Today is my second blogaversary! It’s also my seventh anniversary at the EA Sims Forums. I hadn’t planned on taking any special note of these occasions this year, but when I received notification from WordPress and the Forums, I felt gratitude. Here’s an opportunity to reflect and share thanks.
Then, when I logged in to write this post, I discovered that my Sims had something planned for me, a 2nd Blogaversary Q & A! So here are their questions and my answers. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being a part of the SimLit community! And congratulations to all the SimLit bloggers who celebrate September blogaversaries!
Q & A with the Sims from this Anthology
Sugar Maple: So, CT, another year of blogging! When you look back on this past year, what gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment?
CT: Without doubt, Sugar, it’s the completion of Goofy Love. I guess that everyone who’s finished a ten gen Pinstar legacy feels that way. And I feel so grateful for all the reader involvement. Remember that great party we had in January? That was so fun!
Sugar Maple: It sure was! That’s when Ren came over to our hard drive!
Honey Walker: What’s one reading experience this past year that’s either been really enjoyable or really inspiring?
CT: Oh, goodness. Too many to name! Can I skip this question? I find it incredibly inspiring to read stories as they finish: CitizenErased’s Dust to DustDust to Dust, Jes2G’s Pruetts, ra3rei’s Pigglewiggles, aroseinbloom’s Skinners–all of those were finished this past year. I’m also really inspired by the stories by members of the reading circles I belong to.
Elder: Miss me?
CT: Wow. More than I realized.
Cypress: Suppose you could give a Sim advice on how to live this digital life to the full potential. What advice would you give?
CT: I suppose I would say to embrace your traits. Don’t try to change yourself–and certainly don’t let your traits define you–but accept who you are and realize that these traits are what will let you move through your world in all its complexity. And if you could give me and other people advice on how to live our lives to full potential, what advice would you give?
Cypress: Same!
Jaclyn: Are you ever going to bring us back?
CT: Yes! You’re on hiatus, not done for good! I’m not really sure where I’m going with your story, but then I never have been. You’ll help out, won’t you?
Jaclyn: Sure! Leave it to us! We’ll surprise you.
CT: You always do!
Kimber: Mwahahahaha!
CT: Is there a question in there?
Marigold: Now that you’ve re-experienced the glory of TS3, with imaginary friends, supernaturals, PETS! Yes! Doggies! and open worlds, do you think you’ll ever go back to TS4 again?
CT: I am having such a blast playing TS3, and you’re an amazing Sim, Marigold. I’m also really captivated by your story, too. It’s got my imagination! But yeah, I do think I’ll be heading back to TS4–not abandoning you, of course, but not abandoning my TS4 Sims and stories, either.
onezero: How do you achieve… balance?
CT: Balance is a verb, right, onez? So, sometimes it can mean moving from one extreme to another, and sometimes it can mean finding a place of relative stillness in the center. I have a feeling I’ve been moving from extremes during my first two years of blogging. Now I’m ready to settle more in the center. So, for me, that means not to get lost within the world of blogging and within my Sim games. This year, my job requires focus, attention, collaboration, and creativity to a greater degree than usual–so I won’t have the luxury of spending my days doing detail-oriented tasks while daydreaming about Sims and Sim stories. But I find that I love that! It means that I will come to you and your stories fresh, onez, and then I’ll move back, fresh, into my world on this side of the screen.
A year: we look back, and so much has happened!
Thanks to all of you who have kept writing and started writing this past year. You give so much to readers so generously, and, as an avid reader, I thank you!
Thanks to everyone who’s read one post or all 691 posts on this blog. I appreciate being able to share words, ideas, and stories with you!
I stand at the end of year two, looking out at year three. Is the sun setting or is it rising? Neither. It’s the earth turning. We move into a new season, shifting to the shifts in light. Nothing we’ve done is ever really done. No one we’ve met is ever really gone. Let the earth keep turning and mark the days; each one carries something of yesterday.
Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology 