GJ Willis' Art Notes

It turns out I do not have to go to the dentists office today. I got a phone call late yesterday evening saying that they want me to reschedule for another day.

I turned down doing Saturday overtime earlier this week because I thought I’d be at the dentist’s office. I’m not sure if it’s ok to show up without signing the sheet first. So to be safe from being yelled at at work I’ll stay home. I think I’ll take care of some basic household chores like grocery shopping and doing the laundry.

BLACK BOX VOTING UPDATED!: I just swung by Bev Harris’ website and noticed that she has a boat load of updates today for the 13th. Go Bev! Go!

Today, I donated money towards her cause of auditing the 2004 Presidential election. I feel secure in donating money towards her organization because she has been against the use of electronic voting long before the results of the recent election. She like me, feels that the system can easily be hacked into. I also like the fact that she has a major bone to pick with Diebold, the maker of electronic voting machines. Mother Jones did a really great article on that den of thieves a couple of months ago. The commentary by Bob Fritrakis and Harvey Wasserman appeared in the March 5, 2004 issue of Mother Jones.

WHAT I’M WEARING TODAY: Today, I have on a long sleeve waffle knit pullover that has a picture of a brown teddy bear on it wearing jeans and a long sleeve red shirt. The logo on the shirt reads, “Authentic Bear Wear. I bought it several years ago because it looked so darned cute! I’m wearing this with, yes, you guessed it! Blue jeans and tennis shoes. This time the tennis shoes I’m wearing are an old pair of white Nike’s that have “Air” printed on the back. I bought these back in the late 90’s and rarely put them on because they cost me a lot of money and I did not want to mess them up.

It’s raining outside this morning. I saw two people walking down the street who are normally on either of the buses I take in the morning. It could mean only one thing the damned buses are late because of the rain. The 1# bus eventually came by. The two people who were walking down the street abruptly ran back up the street towards it. I was hoping with all my might that it would get me to the light rail station in time. My luck ran out when I saw the train pass by as the bus neared the station. Damn that gray haired light rail driver!!!

I don’t understand why they can’t slow the light rail service a bit when it rains. The majority of people who take the trains are transferring to or from buses which are normally late when it rains. Well, all I can say is it looks like I’m going to be late this morning. A near perfect streak ruined by rain.

FINALLY NEWS COVERAGE!!!: I was surprised to hear on 98 Rock this morning, the fill in news person for Lopez, reporting on the controversy over election fraud. As usual they were clue less about all the inconsistencies and put it all down to those nutty bloggers with weird conspiracy theories. The only one who seemed to have a slight clue was Kirk. Despite their negative reactions to the possibility of fraud, I’m happy to see that the story is getting out on the Baltimore airwaves.

Also, I was saddened to hear according to the radio report that that the DNC feels that everything went well with the election. Wimps!

I feel that the investigating of Diebold and the election should continue on with or without the approval of the Democratic Party. Not just one election is at stake but all elections. The integrity of the voting process for now and the future is at stake.

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I’m wearing a salmon colored long sleeved jersey, blue jeans, and beige Muppet shoes. Right now, I almost perfectly match the color scheme of my bedroom, pink, blue (turquoise), and beige (ecru). The only difference is that what I’m wearing is a darker shade than the decor.

When I got to the bus stop this morning there were two women standing on the stop. I wasn’t sure if they were potential passengers, drug addicts, prostitutes, or homeless people. One had a clear plastic book bag where you could see school supplies, the other was older. I though they were mother and daughter. It turns out I guessed right. As the bus approached, the one with the book bag called out, “Hey, mom there’s the bus!”

The #2 bus pulled up they did not get on, neither could I, because the bus quickly pulled off. I think the reason he pulled off was because there were people standing up in the bus. Then again maybe the bus driver was behind schedule. Luckily, the #20 was close behind. It was driven by the stern looking woman. She was quiet this morning. Her fellow female bus driver was not aboard.

When the bus stopped where I get off to connect with the light rail I had to take an alternate walking path to the station. The gas and electric company had two trucks out working on two separate holes in the street.

It was kind of lucky that I had to take an alternate walking path because I found a dime in the middle of the tracks. Usually, I find pennies, but never a whole dime! Yippee, I’m rich!

The light rail train is again being driven by the gray haired man. The power cut off on the train again just as we were about to approach the North Avenue bridge. What is it with that section of the tracks? The power came back on after a while. The train feels as though it’s stalled. It’s moved back on. I hope we do not suffer anymore delays this morning.

The train broke down again at the North Avenue stop. A passenger yelled at the driver that he was trying to get off because today’s Veterans Day. The driver came out of his compartment and said if he could do do a better job then come in here and do it. The passenger said he would. The mood inside the train was tense. Will the two men fight?

Just then another passenger came up to the window and shouted, “Mayday! Mayday! Can you read me!” His attempt to lighten the tense atmosphere worked. However, the passenger is still angry. Right now the train is still stalled at the North Avenue station and hasn’t moved an inch. I hope that we do not endure yet another delay. If this keeps up I will not be able to eat my breakfast at work. Then my stomach will be growling. I hate when that happens....

OUTCOME OF YESTERDAYS EXPERIMENT: I didn’t have the guts yesterday to open up the window on my light rail commute home in the evening. So instead I ventured from car to car to find the one that had the least headache and nausea inducing aroma. I eventually found it and did a few sketches.

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I have on a mock turtleneck pullover. This one is purple and seems to have a deep purple and yellow ochre leaf design on it. It’s paired with these pull on drawstring jeans and beige Muppet shoes. I was going to wear my usual black canvas shoes but I felt that the color of the Muppet shoes really complemented the yellow ochre leaves on the shirt.

I left out yet again a little late. I caught the #2 bus. It was driven by a man wearing glasses. The bus oddly enough got me to the light rail station on time. I didn’t have to run this morning.

Also when I got on the train the “makeup monster” was aboard. Luckily, this time she was not applying finger nail polish. She had a large mirror out applying lipstick.

I don’t believe I’ve described her before other than saying that she wears garish amounts of makeup.

I’d say she’s about a size 16, has freckles, greasy looking curly hair with blonde streaks running throughout. Usually she wears tight lycra biker shorts. At least that’s what she seemed to have worn a lot during the summer. I doubt if she wore those shorts this morning. It’s 34 degrees outside!

After an absence of several weeks the light rail baby has returned! It seems to have circles under it’s eyes as if it either didn’t get a wink of sleep last night or was roused from sleep. It’s wearing a dark parka and a striped hat with a pom pom on top. It is looking around the train curiously at passengers. The baby’s mother has been on the train regularly however this is the first time in a long while that she’s bought the baby along.

AN EXPERIMENT:This section is being written on my commute home. Normally, I write these posts on my commute to work. Recently, on the ride home I have been getting this nauseous feeling. So in an experiment to combat that feeling I thought it would be fun to write a section in the evening.

I don’t know what’s causing the nausea I feel on my train ride home in the evening. I have a suspicion that it’s the homeless people boarding the train to keep warm.

I’m now in the last car I would normally board the first car. I’m avoiding it this evening because I see this weird homeless or crazy woman on that car. She’s a very tall black woman who wears a scarf on her head along with a kangol hat. She appears to spend her days simply riding the trains. She always stands up even though there are plenty of seats. She sometimes mutters to herself. Every now and then she starts to vogue. You know that stupid dance where you just change poses. Madonna sang about in a song eons ago.

Luckily, someone has the top window open in the last car. I never feel sickly during the morning. I believe that’s because it’s early and the trains have been given the opportunity to air out overnight. Since the window is up I’m going to put the Alphasmart away. I’ll wait until we get to the Falls Road stop to see if I get nauseous.

>>>Falls Road Stop- I don’t feel the slightest bit of nausea. I think the influx of air has helped a lot. I suppose in the future I should gather up the fortitude to open up the window on my evening commute. In case you’re wondering the light rail has heating vents along the sides of the car. With the top window open

I left out again a little late. So it was questionable whether or not I would be able to catch my usual bus. Luckily, after 4 minutes waiting on the bus stop a #2 came down the street. The George Forman looking driver opened the door with a pleasant smile on his face.

Since I got on this bus a wee bit late I had to yet again run for my life to catch the light rail train. Luckily, I managed to catch the train just in time. Like yesterday, I was breathless when I boarded the train. It’s all like de ja vu.

THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY (ONE WEEK ANNIVERSARY): I know that by writing this some of you who read this blog will probably feel that I have joined the Fellowship of the Tin Foil Hat People. However, to paraphrase Lesley Gore... ”it’s my blog and I can write what I want to.”

As I’ve written previously after the election I started perusing the internet to see what was going on. I started going back to some of my favorite message boards like Salon.com’s, Table Talk message board. I used to be an active member of Table Talk until they started charging a fee. Back in the day I liked to go over to their boards and post along with others as we were watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel.

However, during the debates I would go there to read the posts in their White House section, as the debates were going on. I also read the posts as the election results were coming in last week. I like going to this board because people are posting in real time as events happen not after the fact. This I feel makes it a very good barometer to register the current pulse of the people, albeit, die hard liberals, like myself.

After being dismayed by what I was reading on Table Talk I began to notice a lot of people mentioning the Democratic Underground message board. Going to this board led me to learning about Bev Harris’ long standing battle against electronic voting machines, Diebold, and the awful truth about the 2004 Grand Theft Presidency.

Bev Harris: First off lets start off with Bev Harris. I’m sure you’re wondering who the heck she is and why am I mentioning her. Bev Harris is a Washington state journalist who has been investigating the perils of electronic voting for many years. The information she has found has been nothing short of alarming. did you know that the source code of electronic voting is held secret only to those who work at the companies.

She did an interview back in 2003 that just about foretold the outcome of the 2004 Presidential election.

DIEBOLD: Diebold is one of the leading manufacturers of electonic voting machines United States. Where ever Diebold goes irregularities and historic Republican wins occur out of the blue. This is evidenced in the historic win of Republicans over a popular Democratic Governor and Senator in Georgia. The Democrats was way ahead in the polls that is until the Diebold machines kicked into action. It should be noted that Georgia ran the entire election on electronic voting machines supplied by, you guessed it, Diebold.

Diebold is also a major contributor to the Republican Party. In fact not just Diebold but ALL the manufacturers of electronic voting machines (ES & S, Sequoia, and SAIC) are major big time contributors to the Republican Party. Larry Chin wrote an interesting article about it on the Centre for Research on Globalisation website. I agree with most of what Chin wrote except the stuff about John Kerry.

Even eerier, Wally O’Dell, the head of the Ohio based Diebold said just last year in a fund raising letter for George Bush, that he was committed in helping Ohio deliver it’s electoral votes to the president next year.

I remember hearing reports on election night about all the long lines in Ohio. When people line up in droves to vote it’s not because they are happy with the incumbent. They line up because they want to throw the bum out.

You cannot tell me that it was just a mere coincidence that the state in which Diebold is based in all of a sudden decides to flip in favor of Bush. All exit polls that day were poised for the state to go to Kerry.

Also you can not tell me that it was just a mere coincidence that Florida, the state in which the President’s brother governs just decided out of the blue to vote his idiot brother back in. Florida was also a state where Kerry was way ahead in exit polls. That is, until the Diebold machines kicked into gear.

THE AWFUL TRUTH ABOUT THE 2004 ELECTION: Those who cast votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything - Josef Stalin

WHAT I’m WEARING: Today, I’m wearing a grape colored Henley pullover with another Henley, a cream colored one, underneath. I also am wearing stone washed jeans and black canvas tennis shoes.

It’s very cold out side. I’m wearing both of my light nylon snap buttoned jackets. One has a hood the other does not. They are both reversible and different shades of blue I have to layer my jackets because I had planned on washing out my winter coats next Saturday. The cold snap took me by surprise. Right now it’s 32 degrees outside. I think were supposed to be getting a high today of something in the 40’s.

This morning I left out a little later than usual. The reason for this was because I was up late last night twisting my hair after I had washed it.

Anyway, when I got to the bus stop I was surprised to find a bus there. I ran for the bus. The bus did not have a bus number it was simply marked, Light Rail Shuttle. I thought it was odd that when I got on the bus the bus didn't close and move on. Right then I looked back and saw the man with the two kids. I got back off the bus so that they would be able to get by me to get off the bus.

Then at the next stop a young couple got off with a baby in a stroller. I wonder if there’s a daycare center somewhere in my neighborhood? Oh, well it’s none of my concern I don’t have any children.

Later when the bus neared the light rail station I knew that I would have to sprint to catch the train. I could see it pulling up to the stop, Luckily, with all my might I made the train. I was out of breathe when I finally got aboard. Overall, it looks like I’m going to be on time!

CRIME OF THE CENTURY: Frankly, since perusing the internet all this weekend I’ve come to the conclusion that the 2004 Presidential election was literally stolen. I promise I'll post more about my feelings that the election was literally the crime of the century. In the meantime here's a great website I found, http://www.blackboxvoting.org

WHAT I’M WEARING: Today, I’m wearing a red striped waffle textured Henley, stone washed jeans, and my usual Monday morning Muppet Shoes.

My hair is still slightly damp since washing and twisting it last night. I hope I don’t catch a cold. However, I doubt it though, I take a lot of vitamin C and Echinacea in the winter.

The big event today was that I went to the laundromat. When I left out the front door I was surprised to find the woman who lives downstairs standing at the foot of the marble steps. She had a shopping cart that seemed to be filled with laundry. I had no idea that she did her laundry on Sunday.

When I got to the laundromat I was also surprised to find the light skinned man with the braids who I see on the light rail in the morning. I had no idea that he lived in my neighborhood. He waved to me like he usually does.

Also I think I’m wrong in thinking the problems with the laundromat are fixed. One of the machines I chose did not work after feeding it 14 quarters, the required amount. It seems that almost every time I go there I have a problem with the machines. Ok, I admit I didn’t have any trouble the last time I went there. But still it leads me to wonder,”Is it just me?”, or “Do I jinx washing machines?”

I know next time if my father’s washing machine isn’t fixed or that he hasn’t bought a new one that I will have to make a mental note to avoid machine #3.

In case you’re wondering why the need for the large big spender washing machine. Today, I wanted to wash all my sweaters so that I can be ready when the weather becomes frigid. I even through in all my scarves, hats, and mittens. If it involved yarn and wasn’t needed on a daily basis, like socks, I washed it.

FEELINGS ABOUT LAUNDROMAT CLOTHES DRYERS: I don’t really trust clothes dryers in the laundromat to get my clothes 100% dry. It’s been my experience that they never get my clothes dry. I usually end up hanging my clothes to dry anyway even though I went through several quarters for the clothes dryer. So instead of wasting quarters after my clothes come out of the washing machine. I simply bundle them up and take them home to dry. The way I see it I’m saving myself from a useless expense. In the end I always find myself hanging them up to dry so why not save the quarters and line dry the clothes. And that ladies and gentlemen is why I view laundromat clothes dryers as an unnecessary expense.

WHAT I’M WEARING: First off I should say that today it is unseasonably warm today. I think it's in the 70's. I had no idea what the temperature was outside when I left for the laundromat. I had on my blue jacket along with my long sleeved black Dr. Who sweatshirt with blue jeans, and old sneakers. When I took the sweatshirt off for something more cooler eg., short sleeved, my arms were filled with black sweatshirt fuzz. I had no idea I was sweating that badly!