On Playing Simulated Games:

I have been using spare moments to play my Sims 2 computer game. I like this game on many levels. But I have to say I like building the houses the most.

I select a empty lot size, contour the terrain, and move into the house building tools.

My foundation goes up then the walls. Stairs, doors, windows need to be chosen. Wall coverings inside and out. Carpets and floors. Furniture, lighting and pictures for the walls. Throw rugs, beds, dressers and desks. Appliances, tables and chairs, bathrooms and porches to fill. Games, exercise equipment, hobbies and bookcases, house plants and knick knacks galore.

I move out of doors and work on the land. Walkways or foot paths, green lawns or browning. Concrete around the in ground pool, or should I just put in a pond. Flower beds, bushes, trees in the yard or maybe a green house or garden patch. A gazebo, a basket ball hoop or soccer goal for the family to come.

Most of my houses are Victorian in style. Some are modern or just odd. I’ve built castles and cottages, houses I’ve lived in and houses I wished I had owned. I try to make them all functional for the simulated people to come.

I spent a lot of time during my cancer treatment playing this game and it helped me feel normal again. Mostly because the Sims in the game can be so weird at times.

I like making people happy and once I learned a few tricks of the trade I can keep my Sims happy most of the time. So if you wondered how I kept sane while being stuck at home for most of the summer? It was having a simulated place to go for a while and old simulated friends to visit. It’s not the same but better then crying in my tea cup about something I can do little about. I may not play it again for weeks on end but when I do it’s always fun for me.

But today I woke up sick. The mouse is gone from the house. I think I'll Sims 2 until I feel better again.