response #1

I have begun to ask specific people to read my thesis emails and respond to me with questions, the idea being that those questions would provide me with some direction. I am interested in exposing the generative process of thesis-writing, and how the guidance I receive from my peers and mentors influences the final product. Lately, I picture incorporating this back-and-forth dialogue into my final thesis 'presentation', possibly in the form of a book. Here is my first official response (below). As I said before, anyone can participate, so if you're interested please log into the dearthesis@gmail account with the password mfanyscc09, and write me an email (you can write to dearthesis from dearthesis, and number your responses sequentially with the others that have already been sent... therefore, you will maintain complete anonymity). 

dear alicia, 

your thoughts on religion, community and the ordinary really struck me and i am trying to wrap my metaphysical brain around them. religious stories/tales are based on something out of the ordinary happening that brought people together or broke them apart. you could say art does this too. 

you must be doing a lot of reading to help you with writing me and the making of your show. well, i have been reading too and here is something i read only yesterday: 

"god can't be resisted or stopped, but can be shaped and focused. this means god is not to be prayed to. prayers only help the person doing the praying, and then, only if they strengthen and focus that person's resolve. i believe in something that i think my dying, denying, backward looking people need." parable of the sower by octavia e. butler (the main character's father is a minister too.)

how do we pass on what we know? really, really KNOW...? what we believe? art strengthens and focuses an artist's resolve and hopefully the viewers. are you interested more in how you do this or artists at large?

(another thought: your project of "my's" is sort of like building yourself a collection of deities. you depend on each of them as a source of something.) 

maybe the woman you will never know is the zenith, she represents what is on the otherside. there is physical understanding that you share. you know her, but she doesn't know you. and you could never see her face, it would destroy your compulsion to know, to wonder. 

i am feeling very inspired but scattered, i apologize. the sun is setting here and i am distracted after too much coffee too late in the day. i am interested on hearing more of your thoughts on these musings. i need you to have a good impression of me too, as you need to like me for this to work out. and hey...get some sleep. 

yours truly, 

thesis