Day 152 - Game Over

The weather institute was saved thanks to another instance of Martha's heroics! She rode away and congratulated herself by singing her song. That is she sang her song until she ran into Brendan. He heard her song and was not happy about it. He told her he was furious and would defeat her once and for all. Martha tried to cry her way out of it, but to no avail. So they clashed in a Pokémon battle! Martha won like she always had, but it did not make her feel any better she was humiliated. "I'm done with you!" Brendan declared, as he expressed his intentions of going home to help his father with research and to strengthen their familial bond. It was game over for Martha's prank, now what did she have to work for?

Thank you sole regular reader. I am grateful for your dedicated patronage here on my blog.

Day 150 - Happy Pokémon Day!

Happy Pokémon Day! No Martha updates today, but I have the continuation of her story in mind for either tomorrow or Saturday. Today in celebration of Pokémon Day I am going to go through and name a few of my Pokémon favorites! The family favorites must have the type as their final form primary type for simplicity sake. These are my favoritesas of today, February 27 Pokémon Day 2020.

Favorite Pokémon...

• Region: Johto
• Generation: Gen IV
• Starter Trio: Torterra, Infernape, Empoleon
• Game Set: Black, White, Black 2, & White 2
• Box Legendaries: Solgaleo & Lunala 
• Eeveelution: Jolteon
• Baby Pokémon: Elekid (although Toxel is growing on me)
• Pikachu Clone: Pachirisu
• Fossil Pokémon: Armaldo
• Mythical: Celebi
• Alolan Variant: Graveler
• Galarian Variant: Darmanitan
• Pseudo Legendary: Metagross (though this one changes regularly)
• Normal Type Family: Whismur, Loudred, & Exploud
• Fighting Type Family: Clobbopus & Grapploct (new favorites but Riolu & Lucario might win out in the long run)
• Flying Type Family: Noibat & Noivern
• Poison Type Family: Gulpin & Swalot
• Ground Type Family: Phanpy & Donphan
• Rock Type Family: Roggenrola, Boldore, & Gigalith
• Bug Type Family: Cutifly & Ribombee (I flip to Heracross for a week or so every couple months)
• Ghost Type Family: Litwick, Lampent, & Chandelure
• Steel Type Family: Skarmory
• Fire Type Family: Sizzlipede & Centiskorch
• Water Type Family: Wooper & Quagsire (Wooper could hold this spot all alone!)
• Grass Type Family: Chikorita, Bayleef, & Meganium
• Electric Type Family: Mareep, Flaafy, & Ampharos
• Psychic Type Family: Solosis, Duosion, & Reuniclus
• Ice Type Family: Snorunt, Glalie, & Froslass (my only branched family)
• Dragon Type Family: Goomy, Sliggoo, & Goodra (this changes a bunch too)
• Dark Type Family: Purrloin & Liepard
• Fairy Type Family: Flabébé, Floette, & Florges
• Type: Electric probably...
• Poké Ball: Premier Ball
• Champion: Cynthia (because I'm basic)
• Professor: Kukui?

How about you? Who and what are your favorites?

Day 149 - Prank Song

Everything was going swimmingly for Martha. She had 5 gym badges, including her very own father's badge. She also was still succeeding in pranking her neighbor out of a father, and he had a crush on him to boot. Things could not be going better for her, which is why she could not help herself from singing a little ditty to herself as she made her way East from Mauville.

I want to do the greatest prank,
Like no one ever has.
To steal a Dad is my real test,
To trick them is my cause!
I will travel across the land,
Research Pokémon.
To butter up Proffessor Birch
To catch him in my con!
Martha's Prank!
A new family,
So clueless they will be!
Martha's Prank!
Brendan, my new friend,
He's my brother in the end!
Martha's Prank!
I'll trick them all,
They'll be at my beck and call!
I'll prank you and you're the fool,
Mar-tha's-Prank!
A fake family!
A new family!

She was happy as a clampearl.

How do you like my prank song spook on the original Pokémon theme song?

Day 147 - Go Go Gadget Go-Goggles

Hot off of defeating Flannery for the Heat badge, Martha ran into Brendan. He was so excited to see her! He had an apology gift for her, to make up for making her cry the last time they had run into each other, the Go-Goggles. Martha hugged him gratefully and kissed him on the cheek, turning him Tamato berry red. Riding away on her bike Martha was feeling great! She was pretty sure she had tricked Brendan into having a crush on her, so much for him being suspicious of her prank.

Work is impossibly difficult and stressful right now. I need to figure out where to go in my life. I am frustrated by the fact that I am having to answer these questions that I thought I had answered in school years ago.

Day 145 - Who to Trust

Martha needed to put her crusade for the greatest prank aside for a bit. Team Magma was trying to blow up a volcano and that was the type of crisis that caused everything else to be put on hold. The confusing thing was that the criminals Martha had confronted earlier, Team Aqua, were also trying to stop them. Martha was really confused who she could trust. Her gut told her not to trust members of either team, no matter how charismatic they were. The question would have to wait until the current crisis was averted, if Mt. Chimney erupted there wouldn't be a volcano to erupt.

I have not been on top of posts since adjusting my schedule. I blame work, new projects and overall overhwhelmedness. Things have been a little hectic for me lately and I hope I find a better equilibrium here soon.

Day 144 - James

James had successfully defended his title of Indigo League Champion. He was the most skilled Pokémon trainer in the Kanto region, and as far as he knew his team was unmatched. He had traveled to every corner of Kanto and captured the birds of legend and the berserk clone of the ancient Mew. After finishing all of this there was only one thing that James wanted to do... play some video games. So he went home and turned on his NES so he could play and relax after a long journey. His mom didn't even mind. In her mind he had earned a nice break.

The real James is one of my Great Great Grandfathers on my fathers side. He was born in Sweden in 1875 and like many of my ancestors immigrated to the United States at a young age (7 years old). He ended up settling in Utah where he met and married his wife Mary Jane. Together they had 12 children. He worked as a farmer and stockman in Brigham City. He lived to the respectable age of 76.

Day 142 - Again & Again

James heard he had a challenger for his spot as the Indigo League Champion. A really strong challenger! He humbly knew that he was not ready. Luckily during his travels in the Sevii Islands he had personally met Lorelei of the Elite Four, and she had agreed to help him prepare to face his challenger. Even better still she had convinced her fellow Elite Four members to help as well. Together they all would battle, again and again, day after day, repeatedly! All of them were getting stronger and James felt he was slowly getting to the level he needed to be at to defeat his rumored ultra strong challenger!

Any loyal readers know of data analytics job opportunities? If you do, let me know on Facebook or Twitter @AllGamesProject. I am casually on the job hunt.

Day 140 - Caught "Dad" Handed

Martha was feeling pretty great about her prank's success so far. Brendan was not. He witnessed from a distance Martha's last attempt schmoozing his father with her manipulative words, and he was going to confront her about it. But first he needed to take her down a peg with a Pokémon battle! At least that is what he tried to do, but she outmaneuvered him and soundly beat his team. He was furious. "First you try to take my Dad and then you thrash me at Pokémon! Why are you trying to take everything you love away from me?!" Martha burst into tears and Brendan was immediately filled with guilt. Martha apologized through her tears that she never meant to hurt anyone and that she had just been feeling homesick and alone since moving to Hoenn. Brendan was immediately filled with guilt. "I am so sorry." he professed. "I will always be around for you if you need someone to talk to." he reassured her, "You can count on me to be a friend." He was able to comfort and calm her before they parted ways.

Tears always worked, Martha thought to herself as she watched Brendan ride away on his bike. Now things were a bit more complicated, but Martha loved a difficult prank. She just needed to step up her manipulation game a little bit.

I maybe got a little behind on posts... And I also may be a little behind on playing too.

Day 138 - A Really Big Cave

James was starting to be skeptical. All his research pointed to the mew clone hiding here, but this was a really big cave and he wasn't sure he'd find the failed experiment. He really had no other leads, so he decided he would search just a bit longer.

I hardly played today and I think I might be slowly falling behind even with my slowed pace...

Day 136 - Dad?

Hot off of her win at the Dewford gym Martha was feeling great! Things only got better when she saw Professor Birch in the distance. "Hey Dad." she greeted him, before feigning embarrassment and adding "I mean Professor... I am so sorry. I just look up to you in the same way I look up to my father."

"Ha ho ho!" Birch bellowed his jovial laugh.  "Not to worry I'm sure you just miss your father being away from him while on your adventure. Anyways have you seen my Brendan?"

Martha was elated, this could not have happened more perfectly. Not only had she planted the father seed, Brendan was failing at his sonly duties. She agreed to help the Professor in his stead and knew her prank was working! She was replacing her new friend fastest than she had anticipated.

Things at work are bad right now. If anyone knows about any data analysis or statistics jobs please let me know.

Day 134 - No Girlfriend

James had a girlfriend. "Had" being the operative word there. He had rescued a cute young lady named Selphy who was lost in Lost Cave. The irony was not lost on them and they bonded over the comedy of the situation. She was very flirty with James as he led her back to her home. Afterwards James could not help but think about her, so only a short while after their romantic encounter he returned to her home. She was there, but to his horror she did not recognize him! James had fooled himself, Selphy was not his girlfriend she was a girl with memory problems. James had no girlfriend.

It has been fun exploring the Sevii Islands and not knowing exactly what I will find on each island. I have not played anymore Emerald since Sunday's post.

Day 132 - Pokémon Emerald Begin

Martha considered herself a prankster. But one of her past pranks could hold a candle to what she was attempting now. Her new neighbor, Brenden, was running behind to go help his dad, Professor Birch, with research so she had gone ahead of him and saved the professor from a rabid Poochyena. Now she was going to make him favor her over his own son. It was the perfect prank!

Still working through the FireRed post game but wanted to get started on this new adventure! Also, its the most wonderful night of the year! I love watching the Academy Awards!

Day 130 - Not Done Yet

James was the Kanto Champion now. He had more then earned the option to spend some time at home with his video games. Despite earning it, he had no interest in going back to living in his bedroom. He felt he was not done adventuring yet. While earning badges and taking on the Pokémon league James had neglected his Pokédex and figured he might as well work on filling out a few pages for the good Professor. He did not want to let his neighbor Blue get all the credit for the historic undertaking!

Oscar prediction contest is now live! There might be a prize... I am still discussing this with the team. Join before the Academy Awards begin Sunday night! https://forms.gle/A6raL29g9TPckDvh9

Day 128 - Like a Video Game

As James was making his way to the Indigo League he got stuck in Victory Road. He asked a fellow Pokémon trainer the way through. "It is all one big puzzle. Move the boulders!" she scoffed. That is when James saw it. It was a series of puzzles much like the ones he would play in his video games before becoming a Pokémon trainer. With that view in mind James made short work of the Victory Road trial!

I sure love puzzles. On an unrelated note the Seven Samurai episode of the Shifting Expectations Podcast is live on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Player.FM, etc.

Day 126 - Flying Home

This was a surreal moment for James. He was soaring through the sky atop a prehistoric Pokémon, flanked by a storm of ice, a cloud of lightning, and a ball of fire! He had not even wanted to leave Pallet Town and now he was on his way back with a most majestic posse. And he was not even going there to stay, he was going there to show off and to make his mother proud. He had been constantly changing his plans and telling himself "I will just do this one more thing before returning home" as a way of lying to himself about how much he was enjoying traveling with Pokémon. He was finally ready to embrace it all. He needed only one more badge before he could take on the Indigo League himself!

What are you lying to yourself about? Me, myself? I regularly lie to myself about how much I am trying to figure out my next step in life. I am unsatisfied in my current situation, but am afraid of the unknown associated with the options I have for the future. I need to do more work to know my next steps.

Day 124 - Not So Bad

With 5 badges of his own, James was beginning to admit that being a Pokémon trainer was not so bad. He had heard rumors of legendary bird Pokémon and figured he would soon have to test his strength as a trainer against them.

Its all I think about so you better believe I am plugging it again! ShiftingExpectations.com is live! Please check it out!