I wonder when it was that I started crossing my Ts and dotting my I s as I write, instead of waiting until the end of the sentence, or at least until the end of the word, to take care of that penmanship housekeeping.
I looked up the whole concept of crossing t and dotting i.
Generally, it means being careful, thorough and precise: including all the required elements of detail.
It comes, I believe, from the days of manuscript copying where the letters i and t were carelessly left unadorned by their dots and cross-strokes because they required a break from the continuous flow of the writing.
So, if I read these definitions correctly, my obsession with crossing t and dotting i as I write is a sign of precision & a willingness to break the continuous flow of my thoughts.
Fractal instead of linear.
Excellent.
There's actually research showing that the fastest and most legible handwriters are *not* the ones who wait until the end of the word to pick up the pen -- so you are in good company: in fact, you've discovered one of the better-handwriting tricks that I teach doctors and others (through classes and through my iPhone app "Better Letters").
ReplyDeleteFor more, please visit my web-site at http://www.HandwritingThatWorks.com