This or That_006

Item

A handwritten journal entry dated 7.31.22, expressing frustration and concern about a new neighbor's actions and perceptions.

Title: This or That_006
Alternative Title: This or That
Creator: Karen Blessen
Date: 2022-2023
Description: The image shows two pages of a handwritten journal. The left page contains a dated entry with a title "Big White Boxes" and a note to "wife/Lezlie." The right page has a longer, more detailed entry discussing feelings of insecurity and frustration regarding a new neighbor's actions and perceptions. The handwriting is cursive and somewhat informal, with some overlapping text and minor smudges. The pages are open to reveal the text, and the background is a plain, dark surface.
Identifier: B-2022_050622 to 2023 102523_THIS OR THAT
Dates Completed: May 6, 2022 - October 25, 2023
Keywords: Visual journal; Photographs; 2022; Deep rest; American LOVE Project; 29 Pieces; Sundown plans; Reinvigoration; This Moment in Time; Timeline; Loose ends; Original vision; Artists Making a Kinder World; Curriculum; Brandon Woodard; Prison; THIS OR THAT; IF THIS THEN THAT; Dhammapada; Eknath Easwaran; Meditation; Kelly’s mother; Grief; Anxiety; Summer heat; Garden loss; Nervous breakdown; Fort Worth; Hotel retreat; Art museums; Botanical garden; Construction noise; Emotional overwhelm; Daily choices; Goya; Beatrix Potter; Hokusai; Rico Lebrun; Future direction; Circumstantial clarity
Transcription: 7.31.22
So. The new neighbor—of the
house + garage labelled "an abomination"
"fucking awful" "a fucking abomination"
"butt ugly" by all who see it—
wants to tear down our
fence—and the trees growing
through it so that we both
can feel "secure."

I don't feel secure by the
knowledge that this neighbor—
and pretty much all new
homeowners—live under
the illusion that an ugly,
wasteful stockade fence gives
security or privacy to them
or their family.
It's a hollow perception
born of fear + the mistaken
belief that a ward fence
protects against—what?
Thief of my stuff?
Someone watching my
children?
Rights: To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
Is Part Of: This or That
Relation: Image Gallery