Away From Home

hey santa

2009-12-24T00:22:18Z

Dear Santa...

Dear Santa,

This year I've been busy!

Last Monday I pulled lachesissom 's hair (-5 points). In August I helped phoenixfg hide a body (-173 points). In March I bought porn for eshuff (-10 points). In September I gave goodbye_sun a wet willie, then I took it back (-5 points). Last week I stole xtinabobina09 's purse (-30 points).

Overall, I've been naughty (-223 points). For Christmas I deserve a moldy sandwich!

Sincerely,
gfitz

snagged from medleymisty

In the Holiday Spirit

2009-12-14T02:29:15Z

An update at Sessions

CLICK HERE -> Your Arms Feel Like Home

Question!

2009-12-05T01:21:32Z

I am tempted to download the Compressorizor BUT I have heard/read about two things and I would like to get some feedback.

1. For those of you who have used it, can you still recolor/clone objects using simPE or Body Shop? Is it necessary to decompress before doing so and then re-compressing?

2. Has anyone used it successfully with Windows Vista?

I would really appreciate any help on this...

Hoping everyone can forgive my belated comments once I get caught up. It's been a rough few weeks.

Update - Chameleon

2009-11-22T03:21:05Z

Posted an update to Chameleon tonight for the simfic50 prompt table. Not sure if I am completely capturing the spirit of the prompts in the pieces but I do try.

Update is here -> Prompt 025 - Strangers

I want to mention xtina here also. She created the biker bar where this piece takes place. Thanks xtina!

Did you say just press play?

2009-11-03T07:45:58Z

Remind me to hit the pause button please. I forgot tonight. Twice. Dire consequences ensued. Although some people may think it is retribution, no one should have to lie in a pool of their own pee passed out from every conceivable needs failure with green odious clouds emanating from their armpits. She was seconds from meeting her maker and that would not have been pretty. Not sure her hubby would have begged for the Reaper to spare her.

I should be asleep but I am wound up tight at the moment. One of those times where your eyelids are heavy but your heart rate refuses to let them stay closed for longer than a few seconds. I swear I have had no coffee since this morning and it never really keeps me up anyway.

I haven't posted about updates here in awhile so I think I will do that. You can read it here -> Hangnail

Also eshuff has been doing a tremendous amount of work putting together a Family Tree for the major characters in Sessions as well as some of the not-so-major ones. Believe me there are a lot of them! She really amazes me. You can find the link on the Sessions blog or our resource blog. Or here -> Family Tree. It is still a WiP but all credit goes to her for assembling it.

OK that's all for now. I am going to open a book. That will no doubt get me to sleep in no time!

Insert Big Sigh Here

2009-10-26T00:20:48Z

Why is it when I am supposed to be doing serious stuff that I get distracted by shiny things? Way too much going on in my head these days, too many voices, too many random thoughts. I think I was supposed to be doing something...what was it? Oh well...can't recall. I feel blah.

I am not writing a Halloween story but I will probably do a picture. I have an idea of what it will be, I think. I did have this story idea I have been shoving into the free spaces in my head but...no. It involves too much CC and I already tipped the scales at 10 gigs today. One day though, it will be written and posted, maybe without images. I can use my words.

But I digress...I was supposed to be doing something.

Edited to add the rest of the stuff that disappeared because LJ ate it. I swear it was NOT my fault.
Also edited to add that I have a love/hate relationship with LJ.

Grabbed this meme off goodbye_sun . Her user name reminds me of a children's book written by Margaret Wise Brown called Goodnight Moon. I love that book. Every time I see her user name I think of that story and reading it to my boys.

1. What does your LiveJournal name mean?
Nothing terribly interesting. It is my first initial and the first 4 letters of my last name.

2. Elaborate on your default photo.
That is Sim-Me at a beach house looking out over the ocean at night. My avatars tend to reflect my moods or what I am doing at the moment. I have one of me writing, looking at roses that someone I love sent, napping on the sofa, cuddled up with Rafe, and another that escapes me at the moment.

3. Do you still talk to your ex? Why?
Yes but not as much as I used to. He turned into a selfish prick.

4. What’s your current relationship status?
Widow

5. What exactly are you wearing right now?
Sweatpants, loose shirt, slippers, robe (it's cold). It may have been more interesting to tell you what I wasn't wearing.

6. What is your current problem?
I recently had my left rotator cuff repaired and have started physical therapy which hurts like hell afterward. More importantly, I am left handed and cannot do anything. I mean NOTHING with my left arm.

7. What do you love the most?
My boys.

8. What makes you happiest?
Not having to go to work so I can do whatever I feel like, learn to do things I have always wanted to do. Primarily that would be writing and taking pictures with whatever medium is available. And I would be learning to speak Italian because it is smexy.

9. Are you musically inclined?
I am in fact. I am a closet rock star!

10. If you could go back in time, and change something, what would it be?
That is a tough one because I have looked back on many things that I wish I had done differently. The biggest thing would be getting home a several hours earlier than I did in December 2006.

11. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day what would you be?
A cat. Large, small, feral, wild, or domestic.

12. Ever have a near death experience?
Not that I recall. I have been visited by dead people though. Does that count?

13. Name an obvious quality you have?
Compassion.

14. What’s the name of the song that’s stuck in your head right now?
Everything Changes - Staind

15. Who did you cut and paste this from?
goodbye_sun

16. Name someone with the same b-day as you:
My boss, Johann Sebastian Bach, Gary Oldman, Florenz Ziegfeld, Rosie O'Donnell, Eddie Money

17. Have you ever vandalized someone’s private property?
Yes, in my youth we used to TP people's houses. In my defense, it was considered an honor at the time and was done to the football players mostly. Nowadays people consider it vandalism.

18. Have you ever been in a fight?
Verbally yes, physically no although someone did come at me once threatening harm. He tripped and broke his leg before he got his hands on me.

19. Have you ever sang in front of a large audience?
Yes.

20. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Eyes, then mouth, shoulders, thighs.

21. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
I used to get vanilla lattes but now, if they have it, I get a Kona Clover which is just coffee but it is made one cup at a time. Not all Starbucks have it. And I LOVE pumpkin spice lattes.

22. Have you ever broken a bone?
Yes, my pinky finger when I was hit with a line drive playing softball. It was headed for my head and my hand without the glove went up for protection.

23. Has anyone ever said that you look like a celebrity?
Someone once said I looked like Shania Twain. I wish. Must have been a pick-up line.

25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
Absolutely, Spongebob and Invader Zim being two of my favorites.

26. Do you wear braces?
No...unless you mean suspenders although it is still no.

27. Are you comfortable with your height?
I wish I was taller. I am only 5'0"

28. What is the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you?
I would need to reach back for this one...my husband was not overly romantic although he would argue that point. His idea of a gift was a washing machine until his brother clued him in. But there was one time...at Land's End and a private beach at sunset.

29. Do you speak any other languages?
Not really. I used to speak French and a little Spanish but I have forgotten it. I know a few words in other languages, probably the usual ones. I can order beer in a few.

30. Do you have a crush on someone on your LiveJournal?
Um, no. Like goodbye_sun however, there are many I admire.

goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere.

Minor Rant Ahead

2009-10-25T17:51:24Z

Voicing my considerable irritation at the fact that some pose boxes will not work in community lots. I have gone as far as trying to make them available via Sim Categorizer but some of them don't show up there! I am guessing there must be a way to do this in simPE. Anyone know how? I guess I could poke around myself and try to figure it out...wouldn't it just be so much easier if the creator did that from the get-go? Don't get me wrong, I am very very appreciative of those artists who create them. I'm just...frustrated that it isn't easier.

From the Organizationally Challenged

2009-10-18T21:08:34Z

I have been pouring over various sites and tutorials looking for tips and tricks for recoloring, converting, etc. and always seem to find one thing that catches my eye. A lot of creators compress their CC before uploading and many Sims 2 players compress their downloads. These same people also seem to organize their CC in folders which, not being very organized, is a foreign concept for me to wrap my head around. And I keep losing CC every time I launch Body Shop or even the game and I swear I am not deleting anything.

My question is this - when organizing downloads, say by hair (male/female) clothing (again, male/female and maybe even body shape), or maybe even theme (holidays or maybe CC you will use once for storytelling and then never again) or age/gender how do you all do it? Are all the decorative pieces in one folder or are they separated by type (wall hangings, statues, etc), by room? Are all, I mean ALL, meshes in one folder? Walls, floors, in their own folders?

It would be so much easier to cull downloads and even manage to compress them if they were organized. I ask this because I have 9.96 GIGABYTES of CC and tens of thousands (32,046 at my last count) of files in my Downloads folder. So I really would like some input from anyone out there who has a boatload of CC and is blessed with the organizational gene.

A little of this, a little of that

2009-10-13T01:29:32Z

Chasing my tail looking for CC that I had and now I don't. Confused as to why, when I save a project in Body Shop to do a recolor that it ends up black. OK the hair is categorized black but it is brown in the catalog thingy. WTF?? Thinking about doing photo shoots just for the hell of it; they sometimes spark the writing.

It's going to rain.

And a meme...

Snagged from goodbye_sun who pilfered from sixamsims and azzy

image me

01. Think of the first word that comes to mind when you think of me.
02. Go to Google Images and search for that word.
03. Reply to this post with one of the pictures on the first page of results (don't tell me the word).
04. Put this in your own journal so that I can do the same.

Playing Catch-up

2009-10-11T21:14:50Z

~~Yeah. Sorry. Large image. I don't feel like re-uploading it to Photobucket. Maybe later.~~ Yeah, had to edit the thing.

I finally got an update finished for Rising Above. It is a little disjointed in time from the main story line at Sessions but...it could not be helped. It also is a far cry from the way the piece began. As much as I loved what I originally wrote, it was just too much fluff. Irrelevant. Old news.

Song that accompanies is #8 in the playlist and performed by Velvet Revolver. A must-listen.

Update is here -> Chapter 10 - Fall to Pieces

The Hurrier I go...

2009-10-06T21:37:16Z

...the behinder I get. Probably not the best of days for me to be posting an entry, my arm is screaming, radiating pain from my shoulder to my elbow and I am waiting for the drugs to kick in. I think I slept on it actually. Not good. But I am a glutton for punishment and bored so...

Let's see where I am...

Week 3 update on my recovery has been posted over at blogger (yes week 2 is posted but I forgot to mention that here). Two new companion blogs have been created that go with Sessions, Passages which follows Rayne Stanfield and is being wonderfully written by my cohort in crime eshuff and Chameleon which is a minor sub-plot that follows the simfic50 prompt table #1. There are currently 2 chapters at Passages and 3 at Chameleon.

I still have some Dreamwidth invites for anyone interested. Already have one? Maybe you have a good friend who doesn't and wants to check it out. I think I have 4 invites left? I have to check.

I think that is about it for now.

Trying It On For Size

2009-09-22T21:09:58Z

I snagged an invite to Dreamwidth and have been toying some with it...well not lately but when time permits. Here is a link for anyone interested. Not much there yet, just feeling my way around. The intent is to make it more personal, less Sim related. I think. Maybe. I also have a couple of invites for those who might like a go at it.

I am also posting a weekly progress report of my recovery at Blogger on my main blog here. I will probably end up cross-posting my progress but only if I can manage to paraphrase since typing too much is...too much for me sometimes, especially one-handed.

And finally I give you a blogthing. Enjoy!

Your Supervillain Name is Valentina Bullet

Muhahahaha!

What's Your Supervillain Name?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

MIA for Awhile

2009-09-14T00:42:14Z

If anyone on LJ reads my blogger posts then you already know I will be away from the internet for awhile, or at least limited in my time online. I am having shoulder surgery on Monday so I will be sidelined for...well I don't know how long.

It should be fascinating to do things with my right hand, especially since I am left-handed but I have been practicing. I mastered the fork and spoon! Yay me!

So...I am bad about crossposting updates to Sessions so here you go. Chapter 15 is up. Called Sacrifice. I'm pretty sure the last time I posted an update was *counts back* probably chapter 5? Chapter 7? Oh! Chapter 11! I checked. Anyway we are up to 15.

I hope to get caught up with the LJ stories I follow. I've been scrambling really...and very far behind. Don't expect very wordy comments, I can barely type with two hands so one will be challenging.

See you on the flip side!

Tag, You're It!

2009-09-05T00:58:29Z

Tagged by phoenixfg...sort of...I love these things!

First: If you've been tagged, you must write your answers in your own LJ. Replace any question that you dislike with a new, original question.
Second: Tag ~~eight~~ some people. Don't refuse to do it. Don't tag who tagged you.

EDITED: To fix the response I forgot to change. Duh!

1. Lots of pillows or just one?
I have tons of pillows. Four down pillows that I sleep with and a ton that decorate the bed when I get around to making it.

2. What kind of books do you read?
Fantasy pretty much. Life is reality enough.

3. What are you most awesome skills?
I can tie a cherry stem in a knot. With my tongue. Yeah. And I can write a little.

4. What's your occupation?
Assistant systems analyst which means I do hardware and software troubleshooting.

5. If you had to dress up for a costume party right this second, what would you want to dress as?
A rock star. 'Cause we all just wanna be big rock stars and live in hilltop house drivin' 15 cars...

6. What's the last thing you ate?
Peach cobbler. Home made and tasty!

7. What's been making you smile lately?
The rock show I just went to. I'll be walking on clouds for ages believe me.

8. Television or movies?
Both but mostly TV. It takes a really great movie to get me to pay to see it.

9. What was the last thing you bought?
A mango smoothie. Or if we are talking about something non edible then a t-shirt.

10. What's the cutest thing you've seen today?
My kids. Everything else pretty much was not cute.

11. Do you get cravings? If so, what do you crave?
Constantly. Coffee, ice cream, breakfast.

12. What is the one item you cannot leave the house without?
My iPhone and lip gloss. Got to look good talking on the phone!

13. What's your zodiac sign?
Aries. I am on the cusp though so I have a lot of Pisces characteristics as well.

14. Do you want to learn another language?
I totally want to learn Italian because it is a passionate, romantic, sensual language.

15. Soup or salad?
Both. If I have one it must be accompanied by the other. And have fresh sourdough bread with a hot, crispy crust.

16. Favorite place you've ever been?
Cabo San Lucas. We went to Land's End and it was truly beautiful. I have never seen the ocean that color! And they have a nude beach! ;)

17. Shoes or barefoot?
Without a doubt, barefoot.

18. Say something to the person who tagged you.
Phoenix, you have the best personality ever and your posts make me LOL!

19. What are you reading right now?
Some Kind of Monster

20. What's your favorite animal?
I love cats. Big ones, small ones, dangerous ones.

21. What is your favorite vacation destination?
Anywhere that has a beach, preferably warm.

22. Would you say that you're responsible with money?
I guess I am responsible. When you don't have any, you are pretty careful where it goes.

23. Does the weather affect your mood?
Hmm, I think I affect the weather!

24. What song is in your head right now? If the answer is none, what was the last song you had in your head?
Rock Star by Nickelback. Because I quoted the lyrics in Q#5

I'm tagging everyone on my f-list except phoenixfg since she tagged me. And you all know who you are so don't let me down!

Strangest Photoshop glitch ever

2009-08-29T05:14:18Z

Both B and I are experiencing the strangest issue with Photoshop when applying the Filter>Render>Lighting Effects. We get this strange blank area in the preview and after applying the filter, that portion of the image is untouched by said filter. I have posted at the Adobe Forums to no avail. I have reset the Photoshop prefs to no avail. If anyone has had this issue or knows what causes it please help!

As you can see there is a sliver of white at the bottom which does not apply the filter to the image. Again, any help is greatly appreciated as we are both tearing handfuls of hair out.

And You Thought YOU Were a Sheep

2009-08-20T16:02:07Z

Meh, it's a slow day and I don't have enough energy to write something original. So this was snagged from phoenixfgwho snagged it from goodbye_sun. I love these things, did I mention that?

Get Your Monster Name

Still on a High - meme

2009-08-13T19:46:55Z

I had a great day yesterday, a GREAT DAY! I was reminded that I am alive and interesting. In honor of that I am throwing some more blogthings out there. I am constantly amazed at how close some of these actually get to the truth. One of these days I am going to answer one the complete opposite just for laughs.

The Part of You That No One Sees is Afraid

You are passionate, romantic, and emotional.

You put love first in your life, even though you have often been disappointed by it.

You expect to be swept of your feet, and you never expect infatuation to die out.

Underneath it all, you are scared that you aren't lovable.

Your insecurity has ruined many relationships, as you are unable to see the love that's really there.

You are secretly afraid of being alone. Confronting your insecurities is incredibly painful.

What's the Part of You That No One Sees?

Your Spicy Score: HOT!

You're confident, sexy, and not afraid to go for it. Life is for living.

You love being the center of attention, and you'll do anything to stay in the spotlight.

You have no inhibitions. You're comfortable in your own skin, even when you have no clothes on!

You're out for a good time, simple as that. You can't help it if other people get burned.

How Spicy Are You?

Your Adult Film Star Name Is: Venus Vegas

Bow-chicka-bow-bow!

What's Your Adult Film Star Name?

Sessions Update - Chapter 11

2009-07-20T23:26:00Z

We just put up another chapter of Sessions called Figured You Out. I am going to tip my hat multiple times to eshuff who really had to do so much of the hard stuff here. Preview shot is behind the cut.

Warnings: For mature audiences. Language, sim nudity.

This was a longer chapter than we have been doing lately but there really was no way to cut it up. And still more ramifications to come. Access the chapter here -> Figured You Out.

The Art of Flirting and Frozen Treats - meme

2009-07-20T19:36:50Z

I am a terrible flirt...as in not bad at it but I flirt all the time. So I stumbled across this and thought I would include it here. And since frozen treats often accompany flirting (?) I added that as well.

You Are Seductive Flirt

Smoldering hot, you don't really flirt. You seduce.

For you, flirting is just foreplay.

You don't flirt unless it's going somewhere.

You have one goal in mind when you flirt... And you usually get it!

What Kind of Flirt Are You?

You Are Soft Serve

You are laid back, peaceful, and accepting.

You are easy to please, and you enjoy letting others do things their way.

People might be surprised to know that you're experimental and funky - at least in your own mind.

You are open to wherever life takes you, even if it's very unconventional.

What Frozen Treat Are You?

Update - Sessions

2009-07-06T04:08:02Z

And since I managed to get this thing looking good, I may as well post an update link as well! Beth and I just posted Sessions 10 called Used To. You can read the entry here -> Sessions 10 - Used To.

Those of you who haven't kept up can certainly read Sessions from the beginning here -> Sessions 1 - Blurry
Since this has been an ongoing collaboration for over 2 years, a bios/story summary here -> Bio/Story Summaries
Table of Contents should you be nutty enough to actually want to READ over 50 chapters is here -> For the Music - A Chapter Guide. Believe me, it is long.

Look ~ Shiny!

2009-07-06T00:46:58Z

Thanks to goodbye_sun I have a pretty LJ page! ~~My title isn't showing up since I haven't found that particular bit to edit in the CSS (anyone care to point me there?)~~ and I should give credit where credit is due to the creator of this layout, minty_peach. I used her Dumbledore's Army 31 layout and simply edited the colors. It is a WiP but I am slowly getting there. Although I have no plans to move here to LJ permanently, I am a little more pleased with the aesthetics.

EDIT: Found the code...still figuring out how to edit the rest...

Cha-cha-Changes

2009-07-03T15:47:37Z

I wish I could customize this journal. Maybe I can and just don't know it. Apparently I cannot upload other templates. Such is the way of the free LJ I suppose. Not that I use it often or anyone really reads it. I got bored with the old one. This one is, at least, easy on the eyes. And I am restless and procrastinating. When that happens I "clean house". Can't get much cleaner than this.

Let's see...the last time I posted I believe it was for chapter 7 of Sessions. We are up to chapter 9. Things are seriously heating up.

~ Updates and Whatnot ~

2009-04-26T16:55:28Z

OK...last time I posted here Chapter 3 was up. I seem to have fallen back into the gaping hole shortly after. Here is a little breakdown of things:

Sessions:
Chapter 4 ~ Evanescent
Chapter 5 ~ Where Are You Going?

Rising Above: (and this is a tough one because I don't know if I posted updates here for that)
Chapter 8 ~ Sacrifice

Chapter 7 had been posted 3 months prior so I don't know if a refresher is needed for anyone to understand what is going on. Chapter 8 references an incident from The Other Side of the Stage where Cadence's mother and father split up. I'm just throwing that out there because I don't expect anyone to attempt to read all the back story that the offshoots revolve around. it's too much reading.

Here is a teaser pic of the Rising Above update. Bear in mind, I write an adult story. Consider that a warning I guess.

Sessions Update

2009-04-05T19:04:06Z

Posted another update to Sessions called My Heart, Your Hands. For those of you keeping score, this is chapter 3! No particular warnings although there is some suggestive text. No pixelated nudity though. I know you're disappointed...

OK so it isn't THAT large, but too big not to put behind a cut.

Grab and Go

2009-04-01T04:40:51Z

Popping in quickly because I sat in the freezing cold wind (I swear it was hot when I left work today) watching my son play baseball and now I feel like I am getting a cold. That said, there is an update to Sessions called Helpless. Another joint effort. Musical accompaniment is a Neil Young song performed by kd lang also titled Helpless. IE users will hear it when the page loads. Firefox users can scroll to the playlist and of course if you don't like music when you read, you can turn the sound off.

Link to the chapter is here -> Sessions - Helpless