EV Issues...and a lot more.

Well, I have been raising my Pokemon the old-fashioned, foolish way, I suppose. (A bit like Misty once was, with more variety - all-out offensive) Straight-up gym to gym, grassy field to grassy field training. I feel so out of the loop! I read a few walkthroughs to clear up some TM issues (and now I have a 3,500 coin Psychic with no Psychic Pokemon to show for it .. ) but became extremely confused! EVs!?! Stat reductions? Is all this necessary? And I still don't think I get PokeBlocks. Do my Pokemon need these? Is this why BUG trainers keep kicking my ***!? (That's right, I'm near the Weather Institute and am getting my *** handed to me by BUG trainers! I hate these douches! I can't believe I'm getting beaten by them! Well, not beaten. But it's taking more effort than it should.) So ... I suppose I am asking -

(1) What are EVs, exactly? Please don't give me the strange, abstract language intensive trainers use. I'm not that with it.

(2) Are PokeBlocks useful at all outside of contests? Which I don't plan on participating in, anyway. (I'm more of a battle girl. Or at least, I WAS. Until the Bug Trainers.)

(3) Is my strategy - all out offensive with a variety of Pokemon - good ? Or should Stats be involved somehow?

At the moment I have a Combusken, Breloom, Manectric, Swablu, Aron, Pelipper, Linoone, and a Gyrados. I think that's it; they're all about Level 26. If you need any more info, let me know! (PS I'm not asking to get my team rated, I'm just looking to see where they fit in with my strategy / a good strategy. But if you want to rate my team, feel free. I'm aware it kind of sucks. The Bug trainers...)

Oh, and I apologize if these questions have already been asked. And also for swearing. I suppose I shouldn't be getting that worked up about it. And also because I am a stupid new person and there is probably some awesome guide already written on all of this. If there is, just refer me to it. But please - most of the ones on EVs are extremely complicated and require a higher level of training knowledge and experience. I suppose you will probably say I don't need to worry about it because I don't have either. Well ... I say ... thank you for your time and patience and reading this, but I'll wait for a more forgiving person who doesn't care that I'm essentially useless at life.

1. EV's-- Effort Values. They are mainly used to beef up stats. DO NOT BOOST UP STATS JUST TO EVEN THEM OUT!!!!! They shoukd be used to increase a stat the pokemon excels at.

2. No. Contests only.

3. No. Do a more brainy approach with a complex battle strategy.

whats an effort value?
[i][/i]

http://serebii.net/pokedex-rs/ev.shtml
And let all your problems be solved.