Dear Rotarians,

Have you ever looked at someone's handwriting and thought they probably slept through penmanship class? When I was first writing my alphabet, the teacher would smack the top of my hand whenever she walked past my desk to remind me that I held my pen wrong. According to smack-y lady, I held it with my pointer finger and wrapped my thumb in some type of longhand gymnastics but I was supposed to hold it with my thumb and pointer finger, equally supporting the pen tip as evidenced below.

Miss Bench also said I squeezed the pen too hard. She was right about that part. My hand cramps quickly when I write if I don't consciously loosen my grip.