Milk Eggs Vodka

   

 In his book A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink suggests several techniques for increasing the power of empathy, the ability to put yourself into the shoes of another. As I went to bed last night, today's presentation circling in my brain, ping, pinG,piNG,pING,PING, from the deep recesses of my brain there came a connection I feel compelled to share.
    I remembered Milk Eggs Vodka, no not my shopping list (though it well could be) but a delightful book by self-described, maker, breaker and collector of things, Bill Keaggy. Here's what Keaggy has to say about this book, basically a collection of various, found lists:

"These found grocery lists are rare specimens. I have a collection from around the world that numbers in the thousands, but it has taken years of hunting and gathering. People are very protective of their grocery lists. I call it selective littering. Seems most folks would sooner dump their car ashtray in the grocery's parking lot or toss a week's worth of soda cans and fast food bags on the ground outside the store (and they do) rather than leave their list in a shopping card. It's because grocery lists are supposed to be private. Never mind that all of us have to go through the checkout in public. Our lists are supposed to be private, and that's why it's so enjoyable to look through them -- unless one of the lists happen to be yours." 

 Reading through these random lists offers a voyeuristic view into the life of the list maker...the paper, the list, the spelling, strange little doodles, all work together telling a short story about the list maker. Some funny, some perverse, others sad, all provide an opportunity for story. Empathy building? I'm not really sure, but in reading these lists you can't help but put yourself in the shoes of the list writer even if only for a moment.

Keaggy's other collections are delightful as well. http://www.keaggy.org/