Kennyatti Conti's Dynasty

[YolandaBlu]

My name is Kenyatti Conti and I have recently moved to Riverview from Sunset Valley.  When I first arrived, I spent time in the library studying and exploring forums.  I happened on the immortal dynasty blogs which intrigued me, but who wants to live forever as a “senior citizen.”  I might be interested if I could have immortality in the prime of life.

However, I think my story borders on the bizarre.  I came from a time machine.  I have enclosed a picture.  I emerged from the machine at 14 with no recollection of anything in my past.  To say the least it was rather disconcerting.  Rita Conti told me that she was my mother and that my father was Sopdu Hawa, from Egypt.  I have no memory of her or him.

I have enclosed a picture of my mother and father.  The only ones I have.

The next four years, I did what I was told and felt alone in a house with seven other people who supposedly were all my relatives.  My grandmother was the only one I felt comfortable with -- maybe because she spent most of her time in her garden or playing in the sprinkler.  When she died, I left with nothing but a tent, my guitar and $16,500 dollar that I had inherited from grandma.

I bought the land in Riverview at a foreclose auction for just about my whole nest egg.  I have dreams and plans.  I am going to be a famous artist someday, even greater than my grandfather.

[Joria]

Great start!  I love the time machine angle.

[YolandaBlu]

I started painting every day and far into the night.  I registered at city hall to be a painter and took my canvases to the consignment store.  For a break, I took my guitar to the parks and played, and played.  I ate vegetables and fruit from a local park. 



I finally got good enough that people would actual gave me tips.  On one of my playing gigs at the park near the bookstore, I met two sisters, Shirley and Roxie Lin.  Both seemed nice, but Shirley captured my heart.  We were soon talking. 

I invited her over to my tent.  I had finally managed to pick up a stove and refrigerator at a second hand store and had built a cubicle for a cheap toilet and shower.  It did not even have a floor. 



She did not seem to mind.  She was a few years older than I was and was working at the hospital.  She wanted to be a doctor and had put herself through medical school.  She was living with her sister, Roxie, and hated it.


(More later.  Near death experience.  What does Kennyatti discover about Shirley that will alter his goals?)

[CJ Silver]

This is a really interesting dynasty you have there! I might try making a time machine baby for this purpose.

However, the pictures are so small I can't get any detail from them. Is this the preferred method of uploading pics, just upload the thumbnails and have people click on them to see the full size pic? I don't do that, I resize my pics to 320x240 and post the images raw. It's big enough to see decent detail, but not so big that it overloads the server. Don't take this personally, I've had similar issues with other threads.

[Metropolis Man]

However, the pictures are so small I can't get any detail from them. Is this the preferred method of uploading pics, just upload the thumbnails and have people click on them to see the full size pic?

I think it really comes down to personal preference, CJ. I always place full-sized pictures for my Dynasty updates. The downside is, of course, that the page will take a while to load for everyone. But, the upside is no additional clicking necessary for readers to get max detail.

[YolandaBlu]

I haven't figured out yet how to get my pictures larger.  I am a work in progress.  I picked the size that said was good for forums.  Any back to the drawing board. 

[Joria]

It's ok, Yolanda.  I don't mind clicking on the thumbnails and your story is really great so it's well worth that little effort.  Nice work.

[YolandaBlu]

I even used some of my dwindling money to buy a telescope because she loved the stars.  On our second date after she had spent a few hours awing about the Milky Way, I ask her to move in with me, she jumped at the chance.


It did change my goal slightly because after she moved in I discovered a disturbing trait.  The dark frightened her.  I loved her and wanted her to feel safe.  She needed walls.  I took a job at the local police station.  I am athletic and it paid the most, but it almost cost me my life.  A meteor struck on my first day at work.  Several people were killed and I was singed.  It was horrifying.  I happened to have my guitar with me and I know it seems a strange thing to do, but everyone was running around in panic so I just started playing until the ambulance got there.  After that brush with death, I realized how precious life was.  I wanted to marry Shirley, but I also wanted to save enough money to go on a honeymoon.  I proposed to Shirley and she accepted.  I wanted her to know how much I loved her.



She never complained about living in a tent and taking cold showers, but her job was stressful and we decided the honeymoon would have to wait.  With my paintings, her salary and my job at the police station we were able to build a two-car garage.  We had walls and a floor.  With the last bit of cash I had I bought a new comfortable double bed.    
 
She never complained about living in a tent and taking cold showers, but her job was stressful and we decided the honeymoon would have to wait.  With my paintings, her salary and my job at the police station we were able to build a two-car garage.  We had walls and a floor with the last bit of cash I had I bought a new comfortable double bed.  

(Well I figured out how to make pictures big using photobucket.  Now for medium size.)  

[Sibyl]

Wow, this is so epic!

[Joria]

O!M!G!  Another blankety blank meteor.  This is getting really depressing.  Now you can't even be safe inside your work or school.  I'm glad Kenyatti has such a calm mind and was able to handle the situation.  I'm sure much happiness is in store for this lucky guy.

[YolandaBlu]

With a home, we felt we could marry.  We had a private ceremony on our property. 

After much soul searching, I quit my job at the police station and painted in earnest.  With walls and a roof overhead, Shirley was able to advance in her chosen profession.  I took my painting to the consignment shop.  I slowly developed a following.  One morning I got a call from a merchant in China who had heard about my work and wanted a large painting.  I painted furiously to get a couple of large paintings ready for his viewing.  However, I did not know how I would be able to afford the trip to China.  I really wanted Shirley to accompany me.  She had wanted to travel since I met her.  However, that was not meant to be.  Just as I was researching cheap tickets, she told me that she did not want to go.  She was too nauseous.  At first, I did not understand and she had to patiently explain that it was not a permanent condition.  She was pregnant.  I had not expected that to happen so soon, but I was happy too.



 

[Sophie4563]

I love the picture of the couple kissing. Not sure why, maybe its the backdrop. What are Kennyatti and Shirley's traits?

[Anushka]

I just read this story, and it already has many interesting and dramatic events! Great story, and I guess beginning's are hard, later it become much smother, so hang in there And You can't travel before second generation become YA so you might cancel that opp and wait for another you can fulfill sooner. Good luck!

[YolandaBlu]

My story is not an immortal dynasty.  I am enjoying reading all the immortal dynasties.  However, I know my computer has problems when I play families for multiple generations.  It's slower than mud and has a multitude of small glitches.  I might try an immoral dynasty when or if I buy a new computer.

My characters traits:

Kennyatti Conti arrived as a teenager from the time machine with Athletic, Bookworm, Family Oriented and Artistic.  He wanted to be Master of the Arts early on.  It just seemed logical to give him Virtuoso when he aged up. 
Shirley Linn Conti was Unflirty, No sense of humor, Hopeless romantic, Friendly and a Coward.  After marriage, she overcame her cowardly trait and changed to her true nature, Genius.  (With a little help from me)  Her lifetime goal was to be a World Class Surgeon.

[YolandaBlu]

 
Now I felt I had to go for the money and for the reputation.  My child would need lots of things.   We already needed a bigger house.  So I set off to China, sold the painting for a couple thousand dollars more than the trip cost.  I spent time at the martial arts center perfecting my skills.  I even had two matches with an expert. 


I had a small adventure to help a merchant in China by recovering a lost relic in the Hall of the Lost Army.  For my effort, I received a small reward and change in my visa status.  When our child is older, we can both return to China.

When I got back, I had to settle down and paint furiously to get ready for our new baby.  I was happy with my life, but I could not help wonder about my father and my birth.  I wanted to remember my childhood.  China was interesting but I really wanted to go to Egypt.  However, China led me to martial arts and meditation.  This has been a great help to reduce stress in my life.

I also liked to play for Shirley and our unborn child.


Travel was out of the question for the now.  I painted and waited anxiously for the birth of our baby. 

[Joria]

I hope it all works out well.  I understand slow, miserable computer  problems.  We just had two of ours go belly up.  sigh  They were old, but we really did need to have them operational for awhile longer.

[YolandaBlu]

*****************************************
Ryan was born, healthy.  Shirley reveled in motherhood.  She still wanted to success in her chose career, but she adored her baby boy.  The first few months went by smoothly until his one-year birthday party.  Then we had a little excitement.  The birthday cake set the kitchen afire.  I was able to put it out with the fire extinguisher before the fire department arrived.




Shirley wanted more children and I was agreeable to that because I wanted family to love and care for.   You might note that Shirley is hungry at Ryan’s birthday party.  Another child was already on the way. 

Ryan had a sister before he was two.  We named her Rita Anne after my mother.  Life was hectic for several years with two babies. 

[ladylaw1978]

Great job. Yeah, I hate the birthday cake.

[Anushka]

I believe it was hectic. In Sims as in RL, it's not easy as nearly as it is cute Those birthday cakes not just that are only nice, same looking but also are very dangerous in most of the stories I've read! Wonder where will this dynasty go without all challenge restriction.

[YolandaBlu]

We finally were able to take that vacation to Egypt.  Ryan had just started school and we brought him with us.  Little Rita Anne we left at home with a babysitter.  I finally got a chance to meet the man who supposedly was my father.  I talked to him, but when I brought up my mother, he became angry and indignant.  He did admit that he knew her, but that they were only friends.  He had a wife and children that he loved.  Besides how could he be my father when I was 27, and he was 35.  That did present a mystery.  I apologized and said my mother must have just not wanted to tell me the truth.  I did not mention that supposedly it happened on one of her trips to the past in my Grandfather’s time machine.  However, it did raise questions for me. 




I became obsessed with the time machine and bought equipment to experiment.  I spent much of my spare time in my workshop inventing, trying to remember information that my grandfather had told me, and ignoring my children.  When little Ryan began begging me for attention and Shirley is tired from her third pregnancy, I realized that I could not obsess about the past.  My children and wife needed me now.  I did not sell my equipment, but I did put it away.
 
We had another daughter whom we named Renee.  We had finally saved enough money to build a home for our growing family.  However, my expansive nature created a large house and we did not have money for extra furniture.  We still lived in the kitchen/family room.  At least now, we had bedrooms for the children.

[YolandaBlu]

Our last daughter, whom we named Rachel, was born when Renee was two.  During the years, we thought about having more children, but our life was busy and hectic with four.  Ryan was growing up and getting to the rebellious teen years along with his sister Rita Anne.  




I received a shock when he was 14, because he came home from school with the exact clothing that I had worn when I came out of the time machine.  I questioned him as to where he got it.  I had never told my children my story.  I had only made vague references to my grandfather, grandmother, mother and various aunts and cousins.  He told me that he had gotten it out of a box a few days earlier  addressed to the Conti’s and wasn’t he a Conti.  I demanded to see the box, which had a return address of Conti right here in Riverview.  

I took the address down with the intent to check it out immediately, but commitments delayed my visit for a few weeks.  I approached the house with anticipation and fear for what I might find out.  A grey haired woman answered the door.  I was shocked because it was my mother Rita whom I would know anywhere in spite of the gray hair.  I had not seen her for twenty years.  Of course, in my mind I remembered her, as she was when I left.  She immediately started crying and hugged me.  I was dumbfounded and was at a loss for words.  Through the years, I had hundreds of questions and now no one presented itself.  She invited me in, ask me to sit and if I wanted something to drink.  I said no and then blurted out “Why didn’t you call me, look me up, something.



We parted with promises to meet often.  She sent me home with a photograph of her and my grandmother when she was a young woman.  She was dressed in very strange clothes which she promised to explain on our next visit.  

[Joria]

Really interesting clothing and even more interesting and intriguing story!  I hope your pc will be able to handle things as time goes on as I'm really interested in this tale.

[YolandaBlu]

I visited my mother often in the next few weeks.  I invited her to Rene birthday party and I think she enjoyed herself.  Ryan had graduated from high school the year before and taken a job at our local police station, but his lifelong wish was to be a writer.  About that same time, Ryan was getting serious about his high school sweetheart, Dana Larson.  He wooed Dana and pursued his writing.  Before long, wedding bells began tinkling.
  


We had a small ceremony at our home with family and friends.  At the reception, I asked my mother to move in with us.  She had retired and she was getting up in years.  She agreed and I had built a lovely bedroom with her own private bathroom.  My mother and her namesake Rita Anne seemed to have a natural rapport and they spent many hours talking.  Later I found out that most of their talk was about her great-grandfather's inventions.  Rita, even as a teenager spent many hours inventing on the workbench I had purchased years before.


Since I was an artist and worked at home, I was able to spend long hours talking with my mother too.  The story she told me was unbelievable.  She said that she had emerged from the time machine in the same fashion as I had, but that she was 20 years old and she remembered every part of her life up to that time.  Roberto, her father, was a cousin of Leonardo da Vinci.  They spent many hours together as young boys.  Roberto was more interested in inventing than art or sculpture.  He had invented the first time machine, but it had flaws.  In using it, sometimes, it could throw the person travelling, sideways or off center, instead of straightforward or straight back.  



Savannah always told my mother that she was her true daughter.  They had traveled to the past to conceive her.  Rita commented to me that was an unexplainable mystery.  She did not know the answers.  Every question just led to more questions.  Were Roberto and Savannah the original team or were they descendants?  On the other hand, was time much different than we imagine?  Is there more than one version of ourselves?  

[YolandaBlu]

Any way back in the 16th century where she had original lived, my mother, Rita, entered her father's time machine one sunny day and was thrown into today's present.  However, my mother remembered every aspect of her life then including her betrothed who looked lot like my father, Sopdu Hawa.  His name was Antonio Cassini.  Rita explained to me that was she had tried to get back and had taken several journeys.  She had never succeeded.  After I emerged, she never again tried to find her past again.  It was too dangerous.
 
I did not know whether to believe my mother's story or not, but I did know that the time machine existed and I had emerged from it when I was 14 wearing clothes from another era.  Except unlike my mother, I could not remember anything about that life.  I did not want to talk about my mother's experiences.  It was too disturbing.  However, we did enjoy her company for the next couple of years. 

My mother liked to be popular, but she also was a loner and become agitated when too many people were around.  When Ryan and Dana started taking about having children, Rita came to me and told me that, even though she loved living with her grandchildren and me it was time for her to move on.  She had purchased a small place nearby.  We could visit and call each other on the phone.  She moved out that Saturday.

[CJ Silver]

Is moving someone in and out even legal? I know it's not legal to move someone out in a Dynasty, but this Dynasty feels like it's more of a legacy. Still, if you want to tell a story, I won't judge you - I do the same thing with my Dynasty.

Great story.