01/24/2004: "Speedy G's kick ass rubber boots. (and screw Bush)"

That was one of my nicknames in High School. I never really thought about it before but I guess I can be sort of spaz and I've been that way for a long time. Either bouncing off the walls or lying in bed like a sad sad slug. I've been kindof going through a bit of a manic phase lately. At work today a co-worker (and friend) told me that I was talking non-stop and that she was having to zone me out. It was completely embarassing. I had so many thoughts racing through my mind I couldn't concentrate on my work at all. I kept thinking about one thing after another but nothing was connecting. I came home tonight and cleaned and got ready for the big Alaskan Style cocktail party...meaning, I will bar tend and serve fancy little drinks in cool little cocktail glasses but I'm also making chili and people will be coming in their jeans and rubber boots.

Speaking of which, rubber boots, Extra Tufs in particular, are THE footware of choice in Southeast Alaska. I don't think I know of anyone who has lived here longer than 6 months who doesn't own a pair, it's practically a requirement. The Extra Tufs, which are brown and yellow

They're expensive though, I bought a different kind (black and red) but stick rubber deck boots, from the used clothing store. Inside near the top is written the name of of the previous owner, Matt (in one boot) and his last name in the other. I often wonder about this guy when ever I put them on. I'd like to run into him some day.

My friend Charity does paintings of them...she has a show up in the city museum gallery at the moment...

CharityBoots2 (26k image)

This is her painting titled "Boots". I had a show with her last year at the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council and her painting of boots was a big hit, there were lots of people bidding on it. I like this new painting too, although she does other stuff as well, mainly about commercial fishing which is a big deal in Southeast Alaska. If I have time I want to stop down to the museum tomorrow to see her show before it gets taken down.

Ah, where was I going with this?

Anyway, I had to put away all of my canvases and painting materials to make room in my small house for my party guests. I am looking forward to this. Tuesday I have to go in for a surgery and it has me a little freaked out. This will be my last hurrah for awhile.

Oh yes, now I remember what I was wanting to write about earlier...about the fact that I once was a very political artist and now I'm not. Only, I got this spam in my elisetomlinson.com mailbox and normally I don't read spam but I just happened to read this and although I'm not going to use the company's services, the statement they made struck a chord with me.

From the Wiselephant spam message I received:
"You're an Artist. Fucking Act Like It.

The arts should be flourishing right now. It should be a rich, vibrant
time. What's wrong? Why is it so quiet?

There was a time when the arts pushed back as hard as it was pushed.
When attempts to smother and quiet were met by shouts and screams; when
the aggression, arrogance and ignorance of the far right were countered
with punk creativity and a mass refusal to conform.

Dissent used to be celebrated. Dissent was inspiration.

Dissent is a natural reaction to suppression. To suffocation. Artists
such as Andres Serrano and Laurie Anderson; writers such as Lynne
Tillman or Gary Indiana; musicians such as Jello Biafra, Ian Mackaye,
and Chuck D found their voices during conservative times, with
conservative leaders that sought to manipulate, tame and sanitize the
arts. Times when our leaders not only wanted to tell us what to believe,
but what to hate, what to avoid, what to ostracize. Those fingered chose
not only to point fingers back, but also to act and create.

Those times have come again, but the arts have been slow to respond. It
should be loud. It should be resonant."

Me again...here they started in with their sales pitch, but the above made me feel guilty that I wasn't using my abilities as an artist to rage against the machine...aka the current administration of my fine country the USA, which I love and which is being set back a hundred years by the Bushies. I watched the state of the Union speech and felt so angry...and just when I would think that I couldn't dislike Bush anymore, he'd smirk or say some new self righteous crap and I'd feel my face turn even redder.

That bit about renewing the Patriot Act nearly sent me over the edge, and the shit about saving traditional marriage? Give me a break. I can't believe that we live in this fantastic "progressive" country and yet a large percent of our citizens are still being blatently discriminated against.

My whole famliy (pretty much) believes the same as Bush...it's something, an argument, that I get into with my dad all the time. I like to pose this question. If marriage can only be defined as a committment made by one man and one woman, what about people who are born androgynous? Are they just not allowed to get married at all? It seems by fundamentalist Christian logic they'd be totally screwed. No matter who they could possibly fall in love with, it would be considered "an abomination". Does that seem fair? I don't understand why some straight people are so threatened by gay people wanting the same opportunities. How do they think that allowing gay people the same rights that they have (hospital visitation, insurance, tax relief, etc.) will somehow ruin it for them? It's so illogical it makes me crazy. I don't know anyone who actually believes that gay people shouldn't be allowed to get married...it blows my mind that such a large percentage of americans feel that way. Who are these people? (I mean, besides my family in the midwest).

Another thing, how can Bush stand up there and preach against drug use with a straight face?

Oh, here is a fun website to visit...Select Smart.

You can put in how you feel about all the major fiscal and social issues and see where the candidates line up with your value system. To give you an idea, according to this my ideal candidate is Al Sharpton with Dean a close second. (Sharpton was an 83% and Dean at 80%) and Bush, in dead last was only 4%. I can't believe that he and I even agree on 4 percent of issues. The only thing he said in his whole aweful speach that I liked was when he said we should thank people in uniform if we see them. I do agree with that. I have nothing against our military, I just feel they shouldn't be used as political pawns by the likes of Bush, Rumsfeld, and Chaney. It makes me so sad to think of all those men and women overseas in harms way when the reasons we were given for going there in the first place were so non-exsistent.

They found what? Several weapons of mass destruction type related activities...or something like that. And don't get me started on the way he's handled our economy, education, or the environment.

Damn, i get so upset thinking of these things, and yet, I feel even worse for not doing anything about how I feel. I have not been the most politically active person at the national level. i almost feel like why bother, in a way, because Alaska always goes to the Republicans and the race is usually already decided by the time I can make it to our poles. Still, I should try to do more.

Anyway the Select Smart test is fun. I'd be interested in anyone still reading this blog to go there, take the test, and then report back who your Number 1 choice candidate is, and who scored dead last.