One of them. One of them.

I couldn't get interested in my DVD collection or indeed a further Buffy marathon. So I decided to pick up my Sims again. When I started the London chapter of the Mage chronicle, I decided to redo my Mage-centric Sims 2 neighbourhood to include some of the new NPCs. And some of the new interactions are ... interesting.

( My Sims Are Stupid. )

I think next time I have a boredom fit, I'm going to design a neighbourhood for the Affiliates. *sigh* I want the expansion pack (Sims 2 University) but a) I don't even know if it's properly out yet and b) I haven't got the specs for it at the minute. You need an obscene amount of HD space to install it (though it doesn't take up that much actual space when you get it on the machine, which I don't get). I know I'm supposed to inherit cholten99's HD when he gets his computer parts, but we've already seen the problems he's had trying to get hold of said computer parts so that's all on hold until he sorts that out or until I decide to just give up and buy one.

Actually, I just need to upgrade the Frankenbox anyway. I'd dearly love a new motherboard, I think there's space enough for another memory stick, the DVD drive needs replacing because it makes that horrible noise and occasionally just won't play discs and, of course, I need an extra HD -- I figure one for music etc and one for my Sims 2 shit. Maybe replace the vid card with something that makes less noise... Yes, I know it's probably easier and possibly cheaper in the long run just to buy a new computer, but that's not the point! First of all, I think I can get a replacement mobo and the spare HD from cholten99 while he's making his upgrades, memory's not all that expensive for what you get and the rest of it can be done in a "when I have the money" sort of way, which you can't do when you just buy a ready-built machine. Anyway, the whole point of the Frankenbox was to teach me how to poke through the machine and make my own replacements and repairs so I wouldn't be relying on house geeks all the time.

...Oh my stars above. I think this clinches it. Not even I can deny that I'm a geek (in the classical, computer-centred sense of the word) anymore. Heeeeeelp.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

I have dinner guests coming tonight, and preparations to make.

Headless-chicken-running will commence in five...

...four...

...three...

...two...

...one...

Go!

Pause for thought

The house looks ... better, at least. This is always and ever a good thing. There's not a whole lot I can do with my room because there's just not enough space to put anything, but what the hell. At least the washing up's all done, the cat box has been cleaned and most of the Yuki-strewn litter has been hoovered up off the floor. (Oh, cholten99 should be aware that one of the attachments has this huge crack down it that makes trying to hoover to any reasonable degree impossible. Arse.)

Now I have to go pick up dinner ingredients and stuff. While I'm out, I really need some decent candle holders. An old bottle of unidentifiable alcohol really doesn't cut it somehow, the benefits of improvisation notwithstanding. After all, this is a bedroom, not an Italian restaurant ... and it has to be a chianti bottle for Italian restaurants anyway. Also an oil burner -- I think I left mine at the old Tooting flat.

Headless-chicken-dash continues ... now.

Relax

Headless-chicken-dash ends.

Went shopping. Went to Marks & Spencers and was just on my way out when a jolly-looking black lady of a certain age says, "I love your boots". That's about the tenth time that some random person off the streets has commented on the DoomBoots. My feet garner attention. Wow. Found my candle holder after much effort and even found a nice candle snuffer. Didn't bother with the oil burner in the end -- I'll go elsewhere for that, I think. Somewhere that's not Enfield.

Note to Self: Tesco on a Saturday afternoon -- NEVER ABLOODYGAIN. Children of all ages running rampant, old people shuffling down the aisles at the approximate speed of arthritic tortoises, housewives nagging their husbands either in person or via mobile phone, the shelves I wanted constantly blocked by people who browse for five minutes and then don't actually get anything from that shelf ... argh. I think the worst of it was the lady who rammed into me with her shopping cart; it hit my basket, which in turn hit my leg. It wasn't just a bump, either, and I think I'm going to bruise. I repeat -- never abloodygain.

But now I'm home and safe and I have everything I need for atomic chili. So now I can just relax and wait for guests to arrive. I like getting the running about stuff over and done with a good long while before guests arrive so I don't look like a complete crackhead getting things ready instead of actually paying attention to said guests. As the guests are good friends rather than guests, I'm sure some people think it's silly to worry, but it's either part of my charm or something people had better learn to put up with. Either way. ^_^