Date Posted: 7th Oct 2014 at 6:18 AM

Putting this here since it's quiet and out of the way, lol. I'm going to be taking a hiatus from TS2, both playing it and creating for it. Playing still appeals to me but making new stuff for it has absolutely no appeal for me anymore. I'd like to blame that on TS4 but I can't since it's something I'd been feeling for a long time.

So- if there is anyone who reads this and there is something I'd been helping you with or offered to help with- I'm very sorry, but I'm going to have to bow out. (There are a couple of people I can think of- one wanted me to look at a lamp, another has been waiting for some slots.. I'm so sorry you two. Please forgive me for dropping out like this.)

If there is anyone who just wants to ask a question about how to do something? You can still feel free to ask me. There may not be a lot of people who do that but there are a few.. Making things might sound "meh" to me right now but sharing what I know is something I'll always be willing to do! Hopefully I won't forget what I know, lol.

*TS4. Hmmmmm. I made a few things for it and wouldn't mind doing it again. But hair and clothing really isn't my thing. At the very least I'd like to do some object recolors.. omg, the curtain choices? Yuck! Same with some of the furniture. But there's really going to have to be a way to have subsets like in TS2 for me to be really happy with doing recolors.

All in all, I just want to play. No worrying about making new stuff. No thinking to myself that it's been a while since I made something to share. (Rarely do I make anything just for me.) I just want to be another simmer. And maybe, just maybe, after I do that for awhile the urge to make pretty new things will return with a vengeance! If not? At least I'll be able to say that I had a great time sharing the things I've made over the years. And hey! Look- I've even been featured a few times AND won a MOCCA. That is something I'd never dreamed of happening.

I just.. need to be plain old Maria (also MLC, the MTS mod, lol) for a while. <3 and hugs to everyone!

*slight disclaimer on the TS4 creating- there might be a thing or two I share since there have been some ideas floating around in my head. But if it turns out I don't feel like trying them? I can live with that.

Date Posted: 23rd Sep 2014 at 7:34 AM

Note: The following is kind of long. Sorry about that, but if you read it: thank you. It's just something I've been wanting to "put out there" for a while now. This seemed a better place to do it than putting it right on my profile.

That's a saying you may have heard before and it usually has to do with someone breaking up with someone else. No, I'm not breaking up with anyone, lol. I just figured it was a good way to help explain a thing or two about me.
If you've commented on any of my downloads, you've probably noticed that I don't comment back very often. Like I've said, it's not you- it's me. I'm not a very talkative person in real life and that carries over to my internet life. That's not really a bad thing in itself (keeps me from opening my mouth and saying whatever comes to mind.. I tend to think a lot before posting anything) - but there are things in my life that keep me quieter than I usually am. The main thing is pain. I hurt. I've got osteoarthritis in most of my joints and rheumatoid arthritis in my hands. There are days moving is more than I can handle- I've honestly taken 10 minutes to climb the 14 steps (they're small and rather narrow, so I also watch out to make sure I don't fall back down them) to our bathroom because my knees, hips and ankles hurt so much. When I hurt like that I tend to just sit and read. I'll read something, like a nice comment, and smile. Then think I should respond. Then don't- because it takes more effort to move to do it than I'm willing to commit to. Besides the arthritis, I've got medical condition that causes pain when it's flared up. And, OH! Let's not forget my feet (restless leg syndrome that spread to my feet and arms like it can), although those are much better than they were. Even now, typing this, it hurts my shoulder to reach for the mouse and my wrists and fingers are achy as hell..

So, really, it's not you- it's me. Believe me when I say that I appreciate every single comment left and every single download. My silence doesn't mean that I don't. My silence doesn't mean that I'm rude, snobby.. or anything like that. My silence means nothing more than "Maybe if I sit still and don't move, I won't hurt as much". There have been days that reading a nice comment or post has brightened up my day. So please don't stop on account of my silence.

P.S. Before anyone mentions pain meds.. yeah, I know and have what I need. I fight with myself all the time about taking any kind of meds because I don't like how most of them make me feel. So when it comes to pain, I usually hold off until the pain makes me nauseous. Then I do give in. Of course, then I'm usually not much good for anything but at least I don't hurt as much. I'm big on heat and massage, which does help a lot. It's mainly the change in seasons that makes things so bad. Once the weather evens out.. like NOT 90 during the day and 30 at night, lol.. things usually ease up. Unless it's going to rain, then all bets are off. Ah well. I've dealt with the arthritis since I was 7 and the other condition since I was 16. I've managed all these years and will manage for all the rest of my years. And I DO make myself get up and move around, pain or not. In fact, I credit my feet getting better with the walks I started making myself take every night- it was slow going at first, now I can walk down the street and look fairly normal.. instead of looking like someone who had a wee bit too much to drink.