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!