GJ Willis' Art Notes

This morning I took the #8 bus heading towards Towson to pick up the webcam that I ordered yesterday from Best Buy.

The bus driver was running way ahead of schedule so she kept taking very long stops. It was also very dark outside threatening rainstorms. I forgot to bring an umbrella with me and was feeling very anxious.

Along the way her farebox got jammed so she was trying to clear it with a pencil. Then of all people a little old lady who had her grand daugter with her sweetly handed her a large Crockadile Dundee sized knife. A couple of passengers including myself chuckled over the fact that a sweet little old lady was carrying such a big knife in her purse.

Also on the ride home was the largest number of women wearing dread locks 6 including myslef on the #8 bus.

After I picked up my camera I bought yet another security alarm from Radio Shack. As God is my witness I swear I will set this one up!

After I bought the motion detector alarm that comes with a keychain remote I headed over to the Towson Commons to watch movies. That afternoon I saw Wedding Crashers followed by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Quick Movie Review Time!

WEDDING CRASHERS

This movie was absolutely brilliant! I laughed so much I became hoarse! If you see one comedy this year Wedding Crashers is it. Yeah, I know the previous sentence sounds cliched but it’s the truth. RUN, DON’T WALK TO SEE WEDDING CRASHERS!!!!

CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Johnny Depp did a great job as usual as did Freddie Highmore the kid from Neverland. The one main problem I had with it was the Oompa Loompa songs. The songs were not very melodic. Also the tune was different when each kid was eliminated. In the 1971 original movie the songs were more consistent and humable. To me the songs in the new version sound like faux 80’s rap composed by a tragically unhip middle aged white guy.

Here’s the part in my blog where I admit that was so geeky as kid that I read the book. No where in the original book does it mention Willy Wonka having father issues. I hate that they tacked this stupid storyline in to explain Wonka’s motivation. However, it was nice to see Christopher Lee play his father.

Overall, my feelings about the movie are tepid. I see no need to rush out and see the movie. My advice is wait until it comes out on cable....

DECLARATION OF THE DAY:
Tomorrow, I will be purchasing security equipment for my apartment. I want to get something that records or goes off when motion is detected.

You know with the campus police patrolling the neighborhood it makes me feel that I should be more proactive about my own security.

I don’t know maybe one day I’ll take up martial arts so that I can stop feeling afraid about everything.

WHAT I’M WEARING:
Today, I have on a purple v-neck top and blue slacks.

MORNING COMMUTE:
This morning I caught the #20 bus. I also got on the early light rail train because the bus came slighlty earlier than usual. I caught the B shuttle bus. It got to the Timonium light rail stop at 6 AM. This is the earliest I have ever been at that stop. As I transferred to the C bus I saw a fellow co-worker get on the bus. I made it into the work at 6:20 am. So far this summer this is the earliest I have ever made it into work.

UMAB CAMPUS POLICE PATROL:

When I got home from work I saw the scary elderly stalker man. This time he was sitting on the playground bench down the street from where I live. Where he was sitting gave him a direct view of me walking towards my apartment building. When he saw that I had spotted him he nervously turned away. It makes me wonder how long he’s been doing this?

For all I know he could be a serial killer like that BTK guy they caught. The block I live in is very transient. It consists mostly of graduate students and employees of UMAB. Come to think of it, the street I live in would be perfect for an Al Queda operative or a BTK killer type. Since no one really stays around too long it’s difficult to track irregularities in neighbors.

Anyway, just as I had spotted him on the bench a UMAB campus police car pulled up. Seeing the campus police patrolling the area makes me feel secure. I hope that they will be there tommorrow morning when I leave out for work and when I come home in the evening.

WHAT I’M WEARING:
Today, I have on a short sleeve floral short with a silk string tie front. I also have on a pair of green slacks.

I’m still mourning over the death of Freda, a woman I only knew through the magic of radio. I can’t explain precisely why her death has had such a profound effect on me. I suppose the main reason is because her death was so sudden and unexpected. Her death reminded me that we are all on this earth for a short time. Tomorrow is promised to no one.

So far 2005 has been a pretty bad year. You have the death of Luther Vandross, the death of 98 Rock’s Lopez, the death of Don’s wife Freda, the death of David Haines, The London attacks, the loss of Crablogs, the loss of the DaBrettman Speaks web blog, the firing of my long time supervisor, WHFS being a part time music station, and Howard Stern moving to satellite radio. The list of bad things that happened so far this year could go on and on. I think I’ll stop it here or I’ll just get more depressed than I already feel...

INTERESTING SIGHT ON BUS:
An odd thing happened on the morning shuttle bus. A woman all of a sudden took off her top. She then took a very long time figuring out how to put it back on. In frustration she gave up trying to put her blouse back on and rode the rest of the way in a bra with her blouse loosely covering her front. She then quickly fell asleep. I’m not sure but I think she was stoned out of her mind.

No one on the bus was alarmed or protested. The main reason for this is that I take the shuttle bus at a very early hour of the morning. The vast majority of passengers on the bus at that hour are asleep or trying to sleep.

The man sitting next to her didn’t seem to mind much. He seemed very happy at the strange turn of events. I suppose it was a great start to his day. How many guys have a pretty girl take off their top on the bus right next to them? By the way the celebrity she most resembled was Naomi Campbell albeit a possibly stoned Naomi Campbell.....

UMAB CAMPUS POLICE PATROL :) :

It was nice when I left out for work and immediately saw a UMAB campus police car come down the street then another. Both cars stopped at the end of my street to talk to each other. I don’t know how long they will be patrolling my neighborhood.

One thing's for sure I hope that they keep it up because whenever I see that scary elderly stalker man I start to feel paranoid like he’s watching me or going through my apartment when I’m not home. I ’m sure he knows that I live alone and knows when I leave out and come in from work.

Right now I am this close to getting a survelliance camera set up in my apartment just to see if I’m being paranoid for no reason. This man lurking around every summer makes me feel very uncomfortable.

WHAT I“M WEARING:
Today, I have on the striped nautical design t-shirt with the anchor in the middle. Also today for the first time in weeks I’m wearing slacks to work. I wanted to wear something dark today to symbolize my saddness. I had to wear slacks because my black skirt is in the hamper and scheduled to go to the laundromat sometime this weekend.

Today, I’m feeling very sad about the news of Freda Wright-Sorce’s death. When I first heard the news on the Don and Mike Show this afternoon I thought it was a sick joke. You know something Don Geronimo cooked up to get an extra day of vacation. Then I got home and checked out DCRTV and the Baltimore Sun web site and sadly found out that it was no joke. Don’s wife really did die yesterday in a car accident!!! With the realization of the news I found myself crying in front of my computer.

I have listened to the Don and Mike Show ever since they hit the airwaves on WJFK AM in the 90’s. Don’s wife Freda was an integral part of the show. I really loved it when she would call the show to give her point of view. It gave the show a since of levity, that it was not just a boy’s only zone.

Don would end each show by saying, “Love you Freda! Love you Bart!“ I can not imagine the show without hearing Freda on it.

Tonight my thoughts and prayers go out to Mike Sorce (Don’s real name), his son Bart, and the entire Sorce and Wright family.

Also, I’m saddened to hear about the death this weekend of local radio news icon David Haines. He died of a pulmonary embolism that resulted from cancer treatment. Haines did the news on Donnie Simpson’s morning show on WPGC. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Haines family.

Overall today, was a very sad and tragic day for Baltimore/Washington radio. Counting 98 Rock’s Lopez so far 2005 has been a very tragic year overall for local radio. .

WHAT I’M WEARING:
Today, I have on a dark paisley skirt and a royal blue short sleeve top.

As an addendum I found a great site that is almost like a complete FAQ sheet for the Don and Mike Show. It starts off with a lot of cooking recipe’s then you have to scroll down for the show’s unofficial FAQ sheet. http://www.travelbank.com/miscmeda.htm