Alas, I sit here on my lunch hour, listening to my freezer meal thaw in the inadequate device we call a microwave here. It can't even pop popcorn. It's pathetic. But, it does heat up my lunches so I guess I can't complain too much. My vacation is over and I'm back to work. *sniffle*

While taking a break, however, I started a sim for the sole purpose of checking out the firefighter profession. I'm gettin' around to making sims with one goal in mind to delve into the aspects of the game more thoroughly. So this guy was made for fighting fires and being all studly. Grrrrrr. Just like my adventure sim, it wasn't long before a girl caught his eye despite his time consuming career. It actually worked out well. They ran off to France (she wanted to go) for the proposal and wedding like most of my sims. I just like it, so there. Um... oh yeah, she stays home so he can run off at all hours saving ignorant sims that play with matches. They just had their first baby. OMG is he CUTE! I really should upload my sims. Fantastic babies! Anyway, the hours for this job are fab and he ran up the ladder like his own butt was on fire. I was at the top of the career in no time. Never have I had such an easy time. He's gotten all sorts of awards, telephone calls thanking him, his own fire engine and alarm for home, and countless other perks. I'm waiting to see if the hidden firefighter trait shows up in his offspring. They'll have lots so I hope at least one gets it. Oh, was that a spoiler? Too bad.

Anyway, the reason I started to go on about this sim is I put him and his gal in my Ayesleigh lot. Good thing too. That fire engine fills up the driveway nicely. I made some minor structural changes so the roof would be better. It gave me a headache making the lot and it still bothers me. So I liked what I did, change some fixtures, colorschemes, exterior colors, and landscaping. Basically I added my own magic touch to the lot. I've said it before and I'll say it again, my first attempt usually follows the floorplans I picked out closely and if there is an exterior photo I'll match that too. Then the good part comes once I get in the game and start living in the lot. I find all these ways to hopefully make it even better. So then I do a more developed version. I haven't done my version of Ayesleigh yet and I think that might be up next. I've played in the lot before but never got inspired to improve it. Must've been my vacation this time. I noticed my creativity level skyrocketed once I got out of the office. Just one more reason to quit. I need to figure out what to do for money first.

I've also come across some plans that have some odd, but neat, features. I thought the open staircase to the basement in the floorplans of my Eleanor lot was unusual. The lot is mediocre otherwise. Just a small house, nicely done, but that one feature intrigued me. Most odd. So maybe some lots will come through that offer some odd features. My problem is time, as always.

I have been reading comments left on my creations. I thank everyone for those. I can't remember who I've responded to and who I haven't so I'll just have to give a lump sum of gratitude for now. It's so embarrassing.

I better go. Got work to do ya know.