Huh... I guess I'll give the pencil a try if I can find one - I mainly have those disposable plastic propelling ones! Don't have contacts, so I can't test that theory. I tend to do the fast chopping thing too, with frequent breaks to rinse my hands and flee my kitchen for a break to wipe my eyes.

And I was indeed done with cutting that onion, but I use the damn things in almost everything I cook, it seems, so I've got to get some sort of solution worked out! Hee :-)