Murder-for-hire Marketwatch, part 2

Objectives:  continue work on monochrome art project

Accomplishments:  finding brushes that maintain their shape

Physiology:  Feeling fine, for now.  Everyone at work seems to have succumbed to influenza.

Independence has done it again.  The homicidal nature of humans reappeared with another poorly-planned murder-for-hire plot.  One teenager in Independence, Missouri, wanted to kill his parents because they wouldn’t give him enough money.  Through a teenage friend, he met two hit men, paid them $260 and provided the guns.  Fortunately, one of the hit men was picked up on a probation violation and squealed to the police before the scheme could be completed.  My study of humanity continues, even though I feel less confident each week in their abilities to resolve conflicts peacefully.

They’re all watching us; kiss me on the bus

Objectives:  six-day workweek (ugh)

Accomplishments:  Survived painting class despite flimsy, substandard brushes

Music:  The Replacements

Physiology:  no problems

Escape velocity not realized.  The Stratus takes a while to warm up in 15-degree weather.

Tomorrow represents that uniquely human celebration of love and surrender of finances to the Hallmark Corporation.  Unfamiliar with the concept of love, my species has no such observances.  Yet the idea overwhelms humans, both positively and negatively. 

The feeling is chemical.  A human in love feels renewed confidence; endorphins conceal awareness of inadequacies.  The opposite occurs for a human not in love.  Such humans, especially in the presence of peers in love, alternate jealous and depressing thoughts.  Gordon Gekko said love is fictional, created by humans to prevent themselves from jumping out of windows.  That might explain why humans not in love don’t act irrationally.  They still have hope (another endearing human trait), even if they are fooling themselves.  Of course, the fact Valentine’s Day occurs once per planetary revolution, rather than constantly, might have something to do with it.

It’s okay to lower the blade

Objectives:  Recover from Super Fat Tuesday.

Accomplishments:  I executed a decent newscast with both winter weather and primary results bombarding my senses.

Physiology:  Exhausted

Escape velocity not even close to being realized in the Stratus on unplowed streets.

I describe the removal of frozen precipitation from the urban infrastructure as primitive and occasional.  A network of plows crosses the grid, but never on the streets (often steep inclines) I require.  Unfortunately, most times I see a plow, the driver is not doing his or her job.  I estimate 98% of the time I see a plow on a street or highway, the blade is upright and above the surface of the street, even if the street hasn’t been cleared.  What a waste.  If the road looks suspiciously covered, lower the blade and push that snow aside.  I don’t care about desginated routes.  If you drive it, you clear it.