the truth about happily ever after, part 1

November 2082 (part 1 of 2) - Berjes and Hailey Monif are 37, Hazel is 13. (Fiona McCullough is 15, Robbie is 12, Liza Hathe is 13, Angelo Shaw is 12, Isaiah Gavigan is 14.) Last update, December 2081.

She wants to fall in love again, the way she thought she and her husband did once, so long ago she can hardly even remember what kind of girl she was. She wants to fall in love like she writes about in her stories. She knows it's out there, and maybe it's not always perfect, but there are couples out there who are pained to be apart. There are couples who live and breathe to make each other happy.

She isn't too old yet. She isn't even forty. She still has her figure, only slight wrinkles at her eyes, she covers her few gray hairs quite well. She still has some spirit left in her, deep down, maybe tucked safely between her toes. She still has a small bit of hope.

one day, when he is finally brave enough...

November 2082 (mini-update) - Hayden Phoenix is 33, Piper Wilson is 28.

One day, when he is finally brave enough, Hayden sits down to talk to his wife. Almost three years have passed, and he's never done this alone. The cemetery is empty, but still he looks around to be sure he's really alone. He is. There is nothing but the wind blowing through treetops, cold and subtle as whispers.

"I feel like an idiot," he starts, easing himself to the ground at her grave. "My therapist thought this might be a good idea."

LCU, just one key (part 2)

LCU, fall semester, 2082 (part 2 of 2). *optional soundtrack, "Get Together, by the Youngbloods*

*** I had a blast playing these three, so this is MEGA-LONG! I couldn't find a logical place to break it though, and it's mostly picture/dialogue-heavy, so it shouldn't feel too bad ;) ***

It's a lovely night in October, the air is crisp, but not very cold yet. The soccer field smells like cut grass and young men sweating. They're watching Tyler's soccer practice, or not exactly watching, but discussing the wonders of life. Which brings April Hutchins to a very important question.

She turns to her best friend, Beau, and says, "So I'm not saying I'm going to try or anything, but I just want to know, would you hate me forever if I hooked up with Summer?"

LCU, start a revolution (part 1)

LCU, fall semester, 2082 (part 1 of 2). Last semester, spring 2082. *optional soundtrack, "Volunteers," by Jefferson Airplane.*

Keri Riley-Kim is different from her big sister Mariah in many ways, most notably maybe in that Keri always knows exactly what she wants. She knows what she wants, when she wants it, how she wants it, and even who's going to give it to her. Some people might say this makes her a bitch, but Keri just thinks she's a proud, sure woman. There's nothing wrong with being sure. Keri has been raised to get whatever she wants, and she usually does, one way or another.

But there's one thing Keri knows she doesn't want, and that is to work retail! So when Justin suggests it as a possibility for her senior year internship, she says, "Do you see me putting up with all that 'customer is always right' bullshit?"

2082, postcards from the edge

*** updates on your favorite Lakeside Heights outcasts ***

This is something I've been meaning to do, though I probably won't do it very often. I do still play some of these move-aways and ex-girlfriend/boyfriends, so I'd like to update you all on what they've been up to, especially the ones you wouldn't hear about through any of my playable Sims. I figure if I've become attached enough to want to check up on them, then maybe some of you might be attached enough to care what they've been doing ;)

*sigh* If only I had time to tell all of their stories...

one day, at Earthland Catering...

September 2082 (mini-update) - Summer Phoenix and Dallas Deppiesse are 18, Lucy Harris is 16.

One day, at Earthland Catering, Lucy lives vicariously through Summer's dating life. Summer and Dallas are supposed to be working (and Lucy isn't supposed to be loitering the way she tends to do), but instead Summer is telling them about her date. She says, "We went out for coffee, we walked around the market square, we threw a football around a little."

Lucy says, "What's his name?"

"Floyd," Summer says.

Lucy laughs. "Floyd? I don't like that. That's not a good name."

2082, we don't need no education

Whoa! Who the heck are all these kids??? Let's see who all is growing up this year.

domestic bliss

August 2082 - Cameron Gibson is 31, Bella Bradshaw is 26, Delilah Gibson is 9 months. Last update, November 2080. *Optional soundtrack, "Sex and reruns," by Matt Duke*

*** This is long ;) ***

She missed a recording session because he wasn't home yet. She hates missing work! It's the one thing in the world she's ever been competent at, and not many people actually get this chance she's gotten and she's not going to blow it because he's a flake!

"Where were you?" she says, her voice calm and cold as he walks into the living room.

"Working," he says. "Is Lila in bed?"

"Of course she is. It's nine-freaking-thirty!"

happy birthday to you...

August 2082 - Welcome to Lakeside Heights: Willow and Quinn!

Stephanie Day thinks she just might have been pregnant forever! Of course, that's not realistically possible, but it sure does feel like it. So when Stephanie goes into labor at 2:00 in the morning, she doesn't mind one bit. She just wants this baby BORN! But happy as she is that this is finally happening, she thinks maybe Jeremiah could smile just a little less. It's kind of annoying, given the pain and all.

one day, while Dallas is working...

August 2082 (mini-update) - Violet Deppiesse is 48, Lucy Harris is 16.

One day, while Dallas is working, Lucy needs somebody to talk to. She doesn't feel like she can talk to her own mother about this, especially because it's about Dallas. Her own mother "approves" of Dallas, but only in a necessary way. What Lucy needs is someone who really understands how great Dallas is, and who understands that better than his own dear mommy? So she climbs into the hot tub where Violet is relaxing, and Lucy pours her sweet little heart out.

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.

prequel stories #4: the cutest couples never meant to be

Okay, so some of these ended up being much sadder than I'd anticipated. I should have anticipated it. It's about heartbreak, duh! ;) But some of them are happy as well, since you're not only seeing the endings, but in some cases, the beginnings of the relationships that were meant to work out.

These stories are a little more current, a lot of them taking place just before I started blogging about the neighborhood, and even overlapping with some of the early stories.

The cutest couples never meant to be, countdown style...

prequel stories #3: young loves

So I've gotten kind of carried away with these, lol! Looking back through two years worth of pictures, and I've found so many stories I'd like to tell! Most of those stories will have to wait for another time, but I've come up with three more, for now, and then I promise we'll start round 2082! And I want to start round 2082, because I have some good stuff planned, but I figure we'll get these out of the way first.

The "young loves" theme ended up being really huge, so I've broken it in half, loosely divided between the couples who worked out, and the couples who didn't. So part 2 will be prequel story #4: the cutest couples never meant to be. Which in turn inspired prequel story #5: what ever happened to Samantha Bradshaw?

But first, prequel story #3: young loves :)

prequel stories #2: baby pictures

Taking a break from my break, lol! Is that lame? ;)

But really, I had a neat idea while peeking through some old pictures, so I thought I'd throw something together. I've got another prequel I'll post in a couple days, and then we'll start round 2082 on Sunday or Monday, so I suppose I'm kind of done with my break anyway.

These are baby pictures from some of the Sims that you guys never got to see as babies. I know Sim-babies look mostly alike, but it's fun to see some of their parents when they were young, and I have some toddler pics in here too :)