New Blog Design and a Few New Games

I'd wanted to update this place for Halloween, but RL shiz got in the way and I'm only just now getting around to it.

LOL I'm so sleepy right now that I barely know what I'm typing....howevah, I think I have *just* enough wake-upedness to finish this post!

The blog design has been updated (sorry that the full background doesn't show on smaller resolutions), and I've added a few new widgets (after culling a few others) -- a couple of games, a cute new animal friend, some other stuff...my brain is so fried....we've got pumpkin carving (no pun'kin chunkin' tho...)!
And there's a cool/weird World Clock at the bottom, plus a nifty lil' gadget that lets you paint like Mr. Jackson Pollock himself (it's the big ol' blank white box - just hover your mouse on the background to start painting, and click to change colors).

I'll try to have some new sim pics up vedy vedy soon, and a couple of new blog posts as well.  And some type of short story, maybe 5 panels long?  ....Have you ever been so sleepy that you practically forgot your name?  Lolz...yeah.....

...well, at least I think this guys is just sleeping....yyyeeaahh, let's....let's just...leeeave him alone, eh?  Give a dude some privacy.

Anyway....hope you guys all have a wonderful day and a beautiful week and a kick-ass Halloween!  And if you have Late Night coming in the mail....it's almost heeeere!!!  And if you don't have it coming, it's still almost here!!!  Hot tubs & hot vamps FTMFW!!!

*And congratulations to the Texas Rangers for climbing their way to the top and making it to their very first World Series appearance in franchise history!  Bout time!*

See you guys in the funny pages!

^_^

"Many things--such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly--are done worst when we try hardest to do them." --C.S. Lewis

Small 'Sim Exhibition' Update

Just a tiny update -- I've been working on recreating my (custom) family from TS2, the Lowekeys.  I'm finally finished and satisfied, and I'll hopefully be posting in-game shots in the near future.  I'm really looking forward to playing them again -- I actually teared up a bit when the oldest left for college (psh, and when she was born, for that matter - my very first TS2 born-in-game sim...).  These guys are really near and dear to my old simming heart, and initially I hadn't planned on recreating them for TS3, but what the hey.  Why not.

Pics are posted on Sim Exhibition (you know, that site that you probably didn't even know existed that I reeeeally need to update more in addition to this place...)

Some Photoshop Practicing & A New Pic Series

Since I got my computer running again, I've been trying to get back into Photoshopping.  I've done several practice pics so far, and I'm looking forward to (hopefully) starting a new short series of pictures (my ultimate goal is to create several different series).

After working on some regular in-game shots, I decided to try something more 'abstract', so I went with every simmer's favorite little green icon.  What I really want to work on is a small series of themed plumbob pictures, all with the little guy (or gal) as the central focus.  I have a bunch of ideas for themes to try, but actually creating them is another story...this picture was a couple of days in the making and I'm still nitpicking a ton.  I used a normal green plumbob icon and added several layers of brushes, coloring, grain, fog, filters, etc.  This is the first image of the series, but it's all still a lot of practice, tutorials, hair-pulling, teeth-mashing, etc.....

Thanks for looking! Hope to be able to work on more of these soon (when I finally figure out what the hell I'm doing FOR REAL).

Dusting off the cobwebs a bit....

We've been working on getting the PC running all evening, and it looks like things are good to go so far!  I'm going to spend much of tomorrow reinstalling all of our programs and games and such, and hopefully I'll have a halfway decent post to make soon.

I know this place has been an absolute ghost town lately -- thank you guys SO much for putting up with listening to all my boring-ass computer talk and lack of updates.  I'll find some way to make it up to everyone as soon as I can. *blushes*

Happy 8/9/10!

I didn't get a chance to post this at 11:12am, lol (8/9/10 11:12....).

Hope everyone is doing well!  I've been out of commission for a while with computer issues.  I have to get a new graphics card much sooner than I had planned -- the damn thing died on me last week when I tried to install Ambitions (rip 8800gts...you were beloved...).  I had to drop out of Evie's Kawaii competition and put all of my other (crappy) projects on hold, and trying to do anything on this laptop is aggravating at best.  Hopefully things will be up & running this week...*crosses fingers til they break off*

So what's going on with everyone?  Any interesting projects or creations or other RL shiz?  I have to live vicariously through you guys for a little while, lol.

I promise to update more often after all this shit blows over, and I want to start on some new sim projects.  The people who visit this hole deserve at least SOMETHING to entertain them, so I WILL deliver on that as soon as I can!

Take care guys!  Enjoy 8/9/10!

Thanks for the input everyone!

I wanted to say thanks to all of you that gave comments in my last post about Windows 7.   We're going to go ahead and install it and then begin the very scary process of installing these upgrades. o_O

If everything goes according to plans A thru Q, we'll be dicking around with computer stuff most of this week, so I'll probably be a no-show around here and at the chats & forums.  Thank you guys for your input, advice, and help.  I really appreciate it!

Soooooo...wish me luck & a wee bit of juju that all of this works out.  If not....I guess I've got one sweet-ass paperweight on my hands......

Take care dudes  ^_^

*hugs & noogies*

Any Issues with Windows 7 and Sims?

I know this question has already been asked on the TS3 Forum, but I wanted to ask you guys if you've had any bad/weird/wonky issues with Windows 7 and TS3 (I'm still on XP).

This computer upgrade is hobbling along slowly but surely, LOL.  I'm hoping to start installing a couple of components next week, and then deal with the graphics card issue by the end of the summer (hopefully o_O).

Thanks in advance for any input, no matter how big or small!

Message from the Great Beyond

...Seeing as how I'm 'dead' now, and all.

Simmer Spotlight: Recognizing Rexy!

It goes without saying that we have a community of supremely talented people, folks who churn out creations that should be published, or at the very LEAST incite slobbering jaw-droppery.

Case in point - Simmersaurus Rex, aka "Rexy". 

The girl's got more raw talent in her pinky nail than some people can find in a whole neighborhood.  Most of us have seen (and been WOWED by) her work, but one of Rexy's best contributions to the simming community has been her highly successful "Rexy's Guide to Editing".

Using easy-to-follow steps, large colorful example pics, and insanely helpful tips & hints, Rexy has assembled one of the very best editing tutorials ever seen in the community.  It's compiled more like an actual booklet, complete with large headers and indexes, than a simple 1, 2, 3 set of instructions.

The lessons are neatly ordered and sequential, allowing students to build upon the skills they have acquired thus far.  There is such a warm, inviting, positive vibe within -- everyone encourages everyone else, and constructive criticism is welcomed and eagerly accepted.  Some students are already fairly seasoned editors, and others have never attempted an editing job at all.  The hints and tutorials are presented in an incredibly clear, straightforward manner, and lessons are helpful and relevant for everyone from complete novices to editing "gurus".

And Rexy is ever-present in the thread, always on-hand to offer helpful suggestions and positive, detailed feedback.  She maintains a vibrant, supportive atmosphere in the thread, and students cheerfully follow suit.

"Rexy's Guide to Editing" is a huge asset to the community, something that she has taken the lengthy time and effort to offer for her fellow simmers.  Even if you're not the editing sort, take a minute to look it over if you haven't already.  There's truly something for everyone, and, being a constant work in progress, there's much more to come!

Also, Rexy's wickedly awesome Sim Lair is full of funny, upbeat posts and more spectacular pictures, and her companion Photo Gallery blog embodies some of the very best of her many works of sim art.  Like so many others in this kooky community of ours, she's a great friend and a huge inspiration!

Teeny Tiny Update - NEW BLOG GAME

Blame Kelle for this addictive little gem - I've added Crush the Castle to my small game collection here.  Due to the larger screen size, it is located at the very bottom of the blog.

It's basic but challenging and a lot of fun (reminiscent of some of the games on AdultSwim.com).  Using a trebuchet, you must bombard your enemy's flimsy little castle, complete with Royal inhabitants whom you must kill (pretty sure they did SOMETHING to deserve it...).  As you progress through the levels (24 in all), you will acquire new projectiles for the trebuchet to help.....well...crush the castles (and the poor saps stationed in and outside).   Some levels are harder than others, but none are so brutal that you'll lose much hair (some clumps & chunks, maybe; but not the whole payload).

This flash game is addictive and surprisingly therapeutic in a simplistic, semi-violent way.   It's castle-and-people-crushing mAdNe$S, so check it out.  Particularly awesome if you're bored as hell...which, considering the fact that you're HERE, you very well might be...

Lack of Updates and Sim Pic Nostalgia

I've been so consumed with computer stuff for the past couple of weeks that I haven't tried to update a damn thing (please wish me luck & good ju-ju on getting this thang put together soon).  I'm sorry to be such a bore! 

I was sorting through some of my oldest competition shots with some guys on Cece's chatbox the other day, and I came across some of my favorites from Bitten's old competition, "I'm No Dummy".  If you don't remember it or weren't a participant, you really missed out -- she and the other judges put together one helluva fun contest!

Friends in Low Places - Come Share Your Stories!

In my last blog post, I talked about the cool friends I've made through the Gothique Beauty competition; people that have truly inspired me and made me feel like 'one of the dudes'.

That got me thinking about friendships that others have formed.  It doesn't take a long to stroll around the community to discover some of the more well known & infamous bonds, but there must be dozens and dozens of other interesting and wacky friendship stories out there!


So to celebrate all that's actually right & bright with this unique community of ours, let's sit around the campfire (or more like flaming lawn gnome) and recount some of our most awesome memories of friendships and bonds that we've formed within the community. Share as little or as much as you want (this is NOT a novel-free zone) -- maybe you remember a person that helped you through a difficult time or coaxed you out of your shell, or maybe you clicked with another simmer (or simmers) who shared the same quirky interests as you.  Did you get banned with another person and end up bonding in the slammer? (aka 72-Hoursville)

Please feel free share!  No pressure to fit in stories of EVERY person you've connected with, but if you have any particularly funny/crazy/inspiring/fucked up/touching experiences that you'd like to recount, give a shout! (censor & length-restriction-free!)

*  Viva la Sims Community! Like it or lump it, we're one helluva 'hood! ^_^   *

Final picture for Gothique

Gothique Beauty was far and away one of the best simming competitions I've ever been in.  It was a pleasure to compete against such insanely talented people...you have no idea.  Plenty of blood, sweat & tears, and some of the most fascinating gothic sim pictures around.  It was really, really sad to see it end, and although I slugged my way to the end and came out with the win, lol, as my grandmother would say, "I knew I had been in a fight".  

  I got a chance to meet some of the most awesome people in the simming community through Gothique.  I know it sounds corny and mushy, lol, but it's the truth. I've been lucky enough to connect with some of the most talented, down-to-earth, intelligent, funny, open-minded, and amazing people, and I met them (directly and indirectly) through Gothique.  At the risk of sounding corny again, ...well...you have no idea what an impact some of these people have made on my life;  my real life, outside of the game and this blog.

Akasha (aka SuicidalSpiders) is one HELLUVA host.  Some people hobble together some vapid little uninteresting contest and just BAIL, and some people put together fun, unique, inspiring contests and STILL bail (not talking about real life issues & emergencies -- I'm specifically talking about instances where the host just gets bored and bails).  AwesomePhoebe was our other host, and she was upbeat and on time for every single assignment.  Both of them judged fairly and gave helpful comments, and they kept the threads alive and light-hearted.  I can't thank them enough for hosting such a badass competition.


So to anyone that I met through that contest -- thank you so much for inspiring me, and forcing me to work my ASS off to come up with shots (the hits AND the misses).  I'm such an introvert in real life and I don't always make friends easily, so thank you guys for pulling me (kicking and screaming) out of my shell and being real friends & confidants **hugs all around!!!**

This was my final entry for Gothique (the theme was "7 Stages of Grief -- Hope").  I pulled out a win by the skin of my TEETH (Toblie hit it out of the park just about every single time, so this was in no WAY some sort of easy win or blowout).  I'm really going to miss it -- but if anyone is interested, Akasha WILL be starting a Cycle #2 soon!  (I won't be competing, but I will be guest judging!  wootie-wooooo!)

* * *

click to enlarge

*

How audacious to dream and want

The wisest among us understand that

vile beast of Hope

Its mouth agape

hungry for another fool

blind and lost in false belief and faith

Old ones speak of the

greatest evil

That which men hold dearest

naked in the dark

and bitten in cold

at the end of the world with

death's whisper seizing a longing heart

This heinous Hope

not more than a torment of will

Prolonging suffering

Brutal in its affliction

And still it rests here

Another fool drunk in the reverie of

a lovely wish

The gateway beckons

An Eden of promise and desire and

every perfection

I long to be there

blissful amongst the radiant trees

Drowned in passion and twilight ecstasy

My angel awaits in that Utopia

I know not what lies beyond the

grey waters

A cold execution..?

A lonely death..?

Torture beyond all knowing..?

Take my hand now in this indigo night

and follow...

I know not what lies beyond the grey waters...

...but Hope rests here still.

*

~~~ hugs & noogies ~~~

My latest Gothique assignment pic

Some of you have seen it already, but I'll go ahead and post my assignment #10 picture (and poem) for Gothique Beauty.  The latest assignments have covered the Stages of Grief, and the topic for this one was Acceptance.  It isn't very good, but thankfully I made it to the finale:

I'm Sure Cartman Wouldn't Agree...

Anyone see tonight's Family Guy?  That was some of THE most hilarious shit I've ever seen in my life.  Laughed so hard I saw stars....it's just as funny the 2nd time, and (I'm sure) quite a hoot in an...inebriated state.  @_@