Calling all guinea pigs!

[smeddley]

So I have this idea for a new year's 'resolution' project, but I need participants. It has to do with the study of handwriting and 'changing your life' but changing it.

I'll stop right now and say I don't believe in it. Not at all. I firmly believe that if people are seeing an effect it's a placebo effect - they believe it is working so it does. Now, there's a simple way to test this but if it's been done I cna't find it anywhere (if anyone's Google-Fu is stronger and can find a link, I'd be interested). What I propose is that people who know nothing about graphology (it doesn't matter if you believe in it or not, you just can't have studied it) submit a handwriting sample and I tell them a specific thing to change. They cannot know what change this is supposed to be, so there is some trust involved. I do promise that unless you specifically request otherwise, all changes will be considered 'positive' changes. You are not allowed to look it up or try to figure it out, just practice the changes for 30 days and then report back if there are any changes in your life. I will then tell you what change was supposed to have occured. And you can revert back or stick with
it, whatever you feel comfortable with.

It will be work on your part, you also have to promise to practice the new handwriting. And honestly report any changes, good or bad. I will then post the study (anonymously) for everyone to review.

Anyone think it sounds interesting? Willing to participate?

Comments

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

If you make me stop hyper-hyphenating I will stab you. =p

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I promise not to change that. Your 'to-day's are just SO CUTE! ;) The rest of your handwriting, on the other hand...

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Also: guinae?

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

That is why I don't post using the SSH thingee foxfirefey set up for me - no spell check! It is, of course, guinea.

I hate typos, especially when they're not even funny. I'm not sure if I know how to edit with this thing...

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

I thought it might be some crazy American thing!

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Bad typing? Probably... ;)

[clare-dragonfly.livejournal.com]

That's an awesome idea! I would totally participate except I know too much about graphology. I wouldn't definitely know what your change was, but I'd probably have some idea.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

You could still participate, I'd just make a note of it. And if you didn't know the specific thing, well, then it might still work. And I trust you to be honest about the results, anyway!

[clare-dragonfly.livejournal.com]

Hee, okay! I will participate then. Whee.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

I'd love to do it. Is it bad that my handwriting changes slightly every year anyways? Probably. It's supposed to be set by now. But I'm willing.

Please don't ask me to change my British spellings that I often use, though. I'm rather fond of the poor little buggers.

Though I don't think changing handwriting can change anything else. Elsewise I would probably see changes year to year, and I don't really see any in that manner.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Mine changes, too, I think that's probably more normal than people think. But, no, I won't make you change your spelling! It's really little things, like the way you make the cross of the t and loop of the y that they concentrate on!

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Most people I know don't change theirs. But my A's change every few years, and my D's changed last year, and sort of changed back (at least half the time). My Y's changed recently as well. (I do it to amuse myself sometimes, lol.)

Is it a requirement that you write in cursive, though? Because I don't usually, though my handwriting can be a blend of cursive and print.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Mine changes depending on my mood!

No, you don't have to write all in cursive, they say that most people do a mix. :)

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

They also say that you're organised.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Riiiiiight. They've never seen my house... O.O

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Grins. And how much of a hurry one is in :)

Sounds like fun. Definitely will participate just to do something different.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know if I can find any old samples of your handwriting (I know I still have your cards, but finding them... well, the state of my house is a bit of a disgrace right now!). So can you jot down a paragraph or so and scan it in/take a pic and e-mail it to me?

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Sure. Anything in particular that you want me to write?

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Nah, any old thing, just try to squeeze in as many letters of the alphabet as possible...

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog...

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

There you go. A passage of Shakespeare b/c it was right here next to my desk...

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

I think it sounds interesting! And also would be willing to participate, but I think I might muck up the study. For one, I've read a fair bit about graphology (not enough to automatically know where you're going with the suggestion, but enough to make a decent guess).

For another, I almost never handwrite in day-to-day life, which may or may not affect the results.

And then there's the fact that my handriting changes, and not in little ways or just occasionally. A lot, and pretty much every time I do it. So, if you suggest I change something, and it's something in the sample that I might not even do at other times when I write, wouldn't that screw the whole theory up?

So, uh...do I still qualify? ;)

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Well, that would make it tough. But how would you like to be on the other side of the experiment? I have some people at work doing it and I could use some help with the analysis portiona and trying to decide what to change. And if you already know a fair amount it might be easy for you.

I could give all the samples case numbers and it'd be all anonymous and official-like! And, if it goes well we can do a bigger study, publish a paper, become famous and wealthy and and and...

;)

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

Oooh, fame and wealth! Count me in! ;)

But yes, I could give being on the other side a try. My knowledge is hardly legendary, and may be a little rusty, but I have books with which to brush up!

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Cool beans. I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed! I have about a dozen people signed up so far, and with NaNo and all... O.O

Why do I always pile on so much?!

And, ohhh, the more books the better! I have some from the library, I'm gonna have to do some studying up.

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

...oh...Nano...

I'm so woefully unprepared for November to start!

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

We shall not speak of NaNo. I'm very afraid this year...

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

Me too. Very, very afraid...

[icecat.livejournal.com]

I will! It definitely sounds interesting. :)

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Scan in a sample of your writing an e-mail it to me. :) Although I don't know what we can change about you, things seem to be going pretty good...

[http://users.livejournal.com/anam_cara_/]

Oooh! I'm game!!! But I'm a little confused... the changes you'll propose to us will be life changes or handwriting changes?

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

They will be handwriting changes that are supposed to make your life change. So all you'll have to do is change the way you for a letter and great things will happen. So they say.

Scan in a sample and e-mail it to me! It only has to be a paragraph or so, it's not going to be the most high-tech experiment or analysis...

[http://users.livejournal.com/anam_cara_/]

Ok. I'll try to update my LJ more during the experiment and see if any significant changes come up, before you tell me what the change was supposed to be.

A paragraph or would a list/outline of notes do?

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

A list or outline would work just fine, too. If you have something laying around you've already written that you don't mind people seeing bits of that'd work.

[cazrolime.livejournal.com]

...Well, my first reaction was "what the heck is graphology?", so count me in. :P I'll see if we can actually get the scanner to work for once... >.>

My handwriting's kind of an evolving thing anyway. I steal habits like English steals words. That wouldn't be a problem, right?

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

That makes you an ideal candidate! 'Cause you'll have to be a little flexible to incorporate the changes. I"m going to do it, too (though I'll know what I'm trying to change on my) and I see a lot of scratching out in my future... And a lot of time spent doodling letters!

*becomes oddly obsessed with the word doodle*

*needs more sleep*