Unique Blogger Award

Well, might as well spill the beans now as I've been nominated twice here by two extraordinary bloggers with two amazing stories so here goes...

The incredible Jillbg at Grey Witches (a well-written and photographed story about a young teenage witch and her family) and the lovely Lanlyn at Simlish Fair (a collection of stories about sims in different worlds)

Answers to Jillbg's questions:

What is the most annoying thing that has ever happened in your game?

I would have to say when my one teen sim was out skilling and the police arrested her for violating her curfew!  I think that's the one thing I remember...

Do you play with the sound off or on? Why? 

I always play with the sound on!  Helps with the immersion...

Which premade does really get on your nerves?

I can't say I pay much attention to the premades, actually.  In Sims 2 they had such detailed backstories you couldn't help but fall in love with them whether you came across them or not.  Of the premades I've actually come across in my gameplay, I'd have to say one of the most annoying has to be VJ Alvi.  He's currently long dead in my game but he hit my sims and was always mean to them. 

Answers to Lanlyn's questions:

 What are your favorite things to do in The Sims? (just play, challenges, build, design, write stories, create sims, other?)

Mostly I'm a player, I'm not a true storyteller per se, I write mostly what happens in my game.  The one thing I've always loved about the Sims is there is no right or wrong way to play it.  And some people don't even play it, they create for it, and that's okay, too.  Most games, you either win or lose it.  You can't lose at the Sims.  Even when all your Sims die and become ghosts, you can just play them as a ghost family.  

How long have you been playing The Sims? (Sims 1, 2, 3, 4?)

I began playing Sims about 2004-ish. I think I saw Unleashed (Sims 1) in a Walmart and picked it up on a whim. And I went on a forum and started asking questions. There was a very kind and intelligent lady and fellow simmer who answered my questions. We are still friends to this day.  As a matter of fact, a version of her self-sim plays a major role in this story.

Why did you start blogging for The Sims?

I'm not sure actually. I guess I wanted to record what my family was doing, really. No special reason. It just blew up. There was no grand plan. I didn't wake up one day and say, I'm going to do this, that, the other, with my family.  Just didn't happen.  It was more, watch them do whatever and record it, mostly for my own purposes.

Again, I'd like to thank these two incredible storytellers in their own right for nominating me for this award.  It's a tremendous honor, for which I could probably never repay them!  

Nominees:

 Strangetown Here We Come: 

Catching up (part 2)

Anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah, Skylar.  When I was last here, my youngest daughter had an audition for a recurring role on a TV show. 

Baby girl has it in her head that she wants to be a pop star, and who am I to argue with her?

I've always told my kids that whatever makes them happy, will make me happy.  However, I've always had one hard and fast rule - she has to put her education first.  No ifs, ands, or buts.

Even though she doesn't think so, I love her to death.

Anyway, she got the part.  Was there ever any doubt, really?

Contrary to what the naysayers would have you believe, I actually think Skylar is really talented.  She comes from a family of talented people, actually.  They're just not in the immediate family.  

My parents (yes that's my mother in the short pink skirt and that's my father playing the guitar) were both musicians. 

My grandmother was a musician...

So why, why is anyone surprised?  The only surprise here, is that the musical genes in my family didn't show up sooner. 

She's been singing and performing practically since she was in my womb. 

Then, there is her uncle Bassy.  Geez, that boy is so gifted.  I could take him and strangle him sometimes, cause it kills me what he's done with his life.   I've always said that he has more talent in his pinkie than I have in my whole body, and that when it came time to hand out genetic blessings my parents saved them all for him. 

Baby girl has had a few concerts here and there, mostly because I've limited her performances to weekends since she's still in high school and I continue to emphasize education first.    But ironically, Skylar's biggest opportunity came out of her biggest disappointment.