Going away for a while...

[strangetomato]

I said I wouldn't abandon this story, like I have with so many other projects over the years, but I'm going on hiatus, at the very least. I don't want to abandon it, and I'll still attend to the things I've committed to (like the Round Robin legacy) and my SST duties, but I probably won't be posting much else in this journal for a while.

Happy simming, everyone!

Comments

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

I noticed you weren't posting much lately. Take care.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

Did WoW get you?

Just kidding.

Hiatuses (hiati?) are good. I'm enjoying my time away from Peculiar (and craving the HELL out of BV).

(do you have somewhere else you haunt or is it an internet hiatus too?)

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

"Did WoW get you?"

LOL that was sooo bad. XD

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

Really, I didn't mean that as a slam or anything. But I guess it does sound kind of snarky.

(I swear, I'm snarky without even trying sometimes)

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

I know you didn't. I laughed because that's what I was thinking of posting and resisted!

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

And you're a better person for it.

Now, if you don't mind, I'll just go over here and finish eating this foot I put in my mouth.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's not WoW at all. Maybe it's SPORE!!!! O_O

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

No, that's YOU! *teases*

It sounds like good old fashioned burn out.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I used to frequent some craft blogs and such (which were a lot less needy than lj), but it's mostly just been the sims community lately. I'm sure I'll still poke around, but I have to get out of here for a while.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

If you ever want to chat, just give me a holler.

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

I kind of knew this was coming, and I can wait. Hell, I don't even mind if you don't continue the story if you don't want to. But still, you have become one of the few people over the internet that I might actually be able to call "friend". Therefore, I'll probably miss you more than any story or sim thing you may or may not post.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

That's both nice to hear and a little disheartening at the same time. (Hey, I'm feeling honest... I'd like you to care about the story, but hey...)

Thanks. I'd like to think of you as a friend too. Maybe I'll write you back to thank you for sending the lovely necklace. (I love it - thanks.)

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

I do care about the story! But if you're not feeling it, you're not feeling it and you shouldn't be forced. Okay fine, I'm just saying that so you don't feel bad. :P

I was wondering if you got it. Thanks for telling me, I'm glad you like it. And I'd appreciate you writing back to me. :)

[draggingbluelake.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Ach, this story will be greatly missed while you're gone. Hope your break is a restful one!

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. At least you're announcing it rather than just disappearing off the face of the earth. :)

In the last year, you've covered more than enough ground, so you deserve a break. We'll all be here to pounce on the story once you pick it up again. :)

I'LL MISS YOU!!!!11!! *breaks into heavy sobs*

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

Totally understand. I'll miss the tale, but I'm sure I'll be around to read it if and when you take it up again.

In the meantime, I hope to still see you pop in and out here and there! :D

[dothesmustle.livejournal.com]

*cries* I'll definitely miss your posts, not going to lie, but everyone needs a break. I hope you have fun!

By the way, I can't believe Strangetown, Here We Come has been going on for almost a year! Considering how far you've gone, you've really been a busy person. :D

[themorganlegacy.livejournal.com]

I'll miss your story, but I definitely understand needing to take a break. I hope you'll still post from time to time, and that your hiatus is an enjoyable one. :)

[simsforaranya.livejournal.com]

*huggles* I understand, but will still miss you!

[franwi.livejournal.com]

That sucks. I know the motivation comes and goes when writing, so I hope your characters talk you into a brief hiatus. :)

[amaryssobellus.livejournal.com]

Completely understandable. It's supposed to be fun and if it's not fun then you shouldn't do it. I will miss you around, not only because of your story but because you're such a nice person who I actually like to converse with, though I know I don't do it often.

Take care of yourself and hope to see you again. :)

[abbycat900.livejournal.com]

Have fun with it!

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

Aww well that's sad, but you have to do what you have to do. I'll miss your funny postings. :)

But I hope you come back soon. :)

[nessa-seragon.livejournal.com]

I'll miss your story and you, too. I hope you're able to relax & enjoy yourself.

[tanathir.livejournal.com]

Do you see the love you're getting? Same from me too. Hiatus is...not sure how to describe it, but I hope it does a world of good for you. <3

[muslemura.livejournal.com]

Hope your hiatus will do you good - we will miss both you and your story :)

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

Aww, we'll miss you! Breaks are good sometimes, I've been on one myself for awhile. Good luck, and we'll see you when you get back!

[melody-curious.livejournal.com]

Just remember to come back....You hear?

(And what's wrong with WoW? I play it myself when not simming)

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

It's *jokingly* a reason why a mutual LJ friend of ours has gone missing.

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

Well, we kinda saw it coming. We'll miss you and your story, hope your absence won't be too long!

[simfulacts.livejournal.com]

Totally understand. Have a good break and come back refreshed!

Hi there

[sadieg79.livejournal.com]

Hi, just dropped by to say I've really enjoyed your story so far :) Awesome use of the camera *takes notes* I just love how you catch their expressions :D Great writing too, good job :)

And now I want to let my Ripp grow stubble when he gets older. I don't usually go for facial hair, but it seems to suit him.

Hope you're having fun at your folks' place :)

[a-gates.livejournal.com]

FEEL BETTER!!!

Hiatus is good for gathering thoughts, so do that and we'll be here when you get back!!

[catladymeow.livejournal.com]

Hope your hiatus is a short one, but a good one. Good Luck

Part one. (Damn LJ word limits.)

[(Anonymous)]

Obviously, you don't know me. I don't use any blogs, I don't write Sim Stories or legacies, I'm not apart of the Sims community. I play the game, love the game, in fact, but never saw the point in anything else. I'm twenty-seven, and always felt the Sims community was too young for me, as odd as that sounds. I saw the Sim stories on the main site, and had a fondness for them -- kids and teenagers posting immature and ... bland stories. But I was happy. Anything that encourages anyone to write, read, or express creativity thrills me. I can't stand people that point out flaws, that throw ego and cruelty into any form of art. I believe this kills the spirit. People know when something they do is bad, or at the very least not as good as it should be. And what does telling them so do? Crushes their spirit, creates self-doubt so that some of them will never turn to creativity again. Better to encourage, praise, and watch their slow evolution as they grow. So, for this reason, I was aware of them, had an almost motherly fondness for them, but never bothered to create or really read one.

Until I found yours. I don't even remember how, I think someone must've mentioned it on community boards, and I thought, "What the Hell?" It didn't disappoint.

It may sound strange, coming from a woman my age, but The Sims 2 is very important to me. I'm a geek at heart - literature, gaming, graphic novels, art, etc, are my passion. And I had major back surgery two and half years ago. I was stuck in bed, in traction, for six months. A mind active but a body unable to move. It was Hell. And stupid as it sounds, The Sims 2 got me through that. It allowed to me to enjoy a favorite hobby, to experience creativity while I was stuck in a wretched place. And I'm still recovering, still unable to do much after all this time, it'll be another year before I'm back to "normal," and the game helps me cope with that.

I love Maxis. Art means the world to me, but I freely admit I'm much more of a verbal person. Writing, reading. And photography, but that's not the point at the moment. I cannot draw, design graphics or create custom content to save my soul. And while I always admired many of the things people created for the game, I didn't like the "realisticness" of it, I loved the Maxis style, the blend of life and quirky amusements. Yet another reason stories and legacies never really reached out and grabbed me.

...Ha. I guess I'm kind of going the long way around, aren't I? You're probably wondering what the Hell my point is, or thinking I'm some crazy stalker. I apologize. So I digress.

I became rather disenchanted with the game for quite sometime -- the sims community, what little I had seen, was wretched. All the custom content I found seemed to take the soul out of it. The stories we're cute, but ultimately bland for someone of my age/interests/etc. And so I found yours. You brought the game back to me. Your story threw me into a whole new world of creativity I had never considered, making me WANT to play the game, adoring the Maxis-style tastes and ideas, wanting to write my own story - a chronicle of Pleasantview, in fact, though I haven't yet as I didn't want to step on any toes, as strange as that sounds. As you were the one who inspired the idea, it felt odd to do it without your permission.

You have a fantastic way with words. Without ego, I admit I have read some of the best in all forms of literature. And your story brought art and life into a computer game. That's huge. That's fucking amazing.

Part two. (mphm!)

[(Anonymous)]

You have a good following of fans, I know. And I've no idea why you've decided to take a break. I'm sure you have your reasons, and they're incredibly important, and that's all that matters. But I guess I'm just trying to say ... your story matters. It's a highlight of my day to see one of your chapter updates. I check your journal daily with great hope. Hell, I've modeled my Strangetown after yours. Not for any story purpose, but for infusing one of my favorite neighborhoods with a bit of your art.

Your talent matters. Your story matters. And while I'm sorry this may be a strange e-mail, rambling and out of focus (it's not yet five am where I live, so bare with me, please), I hope you come back to it.

And most of all, I wish you the best.

Re: Part two. (mphm!)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'm just blown away by this. Thank you for the encouraging words, and I'm just pleased as all hell to see that my story has made an impression on you like that. That really makes me want to move forward and continue with it, and not just this story, but other creative pursuits as well. Thank you for that. As someone who is often plagued by hesitation and self doubt, this means a lot to me.

We're actually the same age, you know. Though you're very right about the the average age on the main Sims 2 site, I've found a lot of people in the livejournal sims community that are my age or older. It's amazing how much diversity there is, and I've also met many people who are much younger than me who just amaze me with how creative and articulate they are. I'm sure I wasn't half as keen at that age. It's quite amazing to me to be able to meet so many different people though a common interest.

You should definitely try your hand at sim story creation, and Pleasantview would be a great place to start (and no need to feel like you're stepping on toes... there are lots of people out there tackling the Maxis characters, and it's great fun). I also started on this story after I was charmed by another sim story, so it's great to see that get passed around from person to person.

Hmmm. You've really made me feel like my hiatus is going to be even shorter than it was shaping up to be. (The minute I made it "official" I was already thinking about how to break out of it. It's just my nature, I think.) I did a little picking away at the next chapter today, and maybe I'll make more of a push to get it moving forward. I've been afraid of messing up my own plot, but why should I worry about that? I'm sure I'll learn from my mistakes as I go.

Again, thank you. This really made my whole week. :)