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Show er i Lm. TheSait Lake Tribune ENTERTAINMENT Thursday, December 30, 1999 * was the Ultimate , PokeMOM. \ ing cards entered her household seattle Mom Named Queen of Pokémon Pack believed * “As weasheccep hark into» three years ago, &s a gift from a poet sald Pokémon trad- BY MICHAEL KO SEATTLE TIMES REDMOND, Wash. — Diane At 6 am. on the day after Thanksgiving, in what she now considers her most loyal moment, Birgquist keeps a videotape li- Bergquist stood in line with the eager crowds at a Bellingham, teevision episodes, dutifully at- Wash., toy store, waiting for the unveiling of Mew, a rare and psy- bpry of her favorite Pckémon thds Poké-league card tournanents twice a week, and creates P\kémontrading cards with cray- ojs and aluminumfoil. chic Pokémon character that had been seen only in the Pokémon movie. “Tt was something anytrue fan would have done,”she said. Indeed, except that Bergquistis a 36-year-old homemaker from Bellingham, Last week, Bergquist was honored by Nintendo, which unleashed the Pokémon phenome- non, as “America’s Ultimate PokéMOM.” Bergquist was chosen from more than 16,000 entries in a monthlong online competition where she won points in catego- ries such as “Poké-knowledge” and “Poké-dedication.” Ten semifinalists wereselected and asked to complete a one-page essay explaining why each our lives,” Bergquist wrote, “we haverealized racy benefits from it.” At Nintendo of America heaiquarters in Redmond, the entire family — Bergquist was accompa- nied by husbandEric, 38, and their children, 9-year-old Brian:and 5year-old Brittany — was greeted by cheers from the Pokémonstaff and hugs froma lifesize Pikachu, the most popular of the “pocket monsters,” Bergquist won an all-expensespaid trip to New York City and a $1,000 shopping spree at the FAO Schwarz toystcre in Manhattan. As a_bonus, she gets her own chauffeur — in the official Pokémobile, a yellow Volkswagen Beetle customized to F ble Pikachu. educational Japanese cousin at a time when the cards were popular in Japan. Brian fell alove with Pokémon. It wasn’t long before the marketing machine hit America. His wall plastered with Pokémon paraphernalia, Brian soon started to crawl out of his Pokémonsheets and comforter every morning. He put on 2 Pokémon shirt and hat, watched the morning Pokémoncartoons, playedthe Pokemon Nintendo game before heading out to school at Happy Valley Elementary. ‘There, Bergquist said, it wasn’t unusualfor Brian to stay in from recess to trade Pokémon trading cards or write his own Pokémon books. z She dismisses talk of a Pokémonobsession and swears by the said. “They use math to add and subtract hit points. And so many of the cards will contain words which they don’t know. Brian,‘es. pecially, has learned to pick up a dictionary.” Seeing such results prompted Bergquist to spend even more time with her children in their Pokémon-related activities. To. gether, they searched out new and rare cards and made Pokémbn Halloween costumes. “There is a reason to all this madness,” Bergquist said.“If you sit there and look at them,all the names, all the pictures, it all makessense.” HAPPENING TODAY Frequent Urination » Straining Hesitancy Theseare just a few of the symptoms of a non-cancerousenlarged prostate (BPH) which an now be easier andsafely treated using an advanced non-surgical process with the PROSTATRON. This outpatient procedure offerssignificant, lasting relief with no pain, no needles, and no long recovery period. 8825 Sc. 25: URG@MED ferrsesturGaceor 5-228) TECHNOLOGIES Inc aL ai POA si bataBIGHT: Lidl THE burke she even their reading ability,” = ieneeaelaa North of 30th South, East of improvements hasseenin her children since they picked up Pokémon. “Tt’s improved their sports. manship, mathematics skills and 801-364-TUMT (8868) “A HOLIDAY TREAT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. ROBIN 1SSRILUANT, A MUST SEE!” “A COMPLETE TRIUMPH! THE MOST BEAUTIFUL Dowd Sohn, CSTV MOVIE OF THE MILLENNIUMI” “Forever Plaid” Terrace Plaza Playhouse; 99 E. 4700 South, Ogden, 7:30 p.m.; $8 adults, $5 children, 393-0070. jes” Off Broadway ‘Theatre;aa S. Main St; 7:30 pam;tickets, $8 aduits, $6 students and seniors, $5 children 13 and under; 355-4628. “It’s a Wonderful Life Tveanial ty. tik Acaieiny. Thay Company; LighthouseTheatre; 4991 8. HighlandDrive; 7 p.m, $7, $5 children posa (801) 274-4‘3404. “Fas PatioDramathea Brigham Yo University, Pro i; $10, $8for students aid faculty, (801)378-4302, “The Christmas Carol Desert Star Playhouse$261 S, Stat y: 7pm, tiekets, Sito gzSh ae andunder; no babies; ations,266760 “ Last Provo Tease oon 105 E. 100 aeProvo; 8 p.m.; $9.50 to $16;(601) Hen ‘Mr. Popper's Penguins” StelBaypton Theatre: $28 Main St Park City, 790 pm. $8 Sizfor seniors tudents, $8 for children, (435) ‘The Festival of Lights in large diive-through light display- in Spanishish Fork; Fork: southbound sout from 1.15 exit 281, northbound 15 exit travel sout long Highway 214 for five miles, turn m. right at Li Drive-In Restaurant: 6 to 10 p.m; Sie carloador $25 per school/tour Sundance Celebrates the Twelve rintmaking, 2 to 4 p. fage,Provo o Canyon; dl CE tts te [AH’S FINEST FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTERAl Ma! 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Pertalesion eliga_ a Have EXTENDED Houipay Hours Catt 801/974-4FUN For Hours | Mind Gamss Twa0 aA86-1805, $4 aA10 0238715100 2104387858 DEUCE BIGAL vow eterey ee) EROwtuscan ArCovesateFeIHDTS_nwi4sren 1s ‘Mereansto oos00rs {BMD5WOTeMCPG1STEREO.__1 0400710950 7 Se ith Deckert Lake ri efore the celebration begins, make plans to rememberit when it’s over — with the keepsake millennium editions of The Salt Lake Tribune. twoissues, contained in & protective sleeve, are perfect as keepsakes or gifts, Plus, the Jan. | issue will contain a special Millennium Section, making it the historical record ofthis once-in-a-lifetime event, Home delivery customers will receive these issues automatically — but may want to take advantage ofthis opportunity to order extra copies. jail (801) 237-2020 to reserve your New Year's Eve and ‘New Year's Dayissues of The Salt Lake Tribune, + Yor only $8 per order you'll receive: © Dec, 31, 1999 edition of the The Salt Lake Tribune ® Jan, 1, 2000 edition of the The Salt Lake Tribune” “Willcomin thé special MillenniumSection, Jpop 92 shires Son Receoxt |e uliapei |
