Stand Together from Zen Zen Zo SubCon Warrior 2.0 (c) Morgan Roberts 2009

Dear Reader

Since this dissertation is really all about me, I can take this opportunity to make some kind of contract with you. Unity is strength, we must stand together!

It seems that you need to see my love of music, my enjoyment of things, the things that make me happy, and you need me to share your favourite things too.

I didn't know this. I'll show you the things I enjoy, but tell me if I'm boring you. If your interests don't excite me, I'll try to be polite. I will play you my music and tell you what it's about.

You want to know how I'm feeling, and for me to know how you're feeling.

I need you to tell me how you feel and what you think - in words. It will help me find words for my feelings, and then I can learn to tell you.

I need you to help me recognise when I'm overloaded, so it doesn't go too far.

I am safe around you. I trust you, so I let my guard down and you see the bits that I pretend are not there, and the gaps I keep covered. Don't use them against me.

I'll try to be patient when you don't understand that I don't understand.

Related Posts

1. Aspergation: Sharing music with my muses.
2. What will I want to know next?: This document will live on. What are my own hopes for learning from it?
3. Discovery, Epiphany, Catharsis: How do you feel when you don't know what you feel?
4. OMG: Dear Reader Oh, My God, I just viewed the first tape from the studio session with Emma I can only say I am horrified. I can't believe how rude I am, how insensitive to both her and Eric. If she doesn't come back I will not be surprised and I wouldn't blame her. She has [...]
5. Evoking Anxiety: Are evocative autoethnography and an impairment in empathy an impossible combination?
6. Knowledge is Power: It is possible for someone with alexithymic traits and difficulties with empathy to learn the skills, especially with music as a catalyst.
7. Video Complexities: People are much more complex than I thought possible.