All in Good (Life)Time

A Pokémon-playing colleague of mine recently remarked on how he spent a lot (and I mean a lot) of time on the Pokémon games that it makes a recently played but different game insignificant, especially when it comes to "life". As a huge Pokémon fan myself, I can understand. Any time-wasting thing takes something off of life, but if that time wasted can be considered time well-spent, then it really does mean "living".

That said, time merits some consideration, but it is not the only thing. My colleague stated that he spent so much time on the games that on one of the games, he maxed out the play time clock. I must say that my time spent playing the games somewhat (read: very much) pales in comparison, and for that matter, perhaps the same would apply to another friend of mine, the one who bestowed his 3DS Pikachu LE upon me, who is also a huge Pokémon fan himself. So the time that we all spent playing the games are unequal - but what is equal is that we're equivocally fans of Pokémon; we wouldn't play the games and take in all Pokémon-related things if we weren't fans.

There has to be a few things that makes spent time good rather than wasted. One of those is definitely result. If similar results as more spent time can be gained in less time, then some of that time is at least worth something as a produced outcome. If not as results, then it may be experience; if in that spent time experience is at least elevated, then that is a good value as well. Lastly, there is also enjoyment, which could be considered to have lesser value than the other two, but it's a good value nonetheless as well. So there are many ways of how time can be valuated.

All this leads into the consideration of "life". One of the things I always say is that Pokémon is my life; if I'm not playing or doing or thinking up of something Pokémon, I'm not living - or rather, I'm living less, not as much as I can. This is where much of my enjoyment lies, as well as a good amount of results and experience. And it pervades many aspects, not just the games. But in consideration of Pokémon, the games are where a good portion lies. I'll still (need to) do and (want to) enjoy other things, but without Pokémon it just seems that there is something missing. Pokémon is then an overarching part of where my life lies, and I can imagine the same is true for my colleague and my friend.

So my friend, fear not about what they call "no life". It's your life - and if it works like the way Pokémon works in my life, then that's a worthwhile piece of it. In that sense, time spent on and with Pokémon is truly a good life for you and me, and for anyone else who's a fan at heart.