We have many gifts.

As we wander through life, we sometimes forget that we have many gifts, extraordinary gifts. Gifts of perception, insight, and creativity. Gifts of preferences, leanings, and inclinations. All these gifts are wonderful and help shape our world view and our sense of self and our sense of worth.

But there is one, ah yes, just one, that while often overlooked is the most sublime and profound of all, availing you of wonders beyond wonder, and the power to wonder some more. 

It is, of course, the ability to think. To choose a focus. To see the world however you like... and to experience it accordingly. The key is that our gift of thought allows us to shape our world, and this is the greatest gift of all. Sometimes we need to remember that we have the ability to think and we should use that ability.

Do you play Billiards, perhaps you should?

As part of my role on the Mayor’s council in my community, I act as a conduit between people who have concerns and city council. The Mayor and city council may not change their minds on issues the Mayor’s council brings forward, but the voters at least know they are being heard. I was recently approached by a senior who is upset that the new senior’s facility will cut the number of Billiard tables from four to two. I am not a Billiard player so I thought I would do some research. This is what I found. After looking at just the health benefits of Billiards, it is, in my mind, counterproductive for the city council to cut the number of tables for the new senior facility.

Many senior’s love playing billiards, as it is a great way to improve skill, or simply pass the time with friends. However, there’s more to playing billiards than you might think, and I don’t just mean technique.

Playing billiards actually has some health benefits, you could be doing your body and mind a big favour the next time you pick up a cue.

Each round of billiards, whatever game type one chooses to play, is uniquely presented and requires players to be mentally agile and physically adept.

Here are some health benefits of seniors for seniors.
Slows ageing in seniors–According to a recent study from the University of Copenhagen, playing a game of pool with friends can help keep older people active due to the exchange between active activity and passive activity during a round of pool. This can help combat the ageing process by providing the elderly with a casual activity that still utilizes the use of their muscles.

Helps build focus – Playing pool requires a great amount of focus and concentration. In billiards, players must focus on their targets (the cue ball and the target ball), the angle of their own cue, the angle the cue ball will move in once it is hit and if the cue ball will strike the target ball. The ability to pay attention to the small details and focus on the task at hand while blocking out external stimulus is important for all seniors. Playing billiards regularly can help build those sorts of skills, which can be extremely useful when you’re away from the table too. Pretty much everything you do around the pool table (expect chatting with your friends) requires a fair amount of serious attention.

Burns calories – There is a surprising amount of beneficial walking involved in a round of pool: a typical 2-hour 8-ball or 9-ball session often provides 100 trips around the table’s perimeter. In fact, the average player is going to easily walk about one mile in just one game of billiards. That may not seem like a lot, but in opposition to sitting on the couch watching TV, it’s a whole heck of a lot more.

Enables stretching and balance – Playing requires a lot more stretching than a person would not normally do. Having to bend across the tabletop to reach the cue ball at the desired angle requires a player to be moderately flexible, especially with complex shots. The game also enhances balance as the player may be required to stand on one foot at a time, promoting stability, which helps in fall prevention for seniors.

Helps build control – Studies have shown that seniors who play sports like billiards are less likely to panic amid a crisis. The game requires levelheadedness and concentration giving those who play a greater ability to think clearly and logically. This ability to think clearly helps seniors examine the most pertinent facts and details and encourages them to go into action without becoming hysterical.

Sharpens the mind –Billiards requires performing mental mathematical estimates and calculations, such as basic geometry and physics. These skills are necessary to calculate precise angles and trajectories and to determine how much force to apply during a strike so as not to under or overshoot a target. Having a sharp mind enables one to think on their feet faster and pick up on little details and may slow the onset of dementia in older adults. 

Hones good hand-eye coordination – If billiards can sharpen the mind, it is all that is for nothing if the player cannot apply those calculations to the table. The hand-eye coordination involved is a crucial factor in winning a game of billiards. 

Fun for all ages – Anyone can play this activity regardless of age and sex, so playing these games can be an intergenerational activity. 

Tones muscles – The physical benefits of playing pool include low-impact toning of the back, hip and leg muscles pertaining to continuous bending and reaching to facilitate arm hand setups and the exercises found in cue-stroking movements. As a billiard player, seniors benefit from a low-impact toning of their leg, back and hip muscles as they bend and reach out continuously while playing.

Improves cognitive skills – The layout of each game of billiards challenge the player’s imagination, visualization and creative problem-solving skills and require constant improvisation in order to pocket balls and achieve a good position on further shots as skills increase.  

For example, figuring a difficult bank shot or learning to slice your cue ball just right requires logical, step-by-step thinking. The stimulation that you get mentally while playing billiards is rich and variable since each broken rack presents infinite layouts. 

How do I pick through Fake News?

Back in March, Daniella Balarezo and Daryl Chen wrote an article for ideas at TED. The article was How to read the news like a scientist and I have highlighted parts of it below. I recommend you read the full article.

1. Cultivate your skepticism.

Science moves forward by challenging accepted wisdom. You can do the same. Healthy skepticism does not mean you’re dismissing everything as false — it simply means remembering the things you hear could be false, but they could also be true … or they could be something in between.”

2. Find out who is making the claim.

When you encounter a new claim, look for conflicts of interest. Ask: Do they stand to profit from what they say? Are they affiliated with an organization that could be swaying them?

3. Watch out for the halo effect.

The halo effect is a cognitive bias that makes our feeling towards someone affect how we judge their claims. If we dislike someone, we are a lot more likely to disagree with them; if we like them, we are biased to agree. Simply question how you would consider the claim if it came from someone else.”

4. Look at the evidence.

When evaluating a claim, Frans asks, “Can the sources be traced? Are they reliable? Is the conclusion based on a rational evaluation of the information?” And you should try to consider all of the research on a topic. Before you act on or share a particularly surprising or enraging story, do a quick Google search — you might learn something even more interesting.

5. Beware of the tendency to cherry-pick information.

Another human bias — confirmation bias — means we’re more likely to notice stories or facts that fit what we already believe (or want to believe). In your own life, look for friends and acquaintances on social media with alternative viewpoints. You don’t have to agree with them, or tolerate misinformation from them — but it’s healthy and balanced to have some variety in your information diet.

6. Recognize the difference between correlation and causation.

Correlation does not equal causality. Keep this in mind when thinking about our world. For example, if there is a rise in violent crime in your area and it’s being blamed on gang activity, or if a politician is credited with creating a low unemployment rate, take a wider view and look into the other contributing factors. It’s important to remember that there might be alternative explanations for a phenomenon.

Did you ever skip school?

I did once or twice when I was in high school and more than a few times at University. When I was teaching I had students who took the day off as I did. The issue was that when I took my time off and when my students took their time off, we did not accomplish anything. Maybe that was the idea. 

Back in 1986, the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off came out and it was a big hit with the kids. In it, Ferris and two friends skip school they “obtain” a Ferrari and they meander around Chicago, catching a baseball game, dining at a fancy restaurant, and joining a parade. They had an ideal day, they used the idea of “carpe diem” — to seize the day and have the time of their life. My question to you is are you having the time of your life — or are you wasting the time of your life? Are you seizing the day — or waiting for someday to come?

If you decide to take the day, your first question should not be, “What am I going to do with this day that I am taking for myself?” The question to ask is, "What aren’t I going to do?”

When considering how to spend your day perhaps it can be easier to start with what you aren’t going to do. You get to do exactly as you please, so use your imagination. Are you thinking, “I’ve got so much going on, there’s no way I can take a day off.” If that’s the case with you, take an hour break. What would give you a well-deserved break from all the things you have to do?

It’s not selfish to carve out an hour to do something you enjoy; it can compensate for parts of your life you can’t control.