#i got those shiny for starters so since I’ve got them It’s been hunting me bfksbdjs | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wolpertinger-prince · 4 years

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I'd love to hear about your favorite pokemon!

OKAY so my long time favorite is Ninetales. I loved Ninetales ever since I was a little kid because I just loved graceful animals and ever since I played Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, I was in love with that graceful, mystical fox. I honestly don’t know if I still love Ninetales as much as I used to, but I still have this deep fondness of Ninetales because of how much I loved her when I was young. She’s a pretty basic-looking fox monster, isn’t she? Over the years, Gamefreak came up with so many more fox Pokemon with much more creative designs and gimmicks, but Ninetales will always be the best fox Pokemon to me. I also looove her Alolan form. I might actually like Alolan Ninetales better than Kantonian Ninetales, but I’m still not sure (at least I still don’t have a plush of Alolan Ninetales.... hmmm.).

My other long time favorite is Suicune. Another really graceful, beautiful animal. Their aesthetic is what I kind of strive to be perceived as: elegant with both a vague sense of femme and a vague sense of masc. Strong, yet dainty. I always kind of admired how the species they’re based off of is so much more vague than Raikou and Entei’s. I used to argue with people that said that they were supposed to be a wolf in YouTube comments. Because logically, they would be a leopard, since Raikou is a tiger and Entei is a lion, right? But they really don’t look like a leopard, do they? Even though logically I always knew they’re supposed to be a leopard, they always looked more like a fusion of a wolf and a horse. My two favorite animals at the time I started liking Pokemon, which is probably another reason why I took such a liking to them. They sound like what I imagine a polar bear sounds like, and that’s beautiful.

I’ve always had such a fondness for Absol that I’m surprised I never regarded him as a favorite of mine sooner, but. Absol was the first Pokemon I really sympathized with. The whole being blamed for natural disasters thing. I would wake up to reruns of the Hoenn seasons of the Pokemon anime playing on my TV and got really excited when one day it happened to be an episode starring that cool Pokemon that saved me and BulbasaurS from Articuno in PMD: Blue Rescue Team. I always knew she was a good Pokemon and I wish it was as obvious to the townspeople in that episode as it was to me. They were also the closest thing Pokemon had to a wolf at the time to me, my reasoning being that Absol is misunderstood the same way wolves are (my big thing at the time was being mad that wolves were always the bad guys in most media)! So you could imagine my confusion when I went to look up fanart and saw Absol lumped in with the cat Pokemon because of his face. I still think her anatomy is more doglike than catlike.

I went nuts over Buizel. I coveted that Buizel Pokedoll plush on PokemonCenter.com every single day probably for months until the day I actually got it from Nintendo World. I imagined myself as a Pokemon trainer with Buizel as my partner, somehow being able to take down a Ho-Oh on its own (I don’t think I really understood that Ho-Oh was a powerful legendary Pokemon at the time tbh). The weird thing is, I don’t even like water-type Pokemon, or anything to do with water powers in general. The other weird thing is that I don’t really remember actually using Buizel on my team when I played Pokemon Diamond. I assume it’s because Diamond was my first main series Pokemon game and I guess I didn’t really understand switching Pokemon from you PC and leveling them up until I got way, way later in the game. Buizel is one of those Pokemon that I kinda forget exists, but whenever I remember him my heart goes doki doki.

Between Buizel and Quilava, I’m pretty sure I loved weasels before I even knew that much about them irl. When I heard about HeartGold and SoulSIlver coming out, I knew I was choosing Cyndaquil not because of Cyndaquil (although he is really cute), not for Typhlosion, but for Quilava. I was just gaga over Quilava. He has such a simple design but man he is so adorable. The middle of the evolution lines for the starter Pokemon have always been very underrated and I always thought Quilava outshined both his pre-evolution and his evolution. Typloshion always just kinda came off to me as a generic tough guy, while Cyndaquil at least is cute in a more unique way than your typical cute Pokemon. But Quilava oozes with personality. I’m like 75-80% sure if I had a Pokemon partner it’d be him.

Turtwig. My first starter Pokemon ever. I remember seeing the starters for Sinnoh as Sinnoh was slowly being revealed on Pokemon.com - as I’d gotten into Pokemon right at the tail end of Gen 3 when RSE were already kinda obsolete and PMD first came out - and I immediately gravitated toward Turtwig. Even if I slowly learned to love the other two, Turtwing just felt the most “me”, yanno? Actually, if I were to pick which starter Pokemon was the most “me”, it’d still probably be Turtwig (if not, it’d be Cyndaquil). Something about the shape of his head and his stumpy little body and the way he sounds just appeals to me specifically, yanno? He’s cute in a way that doesn’t appeal to everyone and I always liked that about him. Piplup and Chimchar were way more popular than he was, probably because Piplup was more conventionally cute and Chimchar was cool - I had to stand up for my turty-boi because other kids made fun of him. He’s a lot more popular nowadays than he was back in 2006 when if you were a girl would wanted to be a popstar and if you were a boy you wanted to be gangsta. Or something. Idk I was never really in touch with my peers.

And of course my newest favorite is Lycanroc, specifically dusk form! I would love to be able to go back in time and tell my kid self that not only are there gonna be actual wolf Pokemon, but wolf Pokemon with blue shiny forms (she loved blue)! Shamelessly how I came up with my namesake, dusk form Lycanroc is the Pokemon I imagine I’d be if I were a Pokemon. I just generally like how all of Lycanroc’s forms are designed (even if dusk form is a recolor of midday form shhh I excuse that because I just like dusk form’s coloration much better); something about a wolf being translated into Pokemon’s art style is so cool. Another thing it did for me is give me a favorite rock-type Pokemon, because I really never liked any rock-types beforehand (probably because I’m a furry). Midnight form Lycanroc also has the same body type as Lacmac from the Rayman cartoon aaaaaand yes I bitched for someone to trade me a shiny male Rockruff for the shiny female Rockruff I wound up with when I shiny hunted Rockruff until my partner let me have it so I could name him Lacmac. Would’ve been much less a pain in the ass if non-shiny midnight Lycanroc was blue because he looks cooler in blue than in red anyway, but whatever.

Thank you for giving me an excuse to ramble about why I love the Pokemon I love! I mean, I stayed up later than I intended to typing this but I enjoyed every second of it! Even if I’m probably gonna wake up tomorrow and realize I forgot to talk about like ten other Pokemon.

#amusing musings #sayornis-gallus

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echoeternally · 6 years

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Fanfic Gift! (Pokemon): Rivalry Renewed

Boy oh boy, this is super duper overdue! It’s totally not.

This was meant to be a holiday season gift for my friend, @starlys, but it got delayed because, shockingly, the holidays were a really busy time for me.

Anyway! This is a thank you, because it’s for someone that listens to my incessant rambling over odd amounts of topics usually Fire Emblem, and keeping up a long running conversation about several things.

It’s also an excuse to write something with lesbians cute things.

Anyway! A fanfic below for you and anyone else looking to read. Please enjoy!

Home in Hoenn once again, and yet I’m still wandering around. Maybe I should head back to the house for a visit, but sometimes it’s good to get out and about.

There’s nothing quite as soothing as a trip through Route 117, at least for me. Verdanturf Town is just beyond it, but it can feel like you’re walking on eggshells there. Mauville City is exciting and full of life, but gets overcrowded and a break is always refreshing. The route between them is a calming place for the environment and raising your team, but it’s also a place for battles too.

The stuffiness of the city is gone, the air is crisp, and the vibrant plant life just feels so refreshing out in the open. But even still, I can see trainers strolling around, spotting one another, and tossing Pokemon out, ready to go at it.

While I’m making my way through though, I spot the Daycare Man standing outside of his fence. Raising an eyebrow, I wander over to him.

“Ah, hello there, trainer!”

“Hi sir.”

“Wait, hold on a moment…you’re Terra, right?”

“That’s me.” I brushed a loose strand of blue hair back behind my ear. “Is something the matter?”

“Oh, no. Your Gallade is doing just fine.”

Wait, I left Gallade here?

“That’s who you were checking on, right, dear?”

The elderly man must spot my widened eyes and my slight step back.

“Uh…yeah! Glad that he’s faring well.” I force a grin as I tug on my fingerless glove. “But, um, was that all you’re here for? Normally, you stand further from your fence when you have an Egg.”

“Of course. But you only left one Pokemon with us.”

“Right, but I’m not your only patron, am I?”

“No, far from it, of course.”

“…So…?”

“It’s nothing you need concern yourself with, dear.”

“Ooh, picking up an Egg, Terra?”

My skin crawls as a shudder slides down my body. I spin around to find her standing behind me, a smirk on her face and a hand on her hip. Her ruffled aqua camisole flows in a gentle breeze, and her purple tassel purse dangles against her shapely blue skinny jeans.

“Marina!” A more natural grin hits my face. “Haven’t seen you in ages! Are you back from traveling around Kanto and Johto?”

“Nah, just taking a break for a few days.” She folds her arms and raises an eyebrow at me, her brown hair swaying as she shifts her posture. “And you? I thought you were adventuring through Unova.”

“My trip got interrupted there.” I shrugged. “Some weird group was making a lot of noise about people needing to release their Pokemon for their own good or some nonsense.”

“Huh. Weird.”

“Yeah, and then there were wicked crazy wind and thunderstorms that broke out around the region, so I stopped my time there.” I smiled and tugged a photo from my bag. “But, check this out.”

“Is that Alola?!”

“Yep!”

“Ooh, I’m so jealous!” Marina purses her lips and puffs out a cheek. “I’m dying to go to there.”

“Well, I wasn’t able to stay there for very long either.” I tug on my ponytail. “Mom called about needing me back in Littleroot, so I made my way back here.”

“What? That stinks!” She scoops up my hands and gazes into my eyes. “You just have to get back to Alola!”

“Uh, well…they’ve got that new Pokemon League that they’re still working on, I think.” I fold my hands behind my back. “Once it’s running, I’ve got to challenge whoever becomes Champion.”

“You and your battles.” Marina shrugs. “Maybe just enjoy the location itself some, huh?”

“Sure, yeah.” I poke at her shoulder lightly. “Just make like you, strip down to that bright blue bikini and swim around like nothing else matters?”

“Hey, if that does it for you too, go for it!” She grins brightly and I want to melt. “After all, you’re mostly there already, walking around in the crop top and shorts.”

“Take that back!” I punch a fist into my palm as she giggles. “This is to make exercising easy!”

“Totally.”

“I’m serious!”

A rough throat clearing comes from the elderly man, and we twist around. The old Day Care Man shoots me an inquisitive look and my face burns as I rub behind my head.

“Sorry, um…we’ve been friends since we were kids and haven’t seen each other in a while.”

“Yes, I was being treated to your current events and travels, it seems.”

“Actually, now that you’ve cut in,” interrupts Marina, “how is my Cloyster doing?”

“He seems well enough.”

“Good to hear.” Marina tilts her head at me. “So? Grabbing an Egg?”

“No, I’ve only got one Pokemon in here.” I twist back to the Day Care Man. “Which reminds me! What were you doing out here, sir?”

Sighing, the old man runs his hand through his beard. Marina and I trade confused glances before turning back to him.

“Well, I was actually standing out here to deliver an Egg, as I normally do for the visiting trainers,” explained the Day Care Man. “However, you two have just missed the trainer that came by.”

“Aw, boo.” Marina pouts again. “So, the Egg was already picked up.”

“On the contrary…” The elderly man produces as Egg from behind his back. “He decided to leave this one behind.”

“Wait, what?”

“What the hell?!” I lift a fist and can practically feel my blood broiling. “What kind of a trainer leaves an Egg behind?!”

“Supposedly, he mentioned something about not needing to carry around so many while, how did he put it…?” The old man snapped his fingers. “Ah, yes, ‘perfect stat and shiny breeding,’ if I have that correct.”

“…But why wouldn’t he take the Egg?” Marina folds her arms. “Taking more means better odds!”

“The last few were ‘duds,’ in his words,” continued the old man. “And he stated that ‘breeding for this wasn’t worth the trouble,’ taking his Pokemon with him and not the Egg.”

“That’s disgusting!” I kicked a pebble off flying and spun back around. “So what are you going to do with the Egg?!”

“Give it to a trainer who does want it, I suppose.”

“Ok, pass it over, then.” Marina tugs at her purse and shifts her weight. “I’ll take the little critter.”

“No way!” I jump up between them. “If anything, I’m taking this little baby!” I glare and focus on the Egg. “Then, when this little one is all grown and toughened up, I’m finding that trainer and beating him with this Pokemon to make him sorry for leaving the baby behind!”

“This isn’t that uncommon of a story—”

“Zip it, old man!” I spiral back to Marina. “You’ll just play around with Pokemon, but they deserve a journey of strength and vengence!”

“Or…maybe the baby just needs love?” Marina rolls her eyes. “Honestly, Terra, not everything needs to be about battling.”

“Battling is everything!” I snatch a Poke Ball from my bag and raise it up. “In fact, I’ll battle you for this Egg!”

“That really doesn’t make any—”

“Just come on! Let’s go, here and now!”

“…I guess I do need to keep up with training.” She shrugs and plucks a Poke Ball from her bag. “Just because we’re best at swimming doesn’t mean we can’t hold our own, you know.”

“Do I have any say in this?” The elderly man shrank back.

“No!” I wasn’t expecting to hear Marina in unison with me, but there we go.

“Oh. Ok…”

“So then.” Marina strides away from me, with a smirk as she struts across the path to face me. “Full team battle with one-on-one matches? Everyone gets a chance at battle, and no one gets reused.”

“Yeah!” I pause and rub my arm. “…Uh, actually, I’ve only got three Pokemon with me right now, so…does that work?”

“Fortunately for you, that’s all I’ve got too.”

“Really? That’s perfect!”

“As a matter of fact, I was specifically raising my newer Pokemon.”

“What? Me too! That’s crazy!”

“Seems like it, but I also have an old friend with me, of course.” She grins, and my face sours.

“Your starter, right?”

“Naturally.” Her beam broadens and she raises an eyebrow. “Let me guess…you did the same?”

“Well, duh, I never let my starter leave my side.” I shrug. “Starters are your best friends from day one.”

“Terra, how could you? I’m so hurt.”

“Oh, shut up.” She laughs at my deadpan response. “Besides, those other Littleroot kids are notorious for carrying their starters at all times, so we might as well do the same with what Birch gave us.”

“Ah, May and Brendan.” Marina folds her arms behind her back. “Those two are always the superstars of Littleroot, and people forget that other trainers even exist from there.”

“It helps when one of them is Birch’s kid, and the other is the Champion of the region.” I roll my eyes. “Because those are the only ones that ever matter, of course.”

“Sounds like we’re still plenty jealous of them.” Marina chuckles. “Maybe we should be hunting them down to compete instead.”

“Probably, yeah.”

“Ooh, we could do it as a team too!”

“Uh, really?”

“Sure…” Marina winks. “If you think you can keep up, that is.”

“Argh!” I slam my fists together. “Enough talk! Time to battle!”

Lobbing my Poke Ball out, it soars through the air as it bursts open. My Mienshao spirals out as she lands gracefully on the ground.

“That’s the Unova Pokemon, right?”

“Yep!”

“Ok then…” Marina tosses her Poke Ball skyward. “Let’s go!”

From the ball, a manta ray looking Pokemon flies out and flaps across the sky, floating down lower toward the ground. I step back and grit my teeth.

“Terra, did you really think that I wouldn’t have a Pokemon that counters your favorite Type?”

“Well…I was hoping…”

“Clearly misguided hopes.” Marina smirks. “Mantine is going to absolutely wipe the floor with your Pokemon. And she doesn’t even specialize in attacking.”

“That’s…that’s so not going to fly.”

“As you can see, she clearly does—”

“Hey, hey!” I stomp the ground. “You know what I mean!”

“Yeah, but it’s cute to see you get mad.” My face burns while Marina laughs. “Come on, show us what you can do!”

“With pleasure!” I point my hand forward. “Mienshao, use Bounce!”

Nodding, my Pokemon leaps into the air and rockets away, somewhere above the clouds. Marina and her Mantine watch, though they don’t really seem unnerved.

“Huh. I guess my attack misses then.” Marina shrugged. “Mantine, use Air Slash.”

Rather than just letting the attack gust out anywhere, Mantine flaps and sends a wave of air past me. My hair flies up and I yelp as the gust fires past me.

“What was that?!”

“Sorry, but she wanted a good look at your face.” Marina grins as Mantine rolls her eyes. “Besides, you’re cute when you’re flustered too, so that’s double funny bonus points for sure.”

“Ugh!” My cheeks are on fire, but I jab my hand out again. “Mienshao, slam down with Bounce already!”

Plummeting from the sky above, Mienshao flies down, slamming on top of Mantine, and bouncing right off of her.

She flips away with her kick and skids back across the ground, as Mantine crashes down.

“Ha! Nice work!” Mienshao grins to me and I flash her a smile back. “How’s that one, Marina?”

“You do realize your Pokemon is grounded again, right?”

“…Uh…”

Crap.

“Mantine, Air Slash.”

Flapping her fins again, Mantine unleashes a heavy burst of wind.

Mienshao barely has time to flinch as the air blade slashes into her, knocking her back into the sky before crashing back down.

“Hang in there, Mienshao!”

Somehow, my Martial Arts Pokemon pushes herself back up from the floor, clearly winded, but still ready to battle again.

“There we go!”

Brushing her whiskers with her sleeve, Mienshao nods to me again.

Time to mount a real comeback here.

“Mienshao, let’s use Reversal!”

Blue and yellow waves of energy encircle Mienshao, as she leaps forward. Pulling back her arms, the energy is channeled there and she strikes, slamming them down.

Mantine winces as the sleeves from Mienshao’s fur smash her back to the ground. She groans and pushes against the floor as Mienshao darts back to my side.

“Yeah! That’s how you do it!” I pump a fist and Mienshao mimics me. “See that, Marina? We can turn the battle around just like that!”

“Very cute, Terra.”

Uh-oh. Why isn’t she more annoyed? Why is she undeterred? Why, why, why?

“You do realize that it’s over now, right?”

“No—”

Her Mantine shoots back up from the ground and into the air again, smiling gently as it waves across like a kite.

“…Son of a—”

“Mantine, finish this with Air Slash!”

Once more, Mantine flaps her fins. Mienshao jolts back as the air blade rips across the sky again.

“Look out!”

Though Mienshao does her best to slip away from the brunt of the attack, it still connects and knocks her off her feet.

Spiraling around and crashing down from the air, Mienshao slides back past me and I grit my teeth as her head falls back. She’s done.

“You did your best, Mienshao.” I pull out her Poke Ball and recall her.

“Great work, Mantine!” Marina gives her Pokemon a hug and I grumble as they do. “You get a rest for now, and I’ll get you some treats for later.”

She recalls her Pokemon and that ends our first bout. Wiping back some of her hair, Marina folds her arms as she gazes at me.

“Aw, Terra, don’t be so sad.” She shakes her head. “That’s definitely not a good look on you.”

“Quiet you!” I grab my next Poke Ball. “Let’s just keep this going.”

“Ok, fine, I can give you one.”

Marina tosses out another ball, and a white sea lion pops out of it. She flops down to the ground and her tail sways elegantly.

“Meet Dewgong,” introuded Marina. “She’s part Ice, so I’m sure you can counter that.”

Narrowing my eyes, I lob my ball out. From it, my big bear, Bewear, slams down from the air. She stretches and gazes down at the Dewgong, who…well, if I didn’t know any better, I’d wager she went pale.

“…Wait, what kind of—?”

“Her name is Bewear, and that’ll be all your Dewgong gets to know.” I point forward at Marina’s Pokemon. Next, I pound my fist into my palm. “Bewear, use Hammer Arm and smash her to the center of the earth!”

“Whoa, what?!” Marina points her hand forward. “Ice Beam, quick!”

A little, light blue ball forms on her Dewgong’s horn. The beam of ice power rockets out and connects with Bewear, who blocks the better part of the hit with her arm.

Breaking off the ice chunks that form on her, Marina and her Dewgong stare with their mouths agape as my bear stretches.

“Good job.” I grin and point ahead. “Hammer Arm, come on!”

Cheering and launching forward, Bewear raises her arm high up. She brings it down over the poor Dewgong quickly.

It smashes down and connects almost too easily, knocking Dewgong right into the ground.

“Oh no, Dewgong!”

Marina gasps and hurries over as my Bewear ambles away. Her sea lion is stuck in the dirt, not looking likely to get back up.

“…Was that actually a one-hit wonder?” I pat Bewear’s back. “Nice work, girl!”

Bewear lets out a happy growl as I recall her to her ball. She’s my best heavy hitter for sure.

Gazing back over, I watch as Marina recalls her unconscious Dewgong and frown. I tug at my ponytail and she sighs as she rises from the ground.

“Sorry, Marina.” I pick at my hair. “I…I kind of got carried away with that one.”

“Eh, I did mean to give one to you.” She brushes back her hair and places a hand on her hip. “I just didn’t think it’d be that quick.”

“Yeah…even I forget my Bewear’s strength sometimes.” The species is notorious for their lethal hugs…you’d think I’d remember just how powerful they could be, especially when excited.

“Seems like it.” Marina plucks out her last Poke Ball. “Well then! It’s been fun, Terra, but it’s time for this to end.”

“Wait, what? But we’re not done yet!”

“The last match will be our starters facing off.”

“…Oh.” I grab my last Poke Ball and frown at it. “…You know, type effectiveness isn’t everything!”

“You still want to use that line, even after both of our battles were won by type effectiveness?”

“Hey, I need to pretend I stand a little bit of a chance against your might.”

“Aw, that’s cute.” She grins wickedly. “False hope still won’t help you.”

My shoulders slump as I toss my Poke Ball out, and Marina lobs hers out as well.

Blaziken bursts forth, and she lets the fire flow from her arms right away. Across from her though, Marina’s Swampert shakes her head and stretches.

“You can just surrender if you want,” offers Marina.

“Not a chance.” I grip my hand tightly.

“Ok, if that’s how you want it.” Marina pats her Swampert’s back. “Ready, girl?”

“We’re not going quietly.” I raise my first to Blaziken. “We’re at a disadvantage, but we won’t surrender. Are you ready?”

Smirking, Blaziken nods to me and faces forward. She freezes and remains motionless for a moment.

“…Um…I know, but we can still try…”

Swampert turns and gawks, as Blaziken’s flames dissipate from her wrists. Both wait for a moment, and then Swampert cries out.

“Swampy? What’s wrong, girl?”

Crying out again, Swampert stumbles and hurries across the trail. Blaziken waits and then holds out her arms.

Jumping into her, Swampert wraps her arms around Blaziken and sobs as she clasps tightly to her. Blaziken pats her head and holds her closely, nuzzling her head into Swampert’s.

“…Wait, what?”

“Oh my gosh, that’s so adorable!” Marina bounces and claps her hands together. “It’s been so long since they’ve been together, I forgot!”

“Well, yeah.” I shrug. “We haven’t seen each other in a long time, so it’s been longer for the two of them.”

“But they love each other so much!” Marina shakes her head. “And the first thing we were going to do for them to greet each other was battle?”

“Honestly, I didn’t even think of that.”

“Me neither!”

“Then…yeah, I can forfeit here.” I walk forward and raise my hands. “I’m not going to make poor Blaziken get her butt kicked by her Swampy that she’s missed for so long.”

“Aw, you’d give up just for them? That’s so adorable, Terra!” Marina giggles as she ambles over to us. “But I’m giving up too, so let’s just call it a draw. We each won one, and there’s no point in continuing.”

“You’re right. Ok, tie it is.”

We reach out with our hands and shake. I wink at Marina and she giggles again, her cheeks a bit rosy now.

“So, what should we do about the Egg?” Marina raises an eyebrow at me. “That was the whole point of the battling, right?”

“Oh, you’re right.” I twist around. “Hey, old man! Who do you think should have the Egg?”

Marina and I blankly gaze at the old man, snoring against the fence of his day care. Groaning and facing the sky, I throw my hands up.

“Excuse us, sir?” Marina walks over to him, bringing me over by my hand, as she taps the elderly day care man. “Hello?”

“Hm? Huh? What?”

“Uh…did…did you see any of our battling?”

“…Wait, where are the Mienshao and Mantine?”

“Their battle ended a while ago.”

“It did?”

“Oh boy.”

“You didn’t see any of our battles?!” I smack my face and drag my hand down. “There was absolutely no point to any of this then!”

“Training was good,” reasons Marina. “And our Pokemon got to meet up again.”

“Don’t use your logic to sort that out.” I jab my finger at the old man. “Come on! Which of us can take your Egg?”

“Ah, right. Well—”

“Actually, how about we both take it?”

Blinking, I turn to Marina. She smiles to me, and her thumb rubs over my hand.

“But we’re busy traveling and doing other things.”

“Swampert misses Blaziken a lot, and I’ve missed you a lot too, so…we could just try traveling together for a little while instead.”

“You’d want to do that?”

“Of course!” Marina grins. “It’s been ages since we did that! And maybe we’ll need to go separate ways again, but at least for the time being…why not?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” chimes in the old man, and he holds up the Egg. “If it goes to both of you, then I’m sure this little one will do wonders.”

“Wow, um…thank you, sir.” I take the Egg from him and hold it close between Marina and myself.

“You’re welcome. And congratulations to the happy couple!”

“Wait, what?!” My face burns and I gawk at Marina, who snorts as she laughs.

“Um, sir, we’re not—”

“Actually, I was referring to your Pokemon over there.”

He pointed as he strolled away from us, and we turned around. Blaziken and Swampert were cuddled close together, whispering and giggling gentle noises together. Marina and I raise our eyebrows and shrug at one another.

“Guess we’re going to keep them out for the time being.”

“Duh.”

“Oh, hush up.”

“They say that Pokemon tend to reflect their trainer’s intentions,” calls the day care man. “Usually, the longer they’ve been together, the closer these reflections are.”

“Are you still here?!” I point at his house. “Get back to your wife, old man!”

“I’m going, I’m going.”

Marina laughs as she rests her hand on my shoulder, and I grumble as I turn back to her. Our faces are equally red.

A week passes after that day, and our Egg hatches, with a Poliwag coming from it. He’s a cute little guy, but Marina and I have no idea how we want to raise him, nor who should hold ownership over him.

But we’re still traveling around Hoenn for now, so that’s a problem for another day. Besides, I think he’s happy having two moms anyway.

Yaaaay, entertaining implications!

It features stuff @starlys likes, namely two trainers that fall in love, and two Pokemon that make a cute couple based on the evolutions of another duo.

Oh, and Bewear, because she’s cute too.

Anyway, it was a fun write up. I also tried including atypical trainer selections, but based them on Pokemon trainers like the players.

You know how, at least in the ORAS games but probably in multiple installments, you can pick a different trainer class that represents you in online modes and the like? That’s more or less what this is like. And kind of addresses player characters against who their canon counterparts end up being, which I thought was an interesting concept.

Anyway, it namely features these trainers:

Gal pals.

But I was like, “What kind of loony lady would walk around in just a bikini while walking through mountains, volcanoes, and forests?” Don’t raise your hands like you would, that stuff would hurt your poor feet.

So, I instead stole borrowed one of Serena’s outfits from the artwork and X/Y games for the Swimmer gal’s outfit:

Stylish.

So, yeah! Some fun trivia for the trainers in the stories. Pretty sure everyone else knows about the Pokemon. I know @starlys likes Bewear, but the rest were kind of just, “What Pokemon suits these trainers?”

Plus, the Poliwag can evolve into Poliwrath and represents the two of them coming together as one and their Poke-child inheriting both sides of his moms.

Anyway! That’s pretty much it. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

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angelmatsuyo · 5 years

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YouTube Update

I’m so happy with the growth I’ve been seeing on my YouTube channel. I’ve come up with a cute nickname for my followers; gained a small audience of regulars, and developed an upload/streaming schedule which seems to be doing well. However, some content seems to be more popular than others, and I’m thinking of changing a few things up.

For starters, I’d like to dedicate at least one night a week to art streams. I’m thinking of doing this on Sunday nights, since those are currently the least popular nights that I stream. Right now, I’m playing Kingdom Hearts 3 on Sundays, and aside from Suki and my boyfriend, they don’t really generate as much traffic as I was hopping. My Sims 4 streams are by far my most popular, with my Cardcaptor Sakura CAS videos generating a lot of traffic as well. While I don’t plan on becoming a 100% SimTuber, I must admit that I really enjoy the game and love sharing my experiences with you guys. These will of course be staying as my regular Saturday night lifestreams.

As for Friday, I’m thinking of making that more of a miscellaneous night, where I play whatever game I feel like playing that night. These would consist of Pokemon LPs and shiny hunts, Kingdom Hearts, Dragonball Xenoverse, and whatever else I feel like doing that week. I might try to at least schedule it out a little bit, having the first Friday of the month be Pokemon, second KH3, so on. I’m really eager to play Undertale with everyone too, as my boyfriend just got me the collector’s edition for my birthday, and I’ve never played it before(I know, I’m behind). This way I get to play all sorts of games, and not just the three I’ve been playing up till now.

I also want to go back to my roots a little, and make more music videos on my main channel. I won’t be posting any AMV’s on my main channel, as YouTube’s filter system is the worst, but music on it’s own doesn’t seem to be as much of an issue as long as you’re not monetizing, and I don’t have enough of a fanbase to do that anyway. What do I intend to do, you might ask? Well, I’d like to make some Cardcaptor Hanna and Journey of the Heart videos! I already have a song cover that was well received, and people are even asking me to sing a little in my livestreams. After growing up hearing about how terrible of a singer I am from my mother, it makes me so happy to know that people like my singing. I’d really like to re-record the Hanna version of Because of You, as well as do some covers of songs that I think fit my OC’s(especially ones by male artists that fit my female OC’s) Of course, I’d be using regular music too, but I really want to go back to the old days of making music videos like I did back when I was known as WinxC1ub.

youtube

These were so much fun to do, and I can’t wait to make more of them. I used to get several thousand views and so many wonderful comments, and I loved being able to tell a story through song. Plus, it’s a fun way to show off my artwork, as well as the fan art I’ve received over the years, and can be used as a form of advertising for my stories. Writing and drawing are my true passion, and something I really want to do on my channel.

This will likely be the final update I post today. I’m really excited to start working on all these fun projects. I was able to find a second job that isn’t too intrusive on my free time, and the schedule is one that I get to decide on. I hope you guys are looking forward to it just as much as I am, and feel free to leave your feedback by either reblogging, commenting, or sending anonymous asks.

Master Post

#youtube #matsuyorific #cardcaptor hanna #journey of the heart #music videos #gaming #streaming #livestream

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illusivegore · 6 years

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Gore’s Games of 2018

I’m sure you all know the drill at this point. Everyone and their mother seems to post a list about all of their favorites from the year, so I’ll spare you the build up and just get into some of the games I enjoyed in 2018.

Games Crossed Off the Backlog

This year I’m going to kick things off with some of the great games I finally got around to playing from my backlog. A good amount of these games are ones that I mentioned last year as ones I wasn’t able get to. All of these games were great and a couple would have easily made my Game of the Year list under normal circumstances.

2018 Games I Missed Out On

Next up, I’m going to highlight the games from 2018 that ended up on my backlog or that I still haven’t purchased yet. These are all games that I’d love to play at some point, and this is the reason why you won’t see them on my main list.

Honorable Mentions

This final section (before I get to my actual picks) highlights some of the games I played and enjoyed but not enough to feel comfortable writing about them or including them on my GOTY list. I look forward to digging into all of these more in the coming months.

Celeste | Dead Cells | Into the Breach | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Yoku’s Island Express

Top 5 Games of 2018

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2

I’m going to kick this off with a game that I can’t imagine will be anywhere near most people’s game of the year lists. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 continues to be a divisive game due to its microtransactions and player unlock system, but at its core, it really is a fun arcade-style basketball game.

The gameplay harkens back to the NBA JAM games and it’s over the top and kind of absurd at times. With every game played, you’ll be leveling up players and earning currency that will allow you to unlock new players. So while the game does offer microtransactions, they aren’t necessary if you’re okay with a bit of a grind. It’s not exactly ideal, but that kind of gameplay is right up my alley. I feel like I’m making progress each time I play and it ensures I will keep coming back for more. If you’re an NBA fan and know what you’re getting into, there is a lot of fun to be had here.

Magic: The Gathering Arena

Arena was actually first available to play in 2017, but only entered into its open beta phase in 2018, so for that reason, it makes my list. Hell, when it officially releases it will probably make a future GOTY list again.

I was very skeptical about Arena because it looked like Wizards of the Coast was just trying to ripoff Hearthstone‘s aesthetic (and they kind of are), but this is actually a good game and once I played my first match I was hooked. It’s a great place for both newcomers and veterans of Magic to play. Arena is much more user-friendly and intuitive than Magic Online while also offering a far more authentic Magic experience than previous Duels games have.

The game is free-to-play, and I know that term gets a bad wrap nowadays, but Arena does it right. You can buy booster packs with real money or you can earn gold (and even single cards or packs on occasion) naturally through playing. I was able to build one of the most competitive decks in the format in a few weeks time and that was just by playing a few matches each day. Even in the early stages you’ll quickly earn a number of “starter decks” which will supply you with a decent selection of cards. So you’ll never be short on new things to try while you work towards building your card collection.

Arena is fantastic, and if you’ve ever even been curious about Magic: the Gathering, you should give it a shot.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!

Over that past few years I’ve played a lot of Pokémon. Between revisiting Blue, Silver, SoulSilver, Pearl, White, White 2, X, Y, Alpha Sapphire, Omega Ruby and playing through the new releases of Sun, Moon, and Ultra Moon, as well as shiny hunting in a few of those games, I’ve spent nearly 1,000 hours with the series in the last three years. Needless to say, I was starting to feel a bit of Pokémon fatigue (which is why I still haven’t played Ultra Sun). If that wasn’t enough, I was also never a big fan of Pokémon Go!. So when the Pokémon: Let’s Go! games were announced I had zero interest and pushed them completely off of my radar. Then the games finally released and my love for Pokémon got the best of me. I started reading reviews, watching videos, and talking to friends about them. Eventually I looked past my skepticism and decided to give it a try and I’m so glad I did.

Pokémon Let’s Go! was a breath of fresh air for me. It was a laid back experience that I didn’t even know I needed. It’s far more streamlined than other games in the series as you can choose when to encounter wild Pokémon and you no longer need to battle in order to catch them (in most cases). This aspect was one of the biggest reasons I was skeptical of the game. While catching Pokémon is probably my favorite part, I do enjoy the battles as well. I was afraid I wouldn’t get the battle itch scratched, but that wasn’t the case at all. There are more than enough trainers to battle throughout, so it was almost the perfect blend of catching and battling for me.

I went with the Eevee version and oh boy, Eevee is a little badass. That little dude is completely overpowered in Let’s Go! and makes it a breeze if you choose to play that way. It’s definitely the easiest Pokémon game I’ve ever played, which is saying a lot because they’ve never been known for their difficulty, but that didn’t stop it from being the most enjoyable time I had playing a game in 2018.

Octopath Traveler

Another game that surprised me in 2018 was Octopath Traveler. I’ve never been the biggest fan of JRPGs, but I was immediately drawn in by Octopath Traveler‘s charming art. When I finally got my Nintendo Switch last year it was the first game I really dug into. As it turns out, by the end of my 80 hours with it, the characters and combat system became something I loved even more than the art style that initially caught my attention.

Octopath Traveler‘s combat is turned-based and revolves around a “break” system. Each enemy has certain weaknesses to specific weapon types or elemental attacks. If you hit them with one of those attacks enough times their defenses will break and they will be stunned the following turn, allowing you to deal increased damage. There is also a boost system that allows you to hit with multiple attacks each turn. Without delving too deep into the mechanics, I’ll just say all of this offers a ton of strategic options and makes combat a joy.

If the title wasn’t telling enough, Octopath Traveler‘s story focuses on eight different characters. Each character has their own set of chapters you can complete, a variety of traits and combat options, and a unique personality and story to tell. You don’t have to finish every character’s storyline, but I exhausted all story options because I found myself wanting to know more about each one of them. I’d even go so far as to say that there hasn’t been a collective group of characters I liked this much since the original Mass Effect trilogy.

I feel like Octopath Traveler got overlooked by a lot of people, so if you’re a fan JRPGs or just looking for a quality experience you should seek this one out.

God of War

Continuing with the trend of games that surprised me last year, next up is God of War. I’ve dabbled a bit in the God of War franchise, but the 2018 release was the first game in the series I’ve ever seen through to completion. It is nothing like its predecessors as it trades in the linear gameplay and shallow, over-the-top brutality for an engaging and robust world, as well as a far more rewarding combat system.

Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of God of War is that it made Kratos into a character with depth and one that I was able to invest in. It also introduced his son, Atreus, and their relationship was something I loved watching evolve over the course of the game. Kratos is still a no nonsense badass, but his humanity is allowed to shine through in his interactions with Atreus.

As I mentioned, the combat in God of War is so much more rewarding than it was in previous entries. While you might still be able to mindlessly hack-and-slash your way through on easier difficulties, if you truly want to master combat you’ll need to develop more in-depth strategies. Kratos wields the Leviathan axe this time around, which you can use for melee attacks or as a projectile. The most ingenious part is that you can recall the axe with the press of a button which not only adds to your strategic options, but also creates a very satisfying ebb and flow to combat. You’ll also have to incorporate blocking and parrying, as well as guiding Atreus to use his bow. Once I was able to start stringing together all of these moves and tactics, God of War‘s combat system quickly became one of my all-time favorites.

God of War also offers up tons of side content to keep you busy for hours. With the recent release of a New Game+ mode, I’m looking forward to running through it again. It was quite the experience and one I’m happy to call my favorite of 2018.

Most Anticipated Games

It’s always fun to look to the future, so I’m going to wrap things up with my most anticipated games. Some of these games have 2019 release dates and others I’m keeping my fingers crossed for.

#games #video games #best of

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kennethherrerablog · 6 years

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Finances Not Helping Your Anxiety? 12 Tips to Help You Breathe Easier

Honestly, who doesn’t have anxiety these days?

Even if you haven’t been officially diagnosed with an anxiety disorder (ahem, me), you probably still experience tinges of That Dreaded Feeling. That swelling of panic in your gut, that flush of hives across your chest, that looming paranoia you can’t quite place…

As a nation, our anxiety levels are rising. In 2018, the U.S. national anxiety score (yes, that’s a thing) was 51 out of 100 — a five-point jump since 2017 — according to the American Psychiatric Association. Among our top concerns? Health, safety and — you guessed it! — finances.

12 Simple Strategies to Help Calm Your Financial Anxieties

Sure, you might’ve broken the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and no longer have to rely on ramen for dinner. But you still experience this sense of financial uneasiness, like you know you’re missing something.

Yes, some folks might call it irrational or unfounded. To you — and me — it’s totally real.

The good news? You can address these fears. (Much easier than addressing those fears of heights, roaches or commitment, in my humble opinion.)

Here’s how:

1. Use This Simple Trick Pay Your Bills on Time

One of my biggest financial anxieties? Forgetting to pay my bills. In my head, the world will end. The credit card company will dump my account over to collections, my power will flicker off and my apartment building will escort me out in handcuffs.

Yeah, totally irrational.

The easiest way to calm this fear? Set your accounts to auto-pay. If you’re anxious about overdrafting or don’t trust auto-pay (same), then add the due dates to your phone’s calendar, or jot them in your agenda. This help you remember when bills are due and help you plan ahead with your budget.

This is such a simple move, and you’ll no longer have to jolt up at 2 a.m. because you knew you’d been forgetting something.

2. Realize Saving Money Isn’t Difficult if You’re Realistic and Proactive

The key word here: Realistic.

I tend to — scratch that, always — set unrealistic expectations for myself. Oh, sure, no problem. I can save 50% of my paycheck this month! A week in, I’ve totally blown the plan to pieces. First I feel stressed out, because I have no idea how I’m going to get back on track. Then I give up.

Don’t. Do. This.

“Make sure these goals are as specific and actionable as possible,” says Leslie Tayne, financial debt resolution attorney and founder and managing director of Tayne Law Group.

She offers an example: “Simply setting a goal to save more will be difficult to stick to,” she says. “However, if you make your goal to save $100 from each paycheck, that is a much clearer and actionable step.”

If you need to, enlist some help.

Use an app like Digit. Simply link it to your checking account, set a savings goal, then its algorithms will determine small (and safe!) amounts of money to withdraw into a separate, FDIC-insured savings account.

Bonus: Penny Hoarders will get an extra $5 just for signing up! Additionally, savers will receive a 1.00% bonus every three months.

3. Let This Company Help You Pay Down Your Debt

You know the debt is there. You know it’s not great. So what do you do? One common response? Procrastination. Which then compounds the stress.

“Procrastination is a very common source of financial stress, and this is something that is completely within your control,” Tayne says. “Don’t put off what you can do today.”

OK… so what can you do today? Even if you can’t afford to make an extra payment toward your debt, you can take steps to get on the right track. One option: Refinance or consolidate.

If you have credit card debt, refinancing or consolidating with a personal loan can be a great way to reduce those high interest rates. You can even extend the term of the loan, if you need more time to pay your tab down.

A good resource is Fiona, a search engine for financial services, which can help match you with the right personal loan to meet your needs.

Fiona searches the top online lenders to match you with a personalized loan offer in less than 60 seconds. If your credit score is at least 620, its platform can help you borrow up to $100,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 4.99% and terms from 24 to 84 months.

4. Hunt Down Sneaky Bills in Collections or Errors on Your Credit Report

True story: I once had a bill in collections I didn’t know about. I’d gone to a walk-in clinic in college, moved apartments, then wham. Unknowingly billed.

It lingered in collections for about two years, until I went back to that clinic. When the receptionist informed me, I frantically paid. Now I’m terrified something like that will happen again — it could severely hurt my chances of opening a new credit card or securing a prime mortgage rate.

But how will I know? Finding out what you owe is actually way easier than you might think. You can just look at your credit report.

I started using Credit Sesame to take a look at my credit score. I can also access my credit report card there, which offers an overview of my debt, my open accounts and any negative marks.

It’s super easy to read and interpret — no crazy jargon. You’ll be able to see what you owe or if there are any errors on your report (it happens). Plus it’ll even tell you how to increase your credit score. For me, that’d be decreasing my credit utilization rate.

You can sign up for alerts, so whenever there’s a change in your credit score or on your credit report, Credit Sesame will let you know.

5. Stop Worrying About That $30 Overdraft Fee

Somebody once told me that banking felt like balancing on a trapeze. And it’s so true. You’ve got to make sure you maintain the minimum balance, deposit a specific amount into the account each month, avoid overdrafting, hunt down a fee-free ATM when you need cash…

It’s exhausting.

That’s why I switched to Aspiration.

The Aspiration Spend and Save Account is an online-only account with no monthly fees, no minimums and pays up to 2.00% APY interest.

Yep! Instead of forking over $30 a month for an overdraft accident, you actually have a chance earn money on the balance of your account.

To open your shiny new Aspiration Spend and Save Account, simply connect your existing bank account, and transfer over as little as $10.

6. Take 5 Minutes to Ensure Fees Aren’t Killing Your Retirement Dreams

Got a 401(k)? You’re on the right track.

Now, you just need to make sure it’s doing what you need it to. However, tapping into that account and deciphering the information — or lack thereof — can be terrifying.

Welp, there’s a robo-adviser for that. Blooom, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm, will optimize and monitor your 401(k) for you.

It gives you an initial 401(k) checkup for free, and you’ll get to know your account a little more intimately. Find out if you’re paying too many hidden fees, have the appropriate amount invested in stocks versus bonds, that kind of fun stuff.

After that, the tool is $10 a month to use to continue to monitor your retirement account. Let Blooom know your target retirement age, and it can help you get there by investing more and less aggressively.

7. Get $55 When You Take 15 Minutes to Dip Your Toes in Investing

Bills paid? Savings established? Retirement account funded?

Now, it’s time to invest. But it’s not like you can afford to buy several shares of Amazon stock or invest in a rental property. Not yet.

Here are a few ways to start investing without that hefty commitment:

Start small, and download Acorns, an investing app that’ll round up your debit and credit card purchases and, once it accumulates $5, it’ll invest the spare change for you. The app is $1 a month for balances under $1 million, and you’ll get a $5 bonus when you sign up.

If you’ve got a $50 bill burning a hole in your wallet, then look into Swell Investing*, an SEC-registered investment adviser committed to supporting sustainable companies. Plus, you’ll get a $50 bonus with the code PENNY after making your initial investment.

With a minimum investment of just $500 in the Fundrise Starter Portfolio, your money will be split into two portfolios that support private real estate around the United States. You’ll pay a 0.85% annual asset management fee and a 0.15% annual investment advisory fee.

8. Take 2 Minutes to Ensure Your Kids Are Set For The Worst Case Scenario

If you have kids, you probably worry about their futures. That’s to be expected.

One way to sleep better at night is to secure a life insurance policy. That way if, god forbid, something were to happen to you, your kids wouldn’t have to worry about money.

Yeah, yeah. You’ve heard all of this, but you’re just not sure where to start.

We recommend you start by comparing policies and rates through Policygenius, a free online marketplace. Think of it like Kayak or Expedia — but for life insurance.

This takes about two minutes, so even if you’re on your morning commute, eating lunch or, ahem, using the bathroom, you can do it right now. Once you enter your information, you’ll be asked to choose your coverage amount — anywhere between $50,000 to $10 million. You can apply right online, and a Policygenius rep will give you a quick call to confirm your application info.

Policygenius tells us you can get $1 million in coverage starting at $25 a month. That’s way less than my cell phone bill.

9. Compare Rates and Cut Back on Monthly Bills With This Quick Move

Here’s an example of what happens when I try to find the best deal on, say, my internet/cable bill: I Google “cheapest internet,” immediately feel overwhelmed with options and rates and quotes, and choose the brand I recognize most.

Done.

Yeah, it’s basically a pointless process.

But it’s important to find ways to cut back on your monthly bills. Here’s one tactic that’s a lot easier than you might think…

Hop on Squeeze, a website that allows you to compare rates for mortgages, auto loans, student loans, renters insurance, and mobile and internet plans (among others) for free.

Say you want to compare internet prices. Based on your location, the site aggregates all your options and shows you companies alongside price points and download speeds.

Way easier than calling around or Googling to infinity and beyond.

10. Write Down Your Financial To-Do List

When it comes to finances, we typically have things we’ve been meaning to do. Then these things sit on a perpetual, never-ending to-do list in our brain.

Instead of adding to that mental list, just create a physical list of things you need to do — whether you write it on a scrap of paper and tape it to the fridge, or keep it on an app in your phone.

Take a few items from this article. Set reminders. Do what you’ve got to do to free up space in your brain. Once you accomplish a task, feel that sweet, sweet satisfaction of crossing it off your list.

11. Change Your Mindset to Be Positive and Proactive

OK, I’m about to go all therapist on you, but hear me out: Work on changing your attitude toward your finances.

“We often think of paying our bills as drudgery and simply something we have to do,” Tayne says. “Instead, try to change your mindset to be thankful that you’re able to pay bills to have all of the things you need.”

Tayne says you can even apply the same mindset to your debt: “Debt is only bad debt if it’s unmanageable. You can be thankful for what debt has allowed you to have, whether it’s a house or an education or something else positive in your life.”

If you find yourself dwelling on the same darn financial problem all the time, you know it’s time to become proactive and make a change.

If your budget is tight, find more ways to cut expenses. Struggle with credit card debt? Cut up your cards, and boost those monthly payments. Hate your job? Look for another opportunity.

12. Check in With Yourself Regularly — and Celebrate Wins

Give yourself 30 minutes once a month. Block out the time on your calendar and settle in.

Then check in with your to-do list, goals and overall financial well-being. How’s it going? Spend some quality time with your budget and your bills.

Did you make any big strides this past month? Maybe you finally secured life insurance, are at the halfway point with student loan payments or put an extra $200 into savings.

That’s awesome! Bask in that feeling for a minute. Pat yourself on the back, and grab that slice of pizza you’ve been craving for dinner.

“Allow yourself to feel that sense of accomplishment, and you can even treat yourself (within reason) when you reach a major goal,” Tayne says. “Giving yourself the ability to celebrate will start tying positive feelings to your finances.”

*Disclosure: We have a financial relationship with Swell Investing LLC and will be compensated if consumers apply for an account and/or fund an account with Swell through links in our content. However, the analysis and opinions expressed here are our own.

Carson Kohler ([email protected]) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s in no way a mental health professional — just regularly sees one.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

Finances Not Helping Your Anxiety? 12 Tips to Help You Breathe Easier published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

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jewelwriter · 6 years

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My Two Coins: Handing the Torch

Disclaimer: "My Two Coins" are to be read as such, someone's two coins about the topic at hand. IF at any point you disagree with it or agree, remember they are just my coins about said topic and the value you have of it will differ from my own because of religion, upbringing, beliefs, and logic based on your own experiences. Do not assume my coins are the international equivalent for it may be considered of a lesser value in the bank of public exchange. Thank you.

Pokemon, a game that transcends generations. It's a world that has gained a lot of Pokemon, a lot of lore, and a great number of things that were both great and surprising. Though there's a problem that stirred in my mind all through this through the last few generations. That this feels more rushed. The game was more soulless, and that there's less in the game for a more priced game. Not once. Not twice, but thrice! The worst of the three is the Let's go duo.

But then gen 8 showed that it's coming. And it got me worried.

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen. You've found a Wild Jewelwriter.

And while we got a small taste of gen 8 (we got graphics |which isn't the thing I was thrilled about| a bit of gameplay |Suck my tail you overworld lovers! Besides, rendering so many Pokemon in the wild is a memory eater so that was the best idea. Also, NORMAL catching is back.| and the starters.) and I already know what people are going to say.

1) Let's Go is a Moot Point now.

It isn't because it was made and if this was the 'filler' then it means that it could have been CUT out... Pokemon go was f-ing TRASH and so was mostly all the big shots of gen 7. Pokemon Sun and Moon, Ultras, and the Let's go games were a mess and barely did much unless one goes as far as to make the players who were in the past embarrassed that it was their game.

2) It's not rushing.

Sure that you were given games every year and all that. But hasn't there been a thing called patience? I would have had wanted a reason to miss the games and wait for the new games. We barely had that. And how did it happen? Barely a year apart, the games were released and nearly in the same time period. Which is...uneasy to say the least. And sure one can say it was the B-Team that made the new games, but it still doesn't make it any better. Releasing game after game a year or under near each other barely gives time to enjoy the game fully and have them be set in their history and allow development. Sure tech makes things faster but ever heard of QUALITY CONTROL...and no graphics aren't quality control!

3) Gen 8 is going to be great!

I heard this and then it makes me wonder... what of gen 7 then if you said it yourself that this will be a great game. It makes me sad that I got more memory with gen 6 than 7. Other than the Pokemon [Popplio line, Mudbray line, Mimikyu, Togedemaru, Jangmo-o's line, the Tapus, and Type: Null's line were some of my favorites] gen 7 was a bust. Broken in a bad way of shiny hunting, a barely used idea of the Battle Royal, barely any real mini-games that reward you (ultra only added 1 so don't count on it helping since it was just giving you battle points which you have no right of earning in such a manner) and the Let's go Games... those are a mess in its OWN right that I'll answer in the comments since people seem to love BS games that run on dumb mechanics.

4) We got too little information. Don't panic yet.

And this is where I can't say that I shouldn't. Because they did this. They wrecked gen 6 in a sense by rushing out of it and giving us remixes that, while hoped for...could have been better. They rushed gen 7 out to celebrate a birthday, which should have been a celebration of ALL Pokemon, not just one generation specifically like how gen 6 did it with their special concept. And now... with gen 8 about to arrive, it makes me wonder if Game Freak and the Pokemon Company international, not Nintendo, Game Freak and the Pokemon Company... I hope they learned not to rush because doing things at sonic speed will cause your game to suffer in ways that shouldn't happen.

[=/=/=|=|=|=\=\=]

Then again this is from someone who has been around since gen 1...I'm supposed to be a gen 1 lover that knows nothing but Kanto Pokemon, wearing the hat of Ash [Censored] Ketchem, and ship him with Misty, the same gal that bashed at him for taking his bike in an emergency moment to escape being turned into food for the Mandibuzz early in life and got struck by thunderous power. And also should be singing the praises of the grand lord Helix that lives within the protected stone walls of Mount Moon and shun the being that has made us all known as Arceus and his decipher, Mew.

But I won't. Because my favorite gen is gen 5. My favorite Starters in full evolution lines are Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, Treecko, Piplup, Snivy, Oshawott, Chespin Fennekin, and Popplio. My favorite of all times is a Generation two artist Pokemon that I did one of my own special cards of the day on and makes me feel like I'm more of a game designer than what I've seen at Game Freak with a different product and more limits.

I'm sorry. I needed to let this out since I really do have all these emotions.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of Pokemon. One that has been through each and every generation. And I saw the ups...the downs, the evolutions, and de-volutions. I always had hopes for what can be in a generation...and hope they keep a mechanic of the past that worked and was deflated when it didn't. But I have the feeling this might be happening again. And excuse me but... if Pokemon falls deeper into a bad state even if I only get truly 1 game for the generation on my own...I'd be thinking of sticking with the card game than keep with the video games. At least that is a lot more consistent and helps inspire me to make my own game even more possible. But what do you think? Send your comments down below.

As for me, this wild one runs away to get a deep drink of water!

#M2c #gen 8 #it has begun #need to let it out

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fesahaawit · 8 years

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Are You Using the Best Financial Products for You?

Long before I started a personal finance blog, I was someone who secretly loved comparing financial products. I was always on the hunt for the cheapest chequing account with unlimited transactions or the savings account with the highest interest rate, and I wasn’t afraid to switch banks (multiple times) to get the best. As soon as I discovered free options, I was hooked and knew I would never go back to paying for my daily banking products. I used Coast Capital Savings for 5 years, then switched to Tangerine (formerly ING Direct Canada) in 2012 and haven’t looked back since.

Even though I’ve always cared about using the best banking products, it took a long time for me to start caring about my credit cards. In fact, it wasn’t until early 2015 that I finally bothered to compare all the rewards credit cards available in Canada. It’s obvious why I pushed back on the idea for so long: after close to a decade of using credit cards like they were free money and carrying the debt around, I didn’t trust myself to use a rewards credit card properly. But in early 2015, I did the comparison, picked two cards and used them for two years – until I decided they weren’t the best cards for me anymore…

Note: There are no affiliate or referral links in this post. Like past posts on this topic, I simply want to share information on the financial products I use and talk about why I use them!

Let’s go back in time to two years ago: I was working full-time and travelling (almost) constantly. Some months, I was only on the road for 5 days. But most months, I was gone for at least two weeks. And sometimes, I was only home for 5 days. Where was I travelling to? Usually, Toronto for work. I also took advantage of the fact that I worked remotely and visited family/friends often. Needless to say, I was a good candidate for a travel rewards credit card. And because of how often I travelled within Canada, the WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard seemed like a good fit.

I remember being hesitant to pay an annual fee for a credit card. After using basic free credit cards for years, the idea of paying $99 to use one didn’t exactly spark joy. But the bonus $250 of WestJet dollars offset the fee. And during the two years I used the card, I earned an additional ~$500 of WestJet dollars. I also used a $99 companion voucher when Sarah and I flew to NYC in May 2015, which saved us an additional ~$500. So in two years, I paid $297 (2 x $99 annual fee + $99 companion voucher) and saved ~$1,250 in travel costs. That’s a net reward of $953. Sounds good, right?

It was good! In fact, it was a great card for the first year I had it. But after I quit my job, I stopped travelling within Canada as much. It was also impossible to use my $99 companion voucher (you get one every year) on flights to certain cities outside of the country, which is where I wanted to go. The numbers don’t lie: it was a great card, and is an excellent option for anyone who does a lot of travel in this country. But I grew tired of the restrictions and wanted something that came with more options. So, I did another comparison in January and decided to switch over to the RBC Visa Infinite Avion.

Before I talk about why, let’s look at the second card I was using: the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite. The reason I signed up for this card in 2015 was because the annual fee was waived for the first year (value of $99). It’s also been rated one of the best cash back credit cards in Canada for years, because it offers 4% on groceries and gas. If you have a family (or just spend a lot on groceries) or commute, earning $4 for every $100 you spend is a huge reward for your spending! And it adds up fast. In two years, I paid $99 (1 x $99 annual fee) and earned ~$500 in cash back. That’s a net reward of $401.

So again, it was a good card. But there were also lots of little things about it that bothered me. For starters, it took up to a week for transactions to be posted online, which is extremely frustrating when you’re someone who forgets to keep receipts but likes to track your spending. The cash back categories also weren’t great for me. I barely spend money on gas (a 4% category) and almost never spend money at drug stores (a 2% category). So, I did another comparison in January and decided to switch to the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card.

Now, here’s where I’m going to geek out over my new cards like they are shiny new toys – because in a way, they are. When used responsibly, these two little pieces of plastic give me the opportunity to earn rewards for simply doing all my regular spending. I’m no longer restricted to just flying with one airline. The points I earn with my new RBC Visa can be used for flights, hotels, car rentals and other travel-related costs (plus it has good travel insurance). And with the Tangerine MasterCard, I pay no annual fee and I get to choose the three categories I earn 2% cash back on – and I can change them anytime!

Before impulsively filling out an application, I played around with my numbers and picked the three categories that made the most sense for me personally. I know I spend an average of $300 on groceries, $150 on bills and $150 at restaurants each month, so I plugged those amounts in and found the Tangerine MasterCard would be the better card for me – even if it meant losing the 4% cash back on gas. (This is another benefit of knowing your numbers, which is what we are talking about on Budgets and Cents this week!) The savings was minimal (and will likely end up evening out), but when I factored in the fact that transactions get posted right away with the Tangerine MasterCard, I was sold.

I can’t say for sure if the RBC Visa will be the best card for me, but I figured it was worth trying! The welcome bonus is worth up to $350, which offsets the $120 annual fee for almost three years. And aside from the fact that I didn’t want my travel rewards credit card to be attached to a specific airline, I also switched to this card because it was a Visa (don’t want two MasterCards) and because RBC holds my longest credit history. I got my first credit card with them in 2004, and have just switched the type of card I use without cancelling any old cards and erasing that history (which I would never want to lose). Needless to say, I’m an RBC credit card customer for life.

New Financial Products = New Budgeting Strategy

One of my goals for the slow money experiment was to change my budgeting strategy. I’m realizing that was perhaps a bit misleading, because the only thing I really wanted to change was the two credit cards I use. I’m happy with the methods in which I track my spending, add up my numbers and my net worth, etc. On a day-to-day basis, I feel in control of my money and that’s the main purpose of budgeting. Instead, now that I’m equipped with two new credit cards, I had to designate one for personal (Tangerine) and one for business (RBC) and then switch over all my recurring monthly payments. Now that that’s done, I can cross another goal off the list!

So, how does any of this information help you? If you’re Canadian, you might be curious to hear which credit cards people use. And if you have any questions about these four cards, specifically, I’m a nerd and would love to chat about any/all of them in more detail. But no matter where you live, I hope this super nerdy post serves as another reminder that you’re in control of which financial products you use. What you’re using today doesn’t have to be what you use forever – especially if you’re not happy with it.

If you’re paying too much in banking fees, try to negotiate with your bank or make the switch to cheaper/free options. If you’re not earning any rewards and don’t carry a balance, look at other credit cards. It seems like a hassle (and sometimes it does come with a little paperwork) but it just takes a little organization on your part. And if you’re not happy with the products you use, you’re allowed to switch to ones that are better suited for you. Your existing bank is not the boss of your money, you are!

Whenever someone asks how they can talk about money more openly with their family/friends, I suggested starting small by asking which financial products they use. Or go a little deeper and ask if they are happy with them. In my experience with those conversations, most people are still paying high fees for no reason and getting zero bang for their buck – and they are not happy about it. You’re allowed to want more for your money. You earned it. It helps you pay for your life today and will fund your life in the future. So do the legwork and the paperwork. Find the best financial products for you. Then spread what you know. Because the more we talk about this stuff, the more we’ll all learn from each other.

So, now I have to ask: are you happy with your existing financial products? :)

PS – My last goal for the slow money experiment was to change my investing strategy. This deserves a post of its own, so look for that on Friday! Then we’re onto a new month, friends!

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