Dear Pojosama,

                          I want to write an open letter to every single TCG player in the U.S.A. but I think that's kind of impossible. I just want my voice to be heard. I would love it if someone reads it so I especially want you to read it. I don't mind where this gets posted; I just want people to read it and understand that we can make the game more interesting and more fun. It's called "Free Your Mind with Pokemon."

                          I am writing this to show you many things. Some of these things might or may shock you. Some might or may make you cry. Or maybe you might or may pee in your pants from reading this long documentary.

I have been playing the Pokemon TCG for 2 years already and I have learned a lot about fads. No, I am not ranting about how Pokemon is "dying". Don't worry. Allow me to explain.

When I was a newbie at Pokemon (TCG), I used to go to my local Pokemon League in Toys 'R Us. My decks were horrible and my playing was just as worse (I always forget to draw my card at the beginning of my turn and a lot of times I would forget to take my prize). This was taken place at the time before Gym Heroes and Gym Challange. Haymaker and Rain Dance were still hot and on fire. I would lose and stuff.

Then I became more mature at the game and a lot better. I was doing okay at the Pokemon League. I would still get creamed by Haymakers and Rain Dancers but I would still win a couple of battles because of my stall deck. That was my very first archetype I ever played. I was too poor at the time to play nice decks because...well, obviously I couldn't afford it at the time. I was having fun.

Around Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge, I have gotten a little behind the game. I didn't collect a lot of cards because Rain Dance and Hay were making it less fun and I started playing a little less. Once Challenge was out and Zappy was huge, I quit.

I was worthless at the Pokemon League. I was made fun of, been called "piece of crap" and, by older kids, "piece of (insert illegal S word here)". I stopped going for a long time at the League. It was horrible.

Then I finally got a computer. I found Pojo.com when it was still one site (Pokemon). Then it grew and prospered into many trendy things. I learned the secrets to Hays, Dances, Zappy, and I improved on my deck making thanks to Killer Deck Reports and Deck Mechs.

Once Neo: Genesis came out, Slowking and other decks were being born. I have never played an Archetype except the very old Damage Swap (it's still my favorite deck, dunno why, heheh). So I decided to play the most popular one: Mind Games. I was like, "I never actually played a deck someone else made for real [the stall deck was very original except for the Alakazam]. I would like to win for once. What the hell. I'll play Mind Games!" I used the basic stuff for Mind Games. I kept some stuff in (like Sneasel and Slowking) and I also added some stuff in (like Miltank and Mr. Mime). Then I had Mind Games: a powerful and trendy deck.

Now, I had my Mind Games deck. What do I do now? At some night, I wanted to buy Pokemon cards and I was hoping to run into a Pokemon League (I completely forgot about the Toys 'R Us one, bad memories). I did go to this one. It was very, very cool and it sold Pokemon cards for $1.50 per booster which is convenient for me. I talked with the store manager and they said they had a HUGE Pokemon League and tournies and they said they were more organized than Toys 'R Us (Toys 'R Us was hell). I nodded and I promised to go.

I went to the store the next day where they had the Pokemon Tournement every day and Pokemon League every Saturday. It was wonderful. I met people who participated in actual STS Events and made the top 100 (I met this 6- or 7-year-old girl who made 20th place in the most recent STS) or more. They taught me a lot and I got better. My Mind Games deck was doing pretty well. I became a better player and I soon became second place at this one time.

Pokemon wasn't the only game that was there. There was also tournies for MtG, DBZ, MLB, and thousands of others. Pokemon was my first and only TCG I played at the time so I was yearning to learn MtG and other TCG's. I learned Magic but I am still a little rusty on it.

What really caught my eye that MtG was already in its 46th (I think) set called "Invasion" (I think, I am still getting into it). They also had Archetypes and problems like we are experencing today. I didn't know that. I thought Pokemon was the only one having these kinds of problems. I thought it was WotC's wrong moves for tournies and bad card making from MF. I was wrong.

Imagine. MtG has 46 sets out and many Archetypes. Think about this. Pokemon: we only have 8 sets out and people are already quitting the game where people in MtG have been playing the game their whole lives. Is Pokemon going to be War? Will Pokemon ever survive more than 46 without...

a.) Complaining a card is "broken"?

b.) Complaining a deck is "broken"?

c.) Banning cards?

d.) Complaining that Brock's Ninetales is "broken" and it really isn't?

If we can't stop this complaining about Slowking and getting rid of Sneasel and yelling about other archetypes, people are going to quit the game like I once did. I am scared.

So I urge you now. HAVE FUN! Play the game! PARTICIPATE IN DRAFTS. Make your own originals! Please. I entret you all. We know every one wants to win. Ask your local Gym Leader to make unofficial tournies and not allowing popular cards and only playing originals. Use your imagination. I don't want Pokemon to be less fun. Don't be trendies. Use your head, mind, and dream. Please.

In a nutshell: I have discovered trends and changes in my life in popular things. It's amazing. I also want people to come up with ideas to make the game more fun. Until Now, Then, and Later: I Hope You Learned a Lot!

Thank you for your time Pojosama and everyone else who is reading this. If you have any comments, feel free to e-mail me at: Pichu_shocks_Pikachu@hotmail.com  This is Nick and, his weird Bellsprout, Neo (aka Nick and Neo)