Day 63 - Mark

Mark belonged. He belonged with his Pokémon and in Unova and with his family and so many other places. He always had, he just could not see that for a little while. Now that he had defeated the new Team Plasma that belonging was no longer threatened, and now that he was the Unova champion he had no reason not to return home and enjoy the company of those he really belonged with.

The real Mark was my great grandfather. I have never heard my Grandma say a negative word about her father, and she loves to talk about him. She had stories upon stories about how good of a father he was, about how handsome he was, about his kindness, etc. Mark was born in 1905 and like many of my ansectors lived nearly his entire life in Utah. He lived in Kanosh Utah to be more specific. He got married when he was 25. Mark died fairly young at only 60 years. Because he is only one generation removed I will soon call my Grandma and ask her to share with me briefly about his life for one of the podcast episodes. Pictured on the left is him with his sweetheart Nina, the second namesake (coming up in a few games) that I actually had the chance to meet in my lifetime.

Day 61 - Happy Thanksgiving

Mark was beginning to recognize how many people embraced and welcomed him. He was grateful for their care and adoration and was learning that that feeling of safety and love was a feeling of belonging. By helping his friend Hugh work to reunite his sister with her stolen Purrloin Mark was seeing the contrast of those who are not in a safe and united place and noticing he was not in that trap of desperation.

Happy Thanksgiving! Today Alissa and I hosted thanksgiving at our house for our family and 2 other families. It was great to be surrounded by friends who love us. It was wonderful to feel the loving feelings of belonging that community brings. It was a day I needed and I am grateful for it. I historically have never really liked Thanksgiving, but today was a good one. As for a few things I am grateful for...

• My Sweet Beautiful Alissa
• My Wonderful Friends
• My Family
• My Mormon Heritage
• Having a decent, if not difficult, job
• Our little rental house
• My Nintendo Switch
• Just about all things Pokémon
• The Possibility filled Future
• The many people who have helped me with this project
• Vacation
• My somewhat recent faith journey
• You dear reader
• So so much more

Podcast Episode 4 - Thank You Game Freak (you) Lied with Sonny

I don't think that Game Freak and The Pokémon Company have ever experienced a year of controversy like 2019 has been. With Pokémon Sword and Shield releasing earlier this month the controversy has reached its boiling point with fans everywhere either declaring their gratitude towards Game Freak (using #ThankYouGameFreak) or their overflow of frustration with the company (using #GameFreakLied). I really wanted to give members of the community on each side of the controversy a fair chance to share their feelings. I could not find someone who believes the Game Freak Lied to help me out, but I need to thank Sonny (@blkck on twitter) for talking to me about why he wants to thank Game Freak. Music credit for this podcast goes to Mikel. Thank you for listening!

Day 59 - No One Left Behind

Days ago when Mark was exploring the Desert Resort he had noticed a Dwebble following him around. No matter where he traversed across the dunes the Pokémon appeared committed to follow him. At the time Mark had no interest in Dwebble so he had not paid the little Pokémon any attention. Now days later Mark could not get the Dwebble out of his mind. Perhaps the Dwebble was looking for a place to belong just like Mark was. So, Mark returned to Desert Resort and not far from the entrance that same Dwebble was there, to Mark it almost felt as if he was waiting for him. He did not even need to weaken the little Pokémon and she stayed in the first Poké Ball he tossed her way. Even if Mark was still struggling to belong he was not going to deprive another soul the privilege of feeling loved or fitting in.

I am loved. It is possible my lack of feeling like I belong is more in my head than anything else. Regardless it is something I am working through at the moment, and I aim to keep working on figuring it out.

Day 58 - Rotation Battles

On Mark's journey he encountered a few trainers that participated in an alternative type of Pokémon battle. Called Rotation Battles, these required trainers to coordinate and battle with 3 Pokémon as if they were one. As Mark joined in these complex pieces of balancing art he could not help but realize how when one of a team's three Pokémon fell their team had all but lost the battle. The remaining turns usually felt like only a formality. On the best rotation teams each Pokémon served a purpose, they all belonged. Mark wondered if that is why he did not feel he belonged, because apart from his family he had never really been a part of something; he had never had a purpose. Mark deeply wanted a purpose. He loved watching his Pokémon rotate in and out of battle to help each other achieve victory. He liked how both dependent and supportive they were on each other. He wanted to find a place he could rotate into both to help others and to be helped when he needed it.

Community is an important part of belonging. Good communities help to give us both a role and a purpose. The times in my life when I have felt the greatest sense of belonging were when I was heavily participating in a community. Sometimes that community was a group of friends, my church, my family, a group or class at school, or even a sports team. Each of those communities helped make me feel a part of something greater and helped me feel belonging and purpose. Unfortunately at the moment I am struggling to feel belonging or acceptance in the communities I have currently, and I have not had success in finding new ones that fit who I am today. Eventually I will have that again, I have hope and faith in that future.

Day 57 - Belong

Today a man in Castelia City confided in Mark that he did not feel he belonged. He was once a part of Team Plasma which had given him a great deal of purpose and direction to his life, but when the group was defeated and then disbanded by Brigham 2 years prior the man began to feel extremely lost. Mark really wanted to help this man feel like he was a part of something but no matter how hard he himself tried to belong he too felt out of place. Mark just wanted to belong and he was not even sure what belonging looked like. Meeting this man just stoked his fears that he may never really belong anywhere.

I know this is more of the same from the last post, sorry about that. But what is means to belong has really been on my mind lately. I have felt like I belonged in may different places and times in my life but at the moment I am lacking that feeling a bit.

 Alissa and I were on vacation again, this time in Boston for the weekend. We attended a BYU football game (Cougars Won!), took a look downtown, and ate way too much seafood. Now we are back and I have finally caught up all the auxiliary pages of the website. I will probably be able to finish and upload last week's podcast episode tomorrow or Tuesday night at the latest. The good news is no more traveling vacations are planned for the rest of the year at this point and I am finally on pace with a game again. First time since Pokémon LeafGreen. Things are looking up for this project!

Day 55 - Pokémon Black 2 Begin

Mark had never felt like he belonged anywhere. He barely even lived in his region of Unova, so he was not sure he belonged to it. However, having just received his very own Pokémon Mark was determined to set out from home and not return home until he knew were he belongs.

It is important to find belonging in our lives. I lately have been feeling very out of place and like I do not belong. Perhaps by exploring this theme with Mark I will find some belonging.