[DomLuka] Magical Moments in Dom's Stories

[Gearoid]

While I do see the points made by the critics of the critic and I share some of the main misgivings, I encourage you to continue to take your observations wherever they go and don't worry too much about them. Folks can agree or disagree.

 

I'm liable to do both.

 

One can be amoral just because he is selfish and immature. That seems to be the picture that Dom has painted of Aaron so far.

 

 

Hi G.

 

thank you for the kind words! These are the scenes I had in mind when I wondered if there was a touch of the ubermensch about Aaron.

 

1. Ch 17 "I noticed two things as we left Aaron

[Gearoid]

On endings happy and otherwise...

 

 

Been to see (finally) Brokeback Mountain. It brought many things to mind of course including the reaction to Dom

[glomph]

Very nice essay.

[Gearoid]

I thought in this post I would tackle a question which has puzzled me for a long long time

[AFriendlyFace]

Hey Gary,

[notTed]

I am concerned that Dan is reading this thread and devoutly hope Dom does not. I fear that thinking about their writing in these terms will alter their creative processes and thereby change their future work. Maybe that is why critics shouldn't get at a work until after it is complete?

 

What Gear labels "magical" are moments that appeal to me because they are very real moments to which the reader can relate. Dom just makes us experience (and appreciate) those real moments more. Who has not been where Rory was...near someone to whom he was attracted, experiencing some small contact...the brushing of shoulders, the touching of hands, etc., and felt a 'thrill'...."Did he notice? Was that on purpose? Maybe it was an accident but he did notice? Can I do it again? Will he notice? Oh, God! What if he notices?" Contrast this ultra awareness (perhaps in keeping with this thread, "uber awareness") with a true experience that happened to me during a large (8-10) lunch gathering of colleagues at a regional business meeting. During the course of the lunch, I was casually tapping my foot on the table leg...you know, ratta-tat-tat when someone was saying something inane and I didn't want to blurt out "B**l S**t!" or maybe melodically when the music over the PA was something I liked. My tapping wasn't planned or with any particular meaning to it. Imagine my surprise and consternation when, as the lunch broke up (you know where this is going....) the table leg stood up and turned out to be attached to the fellow sitting next to me! So, what was he thinking throughout the lunch? That I was coming onto him? That I was a doofus who couldn't tell a table leg from a Florsheim? Maybe he liked it? Who the Heck Knows?

[Gearoid]

Hey Gary,

 

Do you mean that for something to be "erotic" it must lack the duality created by two souls? Or do you mean that it belongs to the domain of the "one" and "non-duality" in that these two souls have become one?

 

 

Hi Kevin

 

What I meant here is that the erotic belongs to the domain of the non-dual or of the One. The world of duality is where there is a gap or a split between us and the beloved. Duality comes from the loss of oneness. The erotic moment occurs when we cross tha gap and become one with the beloved.

 

By contrast pornography appears to break up and fragment the beloved into a series of desired objects. One cannot really then have a relationship with a body part, though of course that is precisely what the fetishist ( ) attempts to do. What struck me really forcibly in the last paragraph of Chapter 6 was how at first desire appears to fragment into the feverish exploration of Milo's parts, but then it is called back to a transcendent oneness by Milo's eyes.

 

What Guidotti does with his photographs of the disabled is to refuse to fragment them into their symptoms. A key technique here is his use of his experience as a fashion photographer to restore movement to his subjects.

 

I tried to use the category of the Other as Resource to account for what I see as an underlying similarity between the medical photogrpaher and the pornographer.

 

 

Re Guidotti's webpage I will try and see tomorrow at work whether with the high speed conncection I can put up some of the relevant slides.

 

Gearoid

 

 

I would agree that pornography could easily fall into the realm of focusing exclusively on the physical and missing the "whole" individual, but I would argue that the distinction between in pornographic and erotic could be that for erotic the entireness of the individuals is taken into consideration. Two lovers coming together appreciating each other's minds, bodies, and souls; connecting on every level. That's erotic to me!

Yes! To me it is as though Nelson laid aside the mirror which merely reflected his body, and instead began to look into Milo's eyes, which reflected his soul.

Agreed

I went to that website and found only one section to click on, something about whether or not I was using a high speed connection. Anyway it then loaded a brief clip about celebrating diversity, but after it was over this clip continued to loop itself. When I hit the back button on my browser I briefly saw what I'm assuming you meant us to go to, with a menu on the left that seemed to have a photos section. However, before I could do anything the clip started playing again and I couldn't get back there. Is there anyway you can link to the photographs directly? Or post them here?

Yes, this statement seems to hold quite a bit of truth for me. Would you then be saying that the pornographic focuses exclusively on one aspect and misses the overlying features, whereas the erotic will take this wholistic nature into consideration? This is generally my interpretation as stated above.

 

Anyway take care and have a great day!

Kevin

[Gearoid]

I am concerned that Dan is reading this thread and devoutly hope Dom does not. I fear that thinking about their writing in these terms will alter their creative processes and thereby change their future work. Maybe that is why critics shouldn't get at a work until after it is complete?

 

This is a not unfamiliar refrain aimed at critics. My own opinion for what it is worth is that the critic is useless in terms of aiding creativity and I am prepared to concede the critic might on occasion even be harmful to the artist in the middle of their creativity. So why do criticism? Well when it is done well it can be an aid to the reading or reception of a work. For instance Mendelsohn's piece on Brokeback Mountain was brilliant. It greatly deepened my understanding and enhanced my appreciation of a film that I had been distinctly cool towards.

 

So have I harmed Dom? Well I don't think there is any evidence of that. It is obvious to me that hsi writing is becoming more and more powerful.

 

Though I must admit to being a little flattered that anyone would think something I write could have any impact- negative or positive - on a writer. Besides I think it is clear that Dom doesn't go near the forum while he is working. As someone said it drives him "nucking futs".

 

I will though repeat what I have said before. I think Dom is a great writer. I love his work and my writing about it seriously is an honest attempt at homage.

 

As for Dan well I don't think we have much to worry about there. I suspect that he is a pretty tough customer. I do intend though if I get time to comment on Do Over. It is like a treasure chest brimming with themes that fascinate me eg Nietzscheanism merging into Straussianism, history and time and redemption.

 

I loved the following anecdote. Let me say that if anyone had let me tap on his leg all through a lunch I would be absolutely and know that I was in my very own magical moment.

 

"My tapping wasn't planned or with any particular meaning to it. Imagine my surprise and consternation when, as the lunch broke up (you know where this is going....) the table leg stood up and turned out to be attached to the fellow sitting next to me! So, what was he thinking throughout the lunch? That I was coming onto him? That I was a doofus who couldn't tell a table leg from a Florsheim? Maybe he liked it? Who the Heck Knows?"

 

 

Gearoid

[dkstories]

Let's see...'who the heck knows?' - the answer to that is HE does. If you asked him, you'd know as well. Sheesh, don't people understand the basics? (okay, just kidding on the last sentence, for the most part).

 

Don't worry about the writing being affected by something I read. If it's something really negative, I shake my head, hit delete or just skim past. That is most especially true for things like the e-mail I got the other day that was in all caps and yelling about Do Over Redux Ending.

 

Could something be changed about my story by something I read?

 

Hell yes it could be changes. That's especially true when someone says something that really strikes a chord with what I'm thinking, that stands out and declares to me that I should listen and think about what is being said.

 

The rest of the time, I occasionally have a very cruel thought of putting something into a story as an 'easter egg' because of what I read...it's fun doing that and seeing how many people notice...I usually put one in each and every chapter. If I'm really in a wicked, mood, there's more.

 

Do I decide to not kill Davey in the first chapter of a sequel to Do Over Redux because of what I read in forums? Hell no.

 

(see, i'm being mean, talking about a sequel that is not really planned, and the death of a beloved character)

 

Now, some things I do set myself up for stinging comments...like when I sit here and tell you that Chapter 7 of the new story I'm writing is, in my opinion, the best chapter I've ever written.

 

Dom, I don't know...he's not a shy soul, so frail he breaks when people criticize him or his work, but at the same time, he doesn't flood forums the way I have a tendency to do...then again he's not nearly as much of an egomaniac as I am...

 

I wouldn't worry about him seeing the thread...if he doesn't like something I expect you'll hear about it...and you're far less likely to change his writing than you are mine. I'll just throw something back in your face in a chapter to remind you I'm the author and I can do that...

[C James]

Don't worry about the writing being affected by something I read. If it's something really negative, I shake my head, hit delete or just skim past. That is most especially true for things like the e-mail I got the other day that was in all caps and yelling about Do Over Redux Ending.

 

ROFL! Well, IMHO such e-mail should be looked upon as a compliment: if people didn't love the story, they wouldn't be upset that it's ending.

 

Do I decide to not kill Davey in the first chapter of a sequel to Do Over Redux because of what I read in forums? Hell no.

 

(see, i'm being mean, talking about a sequel that is not really planned, and the death of a beloved character)

 

AAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You got me!!! I saw the "first chapter of the sequel" and did a double take! And, Kill Davey? Well, it's not like you haven't done that before!

 

Evil, Evil man!

 

BTW, at least I can hold onto one thing... You said "not really being plannned" but you didn't say "Isn't going to happen!" Of course, I just set myself up for more pain, didn't I?

 

Now, some things I do set myself up for stinging comments...like when I sit here and tell you that Chapter 7 of the new story I'm writing is, in my opinion, the best chapter I've ever written.

 

Stinging comments? Nah... Nagging comments? Definitely... Such as, TELL US ABOUT THE NEW STORY!!! PUHLEEEEZZZZEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

and you're far less likely to change his writing than you are mine. I'll just throw something back in your face in a chapter to remind you I'm the author and I can do that...

 

Hmmm... Are you really foolish enough to think that you are in control? HA! If you were truly in control, you would be able to REALLY mess with your reader's heads by having Davey, Brian, Brandon, AND Trevor all have a tryst in the barn in chapter 3 of the sequel to DOR. But, no, you can't do that, now can you? So, you really aren't in control like you think you are.

[/blatant attempt to manipulate dkstories]