Tina Traveller: Week 1

For Tina's last year at uni, click here. You'll find more about her under the label "Traveller". 

This small house in Downtown New Maximiliania is the place Tina Traveller bought after graduating Summa Cum Laude in Psychology. Now she wants to work towards her lifetime want of becoming Mad Scientist.

That's Tina. She still wears her trademark sunglasses and braids.

At the back of her house is a swimming pool with a slide. Also part of her plot of land is a fish pond. But buying the house has left Tina with less than 100 Simoleons, so it is important she finds a job quickly.
        <Snapshot>

Only very few items are in the house when she moves in: a fridge, kitchen counter, toilet and shower. No bed, no stove, no table or chairs.
But Tina has an idea: she can entertain at the park for tips.

So she visits Go Here Sunshine park, a community lot I have been playing very rarely.

People like what she does...

...and some, like former fellow dorm resident Beta Beaker, even tip her. She ends up making 200 Simoleons!

She also takes advantage of the free food available for those who are willing to prepare it.
       

Back home, she remembers the stories she has heard of Sims who found treasures buried in their yards. All she finds, however, is a rock.
       

The paper does not show any vacant position in the science career.
       

But finally, the welcome package with Mr. Humble's computer is delivered. The Simternet gives two more job offers, so Tina is going to try that.
       

But of course, she has to buy a (cheap) desk and chair first. And, much to her disappointment, she does not find a job in the career of her choice, either.
      

The welcome committee consists of Servo Capp, Parvati Patel and Gavin Newson.
       

Parvati has to leave soon afterwards, but the two men join Tina for a round of fishing. "At least I can save on the food bills by catching my own dinner," she thinks.
      

Vincent Stratton, one of the Secret Society members she befriended at uni, rings. He tells her that he works for a computer company and would like her to test their latest model - for free. Tina is grateful, although she has no intention of testing the computer.
       

But before she does anything else, she makes lunch meat sandwiches for herself and her guests - one of the few meals she can produce without a stove.
       

The cheap table and chairs were purchased with the tip money - otherwise nobody could have sat down for their sandwich. Kent Capp, who was invited when passing the house, is a very kind man. He expresses the hope that Tina will make many friends in her new neighbourhood.
       

After her guests leave, Tina takes the computer Vincent sent her and sells it. The 2.800 Simoleons are VERY welcome! After she buys a bed, a stove and a few more essentials such as lamps, her account still has 1.300 Simoleons on it. But she does not want to spend any more, as she knows there will be bills in the mail tomorrow, and she still has not found a job.

Finally, a bed!
       

The next morning, Tuesday, Tina still does not find a job in the science carreer. Instead, she goes for second best and starts to work in the natural science career. Her job as a clam wrangler does not pay all that well, but at least it is a regular income until she'll manage to find something else.
      

She returns from work in the afternoon with her first salary. After having paid the bills, she still has 1.900 Simoleons.
       

On Wednesday, she finally finds a job in the Science career: she will start tomorrow as a Field Researcher. Having the day off, she works on her skills and buys a slightly better chair for her desk and a book case.

She really is happy now, so happy about her new job that she juggles bottles :-)
       

She decides to invite over her mother, now that her house is not so bare anymore. Trisha and Tina have had a somewhat difficult relationship for a long time. Trisha left her daughter and her husband when she met Carlos Contender, her three-bolt-love. She still lives at his villa, having inherited it upon the death of the much older man. Tina spent her teenage years trying to be there for her lonely Dad (and vice versa) as best she could, and when she left for college, she was devastated to learn of his tragic death in a fire the day after.
She did visit her mother a few times during her college years, but never committed herself to a "yes" when her mother brought up the subject of her moving in at the villa after graduation.
Now Trisha is here and has brought Chloe Wendland, Tina's best Secret Society friend, along. She still hopes that one day, her daughter will be her friend again.
       

For the first time since moving in, Tina takes advantage of the pool. It is a beautiful summer's afternoon, and life is looking good.
       

Chloe is glad to see her friend from uni so optimistic. She tells her of the cruise she has been on during the summer. They enjoy a meal of freshly caught fish from Tina's own pond.
       

On Thursday, Tina feels all vigorous when she wakes up, ready to tackle this new chapter in her life.
       

She comes home with her first promotion and is now a Science Teacher. Her salary and the promotion bonus make her bank account reach a staggering 3.100 Simoleons :-) After having paid the usual Thursday bills and getting some more things she really wanted, she is back to 1.900 Simoleons.
Florence Delarosa, who happens to walk by just as the car pool drops Tina off, is invited in.
       

Now that she has a stove, Tina can make herself a stack of pancakes for breakfast on Friday morning. The rest of the day is spent at work, and the evening mostly on the phone, catching up with friends.
       

Saturday sees the beginning of autumn, and Tina finds she has nothing really suitable for that season in her modest wardrobe.
       

She decides to go shopping at Cold Issue Clothing.
      

Here, she really splashes out on new outfits, and even treats herself to a bottle of cologne. Her account is down to 860 Simoleons after that shopping spree, but Tina is not worried anymore - she knows she'll be earning more money next week.
       

The sunny afternoon is spent raking the first batch of autumn leaves.
       

Later, she invites her mother over again. When Trisha insists of cleaning the stove, Tina is slightly irritated. It's not as if she wasn't keeping her house neat and tidy! But mothers always think they need to do stuff at their children's places, I guess, and Trisha is no exception :-)
       

"I really wonder whether it would work if I went to move in with Mom at the villa," Tina muses over the bass & squash she made for them.
       

Sunday is another beautiful sunny day, and Tina does some more fishing, not only to restock her fridge, but also to wind down.
      

Later, Lilith Ottomas walks by and is greeted.

The week ends with no further events worth mentioning.

Will Tina move in with her Mom next round? Is she going to meet a man that captures her interest? (So far, she has not even had a crush yet, and there are no three-bolt-men among her friends and acquaintances.)