Life in the Hive

[ReallyArtificial]

On 2/24/2026 at 12:46 AM, Shaula said:

they do the AI overview on YouTube

 

Wow, I actually haven't noticed that, maybe because we always use YT on console? Or maybe I'm just not observant lol. I can imagine that would made us less likely to watch the whole video too

[ReallyArtificial]

With less than two weeks until my 30th birthday, I've been thinking a lot about how my headmates have changed my perspective on life. Calliope will be turning three around the same time, followed shortly after by Athelas turning four. It's so crazy to me to think I've now had tulpas for over 10% of my life. I know that's rookie numbers compared to a lot of people out there, but for someone like me who has trouble building/maintaining habits, it's a big deal!

 

There's a distinct difference between my pre- and post-tulpamancy mindset, especially regarding how I view the future. When I turned 25, I remember thinking, “god, these first 25 years were so hard, and now I have to live through another 25? Maybe another after that, and maybe even longer? I can't do all this again.” Thinking about the future filled me with dread for all the pain I was certain I would suffer.

 

Now, as I close in on 30, it's the complete opposite. I'm so excited that I get to share 30 more years with my system and spouse! And maybe another 30 after that, if I'm lucky. It feels like I have two more entire lifetimes ahead of me, and I don't even have to go to school again! There are still difficult days, and there always will be, but even at my most miserable I feel a spark of hope where there used to be despair. A bad day is just a bad day, not the start of a weeks-long spiral.

 

We'll be celebrating with a trip to the Smoky Mountains, a beautiful part of the world that Athelas and I just can't get enough of. I already told my husband I want one whole day to basically do nothing but meditate, something I've never had the opportunity to try before. We're still figuring out something special to do for Calliope. I'm thinking either a nice seafood dinner or a visit to an aquarium (Cal loves both the aesthetic and the flavor of fish, lol). Either way, we're all super excited!

[fennecfoxx]

That's amazing! Have fun on your trip!

[Shaula]

Nightfall feels kinda the same. He says there's a big difference than when he had tulpas and didn't. I think that's a really special thing to have! 😊 

 

Happy early birthday! 😊 🎉 🎂 I love how excited you are for life! 🤩 

 

That sounds like an awesome trip! 😊 I hope everyone gets to do something awesome! 

[Byakko]

On 5/29/2026 at 6:59 PM, ReallyArtificial said:

With less than two weeks until my 30th birthday

happy early birthdays, and congratulations!
 

Spoiler

you get to join the club! (ik it's our hosts this age but i just put who is fronting atm lol)

 

happy to hear what positive change your system has had, and jealous you get to meditate all day in the mountains??? that's awesome!  enjoy your trip!

[ReallyArtificial]

Thanks so much everyone! 💙

 

14 hours ago, Byakko said:

you get to join the club!

 

RIP lmao

[ReallyArtificial]

While we were on our trip, I realized that I've never played The Sims 3 with my headmates, despite it being one of my favorite games. Naturally I had to correct this grievous oversight ASAP! We all had a great time creating our sim-selves and seeing how they interacted with each other.

 

As with most character creators, Lenore was the easiest to get right. There wasn't really an accurate hairstyle option for her but her face turned out absolutely perfect! I'll keep the images spoilered so this post isn't too gigantic.

 

Spoiler

 

 

(The rarely seen no-makeup Lenore! She's still so gorgeous, I could literally just sit at the computer and stare at her for ages lol)

 

(She's not generally the most expressive person so I was dying seeing her sim make goofy faces like this. She's so cute I can't stand it!!!)

 

(She gets a mood boost from checking out her own reflection lmfao. Accurate)

 

Being nonhuman, Athelas and Calliope were obviously harder to capture, but we made it work. This is a pretty accurate depiction of what we call Tea's "human costume." We've had a few dreams where he looks like this.

 

Spoiler

 

(Look at that cute lil smile! The overall shape of his features are pretty accurate to his usual form.)

 

And now, for the first time ever, we present Calliope's human costume! We wanted them to look like Athelas's punk-ass younger sibling and I think we succeeded.

 

Spoiler

(We gave them such a severe case of resting bitch face that they look pissed off even when they're happy lol)

 

Our sims' interactions have been pretty amusing. Apparently my sim thinks Cal and Athelas are super hot, because she gets an "Attracted" moodlet whenever she's around them (having them around does boost my mood irl, lol). Lenore and Athelas are dating (I don't think we ever announced it, but they are actually a couple now!) and she can't keep her hands off him. My sim quickly became besties with Athelas, bonding over their shared love of the outdoors. Meanwhile, Cal and Lenore bonded over making fun of us. All in all, pretty accurate!

[Shaula]

On 6/17/2026 at 8:43 AM, ReallyArtificial said:

As with most character creators, Lenore was the easiest to get right. There wasn't really an accurate hairstyle option for her but her face turned out absolutely perfect! I'll keep the images spoilered so this post isn't too gigantic.

 

She definitely has my style. 😁 Maybe not the heels but I'd easily wear everything else. 😄 

 

She has hair styles selection issues like me but mine are very much self inflected, lol. 

 

On 6/17/2026 at 8:43 AM, ReallyArtificial said:

Being nonhuman, Athelas and Calliope were obviously harder to capture, but we made it work. This is a pretty accurate depiction of what we call Tea's "human costume." We've had a few dreams where he looks like this.

 

Oh my gosh! That smile is so precious! 😊 

 

On 6/17/2026 at 8:43 AM, ReallyArtificial said:

And now, for the first time ever, we present Calliope's human costume! We wanted them to look like Athelas's punk-ass younger sibling and I think we succeeded.

 

That's a cool style! 😁

 

On 6/17/2026 at 8:43 AM, ReallyArtificial said:

Our sims' interactions have been pretty amusing. Apparently my sim thinks Cal and Athelas are super hot, because she gets an "Attracted" moodlet whenever she's around them (having them around does boost my mood irl, lol). Lenore and Athelas are dating (I don't think we ever announced it, but they are actually a couple now!) and she can't keep her hands off him. My sim quickly became besties with Athelas, bonding over their shared love of the outdoors. Meanwhile, Cal and Lenore bonded over making fun of us. All in all, pretty accurate!

 

Hehe, sounds like a lot of fun already! 😊 Congrats to Lenore and Athelas! 😊 I wish them the best!