bad karma

October 2083 - Chad and Riley Hathe are 34, Liza is 14, Shaun is 6. (Fiona McCullough is 16, Robbie is 13.)

Chad found this one morning, a ratty old vest he used to wear in high school. Yes, high school was fifteen years ago, but it still fits, and it helps him to relive all those long-forgotten days, before children, before marriage. He can hardly remember those days as it is. But his wife is not nearly as amused.

"Oh hell," Riley says, twisting up a scowl at him.

"What," he says. "It still fits. You remember this? I wore it all through high school. It was rad."

"It was not rad, even in high school. You look like a fool."

Behind them, Liza is laughing.

one day, when the world is rapt to attention...

August 2082 (mini-update)

One day, when the world is rapt to attention, Madison Riley delivers a public address. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I want to thank you all for joining me today. Earlier this morning, world leaders made public the presence of a possible threat to our planet. We've known about this situation for some time now, and we've been monitoring it closely. I'd like to talk to you about how this will affect us on a local level."

Well, Madison has almost everyone's attention this morning. Clarice is supposed to be blogging the live news coverage, but instead she sees Blake in the back row and flashes him a flirty smile. She doesn't normally get to see her husband while they're working, so right now, she feels a little bit like a giddy teenager, passing by her high school sweetheart in the hallways.

Pay attention, Clarice, this is going to be important.

round 2082!

Welcome to round 2082! This round will last from August 2082 to July 2084.

outshine

August 2081 - Sheldon and Alana Fortney are 49, Melissa is 14. (Lucy Harris is 15.) Last update, September 2079.

This is actually a story about love, in a twisted kind of way. A very powerful love and a lot of fateful choices.

In her life, Alana has learned that there are no right or wrong choices, just the ones you make, and the ones you don't. From every choice brings forth a lifetime of consequences, further choices and more consequences. Was her marriage to Sheldon a mistake, or just a choice? It's hard to call some choices mistakes - if not for this very choice, she wouldn't have her daughter Melissa.

it could be worse

February 2081 - Joel Harris is 39, Aurora is 35, Zachary is 2. Last update, March 2079.

Maybe it's strange that Joel has been married to Aurora for eight years, and still never managed to make friends with her best friend? Maybe it's not strange though - Joel has never been the type to have many "guy buddies." He has a brother, and that's enough. He always preferred girl friends, lady friends, girlfriends. The thing is, he kind of had to get rid of those when he got married. Well, he didn't have to. She didn't ask him to, but he knew Aurora wasn't that kind of woman, and their marriage wouldn't be that kind of marriage, and it was something he was happy to do.

But Aurora didn't get rid of Blake. Joel would never have asked her to. He was like family to her, or so she claimed. Joel's girlfriends were nothing like family. But Blake is like family. He borrows money like a little brother. He leaves their toilet seat up. He even welcomes himself right into their bedroom to say goodbye at night.

black sheep

November 2080 - Cameron Gibson is 29, Bella Bradshaw is 24. (Cody Bradshaw is 65, Kendal is 60.)

Bella Bradshaw and Cameron Gibson might possibly be the two hottest people alive... or at least they think so. Cameron is crazy about her, and has been for over three years now. He really hasn't even thought about another woman (or man, for that matter) since they got "serious." But this is Bella Bradshaw we're talking about. Cameron knows he's likely not the only man on her mind - but he also knows it's quite obvious who her favorite is.

seaside woods, grounded for life

October 2080 - Tad and Tosha Harris are 71. Talin Collins is 66, Abigail is 65. Nina Shaw-Gothier and Benjamin Gothier are 64.

Tad thinks it's nice when the younger ones move in. They're not that much younger - not even ten years, probably. But they never had kids... that's why they're still all lovey-dovey! Because first you have kids, and then your wife eats too many pork chops and loses that nice figure she used to have. You see, Abby, she keeps herself nice and trim. Very pretty lady. Never had any kids to mess up that nice figure of hers... But on the other hand, Tosha does make really good pork chops. He just wishes she would use that treadmill he bought her a little more.

And of course, you have to have kids to get great grandkids, and Tad and Tosha have five precisely - Melissa, Zachary, Sarah, Sam - and leading the pack, Lucy, who has never been in trouble her whole life like she's in trouble right now.

round 2080!

Welcome to round 2080!

Summer's place

November 2079 - Sophie Phoenix is 58, Micah is 57, Hayden and Rhianna are 30, Summer is 15, Ryanne is 9. (Tyler and Beau Jackson are 16)

* note: box of tissues warning! *

Summer Phoenix and Tyler Jackson have been having very important conversations lately, but nothing has happened just yet. And nothing will happen at Tyler's house, any time soon, since Tyler's dad is some big socialite now, he works nights and is home all day, every day...

the lofts, big fat chances

August 2079 - Paul Gallagher is 29, Cameron Gibson is 28, Charlotte Centowski is 25, Amelia Bradshaw is 24, Bella Bradshaw and Jeremiah Day are 23.

Bella and Amelia are actually getting along here in the lofts together. They're becoming almost something like friends. They never imagined the day would come, when Alon Hutchins had become inconsequential to them both, and long forgotten. We suppose that's part of growing up.

how to have a quarterlife crisis

February 2079 - Chad and Riley Hathe are 27, Liza is 10, Shaun is 1.

Some people just aren't naturally happy cheery people, and Riley Hathe would be one of those. But believe it or not, Riley and Chad Hathe were once happy carefree teenagers. You might think they were centuries old, but they're only twenty-seven. Riley has always been very family-oriented, and when her family is unhappy, that means she is unhappy.

the lofts, farewell marisa!

August 2078 - Cameron Gibson is 27, Marisa Wilson and Charlotte Centowski are 24, Amelia Bradshaw is 23.

Charlotte Centowski and Marisa Wilson have been best friends since they were five, and Charlotte doesn't know what she'll do without her. Marisa received an offer to dance in Abandia City, and she just can't pass it up. She's leaving at the end of the month.

round 2078!

Welcome to round 2078! This round will last from August 2078 to July 2080.

grandma Nina in the clubbing business

December 2077, Benjamin Gothier and Nina Shaw-Gothier are 61. (Maxwell Shaw is 31)

"Mom, can I borrow $12,000?" Maxwell says.

Nina wonders if he thinks she can't see that mischievous look on his face!

don't mess with Bryson Riley (unless you're his daughter or his wife)

July 2077, Bryson and Madison Riley are 54, Mariah is 18, Keri is 16.

Madison's brother, Cody coming over for dinner is just a cover. While Madison is in the kitchen making baked salmon and rice pilaf, they have business to discuss.

starting out on the wrong foot

April 2077, Jackson Phoenix and Nessa (Curtain) Phoenix are 28.

Jackson Phoenix and Nessa Curtain met their freshman year of college, though didn't start dating until their junior year. They are finally getting around to tying the knot this spring.

round 2076!

Welcome to round 2076! This round will last from August 2076 to July 2078.