Round 1: Burb 1

Round 1: Burb 1
Working Mom

After establishing their careers in the big city, John and Jennifer Burb have decided to return home to Pleasantview to establish their family. Let's see how the Burbs are doing...

Me: Good morning, Burbs!

John: ... And now that we have the house set up and Lucy is settled in school, I think it would be a good time to add to the family.

Lucy: You guys are having a baby?

Jennifer: Babe, I don't think now is a good time to discuss this.

Me: I have to agree with Jen on this one. Not cool to bring this kind of conversation up in front of the little one.

Jennifer: Babe, I was thinking that we might want to wait a couple of years before we have another baby.

Jennifer: There is an opening with the SCIA, and I think it has potential. I could see myself running the place someday.

John: Where is this coming from, Jenny? I thought we agreed that we would move here to expand our family.

John: Things are going well for me on the force. I can provide for the family. We're still young. This is not the time for you to start a new position.

Jennifer: John, do you expect me to sit around the house all day swapping gossip with the Bluewater ladies? I have dreams I want to pursue.

John: I thought having a family was your dream.

Jennifer: *sighs* John, that's your dream. Don't get me wrong. I love being married to you and giving birth to Lucy was the happiest day of my life. But I need more.

John: It's late. Let's discuss this more tomorrow.

Me: Congrats on your promotion, John! Any progress on the baby front?

John: I'm hoping to make some tonight.

Jennifer: You said you could provide for the family, and we can't even afford a TV. Do you know how embarrassing it was to serve those Bluewater ladies Jello because our grocery budget is too limited for a pie or Baked Alaska? John, after the baby is born, I'm going back to work.

Me: After the baby is born? You're pregnant?

Jennifer: *sigh* Yes, I took the test today. It was pink.

John: *beaming* This is great news, Babe!

Me: So, sweet. You're tucking your firstborn in.

John: It'll be nice to have a baby in the house again. Lucy is growing up and will be a teenager soon.

Me: Excellent, I see my favorite little girl in the Uberhood came home from school with you today.

Lucy: No fair. You're not supposed to play favorites!

Me: I ain't your mother, kid. I don't have to like you all the same.

Lucy: Mommy, will you love the baby more than me?

Me: Great, I gave the kid a complex.

Jennifer: Of course not, honey. When a Mommy has another baby, her heart doubles its size, so that she has room to love that baby just as much as her first.

Me: Nice save, Jen.

Me: Congrats on another promotion, John. Are you sure you're not a closet Fortune Sim?

John: No, I just believe protecting my family and the Uberhood is very important.

Me: Happy birthday, Lucy! Where are your parents.

Lucy: They're upstairs having a "discussion."

Me: Oh, well. At least Beau and Lisa are here to help you celebrate.

Me: Wow, you've very pretty, Lucy, but I don't think your dad is going to approve of that outfit.

Lucy: He's too busy arguing with Mommy to notice.

Me: Good point. So what do you aspire to be?

Lucy: I love learning, especially about science.

Me: Interesting. You don't really strike me as the mad scientist type, but ok.

Me: And since Lisa's name also starts with L, she gets to grow up too.

Me: What's with you girls showing off your belly buttons?

Me: A roach or two is not worth crying about. Pull yourself together, man.

John: I'm not crying about the roaches. I'm crying because I caught the flu.

Me: Oh, puh-leeze! I was laid up with a stomach virus for three days after Christmas. You get no sympathy from me. You're a Family Sim, so make yourself some Comfort Soup and be done with it.

Me: Besides, your wife needs you well right now.

Me: Welcome, Kevin!

Me: Wow, Jen! You waste no time.

John: Babe, I really wish you would reconsider. Don't you think Kevin would do better being raised by you rather than a nanny?

Jennifer: John, I'm going to work today and that's final. If you're so set on our son being raised by his parent, then you can quit your job.

Me: Tough break on the demotion, Jennifer.

Jennifer: I'm still a Gumshoe.

Me: But had you gone to work in a better mood you would have come home as a Private Eye.

Jennifer: So, it's not a demotion. It's a lateral move.

Me: Whatever helps you sleep at night.

Me: I see Pascal is out for a stroll.
Jennifer: He says he was abducted by aliens and impregnated. The Agency will definitely be interested in this.

Jennifer: This kid is half-alien. So the rumors about Strangetown are true. I bet this will get me promoted.

Me: Hmm, Johnny and Jules...

Me: Happy birthday, Kevin!

Me: He has your hair, but I think he looks more like John.

Me: And we have the first snowfall of the season.

Kevin: Da-da.

John: Good boy, Kevin!

Me: I see you guys are now able to afford a TV.

Me: Kevin's training has fallen mainly on your shoulders, huh?

John: Yes, Jenny is busy studying for the Private Eye certification exam.

Me: Lucy, you'll catch your death of cold out there.

Lucy: Hmm, it seems like something is missing.

Me: Here's a hint: Frosty would tell you himself if he could.

Me: Too bad they didn't notice you were in the bathroom.

Lucy: I don't qualify for any scholarships. I don't think I'm ready to go to college yet.

Me: You're not ready. You're only 14. I've devised a calendar and aging system. One of your days is equal to one year my time. When my visit began with you on Monday it was the year 2000. Now it is the year 2006.

Lucy: So, I get to stay around another week?

Me: Only until next Friday. You'll be 19 then and a freshman at La Fiesta Tech.

Lucy: Cool!

Me: I only wish I had thought of this sooner. I sent Alexander Goth to college already and he's only 16.

Lucy: I guess he's a child prodigy!

This is the first time I've enjoyed playing the Burbs. They've always been boring to me in the past.

I also feel the need to give a disclaimer about Jennifer's personality. She's a Fortune Sim, so I felt she would not be content being a stay-at-home mother. This is in no way a knock against stay-at-home moms. Ideally, I'd like to be one myself someday.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my ABCs versus Birds and Bees post. The Alphabet Twist is going to stay.

The Oldies are up next, and then we move on to Strangetown!

ABCs or Bird and Bees?

If you've been following the blog, you know that I have an Alphabet Twist in which Sims can only marry Sims whose names start with the same letter. You also know that I recently installed ACR which gives Sims the ability to flirt, kiss, woohoo, and even try for a baby autonomously. Now that my Sims have their own mind about who they are attracted to, I'm wondering if I should drop the marriage portion of the Alphabet Twist. I will still use an alphabetic progression in naming Sims (i.e. a new baby's name will start with the next letter in the alphabet after the father's first initial). I will also still use a Sim's first initial to determine which college the Sim goes to (A-I go to Academie Le Tour, J-Q go to La Fiesta Tech, and R-Z go to Sim State).

What do you think? Does the Alphabet Marriage Twist add interesting drama? (The Nina-Don-Dina triangle comes to mind). Or should True Love really conquer all? Please post your opinion in the comments section of this post.

Thanks for Reading,
SnarkySims (a.k.a Temesha)

Round 1: Pleasant 1

Round 1: Pleasant 1
You've Gotta Be Kidding Me!

The Pleasants look like your typical nuclear family, but we all know looks can be deceiving. Twins Angela and Lilith constantly fight, mother Mary-Sue is focused on her career, and father Daniel has a wandering eye. Let's see how the Pleasants are doing..

Me: Lilith, it's not nice to slap your sister around.

Lilith: I'm trying to slap some sense into her. Didn't you hear? Miss Goody-Two-Shoes did the deed with Dustin.

Me: Um, yes, I knew that.

Angela: We weren't planning to. It just kinda happened.

Me: Angela, it just kinda happened twice.

Angela: *smiles giddily*

Me: It's a shame you two are at odds since you have so much in common.

Angela: That's the problem. We both want to win the Simbledon Tennis Tournament.
Me: Isn't your dad a former champion?
Angela: Yes, he's our coach.
Me: Your dad coaches both of you? You're like the Williams sisters!
Lilith: Except with better hair.
Me: I think I hear a car. Your mom is home early.

Me: Mary-Sue, tough break about your job.

Mary-Sue: I got downsized.

Me: The economy is rough these days. A lot of companies are folding.

Mary-Sue: I think this is a sign. For the past sixteen years, I've been focused on climbing the career ladder. I've neglected my husband and daughters, and for what? A broken coffee mug, a couple of T-shirts, and a company pen that doesn't write. I'm uptight and boring. But that's all going to change. You're looking at the new Mary-Sue.

Me: Good for you, Mary-Sue. You're making lemonade.

Mary-Sue: I want excitement! I want adventure!

Mary-Sue: I want to be a Space Pirate!

Me: Let's not get too carried away.

Daniel: Sweetheart, I am so happy to see this side of you. You've brought back the young girl who stole my heart all those years ago.

Me: *rolling my eyes*

Daniel: Mary-Sue, I've done things I'm not proud of, but I want this to be a new start for us. Let's have some fun in our golden years.

Me: We'll see how long this wedded bliss lasts.

Lilith: Daddy, I heard that a girl in my class had woohoo with her boyfriend.

Daniel: That was a very foolish thing to do. She could get sick. Dirk isn't pressuring you is he, Lilith?

Lilith: Of course not, Dad. Dirk respects me.

Daniel: Good. That Dirk is a good boy. Not like that Dustin character. It's a good thing Angela is too smart to let him take advantage of her.

Me:*whispers* Lilith, you wouldn't bust your sister, would you? I know you want to win Simbledon, but eliminating your biggest competition this way is cheap.

Lilith: *grits teeth* Yes, Daddy, Angela is much too smart for that.

Mary-Sue: If I wasn't happily married to your father, I wouldn't mind having a fling with that Don Lothario. He's so dreamy.

Angela: Who are you and what have you done with my mother?

Me: Congrats on your promotion, Daniel.

Daniel: Thanks. I've been coaching the girls for years. It's nice that the Wrightsville Tennis Assocation has finally recognized my work.

Me: Hit the showers, Coach. Your family has planned a big birthday celebration for you.

Me: Wow, Daniel. I think this is the biggest birthday party we've seen yet.

Daniel: Yes, my in-laws Coral and Herb are here. And so is my sister Jennifer with her husband John and daughter Lucy. And even some of the girls' friends are here.

Me: You must be well loved.

Daniel: I'm an old geezer.

Me: Any day above ground is a good day!

Me: Um, what's wrong with this picture? Mary-Sue, do you have a baby bump?

Mary-Sue: Surprise! Daniel and I have been recapturing our youth and well, it looks like we're expecting.

Me: At your age? You've gotta be kidding me.

Daniel: Just because I'm an old man doesn't mean I can't still get down!

Angela: I thought he threw his back out.

Mary-Sue: I don't remember this being so painful last time.

Me: That was a long time ago. Your conscience probably supressed the memory.

Me: Welcome, Emily. Hey, wait a minute. Mary-Sue, I know what that look means!

Me: You have got to be kidding me! You didn't eat cheesecake. You don't have the super fertility benefit.

Mary-Sue: Why are you so suprised? I already had one set of twins, didn't I?

Me: Oh, well. Welcome, Emma.

Daniel: *facepalm*

Me: What's wrong, Daniel?

Daniel: I was hoping for a boy.

Me: Would it kill any of you to smile?

Mary-Sue: Bye, Angela. Have a wonderful time at Academie Le Tour.

Me: Dustin is going there too. Don't have too wonderful a time!

Me: Bye, Lilith.

Lilith: This bites. I'm going to La Fiesta Tech while Dirk will be at Academie Le Tour.

Me: Look on the bright side, you won't be at the same school as Angela.

Lilith: Good point.

Me: What on SimEarth are you doing? You just had twins!

Daniel: I didn't realize until Emily and Emma were born how much I wanted a son. Mary-Sue is too old to conceive now, so this is the only way.

Me: You better hope the agency sends you a boy.

Daniel: What, you mean I don't get to pick????

Me: Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until the next round to see who the social worker brings! Don't you just love a good cliffhanger?

Round 1: Dreamer 1

Round 1: Dreamer 1
Going to the Dogs

Darren Dreamer is recovering from the loss of his wife Darleen. Meanwhile, his son Dirk is in a blossoming relationship with Lilith Pleasant. Let's see how the Dreamers are doing...

Me: Congrats on maximizing the creativity skill, Darren! I bet you could make a living from painting and writing novels.

Darren: I am interested in all things media, but I would prefer working outside of the home. Too many memories here, you know.

Me: Of course. That's understandable. Oh, I think hear the school bus. Dirk is home.

Me: Dirk, I see Lilith came home from school with you.

Dirk and Lilith: *lip smacking*
Me: Um, Dirk, at your age, your hormones are raging. And with ACR installed, you may want to act on those hormones...
Dirk: Relax, we're just making out. We're not going to go any farther.
Me: That's a relief.
Dirk: It's not so much about morality, though. It's just that Mr. Pleasant would kill me if anything happened his daughter!
Me: It's time for your girlfriend to go home, anyway. Your carpool will be here any minute.

Me: Bummer, Dirk! I'm so sorry you got demoted. I would have thought making out with Lilith would have sent you to work in a good mood.

Dirk: My social need was fine, but the others not so much. I don't care about that crummy job anyway.

Dirk: What I really want to do is train pets and get them to the top of their careers.

Me: Really? Well, I have just the Critturs for you!

Me: Dirk, say hello to Sarah and Danny. If you can get these two to the top of their careers, you can train any animal in the Uberhood.

Me: Welcome home, Darren. Congrats on your promotion!

Darren: Do I hear barking?

Me: I love watching the dogs play. Sarah and Danny remind me of my own two Yorkies, Duke and Isabella. For some reason, my dogs always want to start playing when I'm ready to go to bed!

Dirk: Hey, Lil, you wanna go Downtown and split a sundae?

Lilith: Not right now. Can't you see I'm about to top your high score?

Me: I guess I really don't need to worry about ACR and you two.

Dirk: *sullenly* I guess not.

Me: Congrats, Darren on another promotion.

Darren: Is it really necessary for you to put in our promotion pictures? You're not really keeping points or anything.

Me: No, I'm not, but if it weren't for promotions, some of you wouldn't appear in the blog at all!

Me: Darren, you're giving Sarah a bath while Dirk is hanging out with Lilith? I thought the dogs were his responsibility.

Darren: They are. I'm just helping him out.

Me: And Sarah escapes!

Darren: She runs very fast for a pregnant dog.

Me: She won't be pregnant for long.

Darren: So the dogs don't have to follow the Alphabet Twist naming convention?

Me: No. I'm not doing any pet legacies here. If I had been a little more lucid at the time I would have named them Dasher, Dancer and Vixen!

Me: I have no idea which puppy is which, so I'll just put their names on the side.

Me: Sarah doesn't like getting baths, but she sure doesn't mind giving them.

Me: Well done, Danny. Dirk is on his way to his lifetime want.

Dirk: These dogs are going to make me a fortune, Lil. Just wait and see.

Lilith: I think your fortune just piddled on the floor over there.

Darren: I'm surprised you took the job with Dina's law firm, Brandi. I always pictured you working in the education field.

Me: I'm really impressed you had a great week with five dogs running around the house.

Dirk: Dad, I still miss Mom a lot, but I want you to know that if you find love again, go for it. I don't expect you to live the rest of your life alone.

Darren: Thanks, Son. That means a lot.

Me: Speaking of finding love again... Are you sure want those two to breed again?

Dirk: I need six pets, and they only had three puppies last time.

Dirk: I feel bad about leaving my dad to look after the dogs while I'm in college.

Me:He doesn't seem to mind. Have a great time at Academie Le Tour with Alexander and Dustin.

Happy 2009! I forgot to mention at the end of my last post that the lecturing Dustin got was because thanks to ACR, he and Angela consummated their relationship. I have to tell you I was shocked. I didn't realize ACR allowed teens to woohoo. I think to keep this blog family friendly, there won't be any teen woohoo pics, but it may come up in discussion if it progresses the storyline.

When I played the Dreamers, I was curious to see if Dirk and Lilith would also woohoo, but they never did. The most they did was the makeout that you saw at the beginning of the post. It's funny. The "bad" twin turns out to be the prude, and the "good" twin goes all the way with her boyfriend. I think this game simulates life more than people realize!