I'm sorry if I came across as wanting to be "smart" for some sort of status reason. I just have become remarkably aware of how often I tend to "zone out" how long it takes me to solve problems or make decisions.
I guess the initial intent of the post was to see if anybody has been where I've been and found a way out. A slow decline into cognitive stagnation, followed by, hopefully, a renewed passion for learning.
My interests are usually focused on electronics and engineering, but I get distracted by music, fictional literature, movies, and computer games. I bounce around so much that I don't really gain much expertise in anything not related to work. My father always said that you should shoot for the moon so that you will at least hit something. I guess my "Moon" goal would be to learn enough to become a great inventor.

I should have thought of this before, but I can already relate to the vocabulary issue described in the second quote. I often use electronics or computer jargon when talking to my wife, not realizing I'm at home and not in the shop. Her arched eyebrow usually cues me to realize I need to swap my terminology around.

I was always a huge fan of the "Cosmos" series, but it never dawned on me to look for books written by Carl Sagan. Thanks!

Ah, I think that I have been using the words as near synonyms. I understand the distinction, (now, I think) but what of increasing intelligence? Will study in general rationality help improve cognitive speed/capacity through the "compression effect" described above by multifoliaterose?

I completely agree with you that fiction should neither be a primary source of information and philosophy nor should it be my only source of inspiration. I don't like to think of myself as delusional, but I do like to be inspired by the works of others. I'm hoping to eventually develop my learning "tastes" so that I won't use fiction as such a crutch. What do you think?

Ah, I'm glad to see that I'm not so horribly stuck in the mud. I don't have many relationships to gauge these things by. Thank you :) I've always wanted to learn how to "think better". To have greater use of my facilities with greater frequency in everyday life. Problem solving, math, social interactions, all of which seem to elude me except in "Spurts" of clear thinking. (I.e. this comment will take quite a while to write, If I was speaking, I would not be able to be as clear in my thoughts.) I think that's why this site excited me so much. Much of what is here seems to get to the root of "thinking".