Mental Clarity, Einstein, and Minnesota

I currently find myself visiting the state of Minnesota. And when I say state I mean "mental and emotional state" almost more than I mean actual state. I had some adventures in travel to get here but I will spare you the details. Yes I am supposed to be working on what I will say at the funeral. (why do you ask? Do you think I am procrastinating?) So this morning I walked to a very old school diner for a typical dinner breakfast and 50 cups of diner coffee. Here are my thoughts.

1. Minnesota women don't wear a lot of make up. Which works well for some of them.
   
   
2. Minnesota diners are a cultural experience. I had an odd conversation with a random woman there about how cheap the sausage was and how she hopes they don't raise the prices. I think frugality is one of the #1 most talked about topics in Minnesota. It is probably their Swedish/Scando influence.
   
   
3. Next I entered the most packed used bookstore I have ever seen. I think there were eight hidden rooms full of books. And I learned that I am still too scared to buy anything about lesbian anything in a bookstore, even if I will never be seen again and no one knows me. Don't judge me now for fearing judgment. :)
   
   
4. While walking to and from these places I listened to the speaking of faith podcast called "Einstein and the mind of God". WOW. I have about 50,000 thoughts on it. This was one of the best podcasts this year. Ironically I am listening to it in MN where I think speaking of faith is based. Great stuff I recommend it. And no I don't have a crush on Krista Tippett (I think she's married with kids anyway). Why do you ask? Just because I swoon at being read to by women doesn't mean a darned thing! ;) http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/einstein/index.shtml
   
   
5. One of the many topics covered was Einstein's belief that the world is ordered in a specific way. I got to thinking about the impact of order in our everyday lives. For example this podcast felt ordered, was about both God and the order of the universe. Somehow this made my mind feel more ordered. Although it could have been the bach music in the background. Still I am struck by the thought that different things impact how I think so profoundly. So I've made some lists of what thing order/clarify my mind and what things muddy it.

The things that clarify my mind:

• Speaking of faith podcasts especially this one today,
• Academic reading,
• Most poetry,
• Anything written that involves a coherent story. (Read the book Parenting from the Inside out by David Seigel re: why).
• Sometimes, but rarely fiction can bring coherence...One example would be Orsen Scott Card's book "Speaker for the Dead"
• Non-fiction by Madaline L'Engle, Henry Nouwen, Thomas Merton.
• In the Bible: the Psalms and much of the New Testament

Things that cause me to be less mentally coherent or at the very least less present and mindful

• Some blog posts (I read 32 blogs) and any myspace etc. surfing. Perhaps surfing the internet in general makes one muddy headed! If the blog is more voyeuristic then it usually contributes less to my mental clarity. If the blog contains coherent stories and some substance mixed in then it's helpful.
  
• Similarly reading anything in a very disorganized used bookstore has the same effect on me. I walked out and thought: Surely Einstein is right. Time and space are relative. I have no idea where I am, what time it is, or what I've been doing for an hour.
• Sadly (because I love the escapism) anything that's romance and a lot of fiction without a deeper meaning has a disorganization quality upon my mind.

So interesting! Listing things must be good for my mental organization and coherence because making this list was clarity birthing. I wonder if someone has written about lists as clarity. Hmmm.