Monday, August 17, 2026

Flowers of Freedom

Like all posts in past years, this one will address the special day linked to my experiences, in particular Pokémon. Yet also like last year's post (see below), I'm still not comfortable to address it directly. Therefore, I'm addressing Pokémon directly again instead but with influences from that special day. I don't know how long it might persist, but that may just be the case for some time. 

Last year, I addressed fauna or animal life - specifically birds of the kind that might be pertinent to national symbolism. Now I want to address its conceptual kin, flora or plant life - specifically flowers as a part of their anatomy, and a beautiful one at that. Some Pokémon also have bodies made up of flower-like anatomy, and while they may not constitute flowers themselves, they could be construed as the flowers they resemble.

Many nations likewise have flowers as part of their national symbology, and where I am is no different. One of the pertinent flowers for the current place is a large, reddish, and speckled flower, much like the head of a Vileplume - or in fact the reverse is true, as the Pokémon takes inspiration from this very flower. Both of these flowers, though pretty, also have detracting qualities, which people of both worlds have discovered.

Meganium, meanwhile, has a showy collar that very much resembles a flower in and of itself. The same is true of the Phalaenopsis orchid (aka the moon orchid) that is also very showy, and it happens that the collar of said Pokémon can be considered to resemble this flower's shape to some extent. As for color, that may be another matter, though the orchid may have color variants that are reasonably close in shade.

Not all flowers are big and showy, certainly. The jasmine is small and elegant for its stature... and so is Floette, particularly in its White Flower form, which may be considered to bear resemblance to that very flower. Though Floette and especially this form are rare, compared to the more common jasmine, they might just become common at some undiscovered place, showing off their existence elegantly much like the jasmine.

Now, flowers are also associated with some "withering spirits", which could be said to be the case for my discussion of the special day on this blog along with Pokémon. Yet it may also be necessary to bring flowers at times to bring liveliness to periods of "withering" and "rising" spirits. This post can thus be construed to do just that, bringing real and Pokémon flowers to keep some special things lively.

Three years ago: My Land, Never Gone
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Sunday, August 16, 2026

Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/16/2026

Community Day time for this month is at hand, and it's a tricky one for several reasons. First up, it's on a Sunday, which hasn't happened since prior to the season when Daily Discoveries were introduced; it was actually initially scheduled for Saturday before being rescheduled to today. Then, the featured Pokémon species of this edition was determined by voting a couple of months ago, with the candidates also being tricky. That's a lot of tricks for an edition - and it's not even October 31 yet - and they have to be made clear with a post that covers it.

With that, the featured Pokémon is Nickit, a Dark type Pokémon that evolves only once to Thievul; it beat out three other species that also evolve once, making them all "tricky" as it is an unusual pattern for Community Day - in fact, it is unprecedented for a Pokémon species without an alternate or related form of some kind. Nevertheless, the latter Pokémon gets the special move of Icy Wind, which has an effect in PvP and effectively setting the destiny of species usage. As well, its appeal may also be reduced for that reason as well as its relative unpopularity.

But things carry on, and the edition still has its particulars. The main bonus is triple catch Stardust, which may be the only part that "salvages" this edition. The usual series of bonuses - double catch Candy, double Candy XL chance, 3-hour Incense, 1-hour Lure Modules, photo bombs, trade discount, and an extra Special Trade - still makes the event what it is. Of course, Research is also still there with Field tasks, Timed tasks for communities, and a paid Special set titled "Wily Whiskers", which affirms that Trainers need to be as tricky as the featured Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Ash and Goh are back from their soiree - temporarily - and they (mostly the former) are given to deal with this edition:

Goh: Nickit, huh?

Ash: Just like the ones we saw in Galar!

Pikachu: Chu pika. ["Exactly that."]

Goh: Right, and then there's the leader that evolved to Thievul.

Me: Obviously you two are familiar with them.

Ash: But as usual, you want me with your faraway friends.

Me: Well, of course. There's always January 2025 to consider. 

Goh: Anyway, how'd the Nickit hunting go? 

Ash: I really got a lot! But I only found two Shiny ones...

Goh: Huh. You'd usually find at least a few. 

Ash: Some of the others also didn't find a lot.

Me: OK, it might be an anomaly, or it might not.

Ash: As usual, I really was with them - with my world outfit, of course. 


Goh: Well, all right. That's rising to the occasion.

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Pretty good!"]

Ash: Hey, it just had to happen.

Goh: But I also can't help to think that our friend also wanted you somewhere.

Me: Let me give you a hint: if this was on Saturday as it was initially intended, then that would have happened.

Goh: I see. That's pretty tricky. 

Ash: Not as tricky as the Nickit!

Me: If anything, the Nickit may have more tricks than they seem to appear to have.

Tricky or not, every Community Day edition offers unique potentials that every Trainer can stand to take advantage of. For this one, that would be having an interesting and unique species for PvP battle, and that is a trick in and of itself. Whatever other tricks that this edition and future ones might have may or may not be fully known, but the final trick for these tricks is to participate in them with a community and to have a good time.

One year ago: Everywhere and Nowhere
Five years ago: Thoughts of Cards, Again
Seven years ago: Capital Convergence
Eight years ago: Getting Lucky with It
Nine years ago: I Want to Splurge
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Saturday, August 15, 2026

I'm Already There (and You're Always There)

I'm already there
Take a look around
I'm the sunshine in your hair
I'm the shadow on the ground
I'm the whisper in the wind
And I'll be there until the end
Can you feel the love that we share
Oh I'm already there
Oh I'm already there...
-- "I'm Already There", Lonestar

When I bring up a song that has no apparent relation to Pokémon on this blog, it can be reasoned that the song ties into my thoughts or experiences involving Pokémon things. The song quoted above speaks to the second of these two realms, and rather strongly at that. It used to be a song that I wouldn't have second thoughts over, but I now truly have those second thoughts with subsequent listening of the song - specifically for Pokémon experience.

Now, the song is about a man reassuring a child and significant other, being separated by a great distance from them, that he is always present wherever they are and they will remain together, at least spiritually. It became popular over two decades ago likely because it spoke to the experiences of people separated in this way due to a certain conflict - not for discussion here. The quoted part above is the final chorus, a blending of the first two that preceded it. As such, the strength of feelings that pertain to this song becomes somewhat evident.

Since the parting of Ash in the anime, it could be regarded that even if he's not around in it anymore, he's still somewhere just like how it's a certain time of day in some place. With that, the spirit of the choruses - and maybe a little bit of the verses - apply for those who still appreciate him for who he is, like me. The new anime won't erase the legacy of the old, and that would apply to the presence as well. Surely, Ash will be present in some way at some place, and that would be felt through the elements that are mentioned in the chorus.

Then... there is a sense that the song could be understood to apply to those who have departed - as in, forever. I've had to experience one of those departures several months ago with my "Delia", who in many ways is also relevant to my Pokémon appreciation. This day, in fact, happens to be related to her as it's her "special day", even if in the past I've struggled to remember and not remember it because of how things have been even with her presence. And now, that presence only becomes "spiritual", again thanks to the chorus as mentioned.

For those who are always there, the assurance and perception that they will be as such may be difficult to establish. Yet this song presents some of the ways that can be realized, even for specific Pokémon matters and others that are only adjacent to it. Once assured and perceived, the hope is that people will understand that they've always been there all along, even if not physically. At that point, (Pokémon) life goes on however the presence may be.

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Friday, August 14, 2026

Introducing the Explorer Gadget

Trainers of Pokémon Go will no doubt be familiar with "accessory devices" (or what I in the past called "Go Plus peripheral"), which are used to help them catch Pokémon and spin PokéStops. Since they're "devices" or "peripherals", they're necessarily physical. However, now the game has a virtual or in-game equivalent that is now available to most Trainers after having been tested with a smaller number of them. Per the title of this post, that would be the feature called the Explorer Gadget, and it is worthwhile to discuss its specifics.

Essentially, the Explorer Gadget is a virtual version of the Pokémon Go++ device, which catches Pokémon and spins PokéStops automatically, the former of which doesn't happen with other accessory devices. Like said device, though, one will need to have a ready supply of Poké Balls and ample bag and storage space, lest it won't function optimally. Furthermore, this feature as it is implemented is only active when the game is running but in the background (closed). This is unlike a device that runs as long as the game is running.

Now, the game also places a daily limit on how many captures and spins that can be made, which at present is 76 each. It also needs to be started manually each day, but it can be paused and resumed as needed until the limit is reached. It is also quite possible that later on, the limits will be changed and the feature can be activated several times a day... but at a cost, which would make sense as another way to rake in profits and with the fact that the physical devices are likewise purchased for use. Yet at least some freebies are retained for it.

As for best practices, it is certainly a good idea to turn on the feature when one can't be bothered to have Pokémon Go open and needs to do other things, keeping it in the background. It also should work well with the screen turned off while one is venturing, although this seems to be iffy at certain moments and especially now for Android users, while Apple users seem to have a better experience. It seems that further tweaks to the feature are needed to make it work in all kinds of probable situations.

Why the feature was implemented could be answered to a certain extent as well. It is known that the world is currently facing a "semiconductor crisis" that makes devices of all kinds more expensive, including Pokémon Go accessory devices. Even without the "crisis", it seems that the specific device in question (Pokémon Go++) is being rather finicky for existing users, and an alternative implementation is needed. Therefore, the virtual implementation of the Explorer Gadget serves that very purpose and is to try to resolve both issues.

If the Explorer Gadget can be described in terms of its facilitation, then it makes an accessory device experience (albeit a limited one) available to all Trainers of Pokémon Go while solving a few problems for them as well as itself in the physical form. Though the feature may not yet be free from issues and it is still in its infancy, its potential for future development may be great to an extent, and Trainers can still take advantage of it in different ways presently to add on or improve their Pokémon Go experience, if only with a virtual accessory device implementation.

Seven years ago: Who's That...
Eight years ago: Worldly Reverence
Nine years ago: All in Good (Life)Time
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Thursday, August 13, 2026

Quickies: The Land of Miltank and Combee

There are many ways to express places that could be considered as a "paradise". One of those ways is by describing what such a fitting place might contain, like in the popular expression of "the land of milk and honey" - which I won't go into the origins of, but for those who know, well... they know. And for me, what I know is that such a description can have some Pokémon correspondence, so I thought about taking that description and bringing it into Pokémon - more specifically, using Pokémon terms within and for the description.

Certainly, the title of this post would be the fitting correspondence for that expression, if the Pokémon species themselves are considered and not their related substances - more on this shortly. That would mean they can exist in any place that fits them, perhaps the regions of either Johto or Sinnoh, as the regions where each respective species hails from. There may or may not be hard evidence of both of these coexisting together in the same region, but them coexisting in their respective region's games may be sufficient to consider them "paradise".

Meanwhile, those related substances would be the Moomoo Milk and Honey, which could be considered a bit awkward to say (as in, "rolling off the tongue") and "not uniquely Pokémon enough", plus there might be a couple of "relational problems" in its structure. So, "Miltank and Combee" still seems the best way of expressing the expression, showing the Pokémon influence in it, and most certainly evoking the "paradise" theme. Like the real substances they relate to, there is the sense that they might just be consumed in that place.

Paradise can be hard to find, especially with the state of the world nowadays. In fact, it seems much easier to find it in writing or speaking, like with the use of the expression that I initially mentioned in this post, than it is to find it actually manifested. For Pokémon fans like me, though, they might just have a way of interpreting that expression within a context that is very much related to its world, and that context would involve the two species as mentioned, along with their substances that still maintain ties to the original expression and conception.

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Wednesday, August 12, 2026

"Breaking" the (Pokémon) Bank

Ever since the 3DS eShop closed down, Pokémon Bank - for those who had been fortunate enough to download it before then - became free to use, allowing all Trainers to transfer Pokémon from the main series games on that console as well as from a few prior games with some additional tools. However, I also said then that such a state of affairs might not last indefinitely... and I was right, for Pokémon Bank is now due to shutter its services, which means that I have to bring up the topic for discussion once more - specifically for that fact.

The closure will certainly "break the bank" in a figurative sense, and it means that it won't be possible to transfer Pokémon from the games as mentioned. They would cover the third through the seventh generations - the first three with the "additional tools" and the last two on the 3DS itself, plus the third by their remakes. If and when the Pokémon Bank is shuttered, these generations will become "inert" just like the first two, the only difference being that those first two generations never had much in the way of transfer mechanisms.

With the impending closure, there is the initiative to transfer necessary Pokémon as soon as possible. Even so, with the current main series games on the Switch, most older Pokémon can be obtained from them, and the exceptions aren't too great in number as some people have discovered. Those exceptions would then become imperative to be transferred through the current protocols that ultimately end up with usage of Pokémon Bank, while the rest can be found through the Switch games - unless, of course, one doesn't have them.

Some players (Trainers) have called for an extension to the active period of Pokémon Bank, and this may be understandable given some of their needs. Whether that extension can or cannot be granted, it is necessary to bear in mind that the 3DS is long in the tooth by now and its online infrastructure will eventually need to be taken down so that the ones for the Switch (2) can carry on its functions. The eShop has evidently done just that, so then that leaves the ones for games or apps themselves - in this case, Pokémon Bank as an "app".

After the Bank is "broken", players (Trainers) will then need to carry on with what has been transferred from it to Pokémon Home - certainly, a reminder for the final step of transfers - for use in the modern main series game ecosystem. Given the course of time, that's certainly where things are headed, past the shadow of prior Nintendo consoles (including the 3DS) and the Pokémon games that are on them. The "breaking of the bank" could thus be considered a turning point for that, with the brighter main series future ahead of it.

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Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Am I Relationally Challenged?

As a Pokémon fan, I'm not without problems, which can be evidenced by two posts with similarly structured titles from past years. Now I'm about to write up a third one, which could be considered a follow-up to the second of the two posts above, but it also has some separate concerns. The earlier post dealt with communication, as in interacting with other people or entities; this one addresses relation, as in how I make sense of things - not necessarily with communication involved, but it could be. And then there's the necessary Pokémon aspect.

Making sense of (understanding) things to determine their relations is important in daily life, never mind doing so for all kinds of Pokémon games. Yet for all I've done well in this regard, it seems that there are still plenty of circumstances where I've had problems in determining relations. In the specific case of Pokémon games, this would involve how I make sense of their elements and then applying them, for example like moves in a battle. Sometimes they don't turn out how I'd expect them to be and I only find out about them after the fact.

Then there is the issue of putting out my thoughts on those relations in words - particularly on this blog. In doing so, I have to make sense of the relations Pokémon things first before I then go on to put them in writing on a post, and in either case, it seems sometimes that as I build those relations, I also have problems in doing so, like they don't make sense (to me) even as I've tried to make them make sense - if you get my drift. After having done so in the past ten years or so, it seems odd that it does happen, but the fact of the matter is... it does happen.

Like with the communication challenges discussed earlier, there may be a chance that the problems I have with relating things in and outside of Pokémon may be explained by a certain (mental) condition, even if that could only be explained later on and somehow. Whether that is or isn't true, probable, or resolvable - if it happens to be so - in some way, I want to say that I'm doing the best I can in any case. And of course, that won't change the fact that I'll always be attracted to Pokémon and be doing something with it in some form for everyone.

I've had many years of being able to make relations and make sense of them for all kinds of things, including but not limited to Pokémon. Many of them have turned out sensibly and in the best manner, but quite a few didn't or haven't seem to, which then became the prompt for this post and the question that its title entails. Even so, it just seems to be a part of the many "challenges" that I seem to possess when it comes to dealing with life and all the elements that are present in it, and with Pokémon included, that makes for a challenging life as well.

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