All Kinds of Talent

Well, I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend and ate lots of barbecued food. I know I sure did. As usual, coming back to work this morning was a slow process, but I survived, and so I am posting here again. Let's just get straight to the sims stuff, shall we?

It's been a while since we had any posts relating to the Millers. If you want to get technical, I think there's been like 34 posts since the last one that was focused on the Millers. Well I don't believe that every family needs to get equal treatment in the posts here...some are more boring than others, and I may play them the same amount, but sometimes there's just nothing worth posting. Anyway, last time, Bobby Miller had been abducted by aliens, then returned shortly after with a much needed personality boost. Apparently, nobody learned their lesson about using the telescope from the incident...or maybe they did...

Keri: "I want to get abducted...it sounds sweet!"

Well, after all of the obvious probing jokes had been exhausted on Bobby, life more or less went back to normal for the family (I have a hard time remembering just what that means for the Millers). Too normal, perhaps. Stu began to have doubts about his career, and began to feel that perhaps he had been destined for greater things than making a living singing at Cameron's Lounge. While he could have remedied this by working harder in Studio Town and pursuing new paths of fame, he decided it would be easier just to invite a bunch of famous sims over to his place to give the appearance of being a bigger deal than he actually was.

Stu: "Some day I'll have a cool gold star floating over my head too...just you wait!"

Stu did his best to take advantage of the presence of the people who were more famous than him, and sought their sage wisdom on what it took to become a huge star (he's apparently not familiar with the little white bars in his skill points that show what he needs to advance). What's the point of having famous friends if you can't milk them for trade secrets to get yourself ahead? Of course, every sim's path to fame is different, so not all of the advice was terribly helpful (I guess when it comes to free advice, you really get what you pay for).

Matt: "The secret to my success? Easy...lots and lots of caffeine!"

As you might suspect, having so many famous folks at the Miller house was bound to draw lots of attention. Of course, the biggest parasite of all, the obsessed fan, was there with camera in hand snapping pictures. The funny thing though is that he wasn't snapping photos of the really famous folks, he was taking pictures of Peter Miller, who never actually launched himself on a legitimate fame career. I guess if you count his very brief stint as a comedian a career, he's sort of famous, though I don't really consider telling jokes for a living a job...but that's just me.

Obsessed Fan: "Oh my gosh! It's Peter Miller...and he's getting ready to grill burgers!"

While Stu was busy worrying about fame and all things related to it, the rest of the family had other things on their mind. Things like breeding. No, not breeding with one another. Actually, Deana was determined to breed some cats through the use of Mr. Scruffers and Skunkbear, in the hopes of getting some money for them (most of the family doesn't work, but they want the cats to help contribute financially - that makes a lot of sense). Unfortunately, Mr Scruffers and Skunkbear had only about three or four relationship points with each other, and rarely spent any time together. Deana decided to solve this problem by building a pen to keep them in so they'd be forced to get to know each other better...

Obsessed Fan: "Please...please let me stay in the cat pen too!"

While Stu was busy hobnobbing with famous folks, and Deana was busy caging their furry feline friends, Keri decided it was time for her to develop some sort of interest other than cooking and cleaning around the house. It was then that she noticed the long abandoned electric guitar, which the family wisely keeps sitting outside on the front lawn right next to the street. It's a good thing that there's no rain in the sims, or that the whole Miller family is never asleep at the same time, because it would have been ruined or stolen a long time ago. Well, it wasn't ruined or stolen, but judging by the responses of the rest of the family to Keri's playing, it may have been a little out of tune...

Keri: "Hey, give me a break, guys...I've only been playing for about five minutes!"

I guess it's only fair that the whole family booed Keri's performance, since that's what happened to Peter when he was trying to learn to play. I don't understand how these poor sims are supposed to learn to play an instrument when the moment they start playing it everyone jumps in and boos them, but I guess the high pressure approach might have something to do with why they learn so fast. Maybe it would be a better idea for them to build up creativity points by painting first, since I've never seen sims boo an artist before (not to say it doesn't happen). Meanwhile, Deana had completed her cat pen, and Mr. Scruffers and Skunkbear were busy ignoring each other in captivity, just as they had done before when they were free.

Skunkbear: "Let me out of here! I didn't do it! I want to talk to my lawyer!"

Keri, despite the poor response to her initial guitar playing, was determined to continue developing her talent, and so she continued to play well into the night. I guess she figured that if she stayed up past when everyone was asleep, she'd be able to practice without getting ridiculed. Well, she apparently doesn't know the rest of the family that well, despite having lived in the house for quite some time. When they heard Keri resume playing after they'd gone to bed, Deana and Bobby were quick to run outside in their PJs and boo her some more. This time, her husband Stu stood by, and though he wasn't terribly supportive, at least he kept his mouth shut.

Stu: "Uh...guys...you realize you're standing in the front yard in your underwear?"

I guess Keri eventually got fed up with all the criticism, because she eventually headed inside and started cooking (at like 2 in the morning). The same hecklers who were so quick to criticize her guitar playing abilities were just as quick to grab some of the food she prepared and start chowing down. Keri wasn't about to let the whole matter slide so easily, though. Her and Bobby sat at the dining room table and argued with one another, pretty much like they always do. Some folks just can't seem to get along.

Bobby: "Why? Why must we always disagree? Can't we all just get along?"

After the 2 a.m. dinner or whatever you call that, the gang headed right back outside to the electric guitar. This time, however, before Keri could grab it, Stu got his hands on it and started jamming. Everyone loves a show-off. Actually the response to Stu's playing was pretty good, and even though he'd booed Keri earlier, she was the first to start applauding and dancing. Maybe she was just doing it to lay a huge guilt trip on Stu for being mean earlier, but I like to think she's just a nice person. Whatever the case, the whole incident did a lot to boost Stu's ego, and convinced him once and for all that it was time for him to do greater things in Studio Town.

Keri: "Awesome! Now let's see you smash it over Bobby's head...!"

Well, Stu did indeed attempt to climb the ladder of fame. He sang at Cameron's Lounge some more, then took things to the next level by modeling for a bit. After many grueling hours in Studio Town and some attempts at self-improvement at home, Stu eventually worked his way into advertising, and settled on doing aspirin commercials for a living. Wow, that's exciting...or not. If you ask me, singing in a club sounds like a lot more fun than dressing like a doctor and waving around a box of aspirin, but commercials brought Stu more fame and money, and we all know those are high priorities for him, especially since he's still the only source of income at the Miller home.

Stu: "I'm not a doctor, but I play one in these commercials..."

Stu decided that was high enough up the ladder of fame for him for the time being, and decided he'd improved himself and his career more than enough to last him a long time. At least he usually accomplishes what he sets out to do, though, like when he decided on his plan to get married. Deana's plan to breed cats was a total flop, and Mr. Scruffers and Skunkbear didn't gain a single relationship point with one another after days of being penned up together. The pen was bulldozed, and the cats were released. Meanwhile, Stu bragged to Peter about his recent success. Modesty is definitely not in his vocabulary.

Stu: "Dude, you have no idea how much money I'm making now...!"

Well, with Stu working so hard and making so much money, it seems like a perfect time for the Millers to take their first vacation...a nice long vacation! In case you haven't guessed it, that shall be the topic of our next couple posts! And after that, well...you'll just have to see for yourself! Later!

Sims Still Livin' It Up

Hey, folks! Welcome back! What a morning...I actually got up on time and didn't have to rush like a maniac to get ready for work before my ride arrived. Normally, I try to be up and getting ready no later than 5 a.m. to be ready to leave shortly after 6, but lately, I've been waking up at about 5:45, which is not cool. Well, today, I was up, dressed, and ready to go by 4 a.m., which I don't know how I did, but it got me to work on time, and I'm raring to go (home), so it's all good.

As usual, sims-post-wise, I've got "photo" material for quite a few posts, and it will take quite some time to post what I've got right now, even if I stopped playing the game for good today (which I'm not), so that warning not so long ago about running out of material for this blog soon doesn't apply at the moment. That having been said, let's get to the good stuff...the last of three posts covering Marty and Kitty's most recent visit Downtown, and the lives they touch in the process (har har). When we first rejoin the pair, they've just arrived by way of cab at the market square place...or whatever it's called.

Kitty: "That Marty...he's such a recreational genius!"

Well, this wasn't the first time Marty had visited the place, as you may recall from a previous post with him and Peter, so he knew just what he was dealing with. His first plan was to try and wow Kitty with a little action out on the dance floor. Kitty followed him out there, and danced with him for a total of about four seconds, then stood there with her arms crossed the rest of the time they were out there. I think she was trying to pretend she didn't know him, but it was kind of hard to do seeing as how she's famous in the sim world. It's a good thing her degree of fame has nothing to do with Marty's degree of skill on the dance floor.

Marty: "Check it out...I call this 'The Egyptian'...!"

Well, Marty could tell Kitty wasn't overly impressed with his skillz on the dance floor, so he opted for something a little more overt - the dance cage! Despite his high energy acrobatics and crazy all over the place dance moves, Kitty still wasn't thrilled. She didn't even so much as boo him like Marty had done with Peter. No, she just stood off to the side and pretended not to notice him. You know, Kitty may be a good wife to Marty when they're back home, but she's not very supportive of any of his endeavors when they're out in public. Of course, she wasn't that crazy about his gardening back home either...

Kitty: "I don't know that guy in the cage...I'm here with this nerd!"

Not everyone who hits the Downtown hot spots does so to take advantage of the exotic and exciting forms of entertainment. No, I spotted Steve Jackson hanging out in a solitary little room with nothing but himself and some books for company. Funny how I never noticed there was such a room at the market square place before, probably because it looked too boring at first glance to investigate further. Of all the things I would have expected to see Steve sneaking out of the house to do, though, reading is at the very bottom of the list. I'm sure he has his reasons.

Steve: "If anyone ever catches me reading books for fun, my reputation will be ruined...!"

It's kind of funny, but every location I ever send sims to, be it Downtown or in Old Town, I always see one particular random sim visiting as well - Kevin Smith. And he always has a "date" with him. I've never bothered to check his personal phone book listing to see who all he knows, but it must be about the size of the New York City phone book by now. This time, he was with some new girl who looked very much like Claire Cartwright (Charming). He must have a thing for hanging out with women who look like her. He should have a thing for hanging out with his wife, Kammy, who always seems to get left at home.

Girl: "It's not even your birthday...shouldn't we tell him that so he stops singing you 'Happy Birthday'...?"

For that matter, one other very popular sim is Keri Miller, who also seems to hit every spot that's currently being visited. Occasionally, her husband, Stu, can be found hanging out in the same place as her, but usually, I see him haunting Studio Town every time I send someone there, so that seems to be his preference. This time, Keri was hanging out with the bowling shirt wearing punk guy who came to the Miller costume party way back when and dressed as an astronaut. Some other punk guy in a purple sweater stood off to the side, probably waiting for his punk buddy to finish hanging out with Keri so they could go do punk things...and you thought the mohawk was no longer in style...

Punk Guy: "Blech...'Big Brother'...don't get me started...always trying to keep the little man down!"

As much as Keri was a fan of anti-government sentiment, she was able to find much more exciting ways to spend her time. Considering where she is, that's a very good thing, since you can talk pretty much anywhere without having to pay for the privilege (though since random sims in Downtown always walk there, I think they manage to sidestep the cab fare). Anyway, Keri headed over to the dance floor where Kitty and Marty had been not too long before, and she hopped into the dance cage. I'm not sure if athletic interest or body points have any affect on a sims ability to dance in the cage, but she seemed to be doing a better job of it than Marty...or maybe it just looks a little less freaky for a girl to be dancing in the cage than a guy...it's hard to say, really.

Keri: "Eat your heart out, Marty Wilson...!"

Apparently, while I was looking elsewhere, Marty had gotten the message that dancing was not one of his strong points. I think Kitty probably walked away from him after a bit, which I think would be a pretty strong indicator of that message. Whatever the case, Marty did the logical thing and went to see where she'd gone. He found her in the flower shop, eyeballing some floral arrangements. Marty, being the slick detective type he is, paid careful attention to which ones in particular she was checking out, hoping to use that information to his advantage later. The hillbilly girl who was at the bistro with "Moon Dawg" earlier was in the flower shop too, not surprisingly, without "Moon Dawg."

Hillbilly Girl: "You have to pay for these flowers? Why, you can get these things out in the pasture back home for free!"

Well, moments after Kitty was done perusing the flowers, Marty snuck on over and grabbed a bunch of them, then headed to the register (and you thought when I said he planned to use that information "later" that I actually meant at some later date, not five minutes later). Marty's assessment of Kitty's floral interests was correct, and the flowers got the expected result (resulting in a PDA in pubic shortly thereafter). Way to go, Marty...using your powers of deduction to score points with the Missus. That'll ensure that next time you ask for money to buy gardening supplies, she won't be able to turn you down...

Kitty: "For me? Oh, Marty...this is so...unexpected...sort of..."

Well, sooner or later, the thrill of being away from home wears thin, and while Marty and Kitty could have visited every Downtown lot there is, that would have resulted in one long and boring series of posts. Besides, I need to save some of those unvisited lots for future posts involving other sims...can't use all my material in such a short time. Yes, Marty and Kitty were quite content to return home and do what they do best - sit in the hot tubs near the street and watch the world go by (that would be easier if they were actually facing the street). Meanwhile, Alfred the Butler wandered about, dealing with the daily chores.

Alfred: "It's always 'Alfred, take out the trash,' or 'Alfred, water the flowers.' Is it ever 'Alfred, how about a dip in the hot tub?' Nooooo..."

Well, all's well that ends well, and considering nobody died or lost household items to fire or got sprayed by a skunk, I'd say this ended pretty well. The Wilsons work hard at doing nothing all day long, and it's nice to see them get a break once in a while by getting out of the house. Well, we've yet to see J.D. and Julie do anything of the sort together, but there's plenty of time for such things in future posts. Please just don't hold your breath. Next up, we haven't heard from the Millers since Bobby was returned from an alien abduction. Just what are they up to? Well, you'll have to drop in next time to find out! Seeya'!

The Life and Times of Sims

Welcome back to MonkeeSims, the most popular choice for entertainment in this day and age! (please note these results were taken from a study of individuals offered a choice of doing homework or viewing this blog, and they all chose the blog). I'm having a better day today than I have the past few days, but since I haven't explained what's gone wrong recently, that doesn't mean much, does it? Well, it does to me, so back off! (just kidding...)

Our last post followed Marty and Kitty Wilson on their trek Downtown for a little fun and frolicking away from the Wilson house. Well, of course the post was mainly focused on the couple, but one of the great things about the commercial areas of the sim world is all the random sims showing up with other random sims and doing random sim stuff. Yes, today's post is not just about Marty and Kitty, but all the other sims that touch their life during their visit downtown as well (or something like that).

When we rejoin the pair, they have just arrived at some weird outdoor bistro type place, complete with sinks sitting out in the open, as well as a bunch of stoves and stuff just sitting out as well. At first, I thought I'd hidden all the walls and tried to bring them back so I could get a look at the place. Well, I couldn't bring them back, so I cussed at the PC for a moment, then realized that the place was just odd, and didn't have any real walls. Dang confusing sims architects. I imagine the architecture probably had some disadvantages for the sim patrons and workers as well...

Chef: "Sacré Bleu! I hate it when ze birds crap on ze stove!"
As weird as the place may have been, it was apparently pretty popular, judging by the constant flow of sims showing up. It's nice to have the appearance of a bustling locale, but poor Marty kept on getting butted in front of in line as he tried to get seated by the maitre d'. One such couple to butt in front of him was Keri Miller with Lucius Rambo, who she's apparently friends with (must be on the side - I've never seen the two interact at any actual social gathering). Marty just stood near the table and looked sort of awkward.

Marty: "What, just because he's dressed like you he gets to go before me? It's not fair!"
The couple did eventually get a seat, probably because the maitre d' recognized Kitty as a famous personality (not because Marty looked like such a big tipper). Poor Marty gets no respect. The seat was right up front by the podium, though, right where all the traffic was coming through, so it still wasn't the best seat in the house. At any rate, the pair got to sit back and relax while they waited for the French chef to finish making their food, which was a nice change. Usually, they have to sit back and wait for J.D. to finish making their food. Cooking is so overrated, after all.

Marty: "Ah...the quaint outdoor setting, the piano player, the flowers...I'm such a romantic!"
Despite the terribly visible location right up by the podium and the thin metal legs on the chairs and table that offered no concealment, Marty and Kitty decided to play a little "footsie" to pass the time. Of course, I highly doubt anyone really cares when two people who are married engage in such non-scandalous activities, even in plain view of everyone, and since the tabloid photographers never venture outside of Studio Town (except for award presentations), Kitty's star status didn't really matter.

Kitty: "Why is that woman there wearing a bed sheet tied around her with a rope?"
Yes, everyone had business of their own at the quaint little bistro, and they were all too self absorbed to care about what was going on with anyone else (if only real life could be a bit more like that). Kevin was out dining with yet another mystery girl (despite the fact that he and Kammy had walked right by each other when he arrived), Matt was standing around looking famous and not much else, and Keri was engaging in a discussion about romance with the ever charming Lucius. Yes, it's true...everybody's always doing something...

Keri: "Yes, I really feel something too...just not for you..."
You know, now that I think about it, several of the folks who were present at the bistro were also at the Wilson's house party. I guess they were all just looking for a chance to head off Downtown when nobody was looking. I didn't think the party was all that bad. Then again, once Drew Carrey shows up and all the conversation starts to be about him, that does kind of blow. Heck, even the pets start to talk about Drew once he makes the scene. Anyway, all that aside, Marty and Kitty decided they'd spent enough time sitting, and moved on to embracing repeatedly right out in the middle of everyone. Again, nobody else batted an eye. Sorry guys, but it takes more to spark the public interest (if, in fact, that's what they're hoping to do).

Marty: "What good is being out in public without a little PDA?"
Well, Marty and Kitty had done a few different things since their trip to Downtown, but none of them were very fun...at least not in the really fun sort of way. Marty decided to remedy that, and headed on over to the rental booth by the cool little fish pond to see about renting some remote control boats. Well, Mrs. Crumplebottom and Kevin Smith were in line in front of him, and it took forever for him to reach the booth, probably because rental shack Zack was fooling around with his binoculars instead of waiting on customers. What a weirdo.

Zack: "Hey, guys...check out the hot babe in the gray hat and dress!"
Despite Zack's weird taste in women, Marty did eventually make it to the front of the line, but to his chagrin, he was only able to rent one boat, and was totally unable to explain the concept of how to rent one of her own to Kitty. It didn't matter, though...while Marty's boat zipped its way around the pond, Kitty busied herself with tossing fish food into the water, usually right on top of Marty's boat (I think she was trying to get the fish to capsize it). Wait a second...Marty hates shadowbox schooners but loves remote control sailboats? What's with this guy? Oh, Marty, you are indeed an enigma wrapped in a riddle!

Marty: "Help! We're being attacked by giant fish, mateys! Giant fish off the stern!"
Meanwhile, the drama in the life of the other neighborhood sims continued over in the dining area. I noticed that Brooke, Leon Jackson's sort-of-girlfriend, was out making the scene minus Leon. It was none too surprising, since Leon never calls her or makes any efforts to get together most of the time, and hey...a woman like Brooke has certain needs. Needs that, at this moment, were being fulfilled by Duncan Anybody (not to be mistaken for the actual Anybodys the game generates, somebody built a house full of people in my neighborhood with that last name, and they pop up from time to time).

Brooke: "Actually, I am seeing someone...sort of...I think..."
Though Leon couldn't be bothered to make the scene Downtown, his old buddy "Moon Dawg" was taking advantage of the night life. Most surprisingly, he was hanging out with a girl and grabbing a bite to eat. Before you start to think that "Moon Dawg" has any sort of romantic interest, though, it should be noted that he was sharing his less than positive views on romance, rather than trying to woo the girl he was with. Such a shame, too...he finally found someone else who thinks it's normal to go out in public without shoes on. They would have been so perfect together...

Kareem shocks onlookers with his negative outlook on love...probably reinforced by the whole Doris/Steve/Leon scandal...
Well, that was about all the fun Kitty and Marty could stomach at the bistro place, but their night on the town was still far from over! With many hours yet till morning, the pair decided to hit one more hot spot before calling it a night. Of course, that will have to wait until our next post! And, as before, there'll be some other familiar faces there too. Don't miss it!

Marty and Kitty Do Downtown

Whew! If I thought last week, sucked, it didn't hold a candle to this past weekend. I can't begin to explain just how rotten it all was, so I won't bother trying. It's just amazing I have the energy to even do something fun like doing posts for this blog, but the show must go on (or so they say).

When last we checked in on the Wilsons and company, there was a big bash going on at the Wilson place. As with so many other parties, things were more or less over, but there were a bunch of folks just not taking the hint (and I've always been too nice to have my sims send them home). The family members decided to just try ignoring the guests and see if they'd leave. Meanwhile, Julie tried to explain to Katrina who the funny looking famous guy was who everyone had been making such a fuss over.

Julie: "Eh...that's just Drew Carrey. He used to be famous...now he just crashes parties for a living..."

As much fun as sticking around the house and ignoring people may have seemed like, not everyone was content to spend the rest of the evening doing just that. No, Marty had bigger plans for him and Kitty. He proposed that the couple call up a cab and sneak out of the crowded house for a little of the night life Downtown. That Marty...he thinks of everything...

Kitty: "You mean actually leave the house? Oh, Marty...you're such a genius!"

And so, moments later, Marty and Kitty dropped what they were doing (which was absolutely nothing) and called up a cab. Well, geniuses that they are, Kitty missed the first one when it arrived, while Marty hopped aboard and was driven off, resulting in me still viewing the house with Marty off stuck in limbo somewhere. I managed to bring him back, and called another cab, this time making sure nobody was in the John when it arrived.

Marty: "Man, we need some lights out here! It's a good thing we glow in the dark!"

Marty instructed the cab to take them down to one of the beach front Downtown areas, and since it was late at night, this only made sense. It made even more sense that the first thing Marty did was head to the swim shop to buy himself some shorts. I've never seen Marty use the pool at the Wilson house, and all of the Wilsons hot tub nekkid, so I'm not quite sure where the logic there is...

Marty: "I don't know...do these show too much calf? Kitty?"

Well, Marty had no one to offer him an opinion on his new trunks, as Kitty had gotten stopped outside the swim shop by an elderly lady demanding an autograph. Yes, that's Marty's cross to bear as a the husband of a famous person. I'm sure it's very difficult for him to have to sit around and watch Kitty have to sign autograph after autograph for rabid fans. He decided to go with his gut, and bought the shorts. Way to exercise your independence there, Marty!

Kitty: "Thanks, but I wasn't in 'Titanic'..."

Marty decided to further exercise his ability to spend Kitty's money by heading off to the gift shop to see what sort of goodies he could buy. Despite the heavily stocked racks, the options were quite limited, and Marty had to choose between a teddy bear and a game called "The Sims". Well, since no self respecting 30 year old would be caught playing with a teddy bear, he opted for the computer game instead. Do self respecting 30 year olds play computer games like "The Sims?" Hey, what are you looking at me for? :-)

Marty: "It looks kind of lame, but I guess I'll take it..."

For those who are interested, Marty never did actually give "The Sims" away as a gift, rather, he opted to carry it around with him forever (his friend Kevin did the same thing after purchasing an iguana, then finding he had no place to put an aquarium for it). Despite having new shorts he could have broken in at the beach side pool, Marty decided to head on upstairs and check out what the bar was all about. Wow, an upstairs bar...what a totally new and novel concept! He'd never have found something like that back home!

Marty: "A shadowbox schooner? Bleah...no thanks!!"

Well in addition to having shadowbox ships (which Marty apparently hates), the bar was very blue. It had blue carpet, blue wallpaper, an aquarium with blue water, blue stools, blue tables, and a waitress with blue hair. I'm thinking whoever built this place has a thing for the color blue. In the spirit of his surroundings, Marty opted for the Blueberry Schnapps, and ordered Kitty a Blue Curacao, though he had absolutely no idea what that was at the time.

Kitty: "So, what's so bad about shadowbox schooners?"

Well, admittedely, there were some advantages to hanging out in a bar downtown over spending (more) time in the one back home. First of all, everything is more fun when you don't have to sit around at home and do it. Second of all, there was no, "Hey, Marty...can you scrub the upstairs toilet while you're up there?" Most of all, when you order drinks at a bar, you don't have to do any of the strenuous mixing or drink carrying for yourself. No, that's what the bald bartender and blue haired waitress are for. Marty and Kitty enjoyed these new found freedoms, and chatted about this and that while nursing their blue drinks.

Marty: "Do you realize at this very moment someone could be robbing the house?"

When Marty and Kitty first arrived, the place didn't exactly seem to be hopping. However, when they were busy with their drinks and I got bored with watching them, I had a chance to wander, and noticed just how popular the place actually was. This was one of the first times I noticed random cars driving down the street. I kept waiting to see one stop and drop people off, but apparently cars are just used for driving by Downtown locations, not too them. The second thing I noticed was all the cool dudes standing around in the arcade...doing nothing, but trying to look cool doing it...

Bobby: "No, I don't want to go get a cup of coffee. Can't you see I'm standing around trying to look cool?"

Well, as fun as sitting around in the bar might have been for Marty and Kitty, it eventually started to get a little boring. Marty tried to head out to the terrace for a little dancing, but Kitty apparently wasn't having any of it. No, she had only one thing on her mind, and that was heading off to the restroom (something that isn't usually helped much by the movement dancing involves). Well, she left the bar and went wandering for what seemed like an eternity looking for the bathroom, but apparently the game's path finding abilities were inadequete to locate the cleverly hidden outdoor toilets.

Kitty: "They put the bar upstairs, and then hide the bathrooms somewhere downstairs...what chimpanzee built this place?"

Well, thanks to my guidance, Kitty did eventually find the restroom. By that time, both her and Marty had spent about as much time as they cared to at the beach front place, and they decided it was time to move on. Of course, there's much more to the story, and I'm pretty much out of time for now, so we'll have to resume in our next post (which I'm sure you won't want to miss). Stop by next time as we check up on not only Marty and Kitty, but a host of other familiar faces making the scene at the popular Downtown stops. Later!

The Wilson Party...Again

Whew. What a crappy morning. It's a Thursday, and it's the first day I've been to work this week, but it still manages to feel exactly like a Monday. My vacation went pretty well, though my wife got sick, which limited what he could do, and that sucks. My first day on vacation, my bathroom ceiling exploded, showering me with scummy water and moldy ceiling chunks, which is never any fun. All things considered, though, I still managed to get some decent relaxation in, and was prepared to have a good week, but for reasons I can't explain here due to job confidentiality, work is really starting to suck now.

That aside, I noticed something interesting this vacation. I was getting frustrated with my PC's occasional slowness, and I noticed I only had about 120 megs of RAM instead of the 128 I thought I had, which was quite a surprise. For reasons other than the Sims, I got another couple hundred megs installed, and I noticed some interesting things I'd never seen happen before when I did play the game again: random cars driving by Downtown, random sims showing up in Old Town, and Mrs. Crumplebottom appeared Downtown everywhere I went when I'd never once seen her in the game before. Very interesting indeed.

Last post, the Wilsons were throwing a bash at their place to try to help get themselves out of the rut they'd fallen into lately. Things had been going pretty well so far, and we can only hope they stay that way. As usual, much of the partying was taking place downstairs. Well, as much as the family enjoyed having strangers wandering around in the bedrooms and downstairs bathrooms, they decided it was time to try to take the party upstairs, since that's really what the second floor was designed for. Kitty decided to try to lead off with a little singing, hoping it might start up a little karaoke party.

Really...how much more abuse can those speakers take?

Well, the plan didn't work. After Kitty was done, nobody else took the stage, not even Julie, who more or less only sings at Cameron's Lounge for a living. Well, since there were people gathering to see what she was doing, Kitty opted for "plan B", which was to keep folks occupied listening to her. Given some of the past performances we've witnessed on the Wilson karaoke stage (ie. Drew Carrey and Austin Powers, who really stunk things up), it's probably not such a bad thing that nobody else felt like taking the mic. Of course, all the attention was doing nothing to help reduce Kitty's already overblown ego.

Kitty: "Sheesh...enough already...I rule...I get it!!"

Though most of the entertainment at the party seemed to be geared toward adults, Mia Kay and Katrina did an admirable job of finding ways to amuse themselves amidst the insanity. Mia Kay showed Katrina the video game machines, and they spent endless hours playing them. Of course, there was no harm done, since both of the girls are A+ students, and there was no need for them to spend time studying or anything. It's sort of a miracle how mostly well adjusted the girls are, given how kooky most of the adults in the family are. I guess a little independence really goes a long way.

Mia Kay: "Don't feel bad...my mom is kind of full of herself too..."

Well, the effort to get folks upstairs was basically a loss. Everyone who had gone up to listen to the singing promptly headed back downstairs when the performance ended, and the folks who hadn't gone up at all stayed right where they were. If the Wilsons had thought to put the buffet tables upstairs instead of downstairs, that might have been an easy solution, but don't give them too much credit for thinking. Lucky for them, the caterer insisted on helping clean up the mess everyone was making. That guy is way too helpful for someone who isn't pocketing household goods on the side, but I've never seen him do it before...

Clint: "I just love these green beans and grits..."

Well, trouble always starts up at these parties when folks drink too much punch and energy levels start to get high. It wasn't long before Kitty was dancing with the shirtless fake J.D. guy, which resulted in some jealousy alarm noises from elsewhere in the room. I didn't see who the offended party was, but considering Kitty has a bad habit of taking relationships with her friends way too far, it could have been just about anyone (she hasn't quite figured out how to boost a friendship score really high without resulting in a little pink heart in the process). Luckily, whoever it was who was offended by this was too busy to come over and smack fake J.D., though that doesn't mean they didn't track him down and kick his butt later on his way home.

Fake JD: "Whatever you do, just don't step on my foot..."

Yes, everyone was feeling a little rambunctious alright. Leon and Doris Jackson, who were recently involved in a love triangle that went quite badly (we all remember it, no need to recap too much), were both present at the party, with no sign of Steve anywhere. Steve was probably at home, recovering from dying, then turning into a zombie, then being restored to normal again. Sure, Leon had agreed to back off Doris, and had done a good job of it so far, but he still had a thing for her, and it would take a long time for that to fully fade...if ever (remember, this is Leon we're talking about).

Leon: "If Steve ever dies for good, you know I'm always there for you, babe..."

Well, the drama came to a halt when a limo pulled up outside for the predictable visit by Drew Carrey. As usual, everyone dropped what they were doing, forgot about slapping each other, and ran out front. And, as usual, everyone was more excited about the limo than they were by Drew himself. And, just like always, despite the excitement, nobody was offered a ride in said limo. That Drew is such a selfish limo hog. Meanwhile, Peter Miller wowed onlookers by sprouting a beehive and a second pair of sparkly purple arms.

Peter: "Who says two sims cannot occupy the same space at the same time?"

The good thing about this whole party in particular was the fact that there were some people the Wilsons actually knew and liked who showed up, like Kitty's former college room mate and former Wilson family member, Keri Miller. It had been kind of a while since the two had had a chance to talk, probably because Kitty's only been focusing on keeping relations up with other famous folks whose star power she needs for her career. That kind of shows where her priorities are now, but that surprises none of us (she didn't really have any priorities at all before she became famous). Luckily, the two were still able to find things to chat about.

Kitty talks about her favorite topic...herself...

The pair talked just like old times...for the most part. Things got a little odd when Kitty wrapped up their chat session by giving Keri her autograph. Giving away autographs to pesky fans who won't leave you alone is one thing, but nothing blows modesty out of the water quite like giving autographs to people who haven't asked for them, especially an old friend. Keri was nice about the whole thing, and didn't crumple it up and throw it away, but clearly she had some thoughts on the matter that she didn't express.

Keri: "Now, if she'd given me Drew Carrey's autograph, that would be something..."

While Kitty was busy chatting up guests and giving them unsolicited autographs, Marty was quite the social butterfly himself...though his way of socializing was a little strange. Rather than chatting with anyone, he seemed more inclined to pick them as his dance partners, a sure-fire way to get a rise out of any significant others they might have brought with them. First up was Clint, who was happy to oblige Marty's odd request for a dance...probably because he was a little freaked and didn't know what else to do...

Marty: "Hows about a little square dancing, pardner?"

After Clint spun him around a bit, Marty quickly moved on to the fake JD guy. Hmmm. Clint I can understand, because he's a cowboy, and cowboys are cool about stuff (though since Clint carries a pistol with him, it's probably wise not to put that to the test too much). Choosing to dance with the weird guy who can't be bothered to put on a shirt or shoes before coming to a party is a bit of an odd choice, but that's Marty for you - a bit odd. Well, more than a bit, but you know...

Fake JD: "Dude, how much of that punch did you drink, anyway?"

Well, eventually, the party did start to wind down, which was probably a good thing. Marty was setting off jealousy sirens, and tempers were beginning to flare, and I can only imagine what the next step would have been (probably a big slap-fest if I know my sims). The family members decided to hit the hot tubs, much as they do with all of their regular free time, while Kitty continued to yak with Keri. Julie took the first tub, followed closely by Marty, leaving poor J.D. to sit alone in the other tub without his woman. Wait...is that J.D. or is it fake J.D.? Man, these clones make things so confusing. It's probably good whoever it is didn't get in with Julie, or she probably would have been really confused!

Kitty: "What the...is it just me, or does this puppet actually look kind of like Drew Carrey?"

Well, the party was officially over, though as usual, there were some stragglers who just wouldn't take a hint and leave. Drew Carrey made a pass at Mama Hick up in the game room, and she slapped him upside the head, though sadly, I failed to capture it on camera. Aside from that little incident, most everyone else seemed to have had a pretty good time, and no household items were stolen. Peter Miller stood around out front by himself and looked a little dejected, probably because he'd attended yet another party with no success at building a relationship with any of the females present. Just a guess...it's really hard to tell what's going on in Peter's head most of the time...he's such a closed book.

Peter: "Hmmm...my life seems strangely empty somehow..."

Despite ending on that somewhat depressing note, the party did quite a bit to boost the dull moods of the Wilsons. However, though the party is over, the events of the evening have not yet concluded for all of the family members. Find out what takes place after hours in our next exciting post. And much later, find out how Peter and the Miller family attempt to add some spice to their lives after a long absence from the posts (not counting their guest appearances elsewhere, of course). Don't miss it!