Of late I've been thinking about brains... well that's not exactly true. I'd rather say discussions about the wonders of our human mind have come up with some frequency in the past few days.
Simon Geare, SA's foremost weather man, has various spots on 702. He does a science feature with David O'Sullivan during the week and made mention of an interesting study where it was proven that superman-like ability to perceive and respond with brilliant split second timing to a fast moving, head-on object is completely learned rather than some sort of innate ability lurking within us. It's a fascinating thought that. Basically translated, should one practice klapping a incoming cricket ball for years and years - you will, by experience only, become very good at it.
I wasn't very good at ball sports. I found cricket and baseball very very very boring when I was standing in the outfield. It seems I was distracted, more interested in making pictures with the clouds , wondering if they were serving cookies or orange slices with the juice during the drinks break whilst humming theme tunes from Knight Rider, the A-Team and Superman to keep myself awake. I was told I had no hand-eye co-ordination and never excelled at either sport. Quite honestly I didn't worry about it too much either.
I did win the most consistent player of the year award in my last ever season of little league. Two things stuck me about that award.
The first one was that the trophy bore our family name. I was the last in a long line (six in all) of Little Leaguers to leave the club, I think it may have been a prize for all of us - just to have it standing on the upright piano one last time before we left the club forever.Simon Geare, SA's foremost weather man, has various spots on 702. He does a science feature with David O'Sullivan during the week and made mention of an interesting study where it was proven that superman-like ability to perceive and respond with brilliant split second timing to a fast moving, head-on object is completely learned rather than some sort of innate ability lurking within us. It's a fascinating thought that. Basically translated, should one practice klapping a incoming cricket ball for years and years - you will, by experience only, become very good at it.
I wasn't very good at ball sports. I found cricket and baseball very very very boring when I was standing in the outfield. It seems I was distracted, more interested in making pictures with the clouds , wondering if they were serving cookies or orange slices with the juice during the drinks break whilst humming theme tunes from Knight Rider, the A-Team and Superman to keep myself awake. I was told I had no hand-eye co-ordination and never excelled at either sport. Quite honestly I didn't worry about it too much either.
I did win the most consistent player of the year award in my last ever season of little league. Two things stuck me about that award.
The other, was they never said what kind of consistency I'd displayed. It could have been anything, from never having missed a practice, to never making an important outfield catch.
well, whatever it was - that I was just consistent.It does make me wonder though, how those scientists would explain how Superman is able to become super-duper-bullet-dodger with the rip of a shirt in a phone booth? Must have been years of practice in the corn fields of Smallville.
