Karla's Kolumn

First it was Atari’s Frogger and Donkey Kong. Then it was Mario Brothers. Then Facebook launched Farmville and everyone was harvesting crops like crazy. Then came Wii and people were bowling and golfing in their home.

Now comes Pokémon Go. Haven’t heard about Pokémon Go? You are but a few. Type in Pokémon Go and you get several news stories, the official website, websites for tips and cheats and more.

Here at the office someone has a daily Pokémon story to share with at least three of our employees playing, and a couple of employees’ significant others playing. One of our reporters has been working on Saturday’s feature about Pokémon Go.

We’ve learned that some spots in town are embracing Pokémon Go, including the library which is a PokéStop. Nationally, some businesses that are PokéStops or near PokéStops are capitalizing and paying to promote those stops.

According to the website, “Travel between the real world and the virtual world of Pokémon with Pokémon GO for iPhone and Android devices. With Pokémon GO, you’ll discover Pokémon in a whole new world—your own! Pokémon GO is built on Niantic’s Real World Gaming Platform and will use real locations to encourage players to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon. Pokémon GO allows you to find and catch more than a hundred species of Pokémon as you explore your surroundings.”

Now it’s important to note you do have to be aware of your surroundings. Pokemon Go uses real world landmarks and some sensitive landmarks including Arlington Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum are asking people not to play there.

You have to realize not to trespass on private property and not to walk off cliffs (no joke).

Now, all that being said, if you see people, young and old, walking around town with their eyes glued to their phones, you won’t know for certain if their hunting Pokémons or texting friends or surfing the Web or if they are a lost tourist following their GPS or Google Maps. Be kind and watch out for them.

As for me … I don’t Pokémon Go. I downloaded the app for about 10 minutes and realized I just don’t have the time.

At least twice a day I play “run, bunny rabbit, run” with my youngest dog Ivy. We let her out and she runs to all the typical bunny rabbit hiding spots and if she roots one out the chase is on. The bunny rabbits can run east, west or south to “home base” and be safe. Home base is across the fence to neighboring properties where Ivy is not allowed.

One young bunny rabbit last week had apparently not been told where home base was as it ran under one of our trailers and nearly got caught. But like the elusive Pokémons, the bunny rabbit out foxed Ivy, snuck away and raced unseen to home base.

And now instead of Farmville, and yes I used to be addicted, living in the country and with a garden this year, I spend time watering, helping weed and watching our produce grow. Ask me and I’ll show you a picture of the tiny watermelons that have started or the cantaloupe that’s about ripe.

And after all the chores are done it’s time to relax on the couch and catch up on “Words with Friends,” “Criminal Case,” “Cookie Jam” and “Juice Jam.”

So you see why I don’t have time to chase Pokémons.