Kickstarter

One of the greatest thrills of life is adding to the lives of others, and my dream is to share the stories and values of people across the world. But how can we really present the life of another? Or 100 others? Or 1,000,000 others? 

At Amherst College, I spent the majority of my time in the Department of Psychology. Both my undergraduate thesis research and my post-baccaulaureate research were grounded in Tomkins' (1979/ 87) script theory. "Scripts" are derived from the stories people tell, and they depict the ways in which individuals grow to interact with their environments. When I wasn't doing research at Amherst, I engulfed myself in creative writing, particularly poetry, which I believe has a unique ability to communicate the emotions of a time and place. And then, of course, there is photography, about which I know nothing - except that it captures the invaluable moments in life that are otherwise lost forever. Fortunately, it is the specialty of my beautiful (and stubborn) girlfriend (www.danikaowsley.com).

Combining science and art generates a complete and perspicacious vision of the world. I want to know how the owner of a bar in Oregon is similar to the diner owner in Georgia - and I want to know what makes them unique, what motivates them, what hurts them, what thrills them, and what experiences have made them who they are. Most of all, I want to express their personalities through my own work.

And now for the part where I ask for money...

In truth, I am happy to live a simple and low-cost life for the six months I plan to travel - to sleep in the back of my car and to eat nothing but cereal. Unfortunately, cereal still costs money, as does gas (that's the big one), film, printing and publishing. The more money I raise, the more places I can go - and the more people whose stories can be shared.  I truly appreciate your interest and your support. If I can provide any additional information, please feel free to contact me. 

Email: jgleckel12@gmail.com; Phone: 516-232-5167