The First Day of the Next Year

So today is the first day of summer. With this auspicious seasonal date I am starting a new goal. I am going to blog every Monday for the next year. Why this goal? Well I have been told by several people in the know that the more you write the easier it gets. Sounds good. Why is this important?Well I am now in my second year of grad school and I am expected to create a thesis statement about my work. The powers that be are now expecting me to start thinking and writing about things like where my work fits in with contemporary art, what sets my work apart from the rest of the art world, things of this nature. The problem is that when I try to analyze what I am doing the work changes to fit in with this new justification. This change generally affects the work in the worst way. What I need to do is create a thesis statement that stands alone from the work, won't affect the work, but that is about the work.

This need is the reason for the start of this blog. I will be taking you along the winding journey of grad school, creating art, and my life in general. My set goal is to post every Monday in the hopes that my over achieving soul will have something meaningful to say every day.

I must state at this time that I am not the complaint department. However; there are several grad students who think that I am. Why do they come to me? I like to think it is because I am not a deceitful person. I don't lie or stroke some ones ego. I try to give helpful advice. But, this is putting me in an awkward place. There is one student who keeps coming to me complaining about the University and stating that if he doesn't get an assistant ship that he is going to go some where else. He decries the fact that he could go teach anywhere because he has so much knowledge. My first thought was why are you in grad school then? If you are so knowledgeable about your subject go teach. The people wishing your knowledge will find you. My other thought is that in today's climate of Universities cutting budgets they are using grads to fill the gaps. If you are not getting what you want from an institution then perhaps they have doubts about your ability to deliver. You need to take the initiative and prove to them that you are of value. Not stand around demanding, to who ever will listen, that if you don't get your way your out of here.