leader of the Popplio defense squad

this franchise raised me. this franchise shaped my life in so many ways that i am even finding NEW ways that it has changed my life every year.

I am 28 years old now, a wildlife biologist, and an avid bird watcher. You wanna know why? my Cornell lab eBird life list is my literal pokedex. Me studying ornithology is the closest I'll ever come to catching them all irl. My entire career path was determined by the realization that every time i see a new bird and record it in my journal it reminds me of the joy and feeling of accomplishment that i felt as a kid catching a new pokemon for the first time.

I made a best friend almost 8 years ago because she saw me in a sea of rednecks (I went to college in West Virginia lmao) in our freshman lecture hall, zeroed in on my piplup plushie keychain on my backpack and sat next to me because she just knew we'd get along.

happy birthday Pokémon! Things change over the years; I get older, new games come out, I go through phases of loving Nintendo and hating Nintendo and then loving Nintendo again (hate them rn), i discover new things that i love. But i still buy myself plushies when im sad. I still play Pokemon Go in every new place i visit. the theme song is still my ringtone.