- - - Update 21.3.2010 - - - Back at the apartment building which is quite familiar to you by now, I suppose :-)
Joshua Ruben still lives here...
...as does his brother Martin...
...and his three-bolt-lady Marla Biggs.
On Monday, Joshua is promoted to Medical Researcher. That is very close to reaching his ifetime want!
Martin is promoted to Specialist...
...and Marla to Magazine Editor.
As usual, Martin is the "chosen one" when it comes to dealing with any device in the household that needs repairing. Some things never change!
On Tuesday, Martin is promoted to Surgeon. This spring sees rain almost every day, as Marla states when she gets off the car after work.
Still on Tuesday, Joshua makes his big dream come true: He is now Chief of Staff, on Permanent Platinum and still 13 days away from Elderhood! Ashley Pitts and Kevin Beare, his former fraternity "brothers", seem to be duly impressed.
Later in the evening, a lady in bohemian clothes is seen delivering Marla's club card to the My Muse II - Art Studio.
She has done a beautiful painting of yellow tulips which goes really well with the general yellow theme of the big dining / living area of their apartment.
On Wednesday, Martin is promoted to Medical Researcher. Just one more step on the career ladder for him, and he will have reached his lifetime want, too! But it is not that easy - first, he has to acquire two more logic skill points, and then there is the whole weekend ahead during which he won't go to work. Marla, on the other hand, has just achieved her lifetime want: she is now a Media Magnate, with still 20 days away from Elderhood. What a great life - found her three-bolt-love AND is on Permanent Platinum; makes you almost a bit jealous, doesn't it? ;-)
It takes Martin until Friday to max out his logic skill, and as I said, he won't go to work again this week - therefore, we will have to wait until the next week at his household before he reaches his lifetime want.
"I am looking forward to my brother's last promotion," Joshua tells Marla over breakfast on Saturday morning. The brothers will both be Chief of Staff then - apparently, no problem for either of them :-)
Every time another New Maximilianian passes by the building, one of the three flatmates tries to invite them in. It does not always work - they live on the top floor, and more often than not, the stairway is blocked by someone else living in the building, and they can not get to the passers-by until it is too late. This time, though, Elizabeth Aspir waited long enough and is rewarded with a delicious meal of bass and squash.
On Sunday, the three of them decide to visit King's Gardens - always with the possibilitiy in mind that Joshua might meet the woman of his dreams - she should be wearing full face makeup, be very logically-minded and NOT fit.
Sadly, no lady matches Joshua's criteria at King's Gardens, and the same is true about the Archimedes Arcade, where our trio is headed next.
So it is back home, and back to his science blog for Joshua.
Marla has completed a portrait of each of the Ruben brothers.
Joshua, you will find many a star by looking through your telescope, but you won't find that special lady, I am telling you! Is he EVER going to be lucky in love? When the letter "R" is next on my alphabetical list, we might find out :-)
- - - Update 1.10.2009 - - - Let's very briefly head back to where Joshua Ruben lived during his college years and where his younger brother Martin still is: the Urele-Oresha-Var Fraternity.
Martin, who started out college life in a rented property with two female co-students (Allegra Gorey and Jane Staks), later joined the fraternity and moved into the big house. He has forever been the "handyman" - first with the two girls, and later with the fraternity. But because he is a Knowledge Sim, anything that increases his skill levels is welcome to him. He does, by the way, have the same lifetime want as his brother: To become Chief of Staff.
He can't wait for his Senior Year to be over - especially because Marla Biggs, former co-student and his 3-bolt-love, has already graduated and moved to New Maximiliania.
Soon, the year is over, and Ruben graduates. He does not even bother to throw a graduation party, but calls the taxi to take him to New Max straight away.
There, his brother has been on the phone to him. Joshua suggests: "Hey bruv, wouldn't it be just GREAT if you came here to share the apartment (and the rent) with me? Just like old times, you know!"
And of course Martin does not say no!
Joshua has to go to work, but there is no danger of Martin feeling lonely or bored in his new surroundings: he invites Marla over... and after such a warm welcome, she can't but accept his invitation to move in, too :-) She adds a convenient 17.129 Simoleons to the brothers' account. Her aspiration is Knowledge, and she wants to become Media Magnate.
The big empty room that Joshua has not had any use for so far becomes Martin and Marla's bedroom. They also have their own bathroom.
Joshua returns from work with a promotion to Specialist.
It is Tuesday, and while Joshua is working at the clinic, Martin and Marla have breakfast together, discussing Joshua's non-existing love-life. "I so wish for him to find a three-bolt-love just like ours," Martin sighs. Both he and Marla have not yet found jobs in their chosen careers.
The brothers enjoy spending time together and build a snow man when Joshua returns from work.
Later, Joshua receives his special plaque for maximum enthusiasm in Science, and proudly displays it on the wall above the desk, next to their university diplomas.
Wednesday morning at 2.00 am, a dodgy figure in a striped top is seen entering the apartment building.
Sure enough, the burglar makes her way up to the fourth floor, where she takes away a mirror, a bookshelf, the computer chair and the telescope. Nobody ever thought of installing a burglar alarm, but after this experience, the Rubens are quick to fix this.
Marla is now a member at Sue's Secret Kitchen.
On Thursday, she finally finds a job and starts as a Horoscope Writer, while Joshua is promoted to Surgeon.
Friday starts off with Martin receiving his 5th membership card while it is still dark: He is now a member at Sue's Secret Kitchen, Will's Garage, My Muse - Music & Dance Studio, Games of Glory and the Aspirational Laboratories.
Marla is promoted to Sports Columnist.
On Saturday, apart from Marla's promotion to Investigative Journalist, nothing remarkable happens.
Sunday, Joshua decides it is time to adapt their wardrobe to the warmer season, and heads to "Cover Me Clothing", buying new outfits for everyone.
Martin has finally landed a job as GP and will start on Monday - but we are going to leave this household now for quite some time. Joshua is still single - will he ever find someone who makes his heart beat faster?
Hello and welcome to New Maximiliania's newest district, where the apartment buildings, several shops and beautiful Central Park are located. This building we have already visited not long ago; it contains four apartments, one of which is rented by a recent college graduate:
Joshua Ruben. You probably remember Joshua; he was a Fraternity member and has graduated Magna Cum Laude in Biology. His lifetime want is to become Chief of Staff, and his aspiration is Fortune. At college, during his first year or so, he had a crush on Tiffany Sampson, a Sorority member. But the relationship was short-lived, and they managed the transition from lovers to friends.
Now, Joshua is on his own; a single Sim in a biiiiig apartment! Money is not a problem; he saved almost all of his grant money from four years at college.
But he simply can't be bothered to put more than the basics into his apartment. After all, he intends to find a job in the medical field soon, and work hard towards his lifetime want, so he won't be spending much time here anyway.
Three of his "brothers" from the Fraternity occupy the other three apartments in the building: Castor Nova, Kevin Beare and Ashley Pitts.
Joshua does feel a bit lonely in this all-men building, and he enlists the help of a professional matchmaker. To his disappointment, though, she introduces a two-bolt lady to him - not a three-bolt one, in spite of him having forked out 5.000 Simoleons! - and she is not even from New Maximiliania. He ends the date very quickly and decides to really focus on his career instead.
Still, after having lived with a bunch of friends together in one house for the past years, he finds himself longing for human company.
How good that he has a membership card to the My Muse - Music & Dance studio! One of his wishes is to win a dance contest - but that wish remains unfulfilled. And he does not meet any suitable ladies, either.
An outing to Speedy's Fast Lane Bowling and Eats is supposed to help him feel less lonely.
At first, there are only male guests hanging out at the bowling lanes; Mercutio Monty and Connor Weir (far right) among them.
He grabs a bite to eat at the counter and waits for the place to fill up a bit.
Several more New Maximilianians show up: Julien Cooke, Mary-Sue Pleasant (talking to Joshua here), General Buzz Grunt, Luis Aspir and Regan Capp as well as Geoff Rutherford (at the counter) are all very nice, but none of the ladies is a possible candidate for Joshua's lonely heart.
On Thursday night, Joshua receives his membership card to the Aspirational Laboratories.
And finally, he finds a job as Resident! His first day on the job is Friday; by Saturday, he is promoted to General Practitioner. He spends all Saturday working on his skills for the next promotion and is happy to have something to do.
Sunday, he has done all the necessary skill-building for the moment, and heads over to Central Park - always hoping to meet "The One".
A good witch has just cast a spell over the park - it looks lovely, doesn't it?
Joshua walks on and has a hot dog at one of the small fast food places in the park. Kent Capp is keeping him company, but he can not answer Joshua's question as to where to go in order to meet some nice ladies.
Sunday afternoon, a still lonely Joshua warms himself up with a mug of coffee after his outing to the park. His only Christmas decoration is a tiny tree on the kitchen counter. What is his next week going to have in store for Joshua? Will there finally be a break-through on the romantic front? Is he going to advance in his career? Watch this space :-)
