I Have My First Friend - Pokemon Friend

My daughter Princess Three got into the game Pokemon Go about five years ago. One fun day she asked if I would walk to the cemetery with her as there is a Poke Gym there that she wanted to go to and see if she could take it over. 

I didn't know what that was, but the fact that I could spend some time with her, I was all in. I usually walk at the cemetery when I go walking so I was just happy to have someone to walk with. 

She got her now husband into it, and then she got her sister into it, then she got her brother-in-law into it, and he got his wife Princess One into it. This process has taken years, but when we go anywhere, they all get excited to trade Pokemon and do battles etc. 

When we go to remote locations, they get excited to put them into the Gyms as they get to "Own" the gym and earn more points or powers or something like that. 

They get excited on holidays as they can get new Pokemon that are just out on holidays. Princess One got involved so that she can connect with her husband who has started using the app to walk to and from work everyday. He also has started riding his bike to and from work. 

When I am with them all together either on the phone or in person, now I feel like they are speaking a new language. They talked me into downloading the app and I called Princess Three and asked her some questions but she mentioned that I could "google" questions about it. 

I have been going to places on my way to and from errands so I can get Pokemon and get treats at the landmark spinners. I don't know what they are called officially, but you visit them and spin the center and you get some treats or prizes. 

I have NO clue what I am doing, but it did take me almost a week to figure out how to throw the Poke' balls, and there are center targets that disappear telling you when to throw, but it took me lots of days to figure that out. I also have no idea what ones to collect as I keep getting the same ones coming to me all the time and have fought the same ones over and over. 

I realized that I don't want to get the same ones, and waste the balls on ones that I already have. One thing I hadn't figured out was the sound. The song is really annoying. There is also a noise when the Pokemon show up. I got frustrated with the sound and asked a few people if they knew how to turn it off and hadn't had time to look it up. 

I was shopping at one of the thrift stores in town today and passed a guy I have never seen before. I noticed he was wearing a Pokemon shirt. I asked him if he plays Pokemon Go and he looked confused for a second, so I explained that I am new to the game to connect with my kids, but I am annoyed with the music and wondered if he could help me turn it off. He was with his two brothers and they were in town visiting their mother for Easter / spring break. They thought I was funny asking a stranger for help due to a shirt, but they agreed that the music is annoying.

He was SO kind that he would take 1/2 hour of his time to explain so much of the game to me. His brothers were so funny texting him from the car saying they were waiting, and then eventually came back in to get him and I thanked them for being patient while he helped me understand some things and that he was my first friend. 

Truth be told, he told me so many things in such a short time that I don't remember much, BUT I loved that he was so excited to share his knowledge with me. I joked that my girls are all adults but talked me into this. He then told me he plays it to connect with his 27 year old daughter. They left, and I checked out.

I headed to the other thrift store in town and laughed so much when I saw that he had entered the store about 20 feet ahead of me. He said that if I needed more help, he had dropped his brothers off as they had been to that store the day before but he wanted to check it out. I didn't ask him any more questions about the game, but I told him how I go to the stores most days looking for the jewelry bags just to get out of the house and maybe find some gold and silver. He thought that was interesting. I asked if I could take his photo for a blog post and he was willing. 

I know it is going to always be more than I will ever figure out as they have so many different foods, candy, power powders, stops, a thousand different Pokemon with different powers and traits, and there are gifts to give and stickers to collect and it amazes me that people spend so much time on this, but I am willing to put in a little effort into figuring it out to connect better with my girls and their husbands. 

I am not sure how into it I will get, but I can see how it could be addictive trying to collect them all etc. 

I am grateful to my new "Friend" who became my first "friend" on my Pokemon game! 

Have a blessed day!