Shorthand

I am seriously considering learning Gregg shorthand, after it turned up as my characteristic obsolete skill on one of those oddball quizzes. The practical advantage would be minimal, as it would probably be confined to minute-taking, taking notes on students' oral performance, or any other situation where I wouldn't want anyone to understand what I'd written until I'd had a chance to doctor it suitably. On the other hand, it makes nice calligraphy, and is probably easier to learn than Arabic. I also like the fact that there's a right-to-left version for left-handers.

Note for American readers: Very few people use shorthand these days, and Gregg shorthand looks suspiciously like Arabic, so be careful not to practice it in the presence of law enforcement officers or suspicious neighbours, or you could have the Department of Homeland Security turning up on your doorstep. Before you can explain that you were just practicing your secretarial skills, you could find yourself stripped naked, listening to the theme from Barney the Dinosaur at deafening volume while dogs snap at your genitals.