January 22, 2004

Dear friends,

As some of you know a few months ago I was very sick with a pulled ribcage and other bad things. Wait this is a bad way to start a letter, you might think I’m about to tell you I’m even sicker, and I’m not. But my point is I was lying in bed, very sick, and as a result very sad. As some of you also know my friend Chris and I read our horoscopes together every Wednesday. (you should too, you can visit http://www.freewillastrology.com, or read them in the Village Voice, City Paper, Shepherd Express, etc.) Anyways… that week, Chris read me my horoscope as I sat in bed. Here’s what it said:

“The National Center for Atmospheric Research reports that the average cloud is the same weight as a hundred elephants. I suggest you use this fact as a metaphorical touchstone in the coming week. Are there any situations in your life that seem insubstantial but that are in fact quite massive? Can you think of any influence you regard as ethereal or feathery that might ultimately have the impact of a ton of bricks? This is the week you should check to see if outer appearances match up with what’s inside.”

Chris made the brilliant observation that although I was lonely and sick and miserable stuck in my California bedroom miles and miles away from all the people whom I love so much, that these friends are indeed the bricks in my life. And although they may feel as if they are as far away as the clouds, they are indeed solid elephant standing amazing and beautiful friends. (This of course is referring to those of you who are reading this letter.)

And so I began to think about ways in which I could bring this brick wall to California. No, I’m not buying you all plane tickets, don’t get that excited yet… and thus I have designed a project involving you, my bricks. A chain letter, exquisite corpse, photo essay of sorts…

Here is how it’s going to work… Tomorrow I will be mailing a box with a disposable camera inside and a set of address labels, to the first person on the list. (There is no ranking here, it is all done mearly by location.) When you receive the box in the mail you should take 3 pictures with the disposable camera. 3 and only 3, no less, no more. (Everyone needs to have their turn.) The pictures can be of anything you like. They can be of you, other people, things, places, things you might think will make me smile, or represent you, or your standing in the brick wall, anything at all.

After you’ve taken your pictures, you are to repackage the camera and the remaining address labels and send it on to the next person. So that means you look for the address label that has you as the return address and drop it in the mail to the next person in the chain letter.

There will also be some other small objects in the box. Please feel free to give and take from this collection. The idea being that you got something immediately from the project that might have come from me, or might have come from another brick in the project.

Once the camera has made it back to me, I will print the photos and make the entire project into a small book, which everyone will receive a copy of. That’s right, you will get a limited addition autographed copy of the book which you participated in!

So I really hope that this works out, that everyone actually read this lengthy email, will not forget to do their part, and make this a really great project. You all mean the world to me. Not a day goes by where I don’t talk to, email, IM, write letters to, receive post cards from, or most importantly think about each and everyone of you. While sometimes it is hard sitting here in the far corner of the country, I know I have amazing bricks floating else where in my life.

view all photos from the brick project