Happy New Year Simmers! I am taking a break from my two current stories to try a little challenge with the new #DiscoverUniversity pack. Follow along and see how my sim does. Thanks :) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ...
Daphne is a bit of an eccentric soul, but really what artist isn't eh? Her favorite colors are purple & teal, hence the reason for the pink/lavendar/purple ombre hair style and a wardrobe featuring teal & purple fashions.
Her Mother, Marla Moon, being a HUGE fan of the old TV Sitcom Frasier, named her after a favored character on the show, Daphne Moon, the live-in Physical Therapist/Caregiver of Frasier's father, Martin.
Marla is also an artist, but she prefers pottery and has a studio with a pottery wheel and kiln in the 'She' shed built especially for her located in the backyard beyond their in-ground swimming pool.
As a toddler/child, Daphne liked to sit on a stool next to the wheel designated especially for her and watch Marla create. She was in awe of what could emerge with just a little coaxing from her Mother's strong, talented hands out of nothing but clay & water. The youngster was especially enamored with the designs she would paint on them after they'd been fired in the kiln.
It frustrated Daphne that her own pottery efforts always turned out lopsided and ugly in comparison. Even with patient instructions from Mom, it was no use. Often in a fit of rage, she'd pound the clay with her tiny fists or throw it to the floor. However, sometimes she'd allow some of the lesser deformed pots to be fired and paint them anyway.
The act of painting always seemed to calm her down when she was angry or stressed and she showed a natural talent for it. According to her Mother anyway. Sometimes despite their deformity, customers visiting the tiny shop Marla had at the front of the shed would ask about the beautiful pots in the back and offer to purchase them because of their unique designs. Marla always politely refused to sell them.
Her Father, Maurice Moon, is a retired Astronaut. He flew several missions orbiting the Moon, but to his disappointment never actually made it there. This fact would later play a part in tearing the family apart. Daphne had shown an interest in Space from a young age. She loved listening to her Dad talk about his life as an Astronaut and looked up to him in admiration as a Hero.
She'd spend hours pouring over his old mission logs, sift through photographs and watch videos he'd taken in space. Best of all, on clear starry nights, she and her Dad would gaze through the telescope he'd given her as a 10th birthday gift and dream together. Dream of one day Daphne accomplishing the one thing he never did, landing and walking on the Moon.
As she grew, Daphne split her time developing both of these interests in her life. She attended Junior Astronauts Camp, graduated from painting pots to canvases in the shed and went to Fine Arts camp during Summer breaks from school.
After High School graduation, Daphne couldn't decide which path to follow in life. Should she try to be an astronaut like her Father wanted, or did she want to refine and hone her painting skills to one day become a renowned artist admired for her masterful creative visionary skills?
Several days of talking to and listening to her parents argue with each other about it, wasn't helping at all. Early one Sunday morning on the first official day of Summer, after a particularly heated argument escalating into angry shouting, Maurice announced he would not fund a 'silly' education in the Arts. While he loved Marla's creations, it wasn't a smart idea to base your financial future on a 'hobby.'
If Daphne pursued a career as an astronaut, she had his blessing, otherwise she was to move out and good luck finding a job as a painter. She'd be cut off with nothing.
What he didn't count on was the fact the apple didn't fall far from the tree. His daughter was just as hot headed and strong willed as he. Red-faced and hands squeezed into tight-fisted balls of fury, Daphne stomped away to her room without another word, gathered whatever she could throw in a backpack and left, slamming the door behind her.
Maurice stubbornly sat in the living room with crossed arms and clenched teeth refusing to go after her, he'd made his decision. Marla stood and called him a foolish, prideful old man before running to try and catch Daphne before she was out of sight.
Marla told her that Dad would calm down, realize his ultimatum wasn't fair and change his mind. They were all just tired and on edge from so many late nights arguing. Maybe she should just spend the night with a friend and come back in the morning? Daphne just shook her head no, she was determined to leave. She whole-heartedly believed her Father wouldn't change his mind.
Marla tried to give her simoleons earned from the pottery shed shop, but Daphne's pride wouldn't allow her to take it. In her mind and by the laws of their state, she was an 'adult' now and she needed to act like one. She hugged her Mom and promised when asked to keep in touch, let her...them know she was okay before finally walking away.
She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do, but she'd show her Father she could make it on her own and be successful too, without his simoleons!
This is where the rest of Daphne's story begins...
If you'd rather just skip that and get to my try at the challenge, here's a link to it on Imgur:
