And in the End...

So this may be my last blog post (probably). It will be a stream of ideas, mulling about, and mostly summations of emotional breakdowns I will reisst. But still, I mean it all.

I must start by first saying the Art Department at UR has probably been the best part of my time here. Yes I know this is days before I graduate, but credit due where its earned. The last nine months of my life have been a whirlwind. Don't go back in time and tell the June, July, or August version of Dan Neuner that he would lose to gain. It's an uphill battle that I won't stop keep pursuing. I think I look at the world differently. Why does Sage matter? It has been a sanctuary as much as it was an academic institution. To me Allen, Stephanie, Michael, Marni, Rachael & Heather have certainly made the best of a tiny and incredibly underfunded department at a large and incredibly wealthy university. I have been privileged to have learned from such a dynamic, intelligent, thoughtful, and lively group. Sage has been my transplanted home, believe it or not.

Tomorrow is my reception for my thesis which is entitled Closer Than We Notice. From this work I have learned that the concept of memory, history and society are incredibly important to me as a photographer. I will hopefully always pursue my passion for visually capturing the world in these ways. Aesthetics are important too, but not as much as meaning. And, I've learned, I have no effing clue sometimes what an image means. Sometimes, it just works and, on a subconscious level too. Bliss? Maybe but ideally photojournalism seems to me the only and the most important way of doing something that matters with my passion. What a dream.