When tightening nuts and bolts

Dear Heloise: Concerning the righty-tighty, lefty-loosey confusion, I’m from the old school when clocks were round and had 12 digits on them. To tighten a nut or bolt, you would just turn the nut or bolt in a clockwise direction. To loosen, you turn it in a counterclockwise direction.

The only exception to this is if a bolt has an “L” stamped on it. If it has the “L,” you do the reverse of the above. It stands for left-hand threads. I never could understand why the righty-tighty, lefty-loosey idea ever started. Are you looking at the top or the bottom of the nut or bolt when you use it, and how do you know? — Chuck Smoley, in Sioux City, Iowa

ADVANTAGES OF CURSIVE WRITING

Dear Heloise: Over 70 years ago, when I was a litle girl, my mother, my sister and I lived with my mother’s parents. My grandmother thought I needed to know how to write my name before I started school, so she taught me how to write it in cursive of course.

At this time, we learned how to write in cursive in the first grade. It would be a useful skill for parents and grandparents to teach children now that it is no longer taught in school. The children would have an advantage in their work lives.

I read your column in the print editions of the Houston Chronicle. — Patricia Roberts, in Bellaire, Texas

READING NEWSPRINT

Dear Heloise: There is a solution for those of us who have trouble reading newsprint. Check your subscription to see if you can add an online version of their print edition at no charge or for a low-cost extra charge. Then you can read it with magnification on your computer or mobile device. It has been very useful for me. — Lois, via email

DIRE DRYER

Dear Heloise: My hairdresser says that the hair dryer will feel exceptionally hot when there is a problem with the lint filter. I use a small brush to get off all the “gunk.” — Nancy C., in Clemson, South Carolina

Nancy, this is a great hint! Readers, your hair dryer’s motor will last longer with a clean filter. Don’t forget to unplug it first before cleaning it. — Heloise

BLIND TRANSFERS

Dear Heloise: It irks me when a receptionist “blind transfers” me to a person in the company. The correct business etiquette is to place me on hold and find out if the person is in. If the person is not, come back on the line and ask me if I’d like to leave a message.

Calling a business can feel intimidating anyway, and then to be transferred to an answering machine? Not acceptable. — Deanna R., in San Antonio

PET PAL

Dear Heloise: This is my protector, YoYo, and his best friend … sometimes. YoYo took care of me. When I would leave the house, he would sit in the living room by my dad and whine until I came home. He was one week shy of 10 years old when he went over the doggy rainbow bridge.

One thing he wouldn’t do is ride in the car with me. I would drive less than half a mile, and he would throw up. There was no warning; he would start gagging, and it was out. — Teresa Bartlett, via email

Readers, to see YoYo and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.”