Picspam and ramblings

[katrisims]

Yes, I'm still alive. It's been over a month, whoops. There are kind of several reasons.


One is that real life has been sort of acting up. Work has been pretty rough lately, or really, this whole winter has been... bad. There's a lot going on in my head regarding this, but maybe it's best not to try to explain the details, at this point anyway. Suffice it to say that that my job has beaten the stuffing out of me this winter, and I've been tired, mostly mentally. Lately I've been better, since the worst deadline season is over and I can breathe just about normally now.

Another reason is that I was in avoidance mode for a while. The Mendozas were next in rotation, and I knew that I'd be losing Joy this rotation, so I put off that moment for a longish while. But it was inevitable, and although sad, I managed. After that I've been more into playing than I was, so there's been rotation progress.

The third reason is actually that I've simply been quietly playing, and actually writing a little bit too. I'm apparently at 94 slides written at this point. It's sort of funny: even though I downplayed plot in order to move along with the legacy with less pressure, and yet I find that writing observational stuff is not that easy. I still don't want to abandon the style I've been using now and go back to the early days ways, although that might be easier. Also, I'm pretty lazy when it comes to writing. Oh well, we're moving along, although at a snail's pace.

So such has been going on. Now I guess you might like to see the picspam I promised in the title? Well, there's picspam on my Tumblr. Entry by entry:

Mendoza 1 2
Mendoza/GilsCarbo 1
Hamilton 1 2
Thayer/Fuchs 1

And that concludes the summer rotation; the next house to play in Alphabetia is the main house again. Hooray! Though I think I'll play the apocalypse a bit before I go there. The teen crew post is now up to date as well, we've got 15 teens in total after this rotation. Generation D currently consists of 32 sims: 21 boys and 11 girls, while gen C has four new members, two boys and two girls. So, more teenings next rotation, and for a while still. :)

So that's what's been up with me. I'm still here, still playing, still writing, albeit slowly. If all continues to go well, you may get an actual update at some point.

Comments

[mzyra.livejournal.com]

Doing the writing is weird. Observational is hard, and plot is hard. Actually, I find the staging the easiest part of my stories nowadays. Well, except for just playing without thinking, but then I have to find a way to narrate the pictures from it... >.<

And do you get Seasonal Affective Disorder or whatever that's called? I imagine it must be even worse of a problem further North as you are. Still kind of waiting for spring to arrive over here, it's staying pretty cold. But then as soon as it gets to spring I'll be dying of hayfever -.-'

Regardless: *HUGS* <3

[katrisims.livejournal.com]

I hear you, writing is hard. *nodnod* Sometimes it feels like the observational type is even harder than plotty writing: if I have an idea of what I need to have happen, and see my staged pictures, the words often come pretty naturally. But finding a way to narrate pictures from simple gameplay... *That* is way difficult. Of course, that's only until I get to the next plotty bit and start cursing about how hard it is. :P

That's a good question, I don't actually know. I don't think I have it to the point of actual depression or anything that severe, but the cold and the dark definitely don't help, either. At the moment the worst of that is gladly over, as it's light when I wake up and light when I get home from work; not the case in mid-winter. This winter I got one of those wake-up lights, that seems to have made the waking up a bit more pleasant in the worst time. I'm so looking forward to actual spring when it stops being freezing out. *glares at ice and snow outside, points at calendar* Of course, then there's the pollen to deal with...

*HUGS back*

[leaths.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear you've been feeling cruddy. I hope things pick up soon and the weather gets better--that always helps.

I saw on tumblr that Joy had died during the last rotation and I meant to say something, but forgot. I'll miss her.

I find writing observation style to be more difficult too. I started off wanting to write my OWBC that way, but the words just wouldn't come unless I switched to something more like prose. Just take your time and figure out what works best. Maybe you'll find a nice middle-ground that you like.

Hope you feel better. *hugs*

[katrisims.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I've already started feeling a bit better, thankfully, since work has loosened its grip on me. And it's true, when spring really comes, that helps. *nods* At the moment I'm so glad it's no longer dark all the time!

I'll miss her too; she was a nice sim and a nice character. Poor Aadam. (He doesn't have long left, either.)

Yeah, observational writing is hard, surprisingly so. I'm wondering if the more relaxed observational style I used way back would be easier, but I wouldn't want to jump back and forth in style, so I'm trying to stick to my more recent prose style for now at least. With that style, it seems so difficult sometimes to decide whether there's anything interesting to say about a picture, or whether the picture is too silly for the overall story, and all that. But all in all, I guess it just is a bit difficult and slow sometimes, whatever style I use. Oh well.

Thank you, Lea! *hugs back*

[esmeiolanthe.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry things haven't been so great lately. I'm glad that they seem to be easing up a bit. The weather certainly doesn't help! (And aren't those wakeup clocks great? :) )

Something I do that helps with writing (since I write observational stuff) is to write up each play session pretty well immediately after playing -- or no more than a day or two after, anyhow. Then I remember why I took that picture in the first place! And I wouldn't worry about "too silly." Comic relief is always a good thing, and provides greater contrast for drama.

Good to see you back! :D

[katrisims.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Esme! Thankfully, it has been easing up lately, so I feel that much better now. I hope it gets more spring-like soon, that should also help some. (Yeah, I've been happy with mine, the waking up is clearly gentler that way. :) )

That's definitely a smart strategy, especially with fully observational writing. *nods* I tend to fall behind a bit too much, maybe I should be more disciplined. I agree, a bit of comedy would be nice, especially now that I'm going less plot-centric. I currently find it a little incompatible with my fairly serious overall style, but at the same time, I wouldn't want to become boring. Well, I'll have to see if I could find some middle ground somehow.

Good to see you too! :)