TRAINER'S EYE #70 - "Not All Cubone Are Alone" ft. CasaDeCubone

In this Pokemon interview, we are joined by CasaDeCubone, a Pokemon Trainer from New Hampshire who is a huge fan of the different Pokemon GO podcasts.

CasaDeCubone shares his personal experience with Pokemon GO and how being a part of the game and the podcast community has assisted in his recovery journey from alcohol.

CasaDeCubone dives into his origins of using alcohol and attributes his involvement with the game as a huge influence in his road to recovery. He recalls his trips to different GO Fest and how meeting the people he would speak to online improved his overall enjoyoment with Pokemon GO.

Finally, CasaDeCubone receives a special surprise that you don't want to miss!

Trainer's Eye is a series where the stories are real and people still play this game. From PVP to Shiny Hunting, each person's Pokemon GO journey is unique and we dive into each journey here on As The Pokeball Turns!

Sources
Opening Song: "Forget You" by Alex_MakeMusic from Pixabay

Transcript

David Hernandez: 0:00

My name is David Hernandez, and you're listening to As the Pokeball Turns. Welcome to As the Pokeball Turns, where the stories are real and people still play this game. Our journey takes us next to New Hampshire, where we meet a trainer who is involved with the Pokemon Go podcast community. Pokemon Go has changed his life starting with his recovery from alcohol to catching Pokemon. My guest shares insight on what he appreciates about the different podcasts and how both Pokemon Go and the friends he has made with both the game and different podcast hosts has improved his overall quality of life. Here is his origin story into the world of Pokemon Go. This is CasadeCubone. Today, I'm joined by CasadeCubone. Casa, welcome to the show.

CasaDeCubone: 1:24

Hello, sir. honored to have you have me on or be here, I guess, or, or you to ask, I guess, honor for, for me to be here, not to be to have me on, but yes, got you, man.

David Hernandez: 1:34

Well, Casa, the honor's all mine. You know, let's take the people back to when we, I first asked you, we're talking GoFest, New York city. We're sitting down, I believe we're eating some pizza and I'm thinking about having you on as my final guest. And I'm like, I hope he says yes. thankfully you agreed to come on to the show.

CasaDeCubone: 1:49

Oh, that was a very easy. Yes, that was easier than me picking up the tab. I think if I recall right that time too, because yeah, great time, great location. Awesome to spend time with everyone. You were one of the outliers that I didn't feel like I got to see a whole bunch the days leading up to that so yeah, to make it special for myself to be totally selfish, you know, to sit by you and spend that time with you and just Be close and chat and share your stories because, you're a superb interviewer in my opinion. So to hear you just speak, you know, as one of your friends sitting down close where we can high five and handshake if we want, the honor was all mine in that particular environment. But Absolutely. Without a doubt. Anything I could do to help for sure. For sure.

David Hernandez: 2:35

Well, Casa, the reason why I wanted you on the guest is that You know, I want to go back to why I made the podcast and it was to people it didn't matter the name It didn't matter the audience. A lot of people may not know CasadeCubone, A lot of people may not know who you are.

CasaDeCubone: 2:48

And they shouldn't!.

David Hernandez: 2:49

Man, not yet

CasaDeCubone: 2:51

Yeah. Maybe, maybe, maybe

David Hernandez: 2:53

but that's what my podcast is about, it's about to highlight people. It's about to highlight, people who You wouldn't think had a huge impact, but really do, even if it's just a small one. And for those who may not know, I met you through my first guest because you were in her server. And you introduced me to a lot of the other guys that got to me. You introduced me to roundtable Chatot, you introduced me to the Pokemon Professor Network with Lured Up and everybody in the way spotters and all that. So if it wasn't for you. I don't think I would have had the connections and had met the people that I have. So from the bottom of my heart, from As the Pokeball Turns, thank you for being an influence in that way because if it wasn't for you being in that server, telling me about the guests in Seattle you were spending time who were podcasters, we probably may have not been able to met each other and get to know each other and break bed with each other like we have.

CasaDeCubone: 3:40

I be honest. A hundred percent. I've got goosebumps because that was cool like dude, that you. And you're being is so beneficial to me to be around. So, like, to hear that those connections, I guess, if you somebody took the time to pick it apart would have been there. But you have the talents. it is you going forward. It's your drive. You would've found it somehow to make it happen without a doubt. You know, getting to know you, you have that itch you have that skillset where it makes sense for you to do what you're doing. I can feel your elation for the stories to be shared with everyone else in the community to hear how happy it makes you, your voice and the tone of your voice, even like on our Monday zoom calls, like when you start talking about the geeky stuff, it's great to be able to see your face in a smile, but like, that tone with everybody there is so much different. Where it's just kind of putting your hair down, talking about the silly stuff that only us geeks really like to know you know, this is our own brand of nerd and everybody's got it. To put that info out of like, hey, you know, I have friends that podcast like it can come off clicky and cliche, I guess. even when I got back in New Hampshire, it's kind of like I said, the same type of thing in the discord here. It's like, I'm just kind of let you know, some cool people that have the same interest as us cause obviously if you're in the discord, like we'd like Pokemon and we have fun with it. We enjoy it. We love the genre from the video games and whatever and that's where it's great with your platform to hear all those stories on the different ways that people enjoy the game and how they play and perform with it day in day out throughout their week and throughout their years. It's super cool.

David Hernandez: 5:09

And I think that's what I appreciate about you most is that you're so humble because it's easy to get a big head thinking like, Hey, I know these people, right? And I know we're podcasters, you know, we're not YouTubers or not like people with millions and millions of fans, but we each have our own audiences. And no matter which podcast you go to, you go to mine, you go to Round Table Chatot,, you go to Lured Up, they all say that you're just such a positive person to be around. They all say the same thing. And that's probably maybe my first question when it comes to this interview. What is it about the podcast format that makes you want to be around all of us?

CasaDeCubone: 5:38

I think it's with the media type, it allows you to form an actual connection like my daughter's doing it right now. I'm sure she's on YouTube. Just consume and loads and loads and minutes and minutes that become hours and hours of just stuff. And of course, she likes a little girl that's in Australia that plays with these real life dolls that look like real babies, but essentially in that video, all you're doing is visualizing and viewing. And sure it's make believe and that's in essence what kind of some of the podcasts are too. But with the Pokemon Go ones, it's, hey, what shiny did you catch this week and what excites you and what excites me can be so vastly different. Where I can get excited that I've got my 36th Squirtle without a community day. And like you can get the shiny Bergmite that it looks like it wet itself and you're more excited for one than the other. And for myself, and not having many physical real life friends anymore just because of location and proximity and real life happening and you know, different age levels. To be able to have these types of communities are of tremendous value for myself. So to be able to share it with anybody else that wants to give it a shot to say, Hey, these guys are really cool. And maybe I'm wrong. Maybe everyone's not your cup of tea. And I totally get that but like the round table guys, those dudes, if you can't have a good time with those guys when they're around there's something wrong with your day. if those two guys aren't saying something that's so bizarre off the wall, and the first 15 little inside puns might miss, They're going to turn you around. And if not, like myself, maybe you need medications to help you to put you in that mind space where, it can help you get there. And that's part of behind my curtains too, is through the beginning of Pokemon Go, it's where I am now, like I went from being an alcoholic, and moving across the country and becoming a husband and a father and, all of those types of things, you know, becoming sober myself, totally acknowledging my mental health struggles. The mainstay through it all is this silly game that people do still play. As silly as it is, until they take the server offline, I'll play every day because now in my recovery, this is what I can go to when I feel like I want to have a drink or I'm having a really crappy day or you just are in your car and you want to pound the steering wheel. Instead, I'm going to fire up the app. And it puts me in a better head space

David Hernandez: 7:51

from your experience, you talked about, you know, your history with mental health. You talked about, you know, history with alcohol.

CasaDeCubone: 7:56

Yeah!

David Hernandez: 7:56

How has Pokemon Go and the podcasting community changed you from when you first started to now?

CasaDeCubone: 8:01

I think it's filled that void. I was doing both at the same time for a while there but definitely it's When I was drinking to a bad rate, I could do both at the same time. I was that high functioning, naughty, naughty guy. And it's genetic for me. My dad's an alcoholic. Nobody ever really said much to do with it back at, you know, being an 80s baby, that's just kind of something we saw and it was whatever. So you know, I was always that athlete through high school, grown up. So I never touched it in high school. So like once I started at 22, all those genetic tracers I'm sure took great hold and it went from fun, fun to not knowing the limit to I don't want to miss out. So just keep going crazy. You know, turn due to addiction real fast. It wasn't anything I necessarily had a super negative effect on like when it comes to say, law and legality and stuff like that, but I know it totally 100 percent effective relationships. And I think that's now we're now finding my nerd group and being sober to finally acknowledge, like, hey, these are great people when I was a drunk, that would have totally gotten missed. Like, I know I have friends that I enjoyed spending time with, but I'm also on 1 side. They put up with some nonsense from this knucklehead 100 percent every Wednesday or Thursday or Friday, Saturday, Sunday for years, And, I'm grateful for it, but my fun couple of years turned into like a decade. And that's not good and of course looking back on it. it's all those kind of remorse and regret to the point like if I would have had this game when I was in college, I probably would have been much more focused and productive because I would have had something to go to instead of going. To the bar at a two o'clock after class and just in there and kind of drawing my woes because I hadn't taken care of any of my mental health stuff. and, you know, my parents have always been really supportive and my mom's always been really encouraging, but there's weddings where I was the life of the party. And then I went home, and I wasn't. Fun to deal with, came to the point where my wife was just like, figure it out. So I figured it out. went straight stone cold, Went and got the Antabuse, was working at a pharmacy. So I knew I was gonna have to do something to really logistically stop myself from saying. Hey, well, I can do one today and then three tomorrow. being comfortable around your friends without having to have that vice is cool for me to know I've developed to this point to know that the game is my addiction now. I'll declare it all the time it was one of the first things when I was going through my eval with my psychiatrist, I was forthcoming a hundred percent, hey, I, I don't have a problem with, it. I don't feel like it's causing in chaos or struggles. I'm dependent a hundred percent and I think a lot of us can say like healthfully we are as well. But it doesn't have to be the super hard of like, I don't have to go out by myself, away from my family, my daughter, my wife, and play. Do I feel a little bit like I'm missing out a tiny bit? Sure but In missing the experience to hang out with my friends at GoFest is my big build up. to go and see somebody just for the sake of seeing them and then having the excuse of we came to play. It's because of the community to get people that are all doing the same thing for you to talk about nonsense or you know, how you fast catch or some little trick that somebody doesn't know and that's their big like eureka and aha moment of this is how I can play this game better. That's the cool part

David Hernandez: 11:17

what was it about Pokémon Go that wants you to play it? Was it just the community aspect, or was it something else?

CasaDeCubone: 11:23

I was a big nerd. I graduated in 98. When blue and red came out, when that first American craze came with like the game boys, I had it in the bleachers, like between my matches, like under my parents feet, like I was that little kid playing the game legit when I should be probably paying attention or supporting teammates or whatever. But as a freshman, like I took it to every meet, played it on the bus home, played it on the bus, To and from school, like on lunch, all that stuff. And at that point I was the tiny little kid, freshman year in high school and I wrestled a hundred at the time. Like I was good. Like I set the freshman record, all that stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like old school stuff. But still one of the things I remember the most is beating the Elite Four, and I can tell you exactly what town I was in, In between my Constellation semi finals and the finals, and I beat the Elite Four for the first time. Like running through with whatever crazy squad, you know. And it was like, I didn't want to put that down before I had to go do this, get third place, get a silly medal, and then, you know, go on. but yeah, it was just always that, the collection aspect, I think, is what got me and has kept me with Pokémon. I collected Pokemon cards when that 1st run came out, So with Pokemon it was always, okay, what's their typing. That 151 I'm sure, you could do it, you could probably write it out hand by hand, order you wanted to, I'm

David Hernandez: 12:34

don't know. I

CasaDeCubone: 12:35

I bet you could get, I don't know if I could do it in order, but you could get there. But it was having that kind of informative aspect to it as well. It wasn't that you were just collecting, but like there was a purpose to it. So then when Go came out, it was like, where do we go from here? And, you know, what is this? I had stepped away and was totally detached from all of it for a long time. And I had a buddy that I met when I moved out east. he had played the VCG or VGC competitively. we just randomly happened to be co workers and like, Oh yeah, I know Pokemon. I like it. I know this. And then with his knowledge, it was like, uh, I don't know what this guy does. Like this guy's sweet. And I remember getting a text from him, Hey, it's on the app store. I remember texting him back, like, what are you talking about? It's like Pokemon Go, it's on the App Store. And like, I was so far removed, I didn't even know it was like a thing. So I remember watching the trailer to like the app, with like, you know, the in city stuff, and I think it was Mewtwo and Charizard in there, and getting excited about it. I downloaded it, caught my first squirtle, took a picture of it in the squirtles, like on my wife's belly while she's got my daughter in her hands and it was like, all right, this is cool. And from that jump, I was hooked. In the, the beginning, my wife was playing with me after I kind of coached her into a little bit. I would go for walks and do all that stuff. And like, we were out for dinner, like, I'd play, of course. One of my favorite stories is that my wife caught a dragonite while she was at home on maternity leave still, and was like, Hey, I caught this orange thing. I hadn't seen it before. Do you have it? And it was like one of the last ones I didn't have from that Gen 1 Dex. I don't have it. She's like, oh, I don't know what it is. You'll have to see when you come home. And I'm like, there's no way caught that sitting on the couch. She just happened to be in between diaper changes or breastfeeding or something. She said she turned her phone on and it was there. Still, it's one of those ones where it's like, for me, that's what it's all about. Is that hey, what did you do today? Oh, well, I caught this and here's a story connected to it. Like, that's what I want to hear because, you know, I'm sure if I look up your stats, you've got 300, 000 catches or something bonkers.

David Hernandez: 14:40

Something like that, yeah.

CasaDeCubone: 14:41

You could probably tell me good 20 catches, but when you think that's 20 out of 300, 000, because we're nutty hardos, or we're at some point, or, you know, however, whatever label you want to put that very dedicated, I guess, is probably a good way to put it. Those 20 stories, though, for somebody else that has numbers like yours are what it's all about. It is about that experience thing. that's the part that's always cool for me like to have somebody that you randomly run into talk to you about how they were on a work trip to France. You know, and they caught extra, Klefki and brought them back and everybody excited. That what's warms my heart.

David Hernandez: 15:15

now Kasa, obviously your known as CasaDeCubone. I'm guessing your pokemon's Cubone. Going on a limb here.

CasaDeCubone: 15:21

it is. Yeah. Yeah. I used to just be my 1st initial middle initial and then my last name. And then it's MD, so then I think Ken, the 1st time we were on discord. He asked if like I was a doctor or something. I'm like no, I'm not a doctor. That'd be great I wish I the wall. wish I had it. Yeah, I wish I had that moniker at least that certification or wallet of a medical professional,

David Hernandez: 15:45

You can be like Dr. Pepper but you're Dr. Q Bone. I mean, kind of

CasaDeCubone: 15:47

true true I don't think I've ever said this So this is exclusive. I've said it to other people, like I think Adam and stuff though, but in the discord, I was trying to be witty and find a way to put some phallic play onto something. So when I changed my gamer name to CasadeCubone, it had an R at the end of At

David Hernandez: 16:07

Oh!

CasaDeCubone: 16:08

thought, and I was just going to be like, Okay, because they used to read the Patreon members. And the way it came up is there were two Mikes. So, Ken and Adam had gone to like, MD Raver instead of Mike whatever. So it's like, I'm going to make him say Boner every week. Just to be that guy that does that, you know, and it fit in that wheelhouse with Ken to say giggity and whatever. And that was going to be my weekly shine and ha ha But then I thought about it, I was like, I'm then gonna have to maybe introduce myself to somebody in real life through a game. I wisely talk myself out of that one pretty quick, but yeah, Cubone always been a favorite for sure. And I think that's the first one that I kind of thought, how can I make this? immature and funny all at the same time, at least for certain populations or communities. so, every time anybody says it, I'm just kind of in my head going, I'm glad I didn't add that R. Because that would be like, that can get a little, uh, sensitive from time to time. So

David Hernandez: 17:06

is Costa the Cube owner.

CasaDeCubone: 17:08

Yeah, it was the easy one to put that in there, to say funny. Ha ha. I just thought it'd be funny to be in a gym and you see the name up there and call it the tagging kinda laugh and walk on, you know, everybody at the beginning there were so many of those innuendo names out there. And then I think Niantic kind of cleaned it up a little bit and rightfully so, just for the, 12-year-old boys can't sit back and laugh and snicker. Since becoming into this, tertiary part of the podcast community and friends with everyone, I'm glad I didn't because the RTC guys. I wouldn't have to have them say that or have to make up something different to say either. So, I'm,

David Hernandez: 17:44

would make You would make them have to have the explicit tag.

CasaDeCubone: 17:47

right? Which, yeah, no, no, I'm not worth it. For sure, guys. do you. I'll just stay in the shadows over here like I prefer anyway, but that was the initial thought but yeah Cubone's been the fun. The whole weird, eerie, dark backstory about the mom's skull and all, you know, all that fun stuff before I got into the much darker ones like Drifloom and all those ones like Like it didn't get that weird in the first gen. I think Ghastly Gengar have some Subtle undertones, but it's not like they eat children or anything. so it was one of the ones that always intrigued me. one of my first jobs was at the Toys R Us and I was the gym leader that did the Pokemon Card game. And for some reason, those Cubone cards were always the ones they would send out as like giveaways. and I always thought that art was kind of cool. I was just kind of sitting in lonely with the bone on the hill. And I was like, okay, cool. I'm like, this one's kind of cool.

David Hernandez: 18:40

You've been listening to as the Pokeball turns. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. Well Casa, you've been a wonderful guest. You're the 52nd guest completing the entire 52 weeks, 52 guests.

CasaDeCubone: 19:48

Yeah.

David Hernandez: 19:49

Normally, this is when I ask one final question. Instead, I decided to switch it up for this one last episode. I reached out to some of the people you've mentioned And they each have left a message for you to listen to.

CasaDeCubone: 19:59

Oh man. I just got goosebumps from that.

David Hernandez: 20:03

So this first message is from Lane from Good Morning Johto.

CasaDeCubone: 20:45

Oh man.

David Hernandez: 20:46

So this next one is from Special Conditions, Justin.

CasaDeCubone: 20:49

Oh Yay.

David Hernandez: 22:12

This next one is from the Wayspotters podcast How you feeling?

CasaDeCubone: 22:49

Good. Good. Glob was one of those ones, you know, him coming on with Jamal. Again, one of those guys, like, you know them, you know the voice, you know the face from, you know, the Monday Night Zoom cosplay. He's like, I'm right here. I can high five you and if you're okay with a hug, let's hug. Like, so cool. And that's the thing, like, it's just getting the band together. You get lost in everybody. So it's like, Oh, wait, that's right, we talked about X, Y, Z. And yeah, here's where we did it. That's where my brain goes.

David Hernandez: 23:15

The next one is from your mom's favorite podcast. RTC, Roundtable Chatot. Okay, Round Chatot. We're going to have to talk about that round Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Anyway, this next one is up from Lured Up.

CasaDeCubone: 26:42

So awesome. Oddly enough, while that was going on, Adam just texted me. I

David Hernandez: 26:48

Wow, pure coincidence.

CasaDeCubone: 26:50

hope you're doing well. sir. Miss you. And always thinking about you. Like, there is proof in the pudding that indeed this can go from. Just a voice that you're in an audience and a spectator on to real life like it's nuts this is a crazy dude. This is so thank you so much. It's so cool. So so cool.

David Hernandez: 27:09

Well, Kosta, we have one more left.

CasaDeCubone: 27:11

Oh, man

David Hernandez: 27:12

Can you guess who it is?

CasaDeCubone: 27:14

I don't know maybe hitch

David Hernandez: 27:15

A

CasaDeCubone: 28:51

not, dude. my heart is full for sure with all of them. I can echo echo exactly the same sentiment. It is, it is weird to say, you know, here they are voices that we all listen to. for them to have an effect on my life, the way that I have in yourself included. Like I can't. Wait to have the next opportunity to give you a big burly man to man, definitely sweaty hug for sure. the friendships are priceless. This kudo and shout out to myself was definitely unexpected in itself is something I'm not long to forget transpired for sure, even though there'll be audio documentation of it. Just so awesome, dude. You're fantastic. That is, that's nuts. I'm stumbling over words because all of those guys are big parts of my life every single day. And there's not a single minute that I don't think, As I pick up the game for the 47th time, about every single one of them, it's crazy to think about, dude, thank you so much. That was, that's awesome. Probably if I had the ability to cry, I would be crying. You got me very close, but to put it up there, my wife gives me a hard time too. I didn't cry at the birth of my daughter, but that was a lot, dude. That's super cool though.

David Hernandez: 30:05

You know, Casa, that's why I wanted to bring you on the show because, you know, as I think Ken said, it's kind of cool how we can connect with our audience a little bit on a more personal level. that's why I wanted to highlight you because you're always so positive, You're always so supportive of what we do and I wanted to highlight that, like I said, I don't look for, again, I don't look for guests who have a big audience. I don't look for guests who are popular. I look for guests who have a good story, who have made a big impact in the community. And you've done that. You've done that within the podcast community. All these guys, they jumped right on board when I told them like, Hey, I'm going to have Casa on my show. I want to highlight them. I want appreciation kind of message. Could you do that? they all followed through. And my encouragement for you is continue doing what you're doing. Continue supporting us because we recognize that we see that and we appreciate that from the deep bottom of our hearts. Thank you for being who you are.

CasaDeCubone: 30:54

Oh, same, same. And I think it's the product is what you guys do, like without you being creative and you putting out what you do, there are opportunities for me. People like me to be the example of, you know, how to be supportive, how to be a good person, how to be a good friend, how to, help a storyteller tell their stories, or at least give them an audience in order to. So, it's the other way around. you guys are the kick ass guys and girls. that make it possible for, somebody like me to have a role to fill. I guess, you know, if there's a bucket, I'll fill it. That's fine. But, you guys are doing the hard work. It makes it really easy to be to be friends with great people. That's for sure.

David Hernandez: 31:31

for those listening. Thank you for enjoying this episode. My name is David Hernandez, and this is as the Pokeball turns. Now here's a sneak peek for the next episode of As the Pokeball Turns.