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November 20, 2007

Sacrifice At The Temple Of The Thumb

Not 24 hours after listening to Prof. Graeme Clark discussing human senses...specifically mentioning the importance of the human thumb:

"The thumb is an outstanding example of the integration of the senses. Because of its great importance, it takes up a large area of the body map in the cortex of the brain. Its skin is so sensitive that it is possible to distinguish two points separated by only two millimetres. To give it such fine control, the muscles that bend the thumb have more receptors than any other muscles in the body. So unique is the thumb, it was reported that during the communist and atheistic era in Russia, two sculptors were in such awe, that they set up an altar and worshipped the god of the thumb."

...what do I do?  I send shock waves through my somatotopic body map by slicing the tip and underside of my right-hand thumb open on an apple slicer.  One of those awesome, yawning gashes (I exaggerate) that make you consider heading to the ER for stitches.  But boy, did that hurt (and boy, did that confirm my low threshold for pain).

Making it through a day with only bandaged-and-painful use of your dominant thumb is interestingly difficult (for instance:  starting your car up and/or getting a squirmy toddler into a car seat is now...tough).

Clampants | November 20, 2007 02:05 PM