It's a Sim Life

Sometimes I ponder to myself...


"Why Can't someone  just make all of my decisions for me? Why do I have to think about these things?". This level of rudimentary thinking makes me also reflect on my days... (and by days I mean months and months) of playing Sims. I hope that I do not have to explain what this game is, it was essential to any twenty-first century teens upbringing. (that and roller coaster tycoon that is..). For a while, the Sims were my life. They were my friends, they were my family. I was them (needless to say, that is why I did not have many friends outside of the Sims....)..kidding!


However, the Sim's have some amazing takeaway life lessons, both good and bad. The game encompasses many interesting and imposing outlooks on ways to look at life, that I discuss in the following points. 

Sim unrealistic lesson 1: Making decisions based on multiple choice answers.
If we all had our decisions laid out for us, like Johnny does here approaching the door, perhaps we would make decisions in very different ways. Sometimes, this is a good approach to take for life... if you can narrow it down (similar to a pro con list). Sometimes, it will cause too much stress or anxiety to come up with just a simple list... sometimes there is no simple list. And for that, the Sims methodology of thinking may not be best. I think it is very situational. Anything involving emotions should probably be looked at outside of a computer screen, otherwise, Sim thinking may be best. 
Conclusion: Useful in some situations, but a good strategy to use.

Sim unrealistic lesson 2: Relationships that are 100% honest.
Now that is not to say that when Johnny knocks on that door, he may or may not find his wife Cindy hooking up with his best friend Bobby. I don't mean that kind of honest. But honest in that the computer game offers Sim ratings, or levels, depending on how strong your relationship is with someone. If this were real life, then there would be no second guessing, there would be no hope, there would be no butterflies in your stomach. Everything is expected. 
Conclusion: This rating would not be useful, ever.

Sim unrealistic lesson 3: PlumbBob's to express emotions.
 
 The plumbBob is defined as (sim's wiki): used to identify the character selected and to which the player can give commands. It is also used to show the mood of playable Sims. 
And is used by (sim's wiki):  If the Sim is in a very good mood, the PlumbBob will be a bright, deep green. As the Sim's mood gets lower, the green will become paler until it becomes a sort of neutral color. A Sim in a bad mood will have a red PlumbBob, and the red will get brighter and deeper as the Sim's mood gets worse. 

So basically, the plumBob could tell people to stay away from you if your red, (or if they are a good friend to come help your day get better), or to come celebrate with you if you are green. This could be realllllllly useful. Good mood's and bad mood's are easily pportrayed, but still eencourages other's to find out more, to act as a friend, or to be cognizant of how others are.

Conclusion: Definitely a major plus.



Sim Unrealistic lesson 4:  Having your emotions laid out for you, literally.







 
 This is something that I often use when making decisions (more in the next post). It is very simple..just think in your mind... will this decision... (ie, going out for a drink, staying home and reading, working out... ) will it increase your SIM levels to be in a happy, healthy range? Will it put you where you want to be? Simply put, make all your decisions based on your own categories (Whether it be your kids, your animals, your job). Just make sure that your choices will reflect positively in whichever area you are working on improving.

And if that's too difficult, just look at it broadly. Will this decision, will this outcome, make me happier? Will it increase my SIM happiness level?  

User discretion:  YES, I know, this could be taken the wrong way. For example, if you are on a diet, or married, or whatever it is, and cheat (by eating a HUGE cupcake, or going home with a hunk at a bar), you need to think of your core, not your immediate pleasure center (not your dopamine response). Yes, it may make you happier, right now.. yes it may make you feel a sense or rebellion, or freedom. Okay. But will this last, will this be eternal? Perhaps if you are thinking about cheating on your spouse, then that's your decision right there... you shouldn't be in a relationship. So this mindset truly can apply to any and all situations, if you just look at your core , your honesty, and your intentions.


 Conclusion: This should be utililized in every body's life. This is essential. This will make your decisions come naturally.



While living in a world of Sims may be easier... ie... you never have to second guess if someone likes you, everyone has your hunger, hygeine, energy, social happiness levels in your best interest... and if you know the rosebud cheats, then you are loaded and have mega mansions (just sayin... that's how I played). But then the fun of the game wears out. 

And I think the fun of having someone control your e v e r y  m o v e would as well. 

With that, we can continue to fantasize, and perhaps truly learn that there are a few important life lessons from a childhood past time, a novice computer game, a taste of an unbecoming, yet insightful reality.

Paradoxal Easter

Easter is a time, where I look forward to the Easter egg hunt in my backyard, and the basket of random goodies, and cute outfits that the Easter bunny, so choosingly picks out for me. However, this year, I was staying at Greg's, so the Easter bunny had to postpone any such plans (he wouldn't know where to find me in Norfolk.

While staying at Greg's, his family said they were going to mass with his grandmother. After dating him 4 years, they have never been to mass. So I figured this would be a good opportunity to score some brownie points and get a Catholic experience, and to start off Easter in a righteous, and religious manner.

I texted my family, telling them I would be late for celebrations due to the mass. The responses that I got were straight from the heart, and came from life experiences of others in a Catholic ceremony. It truly meant a lot that my family was so concerned about my decision to attend this mass and offered such profound advice:

My mom replied saying, "Just know that when they go up to get communion you have to stay seated. you might feel weird sitting there while everyone else goes up.. but its no big deal.  especially on Easter  there are probably a lot of other heathens visiting too. just dont text during the service even if it is a text from jesus. who knows, you might like the formality and pageantry of a catholic church. at least they believe in something . plus.. the easter hymns are usually really upbeat and celebratory. and the little kids look soooo cute all dressed up. "

I then ask her what religion we are, since greg's grandmother asked, and I of course, had not the slightest idea. she replies, " rastafarian. No you were baptized protestant congregationalist". When i texted her it was over she said, "have you found the way of god?". Her comments were all in sincerest sacrcasm, since she understands my views on religion, and also in making light of the situation.

My cousins reply was: "dad  (my uncle) requests that you pray for us! its an up down up down ceremony. wear comfy shoes. dad requests that you count how many times you stand and sit... and according to him the waifer tastes like shit. lovely"!

I am glad that my family supports my potential of switching to catholicsm. After my experience I do not feel more or less enlightened, perhaps culturally enriched, and also the feeling that I really didn't miss out on THAT much by not going to CCD.

It seemed like CCD was such a large part of growing up, everyone knew everyone from there- they met new people- you were COOL if you went to CCD. That's where so many people got their first boyfriends. I have a vivid memory of sitting on the bus with my best neighborhood friend, and she was in tears because she had her first confession, and we were trying to figure out what she had done wrong, and needed to confess (stealing Bobby's jellybeans, or wearing her school clothes to play outside). Anyways, I always envied the Catholics. I always wondered... what goes on there? The whole concept seemed so obscure, mysterious, fun and new.

Well, going with gregs family, they stood and sat about 9 times, some of them for like 9 or 10 minutes. Thankfully i wore my comfy shoes. Thankfully, my Uncle warned me about all of this. The service wasn't all that different from what I expected. They mentioned jesus about 93209384 times more than my church, and didn't necessarily sing as harmoniously as my experiences. However, it is safe to say that with the respect of my family, as well as their sincerest advice, I (happily) survived my first Catholic experience.

But don't expect me to be going to my first confession any time soon!