Overstepping

Subject: Request for Appointment and Supervision Inquiry for Bachelor Thesis

20. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 04.06.2024, 07:27

Dear Kim,

I’m honestly speechless. It deeply pains me that you chose to use this very thread of emails, our shared space of communication as evidence against me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive that.

I suppose this is the end of what we had. It saddens me to say it, but this isn’t how a relationship, any relationship, should end. I’m feeling incredibly frustrated and hurt. I hope you won’t take that as being overly sensitive. It’s just the truth.

For now, I need some space and time to process all of this.

Take care,

a deeply hurt,

Fin

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

19. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 31.05.2024, 00:08

Dear Kim,

I don’t understand your silence. I’ve now received a letter from the Institute’s Human Resources department regarding a misconduct report involving me and you. Does it really have to come to this?

What are you trying to achieve? I’ve always treated you with kindness and respect. This situation has left me deeply hurt. I hope you understand how much this affects me.

Please, I’m asking you to reach out, just a message, a call, anything, so we can talk things through in a calm and civil manner. I don’t see why this had to involve others before we had the chance to resolve it privately.

Take care,

Fin

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

18. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 25.05.2024, 07:03

Dear Kim,

I heard that you submitted your thesis. Congratulations! That’s such a huge milestone. I’m really looking forward to reading it and talking it over with you. I’ll let you know as soon as Professor James shares his feedback.

On a different note, I have to admit I was quite surprised and disappointed not to be allowed into your concert the other night. The security guards at the entrance wouldn’t let me in. I’m genuinely confused and would really appreciate an explanation.

I’d very much like to talk this through, calmly and respectfully. Please give me a call when you have a moment.

Warmly,

Fin

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

17. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 30.04.2024, 22:14

Hey Kim,

I haven’t heard from you in a while. I hope everything’s okay! You were absolutely on fire the other night, such an incredible performance! You rock!

I noticed you seemed a bit distant when I came over to say hi. Is everything alright? Then again, I get it. It’s hard to find time for an old and lonely guy like me in the middle of such a vibrant, young crowd!

Anyway thanks again for an amazing concert. I really enjoyed your show!

If you get the chance, drop me a message or stop by the office sometime. It would be great to catch up or maybe grab a coffee?

Take care,

Fin

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

16. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 16.04.2024, 19:23

Come on, Kim, I meant no harm. Is it possible that you are overreacting? Well, I guess real artists tend to be passionate and sensitive.

We’ll see each other this weekend! I’ll be there to enjoy the show once more. You rock! And please, call me Fin, just Fin.

Take care,

Fin

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

15. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 16.04.2024, 18:56

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

this correspondence is completely inappropriate. I am not your friend, and I have never given you permission to address me by my first name. I expect you to respect my boundaries and maintain your distance. If this behaviour continues, I will be forced to take further action.

Sincerely,

Kim Spinni

14. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 12.04.2024, 15:20

Dear Kim,

I’m so glad to hear from you! I’m truly sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, that was never my intention. But I guess no one is ever too old to rock ’n’ roll, and you should know that better than I do.

I’ve felt a connection with you ever since you shared all those details about your thesis, and as I’ve mentioned before, I really love rock music. When I first saw you at the university, I immediately sensed we were on the same wavelength, and I thought you felt that, too. I apologize if that’s not the case.

Since I came to your concert, I haven’t been able to get your music out of my head. I listen to your songs every day on Spotify and discover something new each time.

Please don’t shut me out. I truly feel there is a connection here. I hope you do, too.

Have a nice afternoon, and please don’t misunderstand my intentions.

With best regards,

Fin

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

13. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 12.04.2024, 14:47

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

Thank you for your email and your kind words about my group. However, I believe there may have been a misunderstanding. I don’t recall ever mentioning that I play in a group, nor have I shared details about any upcoming concerts.

If I did mention this at some point, please accept my apologies. Otherwise, I hope you can understand that this crosses a line.

Best regards,

Kim Spinni

12. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 07.04.2024, 08:13

Dear Kim,

I have no words to express my admiration. I was at your concert yesterday. I’m pretty sure you saw me but didn’t want to say hello. Don’t worry, I understand. I’ve never been the “cool” person to be around, and I realize I’m old.

What can I say? That was some groundbreaking stuff you played! I still have the urge to headbang. It’s really innovative, and you’re a fantastic bass player. It was a great concert. You’ve definitely won yourself a new fan! Thank you for this experience. I wasn’t really into doom rock before, but you’re something else.

I’m really looking forward to your next concert. This time, we absolutely have to share a beer. Thanks again for an amazing night.

Wishing you all the best, and I hope to see you soon.

Greetings,

Fin

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

11. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 13.03.2024, 13:36

Dear Kim Spinni,

Great! I’ve noted it.

I wish you a pleasant week and a productive meeting with Professor James tomorrow. Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!

Warm regards,

Finley

P.S. I’ll be working from home tomorrow, so unfortunately we won’t see each other at the university.

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

10. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 13.03.2024, 13:28

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

Thank you very much. I’ll gladly take the appointment for tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Kim Spinni

9. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 13.03.2024, 12:32

Dear Kim Spinni,

So nice to hear from you! I hope your thesis is progressing smoothly. I’m currently reading one of the books you suggested, Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge. Powerful stuff! Thank you for the recommendation. It really sheds light on the metal scene. I’d love to discuss it with you at some point.

I can offer you an appointment with Professor James tomorrow at 13:15. If that’s too short notice, the next available slot would be Thursday, March 21st at 12:00. Please let me know which option works better for you.

With kind regards,

Finley

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

8. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 13.03.2024, 12:17

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

I have a few follow-up questions regarding my thesis and would like to discuss them with Professor James. Would it be possible to schedule an appointment during his next available office hours?

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,

Kim Spinni

7. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 11.02.2024, 11:55

Dear Kim Spinni,

Thank you for taking the time to write back to me and share the bibliography related to your thesis. These are some truly interesting sources. I look forward to exploring them further.

I wish you all the best with your thesis, and I hope to hear more from you soon!

With kind regards,

Finley

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

6. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 10.02.2024, 19:42

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

Thank you for your reply. I took your advice and contacted Professor James. He got back to me. I appreciate your support.

Here are a few books I’ve found for my thesis:

- Gender, Metal and the Media by Rosemary Lucy Hill

- Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge by Keith Kahn-Harris

- Heavy Metal, Gender and Sexuality, ed. by Florian Heesch & Niall Scott

- Rockin’ Out of the Box by Mimi Schippers

Best regards,

Kim Spinni

5. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 08.02.2024, 13:04

Dear Kim Spinni,

Professor James is currently very busy. I would kindly recommend writing to him again. If you don’t receive a response within a few days, feel free to contact me, and I’ll bring up the matter with him at the earliest opportunity.

It was a pleasure meeting you in person the other day at the university. I truly enjoy meeting the students who write to me, and I’m glad I could be of assistance. And please don’t worry, I wasn’t offended. To be honest, I also initially assumed you were female.

Do you already have some literature for your thesis? If so, could you please send me a few suggestions? I find your topic very compelling and would love to learn more about it.

Wishing you a pleasant weekend as well.

With kind regards,

Finley Sullivan

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

4. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 08.02.2024, 10:29

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

I’m sorry to disturb you again. I wrote to Professor James last week with an outline of my thesis, as we had discussed during our appointment, and asked for his feedback. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard back from him yet. I was wondering if you might be able to assist me further in this matter.

I would also like to sincerely apologise for the misunderstanding the other day. Sometimes it’s difficult to know someone’s gender based on their name, and I’m truly sorry if I offended you in any way.

Thank you very much in advance for your support, and I wish you a pleasant weekend.

Best regards,

Kim Spinni

3. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 19.01.2024, 13:42

Dear Ms. Sullivan,

Thank you very much for your response.

The appointment on the 1st of February works very well for me. I appreciate you arranging it.

Wishing you a pleasant weekend.

Best regards,

Kim Spinni

2. From Sullivan, Finley, <finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu> 18.01.2024, 09:12

Dear Kim Spinni,

thank you very much for your message.

Professor James is currently on a research semester but is present at the university. However, his office hours are irregular at the moment. I can offer you an appointment in exactly two weeks, on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at 12:00. Please let me know if this appointment is convenient for you.

An outline of your project won’t be necessary ahead of the meeting.

I wish you all the best with your project.

With kind regards,

Finley Sullivan

Finley Sullivan

Executive Secretary to Prof. Harrison James

The Farberg Institute

E-Mail: finley.sullivan@farberginstitute.edu

Tel.: - 4481

Office 3.204, West Wing, Main Building

1. From: Spinni, Kim,<Kim.Spinni@mail.com> 17.01.2024, 11:22

Dear Ms. Sullivan,

I hope you are doing well.

I am currently in my fifth semester studying Cultural Studies and Music and am in the process of finding a supervisor for my Bachelor thesis. Last semester, I attended Professor James’ lecture on the history of trauma in Western culture, during which I wrote a short essay on trauma in fairy tales. I found the lecture very inspiring and would be grateful if Professor James would consider supervising my thesis.

I would like to explore gender identity in the hard rockmusic scene, focusing on two aspects: women as performers and their role within the hard rock culture, and women as listeners and concert-goers. I hope Professor James finds the topic interesting and would be open to supervising my work. If helpful, I would be glad to share a brief outline of my intended project to give Professor James a better sense of my approach.

I understand that Professor James is currently not teaching. Would it still be possible to arrange an appointment with him, or is he currently unavailable?

Thank you very much for your time and assistance.

Best regards,

Kim Spinni