I no longer trust beautiful handwriting simply because of its beauty. Like disciples of graphology, I once thought of it as one indication of a person’s personality, a beautiful soul spilling out in ink or graphite. But I’ve since met several cruel women with remarkable penmanship—graceful, flowing, elegant, and fancy — perfect for a 19th century manuscript, a wedding invitation, a special occasion font — and I know now that it is no indication whatsoever.
In a way I’m relieved to have my childish beliefs contradicted. Although I can rule out my former yardstick as a potential judge of character, it means I’m no longer out of the running as a good person. I only hope others realize it, because if monkeys were given pens and taught the alphabet, their results would probably resemble my sprawling, jumbled, inconsistent half-script. Last week, when my boss decoded a note I had left for another employee, she explained my messiness to her in a conspiratorial whisper: “She’s a writer”. I’d love to agree with her assessment, but I know it’s not the case. I’ve simply never been the kind to flounce, even in ink.
On occasion, I try to remake my handwriting, as if it will turn me into someone as elegant or as neat as the lines on the page, but if penmanship doesn’t reveal if a person is good or bad, it still must reveal some inherent details, because my writing style is as stubbornly connected to me as my freckles and weird little toes. Someday I may even find that obstinate constancy comforting.
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Robina said,
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 8:38 am
Ya know, I have terrible hand writing as well, and I think I’m a pretty darn good person. Actually, I know I am (compared to other people I know anyway!). My second child (a boy) had beautiful handwriting and he can draw really well, too. I don’t know why some people write well and other’s don’t. But I RARELY write (with pen or pencil) because it makes my carpel tunnel hurt!
Melissa Walker said,
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I have pretty good handwriting, but I always used to hear that truly creative people have messy penmanship! I used to messify my scrawls on purpose so I could be considered artistic. I know, I’m silly.
Liz said,
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 12:35 pm
When I was in school I used to play with my handwriting all the time – I’d write for awhile all slanted to the left, or all to the right, or letters really skinny and smushed together. What does that say about me? Probably that I used to always want to be someone else.
Caryn said,
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Robina, I love your attitude! I wish I had had that confidence when I was a child and despairing of ever writing neatly. I’m sorry about your carpel tunnel, though. That sounds awful!
Melissa, your comment made me laugh. I always want to be what I am not: neat, outgoing, creative, etc. And the funny thing is, I saw handwriting as an artistic expression, and therefore creative people had neat–or at least beautiful–handwriting!
Liz, I did that, too! In fact, I still do it from time to time, but it never sticks. I also used to play around with various spellings of my name. One of them stuck, which is why I am no longer Karen, but instead Caryn. Why couldn’t my handwriting have stuck, I ask you!
77free said,
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 2:06 pm
In the blogs I’ve read it seems BookLady there’s a recurring theme foryou in being creative. I feel like people are always trying to label people by their traits or attirbutes. But its not like a word that may have one set definition at times. Characteristics -physical or otherwise are just visible markers often clumped into a category in order to find a bigger thread.
I tell you if our handwriting was the determining factor indicating creativity alot of us would be misdiagnosed althought my handwriting is classic chicken scratch. However, I think a lotof writers don’t have time to write pretty especially when their brain is going many miles per hour and our poor hands are just trying to keep up with its imagaination.
I bet your boss wished her writing was just as scribbly as yours.
Katie said,
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Hi, Caryn.
I like to think my penmanship would rate under that special category for special, fancy penmanship, and I would also like to think that I don’t rate in your book under the ‘cruel women’ category.
One can always hope… I DO like my penmanship, though.
Caryn said,
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 9:22 pm
77Free, I hadn’t thought about that, but now that you mention it, I think you may be right. More than that, though, it is coming to terms with who I am, who I would like to be, and who those around me are.
Katie, that is very true. And I’m endlessly jealous. I wish I had good handwriting. I’ve really tried. And, no, you aren’t cruel. Except when you want to be!
otherlisa said,
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 12:41 am
Heh. Well, I’m left-handed. And I hook. So, well, you can guess what my handwriting looks like. And since I basically gave up writing much of anything by hand beyond quick notes and cards, it’s gotten oh so much worse.
Christina Phillips said,
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 6:48 am
My cps tell me my handwriting is nice and neat, but I can only hand write for a few lines now days before I feel like my fingers are going to drop off. Unlike when I was at school when I could go on for reams (and reams…!) but then again there were no computers back then. Eek! (and I hope I’m not a cruel person. Well, I’m working on it anyway… heehehehe)
Ello said,
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 8:57 am
I have the handwriting of a serial killer. But I am such a nice person. Actually that is a lie. I am a liar. No I’m not, I’m a nice person. Stop lying! You are the world’s biggest bitch! oh that’s right! I forgot. But at least I’m not a serial killer… yet.
Caryn said,
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Otherlisa, I so sympathize. So basically you were doomed from the first time you picked up one of those super-fat kid pencils.
Christina, I have the hardest time handwriting now, too! I’m slower at it, the writing’s worse, and my hands start to hurt. And they say typing is bad for you! And I have no doubt that you are not a bit cruel. Because if handwriting were any indication, those cruel women would have had really ugly writing to match their insides.
LOL, Ello!
joelysueburkhart said,
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I can’t write tons by hand any longer, either–just gripping the pen cramps my hand. I always wished I had lovely handwriting…
Jemima said,
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Sim and I went to a wedding in Maine last year, and the minister was recounting a funny story about the bride and groom during the homily. Apparently they had attended some of the required couples’ pre-marital counseling before the wedding, and were asked to go around the group and say something nice about their affianced. Everyone else said things like, “I love her smile,” or “He’s great with children,” or somesuch drivel. And then when it came around to our friend Charles, he announced jubilantly, “Meaghan has EXCELLENT penmanship.” I think she was mortified, but the whole congregation just roared.
Liz said,
Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 6:30 am
*shrieking with laughter* at your name spelling!!! I was LIZZ for 7th and 8th grade – two z’s. I even had a library card with two z’s, and I thought that made it legal!
Caryn said,
Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 8:12 am
Joelysueburkhart, I’m so glad for typing. It seems like it levels the playing field a bit, doesn’t it?
Jemima, that was hilarious! I actually almost giggled, which would have been embarrassing in public. At least he found something unique to say.
Liz, when I taught middle school, it was amazing how many of the girls–always the girls, never the boys–changed their names. They changed the spelling and/or the pronunciation. They shortened their names. They used their middle names instead. Whatever. Their names were almost never the same from the beginning of the school year to the end.
Lily said,
Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 11:55 am
Again, so glad I’m not the only one.
My handwritting is absolutely deplorable! I can’t stand to look at it and reading shouldn’t even be considered possible. Ugh. I make up every excuse under the sun to type anything instead of handwrtting it.
But I have notebook envy!
I too thought that beautiful handwritting equaled beautiful soul. Or atleast a creative soul. But then I’ve also met some really horrible people with stunning penmanship so, yes, it seems the theory is flawed.
Good for me since creativity is necessary for most of my life ambitions. *laughs*
Travis Erwin said,
Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 12:31 pm
My penmanship has always been horrendous so when I was in the forth grade, and spotted an article that said those with high IQs tended to have sloppy handwriting because their brains worked faster than their hand, I cut the article out and took it to my teacher. She wasn’t amused that six weeks I got a D instead of my usual C in handwriting, but I insist she only did it because hers was flawless which must mean her brain worked really slow.
heidikins said,
Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Hahaha! I can hardly remember how to print, let alone how to write in cursive… I’m all about the usiung a keyboard!
xox
allan said,
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 10:53 am
The best I can manage is an illegible scrawl. Using a keyboard doesn’t help.
Varun said,
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 1:56 am
i’m gonna go all the way back to the blog…sorry chaps
i’m from india and in schools here good handwriting directly leads to good marks..i know unfair but nevertheless a fact…what’s happening is people begin to work hard on improvign their handwriting to up their success quotient…as a result,in my opinion, they tend to forge their natural brain to hand coordination…i guess this seems to be th e case with people who want to write artistically…they tend to disobey what comes naturally to them in order to achieve their means…
but as you say there must be certain traits which are suggestive of some quality…like ligature for that matter is suggestive of a knot in brain process…therefore the next time you decide whether a person’s a bitch or not i guess more than looking at the whole handwriting you should concentrate more on the little aspects of a person’s handwriting…