#tamersmile

[tamersmile888]

With the way the world seems to be spinning faster and faster each day, Hope takes a moment to enjoy the view and just....breath.

Just a few days ago she was in the same exact park sleeping near the public bathroom stalls. Now she's a published author selling books in her own shop/soon-to-be-café. She can't even imagine where she's heading next.

Seeing Jay's number pop-up on her phone, honestly. made her heart break a tiny bit more. But when she finally does answer, she can't help but smile at how excited he sounds.

Jay: I just got picked up by the Brindleton Bay Pelicans! I showed up to the team's practice and the coach liked what he saw, so he let me join the league! I wouldn't have had the courage to put myself out there if it were for you cheering me on. We should go celebrate!

An unofficial date with Jay? What could possibly go wrong? It's blazing, so they meet up at the pool to go for a swim and enjoy the sun.

Hope doesn't really do public pools, but Jay pretty much distracts her from all the other people in the water. Which is already a bad sign. His “innocent” flirting slips out like a native language. It's hard to keep her heart from flipping. Even when she tries to steer the conversation away from herself, he finds a way to make her feel like she's the only girl on his mind.

Hope: Looks like you're going to be the big shot celebrity now.

Jay: I'll be a lot busier, but I'll always have time for my favorite cheerleader.

Hope: I'm pretty sure you'll be the only one in the uniform.

Jay: Seriously. I owe you. Thanks for the push.

Hope: Any time.

A playful shove turns into a splash battle. Hope laughs while trying to keep pool water from getting into her mouth, which only makes Jay splash harder. Maybe they really can just be friends without all of the drama. This is way more fun anyway.

Jay walks off to take a phone call, saying he'll be right back.

Only, he doesn't come back. Once again Hope is left alone, confused and crushed. Again.

Hope goes to the gym to blow off some steam. Watching a couple of super strong girls pounding at a punching bag inspires her next book.

Heart KO Tired of her heart feeling like a punching bag, boxing champ breaks up with the love of her life only to learn that her next big match is against the woman he cheated on her with.

Checking her social media, fans seem to be loving her new book Heart KO. It has so many good reviews. Readers are really connecting with her main character, Kacy. Some of them have even reached out about their own relationship issues. It's good to know her personal pain can be someone else's breakthrough.

Writing a book is one way to get over a breakup, but if Hope really wants closure, she can't just make her fictional character do it for her and hope Jay opens the book. She has to be the one to close the door. Instead of confronting him face to face this time, she writes her feelings down and sends Jay an email. It's basically a “Goodbye Love Letter.” She deserves to be treated better, and if he can't do so even as a friend, it's better if they stop seeing each other all together.

Holding her breath, she hits send. She thought she would feel a lot better afterwards, but now she just feels like a drama queen. Maybe she should have sat on it for a while before she said something she would regret later. Now she'll be driving herself crazy waiting around for his response...

[queenofmyshuno]

Get To Know Me~

tagged by: @sophi-x-sims. see her responses here.

rules: answer the questions & tag 9 people you want to get to know better

_____

favorite color: pale lavender is one of my faves

currently reading: embarrassingly, nothing

last song: nails, hair, hips, heels

last series: loki (sooo many twists!)

sweet, spicy, or savory: major sweet tooth

craving: something fizzy

tea or coffee: nope & nope

currently working on: currently working on figuring out what i want to work on currently

tagging: @tamersmile @dynastiasimss @pinkpeachetree @the-royals-ts4 @simmernswirl3614 @lumminade @superstupendoussims @berryene @oneofakindlikeyou (feel free to ignore)

(photo courtesy of fiftyflowers.com)

[tamersmile888]

~Catching Stars With You

See where it all began here: GEN 1: MINT

[tamersmile888]

After spending hours getting all dressed up, Hope still wasn't able to get into Studio PBP for the Star Accolades.

She checks her nomination message to see if it came with an invitation, but found nothing. At least she can hear what they're saying on the live stream.

While waiting outside with all the other people not famous enough to get through the doors, she meets the bouncer Jackson Humphrey. He tells her that most of the first-time nominees watch from home. They have better seats.

She ends up having an even better time hanging out with him. She was never into celebrities anyway. Regular, every day stories were way more interesting to her. A veterinarian who moonlights as a bouncer has plenty of stories to tell.

The awards are over and Hope didn't win.

Jackson tells her to keep her head up.

Jackson: You'll get them next time. I'll save you a seat right next to me.

Winning an award wasn't the make or break moment of her career. It just would have been nice to feel like she achieved something.

Things just weren't going the way she expected them to go today. She's not bringing home a trophy. She got her heart broken by a guy who clearly didn't like her as much as he pretended to. Her favorite love story was over before it ever started, and that was her biggest loss of the night.

[tamersmile888]

Hope doesn't want to sound too excited about it, but it looks like Jay and the girl he was interested in weren't a match. He calls Hope up to hang out. You know...as friends. Just good friends.

They meet up at the Chalet Gardens, which is undeniably romantic. But it's also historical and quiet. The perfect place to get to know each other.

Jay opens up about being a huge soccer fan. He used to play in college, but he didn't think he was good enough to go pro. It still seems like a sore topic for him, so he instead talks about his favorite kind of music.

Hope tries not to get lost in his eyes.

Cloud gazing in the Chalet gardens with Jay kind of almost feels like a fairy tale.

Their tour of the Von Haunt Estate ends with them dancing in the ballroom. Hope feels a little awkward at first until Jay encourages her to dance like no one's watching. He shows her his go-to move, and she laughs. Not wanting to leave him hanging, she gets out of her head and lets herself have some fun.

She gets the courage to ask Jay over to her house for dinner. Considering how much he liked the last meal she helped prepare, he's happy to join her.

Over a fruit salad Hope and Jay prepared together, Hope finally convinces Jay to go for his dream job. Whatever happened in the past, he can still have a bright future as a soccer player if that's what he was born to do. He says he's going to think about it and get back to her. He also thanks her for the night out. He's been down about not knowing which direction to take in his life, but he appreciates her optimism.

Hope's just happy to help. She knows what it's like to have a dream that seems way too big to reach for. She's also seen what happens when you don't give up. Taking a leap of faith just might open a door to amazing possibilities she never thought to imagine.

[tamersmile888]

It's a beautiful morning and the farm is already growing. Orange lays a hatchable egg, which means another member of the family will be arriving soon. School may be tough, but at least she'll always have her BFF's: Best Farm Friends!

While her dad does some shopping in town, Snow stands outside the dress shop, daydreaming about going to prom in one of their best dresses. She'll be happy to wear something clean. Her dad apologizes for not being able to buy her a fancy gown.

She'll have to settle for one that's just pretty enough. He's been saving up for her special day. Snow's willing to work hard to pay back every penny.

Out of all her classes, Snow enjoys Business Management the most. Maybe one day she'll own her own farm and become a successful business woman. She's got lots of experience.

At lunch, Snow tells Morgan about her promposal to Jeb, and insists that Morgan go with Aron. To her shock, Morgan says she and Aron just aren't connecting.

Snow goes to Cassandra for advice on what to do about her crush on Aron now that Morgan's no longer interested. But seeing Morgan's "heartbroken" status on Social Bunny, it's clear that's not that case. And no true friend would go after the guy her friend really likes. It looks like Snow and Aron just aren't mean to be.

[tamersmile888]

Snow barely makes it off the bus when Wiki starts making fun of her shabby outfit. Aron Hunter tries to take up for Snow, but Wiki just calls him a rich snob who's trying to play hero. Aron and his family, heirs of the Von Haunts, may be like royalty, but he was the kindest boy she ever met.

But they weren't the only one's Wiki has been tormenting. She told everyone on Social Bunny that she saw Jeb's family dumpster diving for clothes. Snow tried to stand up for him, but the damage had already been done. No wonder he didn't show up for class.

Aron tries to cheer Snow up, telling her not to take Wiki too seriously. He happens to think she looks pretty nice today.

Is it just her, or was Aron looking right at her? Morgan seems to notice too, only she thinks he's checking her out. Obviously, she's into him. As a nervous reaction to her heart getting crushed, she Morgan to go for it. They don't waste any time getting to know each other. It's hard to concentrate on Cassandra's scheme to start a secret music club with Molly when all Snow can hear is the sound of her heart tearing into two.

Snow invites Jeb to go fishing at the Bramblewood, just in case he wanted to talk about what happened. He opens up about his family's...interesting choices. They just don't like spending money. Snow understands. She hasn't been able to afford new clothes in ages. Things will get better. Jeb just feels better knowing someone else gets it.

Fishing wasn't the only reason Snow asked Jeb to hang out. It's Prom season and, since they both don't have dates, she asks if he wants to go as friends. He accepts.

Her promposal may not have been the most memorable, but having that heart-to-heart with a good friend made it special in its own way.

[tamersmile888]

Slipping in the Rain (Living the Dream Legacy #10)

A group of guys moved into the neighborhood and hired Nichole to cater their party. Nichole invites Hope to come along. She stays in the kitchen most of the time to avoid having to talk to anyone else.

Zayden seems pretty sweet, asking if they need help with anything. Nichole assures him that she's fine and introduces him to Hope.

Zayden: Hey.

Hope: Hey...

That's it? Compliment his cool house, or his cool hat!--Nope, he's back to talking to Nichole. She's much better at this than Hope is. Conversation just flows from her naturally. Meanwhile, Hope's still trying to filter out all of the cringe small talk from the cool banter in her head.

His roommate, Jay comes over and tries one of the chopped tomatoes.

Jay: That's good.

Hope can't help but laugh. Nichole hasn't even seasoned them yet.

Hope: It'll be even better when it's finished.

Jay: All right. Let me know.

The joke is over, yet Hope can't keep the smile off her face.

Seeing that Hope is finally having some fun, Nichole encourages her to go out there and mingle with the other guests. Enjoy herself.

She tries dancing to loosen up. It's going pretty well so far. She just closes her eyes and pretends no one's watching.

Some guy breaks out the push-ups, which is a little more advanced than her moves. She'd rather blend in than be the center of attention. It's all his.

Hope hangs out with Zayden and Cohen for a while, hearing their backstories. Zayden just moved in all the way from Sulani. He's an artist who likes to upcycle stuff people throw away. He's hoping to find new opportunities to do what he loves. He's working hard to live his dream. Hope can definitely relate to that. Ehren's a musician, but he's not sure which path he wants to take in life yet. He just moved in with the guys so he could save a few bucks.

Feeling courageous, Hope asks Jay about his dream career.

He brushes off the topic as if he'd rather not talk about it. Instead, he thanks her for coming and for helping out with the food.

Jay: Hopefully, I'll see you around, neighbor.

Of course, Jay and his ridiculously cute face shows up in her dreams. He's even got her smiling in her sleep.

But her real life dreams are shattered when Jay sends a text asking her about another girl she might now. Hope scraps the whole “Book Club” mystery and starts working on a new story. One about stolen hearts and heartbreak.

The Girl Who Learned to Dance: Aspiring ballerina must tip-toe around her broken heart as her crush dances with another leading girl.

Sadly, not every romance has a happy ending.

[tamersmile888]

Slipping in the Rain (Living the Dream Legacy #9)

Who knew selling a garden of park lilies would help Hope build a pretty little home? Hopefully the staples keeping her walls together will hold up.

Ah…It's nice to finally have a view of her beautiful, quiet neighborhood in Newcrest. And to finally have her own computer. She loves the library, but there's nothing like writing from the comfort of her own home without having to wait for someone to finish playing their “last round” of BlicBlock.

It's still good to go out for fresh air once in a while. See what's happening beyond her shiny, new windows.

Normally, she'd never step foot inside a nightclub. But the Blue Velvet was hosting a talent show, so she thought she would go for the experience. She awkwardly sits alone while others gather around the contestants, who at least give it their best shot. She can barely even hear their screeching vocal chords over the blues music blasting from the overhead speakers.

A guy name Gunther joins her table, confessing how nervous he is about reading his autobiography out loud. He's sure he won't win, anyway. Hope gives him some encouragement and shares that she's an author too. Completing a full manuscript already makes him a winner in her book.

Gunther: Are you reading your book too?

Hope: Probably not.

She isn't ready to enter tonight's competition, but Gunther's courage is inspiring.

Hope: If you water the seed, your dreams will flourish too!

Cool. Now all she has to do is go out there and read her children's book in front of adult strangers. Easy.

It's a little more packed than she expected it to be at the Solar Flare talent show, but that's why she's here right? Publicity…Engaging with the community…Not fumbling the words of her own story—Is that a typo?

Hope: Your dreams can flourish too…Thank you.

See! That wasn't so bad. It's a lot less nerve-wrecking when hardly anyone is actually listening. But at least it's good practice for facing her fears.

A woman named Nichole loves her book. She thinks it's inspiring and plans on buying it for her daughter. She shares her own story about being a single mom and trying to open her own catering business. She's really laid back and easy to talk to. Maybe club-hopping isn't in Hope's future, but she's glad she got out of her comfort zone to make some cool new friends.

Would you look at that? The “Book Club” is having a gathering tonight. Wonder what “book” they're discussing.

Hope slips her way over just to, you know, see if she can pick up on anything interesting. Ask a few questions. Just out of curiosity.

Katrina Caliente warns her about being too curious.

Katrina: Once you sign-up for the “Book Club”, there's no signing out.

Message received. Hope decides to cool off on developing her thriller mystery novel for now. She should probably stick with something less likely to put her in the witness protection program.

[tamersmile888]

Slipping in the Rain (Living the Dream Legacy #8)

It's late and Hope hasn't been able to eat for hours. Her stomach's rumbling louder than the thunderstorm.

If she could just get to those bell peppers...

It's probably safer to wait out the storm. Getting struck by lightning once is more than enough for her.

As soon as the thunderstorm stops, Hope races to the grill. But she still keeps an eye out for any stray lightning bolts.

On the lookout for some inspiration for her new book, Hope visits the museum in Willow Creek. It would be nice to live in a home like in the old paintings. It's nice to own four walls in general.

Of course, she had to try out the beautiful grand piano. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star never gets old. She's definitely going to save up for one of these.

Spending time in Willow Creek was really fun. And there's still much more of its story to explore. Rain or shine, she's ready to discover what awaits.

[tamersmile888]

Looking Up (Living the Dream Legacy #7)

Waking up in the morning to the beautiful Oasis Springs, Hope thought she might as well do some foraging on her way back home.

Not only did she find enough food to eat, but after selling what she could, she was able to build herself a cute little home with some scraps she found around the neighborhood.

Looking to make as much extra cash as she can, she visits the flea market in San Myshuno. Maybe someone will have a use for the repair parts she had dug up. 

Thankfully, Naksh has some house projects he's been meaning to get to. He just wishes they would make manuals that would explain other manuals. Or at least make them more interesting to read. Of course, when they get on the topic of reading, Hope breaks out of her shell and can't help but give him some great recommendations.

Talking to Naksh reminds her of why she chose to live this way in the first place. To do what she loves and not be burden with working a job she has no passion for. 

Today is Skill Day. What better time to start working on her writing skills and brainstorm her debut novel? She visits the local library and just starts writing. She's still unsure of what she wants to write about, but she has a ton of ideas. Getting them all down is a great start to developing her very, first story.

After a rough walk back home on a scorching day, she goes to Nalani's stand for some freshly squeezed, ice cold lemonade and ends up getting two for one.

Hope intended to go to the park to dig around for anything else she could sell, but she just has to take a second to savor this moment. She has so much to be grateful for.

She has a roof over her head now. A cot to sleep on. A full belly. Things could have turned out a lot worse, but she was okay. Seeing how things were working out gave her huge encouragement. She'd made it this far. Why not keeping going and become the person she was destined to be.

Making her way around the park, she comes across lilies! Her favorites. Of course, she's taking them home to plant in her own garden.

On her way to the bathroom, she meets Lily Feng. A well-known member of San Myshuno society. Hope tells her about her dreams of becoming an author, and Lily seems to accidentally slip out that she and a group of her friends have a book club. Hope is eager to become a member until Lily reveals the $30,000 requirement. 

Lily quickly ends the conversation and politely continues on her way. As if she were embarrassed by it. Hope felt queasy spending money on a cup of lemonade. There was no way she was getting access to that club. But it did boost her curiosity...and her imagination.

“A secretive book club that blackmails its neighbors into doing what they want...”

Hope wishes she could crank out a bestselling mystery, but right now she's just not ready to write such a complex story. She has to start small, and she did always want to write a children's book. So, she writes what she hopes will inspire kids by sharing what inspires her.

     Plant a Dream, Watch it Grow      Every dream starts with a lot of love and a little patience.

[tamersmile888]

City Change (Living the Dream Legacy #5)

Earlier than the sun, Hope wakes up to get a heads start on some fishing trying to remember Moira and Ekram's tips. It's all I in the knees? Or was it the wrists? She forgot to put that part in her notes.

For breakfast, it's peas straight from the pod. Actually pretty tasty in their natural form, but peas have always been one of her favorite veggies. Sweat and earthy.

All fueled and ready for the day, there's one place she has her heart set on exploring. A place full of opportunities for a girl with big dreams.

Welcome to San Myshuno. It was a hike on foot in the blazing summer heat (thankfully her wig came in handy), but the view is worth it.

There is a lot of ways to make a fast buck in the city. Like picking up a free poster that sells for way more than she expected online. That sort of stuff adds up pretty quickly. She's definitely keeping her eyes open for more of them.

Wow. Watching that busker play such beautiful music on his violin makes her feel both inspired and emotional. How does someone with that much talent find himself on the streets?

Maybe he's trying to find a way to earn a living doing what he loves too.

One simoleon isn't much, but it's all she can spare. She was grateful to be able to give even that. She wanted to help a fellow dreamer any way she could.

Someone threw out a box of random junk that appears to be in good condition, so she helps herself. Finding a dusty globe of the San Myshuno bridge, she really doesn't want to give it away. Instead, she decides to keep it as a souvenir. The other stuff she found would definitely be put up for sale. She did have to eat after all. She also needs to find some way to build a storm proof roof over her head. Every simoleon counts.

Sitting back, sipping on a sweet tea she could slightly afford, she soaks in the city to the soundtrack of Mr. Violinist feeling pretty good. Today was a beautiful day in San Myshuno. Who knows? Maybe one day she'll make it her home. But she was going to have to sell a lot more than a few posters. Hopefully, once she's a bestselling author, she'll be able to live wherever she wants.

[tamersmile888]

A Living Nightmare (Living the Dream Legacy #4)

Public bathrooms have always been Hopes worst nightmare. Usually, she only used them for emergencies. A last resort. Now, she didn't really have much of a choice. At least the vines were pretty. And a slight distraction from the smell….

Hope bought a tent with the money she got for the MySims collectible. She even had enough to buy fruit to start a garden. The apples and grapes won't grow until the fall, but the green bell peppers would pop up soon. Not enough heat for hot sauce, but they would taste so good in a fish taco.

Before sleep, Hope did some reading on how to survive out in the wild. She thinks she's starting to get the hang of it after a pretty productive first day. Foraging for food? Check. A safe place to sleep? Check.

Uncheck....Uncheck!

Note to self: Never sleep outside in a tent during a thunderstorm. There's a very high chance you might get struck by lightning. Bathrooms have definitely lost first place on the nightmare list.

After some searching around—more like, running around dodging lightning bolts—Hope finally found a place to sleep tonight in the park. Still public, but at least the toilets are in separate rooms. As long as the place isn't occupied by selfish strangers who have already claimed their territory, she's fine. She'll be fine....

The ottomans in that place are so soft and comfy. Much better than sleeping in a tent pitched in the mud. She falls asleep as soon as her head hits the cushion. She's fine.

[tamersmile888]

Catching A Break (Living the Dream Legacy #3)

While trying out fishing for the first time ever (because hunger will make you desperate to try anything) she met Moira Fyres and Ekram Elderberry who were gracious enough to teach her. See, she can make friends. Progress.

She even had a laugh as Mr. Elderberry coached her on how to “reel her in.” He was more excited than she was. Ah....So this is what it feels like to be retired. He got to sit back and enjoy the fruit of his life while she was just beginning hers. Hope knows where she's headed when she becomes an “Elder Berry”.

What's better than the smell of hot dogs at a food stand? The smell of grilling your very first fish. Her stomach was growling, begging her to make it fast. Thankfully, fish is quick and doesn't take much skill. When you're living outdoors, anything will do as long as its fully cooked, not poisonous and isn't a frog because…why would you do that? They're way too cute.

Seriously, she could eat fish on a stick every day. It could use a little seasoning, but the lemon juice helps. How would one go about growing salt and pepper? And hot sauce. A whole backyard of hot sauce.

As Hope sits back and enjoys her first cooked meal living in the wild, she notices a different kind of wild outside of town. The city. She always dreamed of living in San Myshuno. Once she's earned enough money writing her books, maybe she'd make the move. Now that she was on her own, she could even visit it one day. Finally, see what it's like and learn what all the fuss is about.

[tamersmile888]

Hidden Treasure (Living the Dream Legacy #2)

Dig some digging and she found a treasure map! Wonder what kind of treasure it leads to....

She came across a food stall in town. She could smell the hot dogs from a mile away. Those pretzels look delicious. And the fries...so crispy and golden piled on top of each other in a delicious, salty potato mountain. All out of her price range. With a budget 0 simoleons, she was probably losing money breathing the same air.

But maybe if the vendor knew how thirsty she was, she'd give her some free water. Tap, purified from the lake, it didn't matter. Anything to keep her tongue from sticking to her mouth in this dry heat.

Vendor: “Are you crazy? I'm already losing money at these prices.”

Yeah, she thought so.

“Treasure” actually means the secret location of someone's buried MySims collectibles. They're actually pretty lucrative. She could make a good amount of money for them at her yard sale table.

If she ever learns how to speak to total strangers without wanting to run and hide. Thankfully, this very generous gentlemen knew what the doll was worth and he bought it off of her for $500 without her really having to say anything. A mumbled thank you was enough for him. If he even heard it.

Get it together, Hope. Think of the food. You're a writer. You're good at words. Just as long as they're not coming out of your mouth…We'll do better next time. As long as we're making progress, that's all that matters. You can do this!

[tamersmile888]

NSB Gray 12 (Pt.1)

Roc begins his Big Assist meeting with a welcoming BBQ. Their mission: “Mentoring the young to aim for a life of excellence.”

He introduces himself to George's stepfather who's open to building a better relationship with his stepson.

Anaya's back? Krystal always though she and Roc were perfect together. Maybe a little nudging will finally push Roc to take his shot.

Feeling a little down about her last day as a Blue Llama, Roc cheers Krystal up about the bright future she has ahead of her. And since they're giving advice, she encourages him to tell Anaya how he feels before he misses his chance to finally have a future in the game of love.

It looks like the talk went well.