With having chronic pain and being unemployed, I spend a lot of time indoors, wondering what to do with myself. Television has never been a big interest of mine, so I don’t have that outlet like many others do. Over the years I’ve gone through many time-wasting phases, mostly involving computer games.
The biggest time wasters in the past have been Age Of Empires (I was addicted for years), Spore and the Thief series. I’ve tried other hobbies, and I do have other interests – knitting, reading, writing, poker, music – but my attentions will always be drawn to gaming.
Over the past few months, I’ve been playing The Sims 3 incessantly, and building houses. It’s my favourite waste of time. I’ve been working on this house for a couple of night now:
A psychologist would have a lot to say about my obsession.
Related articles
- Procrastination: A Writer’s Greatest Enemy (girlsheartbooks.com)
- How do you procrastinate? (conniecavanaugh.wordpress.com)
- When I Have More Time and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves (doingthewritething.wordpress.com)
- In Defense of Procrastination (community.tradeking.com)
- Claiming my title of Master Procrastinator! (bellemarie86.wordpress.com)
judithatwood
April 6, 2012 at 2:10 am
Lovely pieces — you should be designing houses, or at least greeting cards. I’ll bet you could do some really terrific handmade Christmas Cards, and sell them! Very nice! Love from the coast of Maine, where it turned cold again this afternoon!
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 2:37 am
Oh, I don’t know about that; I can’t draw to save my life. There are some amazing Sim houses out there. At least I know I’m not the only one wasting time building imaginary lots!
It’s cold here too, but it was sunnier yesterday.
Israel
April 6, 2012 at 2:12 am
I like all those games! lol I guess we share that in common as well, how we pass our time. My current fix is a mix between SWTOR and WordPress. But i am getting a bit bored. I have a habbot of looking for an addictive game then playing it till i notice i am doing nothing else. And i eventually get bored with it. I don’t know what i am looking to do with my free time but atleast you have S , i don’t have the luxury of haveing someone like that around me. Game on good lady
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 2:35 am
I’ve never been into Star Wars, I have to admit.
I do have S, and I’m grateful for that
Israel
April 6, 2012 at 2:47 am
I know you are, i would be grateful for anything like that in my life. *sigh*
I like Star Wars but i’m not major on it. This one is the longest i’ve ever played a Star Wars game and i’m already getting bored. But i get bored so easy because i have no one to share anything with. I don’t know if that makes sense.
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 4:11 am
You know what? I’ve never even seen the Star Wars films. I know I should but they just don’t interest me. Oh well, we’re all different I suppose. NOW, if you mentioned the X-Files to me… I can ramble on about that for hours.
It does make sense. I think I’ve only stuck with building this house for more than a few hours because I planned to share some photos.
Israel
April 6, 2012 at 5:54 am
lol I haven’t watched X-files
I like the photos by the way. Do you happen to have software outside of the game to design houses and stuff? If not that might be something to look into if you like the designing houses and stuff.
free penny press
April 6, 2012 at 2:24 am
Oh I like what Judithatwood said.. you can turn your love of this gaming into a money making plan..
I’m sure it tales skill to do this and I am very uncoordinated when it comes to architecture and such..
Keep us posted on the final house plans!
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 2:34 am
I will do
I have no idea where it’s going, I never do. Not so much skill, more a steady hand on the mousepad!
Amanda
April 6, 2012 at 2:30 am
I had an addiction to The Sims. I never played the people, just built houses like crazy. Your homes are awesome!
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 2:33 am
Heh, cheers! It’s been a long time since I played the people; houses are much more fun.
ryoko861
April 6, 2012 at 2:34 am
Hmmm, seems you have a natural ability for architecture! Hidden talent!?
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 2:37 am
Nah, just a lifetime spent on the computer! Thank you though; it’s nice to know my wastes of time aren’t that bad
ryoko861
April 6, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Seriously, see if you can design something without The Sims program. Most architecture is done on a computer now anyways.
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 6:26 pm
I did always like house-building games, I suppose; I wouldn’t know where to start though. S’s friend is an architect, and it looks horribly complicated. Numbers really aren’t my strong point.
ryoko861
April 7, 2012 at 1:06 am
Yeah, there’s always that geometry crap involved. That’s what calculators are for!!! You could take a CADD course (Computer Aided Design Drafting). The programs for that make these things easy! I think you’d be really good at it!
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 7, 2012 at 1:18 am
S uses AutoCADD a lot; he’s designing a clock and an automatic door (he’s the clever one in the relationship!), so I suspect he’d jump at the chance to teach me. I’m far too impatient though, and I think actually making a ‘thing’ out of it may dampen the charm a little. Your compliments are awesome though
ryoko861
April 7, 2012 at 1:27 am
Oh, give it a try! I bet you’ll like it!
Ink. [Anette]
April 6, 2012 at 2:40 am
It looks stunning. So when are you moving in
Oh!? Psychologists have a lot to say about anything. Never ask their opinion on things you find pleasure in.
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 4:09 am
Ha, I’ve tried building my ideal house but keep giving up. This one’s faaar too big for me, I’d love a little cottage personally.
I’ve asked the opinions of psychologists before. It didn’t end well. They have an ability to knock any kind of fun!
Post Traumatic Dress Disorder
April 6, 2012 at 3:10 am
I definitely procrastinate with the Sims too… I usually build houses, or if I actually play with people, I make my sims really good at playing the piano. I like to think it isn’t a complete waste of time. I mean, look how productive my sims are!
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 4:16 am
Oh, I’ve been a rock star, doctor, scientist… and I’m always a best-selling novelist
crucifixus66
April 6, 2012 at 5:10 am
Great house you’ve done! I like Sims too, but I’m really bad at designing houses. I like to create a bookworm, and then sit and chainsmoke cigarettes while I watch him get smarter and smarter. It’s so peaceful. Remember most psychologists needs therapy themself!
Tya Khan
April 6, 2012 at 6:54 am
I think its amazing trhat you have a way to keep your self busy, atleast some thing is better then doing notrhing and getting bored. I my self am a big addict of games especially sims and like kind games so i can completely understand your obsession, i still remember when i had a whole week of starting to play sims on my xbox at 6 in the morning and continued at a stretch till 7 in the evening without any break and food lol
and I must say you have done a great job on the house, it looks amazing
GOOD WORK!
trjensen
April 6, 2012 at 9:28 am
I nominated you for an award. You’ll find the rules here: http://narcissistsblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/i-am-worthy/
Congratulations!
The Quiet Borderline
April 6, 2012 at 9:38 am
Hell yea, SIms 3!
Nice houses. I’ve got some more practice to do before I get to make houses like yours!
Have a good weekend!
The Quiet Borderline
http://quietbpd.wordpress.com/
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Haha, I have far too much time on my hands; hours and hours have gone into this game
Have a good weekend yourself!
The Quiet Borderline
April 8, 2012 at 3:07 pm
Thanks
doesmybumlookbiginthis
April 6, 2012 at 11:00 am
I LOVE sims 3! Haha i like creating people though as i’m not very good at building houses but your houses are awesome
xx
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Thank you! I get frustrated with the people editor, it takes ages to load on my laptop, so I give up in the end. My boyfriend once made a ‘me’ Sim, it was ace
x
Jaen Wirefly
April 6, 2012 at 11:22 am
It reminds me of Second Life. I played that for a couple of years. It wasn’t a complete waste of time, it encouraged me to write and I now use my avi’s name “Jaen Wirefly” as my pen name.
http://virtualwritersworld.virtualwritersinc.com/?p=310
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 6:30 pm
I downloaded second life aaaaaages ago but couldn’t get my head around it at all. There just wasn’t enough freedom in it.
Roxy
April 6, 2012 at 1:18 pm
I do the same thing!! Haha. I blatantly play it for the building, and buy the expansion packs purely for the “stuff” that comes with them and not the actual game play.
Great house!!
I have started messing with making patterns and uploading them to the Sims 3 store now. That does burn some hours, and like you, I do it to try and take my mind off chronic pain. And I’m also drawn to gaming:- Poker, xbox, age of empires, WoW, etc. Girl gamers unite!
xxx
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 6:30 pm
I don’t even buy the expansion packs, I download loads of stuff from The Sims Resource because I’m cheap
I’ll have to check out some of your patterns
I haven’t tried making any yet. I did download the World builder but it crashed and I gave up. It’s probably a good thing; I’m already spending 90% of my life building imaginary things.
It does work for pain, doesn’t it? Looking back, I think that’s why I became so addicted to AOE. It had me so engrossed that I didn’t have to think. I’m having huuuuge problems trying to get it to work on Windows 7 though; most games I can work around and figure something out, but this one… gah. I miss it so much. I made my boyfriend download it and I’m determined to play against him.
davebakersoccer
April 6, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Ever killed a sim for fun? Then now you know why God lets bad things happen!
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 6, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Haha! I haven’t, but I’ve accidentally set a few on fire. It does make you feel wonderfully powerful *wink*
planetcoops
April 7, 2012 at 3:54 pm
I love your Sim House! It looks like you have a real gift for design.
Before having kids I spent a lot of time on The Sims, building houses. I even went and bought myself some proper Auto Cad software so I could do it properly (I’d love to be an architect, but I never really got beyond the stick person and square house with swirly smoke coming out of the chimney stage of drawing)
Then I had kids and didn’t have the time to learn the software properly. It’s still on my future to-do list though.
halfwaybetweenthegutter
April 8, 2012 at 3:22 am
Get back into it! I personally like decorating the houses more than building, so the Sims software works for me.