BIG, I may be misremembering, but seem to recall seeing (but not yet
reading) a recent article on handedness in the journal Fleagle edits.
Are you in an aspect of phys. anthro./primatology?  I used to be John's
first student curator and was planning to enter the field but caught a
nasty tropical in Suriname in '78.  (BTW, did the short-short, 'Magic
Pants' arrive okay a few months back?)
 
[BIG's note: No, sorry to disappoint you :-) ... I'm not into anthro.  If
anyone is wondering, I'm "into" computers, building construction/repair
(especially like old houses), and, of course, aspects of animal medicine,
especially ferrets... possibly heading for a second career in vet medicine
or something.  Who knows...  I certainly don't!
 
Magic Pants?  Huh?  Sorry, I don't recall seeing that.  BIG]
 
'WORSHIPED' TOYS:  Yes, we have often seen this.  Our cutest is Spot
with his 'ferret mousie', a substantially larger than life toy ferret,
not of the very upright variety, but the early style with legs which
splay over time and neck that starts to slump.  Although larger than
he, she manages a perfectly docile receptive position which couples
perfectly with dragging.  Her ear in his grinning mouth, he moves her
off to her promised climes then requests that we return her to a wrong
location for more moving.  Now, Spot is an albino with more than a
touch of hind end adipose, and this is one of his absolutely favorite
things to do in the world.  Combine that with him being one who
sometimes gets in a bit of tail wagging and we wind up with the most
lovable view of a jiggly, wiggly, waggly bottom which we rarely fail
to see since ferret mousie's neck bell warns us when the game has
resumed.  If he is feeling lazy and the weather is warm, 'she' will
just wind up next to our bed; usually on warm days he likes to tuck
'her' into our tipped-over bedroom waste basket.  When it is cold
'she' always is tucked into covers which spill over from our bed.
Unless I have recently done something wonderful for Spot-Otter, or am
sick in bed 'she' will always be on Steve's side.  When I'm ill I
either warrant comfort or protection so the pattern is altered to help
Mommy with her 'yucko-ouchies'.
 
SHOEBOXS:  Light weight plastic basins also work marvelously.  If you
have ever seen much of Dr.  Who you know why the game is called Daleks
around here.
[Posted in FML issue 1195]