GJ Willis' Art Notes

I am doing overtime again this weekend. I suppose the bus came on time as well as the light rail. I don’t know for sure. As I’ve written before I have no idea how buses run on Saturday. As you can see I’m not in a big rush to research the issue. Whenever I do overtime I usually come in late. No one gets yelled at for coming in late for Saturday overtime. I can recall people sometime coming in well after 9:00AM. Me? I’m usually there around 8:00AM instead of the usual 7:00AM.

HOW THE DENTIST APPOINTMENT WENT: I did go to the dentist’s office yesterday. However, I wasn’t seen. They usually keep a sign in sheet in the door. When I got there the sign in sheet was missing. I just figured that maybe after a certain point in time they take it away and then see the people who have appointments. Then after they see them they take in the walk-ins.

Since I was late for my 4:15 appointment I just assumed that maybe they took the sign in sheet away after the last appointment of the day. It turns out I was wrong.

I sat out there for about 40 minutes. Then a nurse came out and asked my why I was there I told her. She told me that I had to make another appointment and that I should have went inside the office and told someone that the sign in sheet was missing.

I think they still could have seen me. It wasn’t that late in the day. I know I could have a made a big stink and said, “Don’t you know who I am?!#” Then I could have proceeded to tell her that her boss, the dentist that owned the office was my uncle. Then I could have went on to tell her that another of the dentist’s that worked there was my cousin. I didn’t want to push the issue. I just saw it all as getting a pardon from the governor.

WHAT I’M WEARING TODAY: Today I have on a gaudy long sleeve t-shirt that I got for Christmas a couple of years ago. It depicts famous neon signs in Vegas. It is black and has glitter on it. The main color scheme of the shirt is red, yellow, and white. I think I got it because I said that I always wanted to spend my Christmas in Vegas. Yeah, quiet Gail would love to go to Vegas, baby!! I also have on blue jeans and old decrepit Payless tennis shoes.

The bus I took this morning at the usual time was the #2. It was driven by a heavy set man who looked a little like George Forman. I’m not sure if he’s the same driver from Monday.

The train was on time again. Like the previous days the driver has a piece of newspaper up so that you can not look into the driver’s car. I suppose he’s really into maintaining his privacy while driving. I hope he’s not doing anything nefarious in there. By the way it’s still damp and wet outside.

I’M NERVOUS: I haven’t been to the dentist’s office in over three years. I finally made an appointment a couple of weeks ago because either the filling came out on one of my teeth, or my wisdom tooth is acting up, or I have a cavity. I’m not sure what is wrong all I know is that I feel a dull pain from time to time in a certain section of my mouth. So for the past couple of weeks I’ve been in hyper sensitive dental care mode.

I went out and bought an expensive battery powered flosser. It’s pretty good. I also bought an expensive sonic toothbrush. I also have a rechargeable Waterpick. I did this all so that my time in the dentist chair could possibly be cut down. I know that after this appointment I will probably get another for a teeth cleaning and a whole host of other procedures.

I’ve been neglectful because I’m not that into going to the dental office. I believe I’ve written before how my dentist is a relative and everytime I go there I have to give updates on my life. I go there mainly because there family and they know me. I feel comfortable (it’s family)yet uncomfortable (it’s a dentist’s office!).

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I have on a long sleeved light green pullover over a white t-shirt along with black slacks and black canvas

ln_getting, originally uploaded by willisgirl.

This morning the streets and sidewalks were still damp. I’m happy to report that it has been a week since I’ve seen the strange man lurking around outside. Since I haven't seen him since last week I’ll assume as I did on Monday that most likely he’s been arrested or has finally gotten help for what ever ailed him.

This morning the bus was on time. I caught the #1 bus again. It was driven by the medium sized woman, who said, “Good morning!”, as I boarded the bus.

I had to wait before I got on the bus. It seems that every time I take the #1 bus in the morning there is a man with these two small children who gets off on the stop I get on. He carries a small baby and a toddler by the hand when he gets off the bus. I suppose he’s dropping his daughters off to a daycare center. I think it’s nice that he takes care of his kids. I’m assuming he’s there father....

The light rail was on time. I again can’t tell who is driving the train. He has a newspaper up covering the view inside the driver’s car.

HIGHLIGHTS OF YESTERDAY: I actually finished work on time! I’m usually on time for work in the morning. I admit that I tend to dawdle towards the end of the shift. I’m not in a big rush to leave out in the evening. It’s not like I have a big family to rush home to or that there’s someone anxiously awaiting my return.

The other highlight was that I went to the laundromat. I hadn’t been there in a couple of months. I tend to wash my clothes over my father’s house. I couldn’t do this because the washing machine over there is broken.

I was surprised to find that the neighborhood laundromat is now owned by West Indians. Hopefully, the West Indians will do a good job in running the place.

I didn’t like going there much because the Asian woman that originally owned the place seemed to be permanently cranky and the place looked dirty and all the machines seemed to be broken. Also I hate the hideous lime colour of the laundromat. Hopefully, the West Indians will change it to a more pleasing colour.

The part of town I now live in is not where I grew up. I grew up near Bolton Hill and I’m used to nice clean laundromats where the owners actually cared about their establishment. The machines in my old neighborhood were newer and at one laundromat in particular they would let you dry your clothes for free. God, I miss that place!

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I have on an olive green long sleeved mock turtle neck pullover with black slacks and black canvas shoes.

The bus was on time as usual this morning. The bus I got on was the #1. It was driven by a medium sized woman who wore her hair in a ponytail.

I’m not sure if I wrote this before but three bus lines run down the street that I catch the bus on. The buses that run on the street I catch the bus stop on are the #20, #2, and #1. It’s generally unpredictable as to which bus will be there at the usual time that I’m at the bus stop. One thing is for certain, the #1 is a rare bus to see in the morning.

The light rail was on time this morning. The light rail baby is aboard. It’s wide awake and making baby squeaking and squawking sounds.

I can’t tell who’s driving the train because the driver has several pieces of newspaper up blocking the view inside the driver’s car. A scary thing that happened on the train is that it lost power as we were heading up towards the North Avenue bridge. It took several long minutes for the train to recovered and then the ride continued on as usual.

SINCLAIR BROADCASTING DEFEATED: I am really happy to hear that the Hunt Valley based Sinclair Broadcasting will not be showing their anti-John Kerry propaganda documentary, Stolen Honor. The company owns 62 television stations across the country. It ordered all the station to show the documentary. Because of Sinclair Broadcasting’s drastic decision there stocks are falling. Since money talks the Conservative broadcasters will not be showing the propaganda piece masquerading as a documentary. This recent turn events with Sinclair Broadcasting makes me very happy.

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I’m wearing a long sleeved dark blue mock turtle neck pullover with stone washed denim jeans along with black canvas shoes.

marcbroussard, originally uploaded by willisgirl.

It was raining when I first opened the door to leave out for work. I didn’t have an umbrella along with me so I had to go back in and get one. My only worry was that the delay in having to go back in to retrieve an umbrella would make me miss my bus. Then I remembered that when it rains the buses tend to be slow. They’re driving on slippery roads after all and have to take precautions.

It turns out that I was just in time to catch the #2 bus. It was driven by a man I had never seen before. He was more chubby than fat. He had a thin mustache.

The light rail arrived a little late as well. It is still being driven by the man who drove it yesterday.

The light rail baby is aboard for the first time this week. It’s mother has put a plastic covering over it’s stroller because of the rain. Right now the baby is fast asleep.

FAVORITE CD THIS WEEK: A really phenomenal cd I’ve been listening to lately is Carenco by Marc Broussard. He has an incredible voice. I really mean it this time! He sounds a little like Ray Charles. From the sound of his voice singing, “Home”, which was a song of his that they play on WTMD, I thought he was an elderly black blues singer. I was surprised to find out that he’s a 22 year old goofy looking white boy. He sounds much older and more experienced than he looks. I know this may sound slightly over the top but I honestly feel one day Marc Broussard will be taking home a Grammy.

WHAT I’M WEARING TODAY: Today, I’m wearing a multi-coloured long sleeved striped mock turtle neck pullover with black slacks and black canvas tennis shoes.

This morning the bus was on time. However, the #20 was being driven by a rather large man with a pock marked faced. I have to say I was rather saddened not to see the usual stern looking female driver.

The light rail train was on time. Again, since it’s Monday it’s not being driven by the usual gray haired man.

THE LURKING MAN: This morning there was no sign of the strange man that I have seen staring at the house in the morning. Hopefully, this means that he has been arrested for being a Peeping Tom or he has gotten over what ever his problem was.

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I’m wearing a long sleeved multi-colored red stripped shirt with stone washed denim jeans and my Muppet shoes aka generic beige canvas tennis shoes.

Today, I didn’t do much but try and recuperate from having to have come into work on Saturday.

An odd incident that happened yesterday was that I had to go into Dave’s office to get some extra work. While picking up work he told me that he thought I was kidding the other day when I left a message on his answering machine saying that I was sick. I don’t know why this made me feel uncomfortable. I really was sick. I have witnesses!

THE BALTIMORE MARATHON RUINED MY COMMUTE: Also, I found out late yesterday the reason for the bus stopping five blocks away from everyone’s stop. It turns out that there was some kind of a marathon being held yesterday. Despite this I still don’t understand why the bus driver had to stop so far away. I doubt that the marathon started at 5:45 in the morning!

Anyway, all public transportation was essentially screwed up yesterday except the light rail and subway system.

THE ANGELIC BUS DRIVER I have to say that after I got off of work it was very difficult to leave downtown Baltimore. I was trapped along with large crowds of people standing and waiting for a bus that seemed never to arrive.

Finally a bus did arrive, it was a #23. The driver was kind. He said that he was suppossed to let us all off at Greene Street but instead he would let us off several blocks up the street on Carey Street. This man has to be the kindest, sweetest, man to have ever driven an MTA bus. He saw our pain and helped up leave downtown Baltimore! God Bless Him!! Thanks to that kindly angelic bus driver I was able to finally leave downtown Baltimore. By the way the celebrity the bus driver most resembled was 80’s r&b singer, Ray Parker Jr.

SHORT RANT: I don’t understand why when they have things like marathons they never explain how it will affect riders of the MTA. They will tell car drivers what routes not to take but they never think of including MTA riders in there warnings. I suppose they assume that no one really uses public transportation so why bother explaining anything. Does any one really care about riders of public transportation? Are we all just invisible?

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I’m wearing a white long sleeved blouse with blue plaid pants and blue fuzzy slippers.