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Rooms to Let's accumulated quite a bit of wealth by now, and we've been gussying up the bedrooms; have to put some curtains on Peran's windows.

That reminds me of an old boyfriend...

His dorm room had two windows. The one on the front of the building looked out over the valley and the main part of the campus and the one on the side faced the window of the stairwell of the freshman girls' dorm to the north. One night, he walked in the room, pulled down the shade on the front window, and started getting ready for bed. When he finally turned his head, he realized there were several girls on the stairs looking straight into his window! He quickly pulled down the shade. He figures they weren't too upset... they were all smiling and waving.

Allegra arrives

(As we saw elsewhere, Joan Danvers moved back in to Rooms to Let when she graduated from SSU. We need to catch up on her story (hers and Peran's as it turns out, nudge nudge wink wink), but in the meantime we join Allegra Gorey just after her graduation.)


At the bus stop.
The traditional post-graduate phone call.

"Hello, I'm looking for Brandi LeTourneau?"

"Speaking."

"Yes, I saw your classified in Annals of Ontological Relativity? 'Rooms to Let, knowledge-rich environment, ideal for scholarship'? I've just returned to the area from SSU, and I wondered if you still had a space open."

"We do, in fact. I have to warn you the terms are a bit unusual. You'll need to submit a resume' --"

"That shouldn't be a problem."

"-- and then there is a twenty-thousand Simoleon security deposit --"

"Oh my!"

"-- but after that room and board is free; all tenants contribute from their salaries to a common shared house fund. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Well, yes, I think so. And the rooms are well-equipped? I'm planning to eventually dominate the world through subtle control of the media and artistic styles, extensive criminal enterprises, and pheromones distributed from zeppelins disguised as cumulus clouds; and I'll need access to a good library and top-of-the-line equipment."

"No worries on that score, our facilities are extensive. You've heard of 'the Witch Queen'?"

"Who hasn't?"

"That was me, before I retired."

"You're kidding!"

"And the Mole Man lived here during some of his most famous exploits, before he got married and changed careers."

"Sounds ideal. I'll call a cab."

"Don't forget your resume'!"


"I hope I fit in."

Brandi found Allegra's Honors diploma and widely-varied (and nefarious) interests quite acceptable. The twenty thousand Simoleons didn't hurt, either, although by now Rooms to Let is pretty much swimming in dough anyway.

The atmosphere was just what Allegra was looking for.


Skilling in the evening.
Brandi meditating, Peran on the sofa about to max out Cleaning or something, Joan Danvers on the exercise machine, and Allegra in her nightie working on her Logic at the chessboard. Sandy is having a sandwich before she goes out partying; being the only Romance sim among all these Knowledge nerds would get boring sometimes, except that she's permaplatinum now, and she has a nice handful of lovers to visit on other lots.

Allegra lost no time in dipping into the overflowing house fund and fixing up her room.


Sort of semi-Goth.
In fact the main reason I'm posting this update at all is that I'm really fond of Allegra's room and wanted to show it off. Big pot from Kate at Parsimonious, bird-lady wall poster by me, everything else I think by Maxis but remind me if I forgot something.

And she invited Castor over to see it.


And to test out the bed.
I really have to play Castor in the frat house sometime; dunno why I keep putting it off...

So that's Allegra, launched into adulthood and the underworld. Next time, maybe: Joan and Peran.

Bravo!

Now, let me see... what are the chances that I would have thought of putting a brick floor in a bedroom?

Hmmm...

Approximately zero. Yup, that's it.

Greg wrote:

Bravo! Now, let me see... what are the chances that I would have thought of putting a brick floor in a bedroom? Hmmm... Approximately zero. Yup, that's it.

Thanks! *8) It was all Allegra's idea. ("The world is hard, and true beauty is cold.") Just like Gina Raptor introduced me to exposed-brick interiors. And I guess I should thank Maxis for having such lame normal interior walls that we were driven to experiment in the first place...

dmchess wrote:

Greg wrote: Bravo! Now, let me see... what are the chances that I would have thought of putting a brick floor in a bedroom? Hmmm... Approximately zero. Yup, that's it. Thanks! *8) It was all Allegra's idea. ("The world is hard, and true beauty is cold.") Just like Gina Raptor introduced me to exposed-brick interiors. And I guess I should thank Maxis for having such lame normal interior walls that we were driven to experiment in the first place...

That reminds me of the story of the little boy who walked into a room of horse puckey and said, "There must be a pony in here somewhere!"

Greg wrote:

That reminds me of the story of the little boy who walked into a room of horse puckey and said, "There must be a pony in here somewhere!"

I won't ask.

Nihale199 wrote:

Greg wrote: That reminds me of the story of the little boy who walked into a room of horse puckey and said, "There must be a pony in here somewhere!" I won't ask.

Well, actually, that was the whole story. It's an expression of Pollyannish optimism.

Joan and Peran
Nerd love

As decribed in about six times as many pictures here, Joan has had a great time at Rooms to Let since she got back from college.


She fit smoothly back into the little community.
"Sure, 'rain' is possible in theory, but why has it never been observed?"

She quickly became fast friends with the handsome and scholarly Peran Nolstovski.


Great minds think alike.
A welcome change from Damion, who never had understood Joan's interest in scholarship.

And (once Peran got up the nerve to make the first move) they became more than friends.


Quite a bit more.
They aren't engaged or anything yet, although Joan's dad is constantly dropping hints. Brandi and Sandy are fooling around as usual in the background; the atmosphere in Rooms to Let is steamier than ever (although Brandi points out that it's still primarily a Temple to Knowledge).

Falling in love didn't distract her from her career, though; quite the contrary.


Happy forever.
Neighborhood One is proud to announce its latest (or at least most recently announced) PermaPlatinum Sim, newly-appointed Chief of the Research Staff at Sim City General Hospital, our own Joan Danvers!

And Peran is also prospering.


Love is an incentive to success.
His LTW is to max all skills, but he went into the Science track for awhile. He and Joan think of each other, and spin up Wants about each other, constantly. (And Joan never thinks of Damion anymore; she seems to have somehow escaped the usual "college flings interfere with adult monogamy" effect.)

So there are Joan and Peran, and the continuing story of Rooms to Let. (I should write Carrot and tell her what a good time her character is having in my universe!)

Two Weddings and No Funerals
More happenings at Rooms to Let, part 1

(An even longer, if you can believe it, version of this update is over on my site.)

"Where are the photo albums? We've got a million new pictures to put away."

"They're under the --"

"Ah, right. Hey, what's this at the bottom of the box? Look! Here's where that old picture went."


"I was so young then."
This was a zillion years ago, but I don't think I ever posted it anywhere: Sandy's first Lifetime Want, Professional Party Guest (see above).

"And ha! Taylor forgot to burn this one!"


A picture saved from the bonfire.
Taylor of course moved out of Rooms to Let long ago, and he hasn't been in the Ecological Guru line for ages. Pretty hysterical at the time, though!


"And here's one of Joan in her space suit."


And just for the record, here's a close-up of the decals that decorate SimAstronauts' suits. Actual English letters!

"Okay, so stick those old pictures in somewhere, and start a new page for these. There's a ton of 'em."

And why do the inhabitants of Rooms to Let have a ton of new photographs to file away? More entries to come shortly!

Two Weddings and No Funerals
More happenings at Rooms to Let, part 2

Not too long ago...


Peran Nolstovski attains his life's amibition at the chessboard.
By getting that last Logic point, thereby maxing all seven skills.


He tells Allegra all about it.
No false modesty here. She's intent on reaching the top of the Criminal career herself, but being Knowledge she still appreciates his achievement.

As soon as Joan got home (or maybe it was the next morning) he told her also, and drew her close, and whispered in her ear.


"Darling, now that I've proven myself, will you..."
I had the Special Events Camera turned on, and the stupid cinematic kept me from getting a picture of his actually proposing.


"Of course I will."
Awww...

Two Weddings and No Funerals
More happenings at Rooms to Let, part 3

Prior to the Big Event, a few new looks.


Now-General Joan in her spiffy uniform.


Jail Talk.
Peran's been talking to Allegra too much, and decided he wants to be a Criminal Mastermind just like she does. This seems to worry Joan, but Peran is confident. "Don't worry, darling; my Body skill is higher than any of those cops'."


Sandy in pink.
Still not quite enough to distract from her... unique face.


Although Peran and Allegra seem to approve.


Allegra in lace.
These clothes are downloaded from somewhere, I think, but I don't remember where. Much nicer than her previous outfit, and still in character.

Two Weddings and No Funerals
More happenings at Rooms to Let, part 4

Finally, The Day came.


Joan and Peran and the Wedding Arch.
Joan is calling to invite the guests; Peran, typically, is thinking about school. Kinda maniacal-looking, isn't he?


The guests begin to arrive.
John and Jean Danvers, Joan's parents, spontaneously smooch in the mid-background. The redhead is Candice Ng Almassizadeh, Taylor's wife and Joan's friend from college. We'll run down the rest of the guest list when everyone's assembled; this is going to be the biggest wedding party we've ever had in Neighborhood One!


Joan and Peran ham it up for the crowd.
I don't remember other couples doing this; pretty hysterical.


Husband and Wife!
Okay, let's see. From upper left: the hired bartender whose name I don't know, some Headmaster (I think he tagged along with Jean Danvers or something; odd really), Heather Huffington from SSU (who invited her, for that matter?), Jean Danvers (Joan's mom), John Danvers (Joan's dad), Allegra, Georgia Bendett Zoom Danvers (Joan's sister-in-law), Jane Danvers (Joan's sister), Sandy (about to stand up), and Brandi (the landlady). Candice is somewhere off-camera to the left I think.


Aspiration points for everyone!
Or at least for Joan and Peran, who wanted to marry each other, and Joan's dad, who wanted a family member to get married (these Family sims). They got eight thousand each.

Two Weddings and No Funerals
More happenings at Rooms to Let, part 5


Everyone retired to the back deck for the wedding feast.
Except those who stayed inside dancing, playing kicky-bag, eating chips, etc.

During dessert, Sandy got up and came over to her lover Brandi.

"It was such a beautiful wedding; they're going to be so happy. And seeing Jane and Georgia together too -- it's like --. I want to do it with you, baby."

"Can't you wait until after the party, you randy little thing?"

"No, I mean, I want to..."


"...to marry you."
Whoa, these impulsive Romance Sims!


Brandi accepts.


"Okay everyone, back to the living room!"
Before Sandy has a chance to change her mind; note amusing good-memory bad-memory colors. (Note also Brandi thinking inappropriate thoughts about how hot Heather is.)

Two Weddings and No Funerals
More happenings at Rooms to Let, part 6


The lovely brides.
When Jane and Georgia got married Georgia would really have preferred a tux; but Sandy and Brandi both like their dresses.


Wife and Wife!
The neighborhood's first double wedding, and our second same-sex union. Yay everyone!

What's become of Allegra in all this, you wonder?


She's out having a little Romance of her own.
Her Aspiration fell out of Platinum for a bit, but a call to Castor fixed that.


Back inside, memories of an extra-great party.
I was curious, and somewhat nervous, about what the game would do when two weddings happened during the same party. Who gets to go on the honeymoon?

Two Weddings and No Funerals
More happenings at Rooms to Let, part 7


"Somebody order a limo for four?"
Turns out everyone gets to go on the honeymoon! (Note Allegra and Castor still busily dating on the sidewalk.)


"Does this make us sisters?"
First Joan and Sandy got in, then they vanished, then Joan and Brandi got in. But we assume they got it all sorted out at the other end.

The happy couples sailed off in the limo and the guests all departed, leaving the bartender to forage for customers.


"Would either of you like a drink?"
They're sort of busy.


Back from honeymoon.
Brandi and Sandy LeTourneau, Peran and Joan Nolstovski. (Since Sandy's the one who proposed, I'm not sure why she took Brandi's name. The rules are unclear. But I far prefer "Sandy LeTourneau" to "Brandi Bruty", so all is well.)

With everyone's needs maxed after honeymoons and Dream Dates, the residents stayed up pretty much all night, skilling and playing Kicky Bag.