Thursday 23 June 2011

House of cards

Round 31: January 2034 (Summer)

Hope Collins and Julia Gray are both 23.
(Emil is 62, Anna is 56 and Malcolm is 24)

Narrated by Hope Collins

Once we graduated from Suffolk, Julia and I rented an awesome apartment in Sullivan.

It's a really amazing place - there's a mini-gym, a pool, sauna, basketball courts. It has everything.

Of course, we have to actually pay for all this with some pretty hefty rent. Mum and Dad have been oddly unwilling to help out in that capacity.

They told me if the rent was too high, maybe we should consider moving to a smaller place.

I don't need a smaller place; what I need is a decent job! I have a biology degree but I'm stuck working retail until I can find a job in my field.

All things considered, it's not an awful job. The customers haven't been too bad so far and the work isn't too difficult.

But still, I didn't study for four years to work at the mall. I have a lot to offer, if someone would just give me a chance.

I've been for a few interviews at various labs but so far, I've been unsuccessful.

Julia is lucky. She did her student teaching placements during our last two years at uni and now she gets regular work as a substitute. I wish they had something like that for biology! I'm so jealous.

But then, her love life isn't going so well and she's actually pretty depressed at the moment. I just don't know what to tell her any more.

She still thinks Nathan cheated on her with Rebecca, even though I know for a fact that he didn't so much as touch her before New Year's, a few months after they broke up.

Not that I can tell her that. She's still pretty upset. I'm trying to stay somewhat neutral, just to keep the peace.

She really wants to get married and have kids one day and she's worried Nathan was her last chance. I think she's being a little dramatic, personally. I don't know what I'm supposed to say to her when I think she's being ridiculous.

I've been trying to get her out of the house a little more, without a whole lot of success. I did get her to come out with me for a few drinks the other night though and I think she had fun.

I was hoping there might be some guys around, to maybe spark Julia's interest but the whole place was packed with other girls.

She did actually meet one guy - probably the only guy in the whole place.

I think Julia kind of liked him but it turned out he was gay. He definitely chose the wrong night to go to that club!

I keep asking Malcolm whether he knows anybody we can set up with Julia. He says all his friends are attached but he must know some single guys!

Malcolm says Julia is nuts and he wouldn't subject any of his friends to her anyway.

I'm trying not to bug Malcolm too much about finding someone for Julia. He's really busy with work and med school so I don't want to spend all our time together talking about the same thing.

Malcolm and I have been back together for four or five months now and so far, so good. Actually, we're doing even better now than we were before we broke up. After a couple of years apart, I appreciate him much more.

Malcolm loves that I had to admit I was wrong. I can tell. He's really relishing it.

I'm going to let him have that, because it will probably never happen again. I hate being wrong.

But Malcolm and I are just having a really great time together right now. I forgot how much fun Malcolm is.

I avoided being with him around Julia for a while. He thinks she's crazy but I also didn't want to make her feel worse, after the whole Nathan and Rebecca thing. But despite all that, they don't get along too badly at all.

Although Julia still can't stand it when he burps at the table. He always does it and I'm used to it now. I've told him off for it before but now, I've just decided to pick my battles.

I'm really trying to relax about our relationship this time around. I'm only 23 and Malcolm and I don't need to rush into living together just yet. There's plenty of time for that.

In a couple of years, Malcolm will be all done with medical school and will be working as a doctor. I'm definitely hoping that once that's all in place, he might be ready to start talking about our future.

Notes:
  • Title is from House of Cards by Radiohead.
  • I'm back! I should be able to update closer to my regular schedule now. Next week is a busy one for me but I'm going to see if I can get some good play time in this weekend, so I can still get a couple of posts up. But after next week, I have two weeks off work. :D Plenty of time for Simming!
  • But ugh, this update gave me so much trouble! Firstly, I crashed after getting only 10 pics, when it was way too late to reload. So I played again the next day and that stupid picture-in-picture pop-up kept appearing whenever I was on the home lot. I couldn't figure out what it was alerting me to but I would literally close it and it would pop right back up again. I'm hoping that problem was a one-off but I'm doubting that. I bet it happens again next time I play this lot. :\
  • Julia graduated with a 4.0, so she jumped straight into her chosen career. Hope had a 3.6, so she gets to wait. ;) If it takes longer than is realistic, I'll cheat her in.
  • Poor Julia. She was following that gay guy around the club all night but he just wasn't having it, for obvious reasons. Will Julia ever pick the right guy?
  • I'm always kind of amazed when my Sims act in such human ways. Malcolm and Hope were never one of those completely disinterested couples but they've never been a real lovey-dovey, get-a-room-please kind of couple either. But since they broke up and got back together, it seems like they're autonomously romantic more often and rolling romantic wants for each other more often. They're also both rolling less of those stupid "fall in love with [my ex]" wants that Sims always roll on dates. It really does seem like they were apart, realised they actually did want to be together and are making the most of it now. It's just one of the things I love about this game!

25 comments:

  1. Poor Julie, I hope she does find someone :\ I love your photos of Hope in the store, very nice posing.

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  2. Apple Valley, yeah, poor Julia's cutting a pretty tragic figure right now! Getting dumped and then crushing on gay men.

    The pics of Hope in the store were fun to do. I almost decorated a record store for her, so her job title in game would match the pictures but then I realised I actually don't have any CD shelves to make one!

    Thanks for reading!

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  3. Oh dear poor Julia, she really is taking it all very hard. Talk about being a drama queen, she definitely is one, a d to pick a gay guy...she really has no luck lately.
    Hope seems to be a really good friend though and supporting her as she can. There's something about Hope I really like, not sure what it is though.

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  4. Oh Julia, how I feel your pain lol. Although not as prone to bitch fits as Julia, I can see alot of myself in her :). It just takes time, or at least that's what all my friends and my mother says to me lol. I love Malcolm's facial hair! He looks like an over worked med school student! I'm glad he and Hope have a better relationship now, sometimes absence does make the heart grow fonder :)

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  5. Speechless, Julia has never had a relationship end well - it's always been with fireworks. Nathan was particularly bad for her, because they were together for so long and it was fairly serious.

    Hope is not the most sympathetic person in the world, so she's probably nearing the end of her patience with Julia's pining about Nathan. It's only because it was so recent that she's still relatively supportive!

    Thanks for reading!

    Mizzgin03, I think Julia just needs to be a little patient as well but in the midst of that sort of thing, when everyone around you seems to be in successful relationships, that's the last thing you want to hear. :\

    I think that's exactly it with Hope and Malcolm. The break up, as much as Malcolm didn't want it, was good for them. They had a taste of life without each other and realised it wasn't what either of them wanted.

    Thanks for reading!

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  6. I love the way being apart has made Hope and Malcolm's relationship stronger. I really like it, too , when sims do things that seem so realistic like that.

    Julia...! It's a bit much, thinking you've lost your last chance at 23!

    Love the bit about Hope's parents not helping with the rent - that's realistic, too! :)

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  7. Their appartment looks great, I hope Hope finds a job she wants soon, so they'll be able to keep it!
    It's nice that their time apart made Hope and Malcolm even closer. I really like them together :)

    I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for Julia, I really want her to find some one. It's sad she thinks she lost her chance at 23.

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  8. Blackcat, it wasn't really something I was expecting, for Hope and Malcolm's relationship to strengthen the way it has, but it's something I'm glad to see.

    Julia is being a tad dramatic. Which is not unusual for her. She likes to catastrophise.

    Hope's parents couldn't afford to help with the rent even if they wanted to, seeing they're still paying off Nathan's law school tuition. But even without that, they're not the type!

    Thanks for reading!

    Tanja, I hope Hope finds her dream job soon too. She's in the Music career right now (thought it was Slacker and I think I have it wrong in her profile) and the pay is so crappy!

    I am a Malcolm and Hope fan too and a much bigger fan than I was before they broke up! I didn't realise how good they were together until they weren't, much like Hope!

    We'll see if Julia finds a new guy, once she hauls herself out of her post-dump slump. ;)

    Thanks for reading!

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  9. I have to say that I don't really like Malcolm and Hope together. I love Hope and her awesome personality, but Malcolm just strikes me as...gross. I don't know, he just really needs to shave. What's their attraction score?

    Poor Julia. Even if she can't marry that guy at the bar, he might end up being a nice new friend...

    Great update!:)

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  10. Julia is really out of luck! She managed to find one guy, and he's gay! Poor little one!
    I love how you handle your Sims' career relating to their graduations. I'll have to adopt this (when they'll age! ;)).
    Hope and Malcolm are so cute! It seems they finally found themselves. *swoon*

    (PS: Glad to read you again! *smooch*)

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  11. coolkat2, oh, really? I adore them together and was hoping Hope would want to get back together with Malcolm, when they broke up (got my wish). Hope likes facial hair - it's one of her turn-ons. ;) Anyway, they are 3-bolters - their score is 99.

    We'll see what's in store for Julia. Sometimes I have an idea for people but I really don't with her!

    Thanks for reading!

    Sandy, Julia's not having an especially wonderful streak of luck right now, it's true!

    I stole my career stuff from Laura at Lakeside Heights, I think. But it's working out well, especially now that I use Harder College Grades. The majority of my Sims were graduating with 4.0s before, so they were all getting cheated into their careers.

    I adore Hope and Malcolm. Hope they can *stay* together this time!

    It was good to be back writing and playing again!

    Thanks for reading!

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  12. Oh Julia! I still can't help laughing at the image of her following the one man there at the club and having him be gay.

    Poor her! I hope she finds someone. The scene of Julia, Hope and Malcolm eating together was very cute though.

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  13. Lunar, LOL, I know, the poor girl! It was like Ladies' Night in that place and then the only guy who turns up is gay!

    I'm hoping Julia can find someone eventually. Maybe even someone who doesn't burp at the table. ;)

    Thanks for reading!

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  14. I've never liked Julia much but I do feel bad for her. I hope she finds someone :)

    Hope and Malcolm are such a sweet couple. They're just meant to be together and it's nice to see their relationship has gotten so strong.

    I'm totally jealous for the girls about their building! A pool and all, I wanna live there too.

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  15. Sari, Julia has never done much to make herself too likeable in the past, so I'm not surprised. ;)

    I've always liked Hope and Malcolm together but it was still a surprise to see their relationship grow and strengthen the way it has. Maybe Hope knew what she was doing after all!

    It's a pretty great building, I know! Julia and Hope are both Fitness Sims, so it's perfect for them.

    Thanks for reading!

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  16. Hope and Malcolm are so cute and real together. I don't blame him for refusing to set up a friend with Julia. A 'little' dramatic?? LMAO! Poor thing, and then trying to hit on a gay guy!

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  17. S.B.,I'm glad others like Hope and Malcolm as much as I do. :) Malcolm does indeed know some single guys, as Hope suspected, but he definitely won't be inflicting Julia on them. "Dramatic" is somewhat of an understatement to describe some of her past behaviour!

    LOL, maybe she'll need to hook up with a townie who is unaware of her reputation!

    Thanks for reading!

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  18. I'm finally getting back into sim mode! Time to catch up :).

    I'm really glad Hope and Malcolm are doing so well. It really shows that they were meant to be and that their break up was to show them how important they were to each other. Can't wait to see more of them.

    And poor Julia. She's really getting desperate now. Is she a family sim? She's only 23 and thinks she's going to die an old maid! LOL.

    Oh and loved the pics of the luxury apartment! I would love to live there, too, but definitely couldn't afford it, either ;).

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  19. Danielle, yeah, I'm actually kind of glad they had that break-up now. I've read that high school sweethearts who break up and then get back together are more likely to stay that way than those who don't. Not sure if that's true but it makes sense and it certainly is working out well for Malcolm and Hope.

    Julia is Knowledge/Family, so she has that "Must. Breed. Now" mentality that most Family Sims tend to have. She can't see any prospects for marriage or even serious dating right now, so she's getting a bit panicky.

    Heh, you and me both! Sim finances are funny. The rent on this place is something like $3000 a week but because Sims don't have to pay money for much else, they can afford places like this on crappy salaries. Just barely, anyway!

    Thanks for reading!

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  20. Hope is still very funny. She has such a feeling of entitlement! Just like Malcolm in his last family update, now that I think about it. They're made for each other, lol.

    Still sympathizing with Julia. I wish someone could tell her that she can find a good guy in time, but that's Family sims for you.

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  21. Fini, yes, Hope and Malcolm have a lot in common! Both a bit entitled, both like to get a rise out of people...what a pair!

    I think Julia's probably going to need to come to that realisation on her own. She's moping right now and probably wouldn't believe it if you told her.

    Thanks for reading!

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  22. Hope and Malcolm seem better together now than they did at first. Maybe Hope is getting nicer?

    Oh Julia. I hope she gets some nice guys thrown her way soon!

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  23. Rachel, Hope and Malcolm do really seem to work better now than they did pre-break-up. I don't know if Hope is getting nicer, but I think she is a little more willing to bend when things don't go her way and Malcolm has matured a little as well.

    Some more bad luck for Julia here. She's due for some good luck, I think!

    Thanks for reading!

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  24. LOL! Hope cracks me up, a grown woman and she's upset her parents won't pay her rent anymore. And Julia writing herself off at 23, lol! I love that these two are living together, they're a riot!

    Their apartment is absolutely gorgeous too! And I see what you mean about Julia now too, she definitely needs to chill a little! Guys never like desperation, lol!

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  25. Laura, I don't think it would have occurred to Hope that her parents wouldn't want to help her out, or that they wouldn't be able to anyway (which they can't, for the record). Hope is quite entitled.

    No, desperation is definitely not an attractive quality! Especially coupled with the psycho reputation Julia has created for herself over the past several years! She still hates Jack and will attack him whenever she gets the opportunity! Nathan has escaped her rage, for some reason. ;)

    Thanks for reading!

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