Cyd Roseland - Week 1

This modest house at No. 290 Hobby Drive in Desiderata Valley has recently been sold to Cyd Roseland, who has just moved in with his dog Porthos. 

According to Maxis, "Cyd and Porthos are the founders of the Dognatchi technique, which introduced the world to canine physical training through mental discipline. Together, they prove that Sims and dogs can achieve amazing and inspirational results!" ]

Here they are. 

Unfortunately, Cyd's skill profile is completely empty - not even a body skill, in spite of what his household bio says. His personal bio says that his "... world revolves around two things: physical training and his sidekick Porthos. He believes that a healthy body promotes a long Sim life and will prove it through example." Well, we'll have to see about that. He is a Knowledge Sim who dreams of being a Celebrity Chef - a very ambitious goal for someone who has no cooking skill as yet! 

The house is not only modest from the outside, but even more so inside. 

The double front door leads into a large open-plan area with nothing but a cheap settee in one part and an equally cheap kitchen in the other. Inexplicably, in the kitchen part there is also a makeshift book shelf - wouldn't that make more sense near the settee? In the top left corner is a bathroom and in the top right corner a bedroom. The lower left corner is taken up by a relatively large room which is empty so far. 

Everything is of the lowest quality, and Cyd can't afford to replace anything just yet - his personal fortune amounts to a mere 35 Simoleons! That's not even enough to buy the most basic things for his dog. What to do?

The settee and the bookshelf are sold, allowing at least for a food bowl and a bone for Porthos. Then, Cyd proceeds to dig a hole in the garden and is lucky enough to find two rocks (which he places in the garden) and not one, but TWO tattered old maps. He sells them and can now afford a dog bed for porthos as well as the cheapest desk & chair (Mr. Humble's computer needs to go somewhere) plus the cheapest dining table and four chairs for Cyd's existing and future friends. 

Those future friends turn up soon to welcome their new neighbour. Matthew Picaso, Trisha Traveller and Hannah Bell share a platter of sandwiches with Cyd who, by the way, has put Mr Humble's computer to good use and found a job in the culinary career, starting tomorrow. 

Julien Cooke invites Cyd for an outing, and because he wants to take Porthos along, the group order the taxi to take them to Sim Center South.

There are Mary and Nathan Gavigan, Elizabeth Aspir and of course Julien Cooke. 

Cyd first makes a batch of hot dogs for the group and then he, Elizabeth and Nathan have a swim before it is time for Cyd and Porthos to head home.

On Tuesday morning, Cyd tells Porthos: "I'm sorry, pal; you'll have to stay alone all afternoon and evening today. I'll make sure to fill your bowl before I go, and I promise you a nice bath for tomorrow."

It is 10:00 pm when Cyd finally returns home from his first exhausting shift as a Dishwasher. It is also his last (unless he'll be demoted because of a chance card), as he has been promoted to Drive Through Clerk. With his wage and the bonus, he is not quite as worried about today's bills as he was this morning - he now has 683 Simoleons. Phew! 

Porthos gets the bath Cyd has promised him - and it was really necessary! Of course it meant that the shower had to be replaced by a tub.

Cyd sleeps into Wednesday, dreaming of his next promotion and the bonus that will allow him to gradually improve things further for his four-legged friend and himself.

Just as the mailman is picking up the paid bills, Porthos was going to make the acquaintance of the skunk - but the mailman provides enough distraction, and no skunky perfume is sprayed that would make another bath necessary. 

Later, Porthos meets Bailey, the leader of the neighbourhood wolves.

For Cyd, Wednesday has been a day off. He invests into an easel, since he needs creativity for his job. That brings his cash down to 61 Simoleons. 

Early on Thursday morning, Porthos meets Kim. The cat is slightly bigger than himself, and he makes sure she knows that he is a friendly dog. They get along very well and even play a bit before Kim is on her way again.

That evening, Cyd returns with a promotion to Fast Food Shift Manager. Today's wage plus the promotion bonus and a generous tip from a rich customer (chance card, of course) mean he can pay his bills, buy a new food bowl and the best food for Porthos, and still has 579 Simoleons left.

Cyd will be picked up for work on Friday only at 4:00 pm, which gives him a chance to clean Porthos' bed as well as do other household jobs and a bit of skilling.

While he's out, Porthos greets every passers-by he can, and some are kind enough to spend a little time with him. 

When Cyd returns with another promotion - his bank account is now at almost 1,300 Simoleons, the most he's ever had -, it is just in time to catch Porthos throwing over the bin and rolling in its contents. He can't really be mad at Porthos; the little dog is alone a lot. But it can't be helped, and so Cyd gives him his third bath of this week before going to bed. 

On Saturday, Cyd has to say good-bye to Porthos for the day once more. 

But when he returns mid-afternoon (not with a promotion this time, as he needs two more logic points and so far has no chess board or telescope to acquire them), he invites some of his friends over so that Porthos has more chances for social interactions. 

He encourages Julien Cooke to adopt a pet while Tara Kat and Nawwaf Lewis talk politics. Natasha Una has also come over but is powdering her nose. 

The friends spend part of the evening fishing, and by the time they leave, all Cyd can do is put his freshly caught fish into the fridge before falling into bed, exhausted but happy. Things are definitely looking up! 

Sunday is just another working day for Cyd, and so Porthos looks for company in the shape of people walking by again. 

But of course Cyd looks well after his dog when he is home. "Time to give you another bath, pal," he announces. 

He then invests in a chess table and gets started on the logic points he needs for his next promotion. 

It will be a while before we'll see Cyd and Porthos again, unless we'll bump into them at a community lot or visiting another household. 

I felt a bit sorry for Porthos being on his own so much, but he was fine most of the time, especially once Cyd bought the best food bowl for him. 

So far, there has not been any romantic interest in Cyd's life, and working hard to earn some money for himself and his dog has left little time for anything else. Still, he managed to talk on the phone to friends and even invite some of them over - not a bad week, all things considered.

Gunnar Roque: Senior Year

Gunnar's Junior Year is here.

We're still at La Fiesta Tech, Strangetown's college, and once again with the Shifting Paradymes.

It is Gunnar's Senior Year, and we're here because of him. 

His two band mates and friends, Jasmine Rai and Zoe Zimmerman, still live with him, but I don't know how long for - they are both eligible to join the Tri-Fruhm Sorority, and might leave any day. 

Also, they are two years below Gunnar, who, according to Maxis, is a "so-so musician, but he thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. Perhaps he'll eventually understand why his female bandmates aren't exactly at each others' throats for his attentions." 

Here, it looks as if he is wondering whether Zoe could be one of the 20 Sims he wants to woohoo with in order to reach his lifetime want. 

But even someone as cool as Gunnar needs to skill before he can think of his end-of-term exam, let alone his final one.

The next day, the Shifting Paradymes put in a long overdue practice session. Gunnar needs a creativity skill point, and what better way to acquire it than this!

The visiting cheerleader appears to be really enthusiastic about their "roque" music :-) 

Gunnar returns from class after dark, and finds someone waiting for him. "Oh, hi, Professor Platz..." Although he does wish for his first kiss ever (can you believe he is still unkissed?), the two of them only have a very tame game of chess, and become friends.

The computer breaks down just as Jasmine wants to complete her Term Paper. Gunnar is usually not one to offer his help around the house willingly, but he has the highest mechanical skill, and so it befalls him to repair it. He wisely flings his ponytail back over his shoulder before he dives deep into the inner workings of the machine. 

Jasmine has the wish to join a greek house (and I know which one, he-he), and I have her to make the phone call. The sorority girls come over right away, but although Jasmine is very good friends with Sarah Love, her relationship with the rest of the "sisters" is zero, and even hanging out with them does not do the trick. That means she'll stick around for another while.

The next day is a busy day for the Shifting Paradymes. First, Gunnar meets and greets William Williamson. 

Then, Jasmine orders groceries and finds out that the delivery man is a certain Gordon Kim - he must be related to Shenene Kim, one of the girls at the sorority she is so keen to join. 

Gunnar invites his favourite professor over. Meredith Bar knows the the young man has only one semester left at college, and she really likes him... a lot. 

Some history lesson this was! Gunnar can finally put the first of 20 names on his list of Sims he's had woohoo with (and he is not unkissed anymore, either!).

And guess what - now that he knows "what it's all about", as soon as Meredith leaves, he rings his good friend Monica Bratford. The young woman has only just graduated and is happy to get another chance at college life, however brief. Also, inexplicably, she really likes Gunnar too... a lot. 

And indeed she becomes his 2nd woohoo.

It's exam day the next day, but when Gunnar invites Professor Platz over, it is clear that last minute tutoring is NOT on his mind ;-P 

The girls calm their exam nerves by performing the school cheer. Gunnar just watches - what's there to be nervous about? 

And indeed, there is nothing! Although Gunnar has not written his term paper, and the only assignments he did were more of the... *ahem*... hands-on kind, he gets super grades just like the girls. 

All three of them of course receive their full grants, and the household account is now at almost 5,800 Simoleons, in spite of them having bought a better kitchen stove and a dish washer at the start of term.

A celebration is clearly in order, and Gunnar shares a bottle of sparkling wine with his housemate, although it was actually reserved for next time Professor Platz comes visiting.

And here she is! I don't need to tell you how things progressed from her giving Gunnar a backrub, do I? Anyway, she's now # 3 on his list, and it gave his aspiration a big boost. 

Later, Zoe talks to him about the band. "How about we introduce a violin into our next piece?" Not that she (or anyone else in the band) knows how to play it, or even owns one! 

Jasmine, too, has a suggestion. "I could use a more traditional drum every now and then to make things more interesting... what do you think?" 

To be perfectly honest, Gunnar's thoughts rarely revolve around music. And he can not understand how Jasmine can be so terribly interested in her diary, when a cool guy such as himself is around! 

The next morning, Jasmine can't believe Zoe is having a bag of crisps for breakfast! "Better than yesterday's burnt spaghetti," Zoe grins.

No matter whether one lives at the dorms, in a sorority house or has a rented property, one is never safe from the Campus Coach! 

Lora Beckett appears to be immune to Gunnar's charm, and he can't talk her into letting him off the hook. But then... I notice that these two have 3 bolts for each other! Lora is so far the first and only 3-bolt-lady for Gunnar. If it stays that way, she might well be his future better half, once he's completed his list of 20 names. 

You could have shown a bit more effort in terms of table manners for the very last breakfast with your house- and bandmates, Gunnar! 

It's true - the day of Gunnar's final exam is finally here. 

But before the three of them leave, Gunnar attacks the broken TV with fervor. 

Yay! Gunnar has made it - he has just graduated Magna Cum Laude in History! 

Not bad for someone who has put in only minimal academic effort... but quite a lot of effort to establish friendships (and more) with his professors :-D 

He does not seem to be the type to throw a big graduation party; one-on-one is more Gunnar's style. And so we'll say good-bye for him for now, and will be back to this house when it's Zoe Zimmerman's turn. 

I really had fun playing Gunnar, and it wasn't hard keeping track of Jasmine's and Zoe's actions, either. A new NPC with a playable name was discovered, and Gunnar has found a three-bolt-lady - even if it will take a long time before anything can become of that.