hadleyberry

[hadleyberry]

Hadley: haha I will do that! they have so many options though for real with the designs. like I got a cute sloth one but they also have cats and dogs and alpacas and penguins and bright colored dinosaurs! Hadley: orrr if you're not a giant child like myself lol they also make solid color ones too!

Finn: ooh! holy crap that sounds awesome, i definitely want one of those too. let your dads know if they feel like getting another one for someone random, i'm available! 😂

[hadleyberry]

Wait, is it annoying because it's stuck in your head or do you think the song is annoying?

HELLOOO MY LITTLE STARSHINES

Happy Friday!!!! I've had 'what is this feeling' from Wicked stuck in my head all day and its annooooying

[hadleyberry]

Wait, seriously, you'd lend me your Switch? That’s insanely generous of you! Are you sure, though? 'Cause I'd feel bad if you suddenly had the itch to play while I was borrowing it, not that I couldn't just bring it right back over to you if that happened, but I still wanna make sure you're super sure. Though it'd probably motivate me that much more to save for my own. And yeah, tutoring is a good idea or the pet sitting. I was considering even going back to work the receptionist desk at the vet's office, too. I'm sure I'll figure it out closer to summer break.

That’s super cool about the water-types! I like the idea of them being like amphibians, it makes them feel a little more realistic, you know? Vaporeon is just so pretty, and Sylveon has that super sweet vibe—ugh, I’m obsessed. Leafeon is adorable too, with its little leaf ears. I feel like they all fit my vibe in different ways. Who do you usually go with for your companion?

Totally get that—the Switch is definitely an investment, but it’s worth it when you’re ready, especially with all the cool games out there like Dreamlight Valley and Pokémon Snap. And yeah, I hear you on the teacher salary thing. Summers would be the perfect time for a side hustle. Maybe something chill, like tutoring or even pet-sitting? You’d rock at that. In the meantime, I think I have one I can lend you if you want. I haven't really been using mine as much.

As for your water-type question—actually, it’s not silly at all! Water-types are super versatile in the Pokémon world. Some definitely prefer to stay near water, like Goldeen, but plenty of them can exist on land just fine. Squirtle can walk around just as easily as it can swim. They’re more like amphibians in that sense—they thrive in water but don’t necessarily need to be there all the time. Eevee is a totally solid choice. And since it can't evolve without a stone, you got time to figure out which evolution you want to do.

[hadleyberry]

Hadley: that's so great! Hadley: we really do, and yes I have! actually speaking of cozy presents, my dads got me one of those blanket hoodies or hoodie blankets? either way it's like a snuggie but BETTER because it has a hood and it's all around you like a hoodie but longer almost to the floor. it's the coziest, comfiest thing EVER!! and it has cute animals on it.☺️

Finn: it is! it's so awesome and i think i've texted my mom like five times already thanking her for giving me such an awesome sweater. Finn: hey, we teachers gotta support each other so we keep our sanity and all that! how about you, though? have you been giving yourself the proper time to get cozy this season?

[hadleyberry]

Hm, well I guess I'll have to be on the lookout for one of those consoles! I know the switch is kind of pricey, I've been eyeing it since Dreamlight Valley came out. But other costs have been a tad higher on my priority list and well, teacher's salary and all that. Not that I don't love being a teacher, I just have started to realize I may want to look into something part-time during the summers. Especially since I have my own house now and a mortgage to pay.

Oh, another question, do water types have to always be near water or in water? I think I've come to the conclusion that I lean towards water, grass, and fairy types. So far looking at Eevee's evolutions, or Eeveelutions as I saw on a t-shirt, and Vaporeon, Leafeon, and Sylveon. And I just realized the water question is kind of silly, since they aren't real so it's not like a real-life concern, but I'm just curious in general to learn more.

Oh, you have no idea how much I can go on about this stuff! And yeah, I guess you could call it the Pokeverse—though most people just say the Pokémon world. Feel free to pick my brain anytime, I live for this kind of thing! For Pokémon Snap, you’d need either a Nintendo Switch or an old Nintendo 64 if you wanted to go retro. The newer one, New Pokémon Snap, is on the Switch, and it’s perfect for what you’re into—no battling, just exploring and taking pictures of Pokémon in their natural habitats. It's super relaxing and such a fun way to appreciate the world.

As for the animal thing—regular animals don’t exist in the Pokémon world! It’s all Pokémon, and they basically fill every role you’d expect from animals in our world. They live in the wild, help with work, and some even act like pets or companions. And there's so many that fit that vibe. Like, if you’re into wolves, there’s Lycanroc; if big cats are more your thing, there’s Luxray or Pyroar. I won't list every single option, because we'll be here all day. There's literally hundreds of them.

[hadleyberry]

Yes, that one! I used to collect cards of the ones I thought were the cutest when they first came out, but I never knew anything about them or actually playing the game. And then some of my kids had been talking in class about how some of the Pokemon toys and stuff were what they were hoping to get for Christmas before Christmas break started, so that triggered my memory of the movie and wanting to watch it. And then the holidays had me so caught up I didn't get to watch it until the last day of break. I'm still trying to decide which one specifically would be the perfect fit for me, there's definitely a few contenders.

That's the one with Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu, isn't it? That movie surprised me too, I went into it knowing very little about it beyond Ryan Reynolds, and it was actually a lot of fun. I'm not much of a Pokemon connoisseur myself, but I can relate to an adorable little yellow thing that mainlines coffee like its his job, 😂

[hadleyberry]

Oh wow, you really can go on about the Pokeverse, can't you? Is it called the Pokeverse? But thank you so much for all the info, I hope you don't mind if I end up picking your brain more about it once I get started! Actually, the only gaming system I currently have is the Wii and a few of the dancing and singing games, mostly the Disney versions. What would I need to play Pokemon Snap?

Oh and I'll definitely keep that in mind for the show! Hmm... I really love all kinds of animals, if I'm being totally honest, I never was one to really be able to pick one favorite. Though, I think maybe one that's similar to an animal that can't be kept as a pet because it's a wild animal, maybe? Cause then that'd be the closest I could get to one, if Pokemon were real. Wait, I just thought of something, do regular animals also exist in the Pokemon world? Or is it just Pokemon?

Detective Pikachu is such a great entry point, right? I’m so glad you liked it! And seriously, I get it—battling isn’t for everyone, especially if you're more into the collecting and exploration aspect. The good news is, there’s a couple games that aren’t all about battling. Like Pokémon Snap. All you do in that one is take pictures of them. Also in most of the regular games, you can avoid battles outside of like, boss fights. The point of those is to get all the badges.

As for the anime—oh man, it’s so fun! I'd stick to older series if you're gonna pick that up though. The new shows on Netflix just don't have the same feel to them. Older ones are much more fun. If you're thinking of picking a Pokémon, I’d totally recommend going for one that feels like it matches your vibe. Like, maybe Eevee for a chill, versatile partner, or something like Sprigatito if you like the cuter side of things. What kinds of animals do you like? I bet there’s a Pokémon for that!

[hadleyberry]

Hadley: oh I love a super cozy sweater! is it like one of those nice and thick cable knit ones? those are some of my favorite styles of sweater! Hadley: and hey from one teacher to another, we teachers TOTALLY deserve warm cozy time!

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Finn: my mom got me the coziest sweater for christmas and it's actually so hard to not want to just put it on and stay in bed whenever i don't have to do adulting stuff. Finn: hey, i'm a teacher. i totally deserve some warm cozy time, right?

[hadleyberry]

Alright so I'm kind of way late to the party on this one, but I wasn't sure if I needed to know a whole lot about the Pokemon world beforehand first, but... I watched Detective Pikachu for the first time yesterday and oh my gosh it was so cute! It really kind of has me considering getting into the game, but I know nothing about it and also I don't like the whole idea of battling them. Also contemplating checking out the cartoon series. Either way, I wish I could have my own Pokemon now, I'm just not sure what one I would choose. !

[hadleyberry]

Hadley: it's tomorrow are you still alive?

Hadley: also happy new year!! 🪩🎉

Dove: i'm making poor life decisions again. tune in tomorrow to see how much I hate life!

[hadleyberry]

Yeah, definitely best to wait until you've officially got the place and are settled in yourself, before getting a pet that will also need to settle in. Smart thinking! And why not just combine the idea then of music studio and office space? Unless it's not that big of a space, then maybe using a vacant room in the house for the office part of it al would be better. Also, I'm so with you on the deer heads, I never understood that as a "decor" item to be honest. And putting funny hats on them does not make them cute, it's just sad!

I hadn't thought about that -- a cat might work, and I would have room for a halfway decent fish tank. I'll have to do some research, once I get the keys. I've got my eye on turning it into a music studio, but incorporating a working office space is actually a really good idea as well -- god knows I've been on enough Zoom calls with my team back in the city, a decent set up would make them a lot smoother. I haven't got any specific decor plans yet, but the deer heads currently on the walls have GOT to go -- those are going with the previous owner, thank goodness, they make my skin crawl.

[hadleyberry]

That’s fair! I can see how a busy schedule makes having a pet tricky. What about a cat? They're generally independent, you could even find a pet sitter for when you're gone too long. Or even some kind of fish! Though you’d probably have to learn a bit about tank setups. As for the barn, I'm sure you'll figure it out. Renovate it and turn it into whatever is most useful to you, some sort of big office maybe? Since you mentioned wanting to start working from home. Have you started thinking about decorating, or is that too far ahead?

Mostly because I'm the last person on earth who would have any idea what to do with a barn, ha. I kind of wish I was an animal person, but I've traveled so much for work lately that I just wouldn't have the time, energy, or space to give a pet a good home. But hey -- if you ever need someplace to let yours run around for a bit, I'll have the space! Long Island, hmmm? My folks are in Jersey, I'll be heading up that way for Christmas and Hannukkah this year myself. Most of my plans for the place will have to wait until after that, when I have time to sit down and really look at my options, but I'd like to make it so I can work mostly from home and not have to go back to the city quite as much.

[hadleyberry]

Yeah, them and pretty much any of the other breeds with those faces. Oh! I don't think I've heard much about that breed, but I did just google and wow, sounds like a few similar issues that labs generally have and some others. You're right though, they're gorgeous dogs! And so cute, I mean that's what Lady from Lady and the Tramp was! No worries, I'm always happy to help! Hmm... you know I definitely know there's quite a few that are good, I know grapes are bad and in relation to that, obviously raisins. But a quick google search is showing me that dragonfruit is a-okay! You just have to make sure to remove the skin.

I really only know about like how pugs got their squishy faces and the problems that causes, and then I think there was something about cocker spaniels? But I can't remember what their thing was, just that they have some kind of bad thing with the breed, which is so awful because they're such a pretty dog! And thank you! I've gotten so many offers for help, which is great because this is like my first official adult pet, you know? But if I think of anything, I'll let you know! Wait, could I like, ask you about what's okay to feed her? Like from human foods? I know the basics, but there's some that I'm not sure about. Like dragon fruit... is that a yay or nay for doggos?

[hadleyberry]

Sadly, I don't think I have much on my own playlist that's not too mainstream or out there, so I have bupkis for suggestions. Admittedly, I've mostly been listening to holiday music and also the Wicked soundtrack and the new Moana 2 soundtrack. Oh, wait Moana 2 is new and like not as well known right now, right? I totally suggest that, specifically Beyond and Get Lost.

Okay, so, I’ve been hunting for new music playlists lately—it's gotten to the point where I'm skipping basically every song to find whatever I'm looking for. Figured it's time for a refresh, so I'm taking suggestions! Give me all your favorite songs and artists, and bonus points if it’s something a little unexpected or outside the mainstream! I’m open to anything, from underrated indie gems to weirdly specific genres.

[hadleyberry]

Hadley: probably elf! though the santa clause movies hold a nostalgia, at least the first one does anyway. and then prancer the main character reminds me a LOT of myself. Hadley: it's really tough to pick faves. but i can watch elf on repeat i'm a sucker for zooey deschanel.

Stacey: You're like an encyclopedia for christmas movies wowzers. Which is your fave out of all those?

[hadleyberry]

Hadley: elf, noelle, family switch, christmas with the kranks, the santa clause movies, i'll be home for christmas, arthur christmas, a muppet's christmas carol, a muppet's family christmas, PRANCER! shall I go on?

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stacey: I've watched both Home Alones (the ogs not the new horrible ones), The Polar Express and both versions of the Grinch - GIMME MOVIE SUGGESTIONS PLS

[hadleyberry]

Oh, but that sounds like so much fun, why would it be the signs of an impending apocalypse? I was so excited to get my own place, I can only imagine what I'd do if I had a detached barn, too. Probably a good thing though that my place is just in town, or I'd wind up with a whole farm of my own and doing that by myself would be so much work. And that's so cool, my dads used to live in NYC! We actually have some family in Long Island, but we generally do Christmas and Hanukkah here. Do you have big plans for your new place once you close?

If anyone was wondering about any obscure signs of impending apocalypse -- this unrepentant city kid just put in an offer on a converted farmhouse with an actual detached barn, so that probably counts up there as a potential sign of the end times. I told my manager and I'm pretty sure his head exploded from the shock. If all goes well I should be able to close around the new year, assuming I can juggle that plus at least one big trip back to New York for Christmas/Hanukkah with my folks and for a bunch of boring (but necessary) meetings.