Thanks for the clarification, Schipperke. I was a little worried about the whole "couch potato has already been used in the Man Dynasty" issue, especially since I'm not planning it for the same reasons as in the Man Dynasty. Also, I've read so many of the dynasties that I can't remember all of the stories that gave me little ideas to use for mine. I'm not planning to "steal" anyone's original content, but it's not that easy to avoid copying similar content (especially since it's a norm to get at least one utility sim).
I understand the purpose behind the limitations for the gallery site, and I agree behind it. Having been an avid fan of online forums for over a decade (am I really that old already?), I know it doesn't take long to get the post count up. I am just one of those people who reads the forums and gets to know its unique qualities before posting anything myself. I've been known to spend months reading different topic boards before posting anything myself in order to ensure that I follow forum rules precisely. However, I love the purpose behind online forums, and I passed that on to my college students by having them learn the purpose behind research projects by focusing on how community works and utilizing online forums to prove their points on community.
I do feel more at ease about the ten posts rule. Though I have the idea for my first ID challenge chapter and the beginning of my ID story, I still need to draft it and work a little more on it. However, while waiting on a response (which was fast, btw, so thanks!), I did find another topic that I just can't wait to respond on. I'm really excited to get involved in this community. I've been a member of the EA forum for TS3 for years, but it's not really great for discussing the different aspects of TS3. I have found that I rarely post on the TS3 site unless it's to follow up on a tech discussion or to post a tech issue such as a glitch or a severe issue (like the fact that the recent simpoints glitch just drained 240 from my bank account temporarily...but that's another topic for another area). I've never added friends on the ts3 forum simply because I never saw the need. At least, not until the "send gift to a friend" option popped up on the in-game mailbox or until I got Showtime and the SimPort option. Now, I regret not adding more friends.
But out of all the ts3 sites I've encountered, this is by far my favorite and has been bookmarked on my browser. I even have it saved as a bookmark on my Samsung Galaxy and I have been known to read completed ID stories at work via my phone during slow times. I'm starting to love the forum, too!