A Movie-Watching Dream

Sometimes, when I have a dream, I become unable to tell how much of it was significant and how much of it wasn't. This particularly applies to Pokémon dreams, which come about every once in a while. In this case, I had a Pokémon dream a couple of days ago after not having one for some time, yet I had some difficulties in understanding what I had just dreamed about then. But after making some strides to comprehend the dream, I was able to determine that it was a Pokémon dream in some ways, and I also decided to write up about it.

In the dream, I was watching a Pokémon movie with Pichu in it, much like the ones that preceded certain feature films; I wasn't alone, but I couldn't tell who else was watching with me, although I'm certain that there were some friends. The place I was watching the movie appeared to be a mix of a theater as well as a viewing room, and the movie itself appeared to be played from videotapes, a relic of watching past movies. Some happenings also occurred in the process, from not being able to find the place to others that interrupted the experience. Regardless, I enjoyed watching the movie and was enjoying myself in the dream... until I woke up and had to consider what I had just dreamed, and to record as much as I can about it.

The dream I had a couple of days ago might represent a blending of the past and the future, given the movie appeared to be recent despite being on old technology (videotapes). There is a suggestion that I ought to (continue to) find ways of bridging the past into the future, specifically Pokémon past - whether of mine or others - into Pokémon future. This blog will certainly continue that role, but there is also the suggestion that other ways also need to be involved; in fact, I've already thought up of such a way and made some efforts, but really, it still needs to be saved for later, when the time is right.

Perhaps the difficulty in perceiving the dream lies in the incongruity of the elements, though some of my other Pokémon dreams had other incongruous elements as well. What isn't incongruous or difficult, however, seems to be my sense of Pokémon elements in the dream, which ascertains the dream being as such. That much seems to be quite significant, which ought to be significant for any Pokémon dream that I have as well.

One year ago: Previous Plus One

Two years ago: The Substitute Being (or Doll)

Three years ago: Family Affairs

Four years ago: Rethinking Salt

Five years ago: Tournament: Local Friendly, 1/7/2017

Pokémon Asia Bulbasaur Mug

In order to obtain two of the other cards that I displayed yesterday, I noted that I had to obtain a piece of Pokémon merchandise, and now is the time to discuss about that. It is also currently the most accessible and general-purpose merchandise item for that purpose, also as part of the local campaign along with other items. That merchandise item would be a mug featuring a very well-known "first" Pokémon species, which would be Bulbasaur.

The mug is packaged in an artistically appropriate box, which complements the Grass type of the Pokémon and contains a holographic sticker to certify authenticity. Meanwhile, the mug itself is rather unique: it features the image of the Pokémon, the logo, and appropriate disclaimers, all on a pale lime green background. This mug also has a tapered, conical shape, unlike most mugs that are (relatively) straight. It may be considered to be as unique as the theme of the mug itself.

Notably, the mug itself is officially licensed merchandise, thanks to the presence of the holographic sticker - though only for Asia, as is clearly written on the sticker. The design of the mug is rather simplistic, but that seems to be fine for the people who buy this piece of merchandise, who may not need more elaborate merchandise than something like this. I am pleased to use the mug as it is intended, though I might have to handle the mug rather delicately to maintain it.

Regardless, it is thanks to this mug that I'm also able to obtain two out of the three promotional cards that I displayed the other day. The situation is on the whole still a win-win: I get the cards to support gameplay of different kinds, and I also get a vessel that looks nice and functions just as nicely. I'm sure that my fellow Pokémon fans can appreciate that, if and when they decide to go for this item.

One year ago: No Scans for You

Two years ago: Pokémon Statues

Three years ago: ...With Gatherings and Safari Zones for All

Four years ago: More Odd Poké-Pika Things

Five years ago: A 3DS Story

Indomaret Promotional TCG Cards

Along with mentioning the big anniversary of the Pokémon TCG the other day, I also showed how that was realized with the local TCG through a special pack of anniversary cards, sold in the convenience stores associated with the localized TCG. Of course, besides this special pack and all other necessities for the TCG, there are also the promotional cards that were initiated by a campaign in the middle of last month (though it might have taken time for them to be distributed in the stores). I obtained a few of these promotional cards as well, and they also deserve to be shown.

From two silver envelopes (containing one card each), I received the cards with the Pokémon on them. One of them is of Hoppip, and the other is of Spheal; the former seems appropriate since it's the new year and all, while the latter will become appropriate soon enough. As can be discerned, they are otherwise just like any other normal Pokémon TCG card, with the exception of the store logo on the bottom right corner of the Pokémon image. At the least, they still should be usable in casual play.

Then, there is the much-coveted "Professor's Research" card featuring Professor Willow in the middle, which I received from a blue envelope. The bottom of the card is obscured because it contains the code (note again, unique to each card) that rewards a Special Research set also entitled "Professor's Research" in Pokémon Go; I've already claimed mine, but I still want to keep my code private. I can assure that aside from that, it looks much like the other Professor's Research card that I have, so not much is missed there. 

I received one of the silver envelopes by obtaining the pack of anniversary cards, while the other two was received by way of obtaining a certain piece of Pokémon merchandise, which is to be discussed later. In my experience (and that of a friend), I had to negotiate and confirm to get the cards, though ideally this should have been known beforehand. It may regardless be a useful practice for anything that carries promotional items like these.

On the whole, these promotional cards are a nice touch even if one doesn't play the TCG (much, like me), and the Professor Willow card may be the real treasure, in particular if one plays Pokémon Go. The fact that they're in a different language than English adds an amount of uniqueness and is another proof of the reach that Pokémon has worldwide, even in this very corner of the world and through something as common as a convenience store. 

One year ago: (Re)Structuring Competitions

Two years ago: Jelly-Filled Doughnuts

Three years ago: Cosplay: Bunkasai XXI

Four years ago: The Music of Go

Five years ago: Alt+0233 and Its Kin

TCG 25th Anniversary (Plus Localized Content)

Along with the 25th anniversary of Pokémon as a whole, there is a specific part of it that also celebrates its 25th anniversary. That part would be the Trading Card Game or TCG, which means that it has lasted almost as long as Pokémon itself. That bit is impressive, and so are all of the parts of its history, from those who play on benches and tables (of the cafeteria kind) to those who play in the World Championships, and now those who also play remotely due to the current conditions - this last one being an exceptional story and may need to be covered separately. In short, it's nothing short of amazing.

What makes things amazing in one part is, of course, the cards themselves. Iconic cards have come and gone throughout the years, whether they featured specific Pokémon, moves, or capabilities; as a result, they become popular among fans, players, and collectors alike. It's no surprise that for the anniversary, some of these iconic cards have gotten celebratory reprints through certain products.

Though the TCG in localized form hasn't been around for that long - prior to which many players played with imported English cards - it still deserves the celebration along with the big Pokémon anniversary itself, and so the localized TCG also comes out with special commemorative products to celebrate. The other day, I came across one of these products, which is a special booster pack containing five holographic cards; I bought one so I can take a look inside.

In each package, the five cards contained therein are assuredly holographic, with one of them being a Basic Energy - here, an Electric Basic Energy. I also received a Professor's Research card (though not the one with Professor Willow on it, which is a separate story) and 2+1 Pokémon cards, here being Mew and Yveltal. The "plus one" part here is that I received two Yveltal cards with the same content, but one of them is in full holographic print. The latter may be something that is currently sought after.

Like the video games, much has happened in the Pokémon TCG scene, which has to take after those games for the same experiences in physical form. If the cards (specifically, the ones I obtained above) are of any evidence, it is that those same experiences can be obtained no matter what cards they are or even what language they're in, though a little glitter as with the above helps, in particular for this special anniversary.

One year ago: New GBL Novelties

Two years ago: On Third Parties

Three years ago: The Loading Screen of Go

Four years ago: Team Assistance and Secrecy

Five years ago: "They can imitate you, but they can't duplicate you..."

Two and Two Together

It's somewhat early in the year, but it has happened before (two years ago - see below); moreover, it's been more or less decided. I'm referring to my "yearly themes", which can be and have been references for the things that happen in a year, for which Pokémon is included. This year, the decision is made on the suggestion that a lot of things this year will come in twos, not the least of which is minding the approach to the completion of a second year of current conditions. As such, the "yearly theme" for this year is "Two and Two Together", in consideration of all the things that might just come in this fashion.

The theme obviously takes from the related expression "to put two and two together", which means "to add" in both numerical and ideational senses, but also could mean "to make sense of things" for the latter. What this implies is that there will likely be more things quantitatively, which may also need to be figured out qualitatively. It also takes up reference from the number representing this year (2022), which has three of the number "2" and is likely the only time most people living today will experience it, with the next one being in 2122 and for which I can't guarantee my existence at that point.

What I can guarantee is that there are already a few Pokémon things that will involve the element of "two" in some way. The second of the Sinnoh region games, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, will be released somewhat soon (even with the region called by its former name Hisui instead); "two and two" is four, which is also the numerical designation for the generation containing the fabled region. Then, in the actual month of "two", Pokémon Go will have an event of its own that is further related to "two" and that is to be explained when it becomes pertinent, perhaps at the beginning of that month. 

From this, it can be seen that the element of "two" will be evident in various ways, whether or not as it relates to Pokémon things, for which the things above are just two things. The rest of the things, including the particulars for the things above, would need to be made sense of, which is in line with the theme for this year. Still, it might be harder to establish things long before they come - especially in light of persisting current conditions - but that's what the process of "making sense of things" is for, based on what has been divulged and the things that are eventually divulged.

Now, in this year full of "twos", there are already more semblances of (Pokémon) things happening in such a manner, as if that isn't already one usual modus operandi out of the two for many things related to Pokémon. The things will happen, and so will the analytical processes that would help to understand about them and allow for the best use out of them. Regardless, whether they come in twos or not, Pokémon things are always the best for their fans, and it doesn't take much for one to put two and two together; this is at least something to be expected of this year.

One year ago: A Dream with Partners

Two years ago: A Clear Vision

Three years ago: Home and Heart... and Hope

Four years ago: Now Accepting Donations

Five years ago: Confessions and Concessions

Thoughts on More Categories

Categories are important to any blog - and in particular this Pokémon blog - as they help to organize the posts and see how they are related. Accordingly, the subject has come up in a few posts on this blog, one of which was two years ago (see below). Now that this blog has completed a full five years and is into the start of its sixth, the discussion seems to be warranted once again. It would pertain to the progress that has been made in this aspect and can be made in the future.

In the past, I had undertaken the division of the formerly all-inclusive category of "Game" into several categorical "realms", including Pokémon Go as its own category. This division has worked well for the most part, especially for posts made after the division. Due to limited time and owing to considerations, however, I haven't been able to make the original category disappear, although with only 60 posts left as of this post, I might be able to make a plan to get this all done soon. I'm also debating on whether to create a category that covers posts about game principles that don't specifically tie into one "realm", though I loath to call it "metagame" since Pokémon involves games and this term is thrown around frequently in them, often within one "realm" rather than a mix of them. I'd rather use a different term or coin a new one if need be.

Meanwhile, though it isn't too large compared to other categories, the "Events" category is burgeoning not only in posts but also in scope, similar to how "Game" was before the division. For this category, I'm contemplating of dividing it into three: one for events that are begotten from the games, another for events that are established by the community (which may or may not be related to the games), and yet another for entertainment events (for which cosplay is included). All of these are currently included as one, and it seems rather conflated in this state; a division will certainly help to alleviate that. While the latter two may not be pertinent due to the global situation, the first one will certainly continue, and that's an incentive for making the division.

Speaking of burgeoning categories, the greatest one in this regard is the "Musings" category, with 727 posts as of this post. This might present the greatest difficulty for division, as I'm certain that the category still applies for many of the posts that are tagged with it. Further, some may also be tagged with one or more other categories, making recategorization even more difficult. As such, it may not be currently in my interest to break up this category through recategorization. However, if I were to be able to identify themes in the posts, especially with the help of others, then I might just be able to do that, though as with the efforts above, it would take time as well.

After five years, the post categories on this blog have expanded, becoming even greater than what they were before. It's a testament to the number of posts and the content in them, which have also expanded greatly since the beginning. With that being evident, recategorization and expansion of those categories are not only imminent but also necessary, keeping me in check as someone who writes about and presents the world of Pokémon, even more so through what has been experienced.

One year ago: Pokémon Blogging Wellness

Two years ago: New Post Categories

Three years ago: Taking the Plunge

Four years ago: What's Next?

Five years ago: ...And a Hoppip New Year

Hoppip New Year 2022

Hoppip New Year. It's been another year, and this blog now moves into its sixth year. Somewhat unfortunately, the same is also true of current conditions. But if the experience of the past two years is of any indication, my persistent spirit in blogging about Pokémon can be maintained, and that's a great thing. Pokémon particularly moves on regardless, and I can and have to do that as well, while still making a chronicle of whatever I'm involved in or with Pokémon every step of the way.

With the big 25th Pokémon anniversary being about to pass into the 26th, this year might just look like a typical year with Pokémon, except with current conditions still persisting. Usual Pokémon things will happen (or not, unless circumstances allow them to happen) and I still want to get in on them whenever possible, which would then serve well for posts to be written on this blog about them. In fact, I have to say that some of them did happen recently, but I couldn't get into them due to the end-of-year rush. They will regardless be soon present in posts as I get to writing them.

Still on the topic of social media efforts, there's actually one effort that I've undertaken at the end of last year, but back then it wasn't quite ready for prime time (for that matter, even now), at least by my own considerations. However, at this point, with it being the new year and all, I feel that it can move forward, and I'll definitely post about it in due time. It already even has links to this blog affixed to it, so it can be assured that it's relevant to me, this blog, and of course Pokémon. The "prime time" term above should be a big clue; one should watch for it.

As usual, it's also time for a "Hoppip Report" at the beginning of the year. Last year, I hinted that I've always been capturing Shadow Hoppip, but I've never found one with stats that I would consider keeping. Early last year, I then found such a Hoppip:

This one is pretty good, especially if it were to be Purified, which would add two points to each stat that isn't maximized. Yet, it would also rob me of the only Shadow Hoppip that I have. If a better one came along, I'd really make the consideration for the one above to become Purified, but that's when that happens. In the meantime, I'm still seeking Hoppip of varied stats that may be usable for various purposes.

Certainly, there is also the ever-growing list of posts from previous years below each post, including this one. Ideally, that ought to show the variety and conformity that I have in writing posts on this blog. That likewise applies to my Pokémon experiences as well: it has its share of variety and conformity in different ways. Both of these should be as impressive as the extent of time I've dedicated to writing posts on this blog and Pokémon in general.

One year ago: Hoppip New Year 2021

Two years ago: Hoppip New Year 2020

Three years ago: Hoppip New Year 2019

Four years ago: Hoppip New Year 2018

Five years ago: First Post Time!