The Addiction Revisited
There once was a Jet named Mike, who was convinced he could ride a horse like a bike.
Okay, we will have to let that rhyme end there. Why you ask? Because I can’t think of how to continue it of course!
A year ago I announced my sickness, my “addiction”, and some of you scoffed. There were doubters … those who said six stables an addiction did not make. Honestly some of those comments soothed me, and made me feel as if my new hobby was more of a habit then an addiction. Of course I can stop anytime I like, I told myself. I don’t “need” to enter my ponies. I don’t “need” to open new stables. I don’t “need” a derby winner. Who actually “needs” to win a graded race?
Funny you should ask … because it appears I need to do all of those things. This past year has taught me a lot. I have learned that “Derby Fever” is a real disease and should be taken seriously. In my first article I spoke of two beautiful two year old colts that kingab bred for me. One of these, More Than A Jet, lit a fire in me when he won a listed stakes in January at a mile and a sixteenth. He posted a good speed figure, and a few people whispered DERBY HORSE in my ear. I would like to say I handled it like a professional, but I have to be honest. I became obsessed with getting him into the big dance. Convinced that my horse was not only going to get in, but win it all, common sense went out the window. What happened was three graded tries in less than two months, with the best run ending in a third place finish over seven lengths behind the eventual fourth place finisher in the derby. More Than a Jet hasn’t been the same since, and I learned a valuable lesson. Don’t kill a horse for one race. If he was meant to get in, then he will do what is needed to get in.
I have also learned that six stables just is not enough, and since the last writing I have adopted four more stables and started four others. I am now running one hundred thirty-eight of my own ponies all over the sim world. I am happy to announce the arrival of dozens and dozens of new foals into these barns, as I have absolutely no control when I see “insert sire name here” available for credits. I have decided to have a combined baby shower so that you all can share in my joy. You can all send gifts in the form of credits to jetman stables to help me fund my addiction! Wait I didn’t mean addiction, I meant hobby I swear!
Now my wife likes to poke fun at me at times, when she sees me bent over the computer pumping my fist in support of one of my horses on race day, but I learned one fateful July day to not watch graded races when she is around. I had run in a few graded races prior, as I have mentioned, but never was in serious contention of winning. On July 2nd, 2011 this all changed. Major Alex, named for my ten year old son, was running in his first ever graded race. When the race started I had my son there with me, in quiet anticipation, waiting to see “his” horse run. From the start Major Alex settled into third, stalking the leaders. At the second call he exploded, and this is when I learned my lesson. I learned that between my son, and I we can make a good deal of noise. Enough noise in fact to wake my younger son from his nap, and to bring my wife’s wrath down upon us. I also learned that my son Alex has a pretty strong right arm, as he may have cracked a rib from the pounding he gave me as his namesake ran to his (and my) first ever graded win. In each of Major Alex’s subsequent runs, my son and I hide ourselves in the basement, so that we can yell support to our hearts content.
It’s all a vicious cycle, this world of simulated horse racing. Now with the success of the aforementioned Major Alex, and a few of my other dirt colts, I am starting to get that disease again. I am coming down with Derby Fever and Its worse than the first time. Paranoia has set in, and I have resorted to installing security cameras throughout my barns. There is still this resounding fear that kingab is after my ponies, most notably my New York bred monsters. While he hails from Ohio, I know he secretly admires all things New York (especially the Jets who I hid in New Jersey, he will never find them there). I think he might be in cahoots with some of my other chat room friends, bunch of horse thieves the lot of them.
Speaking of the chat room, as I mentioned in my first article, it is the single best place to learn the game. Sure I had the advantage of kingab holding my hand (not literally you perverts) through my first year or so, but just being in the chat room also helped tremendously. Simple questions are answered readily, and much of the time difficult questions as well. If you haven’t yet I highly recommend stopping in to say hi. The individuals you may meet are unique, diverse, and in one particular case furry. Young, old, drunk, sober,
Now I was smart enough to join a support group called Empire State Racing as I mentioned in the original article. Most of the individuals in ESR are even more gone than I am, and even more in denial having been addicted for years. Together we support each other, and help each other resist the temptations provided by the game. Actually that is a load of bull … normally we push each other into breeding excessively – bluebloods, bargains, early week, late week, it just doesn’t matter. But I digress; I owe much to this band of renegade Region Five breeders, and much of my sim success can be attributed to the lot of them.
In 2011 I was able to meet a few of the goals I had set for myself. Winning a rez race (yes it was only one, but it’s a start), and winning my first graded race were probably the two most important to me. But moving forward into 2012 I believe it’s time to set new goals, a new mission moving forward. It would be easy and obvious to make the derby one of those goals, but in my opinion that should be a goal every year. For me goal #1 will be winning a Grade 1 race. Goal #2 is to win more than one rez race this coming year. Goal #3 will be to win a bargain bred race (my last stable “jetbargain” is aimed at this cause). Okay … that is enough goals, because I can already feel the pressure weighing down on me. Stop being so damn judgmental!
So in parting I offer this advice: For those newer simsters who fear the addictive nature of derbyfever.com … do what I have learned to do. Sign in instead to smartacre.com … because it has smart in it, and that means we are then smart for signing in! And if it’s smart to sign in, then it can’t be considered addictive. To the older simsters who are concerned … you’re screwed and might as well give in and open a new stable.
Happy holidays all … and may you all have a happy new year.