# So, what hand do you do it with?? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 26, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992 "2002-10-26T15:54:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/21 "2002-10-28T14:57:26Z")
I’m right-handed. I stir with my right hand, in a clockwise motion. However, I find that if I’m holding a glass/mug/etc and swirling the liquid inside (usually, iced tea) I do so with a counter-clockwise motion. hmm. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/22 "2002-10-28T14:58:09Z")
Right-handed. I Stir with my right hand, counter-clockwise. I do everything right-handed but, I have never been able to open bottles, jars etc. with my right hand. My left hand is much stronger for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/23 "2002-10-28T15:55:08Z")
Right-handed. Coffee cup goes in the left hand, right hand stirs. When stirring in a circle, always counter-clockwise, though I occasionally switch directions or go to a back-and-forth motion. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/24 "2002-10-28T16:00:11Z")
I’m right handed, I use my right hand to stir w/ a SPOON (wise guy … heh), **counter** -clockwise, damn it! ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingwithChickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SwimmingwithChickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingwithChickens)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/25 "2002-10-28T16:29:11Z")
Right handed zig-zagger here. I do one or two revolutions clockwise and then I create Z’s until the cream is evenly mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/26 "2002-10-28T17:33:45Z")
Maybe they’re amused by the way you pour the milk. Anyway, here’s an interesting take on the subject - [Nice cup of tea](http://www.booksatoz.com/witsend/tea/orwell.htm) ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/27 "2002-10-28T19:17:45Z")
I stir my tea left-handed and counterclockwise because I’m usually busy masturbating with my right. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/28 "2002-10-28T19:31:49Z")
It would appear that these two motions counteract each other and that’s what keeps me from spinning around naked on a barstool like a helicopter with a busted tailrotor. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/29 "2002-10-29T20:12:41Z")
Looking at the time difference in your posts **lieu** makes one wonder if you went into the kitchen to experiment… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/30 "2002-10-30T11:19:41Z")
As I accidentally said in MPSIMS, now that’s an image I _don’t_ need! 😃 CJ ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/31 "2002-10-30T14:30:33Z")
Right-handed, usually stir clockwise, but I have been known to reverse direction mid-stir, for pretty much the same reasons as **Washte**. Though I’m thinking of investing in one of [these](http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/CGIBIN/PRIAMLNK.CGI?CNO=1&MP=PRDUPD%5EGIN132&WHAT=INFO&CAT=COOL&STNO=ST00799) handy gadgets… stirring one’s coffee by hand? In the 21st century? That’s so passé… ---
**Author:** ![Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulling_the_Strings)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/32 "2002-10-30T18:15:56Z")
I’m right handed, stir with my right hand, and stir counter-clockwise then clockwise. I usually stir counter- for most of the revolutions, then revert to clockwise for 1-2 to keep everything from simply spinning around ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/33 "2002-10-30T23:49:43Z")
I stir my tea RH, CW. I drink my coffee straight. When I mix a drink, it’s RH, CCW, usually with a knife (if it’s a gin&tonic) or my finger tip. When I stir my honey, it’s however she wants it. –Nott ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/34 "2002-10-31T03:24:16Z")
i’m ambi, normally write right, throw either hand, i stir left handed ut not CW or CCW, I stir _back and forth_, several times. I drink coffee, tho, not tea ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/35 "2002-10-31T14:36:22Z")
As if my brain needed any more stimulation, I’ve looked at everyone’s remarks (thanks muchly) and do hereby find the following: You are all a bunch of nutters !! Just kidding. Seriously though, I did get laughed at for my tea making/stirring ability. Perhaps it was the way I poured the milk as **japatlgt** suggested (having a fused wrist does make some things I do most odd to watch)… Nice link BTW. Found it very amusing. Either way, it is interesting to see how others do this simple task. Looking at everyone’s responses, I see that there are approximately: NB: these figures are appoximated as some responses could not be put into an exact category. 6 who are right-handed, stir right-handed, clockwise 3 who are right-handed, stir right-handed, counter-clockwise 4 who are right-handed, stir right-handed in both directions 1 who is right handed, stirs left-handed, counter-clockwise (cos his right hand is busy with more important things 😉 ) 2 who are left-handed, stir right handed, clockwise 1 who is left-handed, stirs right-handed, counter-clockwise 1 who is left-handed, stirs left-handed, counter-clockwise Then there are about 8 of you who are right-handed and stir either back and forth, in a zigzag motion or swirl your drinks in a circular motion (clockwise or counter-clockwise). Thanks **Steve** for the link to all the cool gadgets. My Christmas list is now complete 🙂 I know how **CJ** feels when drinking tea in the States. It still confuses my friends and family that I drink tea with milk and sugar. After my first visit to the UK (before moving here) I went back with 14 boxes of _real_ tea. I introduced my friends to it and got them hooked. Now I send tea care packages upon request. Want to confuse the heck out of waiters in the US? Order an iced tea and put milk and sugar in it as you would normal hot tea… :eek: I love it. Not as nice as a hot cuppa Yorkshire tea mind (no offence to your Lancastrian ancestors **CJ** ), but a good way to enjoy iced tea. Thank you to everyone who has posted to this odd little thread. I found it rather amusing. I shall take my findings to work on Monday and prove I’m not the only _odd stirrer_ around. Happy Halloween to everyone - be safe. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992/36 "2002-10-31T14:48:50Z")
As if my brain needed any more stimulation, I’ve looked at everyone’s remarks (thanks muchly) and do hereby find the following: You are all a bunch of nutters !! Just kidding. Seriously though, I did get laughed at for my tea making/stirring ability. Perhaps it was the way I poured the milk as **japatlgt** suggested (having a fused wrist does make some things I do most odd to watch)… Nice link BTW. Found it very amusing. Either way, it is interesting to see how others do this simple task. Looking at everyone’s responses, I see that there are approximately: NB: these figures are appoximated as some responses could not be put into an exact category. 6 who are right-handed, stir right-handed, clockwise 3 who are right-handed, stir right-handed, counter-clockwise 4 who are right-handed, stir right-handed in both directions 1 who is right handed, stirs left-handed, counter-clockwise (cos his right hand is busy with more important things 😉 ) 2 who are left-handed, stir right handed, clockwise 1 who is left-handed, stirs right-handed, counter-clockwise 1 who is left-handed, stirs left-handed, counter-clockwise Then there are about 8 of you who are right-handed and stir either back and forth, in a zigzag motion or swirl your drinks in a circular motion (clockwise or counter-clockwise). Thanks **Steve** for the link to all the cool gadgets. My Christmas list is now complete 🙂 I know how **CJ** feels when drinking tea in the States. It still confuses my friends and family that I drink tea with milk and sugar. After my first visit to the UK (before moving here) I went back with 14 boxes of _real_ tea. I introduced my friends to it and got them hooked. Now I send tea care packages upon request. Want to confuse the heck out of waiters in the US? Order an iced tea and put milk and sugar in it as you would normal hot tea… :eek: I love it. Not as nice as a hot cuppa Yorkshire tea mind (no offence to your Lancastrian ancestors **CJ** ), but a good way to enjoy iced tea. Thank you to everyone who has posted to this odd little thread. I found it rather amusing. I shall take my findings to work on Monday and prove I’m not the only _odd stirrer_ around. Happy Halloween to everyone - be safe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-hand-do-you-do-it-with/133992.md?page=1)