PokeCans

#571 Zoroark

This one’s for Vega. I hope your friend has a happy birthday.

It felt good to be back in my wheelhouse.

I wish I could write a more in-depth post, but I have astronomy homework due by midnight.

Oh! Hey! I need to come up with a topic that society generally doesn’t consider controversial, but it should. For example, we should attack shows like Spongebob because they instill the idea that work is necessary and that our life goals should be centered around a steady job and side hobbies. Something like that. If you come up with something brilliant, let me know. It’s much appreciated.

I got the internship as you all know. I need to email the lady at <other college here> but there’s something keeping me from doing it. Emotional inertia. There’s something keeping me from putting the last nail in the coffin. I don’t know. It’s stressful and stuff.

I went to Ames for Veishea. If you don’t know what those are, do some googling. It’s supposed to be an insane party. And I guess it was, but we saw the lesser side of Veishea. We saw a guy described to us as ‘The Regurgitator’. He did some weird eating stunts and stuff like that, but based on the description, I was expecting a guy on stage eating cake to the point of tears, and then vomiting on himself. I’m an easily entertained man.

Well, thanks for reading this post after my “last” post. You guys are still awesome.

-Dakota

Good night, sweet prince.

My friends. I leave you with an empty chair at an empty table. Okay, it’s not as dramatic as the French Revolution, but it’s something.

It is my privilege and my burden to inform you that this is the last post of pokecans.com. And as I type that, I’m sure there will be more. But there will cease to be a college student cutting pop cans in Iowa. In his place he leaves a college student participating in an internship an Walt Disney World from May 2013 to January 2014.

You’ve been so wonderful. You really have. I had no confidence in myself artistically and you all graciously boosted my ego.

I feel happy to be going on to better things.

I feel saddened that this goodish thing is more or less coming to an end.

I will continue to cut cans and post them here, but with no regularity at all. So feel free to unfollow. I understand.

There are so many people I’d like to thank, but your tumblr handles seem so distant. So I’ll thank the one follower who got to know me in some real form of life. Thank you, Kimberly. (I hold no resentment to any of the rest of you, I just felt she deserved a little gold star.)

If you want something made out of a pop can, my email is dakotadaltonphillips@gmail.com

Thank you for following. It has been fun, a blessing, an experience, and a small adventure.

May adulthood never steal away your dreams or ambitions.

Tearfully yours,

Dakota

#114 Tangela (Made from a Pepsi can)

Here’s all of my posts. Yep. All of them.

People (yeah, plural) have asked if I dare do a Tangela. Well, somebody ordered one and here it is. I think it looks pretty awesome.

It happened. I’m sad to admit it but I’ve become a Dr. Who fan. I’m told I’m watching the ninth doctor and I’m really enjoying it. Once you choke down the special effects, it’s a decent watch. That however, is not my recommendation.

I recommend the movie ‘Sleepwalk With Me’ by Mike Birbiglia. Netflix link, Spotify link for the man. Bam. It made it’s way onto my top five movie list alongside Donnie Darko, Reservoir Dogs, Stranger than Fiction, and The Muppets 2011. Yeah, Fight Club got beat out. I love Pulp Fiction, but I keep meeting people who pretend to like it because it’s gone memetic. That bothers me, so it’s my number 7.

The other movies that make my favorites are the works of David Fincher, Quentin Tarantino, anything with Jason Segel in it.

Okay, so this holiday is shaping up nicely. I finally caught up with some of my friends last night. It was good to see them. I have at least 4 can sculptures to make. I sent out my first set of packages to be delivered a couple of days ago, but I don’t know if they’ll land before Christmas. I hope they do, but I can’t be sure.

I’ve had this album on my iTunes for awhile and I’m just now really enjoying it. Abandon Kansas, Ad Astra Per Aspera. They’re a bit Fray-esque.

I’ve been writing songs and I wrote one yesterday that I think is really good. I also came up with something of a riff. I’m new to the guitar, I’m more familiar with the piano. I’ll be composing from my keyboard come tomorrow. Here’s the riff.

#214 Heracross (AMERICROSS!) [Made from a Wild Cherry Pepsi Can]

Which to acknowledge first? We SURVIVED THE APOCALYPSE! It didn’t seem all that bad in Iowa. Iowa. That’s where America is.

It’s a long story. At the beginning of the semester, I was offering PKCNs to my college friends. My lifelong friend, Zach, wanted a Heracross that was colored Red, White, and Blue. I came up with the portmanteau ‘Americross’, and lo and behold a can was born.

I’ll be giving this to Zach for Christmas. I think he’ll be happy. So much so that he laugh silently. That’s another long(ish) story. Zach laughs really quietly. It’s not external at all. I used to refer to it as an asthma attack, but Zach claims that this method of laughter is polite to moviegoers. Anyway, one day in chorus, he was standing behind me. I heard him laughing. I couldn’t figure out why but I started laughing too. I turned around to see why he was laughing…poker face. Which made me laugh even harder. So one day in chorus I just cracked up like a mad man.

I should make a Michael Ceracross.

Anyway, I wrote this sketch a few years ago. Yeah, it’s five seconds long and the real funny guy is Luke, but here’s ‘How Much Coffee?’

I finished up Christmas shopping last night and I have yet to see ANY of my friends in a week so I think I might do that. Although I do have something I need to pick up. I wish there were more hours in the day.

I hope you like Americross, I worked hard on it. I hope you have a joyous break, regardless of its length. Here’s your goal for the day: See if you can make someone laugh so hard it embarrasses them. I pulled it off last night with one word. Setup and context, my friends. Setup and context. Of course, Luke does it in that video with 0 words. Maybe it’s only funny if you know him. I don’t know.

Thanks for following, sending in your questions, reblogging, telling other people about the blog, shoveling the driveway, and recycling. Recycling is very important.

#206 Dunsparce (Made from a Squirt Can)

And I still have no fluppin’ idea what this thing is. What is the distinction between ‘snake’ and ‘land snake’? Are those wings? WHAT ARE YOU, DUNSPARCE?

I’ve been getting into Flight of the Conchords lately. They are brilliant on so many levels. I’m all about subtlety in humor, and I dig their guitar playing. They’re quite good.

Check out my mate, Nick, or rather his SoundCloud page. He’s another guy who does remixes, except THEY’RE SO FRESH. He’s the best kind of person and he’s also a person who does remixes…but I covered that.

I wish I had more news to share with you, but I have yet to reunite with my childhood friends. It’s coming up soon, so I’ll make up a hypothetical story.

So, this one time, we could have gone to Peter’s house and we made potential cookies. It would have been a really great time when everybody was going to be there laughing and singing. We came close to getting really silly and putting frosting in each other’s hair. After that, we had the opportunity to go outside and start a fantasy fire and eat imaginary s’mores. Oh, what a grand time we might have had.

Our time together is growing thin. It always is. I wish upon you wholesome contentedness, quiet sleep, and friendly conduct. May your Christmas, Hanukkah  Kwanzaa, Candlenights, Festivus, Newtonmas, Movie Day (I’ll be seeing Django and Les Mis), or whatever me merry and bright. Unless you prefer the darkness. Then I hope it is dark.

As always, shameless plug. You can buy these things. $19 shipped until the 26th. Or vice versa if you prefer for some reason. Hit me up here if you’re interested.

Thank you for following, reblogging, liking, commenting, messaging, ordering, correcting, tolerating, loving, swimming, and waiting. I love you all a great deal.

I am not opposed to questions. I like sharing. And chering.

#610 Axew (Made from a Mountain Dew Can)

I’ve always wanted my own URL Bar.

Okay, so that joke only works if you click on the actual post as opposed to your tab. It’s not really worth it, it’s just fun for when I end up going through these posts in the future.

Okay okay, now I’ve got music playing in the background. I can post. I found that Netflix makes these posts take an hour to write. It’s great and all, but you know…stuff.

I know I have more to report back to you than that. I’ve got a handful of orders I’m making in addition to preparing for Anime Iowa (don’t quote me on that, I don’t know which con it is.)

 As I may have mentioned in an earlier post, my former high school is merging with my former rival high school. This is dubbing us the ‘Tiger Hawks’ where I once stood labelled as a ‘Tiger’. I’ve spent the day creating the school’s new mascot. I’d share it with you, but I’m afraid of putting it online before it’s confirmed or whatever.

I’ve recently taken it upon myself to start playing the guitar. I love it. I really truly do. I’m not breaking any ground here, but I absolutely love music. And I love ‘fun.’. I don’t mean to hipster out, but I was listening to fun. since 2009. So… yeah. I may as well drop some song links.

Salt in the Sea

Mama Told Me Not to Come

Land Down Under

Those are the songs that have caused me to write some of my songs this week. I’m also learning Chinese.

Okay. For the third time. Get some sleep, drink some cocoa, be with friends, and smile when you don’t feel like it. 

Thanks for following and tolerating my pin again. You guys are great. You gals are great. You dogs on laptops are great. 

Also, thanks to all the people who have made orders to give this blog some content.

(Edit after the post: I realize this is a first world problem, but my TV just fell and is now broken. So if you’ve been on the fence about ordering a PKCN…there’s an added reason? Whatever. They’re $19 until the 26th and I appreciate your patronage.)

#354 Bannette

Happy Something or Other!

Here’s a Bannette I made for my dear dear @kimbaaa . She’s a sweet gal with a swell blog.

If you’re home, welcome home. Please take this brief holiday to spend time with those you hold dearest. We’ve not got long for this world. Tell someone you love them. Please.

I read about a great game I’m most excited to try out. It’s called ‘Go!’. I’m sort of a shy guy when it comes to attracting members of the preferred sex. The game is played thusly: You’re at a social gathering with a group of friends (or alone for the particularly bold), and you find the one who catches your eye to the greatest degree. Once your target is selected by one of your peers (or yourself), you have to WITHOUT HESITATION approach them and start talking to them. If you hesitate, you have to do 2 push-ups on the spot. It sounds like it will either improve my shyness or my push-up count. Win win.

In honor of our inevitable demise at the mouth of Quetzalcoatl, I’m having a sale or something. From now until December 26 (what’s life without whimsy?) PKCNs are $15 plus $4 shipping. If you need them shipped by Christmas to give to your significant other or your insignificant brother, I need to know ahead of time.

So I was writing songs last night for fun (not to be confused with ‘fun.’) and I came up with a story which turned into a scientific theory, and then turned into a potential religion. It’s pretty baller, I must admit. I can’t decide in which medium to transmit it, but I’m feeling either novel or episodic blog. Or skywriting.

Anyway, may your days be merry and bright. I sincerely wish upon you the happiest of days. A word of advice: It sounds simplistic, but if you catch yourself in a down mood, take a walk. I’ve never felt worse after a 20 min walk. Except that time I got lost and hit my head on a toilet. That reminds me of the time I invented time travel.

My friends and I were to see the Hobbit again tonight, but the facebook group on which we communicate hasn’t been touched in hours. Meh. I’ll watch some Sherlock. (Yeah, I added that. I wasn’t simply tagging the Hobbit, but I did forget that story in my narrative.)

Take care. $15 PKCNS. New episode of MLP. Also a picture of a dag balancing a ball. Thanks for following and reblogging, and for your kind kind words.

P.S. I pinned this post. Sorry if it messes with your flow. I always wanted to try it. I feel like such a big shot. Also I lit a cigar with a burning stack of Blockbuster stock. Not for me, my dog smokes cigars now. I know it will kill him, but he looks so dapper.

P.P.S. I started a personal blog. I’m trying to divorce it from this one, so if you want the URL, message me.

#382 Kyogre

Or 海 kai (ocean) and orca. And now you’re learning things. Good for you. Pat yourself on the shoulder.

I honestly hold that as one of my few life philosophies. Learn to get really excited over the small things. Like when somebody asks the date and you know it without thinking for very long, feel free to just say to yourself ‘I am the gatekeeper of time’.

Hey. Remember Kyogre? We had some laughs. If you’re like me (Like me, LIKE ME, like me, LiKe Me!1!, Like…me) it’s finals week for you. I have but one final left and I am very excited for it. I finished that sentence in autobrain mode. Sometimes when I write I just start thinking about something else and my hands finish typing in the most boring style possible. I had eggs for breakfast. No but that is a real thing.

If you have an iPhone, iPod touch, or an iPad, I encourage you to check out the app ‘Melodica’. I can’t stop playing around with that. It’s great. You hit some keys and it makes music and I like music. Speaking of music, Fun. released an iTunes Session the other day and it totally stands on its own. I paid for it. Yeah, I have the Internet and I bought music. Pat myself on the back there.

I should probably talk about PKMN or something. I’m checking out this Pokemon3D game. I haven’t started for fear that its a virus, but it looks neat.

I’ve started a pattern of training PKMN I wouldn’t normally train as of late. For 9instance, my White 2 version has an Azumarill named Aziz, and Arcanine named Arethra, a Lucario named Lucius, and Altaria named Aria, a Zoroark named Zander, and a Reuniclus named Ulysses. I like naming things.

Which reminds me. My friend, Megan and I have what some would call a band. Others would call it a fantasy, but we’re sticking with band. Anyway, it turns out the name ‘Valentigers’ is taken. That sucks because our high school was the Valley Tigers and it just merged so now they’re the North Tiger Hawks. So I pitched ‘Human Holiday’. If you have any good suggestions I won’t pick them because of the whole superiority complex but I’ll lovingly rip them off. (I hope the sarcasm came across in that sentence)

Mary, if you’re out there…you have a very generic name but a very pretty face. Tallia Mei, same message but reverse it.

Thanks for reading, looking at the pictures, and reblogging. Especially reblogging. Sometimes people haven’t seen these and they’re all ‘I’m glad this person reblogged that.’ And I’m all ‘Me too.’

#116 Horsea

Possibly the cutest PKMN ever. Whatever. Vote on it or something. It can’t be Pikachu, there’s no room for objectivity.

Hey gang, I’m back. At least for another post. I apologize for the lack of content but there have been no orders. I’ve got a handful I’ve made for friends and stuff that I have yet to post so I’ll ration those out eventually.

Finals week, eh? Am I right. Look, I’m sorry. I’ve got no place to put ones I make recreationally. That is unless…

Could it be?

YES! Like a phoenix from the ashes, the Chilean miners emerging from the earth, like a baby’s head pushing through the gaping entry of a bouncy castle, PKCNs is back for an extended stay! Call this a sneak preview, but I’ll be making a TON of new and old PKCNs for both commissions and a stand I’ll be having at an anime convention.

Oh yes. It’s good to be back. I can hear your suspicious looks…though I’m not sure how. When I land back in small town Iowa this Friday, and after I see the Hobbit, I will be making ALL OF THE ORIGINAL 151!

So hide your kids, hide your dated pop culture references, and tell your friends that  this guy is okay and stuff. Man, I’ve lost the art of genuine self-promotion.

Thanks for continuing to follow, for absolutely no reason other than the fact that you’re awesome. Also, thanks for being awesome.

#194 Wooper

, aka ‘WOOPAH!’

My first draft of this post was lost in a connection reset (go figure).

Because I have a paper to write, I’ll give you the short version.

—

I’d like to thank you for your continued support of PKCNs. Unfortunately, due to the lack of orders, I’m considering stopping production. I have 2 more to make, totaling 3 to present, but it’s not much of a blog without content.

So, I’ll thank all of you for your support.

I swear, the first draft was much more eloquent. Oh well.

Thank you all

-Dakota