Sunday 12 September 2010

Merchants of soul

Round 28: Winter 2028


Tate Benton is 58, Zelda is 53 and Jack and Charlie are both 16.
(Josie is 26, Troy is 25, Julia is 17, Audrey is 16, Camilla and Sophie are both 15)

Narrated by Charlie Benton

I'm so sick of my after school job. Lately, it seems like I'm calling in sick every other day and I'm amazed they haven't fired me yet. But I just can't take it any more. College can't come soon enough!

Thank God, Jack and I both got into Suffolk! We're so excited about living in the dorms and having some independence.

I think Mum is getting depressed about us leaving home. She listens to us talk about it and she always looks so sad.

We've both tried telling her that we'll come and see her and Dad as often as we can and that four years isn't really that long, in the grand scheme of things.

She'll get a ton of time to actually concentrate on her writing without Jack and me bugging her all day as well.

Mum says she has plenty of time to herself already. Dad's at the restaurant until quite late sometimes and she likes having us boys around. She's proud of us; she's just getting sentimental about her "babies" leaving the nest.

I feel like the pressure is really on with university. Dad went, and made a lot of money as a result. Josie graduated with a 4.0 and then went on to med school.

I don't want to get Dad's hopes up, because I'm really not planning on anything that illustrious. I'm just planning on getting my degree and getting out of there.

Dad's just so psyched that we're going though. All three kids as university graduates - he really loves the idea of that.

Josie and Troy's wedding will be happening well before Jack and I graduate though and that's the main topic of conversation right now.

The wedding will be here at the house and that's all Josie is letting Mum and Dad pay for, no matter how much they protest. They wanted to buy Josie and Troy a house! I'd have a hard time saying no to that!

Josie did though. They want to make their own way. That's the main reason they haven't set a date yet. They want a place to live first.

In other news, Julia Gray is still going a bit stalkery with Jack. She's so mad at him still and it must have been a year since they broke up. She's always hanging around outside our house, kicking over the bins and stealing the newspaper.

Jack is very much over Julia and spends most of his free time with Sophie these days. She had a crush on him for a long time but they only started going out last year.

So far, they seem like they're doing pretty well. They're pretty into each other, if the amount of time they spent making out on the couch is any indication.

I really miss the times when Jack and I would hang out with Audrey together though. It hasn't been quite the same since Audrey and I started dating and it didn't really improve when we broke up.

It's so hard to know what Jack's thinking. He never really admitted to me that he had a thing for Audrey, even after it was obvious so I don't know what's going through his mind right now. We'll likely all end up in the same dorm together when we start at Suffolk, so maybe things between us will get better then.

I hope so, anyway. We've been friends with Audrey for so long and I hate all this awkwardness.

I was pretty gutted when Audrey broke up with me but I've been dating Camilla Sitko for a little while now.

Mum really likes her too. She practically holds Camilla hostage when she comes over, wanting to talk to her about school, her job, her family and anything else that pops into her head.

Eventually, she goes back to her writing!

On our first date, I actually wasn't even sure Camilla liked me much at all.

In that way, anyway. She talked to me and smile and everything but she was really reluctant to let me touch her, even hold her hand.

I soon figured out what that was about. Her grandpa was keeping an eye on us. I think he thought he was being subtle but it wasn't long before I saw him.

Camilla came home from school with me a few days later, when I asked her out again. She said yes, and I prayed that her grandfather would stay away this time!

He did, luckily, and our second date was much more successful than our first.

Camilla's more of an arty type than me but she knows a lot about sports too, because almost her entire family is sports mad.

So we have heaps to talk about and heaps of stuff we can do together.

And she is really gorgeous, to top it all off. I guess we still don't know each other all that well but I really like her.

Extras:
I've been playing around with a couple of new mods and I think I like them!

First is tongues! You can probably see it better if you open up the full size version of this picture. They appear under accessories and have appropriate tool tips for easy identification, thank God! There is a pierced and unpierced version (all the Sims in this update are using the unpierced versions) and are for teens through elder. I'm still getting used to them, but I like them so far.

Also, the posing parts posebox from MTS! Charlie is actually talking on the phone here - he's not just posed with a phone prop. I was very surprised when he did this autonomously. But I mainly love it because it means my Sims can look a little less samey and a bit more natural when they're sitting down talking.

Notes:
  • Title is from Merchants of Soul by Spoon.
  • Both boys will be heading to college with Audrey in 2030 - Jack got 4 scholarships and Charlie got 5.
  • Charlie had the want to go on a date, so I just randomly chose a girl who he had chemistry with who was not Audrey. ;) That ended up being Camilla but they seem to like each other a lot, so I'm letting them go steady. The chemistry is not mind-blowing at all but we all know that's not the only consideration for Sims' best matches (at least for me!)
  • This is probably amusing to nobody but me but I got a giggle out of the fact that I now have a couple named Charles and Camilla. Does that mean anything at all to people outside the Commonwealth? I have no idea how much non-Commonwealthers know about the British royal family.

18 comments:

  1. I'm watching the US Open (tennis) so I'm still up, it's past 2 am here! Anyways...

    Congratulations to Jack and Charlie for getting into Suffolk. It'll be a blast to see all the new students.

    Jack and Sophie are just the cutest couple. I love seeing them together. LOL at Julian spying on Charlie and Camilla. No wonder she wasn't so keen on PDAs.

    You know, I didn't realize they were Charles and Camilla until I read your notes! I hope their relationship is not as scandalous as the original one, lol! We don't have a royal family in Finland but I enjoy reading about all the European royal families.

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  2. I never seem to associate Charlie with Charles so I definitely didn't notice the Charles and Camilla but it is funny.

    You tried out the posing parts posebox? Isn't it great? All I used it for was to pose a sims arms across their chest and I was in heaven. I still need to try out the tongue accessory. I got it saved in my "to download" list.

    I can't believe Jack and Charlie are going to Suffolk so soon. Time seems to fly by so quickly for the sims.

    Quick question, the picture after the lobster dinner, Charlie and Camiilla are talking and it looks like something is on the side of his shirt. What is that?

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  3. I agree, Charlie=Charles didn't connect until you said something and that is interesting. I wonder if there is a Diana in your hood.

    Wow, Charlie taking her out for lobster on the 2nd date. Must be nice to be so rich :P

    I love that Charlie is sitting down and talking on the phone. So amazing.

    Rome Raven, I think the pic you're talking about is a dart.

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  4. Thanks for commenting, everyone. :)

    Sari, I've got 5 kids starting at Suffolk next round - it's going to be so much fun!

    Jack and Sophie really are adorable. But Sophie is so cute anyway, I think any couple she was a part of would be adorable.

    LOL, I forgot to say but I didn't control Julian at all at the skating rink. That was all autonomous, as was Charlie glancing at Julian. I love when stuff like that happens.

    LOL, me too! They're both pretty nice kids, so hopefully no scandals for this Charles and Camilla!

    rome_raven, in game, all my Sims with nicknames are named with their full names. I'm a bit anal-retentive about using full names.

    LOVE the posing parts box! It is so amazing. It's one of those things I didn't know I wanted until I saw it.

    And yep, as AV said, the thing near Charlie's shirt is a dart. They're standing right near a dartboard.

    Apple Valley, ah, yes, there is a Diana, actually! She's a dormie and she's been around the block a few times. She's slept with Galen and Amar. I estimate her age to be about 140 at this point, because she's one of my original dormies.

    I don't think Charlie would think much of ordering lobster. The Bentons eat it at home all the time. Camilla's set her sights on the right boy, I think - it's her favourite food!

    I'm going to be recommending that posebox to everyone now. It's so awesome!

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  5. How funny that Julian was there checking up on his granddaughter! I'm definitely going to have to check out the parts posing box, it looks so incredible.

    Sounds like poor Zelda is going to be going through the empty nest lonlies.

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  6. gallowaytownship, I never figured Julian for the protective type, as he wasn't ever like that with Kirstin. Maybe David put him up to it. ;)

    Poor Zelda...maybe she'll find that she enjoys having an empty nest once Jack and Charlie are actually gone.

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  7. If you didn't point it out it would have flown over my head. But Charles and Camilla. LMBO ROFL!!!!!!!!!!! That is hilarious! And I'm glad you said something about those tounges, I have them in my game but I keep forgetting to use them. And don't you just love that new body parts mod!

    I think Charles and Camilla are really cute together. I hope they stay together for a while!

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  8. Hehe glad there is no Diana involved.
    Congratulations to the boys for getting in Uni and bet they are excited to go I do feel a bit for their mum it will be so diffrent for her, and will take some time to get use to without boys being there.
    Grandpa was bit greepy though, skating around like that :)

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  9. Riverdale, LOL, I wrote Charlie and Camilla so many times before it finally hit me! It was too funny.

    I tried out the pierced tongue last night as well, which I hadn't used yet. Adrienne came to see her parents and she's the first Sim I've come across who might have a pierced tongue. Anyway, that one looks really good too.

    I'm hoping Charlie and Camilla stay together a little while too. They are really cute. I'm glad I found somebody for Camilla! Charlie was her first kiss. Most of my Sims have their first kisses well before 15.

    Speechless, Jack and Charlie are really excited. Zelda, not so much! She's going to miss having all her kids around. She and Tate always wanted a fourth.

    LOL, yeah, Julian did look a little creepy, didn't he?

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  10. Charles and Camilla, lol! Aw, both boys are moving on. It is sad that they don't hang out together with Audrey anymore. Everyone is growing up!

    And doesn't she look so grown up in this entry. Maybe it's the clothes or the pose box, but she does look ready to go off to college.

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  11. Lunar, I'm still holding out hope that all that time spent in the cramped quarters of a dorm might bring them all closer together again. I'm such a sap!

    You know, I hadn't thought of it before you said so, but Audrey is looking quite mature in this update, isn't she? Seems fitting, seeing she is almost grown up!

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  12. I hope college helps them reconnect with Audrey, they've been friends with her forever, I hope they don't let it go.

    Camilla is a cutie, I like the date, and her grandpa keeping an eye on her, lol.

    They are both really adorable with their new girlfriends, though I had thought/hoped that Jack and Audrey might give it a go. But maybe in college! '

    Looking forward to Josie's wedding!

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  13. Maisie, Charlie is still pretty close with her. It's Jack and Audrey that need a bit of a boost. But I am hoping for the same thing. As for romance between them, I guess we'll see what happens in the dorms!

    I love Camilla. I feel like I haven't done much with Camilla or Lila yet, because I had to focus a bit on their parents and grandfather in the last update, so I was glad to be able to do something for her.

    I can't say too much yet because it could possibly be a spoiler but I might be able to do Josie's wedding much earlier than I'd planned. So I'd say it will almost definitely take place next round now. :)

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  14. Very nice update. I hope that Jack, Charlie and Audrey can get back to the way they were. Like Charlie said, they've been friends for so long. Jack and Sophie are too cute and I even like Charlie and Camilla (and nope, I didn't connect the dots with their names either lol). That is funny that Camilla's grandfather just so happened to be at the ice rink when they went on their date LOL. Slick but not slick enough. Can't wait to see this batch in college. So glad to hear Josie's wedding might come sooner rather than later!

    I'm loving that parts posebox, too. I was able to use it on 1 or 2 shots I still needed to take for my Robinsons update but can't wait to play with it more. I hope they do more, like laying down poses and maybe even more options for standing.

    And thanks for the link to the tongues. I didn't see those before and I think I put them in the game. I'll have to remember to apply them.

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  15. Danielle, fingers crossed, they'll start hanging out again! I miss seeing the gang together but Jack doesn't seem too interested in hanging out with them any more. :(

    That said, I think the Benton brothers are very cute with their current girlfriends and friendships can tend to take a backseat when there's a girlfriend in the picture.

    I'm too excited about planning Josie's wedding, now that it seems like it's more of a reality. I hadn't done anything yet, because I thought I might change my mind by the time it actually rolled around anyway.

    Oooh, I would love it if they added some more poses to that box! It's already so awesome but I can probably think of a few extra poses they could use to make it even better.

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  16. First of all, sorry for the late responses, but (as i have mentioned on N99) I didn't have much time, in fact I don't have much time now. I always start with your blog though :)

    I hope Jack, Charlie and Audrey can be friends again like they used to be, but it's always strange when 2 of them used to date.
    It's good that both boys are getting on with their lives. I hope Audrey will find someone soon too.
    Lol at Charlie and Camilla'qs first date with her grandba watching their every move! And lol at lobster on their second date! I'm sure Charlie was able to impress Camilla!

    Those pose boxes come out really well, I haven't been able to use them yet, as I haven't played since, well like forever!

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  17. LOL, Julia still cracks me up! I'm so excited to see these guys go to college, whether they're going to study hard or not ;)

    I love all the finds you've been posting lately! I picked up everything, the pose box, the tongues, lol! And I stole your idea for the label cloud rather than the list as well. It really saves a lot of space!

    Keep coming up with more great ideas for me to steal! :)

    And LOL @ Charles and Camilla!

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  18. Tanja, no need at all to apologise! I'm more than aware that you all have more important things happening in your lives than my blog! But that's sweet of you to say that you always start with Sullivan. :)

    I hope they will be too. I think things are just a bit awkward right now. Two of them used to date and Jack used to (or still does? I don't know. Jack is a bit of a mystery even to me) have a pretty big crush on her.

    LOL, that's one advantage of dating a boy from the richest family in town, eh? He won't care if you order lobster!

    Hope you get some play time soon - the new pose box is so much fun. :)

    Laura, me too. I'm especially curious what crazy old Julia gets up to. Will she ever get over Jack? LOL.

    I love the tongues more the more I use them. I had to get used to them. It sounds strange but it made all my Sims look like they were speaking with a lisp as first. But now it just looks right.

    LOL, I stole the label cloud idea from MizzGin03. I thought it might have been a layout thing but I just happened to try editing the Labels box last night and saw it was just a default option. So yay? That list was getting loooong!

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