River Smith - Junior Year

As I said, the Smith family is rather extensive in my game, and now it is River Smith's turn to be played. 

He was a Townie teen in Strangetown before I sent him to La Fiesta Tech because of his "playable" surname. A typical Family Sim, River already dreams of celebrating his Golden Anniversary, no matter that he is still a young adult - and he also knows who with: DJ Verse is the lady who has captured his heart early on (and without my doing).

He currently resides here at the Oasis Dormitory, along with three other playable students: Ophelia Nigmos, Johnny Smith (we pretend he is a distant cousin) and Christopher Hart, another former NPC. 

Because River has not rolled the wish for a specific major, the college administration has decided to put him in Philosophy. 

On the first day of his Junior Year, he and Ophelia return from class at the same time and enjoy the dorm cook's pancakes. 

He already has all the skills required for this semester, and so he can get started on his Term Paper right away. 

The others still have some studying to do; apart from Johnny, who is only a Sophomore, they are Juniors like River.

The next day, River gets up and wonders whether he should think about new clothes, since spring has begun and he has been walking around in the same old things all winter. Going to a clothes shop might be a good idea to see some other students, too.

No year at college is complete without at least one fight between the rival mascots! 

River loves the chess board and actually wants not only to max his logic skill but also his games enthusiasm - unusual for a Family Sim, isn't it? He is joined at the board by Christopher, and the two agree that the friends they are making here at uni are most likely going to be friends for life. 

Later, I catch Christopher daydreaming about his first (and still current) love interest Tiffany Riley. Remember how, when I last played here, I was so hoping for Johnny and Ophelia to rekindle their teenage love, but Ophelia was more interested in Christopher? Well, I wonder what she'd say if she saw his thought bubble!

Exam day is here, and all four friends get good (if not best) grades. The fifth student is just someone walking by; there is another one living at the dorm, but he is rarely seen and never talked to. 

River and Christopher share a table in the cafeteria for their post-exam meal of Mac & Cheese. River doesn't say anything, but he is not impressed by his dorm mate's table manners.

As before, he already has all the skills he needs for this semester and is therefore able to write his Term Paper right away.

Every day, River rolls the wish to call his girlfriend DJ Verse to chat, and every day, that wish is granted.

Speaking of chatting, Johnny and Ophelia do that a lot, too. 

Sometimes River wants more than just talk, and today he invites DJ over. He shows her how much he missed her the moment she rings the doorbell.

Later, he has some me-time and reads in his room.

Ophelia stands in the open door to the men's bathroom and watches Johnny having a shower... Does she still have feelings for him, after all? 

After having spent quite a lot of his free time at the chess board, River maxes out his logic skill. 

He invitex DJ over again, and the two share some very romantic moments, culminating in a wish to woohoo, but there isn't a double bed at the dorm, and our poor Sims depend on it if they want to satisfy this want :-) (and if there are no hot tubs, saunas, photo booths, cars or walk-in wardrobes available!)

Christopher's exam is an hour before the others have to sit theirs, and when he returns, the smile on his face says it all. "Here I come, Senior Year!"

Johnny, Ophelia and River have finished the year with best grades, too. For Johnny, is means the start of his Junior Year, while Ophelia and River are now Seniors. 

This was a quiet year at uni. Not much going on in terms of visitors, let alone trips to community lots. No surprises on the romantic front, either. But River was easy to keep happy as long as he was regularly in touch with DJ and got to spend time at the chess board, and I expect him to have a good Senior Year, too, after which he'll finally move to Strangetown and probably join DJ. 

And finally, we have reached the end of the Smiths on my alphabetical list! But we'll be staying in Strangetown for the next household.

Matthew Smith: Week 1

As I said, there are many Smiths in my game, and we're at 202 Welsh Lane in Riverblossom Hills for the next one on the list:

Matthew Smith, former NPC Garden Club Member, who was moved in here by Cleo Shikibu. 

The two of them fell in love with each other autonomously, which facilitated the move. While Cleo is making good progress on her lifetime want to become Criminal Mastermind, Matthew's goal is to max out all seven skills - which is quite the challnge, since he had to start at zero. Here they are on this Monday morning, just getting up.

Patricia Wan is still here, too. Her lifetime want is also career-oriented; she dreams of being a Media Magnate. Her love interest is Gabe O'Mackey, but he lives at his own place with his teenage daughter Jules. 

After the ladies have gone to work, Matthew takes care of the fruit trees. He's in his element there; after all, the Garden Club is where he started out, and the Gold Badge for Gardening was his big achievement. 

Patricia has yet again taken the wrong decision with a chance card and is demoted to Blog Writer. 

Cleo has been lucky - her chance card resulted in a promotion to Getaway Driver. I believe she would have been promoted today anyway, as she had the necessary skills, was in a good mood and arrived at work on time. 

For Matthew, the rest of the day goes by acquiring mechanical skill points. I like this picture of him; he looks so content and at home with himself and in this new chapter of his life, doesn't he! 

On Tuesday, Cleo is demoted to Con Artist (of course a chance card was to blame) but is reinstated as a Getaway Driver later the same day. 

For most Sims, unclogging a toilet or repairing a broken shower is a chore best left to the professionals, but for Matthew, it is a means to gain more mechanical skill. 

The original armchairs which I disliked (besides, they took up two squares but only one Sim could sit on them) have been replaced, same as the rug that went up in flames during the first week at this house. 

Patricia does not only come back from work with a promotion (she is now an Internet Movie Critic) but also with colleague Stella Roth.

On Thursday, it is Cleo's bedroom that is made a bit nicer. The basic colour code here seems to have been meant to be red and cream, and so the non-matching original dark green wall paint is gone; the cream walls look calmer and make the room brighter. 

Also, there were no bedside tables and just one ceiling lamp here - in real life, I don't like ceiling lights but much prefer table and floor lamps, and in a bedroom there should be bedside tables with lamps on them, shouldn' there. 

In other news, Cleo is promoted to Bank Robber and Patricia to Fact Checker. Now Cleo needs three body points - good job it's autumn! 

Cleo sets to work on her body skill on Thursday morning. 

Matthew's cooking has now improved so much that he can produce delicious omelettes for breakfast.

It's once again Promotion Day for the ladies: Patricia (who is accompanied by Stella Roth) is a Fact Checker... 

...while, according to the chance card outcome, Cleo has promoted herself to Cat Burglar. 

On Friday, Matthew and Cleo engage in a session of studying - Cleo's next promotion requires more skills, and Matthew practically lives for skilling anyway. It being autumn helps, and not long after this picture was taken, Cooking is the first skill he maxes out.

With the first snowflakes softly falling outside, he enjoys sitting near the fire. 

Patricia is promoted to Horoscope Writer. 

Late evening, Matthew and Patricia (Cleo has to work) visit Amelia's Closet for some winter outfits.

Patricia has been wanting to throw a party for a couple of days now, and since she has the weekend off, she invites five of her closest friends over, including Gabe O'Mackey. 

She has not rolled any wishes about him all week, but now that he's here, it seems the two of them are as much an item as ever.

Matthew's sizzling hot grilled ribs...

...and his equally hot jazz performance on the piano contribute to the party so that it ends a roof raiser, fullfilling a big wish for Patricia. Unfortunately, Cleo was once again out for work all night.

Sunday is here, and it is time for Matthew to tackle the body skill - yesterday's ribs have made him feel decidedly unfit, and he wants to change that. Working out with the exercise program on TV is an option, although he finds it hard going at first, and his push-ups don't look very professional yet.

Cleo returns from work with a promotion to Counterfeiter. 

When she's had a few hours of sleep, she suggest they go jogging. Matthew is all for it, in spite of the cold, and carefully follows Cleo's tips for stretching before they set off.

The week ends well for everybody: 

Both ladies have been diligently working on their careers and were rewarded with several promotions, and there has also been time to talk to friends on the phone (for Cleo) or at her party (for Patricia). 

Matthew was super focused on skilling and dedicated nearly every waking moment to studying or doing other tasks to improve on skill or other. ut of the 70 points for maxing out all seven skills, he has managed 39 - not bad, and if he keeps up this high level of dedication, he'll see his lifetime want come true. 

Again, this is not yet the end of my list of Smiths - but who's next?

Johnny Smith - Freshman Year

Johnny's first playable day with his family in Strangetown is here; Ophelia's Freshman Year is here.

It is 5:00 am at Oasis Dormitory, part of La Fiesta Tech's campus, when Johnny Smith arrives here. He has of course chosen this Dorm because his best friend and teenage love Ophelia Nigmos has a room here; she is one year ahead of him. 

This is the place where Johnny will live during his Freshman Year. Funnily enough, the first wish he rolls upon arriving is to move out! But I will let him stay here at least for a while.

Ophelia is happy to see her childhood friend; she has been showing a wish for him to go to college as well. 

Unfortunately, during the last time I've played here, Ophelia and one of her dorm mates autonomously developed a crush on each other. Maybe things will turn around, now that Johnny is here; Christopher Hart is actually in love with Tiffany Riley from the Tri-Fruhm Sorority anyway. 

Here is Christopher, who is a Sophomore like Ophelia. This semester, he is the first of the group to complete his Term Paper, and he looks suitably proud of it.

River Smith, who is a Sophomore like Ophelia and Christopher, must be a distant relative of Johnny's. They don't know each other yet, but immediately on his arrival, River wishes to be friends with him. He is in love with DJ Verse and wants to get engaged to her. 

After he has claimed his room, one of the first things Johnny does is to ring his loved ones back home to tell them all is well. By the way, he is a Popularity Sim who wants to have 20 best friends; he started out with three, but the phone call to his little sister Jill makes her his fourth best friend. 

Oh no! Resident Campus Coach Curtis Love appears. Johnny is safe, as he has just left for his first class. But Christopher Hart is ordered to work out, and does so until his hygiene bar is deep orange and he finally has a shower. 

Back from class, Johnny sits down for some skilling. He knows that the earlier he finishes these tasks and writes his Term Paper, the sooner he can do as he pleases.

And before his first day at college is over, he can press the "send" button for his Term Paper! 

Speaking of Term Papers, a strange phenomenon occurs with Ophelia: She has not yet written hers this semester, but when I click on the computer and choose the "college" option, all that is available to her is to change major, which she won't do. I have her do an assignment instead, hoping that this will be enough for her to pass this semester, or the option will reappear on the computer. 

The next morning, instead of Ophelia and Johnny rekindling their old flame, a different kind of fire breaks out when the dorm cook manages to burn breakfast. The sprinkler quickly puts the flames out, but now everyone badly needs a shower, and the cafeteria wants cleaning up. 

Later, I have Johnny dance with Ophelia, but nothing comes of it.

My hopes are up when later I catch Christopher talking to Ophelia, and she clearly rejecting the conversation.

But my hopes are seriously dashed when, moments later, she playfully pinches his bottom, and as they engage in an energetic dance, red hearts appear over their heads. 

What about Tiffany! I shout at Christopher, and what about Johnny!! at Ophelia, but they don't hear me.

The next morning, I find Christopher and River playing punch you punch me, and I notice that they wear the same PJs (not that this is of any relevance!). 

The Cow Mascot seems to wonder about Johnny, while Ophelia is thinking of getting engaged... she has not yet rolled the wish, but I'm afraid Christopher Hart is the more likely candidate right now. 

River makes an attempt at getting to know Johnny better over a game of chess.

The first half of Johnny's Freshman year is over! 

Like Ophelia, River and Christopher (who finished a little earlier than the others), he has passed his exams with best grades, and each of the four receive the full grant of 1,200 Simoleons. Dorm improvements, anyone? I decide on better bathroom equipment, which will reduce the time needed for showers, and increase comfort every time a student uses the toilet. 

Of course, everyone is very busy at the start of their second semester. Skilling and Term Paper writing are in order, and classes need to be attended. 

The two distant cousins River and Johnny are now friends, and engage in a game of catch when they return from class late in the evening. 

Christopher has rolled the want to give his first girlfriend Tiffany a backrub, and so he invites her over. The backrub is duly given, with Ophelia in sight, and I expect a slap fest to break out any moment, but all that happens is that Christopher goes to bed - he is very tired after a day of studying and writing.

Ophelia and Johnny have breakfast together the next morning, and she congratulates him on having five best friends.

Actually, her count was wrong - there were six best friends, and "cousin" River becomes # 7 a bit later that day. 

The next day, I catch Ophelia and Johnny talking in the cafeteria. And it very much looks like he is telling her that they will be best friends for life, no matter what (but probably not more). 

Aaaw... I was really, really hoping these two would continue where they left off as teens! 

Instead, Johnny has a wish to see the adult Jill, and invites her over. Oh dear... isn't she something like a distant auntie? Obviously not!! 

And so Johnny helps Jill to take one step further to reach her lifetime want. Thank you, Johnny!! (NOT!) 

And here it is, the final moment of Johnny's Freshman year - or, actually, the fist moment in his life as a Sophomore. 

Christopher, River and Ophelia are now Juniors. 

Phew! This was a difficult year. Not that it was particularly challenging to keep track of four playable students, making sure they did what was necessary to pass their exams and fulfill some of their wishes. But I really struggled with the idea of Johnny giving up on Ophelia, but had to see sense eventually - not once did he roll any wants about her, while she kept rolling wishes to play with him and tell jokes, but nothing romantic. (Maybe I should have granted him his first wish upon arrival, when he wanted to move out straight away!)

What Christopher really wants - Tiffany or Ophelia or someone else entirely - remains to be seen. The only one who seems to be absolutely sure about having found The One is River, who will at some stage get engaged to DJ Verse. We're still not done with the Smith surname in my game! But who's next?