Don’t be alarmed. It takes a fine mind to be this disordered.
A “creative” mind is one that is always on the move; always asking questions; always discovering problems where others find satisfactory answers; completely comfortable in fluid situations where others sense danger; capable of making autonomous and independent judgments (even independent from parents, teachers, and society); and one that rejects everything that is codified, preferring to reshape objects and concepts without allowing itself to be hindered and inhibited by conformism. —Gianni Rodari
The Joggled Mind collects the musings, pensées, polemics, and observations of Dr Essai, an enigmatic figure of murky provenance and sketchy character. He is believed to wander on foot for hours at a time observing, muttering, casting quizzical glances, and madly scribbling in a notebook with a somewhat misshapen left hand. He pays attention to books, culture, politics, science, philosophy, and whatever else waylays his hypercurious mind, with the occasional detour into a rotating clutch of obsessions that includes Bob Dylan; 1960s music; Montaigne (inventor of the essai) and other practitioners of essayism; Homer; quantum physics; science fiction; the Transcendentalists; American history; and why Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.
Dr Essai is rumored to be the alter ego of Dale Keiger, who is known to be the author of The Man Who Signed the City. He also is known to be the former editor of Johns Hopkins Magazine. Over the last 40 years he has been described by sundry individuals as smarter than he looks, a legend, and (all direct quotes) “totally intimidating”; “surprisingly unfucked-up for a writer”; and “the thinking woman’s crumpet.” When pressed to describe himself, he says “barrel aged, slightly foxed, and unsweetened.”
You can read everything from Dr Essai’s pen here, but if you subscribe you will receive each essay in your inbox. Subscriptions are free; all it takes is your effort to sign up. If you wish to support these scribblings (The Joggled Mind does not sell advertising, does not sell your data, and does not subject you to awkward pledge drives), you may opt to contribute $5 per month or $50 per year as a paid subscriber. No pressure, but it is worth noting that you will significantly enhance your position on the great karmic wheel, for those playing a long game.
By the simple act of subscribing, free or paid, you will receive, at irregular intervals, the latest thing to cross Dr Essai’s mind, distilled into far more order than the voltage generated by his dodgy brain chemistry. Each missive will be an essay, which the doctor prefers for reasons encompassed by this definition from Samuel Johnson: “A loose sally of the mind. An irregular indigested piece, not a regular and orderly composition.” Yes.
As for the title, we refer you to a letter written by Emily Dickinson: “[My father] buys me many books—but begs me not read them—because he fears they joggle the Mind.”
Indeed.
You must not mind me, madam, I say strange things, but I mean no harm. — Samuel Johnson
Colophon: This blog/newsletter is hosted on the Ghost open-source platform. Text written in Markdown using Bear. Knowledge management and idea generation through Obsidian. Paper products: Rhodia notepads, Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks. Peace of mind generated by meditation, generic Zoloft, and various gins (not in combination, which would be medically ill-advised).
Dr Essai receives no compensation for these endorsements. He does receive a commission on books ordered from his online bibliothèque.