Pokémon Update #15 - Dungeon Crawling

Just when I thought I was getting towards the end of my Poké-addiction, Nintendo releases a new Pokémon game. Damn those crafty bastards! Ah well. I'm debating whether or not to stay at work until midnight to buy it or just wait until tomorrow.

Trades:

• Garchomp : Garchomp
• Mawile : Mysdibule
• Arcanine : Ken-chan
• Sandslash : Sandslash

Evolutions:

• Inca : Natu → Xatu
• Brooch : Staryu → Starmie
• Razz : Lickitung → Lickilicky
• CS : Riolu → Lucario
• Michelin : Phanpy → Donphan
• Genji : Cubone → Marowak
• Ambipom : Aipom → Ambipom
• Lenard : Bulbasaur → Ivysaur → Venusaur
• Blaster : Squirtle → Wartortle → Blastoise

New Pokémon already evolved:

• Foley : Bulbasaur → Ivysaur
• Alvin : Squirtle → Wartortle

Pokébabies:

• Squirtle : Ross
• Bulbasaur : Tad

Emerald transfers:

• Lombre : Algie
• Seviper : Lola
• Wigglytuff : Marclarr
• Torkoal : Bridge

TOTAL : 368/493

Pokémon Update #14 - The Lost Pokémon

Apparently in my haste to neaten up my PC boxes, I forgot to notate some Pokémon that should have been posted several updates ago! This update will include both actual new Pokémon and those forgotten previously.

Trades:

• Palkia : Parukia
• Azumarill : Azumarill
• Milotic : Mirokarosu
• Aerodactyl : Arrow
  

Evolutions:

• ****** : Ponyta → Rapidash
• Diety : Vulpix → Ninetales
• Lief : Seedot → Nuzleaf
• Leprechaun : Seedot → Nuzleaf → Shiftry
• Vivica : Misdreavus → Mismagius
• Drol : Weepinbell → Victreebell
  

New Pokémon already evolved:

• Kuron : Nidoran♂ → Nidorino → Nidoking
• Coconuts : Exeggcute → Exeggutor
  

FireRed transfers:

• Electrode : Manhattan
• Nidoqueen : Lady
• Porygon : Byte
• Pupitar : Roll
• Tyranitar : Dimm
• Zapdos : Stormcrier

Emerald transfers:

• Hariyama : Ihonda
• Gulpin : Kaomoji
• Mawile : Glass
• Relicanth : Prill
• Shuckle : Shucks
  

New catches:

• Lapras : Feri
• Dunsparce : Prue
• Regigigas : Atziluth
• Sneasel : Vellex
  

Pokébabies:

• Vulpix : Oturanna
• Nidoran♂ : Desi
• Slowpoke : Lilka
• Skorupi : Accordia
• Grimer : Goo
• Croagunk : Maxx
• Natu : Inca

TOTAL : 346/493

Gothic LOLita

The local Wal-Mart now sells a lanyard with "got GOTH?" printed in on it in the same font as the now-infamous milk advertisements.

Because nothing says you're a rebellious Goth like a reappropriated corporate slogan printed on a lanyard.

Pokémon Update #13 - Levelitis

Leveling up sucks. If only the battle system were faster. I've turned off animations, but it's still slow going.

Evolution:

• Bet Te Mid : Doduo → Dodrio
• Kurt : Chinchou → Lanturn
• Sheik : Croagunk → Toxicroak

Emerald transfers:

• Staryu : Brooch
• Numel : Hammer
• Vulpix : Diety
• Forretress : Grenade

FireRed transfers:

• Goldeen : Axiom
• Seaking : Camp
• Nidorino : Cormick
• Muk : Bwah
• Jumpluff : Dandy
• Charizard : Elitper

Transfers:

• Drapion : Drapion
• Crobat : Crobat
• Tropius : Turopiusu
• Taillow : Subane
• Slowking : Slowking

TOTAL : 331/493

Pokémon Update #12 - Rolling Along

Part of the difficulty with collecting all 493 Pokémon is that some of them require leveling in order to evolve. In FireRed, this is not so much of an issue, because there are lots of places that allow for easy leveling. In Diamond and Emerald, however... well, things take a while. It's possible to speed the process by rechallenging the Elite Four, but that's an annoyance of about 30 battles in a row with no way out unless you let all your Pokémon faint.

Little by little, I'm filling my Pokédex, though.

Evolutions:

• Cole : Slakoth → Vigoroth
• Reggie : Slakoth → Vigoroth → Slaking
• Dot : Sunkern → Sunflora
• Block : Magneton → Magnezone
• Clementine : Clefairy → Clefable
• Whackamole : Diglett → Dugtrio

New catches:

• Octillery : Rok
• Beautifly : Nectra

FireRed transfers:

• Kakuna : Kira
• Hypno : Hal
• Yanma : Emma
• Furret : Jill
• Pidgeotto : Topper
• Pidgeot : Cladie
• Arbok : Birdie
• Charmander : Liro
• Charmeleon : Charr
• Dewgong : Lacy
• Jynx : Zynx
• Horsea : Cesta

Trades:

• Beldum : Danbaru
• Totodile : Gard
• Raikou : Raikou

TOTAL : 313/493

Guys Gone... Not-That-Wild

The geniuses behind Girls Gone Wild have decided to foray into videos for the opposite sex now. But as has always been the case, there is a vast difference between the way "wild" is measured between men and women.

Girls Gone Wild advertises, "Barely legal girls baring their breasts and doing the wildest things...together!" Imagine my surprise when the Guys Gone Wild commercial advertised "Hot college guys taking off their shirts!" ...and that's it.

Yeah.

Pokémon Update #11 - Long Haul

Here we go. Pokémon Diamond. Pokémon Emerald. Pokémon FireRed. All beaten! And now... the collection quest truly begins, because there is no more story to be had. Collecting bits of digital data is a bit of an unusual hobby... but over 100 million people share it! Anyway...

New catches:

• Absol : Fabul
• Elekid : Fusebox

Evolutions:

• Mokoi : Nosepass → Probopass
• Acerbus : Eevee → Umbreon
• Oriens : Eevee → Espeon

Trades:

• Azelf : Azelf
• Mesprit : Mesprit
• Uxie : Yukushii
• Finneon : Finneon

Pokébabies:

• Baltoy : Dreidel
• Chinchou : Lucid

Emerald transfers:

• Koffing : TMI
• Ledyba : Dylie
• Spinarak : Tollie
• Magneton : Splitter
• Teddiursa : Kuma
• Sandshrew : Kate
• Breloom : Mulch
• Sunkern : Dot
• Remoraid : Missle

FireRed transfers:

• Persian : Azrael
• Beedrill : Sting
• Togepi : Iggy
• Sentret : Felix
• Metapod : Wave
• Butterfree : Lilian
• Exeggcute : Peaz
• Parasect : Peach
• Dratini : Kyuushi
• Rhyhorn : Rhyhorn
• Magneton : Block
• Mewtwo : Mewtwo

TOTAL : 291/493

Slipstream - I've got to get back... my money from the video store.

Having just finished watching Slipstream, a film written and directed by Anthony Hopkins, I find myself recalling Sophomore creative writing classes. And, like a sophomoric exploration of concepts too large for short stories, Slipstream plods through a meandering space-time voyage that starts nowhere and ends in nothing.

The plot (barely) follows the mind of fictional screenwriter persona Felix Boenhoeffer. This should have been the first tip off of a poor movie: It's about a writer. As every writer in the history of man has ever done, eventually the time comes when they look inward at their own creative processes and think it would be a good idea to write a story about it. What develops from these explanatory endeavors unfailingly results in a sloppy narrative with confusing and esoteric philosophic tangents. The most simple philosophy, however, is this: Creativity is chaotic. Stories are not.

By definition, stories require structure, and the tendency of writers exploring the chaos of creation within a story is to let the chaos take free reign. Unfortunately, Mr. Hopkins fell prey to this tendency as well. The finished product plays like a bad editing job of a film student's first attempt at screenwriting. Sepia tones, rewind sections, interspliced scene blips, all interrupting a narrative that is barely more thought-out or directed than a home movie. Of course, part of this clumsiness is intentional, as Mr. Hopkins himself has said in interviews regarding the film. He wished to "poke fun" at Hollywood film-making techniques. The joke is on Mr. Hopkins, however, as he manages to confuse "poking fun" with "beating a dead horse."

Indeed, the entire film suffers from the dead-horse syndrome, continually clubbing the viewer over the head with thinly-veiled commentary in filmed scenes that repeat over and over in different colors or speeds or with different inner monologue. We get it, the film is stream-of-consciousness. But you know what isn't fun? Watching senile stream-of-consciousness that forgets where it's gone before. And worse, in the end, the film tells us nothing we didn't know already or haven't seen expressed better: Reality is a matter of perception and actors lead weird double false/real lives. Ho hum.

Reportedly, audiences at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival were left confused and wondering about the real meaning of the movie. For anyone still uncertain, let me confirm this for you: It doesn't have one. It's a juvenile piece of metafiction that doesn't even provoke any thought in the viewer. Except, of course, the thought, "Wow, what a bad movie." Surely not what one would expect from such a distinguished and experienced actor as Mr. Hopkins.

In the end, Slipstream is such a shoddy film that I can't even give it a proper rating on the star-scale. Instead, like a second-grade teacher dealing with a slow student's first essay, I give Slipstream 1 gold sticky star for effort and then quietly toss it in the trashcan.

Pokémon Update #10 - Elite Four No More

I've now beaten the Elite Four of Sinnoh, Hoenn, and Kanto. Now I just need to find my old GBC so I can beat Johto also! My Elite-Four-beating Pokémon for each generation turned out to be:

• Sinnoh : Luxray & Machoke
  
• Hoenn : Blaziken & Mightyena
• Kanto : Charizard, Primeape & Electabuzz
  

Obviously, I prefer to fight with only a few Pokémon rather than a full, balanced team. I also seem to have a preference for Fire, Electric, and Fighting Pokémon. For Kanto, I really did try to have a balanced team of six at first... but I just couldn't keep on with it.

PokéCharms.com has a neat feature where you can make your own Trainer Card image. I need to make some for each version I have...

I'm thinking of getting the new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game when it comes out. And maybe the old one, if the price goes down. Ah, Pokémon, why must you be so fun? It's a guilty pleasure. And a bit expensive.

Anyway, here are the new Pokémon.

New catches:

• Mime Jr. : Mimi
• Phanpy : Donald
• Phanpy : Michelin

New babies:

• Eevee : Terminus
• Croagunk : Mack

FireRed transfers:

• Diglett : Moe
• Caterpie : Dowser
• Weedle : Chipillar
• Ekans : Nibbles
• Growlithe : Duke
• Hitmonlee : Brutal
• Tangela : Tangeny
• Kabuto : Disco
• Shellder : Pearly
• Pidgey : Force
• Aerodactyl : Bow
• Venonat : Ramona
• Snorlax : Munch
• Articuno : Snowdancer
• Swinub : Truffles
• Hoppip : Poof
• Skarmory : Silverhawk
• Kangaskhan : Kaa

Emerald transfers:

• Clamperl : Lessa
• Linoone : Slipstream
• Trapinch : Mouser
• Wynaut : Becausze
• Sharpedo : Streeks
• Wailord : Bill
• Gligar : Giggle
• Claydol : Calcobrena
• Beldum : Skittler
• Heracross : Hera
• Castform : Kei-chan

TOTAL : 264/482+8+3

Pokémon Update #9 - Professor Oak Has Aides.

I can't help it. I bought Pokémon FireRed. It's just so much more fun capturing in the games than trading on the horrid GTS. Plus, the original is kinda hard, which makes for a nice challenge. I mean, Misty's level 21 Starmie KO'd my level 27 Mankey TWICE. Thank goodness for Jigglypuff's Sing.

I haven't caught enough for a transfer from FireRed, but I still have a lot of new arrivals.

Pokémon evolved since last update:

• Fondue : Turtwig : Grotle
• Ballista : Cranidos : Rampardos
  

New Pokémon from trades:

• Bulbasaur : Lenard
• Squirtle : Blaster

New Pokémon already evolved:

• Rafflesia : Gloom → Vileplume

Just Plain New Pokémon:

• Cubone : Veng
• Cresselia : Aria
• Lickitung : Labrette
• Ariados : Ariadne
• Pineco : Grenada
• Spoink : Ike
  

Emerald transfers:

• Shuppet : Lampere
• Kekaider : Sableye
• Spheal : Meeps
• Duskull : Poe
• Lileep : Rast
• Whismur : Turbawl
• Snubbull : Baby
• Stantler : Gregory
• Miltank : Millie
• Registeel : Beriah
• Regice : Yetzirah
• Regirock : Asiyah
• Kyogre : Kyogre
• Latios : Lancer

Extra Pokémon caught for trading or keeping:

• Lickitung : Razz
• Ralts : Beatrix
• Cubone : Genji

TOTAL : 224/482+8+3

Pokémon Update #8 - Attack of the Legendaries

Having finished the Emerald storyline, I've set my sights on catching all of the available Pokémon in that game. The trouble, however, is that 6-Pokémon transfer limit from Emerald to Diamond. Because of that, I will most likely try only to transfer the first evolution of each species, then do most of my leveling in Diamond.

All of the trouble is almost worth it, however, as Emerald has a super-easy, 100%-results cloning glitch that allows you to duplicate Pokémon and items. This is great, because Emerald has about 7 or 8 easily obtained Legendary Pokémon. I can duplicate those and then use them to trade for other Legendaries! I've already traded a cloned Rayquaza for a Palkia, which I had been trying to get for quite a long time.

New Pokémon from trades:

• Sudowoodo : SUDOWOODO
• Gengar : Gaspar
• Golem : GOLEM
• Croagunk : CROAGUNK
• Spiritomb : SPIRITOMB
• Palkia : PALKIA
• Poliwhirl : POLIWHIRL
• Salamence : BRUTALANDA

New Pokémon already evolved:

• Hank : Shinx → Luxio
• Bella : Gloom → Bellossom
• Don : Murkrow → Honchkrow

Just Plain New Pokémon:

• Shinx : Niles
• Quagsire : Finley
• Slakoth : Reggie
• Slakoth : Jess
• Slakoth : Cole
• Bonsly : Bauble
• Magcargo : Tire
• Slugma : Drolp
• Volbeat : Zipper
• Illumise : Ulala
• Scyther : Utsusemi
• Doduo : Oma & Kei
• Doduo : Bet, Te, & Mid

Emerald transfers:

• Smeargle : Tempra
• Aron : Rina
• Aron : Nora
• Aron : Battallion
• Seedot : Leprechaun
• Seedot : Cora
• Oddish : Olive
• Oddish : Andume
• Natu : Azteca
• Kecleon : Cammy
• Kecleon : Celadon
• Kecleon : Ruri
• Rayquaza : Serpentus
• Groudon : Groudon

Extra Pokémon:

• Anorith : Waldo
• Anorith : Gax
• Anorith : Mandi
• Cranidos : Cordon
• Cranidos : Quatro
• Cranidos : Nogg
• Omanyte : Curly
  

TOTAL : 199/482+8+3

Pokémon Update #7 - The Green Menace

While I probably will still get an Action Replay eventually, I decided it would be more fun to catch Pokémon the old-fashioned way--the Generation III games! Namely, Emerald, since it allows you to catch the most Pokémon as a standalone game.

However--and I knew this already--the Generation III Pokémon designs are complete suck. It looks like the designers got drunk, smoked pot, and did ecstasy... and then designed them during their hangovers the next day. Take a look at Mawile and tell me that isn't the case. Seriously, what the hell is Castform? It looks like Casper the slutty ghost wearing a bra over his eyes while his nutsackboobs hang below. Speaking of bras, maybe the devs were sex-starved in addition to hung over, as Medicham looks like nothing more than a brassiere on a hanger. And someone might want to call Akira Toriyama, because I'm pretty sure that Makuhita's resemblance to DBZ's Buu is not a coincidence.

I'm exaggerating, as I do like some of the Generation III designs... but seriously, the first time I saw them way back when, it made me give up interest in owning a GBA. It's difficult to be enthusiastic when your Pokémon looks like a giant suppository.

Perhaps most distressing were the evolution designs, which would often take a cute or cool Pokémon and transform them into something ridiculous or fugly. For example, Lotad was acceptable, but then it turns into emo racial-slur Lombre, and progresses to the absurd in Ludicolo. Seedot → Nuzleaf are okay, but Shiftry looks like someone took the leprechaun from that Ernest movie and beat him with the Miak stick. Shroomish is acceptable if unoriginal, but then it evolves into Breloom, which looks like the misfigured offspring of an Oddish and that man-chicken from Zelda. Electrike → Manectric, Numel → Camerupt, Swablu → Altaria, Baltoy → Claydol, Snorunt → Glalie, Bagon → Shelgon... all perfectly cute Pokémon ruined by a stupid-looking evolution.

And I know there are a lot of Absol fans out there, but... it looks like someone doodled circles on a bar napkin until they could see shapes in it. I get the whole Yin-Yang thing, but isn't that about about, you know, balance? Instead, it looks like someone shoved a sickle in one ear and a bat up its ass.

But! Despite all the atrocities of Generation III, owning Pokémon Emerald does allow for much easier access to Generation I and II Pokémon. I have committed myself to collecting them all, and collect them all, I shall.

There are only two problems: Since I dislike most of the Generation III designs, I've been forced to try and beat the game using only a Torchic. This provides some problems, since the main villains in the game use FIRE and WATER types. I only do ineffective damage to anything, and am weak to half the enemies. And the second problem: You can only transfer 6 Pokémon per day from Emerald to Diamond. This could make collecting everything into one Pokédex a bit problematic...

IN ANY CASE, for simplicity's sake, I am only going to list catches that have been properly transferred over to my Pokémon Diamond cartridge. Without further adieu...

Pokémon evolved since last update:

• Tartar : Turtwig → Grotle
• Stax : Pikachu → Raichu

New Pokémon from trades:

• Cascoon : CASCOON
• Feebas : Hinbasu

Just Plain New Pokémon:

• Magnemite : Commlink
• Diglett : Whackamole
• Carvanha : Grok
• Drowzee : Annie
• Corphish : Hanako
• Poliwhirl : Keremet
• Loudred : ******
• Abomasnow : Seveti
• Delibird : Bernadette
• Spearow : Raptor
• Fearow : Tori
• Nidoran♀ : Sharona
• Wailmer : T.K.
• Corsola : Mochichigo
• Remoraid : Eli
• Smoochum : Almond
• Teddiursa : Pooh
• Wobbuffet : Censorman
• Plusle : Moto
• Surskit : Rhonda
• Paras : Tasha

Emerald transfers:

• Makuhita : JLo
• Ralts : Eiko
• Electrike : Remulus
• Spinda : Etcha
• Minun : Mina
• Taillow : Courage
• Zigzagoon : Maine
• Torchic : Rambos
• Treecko : Geico
• Lotad : Lily
• Solrock : Moneypit
• Poochyena : Diana

Extra Pokémon caught for trading or keeping:

• Drowzee : Pattie
• Carnivine : Oscar
• Golduck : Thrash
• Magnemite : Spanner
• Whiscash : Shen
• Ralts : Paige
• Poochyena : Fenrir
• Poochyena : POOCHYENA

TOTAL : 174 / 482+8

Pokémon Update #6

It's a battle of willpower vs. temptation as I struggle on whether or not to buy an Action Replay device to hack my DS. On the one hand, some Pokémon are literally impossible to capture without it--only obtainable from real world events in Japan and California or New York that activate certain codes within your game. On the other hand, an Action Replay allows you to literally just edit your game data and add whatever Pokémon you want to your collection, which totally destroys the fun of collecting.

In any case, I have a large amount of new catches since last time.

Pokémon evolved since last update:

• Niveus : Eevee → Glaceon
• Nemorosus : Eevee → Leafeon
• Reboares : Eevee → Jolteon
• Aquas : Eevee → Vaporeon
• Ignes : Eevee → Flareon
• Antoinette : Combee → Vespiquen
• Ciao : Piplup → Prinplup
• Garath : Piplup → Prinplup → Empoleon
• Shellie : Turtwig → Grotle → Torterra

New Pokémon from trades:

• Munchlax : Gonbe
• Mudkip : MUDKIP
• Shieldon : SHIELDON

Just Plain New Pokémon:

• Barboach : Luis
• Gloom : Fug
• Hippowdon : Gloria
• Snorunt : Pizzaslice
• Swablu : Charmine
• Whiscash : Nary
• Unown (D) : D
• Venomoth : Maripose
• Mareep : Bonnie
• Pachirisu : Nip
• Sunkern : Maize
• Ponyta :
• Chimecho : Kazeuta
• Seel : Celia
• Omanyte : Gary
• Cranidos : Mont
• Cranidos : Ballista
• Buneary : Cadbury
• Rotom : Tron
• Murkrow : Elphaba
• Anorith : Barreta
• Primeape : Lex
• Golduck : Crasher
• Banette : Gunbrend
• Rattata : Emile
• Magcargo : Ravala
• Camerupt : Sierra
• Jigglypuff : Vai
• Cacturne : Scarecrow
• Weepinbell : Podd
• Bellsprout : Leek
• Voltorb : Sharknife
• Nosepass : Mojo
• Ledian : Dekara

Pokémon Breeding babies:

• Turtwig : Revle
• Turtwig : Guy
• Turtwig : Fondue
• Turtwig : Torsichord
• Shieldon : Zofy
• Mudkip : Torte
  
• Mudkip : Ruddy
• Mudkip : Derp
• Mudkip : Leig
• Pichu : Pip
  

Pokébabies already evolved:

• Skippy : Mudkip → Marshtomp

Extra Pokémon caught for trading or keeping:

• Chatot : Gabby
• Pichu : Yay
• Marill : Spabbit

TOTAL : 136/482+8

Spirit: Stallion With Too Much Inner Monologue

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron was an animated film by Dreamworks Animation that came out in 2002. The plot follow the life of titular character, Spirit, a wild stallion in New Mexico during the 1800s. The movie featured a mix of beautiful hand-drawn animation and 3D special effects and environments. At the time of its release, it created quite a stir in the Furry fandom and inspired many fan artists in the years following.

While a good movie and an enjoyable movie, there is one thing that keeps it from being a truly great movie. That thing is Matt Damon's narration.

In addition to Mr. Damon's lack of a voice suited for extended narrative monologues, the decision to include narration at all in the film was a huge blunder on the part of the directors, Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook. The animation is clear and vivid with regards to Spirit's facial expressions, as well as those of the other non-talking animal characters. There is no time in the film when Spirit's thoughts are not clear from simply looking at him. The same holds true for real-life animals, even; why would an animated animal, capable of gestures not possible in the real world, need a voice as well?

The answer is a simple fact that ends up spoiling many animated features: Spirit is dumbed down for kids. Or worse, it is dumbed down for the miscalculated expectation of a kid's intellect. Even if the film were watched with the sound cut out, I really doubt the average child would have any trouble whatsoever following the story. Moreover, Matt Damon's scratchy nasal tones step all over the delicate subtleties of the animators' work. The curve of an eyebrow, the pull of a lip... all beautifully rendered and captured in the film's lines and colors. When Spirit becomes enraged, teeth bared in a snarl, eyes slitted in fury, body bristling with tension--a flat-pan quip of "I was angry," is like a punch in the artistic kidneys. What could have been a grand masterpiece of animation was ruined by the directors' choice to K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple for Stupids.

In short, Spirit gets 5 stars on mute, but only 3 stars with sound. As seems to be a common motif of work involving Mr. Damon, Spirit would have been a wonderful movie--except that he was in it.

Pokémon Update #5

Many trades today! One neat new feature in Diamond/Pearl is that it records all your trades on a big globe. So far, I have two Pokémon from Japan, one from Spain, one from France, one from Australia, and one from Iowa. It really makes the world seem like a smaller place! Now, onto the list:

Pokémon evolved since last update:

• Sparrow : Staravia → Staraptor

New Pokémon from trades:

• Riolu : CS
  
• Glameow : Nyarumaa
  
• Shieldon : SHIELDON
• Alakazam : Kazza

New Pokémon to replace owned evolved Pokémon:

• Roselia : Touya
• Burmy : Toudeaux
• Magikarp : Garp
  

Just Plain New Pokémon:

• Skitty : Fidget
• Skuntank : Cici
• Raticate : Incisa
• Weezing : Fumo
• Tauros : Zeus
• Rhydon : Rhinox
• Eevee : Cologne
• Haunter : Melchior
• Giratina : Xailec
• Pikachu : Volt
• Pichu : Daisy
  

Pokémon Breeding babies:

• Misdreavus : Vivica
• Turtwig : Shellie
• Turtwig : Tartar
• Piplup : Garath
• Piplup : Prince
• Chimchar : Bandana

Extra Eevee for Eeveelutions:

• Aquas
• Reboares
• Oriens
• Acerbus
• Niveus
• Nemorosus
• Ignes
  

Extra Pokémon caught for trading or keeping:

• Skitty : Piddy
• Eevee : Denique
• Eevee : Pariter
• Gastrodon : Coleene
• Kadabra : Jung
• Pikachu : Stax
• Bronzong : Caliper

MENtal Cupcake #2 - Brandon "The Prodigy" Curry

Mental Cupcakes' second delicious snack of manliness is Mr. Brandon Curry, a 25-year-old newcomer bodybuilder from Tennessee who recently had the honor to be on the front cover of Flex magazine. In addition to his awesome physique, Mr. Curry is a very well spoken individual, as can be seen on his personal blog. The site lists his current stats as:

Birthday: October 19, 1982.
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
Current Residence: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 242 (contest); 271 (off-season)
Occupation: Personal Trainer
Nickname: The PRODIGY

It's rare to see such a talented athlete from the Volunteer State, and Tennesseans are sure happy to have Mr. Curry representing them in the bodybuilding circuit.

Here are some additional photos of Mr. Curry:

Pokémon Update #4 - Heavy News

The Pokémon project has received a crushing blow. As it turns out, wifi-trades are made via a limited search list of Pokémon that you have actually witnessed in some form within the game. That means I can neither seek nor request a completely foreign Pokémon. The only option for total completion is to find a person with Friend Code registration--who also has previous generation games--to trade me those foreign Pokémon without restriction.

In addition, to obtain special event Pokémon (such as Lugia, et al), I will need to use an Action Replay device. I am still debating the merits of that, especially since the device will cost an additional $20.00.

In any case, there are still many Pokémon to be caught within Diamond itself.

Since the last update, I have completed a few game objectives:

• Obtained all 8 Gym Badges
• Beat the Elite Four
• Completed the Sinnoh Pokédex

This opens up a tremendous amount of "post-story" content and allows me to finally begin catching Pokémon from previous game generations. Now, without further ado, here is the list of catches since Update #3.

Pokémon evolved since last update:

• Zeet : Monferno → Infernape
• Helium : Drifloon → Drifblim
• Wisp : Roselia → Roserade

Pokémon received via trade to replace evolved Pokémon:

• Chimchar : CHIMCHAR

New Pokémon to replace owned evolved Pokémon:

• Drifloon : Mina
• Machop : Wielder
  

Other new Pokémon from trades:

• Misdreavus : MISDREAVUS
• Turtwing : TORTIPOUSS
• Machamp : STRONG

Just Plain New Pokémon:

• Pelipper : Bess
• Chingling : Tina
• Bronzor : Shararat
• Bronzong : Apkallu
• Buizel : Daxle
• Floatzel : Tia
• Noctowl : Blathers
• Riolu : Garuru
• Aipom : Deeky
• Psyduck : Launchpad
• Steelix : Sgt. Zombo
• Burmy : Twork
• Mothim : Tootsie
• Combee : Nonono
• Shellos (Blue) : Menthol
• Gastrodon (Blue) : Wilt
• Mime Jr. : Cherry
• Mr. Mime : Gogo
• Girafarig : Snakeass
• Cherubi : Shiropp
• Wurmple : Wurmple
• Silcoon : Whitebriar
• Farfetch'd : Kalika
• Dialga : Kaiser
• Ditto : Umlaut
• Happiny : Shanda
  

Pokémon Breeding babies:

• Piplup : Ciao

Extra Pokémon caught for trading or keeping:

• Combee : Cluster
• Combee : Antoinette
• Burmy : Licorice
• Burmy : Pop
• Cherubi : Twirry
• Ditto : Meeba
• Ditto : Elzo
• Kadabra : Yungeller
• Wingull : Scutes

TOTAL : 68 / 482+8

You Might Be a Dork...

...if you get out of bed at 3:00 A.M. on a cold night just to wiki a minor character from a 1985 Rainbow Brite movie so that you can name your newly caught Steelix after him.

Pokémon Update #3

Whew, got a bevy of Pokémon since the last update.

One troubling item I've discovered... in order to complete my collection, I will have to catch or obtain multiples of some Pokémon. This is so that once one Pokémon of that species evolves, I will still have a copy of the original species. Yikes.

Pokémon evolved since last update:

• Lion : Shinx → Luxio → Luxray
• Sparrow : Starly → Staravia
• Zeet : Chimchar → Monferno
• Troy : Abra → Kadabra
• Flex : Machop → Machoke
• Burden : Magikarp → Gyarados

Pokémon traded away:

• Dax : Buizel -for- Piplup : PIPLUP

New Pokémon already evolved:

• Wisp : Budew → Roselia

New Pokémon to replace evolved Pokémon:

• Budew : Tanei
• Starly : Nitengale

Just Plain New Pokémon:

• Piplup : PIPLUP
  
• Golbat : Atomos
• Ponyta : Starlite
• Cleffa : Cleo
• Clefairy : Edie
• Kricketune : Abby
• Gastly : Grimm
• Shellos : Bismol
• Wooper : Bobble
• Bibarel : Bev
• Carnivine : Noose
• Marill : ChuChu
• Azurill : ChiChi
• Stunky : PePe
• Wingull : Scuttle
• Meditite : Gyroid
• Medicham : Jol
  
• Drifloon : Helium
• Tentacool : Clover
• Tentacruel : Splash
• Graveler : Pebbles
• Hoothoot : Celeste
• Sneasel : Sleet
• Snover : Conifer

Extra Pokémon caught for trading or keeping:

• Clefairy : Jesimae
• Staravia : Starling

*deep breath*

... which, after adding and subtracting and whatnot, brings my Total up to: 36/482+8

Motivational Posters

They can be either really lame or really entertaining. The ones with harsh truths are the best. Such as this one, here.

Blu-Porn: Y/N?

Toshiba has announced that it will no longer make players for HD DVD format, essentially waving the white flag to Sony's Blu-Ray format.

Sony has said that it will not allow adult films to be replicated on Blu-Ray. This has some adult filmmakers angry over the prospect of losing revenue.

But that assumes that people really want high-definition pornography. The flurry of activity regarding news anchors' physical flaws being revealed with high-def makes one wonder: Will adult actors be so attractive if we can see every mole, pimple, and pore?

Pokémon Update #2

Of course, I would pick the starter Pokémon weak to the first Gym Leader's element.

Today's catches:

• Machop : Flex
• Onix : Rockjaw
• Zubat : Evenshade
• Abra : Troy
• Magikarp : Burden

Total: 11/482+8

MAN-tal Cupcake #1

It occurs to me that I collect images of male hotness as though they were Pokémon. And like Pokémon, it's a shame not to have them battle to the dea--I mean, show them off to everyone! So let's have a delicious snack of manly cupcakes, starting with this delicious flavor:

Hidetoshi Nakata, former Japanese and Italian soccer player. Move over Beckham, this futbol stud manages to be fashionable without sacrificing masculinity. Tight bod, melty smile, and a nice guy to boot! Also: HE'S SINGLE!

Mr. Nakata's Website: nakata.net

Pokémon Update #1

Nicknames supposedly make one feel closer to their imaginary digital pets. So, I have decided to name all the Pokémon I catch instead of using the default species names.

Yesterday's bunch:

• Chimchar:Zeet
• Bidoof:Doofus
• Starly:Sparrow
• Kricketot:KiKi
• Shinx:Lion
  

Today's catch: just Geodude:Geno

"Gotta Catch 'Em All"

Today, I purchased Pokémon: Diamond. In an attempt to prove that I have no life, I have decided to catch all 482+8 Pokémon. That's the 482 regular Pokémon, plus the 8 Pokémon that only a few gamers in the world own.

For an extra challenge, I have decided to catch all 490 Pokémon using only the Diamond cartridge and Nintendo WFC trading.

Today's catches: Chimchar, Bidoof, Starly, Kricketot, and Shinx.

Total: 5/482+8

Let's Have Txt

"Adult text messaging" is now available from Virgin Mobile of all places. Clever marketing pun, or ironic statement about the probable sex life of the program's userbase?

FFXI Makes Site After Five Years Online

Final Fantasy XI now has a website and domain all its own. It only took the developers five years after their product was released to make it, too! At the very least, however, there is this excellent new wallpaper available on the site. It's also available to the left here.

Why Coverless Books are Stolen

If you've ever been puzzled by the page in most books that says, "If you bought this book without its cover, it has been stolen," here is the reasoning:

When books do not sell in a store, they are returned to the publisher for store credit. However, rather than waste space and money on mailing unwanted books, the store will only return the book's cover and recycle the rest of the pages. If these coverless books are sold, the publisher is out some money, since they have already given the store credit for the book.