The Liebster Award - Emma's questions

Please read Tuesday's post for a brief explanation of the Liebster award to see my list of nominees and questions.

Emma's questions:

1. What do you find most gratifying about sharing your Sims’ stories?

Knowing that other people are interested in what I'm doing my little hood really encourages me to improve it. The biggest example is decorating - blogging is why I learnt to decorate properly. I was so embarrassed to post pictures of my terribly decorated lots before, so I started making an effort with it, so no one would be looking down their nose at it (hopefully)!

2. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do in the Sims but never got around to?

I have a completely pointless goal of getting one of my sims to collect all 30 insects in the game. I'm prepared for there to be no impressive reward for it, having been completely disappointed when my sim earned all of the vacation mementoes. But I still want to do it!

3. What’s one thing you’ve read that has changed your way of experiencing or understanding life?

Hmmm, I don't know if I ever have read anything like that! Reading John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany changed the way I thought about fiction though. I have much higher expectations of it now! I had never read anything so carefully crafted before. 

4. How do you manage to keep up with reading all the blogs that you read?

I do better some weeks than others. But I just open up my InoReader every day - no matter how little time I have - and open up each new blog update in a new tab and keep them open until I've read them. Sometimes they're there for hours and sometimes it's days. But I always eventually catch up and this method works for me. It helps that I don't have a partner or kids to attend to. ;)

5. What’s your favorite part about blogging?

I really like interacting with commenters and other bloggers, both here on my blog and over at theirs. It's nice to be a part of a little community, as well as a part of the larger simming community. I also like having an easy, visual record of everything going on in my game. That's the reason I'd keep blogging if everyone else stopped, I think.

6. What is your favorite Sim game (1, 2, 3 or 4) and favorite expansion?

TS2! No contest at all. I didn't touch TS1 after TS2 came out. I did play TS3 but haven't played in months now. It never really clicked for me, though I've had fun with it. I tried the TS4 trial and hated it.

My favourite expansion is probably Uni. It brought us lifetime wants and a whole new life stage. And that new life stage happens to be pretty much my favourite one in the game. It's so much fun to play sims that age.

7. What music inspires you?

I don't really use music to get inspired. I just listen to whatever is playing on my iPod or Spotify, which could be almost anything. My music taste is a bit eclectic.

8. What do you hope to express in your Sims stories?

I don't have any grand goals, really. I just hope people enjoy reading them and that seeing what you can do with this ancient game will encourage others to keep playing.

9. What’s one of the funniest things that has happened to you or your Sims while Simming?

The first thing that comes to mind is Victoria's dog taking a dump in the background in this cute little picture I have of her and Finn canoodling when they were teenagers. I didn't actually notice it until after I'd finished playing - and I think someone at N99 or here at the blog may have pointed it out - but I consider it a classic now!

10. What inspires you to continue Simming and blogging when you think about stopping?

I've never considered stopping, actually! I have been in simming slumps though. The only thing that truly brings me out of it is forcing myself to play. I have such a drive to see my hood progress, so sometimes when I'm like "nah, another day", I think "but that's a whole extra day where you won't see Camilla have her baby or Julia and Sam get married!" Then I'll usually play!

11. What else would you like to share with us that I haven’t asked?

This seems like as good a place as any to express my appreciation for all of my Sullivan readers, especially those of you who take the time to leave a comment. It still blows me away a bit to think that anyone really cares about what goes on my hood but I absolutely love that you do. :)