Menifee Plugged In: Pokemon X/Y Carries on the Tradition

By Neil Kristjansson

It’s been such a long time since I picked up a Pokemon game. But with all of the hype surrounding the newly-released addition to the series, Pokemon X and Y, I had to see what was going on.

Now on the 3DS, developer Game Freak has given us a new world with new Pokemon to experience. So let’s see what's with all the hubbub.

Back in the late 90s, when I was probably 3, I remember getting a Gameboy Color and Pokemon Red. I swear, I had to have played it for hundreds and hundreds of hours on my front porch. At 3 years old, I was still able to finish the story, and I continued to play until I had several of my Pokemon at level 100. It was such a groundbreaking game for its time, and oddly enough, it hasn’t really changed much since.

I picked up Pokemon X/Y with the knowledge that it was quite a graphical update from my last experience. What was once a bird’s-eye view of a 2D, 16-bit world has become a beautifully rendered 3D world with varying camera angles. Right off the bat, that caught my eye. It’s nice to look at, most definitely.

And finally, being able to see almost every Pokemon that’s ever existed in 3D? Well howdy-doo, that’s exciting. And now I can customize my character? I get a name and a nickname? I can run without running shoes?! Well howdy-doody-doo, that’s even more exciting!

But, unfortunately, notice how I said almost every Pokemon? That’s right. This has been a gimmick of Pokemon for years now, but I will never enjoy the segregation of Pokemon from one game or the other. It’s, in my opinion, a really shallow marketing ploy to get you to buy both games. It shouldn’t be that way. But luckily, if you have friends who play as well, it isn’t really a problem.

It’s just silly to have one Pokemon available in one game, and have its (new) mega-evolution only available in the other. It’s hogwash, I tell you. Hogwash.

Speaking of which, the mega-evolutions are a really cool new feature. Essentially, evolution is a huge component of Pokemon. Level up, your Pokemon evolves into a new form – a new evolution. But these mega-evolutions take once previously maxed-out evolutions and evolve them even further. It’s a temporary change for, say, when you’re in the middle of a difficult battle.

There are quite a few mega-evolutions, and it’s up to you to go out and find out what’s it's capable of. Fortunately, these make up for the lack of new Pokemon added. At an underwhelming approximation of around 65, that’s a far lower count that previous titles. Oh well. I’d exchange an ice-cream looking Pokemon for a black Charizard any day.

My only major gripe with the path Pokemon has taken is this new, more obvious complexity behind Pokemon stats and types and gender. Way before when I used to play, it boiled down to which Pokemon looked the best. This could be a personal thing, but even as an adult, I cannot grasp this idea of how a Pokemon’s attitude plays in, or all of these (seemingly) secret abilities happen. I guess they’re for competitive players. You know, people who like to battle each other in tournaments – that kind of thing.

For a casual fellow like me, somebody who’s just jumped back in after a decade vacation, it doesn’t matter too much. I can wrap my head around the items necessary to evolve certain Pokemon, which Pokemon has the best stats, yadda-yadda. It’s not difficult, just complex -- to better players than I.

As for everything else, it plays exactly like I remember it. Pokemon has had a long habit of being incredibly formulaic, which is good. Well, sort of. It’s been a great game from the start. Changing it too extraordinarily could have been a huge mistake. In other ways, though, an almost 20-year run of the same game play can get boring. Good job, Gamefreak. You made a fun, lasting game. And for once, I can honestly say: I hope it doesn’t change.

Neil Kristijansson's "Menifee Plugged In" column appears each Monday. He writes about two things of interest to most of the younger generation -- music and electronic gaming. He welcomes your comments here or though email at menifee247info@gmail.com.

Man About Menifee: Holiday Season Means Family Traditions

By David Baker

When I think of my childhood, many images come to mind. I remember making Christmas cookies with my mom in the kitchen. I remember my dad teaching me to play baseball and basketball. I remember waiting for the box of Platter’s Orange Chocolates from my Grandma Baker to be delivered every Easter.

As I look back on my life and especially looking through the eyes of a parent, I have a renewed appreciation for traditions.

They say children are creatures of habit, and mine are absolutely no exception. After we moved to Menifee, it became rapidly apparent that it was time to start forging new traditions that would make the kids feel more at home, so we began exploring the town and attending community events.

We attended Menifee’s Father’s Day Campout, Independence Day Celebration, Movies in the Park, and the Lake Elsinore Storm Stadium Scout Night. Last week, we once again attended the Menifee Birthday Bash at Mt. San Jacinto Jr. College.

The kids look forward to it every year. We got to see some wonderful musical performances and the kids got to do some creative games and crafts hosted by the M.A.R.S. program. The highlight of the kids' evening, of course, is always the Gale Webb Extreme Sports show. The kids love to watch the performers doing jumps and flips on their bikes, skates and scooters. This year they even had Ryder, the 6-year-old son of one of the performers, doing his stunts for the kids and carrying on the family tradition.

This isn’t the only tradition I appreciate, though. Sometimes things start small. I get Thursdays and Sundays off from work. Every Thursday I get to drop my kids off at school and run errands with Joshuah, who is now 19 months old. This is something I look forward to immensely every week.

We talk about things, he says a lot, and some of it I’m even beginning to understand. He’s very independent, always wanting to try to dress himself or feed himself. I like to think it’s because he sees everyone else doing it themselves, and he wants to participate on the same level as everyone else. He very clearly has an imagination and it’s incredibly fun to watch.

One tradition that is coming up for many people is Halloween. We at the Baker Homestead are bracing ourselves for the forthcoming onslaught of Trick-or-Treaters. Joshuah can tell something is going on, but this will be the first Halloween that he will really be able to participate in, since last year he was pretty much a cute little lump in a lion costume. I can’t wait for this year.

For those looking to start a new Halloween tradition, perhaps try the Halloween Costume Contest and Parade sponsored by Menifee 24/7 at Wheatfield Park Oct. 30, the night before Halloween. Starting at 6 p.m. by the flag pole on the Menifee Road side, there will be a parade for those dressed up, a costume contest, followed by fun and games for all. Adults are welcome to play, too.

This time of year, as we steadily approach the holiday season, I am reminded of how important these traditions are. What are some things, large or small, that you do to make your time with your family special?

David Baker, our Man About Menifee, writes about his adventures in and around town every Friday in this space. You may leave comments for him here or email him at manaboutmenifee@gmail.com.

Menifee Mom: Is it Possible to Have Kids and a Clean Car?

By Karen Thomas

I have a friend who told me that she once promised herself she would never let her vehicle look like a "kid car."

You parents all know what I'm talking about. When kids are in the car, toys are dropped, socks and shoes get left in the back seat, and bits of food start accumulating in crevices. Unfortunately, my car has often screamed "kid car." In fact, the rain we've just had makes it impossible for my kids and I to forget two catastrophes for the history books. Let me explain, in reverse order.

Disaster #2: A few years ago, I made a stop at Target to get some household items. As usual, I was low on milk so I grabbed a gallon to get me by until I could get to Costco. Since I only had a couple items, I put them on the floor right behind my seat. This also happened to be right at the feet of my preschooler.

Somehow, as she was buckling herself in, she managed to step on the gallon of milk. I didn't see it, but this is my guess because close to home she noticed "milk on the floor." After arriving home, I opened the door to find, not a little milk, but a huge puddle! The lid had popped off the milk jug and the entire gallon of milk had spilled all over the floor. It had gushed into every crack possible.

Thankfully, we long ago invested in a carpet shampooer (nicknamed, "the vomit comet") and I was able to remove the seats and extract the milk. But even though I rinsed and suctioned for the good part of an afternoon, we still get that sour milk smell back every time it rains and moisture gets into the carpet. What really frustrated me THAT day, though, was that after it was all over, I had to go BACK to the store and buy milk again!

There was a bright side to this accident. In my attempt to get every drop of milk out of that van, I figured out how to remove the plastic shields on the floor where the seats bolt in. This allowed me to FINALLY completely clean out the remnants of "kid car" disaster #1.

Disaster #1: Several years before the milk incident, I was driving a daughter back to school from a doctor appointment in Riverside. The appointment involved needles, so we made a quick stop at a drive-thru to get the promised "treat." She chose smoothies. My toddler was crying, so in desperation, I gave her my smoothie to suck on for a bit; anything to keep her happy so I could drive, right?

I should have known better by my third child, but as moms, we do crazy things when we get desperate. Just minutes after I gave it to her, she dropped the smoothie. It hit the side of her car seat, popped open, splattered all over her sister, spilled down in between the two seats, and poured right into the wells in the van floor where the seats hook in. It was everywhere!

I pulled over, grabbed the roll of paper towels I keep in my van, and mopped it up as best I could. The older child was sticky and mad at her little sister, the toddler was crying because she dropped her smoothie, and I wanted to cry because not only was MY smoothie wasted, but now I had a huge mess in my fairly new van! (OK, it was a selfish moment.) I gave the toddler the straw to keep her happy and drove home.

While I was busy tearing my van apart and trying to figure out how to get the smoothie out of the floor wells, my toddler had gone inside to play. After a few minutes, I went in to check on her. I heard laughing and giggling. Following the sounds, I found her in the pantry, dumping food all over the floor. Fruit loops, rice, and oatmeal were everywhere. She looked up at me and proudly said, "Look, colors!"

It was a classic toddler moment: A prime example of why moms can never seem to get two rooms clean at the same time! I buckled her in her car seat while I finished the job as best I could. I'd had enough.

Some messes (and smells) just go with our job as parents. As they grow, the scene inside the car changes. The sippy cups and pacifiers get replaced with water bottles and soccer socks and the smell starts to gravitate more towards the stinky feet variety. Though we try to keep it clean, and we are getting better, mess happens. For now, I think I'll just keep stocking up on air freshener.

Karen Thomas is a stay at home mom of four daughters, has been on the PTA board at her kids' school for four years, and is a volunteer at her church, in addition to her activities as a volunteer soccer referee, a piano teacher, and a runner. Her column will appear here every Thursday. Comments are welcome.

Observations, Tips and Questions About Life: Oct. 9

Featuring Bill Rhoads

Each week, Sun City resident Bill Rhoads shares with us some of his "tips about life." Bill keeps a written record of "tips" that come to mind and has a strong motivation to share them with others. His purpose in doing so is to stimulate his own thinking and to stir some ideas into the pot of life. He believes in God and the Golden Rule.



When you remove the nonsense from most worries
They disappear.

Disorganization keeps your mind healthy
Think of all the synapses you engage
Trying to remember where you put all those things.

Greed dulls the most brilliant eye!

If you have thoughts and/or responses to Bill's tips, leave a comment here or send emails with your feedback to menifee247info@gmail.com.

Menifee Foodie: Let's Appreciate the Value of Food Together

Editor's note: Please welcome our new food and restaurant columnist, Malissa Meeks. Each Tuesday, Malissa will share with our readers her love and appreciation for good, healthy food. We'll let her introduce herself:

By Malissa Meeks

Calling all Menifee Foodies...

Menifee 24/7 is now adding a Foodie Feature. Awesome! So all of you Menifee Foodies join me as I start on my adventure in this weekly column.

Some weeks I will critique a local restaurant. Some weeks I will share one of my favorite recipes. I am a kitchen gadget freak, so there may be weeks I share with you information about my favorite gadgets. I’m very interested in making life in the kitchen easier.

As a way of introductionm I am a mom, just like many of our readers. I have seven children, so I know my way around the kitchen. I have packed approximately 16,380 school lunches, prepared 42,705 meals, and eaten in restaurants approximately 2,308 times. I do believe that all of this experience will help me to pass on some valuable information to you.

My favorite season is Fall. I am so excited with the change of weather and love to drive up the mountain and look at all of the beautiful changing leaves.

This week I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes. As soon as the weather gets the least bit cool. I love to make my Chicken Noodle Soup. It is a favorite in our family. In fact, my grandkids request this soup. The best part is, it’s super simple.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 lb. skinless chicken breast filets
1 lb. skinless chicken thigh filets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup diced onion (I like white onion)
1 cup diced carrots
3 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
½ cup diced celery
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced parsley

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute chicken 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove from skillet to cook for a few minutes.

Reduce heat in skillet to medium/low, add butter and sauté the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring often until veggies are beginning to get soft.

Cut chicken into small pieces and put the chicken, veggies, chicken broth, water, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of the parsley into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add noodles and simmer for 15 minutes.

Prior to serving, garnish with the remainder of the parsley.

Make a pot for your family and let me know what you think of this recipe. See you next week!

Malissa Meeks, the Menifee Foodie, welcomes your comments. Leave a comment on the website or our Facebook page or email menifee247info@gmail.com.

Menifee Plugged In: No Matter What, It's All About the Music

Editor's note: Today we welcome Neil Kristjansson as a new columnist for Menifee 24/7. In his weekly "Menifee Plugged In" column, Neil will write about two things of interest to most of the younger generation -- music and electronic gaming. Neil has lived in Menifee most of his life. During that time, his taste in video games and music has grown and shaped his experiences in the community. He aspires to build a career in journalism around his interests.

By Neil Kristjansson

There’s something magical about the first album you get -- or the first song you learn all the words to. The ones that get stuck in your head and force you to listen to them on repeat until they’re out. It’s all music.

Music. The universal art. Well, it’s not the only one, but it’s definitely my favorite.

What defines it? In my opinion, it could be as simple as banging on pots and pans in a rhythm. As much as the metalheads hate rap or the rappers hate pop, it’s all music. That’s what’s so great about it. Genres and subgenres aside, they’re all art in their own form.

I remember being 4 years old, listening to the Backstreet Boys and just jamming out. I wasn’t some musical prodigy, I didn’t care about lyrics or chord progression – all I knew was what made me want to bob my head and memorize the words.

Backstreet’s back, alright.

Those words echoed through my head and through the walls for days straight. It was just so catchy and fun.

Of course, as I matured, so did my taste in music. Up until fifth grade, all I knew was pop. I knew whatever played on the radio. I remember my father and I would drive around listening to anything, from The Doors to Linkin Park.

One thing, I don’t know why, it doesn’t even matter how hard you try.

At the time, I had no idea who Linkin Park was, but those words stuck in my head for years. The whole song, front to back – and it’s still in there today.

By middle school, I was into classic rock: Queen, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin. I wasn’t old enough to understand it or explore it entirely, but I knew it was good music. I loved it. My taste started to dwindle after a while, though. My tunnel vision wore the rope that tied my tastes thin, and I had to venture into new territories.

System of a Down, Marilyn Manson, Linkin Park? I was certainly beginning a phase of angst.

The more I grew, so did my taste in music. I’m an adult now, but I still have so much left to explore – literally and musically. I’ve come to a point where music is music and I appreciate it for what it is. I’ve settled into the territories of whatever sounds good to me, whatever draws me in, and relates to me and my life.

It isn’t about what’s darkest, heaviest, or fastest. I don’t care about the high equalization on a kick drum, and I don’t care about the masterful picking of a guitarist. I make music of my own, it’s something to understand in order to play it, but a listener shouldn’t care. They’re there to listen and appreciate. What’s to judge?

I have my favorites now. They vary in genre, from Nine Inch Nails to David Bowie. Ambient to rap. Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” to Purcell’s “Dido’s Lament”. It’s universal. It’s art. It’s the beginning of eras and memories.

It’s music, and it’s good. Damn good.

Neil Kristjansson's "Menifee Plugged In" column will appear each Monday on Menifee 24/7. He welcomes your comments here or though email at menifee247info@gmail.com.

Menifee Mom: Kindergarten Class Marks the End of an Era

By Karen Thomas

This school year, for my family, represents one of those times in life where everything changes. It's a year I've looked forward to for a VERY long time, but now that it's here and I'm in the middle of it, I'm left a little unsure how I feel about it.

It's kind of like when you land a promotion that requires you to relocate. Though you are really excited about it and it is exactly what you've wanted, as you drive out of town for the last time, you find you are overcome with mixed emotions. Life as you know it has changed and there is no turning back.

You see, this year is the year my baby started kindergarten.

As any mom can attest, when you are home all day with multiple children under 5, those school years just don't seem to come fast enough. Sometimes you feel like you are waist deep in toys, dirty diapers, Cheerios, and crying children with no end in sight. What's worse is that any time you need to go anywhere, you have to bring them all with you!

When baby No. 4 was being considered, I was only a year and a half away from having all my kids in school. The fact that I was prolonging that day was something I seriously thought about.

Now here I am, six years later, and I'm feeling rather sentimental. I've come to the end of an era. After 13 years of Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, Little People toys, sippy cups, and strollers ...it's over. My kids are growing up, moving on, and those years will never come back.

And now I sit here in a silent house, the memories bringing tears to my eyes, and I have to remind myself that this is what I wanted.

It's funny; all year I was really looking forward to my baby starting kindergarten. She, on the other hand, seemed content to just keep being my sidekick. I mean, she'd spent most of her life helping me with PTA, so I guess she had seen enough to decide school just wasn't that special. But then, about a month before school started, she began to get excited.

When the first day of school came, she was more than ready. I think she was actually a bit annoyed that I had to go to class with her. When the second day came, she suggested that I drop her off on the corner and insisted she could "walk there by myself." (Not a chance!) I did, however, drop her off in the "drop off loop" with the other kindergarteners. She jumped out of the car, yelled, "Bye mom, I love you!", blew me a kiss, and didn't look back.

Since that day, I keep coming across a lot of really cute babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. They all seem to remind me of those years now in my past. I'm left wondering if I really enjoyed it enough. Did I play with my kids enough? Did I sing them enough songs? Did I laugh and act silly? Did I take enough pictures? How did it all go by so fast???

Did I truly enjoy it, as EVERYONE told me to, or did I simply "survive?"

In the end, I guess I just have to accept the fact that change is just a part of life and the next phase of life will bring great memories, too. The trick is learning to appreciate whatever phase I am in (even when it involves crayon on the walls or bratty teenagers) and find joy in the here and now, because before I know it, these years will be gone, too.

Karen Thomas is a stay at home mom of four daughters, has been on the PTA board at her kids' school for four years, and is a volunteer at her church, in addition to her activities as a volunteer soccer referee, a piano teacher, and a runner. Her column will appear here every Thursday. Comments are welcome.