Re: With a Twist-McCloud Kids Gotta Skill, Dec. 16

[oshizu]

*Raises hand

Please just add my votes everywhere that @FrancescaFiori voted.
I would also like to see close-up shots of Airynn and Aislyn. And it would be great to keep in touch with Don as he ages by staying connected with his sons!
  Looking forward to seeing how the Lothario genes play out in your simverse!

Don aged really well! I like him in that red/white polo shirt. And I'm happy to hear that Venkat is back in your graces, so he can enjoy his remaining days as a needed, productive sim!

Awww, Dina and Airynn have "the talk."  *sniff, sniff

[Joria]

I'm not real good at this but per request will try to post some "portraits" of the family.
First up is Kieran:





Next is the ever faithful, Dina:





Now, first named heir, Aislyn:



And twin sister and pretty much equal in all ways, Airynn:



Aislyn seems to have her mother's eye shape where Airynn has her dad's.  Here are a couple of Don's teen age kids.  I'll post more as I get them.

First born, Cornelius Coe.  His mother was a townie with pretty bad traits including mean and evil but she was also romantic so a pushover for Don.  Cornelus's traits are Gloomy and Clumsy.  He visits a lot and so far the gloomy has not shown up.



Next is his daughter, Marley Behr.  Marley is Yuki's daughter.  Her traits are Good and Clumsy.  She's very good friends with the twins.  It was hard to get a picture of her because she often has her eyes closed.



This last one is Christopher Pancake.  Yep, he just had to muddy the trough.  Christopher is cute though, but other than Music Lover don't know his traits.



So far his beautiful, blue eyes are not showing up at all.  Ah well, there is still time.
I haven't been able to get shots of Rez Rosa, Donell Rosa and newborn Eden Lee.

Thanks for posting you two!

[FrancescaFiori]

Well, hello Cornelius Coe! Yum! Good work, Don!

Thanks so much for the pictures. They help me feel like I know the family a bit better.

You're doing so well I forget you're doing it all under restrictions!

[oshizu]

Yes, thank you for the pictures! The twins Aislyn and Airlynn are super pretty!
The IDC is hard enough but you are doing it as a No Buy Mode Challenge---when looking at your house, that's so hard to believe!
And how fantastic that both girls got their parents' green eyes!

Hurry up with the next update, already. Just kidding (maybe)... really can't wait!

[Nettlejuice]

I second @oshizu , how amazing you are to build such a fantastic home without buy mode. (Also breaking your rule for the Kids Room Stuff is OK in my book  ). Thank you for the close up, the twins are beautiful, love the black hair/green eyes combo, it always makes me think of cute cats. I'll be a silent reader for a while until I get my life into order, can't wait for more <3

[Joria]

  I really didn't think adding the no buy factor would be so very hard.  After all, I did it before and created a mansion, and that story is still on going.  What I hadn't really factored in was the need for skilling items.  Many of them are available just via the Pancake house, but what a nuisance to have to go back and forth there!  Others that are career related, like a rocket ship, not going to be so easy to figure out.  I also hadn't factored in my impatience with having to deal with mismatched furniture, and how I really am just itching to get in there and complete this house the way I want it.  On the other hand, I'm finding all kinds of ways to use build items, and using the ray guns Alton created for my Sims has been a huge blessing, not to mention the major source of all furnishings.  Thank you all for reading and posting! 

******************************************************************************************************

Dina: Really, Liz, you gotta move.

Eliza:  But Dina, isn't it time to rally the troops?  Or what about just chatting and working on your charisma?  Or........

Dina:  Liz, this is my job for now.  I am tired of not having nice stuff in my house.  I AM going to do this.  If you stay there you might go up in flames.  MOVE IT!!

Eliza: But......

Dina:  You asked for it.............



The sounds of terrified shrieks rang through the air as Eliza finally understood.  We do NOT stand in the way of a furniture deprived woman with a ray gun!  Dina had been at it for hours getting all kinds of chotchkes but not much in the way of solid furnishings.  Yeah, bar stools were nice but they already had the four Kieran crafted.  Her frustration and exhaustion mounted until, that one last zap with the gun.  Up in flames went that little Easter egg!  The family, including Eliza, poured out of the house frantic with worry.  The only one with any common sense at all was Venkat.  He didn't just run to put out still another lawn fire, he grabbed the fire extinguisher first.

Dina:  Hey!  I got it covered!

Venkat:  Covered my shiny patuckis!  You got that whole thing in flames.



Dina:  Yeah?  Well let me see YOU try it Mr. I-hate-to-write-books!  You ran out here, the big hero, just so you could get away from the pc!  Level ten author and you've only completed how many books?  No where near Book of Life capable.

Venkat:  Well, if you had had me join the writing career I could do it!  Now you all have to live without one, at least until Airynn gets her job!



Dina:  Yeah.  You're right.  So go get connected and get a job.  We all can help with the garden so you've got time for a job if you want it.  Meanwhile, I'm pooped and I think Kieran wants us to travel somewhere new after the girls leave for school.

Eliza:  So, I'm really sorry about interrupting you like that.  I really had no idea it could be dangerous.

Dina:  You gotta trust me, Liz.  You're just way too innocent for some things.  Watcher can't really take care of you, you know, not unless you live with us.

Eliza:  What?  Leave Bob?  I couldn't do that.  We're soul mates!  Soooo, why are we here exactly?



Kieran:  Ok, guys.  TA DA!  I maxed out Handiness!!! 

Don:  Ooooo-k then.  Gratz.  And that meant we had to come here, why?

Venkat:  This is fun?  Hot, dry, dusty desert and a big hole in the mountain is fun?



Kieran, Ok, ok.  First of all we have to hang out here for a couple of days off and on because it is the ONLY spot where I've seen a cherry tree sprout and you know we need that, right Venkat?

Venkat:  Not necessarily.  I fished up a pomegranate seed remember?  Planted and growing.

Kieran:  Right.  I still want one for cherries jubilee so we'll hang out until the sprouts here are grown enough.  Ok?  Second of all, I used my skill to open that hole!

Don:  Good on you, buddy!  I knew all that weight training would come in handy.

Kieran:  Right.  Yeah, thanks for mentoring me Don.  It was.......ok, as I was saying.....I opened up this hole to appears to be a cave and I thought we'd have some fun spelunking it.  You never know what you'll find, right?  Right?  Looks like it's an abandoned mine.



Kieran:  Yeah........it looks like......I think I see something shining in there.....

Venkat:  Trolls.  It's a troll cave and......

Don:  Trolls?  For real?  I may be old but I can still take 'em on!

Venkat:  Yeah, right.  Maybe your cousin Cole, or that red dude, Artie, but you?



Kieran:  I'm going in.  You guys coming?

Eliza:  I'll come!  I'll follow you anywhere oh Leader of the Pack!

Dina:  No troll fighting, Don!  I mean it!  If we have to we're just a short phone call away from help.  And no more sarcastic comments from you guys.

Venkat:  (sighs)  Yes, Ma'am.

Don:  Don't you worry, little lady.  I'll take care of the rustlers......heheheh.



Don:  Ok, buddy!  Cuddle up for a photo op!  Might as well take a selfie before we put out lives on the line.  Ya know, for when they find our dead, decaying, bodies and all.

Venkat:  You have such a way with words!  Cheese!!!

Don:  Hey, Ven.......Did I ever tell you I'm claustrophobic?



The sights that greeted the eyes of our intrepid explorers astounded them all.  Almost speechless with wonder, they gazed at a sparkling flowing river.  Cool and blue and deep as only unknown waters can sometimes be.  Little lights sparkled and flitted hither and yon.  No cave trolls, but a definite possibility of life unknown to them before.  The waters bubbled and splashed as the abundant fish leaped and frolicked before them.  Almost as if they were teasing and daring them to try to catch one.



Formation after formation of the most amazing crystals glittered and shone with an ethereal light.  Lighting up the caves many chambers with an unearthly glow.  Each grouping more magnificent than the last.



Kieran:  Dina what do you see?  Anything?

Dina:  Wow!  There is a ton of fish here Kieran.  Some of them look pretty weird.

Don:  I'll run up ahead and see what else is in here.  Pretty obvious others have been here before.  Signs.  Toilet.  Mining debris and broken down equipment.  I'm gonna check it out.



Kieran:  Man, it's beautiful in here.  Whoa!!  Did you see that one jump, Dina?  Come to Poppa, baby, come to Poppa.

Dina:  It's a whopper, hon. 



It was a great day.  Liz couldn't make it in since she wasn't a family member so they had an entire day without her constant questions and interruptions.  A lot of new fish were caught to add to both their pocket book and their collection, which one day would look great on an office or man cave wall. 

Kieran:  So, did you have fun, hon?

Dina:  Yes, I did.  Thanks for taking us there.  It sure beat another day at the Pancake house! 



Kieran:  I'm pretty tired.  A bit more work and excitement than I had thought.  Let's call it a day, sweetheart.  We have a lot more we can do tomorrow.



Who knows what the day will bring?  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Joria]

Here's a few more of Don's kids. 

First up, Waylon Capriciossa.  Waylon is Creative and Athletic. 



Next is Rez Rosa.  Rez is a Lazy Perfectionist.  It was hard to get a good shot of him.  I suspect his third trait when he gets it will be Gloomy as he mopes around a lot.





Here is Christopher as a child.  His teen picture was from further on in the game so we now know how he will age up.



They definitely look like brothers!

[oshizu]

Before I forget to mention about Venkat's writing, we learned from the Writing challenge's winners that a sim who's in the Writer career pumps out books twice as fast.

What a lovely description of your family's visit to Forgotten Grotto! I feel very bad now that I only took a shot of my founder standing in front of the unblocked mine opening, haha.
Surprisingly (but not for Francesca?) I found Christopher Pancakes to be the cutest of the boys so far.
I laughed to see Rez Rosa with Jade's over-plucked eyebrows. I groaned over that for several sim-weeks until I realized I could change the eyebrows in CAS.
And Waylon and Rez do look like brothers, wow!

Thank you for sharing the additional screenshots, Joria. They're so much fun!

[Joria]

Thank you, oshizu.  For some reason some of them are so easy to capture, others not so much.  I mentioned earlier that none of Don's kids had his blue eyes.  On closer inspection, his eyes are not blue!  They are that changeable hazel, green/brown shade that almost all his kids have.  My favorite eye color, especially when matched with dark brown or black hair.  Well, let's go see what they are all up to now.......

******************************************************************************************************

Sometimes this Watcher needs to be reminded that life isn't all work.  Even if they are left to their own devices, eventually the skills would be achieved and their life would go on. So on a comfortably warm night, it was time to cut loose and have a bit of fun.  Cardboard dance floor had magically appeared, probably from reaching level 3 dance, and laid down in a newly created fun and games area.  It wasn't exactly the way W. wanted, but given the No Buy limitations things were looking pretty good.  We can all thank Alton and his ray guns for that, and all of the family for all their collecting!

Kieran:  Airynn, honey why aren't you out there?  Honey, you have excellent grades right now, surely a few minutes break from homework would be ok?

Airynn:  I know, Dad I just really want to get this done and over with.  It's math and you know how much I hate math!



Kieran:  You invited you entire club over for some fun and games and whatever you teens want to do within reason, yet here you sit.  Go!  Go have some fun!  My heavens girl, you and your sister are just skilling monsters.  You both maxed violin before you even were teens, are both so close to maxing painting and writing and are already level 8 in fishing.  C'mon!  Give yourself a break.

Airynn:  You're right.  We do need some fun in our life right now.  Besides, last problem is done! (giggles)  Ok, let's see who can get down the best, you oldies or us kids.  The gauntlet has been thrown, old man!



Aislyn:  Let's get this party started!!  Show me your moves, Jabar.  Don't worry, Dude, you'll be a teen like us soon enough.

Eliza:  Airynn, is it ok if I bring Christopher over?  He'll be home alone once his dad is off to work and I know he would love this.

Airynn:  Sure Aunt Liz.  He's part of the family, right?  Wish I'd had more room in Kidz Klub for him. 

Eliza:  No problem, honey and thanks.  I'll call him as soon as this number is over.



Kieran:  Whoa!  This quite the party!  Dina will be here later after work so we can lay out some food and drink then if you girls want.

Aislyn:  Thanks, Dad.  We're good.  Got that drink tray Uncle Don transformed and the candy.  I'll let you know if we get the munchies.



Dina:  So nice of you kids to invite us old folks to your party.  This is fun.  Say, how did you meet my daughters again?

Clive: (red head)  Oh, we all met them at the park in Oasis Springs.  Remember?  Space ranger game?

Dina:  Oh, right.  Do you have a King?

Clive:  Darn!  Yeah, here he is.  I was hoping to make a set.



Clive:  I think we're out of our league here with these two card sharks.

Eliza:  You're goin' down, guys!



Marley:  Ais, whatever are you doin' girl?  Homework?  Again?

Aislyn:  Just a few pages of reading.  I'm the heir, remember?  Gotta keep my grades up.



Marley:  We're all going swimming.  You coming?

Aislyn:  Be there in a few.......

Kieran:  So, you're the oldest?

Cornelius:  Yes, sir.  Me and Rez are about the same age.  I'm older though.

Kieran:  Have any plans for the future?  (Like thinking about one of my daughters?  Over my dead body. )

Cornelius:  I dunno, yet.  Still have some school to get through.  Then, who knows.
(Hope he doesn't know I've got my eye on Airynn. Awkward!)



Aislyn!  I somehow don't think this is what was meant by going swimming!

Aislyn:  Ok, W.  Just got two more paragraphs.......



Aislyn:  Marley did you see that?  Clive just did this enormous belly flop!  Man, that must of really hurt!  And.....why aren't you in your suit?

Marley:  Nah, I missed it and I'm on my way to change.  Be right there!  Water battle?

Aislyn:  You're on!



Kieran:  Ok, you guys.  Can't let those kids show us up!  Group dance!!  C'mon let's practice.  Those "Dancers" at the club the other night ain't got nothin' on us.



Venkat:  May I have this dance?  Come on, Dina, Don.  They need us over there!

Dina:  Ok, but I hope I don't regret this.

Don:  Sure, I'm in.



Airynn:  You sure Mom and Dad are going to be ok?

Aislyn:  They may be older than we are but they are still young and strong.  Besides, it's good exercise and they hardly go to the gym now Uncle Don aged up.

Airynn:  Well, I dunno.  I think I might get out and see what they're up to.



Kieran:  And one, and two, and cross and.......

Don:  I'm not too sure about this.  Am I doin' it right?

Rez:  You're fine Dad.  Just keep an eye on me. 

Dina:  You really are a smooth, graceful, dancer Rez.  You might consider joining a dance team.

Kieran:  We need more practice.

Venkat:  Who's got the moves?  Ven does, that's who.  "Do a little dance,  make a little love......get down tonight.....get down....hmmm hmmm hmmm"



Venkat:  "He's got the way of movin'.......Yeah!  Smooth!  I'm da man.  Le's boogie.  Yeah!



Airynn:  So, that's when I took over the class for Ms. Johnson.   Cool, huh?

Cornelius:  Uh, yeah.  Cool.  (awkward)

Airynn:  You know you really look a lot like your Dad.  It's the eyes.

Cornelius:  Uh, yeah. Eyes. (gulps)  So, you wanna hang out some time?

Airynn:  Uh, yeah.  Sure.  Sometime. (awkward blushes)



Marley:  Sooooo, you and my bro?

Airynn:  OMG!!!  He is soooooo cute!  Those eyes!  I was a complete dork!  I hope I didn't scare him off.  Miss Know-it-all-geekness. 

Marley:  Your Dad will never go for it.

Airynn:  Hey, I'm the spare.  Who cares?  Right?  Oh, right.  Darn.  Buzz kill!  surely a little romance would be ok.

Marley:  Sometimes it sucks to be a Watched Sim. 



Christopher:  Thanks, Mom, but dancin' is for girls.

Eliza:  Dancing is for everyone, honey.  Come on and dance with your Momma.  Once you get all the moves and age up the girls will all fall all over themselves over you.

Christopher:  Ewwww.  Girl cooties!



Venkat:  Watcher, thanks for the party.  Night is over.  Kids are gone.  Time for another day.



You're welcome.  Say good night Ven.

Ven:  Good night, Ven.

[oshizu]

Haha, now I know that Venkat is in your good graces--that's the best shot of his face I've ever seen. Bust those moves, Ven!
And he also got the farewell shot!

How crazy that, given a night off, your heir continues to do homework, even on the dance floor! Blasphemy!
Is that because "Do homework" is one of the club activities or is Aislynn just that serious?

Awww, Aislynn and Cornelious make such a cute couple! What is the Watcher's stance on spare romance?
Go Rez--teach those oldsters the choreography!

[FrancescaFiori]

What a fun post! I'm glad you can get the free dance floors, and I'm very glad you made such good use of them. Venkat is hilarious. I like him more and more.

Poor Aislynn! She's taking her role as heir very, very seriously! I'm delighted to see that Airynn is having a little fun, at least, and very glad she's taken up with Cornelius! He's still my favorite of Don's progeny, though Christopher is quite adorable, too, and I do have a soft spot for the Pancakes family.

[Joria]

@oshizu :  Actually, it's Airynn who has her eye on Cornelius.  So far Aislyn has shown interest only in Rez, and not much of that.  They both seem to drift toward those two autonomously if left to their own devices. 

As for the homework thing, it's a club thing.  Their club is fairly new so, since homework has to be done anyway, why not make it a way to gain points?  It's probably the only time those club members do any homework, although while the girls will stick to it, the rest of them go wander around even if I click on "Do Homework Together".  I will say though, the minute they get home from school, if their needs are not low, they both automatically go do their homework without being told to.

Spare romance is possible but nooboos probably not.  Of course there probably cannot be a marriage either.  Just depends on whether helpers are needed or not.  You'll have the one immortal, Kieran, plus the heir and spare so that's 3.  Yeah, I guess there could even be the possibility of marriages and nooboos.  It's only the first heir after all.  If it was a legacy I could move folks in and out and not have to worry about it!  I'd really like one of them to have a child by one of Don's progeny if possible but so far the traits are not spectacular.  Not horrible, but not spectacular.

@FrancescaFiori : I agree with you on the Pancakes.  Personally, I think they have a bad rep for little reason other than Eliza's snooty walk and Bob's general appearance.
They make great helpers and I've been toying with the idea of moving Liz and Christopher in once the elders pass on.  Don't know though.  The dancing thing was so much fun to watch I almost forgot to take pictures.  Then when they did the group dance I just loved it.  Reminded me of a certain shirtless crew, only not as good looking.

Thanks everyone for reading.  Hope some of you lurkers will de-lurk and start posting.  All of us writers really appreciate your comments.

[oshizu]

@Joria
As you are an enthusiastic advocate of the SimRay, I have a question for you about the SimRay and alien collectibles.
Is it possible for the SimRay to "resurrect" dead alien collectibes into live alien collectibles?
I vaguely remember reading that somewhere (but I can't remember if it goes from dead to live, or live to dead aliens) but failed to turn up the info when I searched.
Since you use the SimRay more than any player that I know, I wonder if you would know.

My rocket ship is being very stubborn about giving up the space-related collectibles, grrrr.

[Joria]

It was the shank of the night.  The household was busy frolicking out in the back yard and minding their own affairs.  One person, grumbling softly to himself, crept silently as he could down the stairs and headed for the front door.

Don:  As long as they don't see me, I'm good.  No one around?  Oooo-kay then.



As quietly as he could possibly be, he opened the door and stepped out.  The neighborhood was empty and he hoped to change quickly into a very attractive set of sports wear sight unseen. He had spotted a strange trio on the front porch earlier, and had done his best to ignore them.  As far as he knew, that trash can had not been there.  The mail box, ok that was.  The other thing?  Well, he wasn't about to tell people he'd thought he'd heard it talking.  No way.  They already were a tad too overprotective.  No, it must have been his imagination, or one of the Watcher's jokes.



Ignoring the hopefully silent trio, Don descended the stairs as quickly as he could.  He had to make his getaway sight unseen and quickly at that.



Don't do it!  Don, don't go.  Don't try for an all neighborhood jog.  You are way too old now.  Stop!  Stop!

There was no way that thing was talking!  He shook it off, and quickly changed into his running clothes.  Why did it feel like that "thing" was trying to run after him?  No, just the dark of the night and the thrill of the adventure giving him the spooks.  Besides, he surely could out run it!  He promised himself this job and he was going to have it, old or not!

Don:  I'll just pace myself.  That's it.  Not too far, no hills, I can do this!



Don ran on and on into the night.  Much longer and farther and harder than he had planned.  After all, he had reached level 10 in his body building, (without maxing the aspiration too!), he surely could do this.  His breathing grew more difficult, labored, gasping he saw the lights of the neighbor's mansion up ahead and he knew, knew for certain, he was on the knife's edge.  A little more and death would surely be his outcome.  Gone all his dreams, hopes and desires.  Gone all those lovely women and great kids.  It was the only way out of a dynasty but did he want that?  NO!  Slowing down, he turned around and headed for home, not sure he'd make it in time.  Just some rest.  That would do it.  Just a little rest before the final one overtook him.



Meanwhile, back home, Don't dilemma unknown to the rest of the household, plans were being discussed.

Ven:  You haven't forgotten have you?

Kieran:  Forgotten?  Forgotten what?  What's up?



Ven:  Dude!  You have so forgotten it!  Her birthday, Kier, her birthday!  For corn's sake man.  Get it together.  She'd never forgive you if you forgot.  This is the big one!



Kieran:  Just kidding.  Of course I haven't forgotten!  Watcher told me her bar is really bubbling hard now so we're going to have to move fast.  I'd like to do it here but still no stove so that's out.  Restaurant maybe?

Ven:  Too impersonal for this one.  And anyway, Watcher hasn't put one down yet has she?

Kieran:  I dunno.  Anyway, I think she'd like to have it kept kind of small.  You know how women are when their looks change.  I've talked it over with Liz and she's good with having it at her place.



Kieran:  You keep her busy while I round everyone up and then we're off. 

Ven:  Got it!  She's gonna be so surprised!  I hope she realizes how much we care about her.  Not just you, all of us.

Kieran:  Well, this should certainly make her aware.  Ok, you go chat with her.  I don't want her to suspect.

Ven:  You got it!  This should be fun!



Plans perfected, and all family members accounted for, yes, even the rather tired Don, the entire group headed over to Chez Pancake. A not so surprised Dina, reluctantly aware of what was going on, stood in front of a beautiful cake her beloved had made especially for her.

Dina:  Thanks, you guys.  This is really great!  My favorite cake, good friends, off key singing.  Who could ask for more.  (me.  I could ask for longer time as a hottie)



Liz:  So go on already!  Blow them out!

Dina:  Wish first, wish first!



With a deep breath, and a strong whooshing out, a blinding light appeared, wreathing Dina in it and spinning her around and around.  When it was over there she stood, still covered with sparkles, hair gone grey and her hand on a suddenly aching back.

Dina:  OMG!  This is worse than I thought!

All:  Happy Birthday, Dina!  Happy returns of the day!



The next day dawned bright and clear.  Dina was not happy.  Everything sagged and nothing fit right or looked right.  Why is it there are so few attractive clothes for elders?  And why do they all have to be saggy baggy elephants and walk all stooped over?  It seemed nothing was going right.  She'd already set two things on fire and she was just not happy.  Ok, there was the new, (finally), transformed chess table and that will help but still.  Dina seemed to be working herself up into a serious mope.



Fortunately for her, and our story, Kieran had just the solution to make things better.  Last night he had achieved his aspiration goal, he was now a Master Chef.  Today he wanted to achieve another, Soul Mate.  That was something they could do together, and it suprised him, and the Watcher, they had not finished it before!  They were almost there already, with only 2 gold dates to go.  Leaving their worries behind, Kieran whisked her off for a romantic get away.

With love in his heart and eyes.  Kieran told Dina how much he loved her, how beautiful she still was in his eyes, and how he had always wanted her for wife, and still did.  She in turn, told him how much joy he had brought into her life.  How much she loved him and how she promised all the rest of her days she would love and cherish him and be the best spouse possible.



Vows and love renewed, confetti rained down upon the happy couple as a sign their vows had been heard and ratified.  For all time they were now Soul Mates.



Back home again, the day was not yet done.  Recognizing how fragile Dina's feelings might be now that she had become an elder, Kieran decided to show her she was still the light in his eyes and flame that burned in his heart.  After a bit of flirting, they both ran to the nearest bush.

Kieran:  Dina, is that thing watching us?

Dina:  Who cares!  C'mon lover let's do this!  (giggles)

I'll just avert my eyes.



Need I say more?



Liz:  Having fun, you two?

Kieran and Dina:  (Laughing)  Oh yeah! 



So we'll leave our deliriously happy couple and friends for the day.  There is so much more they want to say, but tomorrow will be soon enough.

[Joria]

@Joria
As you are an enthusiastic advocate of the SimRay, I have a question for you about the SimRay and alien collectibles.
Is it possible for the SimRay to "resurrect" dead alien collectibes into live alien collectibles?
I vaguely remember reading that somewhere (but I can't remember if it goes from dead to live, or live to dead aliens) but failed to turn up the info when I searched.
Since you use the SimRay more than any player that I know, I wonder if you would know.

My rocket ship is being very stubborn about giving up the space-related collectibles, grrrr.

As far as I know the SimRay only transforms them into something else, usually furniture.  However, I have acquired several space creatures, even up to a full collection, but using the SimRay on other objects.  Not sure but I THINK fossils gave more often gave the creatures.  What I have noticed is the higher dollar value of the item the more likely you are to get something really nice, though still random, and the more experience you have using the SimRay the more likely you are to get a larger, nice item with fewer fires.  The SimRays I'm currently using are not fully upgraded so don't know if there is an upgrade that allows you to transform dead into live or vice versa.  If you have duplicate creatures why not give it a shot and see what happens?