A Life Worth
Living
Generation One – Chapter Three
“Can’t We Be Friends?”

The army of evil snowmen greet you for this update, though I
think the one on the right didn’t get the memo on positions…

And here we have the creator of the snowmen.
Dahlia: “Mooom! Get out of there and look at my A+!”
Iris: “Just a minute, dear.”
Dahlia: “HURRY UP!”

Leod: “Nicely done Melvin, you’re potty trained just like Daddy!”
Melvin: “…where Mama?”
Leod: “Hey…I don’t remember teaching you words.”

So Melvin set out to look for Iris. Our matriarch was so preoccupied
with arranging flowers in the frozen tundra, she did not realize her
son might not be so comfortable crawling through the frozen tundra.

So she decided to teach him how to walk.
Iris: “I feel like there’s something preventing him from moving,
but what?”

Melvin had enough of walking and decided he needed a nice bite
of snow. At least he’s staying hydrated.

Iris: “Hmm, Leod looks awfully friendly with that woman, do you think
he could be-”
Please, you two may have a single bolt but the sparks haven’t gone out.
Besides, I don’t even remember the name of this woman, so she probably
didn’t show up again.

Dahlia: “I noticed Daddy was talking to her, too. That’s
unacceptable, the only girls he’s allowed to talk to are me and
Mom, in that order.”

Dahlia: “Also, I need him to get promoted so he can get me a puppy
and a car.”
Yep, she still wants the car that she’s been craving since toddlerhood.

The evil snowman army began to disintegrate, and Dahlia went
to work creating new minions right away.

However, she lost track of both time and temperature.
Dahlia: “You call this c-cold? Heh, this isn’t anything I can’t handle.”

*THUD*
She was saved by the hairdryer eventually. I would assume so, since
we didn’t get a social worker visit.

This would one of Dahlia’s friends, Logan. Who didn’t like the look of Dahlia’s
collection.
Penguin: “Every day I see one of you melted. It’s the education system man, I’m
telling you. If these kids didn’t build you when it’s almost spring…”

Logan: “Haha, I bet Dahlia’s gonna cry when she sees this!”
Doubt it, the only time I’ve ever seen her really cry was during infancy.

“Oh HELL NO, he did NOT just do that in front of me!”
Sorry Penguin, you were witness to a very casual snowman murder.

Melvin: “Oh hey, I’m a kid now, yay!”
Your shirt says otherwise.

After Iris took Melvin clothes shopping, they found Leod in a
precarious state. Could he be dead?
Iris: “Hello sweetie, enjoying the snow? I saw our daughter in a
similar position this morning!

Melvin set out to change the household dynamics by making a
snowman of his own, a good one.
Dahlia: “Not on my watch he won’t!”

Melvin: “OW, that hurts Dahlia!”
Dahlia: “Oh did it now? Of course it did, that’s what the Torment
interaction is for. Anyway, you better not make any more good snowmen,
they totally mess cramp the style of my evil ones.”
Melvin: “But…they’re evil!”

You’d think Dahlia went to destroy Melvin’s snowman, but she
actually decided to destroy her own.
Dahlia: “Just goes to show you anyone’s expendable. Plus I can just
make a new one.”

Melvin: “Oh my gosh Dahlia, how could you eat THAT?”
Dahlia: “Hah, I know you can’t bake anything better, you and I
have the same amount of cooking skill.”

Iris: “Well winter’s almost over, I suppose now is a good time as any
to start planting the garden.”
Yes, we have points to think about. Also, she needs that gold badge.

With the family living slightly above the poverty line, there isn’t much to
do for fun. So Dahlia figured she’d play around with the fridge.

And once she had enough of the fridge, there was always puddle
jumping with her father.

I can FEEL the excitement radiating from you, Melvin.
Melvin: “Eh, it was just jump roping.”

Dahlia: “Hm, what should I wish for? More attention? Yeah that
can’t hurt. Oh, and a car.”

Melvin: “WOO, let’s go Dahlia!”
Dahlia: “I feel funny.”
That might be your pupils.

Dahlia: “Awesome, I turned out hot. But this floral dress has to
go.”
Parents: “It’s snowing???”

Dahlia: “Cool, now I look like I didn’t grow up on a prairie. Now I can make even
more people like me…not that I had any trouble making them to begin with.”
She’s Popularity to the core, and wants to become the Law. She will get the entire sim
verse to do what she says, at all cost. Fine by me, as long as she tops Business first.

Iris: “You’ve become such a lovely young lady, Dahlia. I’ll be
proud to watch you take over the family.”

Dahlia: “Thanks Mom. But just FYI, once I’m in charge I’m
getting rid of all those flowers and plants.”
Iris: “…where did I go wrong?”

We’ve made some discernable progress in this generation’s goals. So Iris can now
converse with the plants, but it’s really not needed since she already goes a good job of
maintaining the garden.

Dahlia: “Look, if all I can do is play in the tub I might just lose it! I need a handheld
game, or a cell phone. How can a popularity sim not have a cell phone?”
You’ll have to do without for a bit, because none of the Riverblossom community lots
have an electronics vending machine and I haven’t created Downtown yet.

Leod: “You got top marks son? You’re doing the Ashbrook household
proud, now if you will excuse me I must resume my self portrait.”
Melvin: “Aw, okay then.”
He’s not as desperate for attention like his sister.

Leod really wanted to go into the Business career, but never got around to
finding the job in the paper so he’s just been sticking with law
enforcement. And that job paid the bills, until he got this chance card.

Which reduced the family’s cash to zero. And considering Iris still needs to slave at
the flower bench until she gets the gold arranging badge, that’s a problem.
But it’s okay, we just sold several of the countless roses and mixed flower bouquets in
her inventory, now she has enough funds to slave away some more.

When Dahlia talked about how she hated the garden, she didn’t
exaggerate. This is the face she made when I directed her to tend to
the plants.
Dahlia: “But…it’s got WEEDS!”

No Leod, there is really no need to check the mail right now. We’re
only a breath away from going broke, again.
Leod: “It’s alright, I’m due for a promotion any day now, and then
we can pay the bills. Just as soon as I get that one body point.”

Dahlia: “Hey there, how would you like to be my aspiration
fodder?”
Random blond walkby: “Oh yes, please.”

Walkby: “So, about that first kiss?”
Dahlia: “Oh no, I have completely negative chemistry towards
you. You can however pay me compliments and I’ll accept.”

Meanwhile, this was the biggest problem in Melvin’s life.
Melvin: “Gosh, no matter what I do it keeps coming out as burnt!”
From where I’m looking, the muffin isn’t completely charred. So his
skill must be improving.

The gypsy tries to offer a quickie solution for our money problems,
but that is simply too cheaty. So I sold the lamp for 1,000 simoleons.

The garden is doing well, and they are all different even though
you really can’t tell. Also, I’m not sure if the fruit trees count as
“plants” for the challenge. If they do, I’ll plop them down at
some point, but I think they might not.

Like most popularity sims, Dahlia never fails in bringing someone
home from school. Including this exchange student from Takemizu.

While Dahlia at first complained at having to play chess, she quickly
learned she can kill two birds with one stone: befriend someone and
cheat against them! Seriously, she cheated against this girl like ten
times and didn’t get caught once.

“I never hear from you anymore,” my guy, you just met her
yesterday! Sims.

Nice, Iris has maxed Arts and Crafts enthusiasm. But she’s still at silver.
At least now her needs won’t decline as much while she works.

Oh, looks like it only took a night to reach that final milestone!

Here’s a picture of all the possible flower arrangements, lovely
things. I kept one of each and sold the rest.

That provided enough money to slightly expand the house. So
now the family has an indoor bath tub and a Don’t Wake the
Llama board game to amuse themselves.

Iris: “Hm, Dahlia must really like that girl. That’s the second day in
a row she’s come home!”
Actually, that’s a different girl in a kimono. Who also happens to
have the same hairstyle. It’s not confusing at all.

Melvin: “Hello, Solveig? Yes, I know we just become friends yesterday
and you were just asking if our friendship is a burden, but do you wanna
come over?”
The kids are definitely popular. I wonder if Melvin will end up like
Dahlia aspiration-wise.

Dahlia: “It only takes one cooking point to make bass and
squash? Didn’t even break a sweat.”
I was pretty shocked there wasn’t a fire, honestly.

I haven’t shown many scenes of just Leod and Iris this chapter,
but rest assured they are still very loving with each other. I can
hardly believe they’re one-bolters.

Leod: “Dahlia hon, you’ve been in there for twenty minutes. Your dad’s
gotta go!”
Dahlia: “Oh you can hold it in, Daddy. I need to finish my bubble bath,
nice and slowly.”

Melvin: “Agh, what’s in that pillow Solveig? I think it made my eye sockets fall out!”
Solveig: “Hahaha, isn’t this fun? I’m so glad we’re friends Melvin!”
She looks exactly like Marsha Bruenig, the stalker child from Pleasantview. It would
explain the neediness over the phone. But Melvin liked her, even though she seemed a
little weird.

“Hey you know what I could really go for? A nice can of beer.”
Dahlia: “That’s your best conversation opener? I’m better off talking to Mr Rubix
Cube over there, but I’m getting double plus signs so keep talking.”
Great, another blond guy with the exact same hairstyle. I can barely remember the
names of one of them.

“I wish it were still winter, I miss seeing the snow fall.
Melvin: “Who are you again mister?”
Oh just some guy who came along with one of the blond guys when
Dahlia invited him over.

Dahlia: “Alright Daniel, I’m not completely repulsed by you. Are you in
Business by any chance?”
Daniel: “Depends on what kind of business you mean…”
Dahlia. “Interesting. Tell me more.”

I can assure you, all these sims were gathered here for a reason. Poor
blond guy with the blue tank top, thinking he has a chance with Dahlia.

Melvin: “I wish…oh I don’t care that much. As long as I’m happy.”
I wonder what’s making Iris look so nervous…

Looks like the spitting image of his dad! Then again, both of the kids don’t have a single trace
of Iris in them.
Melvin: “Well since my dad chose the path of money, so will I! And I know just what I need,
five top businesses.”
Feel free to want it, as that’s all you’re going to get with that LTW. For the record, his turn
ons are are blondes who stink, but he hates good cooks. He’s a cultured one, for sure.

Solveig: “Hey wait, I was about to go home!”
Yes, and you’re still trying to. But it’s your lucky day!

It seems like every time you age up one of the townie kids, they
always say how much they hated their childhoods. Makes sense,
since they don’t have homes. Can you please rearrange your head
Solveig? That pose is creepy.

Dahlia: “Hey Melvin, congrats on turning 13. I’ve been waiting to do this for years.”
Melvin: “Cut it out! Feels like I’m a toddler again.”
He still has negative relationship points towards her, from those times she bullied
him. But Dahlia doesn’t even dislike him anymore, she’s pretty neutral towards him.

Oh right, it was someone else’s birthday today too. That color just
doesn’t suit him. I think we’ll leave things off here, next chapter will
be the last of the first generation, as we finish out Dahlia’s teen
years.

Points tracker
• Get a gold gardening (or flower arranging) skill badge if you have
the required EPs. +1
• Have a garden containing each type of plant/Make every type of
flower arrangement. +1 (assuming trees don’t count)
• Get married, no premarital woohoo. +1
• Have a boy & a girl +1
• Optional objective - Marry a sim whose predestined hobby is
nature, or marry a gardener. +2