I am a creature of habit for some things, sometimes I am just the opposite.
The entrance to the Stats building has rotating doors that are supposed to rotate counter-clockwise. The handle placement indicates this. However, today, coming back from lunch with 3 colleagues, instead of pushing the handle, I pulled, leading to a successful clockwise entrance. It shocked everyone that this worked, and then security approached me as if I were an immediate threat. (Possible explanations: I haven't formed any habits yet; I guess I'm more fond of going clockwise; pulling is less effort than pushing)
I generally like trying to do all kinds of things while my body is constrained (e.g. one hand is busy or I'm sitting down or holding something big), often leading to kinematic states that are completely novel, or at least that I've never been in before. It's probably good that I'm exercising my motor cortex this way, but I just do it because I enjoy the challenge and awkwardness.
Also: My toes are quite dexterous (which I inherited from my father), and I've also been pleased with my past ability to haul big things on a bike, despite not having any racks or trays. I generally try to be ambidextrous.
The entrance to the Stats building has rotating doors that are supposed to rotate counter-clockwise. The handle placement indicates this. However, today, coming back from lunch with 3 colleagues, instead of pushing the handle, I pulled, leading to a successful clockwise entrance. It shocked everyone that this worked, and then security approached me as if I were an immediate threat. (Possible explanations: I haven't formed any habits yet; I guess I'm more fond of going clockwise; pulling is less effort than pushing)
I generally like trying to do all kinds of things while my body is constrained (e.g. one hand is busy or I'm sitting down or holding something big), often leading to kinematic states that are completely novel, or at least that I've never been in before. It's probably good that I'm exercising my motor cortex this way, but I just do it because I enjoy the challenge and awkwardness.
Also: My toes are quite dexterous (which I inherited from my father), and I've also been pleased with my past ability to haul big things on a bike, despite not having any racks or trays. I generally try to be ambidextrous.