I Murdered Chester Gieke

I shudder at the thought of law enforcement ever impounding my computer. What a field day they’d have with my search history. Of course, they’d have fun, too, reading posts on the Forum as we simmers casually discuss the most efficient ways of getting rid of our sims or the cruelties to which we’ve subjected our darlings.

In my own defense, I’ve never been one to deliberately kill off any of my sims. I think I’ve only done that once — way back in the original game — and only under very extenuating circumstances. Yes, I felt awful afterward.

The deaths in my game have always been natural or accidental. But then, there’s the story of Chester Gieke and his untimely demise. It was murder.

Let me tell you the sad story of Chester Gieke.

Chester was a “pre-made” in Sims 2. I didn’t normally play pre-made sims, but at the time I put him into my game, I was needing a “house-sitter.” A kind elder lady, Lucille Menne, had been elected governor and I was preparing to move her into the governor’s mansion. I didn’t want to lose her lovely house and all its furnishings, though, so I grabbed Chester Gieke from the “sim bin” and let him live in the house until Miss Menne’s term as governor ended. I had no intentions of ever playing Chester.

But then one day as I was playing a young university student, Chester came strolling down the street. This girl was definitely looking for love, and when Chester stopped to chat, they quickly realized they were a perfect pair. They had so much in common. Their taste in music, their favorite foods, their aspirations for the future…oh,  yes, Chester and nerdy Clarissa were meant for each other. They fell in love, got engaged, and planned to marry as soon as she graduated.

But then one day she tried to call Chester.

He was gone.

What? Where was he? I spent at least an hour — if not more — desperately searching for Chester. He was no longer living in Miss Menne’s house. She’d lost the most recent election and had returned home. Chester was supposed to be living back in the “sim bin” — the Sims 2 version of “household management.”

The bin was quite confusing, at least for players like me who had several different neighborhoods in the game. It was possible to remove a sim from the bin in one neighborhood, yet find the sim still “in the bin” in other neighborhoods. Soon after Miss Menne returned home, I went on a bin-cleaning binge and somehow in the process, I killed Chester Gieke. I didn’t mean to do it. Really, I didn’t.

I tried searching for another copy of Chester in another neighborhood bin. Alas, he was nowhere to be found. His girlfriend was devastated. They’d been so happy together. They were about to get married and begin their future. How could fate be so unkind?

Of course, it made for a terrific story, and to this day, no one in Bloomington — the neighborhood in which they lived — knows who killed Chester Gieke. His death remains one of those unsolved mysteries that haunts detectives to this day.

So, perhaps the time has come for me to stand up and make my confession. Yes, I murdered Chester Gieke, and I can no longer live with the guilt. I’m sorry, Clarissa. I didn’t mean to do it. Please, forgive me. May the Sim-gods have mercy on my soul.

 

The Sims and Art

Many of you follow not only this blog but my art blog — Artistcoveries — as well. It’s a visual look at my journey as I explore art and learn to draw and paint. It’s been an interesting journey.

While growing up, I always yearned to be an artist. But, alas, I couldn’t draw, so I gave up that idea, not realizing — as I know now — that drawing and painting are learnable skills. If you want to learn to draw or paint, you can. I didn’t know that until about a year ago, though.

So one way of satisfying my artistic urges was with The Sims. I envied them for their talents. Any sim could pick up a paintbrush and soon turn out beautiful works of art.

 

During the course of the original game, I had several sims who were accomplished painters, but it wasn’t until Sims 2 that my artists truly blossomed.

That was when I discovered I could add my own graphics files for my sims to use as “inspiration” on their canvases. Oh, did I add a lot! I had my sims painting floral displays, abstract art, gorgeous landscapes, and exotic animals. I had artists who specialized in ballerinas — Edgar Degas, anybody? — and some who painted only birds.

I had art professors, annual art exhibitions, and one crazy artist who rivaled Jackson Pollack for nasty temperament. I loved the game mechanics — how masterpieces could increase in value after the death of an artist. Most of all, I loved dreaming about how incredible it would be to actually do a little painting.

Now, I am happily painting watercolors, and I’m planning to learn acrylics and oil painting. I’m not good at it yet, but it is very enjoyable. In my Sims 4 game, of course, I have many artists. I have easels in the park, in the library, and at most of the cafes. I love sharing my passion for art even in the game.

As art is taking over more and more of my life and time, it’s only natural that my interests in The Sims and art would converge. So I did a bit of browsing this morning and discovered many ways in which art has been an important part of the game we love.

In addition to being a skill in all games in the series, art lovers can indulge their passion through their sims in many other ways.

Sims 2

Sims who attended University could pursue an art major and embark upon an art career. When the addition of Free Time, sims could also choose arts and crafts as a hobby.

Sims 3

Skills in the game included not only painting but also street art. As in Sims 2, University students could major in Fine Arts, and prepare for a career as an art appraiser. Sims could also possess the artistic trait.

Sims 4

In the current version of the game, we still have the painting skill, as well as art lover and creative traits. Sims can choose to pursue a career as an artist, or follow an aspiration to become a Painter Extraordinaire. Children, too, can aspire toward the creative arts as Artistic Prodigies, earning the creatively gifted attribute.

I hope your sims are taking advantage of the opportunities they have to pursue the arts, and I hope art is a part of your real life experience, as well.

If you have a moment, please drop by Artistcoveries and share my personal art journey with me.