Week 25/Day 171 (Tuesday)
Heyo. It’s me Kyle Kaneda!
Just to remind you, I’ve been here since late Thursday night, right after Amanda got married and moved out to live with Paolo.
It’s been pretty cool living here with my dad, Tao, even though he nags me about homework.
Tao: Oh what? So now that Kyle lives here, the entire shot is about Kyle and I only rate an elbow and a shoulder?
What can I say? It’s not as if there haven’t been dozens of adoring shots of you so far…
Oh please, Dad. Watchette says that I can chat with the readers this time!
Anyway, let’s go see what everyone in the household’s been doing.
Jade completed her Painter Extraordinaire aspiration today after school, which is super cool!
On the other hand, Makoa is taking a longer time with his Bestselling Author aspiration.
It’s not that Makoa is slower than Jade, but his aspiration just takes longer to complete!
He’s been stuck at Tier II forever, trying to finish five good books.
You can do it, Makoa!
And me, I’m trying to complete my Artistic Prodigy aspiration by having Uncle Mitch mentor me in piano.
At Granite Falls, I had a really unpleasant time being mentored in violin by Auntie Mean-o, hehe, I mean, Auntie Mina.
Look how much nicer Uncle Mitch is, even though I’m only Level 1 Piano!
Uncle Go, I don’t understand why you’re working out! Dad says you already reached Level 10 Fitness, right?
Go: Yeah, first of all, it’s good to just keep in shape.
But I’m also trying to complete the BodyBuilder aspiration without using the weightlifting machine so I can keep my slender profile.
Kyle: Watchette says to try eating one of those protein plates before you get back on the treadmill.
Day 172 (Wed)
Kyle: Watchette, why’s Auntie Sara locked up in her bedroom?
Well, her desk and computer used to sit next to Makoa’s. But instead of writing novels, she kept wandering off to mix drinks or play video games.
She’s been trying to write her last two bestsellers for over three weeks.
Kyle: She sounds like a lost cause to me!
I have to admit that I’m starting to feel the same!
Kyle: In the former garden area, which now has a dance floor and the bar, Dad’s been learning how to DJ.
Dad, why would a member of The Dancers need to know how to DJ?
Tao: For home parties, Kyle! And where did you hear about The Dancers?
Kyle: I promised not to say.
I’ve been trying to think of a challenge that would allow me to play Tao again after this challenge is over.
Auntie Mina invited over my twin Albert this evening and has been reading to him.
He looks like he’s really enjoying it but Auntie Mina looks a little sad.
Tao: Hmmpph, she doesn’t care about your brother, Kyle. She just needs to “Read to a child for 2 hours.”
Kyle: Ever since I moved in, everyone seems unhappy with Auntie Mina. I thought she was kinda mean to me while I was learning violin. What’s going on, Dad?
Tao: Uh, it’s a little complicated, son. She was mean to Uncle Go and made him cry. Shhhh, don’t tell Uncle Go what I just told you, son.
Kyle:
What exactly are you doing right now, Kyle? I wanted you cross the monkey bars three times at the mini-park for your Rambunction Scamp aspiration.
Next, I wanted to come back to the Focused Room and play Keyboard Commander.
Kyle: I’m not really sure what happened, Watchette. Looks like I’m crossing the monkey bars but in the Focused Room. Weird, huh?
Day 173 (Thu)
Hey, Tao, where are you off to?
Tao: I thought I’d work on some of our household’s incomplete collections by visiting Sixam.
We have two rocket ships with the wormhole generator installed, but no one’s ever been there.
I can’t take Kyle with me anyway, so I thought I’d go while he’s at school.
By the way, Tao, why aren’t you wearing your spacesuit?
Tao: I’m not sure, Watchette. When I arrived on Sixam, I wasn’t wearing it anymore.
I guess that just means that I can breathe the air and it’s safe for me to walk around, right?
Also, I even ended up wearing the shirt, so nobody can complain that I’m always shirtless! Win-win!
Jade: Makoa and I have been spending a little time each day to level our Charisma using mirrors.
This morning, we both max out Charisma. We are ready to start pushing that job performance bar!
Tao: When I’m out for a jog this afternoon, I run into Erika Sanada and her new friend out for a walk.
Instead of just telling Go about it, I decide to invite them out for dinner.
I also invite my wife, Nana, which means leaving Sara, Mina, and Makoa at home.
Go: Kyle, this is my Great-Auntie Erika Sanada. She is the sister of Grandpa Tatsuya (who married Yuki Behr).
Erika: Hello, little Kyle. Nice to meet you! Please call me Auntie Erika as well.
Kyle: A pleasure to meet you, Auntie Erika. Do you live in our neighborhood?
Erika: Well, yes, I recently moved from northern Newcrest to a house not too far from yours.
I’m living in that Japanese-style house with my nephew Naoto along with his wife Yae and son Cade.
Tao: And everyone, I’d like you to meet Auntie Erika’s friend, Surfer Dude.
Go: Seriously, that’s your name? Watchette couldn’t give you a better name than that?
Surfer: Well, you know it’s kinda late in the challenge to throw another tricky Japanese name at the readers.
Go: So, who are you, Surfer?
Surfer: Well, I’m a newly-created CAS sim and, when I gained consciousness, I found myself living in a house with Naoto, Yae, Cade, and Erika.
I exist for a single purpose. My one and only aim in life is to keep Erika happy.
Jade: Hi, my name’s Jade Sanada. You must be Tao’s wife.
Nana: Yes, I haven’t seen you since you were in grade school!
Jade: I’m sorry that we are keeping Tao away from you and your children.
Nana: It’s okay, I understand. And it will all be over soon. Did you hear that I gave birth to twins recently?
Jade: No, I hadn’t heard! We should have a big get-together at our place soon!
Erika: Pssst, Watchette! Why did Go bring his daughter instead of his wife?
It’s a long story, Erika, but we all just wanted to make sure that you and Surfer had a good time this evening.
Erika: What’s that supposed to mean?
Erika: Thanks for inviting us out for dinner tonight, Tao! It was fun seeing everyone and meeting your family, too.
Surfer: As you might imagine with a name like Surfer Dude, I wasn’t exactly designed for a formal outfit.
Ahhh, so nice to be back in my casual clothes!
After Amanda’s wedding, I realized with a shock that Erika was the only sim from the household who ended up alone.
And now she’s not.
Week 25/Day 174 (Fri)
Go: Some of us decide to hang out at the Harbor Quarter Gym today, while waiting for Makoa and Jade to age up to young adults.
Tao’s fiancée, Nana, comes with us and—as usual—she is turning heads.
Jade: I’d heard the tragic tale about how Nancy Landgraab missed being able to move home by only five or six hours.
While running on a treadmill, I spot Geoffrey Landgraab outside doing push-ups.
I’m glad to see him enjoying life again.
Kyle: After I come home from school, Dad invites me to Harbor Quarter Gym.
I’m still working on Rambunctious Scamp so I try swimming laps in the pool.
Tao: After mopping up the mess Kyle makes from “diving” in, I slip into the pool and “coach swimming.”
I’d never actually tried this interaction before, but it does level Kyle’s Motor skill by roughly 33% per sim-hour without any special mood.
It’s roughly the same as playing Key Commander but still a cool social to watch, while also allowing your sims to get away from the computer!
Day 175 (Sat)
Makoa: Finally, it’s my young adult birthday!
To my existing traits of Cheerful and Music Lover, I add Lazy in honor of my father.
Then I phone in to join the Writer career!
Jade: I can’t believe that I’m a young adult at last!
To my traits of Art Lover and Cheerful, I add Loves the Outdoors in honor of the many sacrifices that allow us to safely live out in the open again!
Before hitting the sack, I don’t forget to phone in to join the Painter career!
And now, gentle readers, we are ready to begin the remaining two adult careers—Writer/Author and Painter/Arist of the Real!
Kyle, who will complete the Teen/Barista career, becomes a teenager in about five more days.
My apologies for the break in updates. I participated in the collecting challenge in the 2016 Tournament at Carl’s Forum for a few days and then fell very sick over the weekend (no doubt caused by the collecting challenge).
After getting better, I’ve had a hard time playing Sims 4 again (may I blame that on the collecting challenge, too?)
But now I’m eager to get back on track and take this little train to its final destination.
As always, thank you very much for reading!
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