I Was Robbed at Cane-point by an Elderly Gentleman on His Way to Albuquerque

Welcome!

So I was looking at my old LiveJournal, and it was looking pretty horrific. Seriously, the thing was varying shades of bad and wasn’t attractive by any stretch of the imagination outside the handsome Steelers logo. So I’m here, and I feel a little better in that I have my own website by some stretch of the imagination and it looks way cooler than the other side of the pillow as of now.

However, this place is much more sophisticated and I feel as if I have to have a BA in Computer Science just to indulge in its majesty. Who knows, by varying shades of bad may be my home, but I’m going to enjoy my run here while I can.

It has been a really embarrassing long time since I have updated and to attempt to bring everyone back up to speed with my life would be first, very uninteresting in the long run, second, very taxing on my mind, and third, a bad idea. So I’m going to stick with the new, rant about a few things that have been on my mind lately, and see where this goes.

I’m starting to think that by having a “blog” I am therefore condemned to write about what irks me in the political, economic, or worldly realm. The difference between a blog and a journal probably should be different, but I’m not going to let that scare me. Perhaps I’ll keep things a little more professional, but I prefer to be my usual, ridiculous self than to give in to hoity-toity establishments.

I opened Explorer today and the first headline included the words “Joe Pa.” Before I read the content, all I could think was, “oh geez he died!” As the page loaded, I remembered that Joe Pa is (duh) immortal and went on without skipping a heartbeat. The story, found here said that Joanne Tosti-Vasey of the National Organization for Women in Pennsylvania (NOW) was appalled by statements made by our beloved Joe Paterno last week at a press conference when Paterno commented on the nature of the suspension of Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson. Paterno said:

“There's so many people gravitating to these kids. He may not have even known what he was getting into, Nicholson. They knock on the door; somebody may knock on the door; a cute girl knocks on the door. What do you do?"

“Geez. I hope - thank God they don't knock on my door because I'd refer them to a couple of other rooms," Paterno continued. "But that's too bad. You hate to see that. I really do. You like to see a kid end up his football career. He's a heck of a football player, by the way; he's a really good football player. And it's just too bad."

Mrs. Toasty-Facey failed to put in her hearing aid (or perhaps reading glasses) and heard/read: “Those damn women are always parading around college students hoping to get sexually assaulted. They knock on door after door until they find someone they recognize from ESPN College Gameday and go in for the kill of the player’s college career. Thank goodness they have never knocked on my door because I’d call down Levi Brown and Calvin Lowry and have them show her a good time. It’s all in good fun, she gets what she deserves. All women suck and should stay away from men unless they’re married and then not be able to wear clothes…yeah, that’d be nice.”

In short, Mrs. Tosti-Vasey can take her and her burnt-vased friends and start picking on all of the other prestigious upright men in this country. While you’re at it, why not accuse the President of thinking women should all be textile workers and Bill Cowher of seating his wife in the press box instead of making some play calls on the field. Joe Pa, just ignore the pesky National Organization for Women. Last time I checked, the NOW was right below the ACLU and the KKK on the list of America's worst organizations.

On a lighter note, I’ve started to learn how to play the guitar. As soon as you read that, some sort of emotion escaped your mind, and I’m willing to place bets that it was either the thought of pity, scornful laughter, “Silly Tyler”, “He just wants girls”, or “You’re finally becoming a man.” I appreciate the encouragement, but I’ll lay out my reasoning now:

1. Boredom. (I sense you are still lacking sufficient reason, so I’ll continue.)
2. I’ve considered myself moderately decent at writing, and feel that songs might be another outlet of my creative energy. (You are saying, “Okay, but you still haven’t debunked my argument.”)
3. I’ve always been one who has loved to perform in public, and while journalism has allowed me to do so in writing, there’s nothing like live music.

I doubt I have swayed everyone, but I guess those are my reasons. If I end up sucking, I will have gone through the experience with calloused fingers, knowledge of guitar tablature, and some words trapped in the depths of my mind finally in song form. Ah, that was better. Progress has been surprising actually. The first time I picked it up, I tried tuning it by ear (who ever heard of electric tuners?) and broke the 1 string (whoops). With a fresh set of strings and some time to contemplate whether the broken string was a sign from God for me to stop, I picked up the portable music device and strummed away. My dad proudly whipped out his old songbooks, and pointed me to Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” as the first of my songs to learn, which I tried, and then went online and found the Athlete song, “Wires,” which I preferred much more. So I have spent the past two days with hurt fingers but a determined spirit and have done pretty well (I think). Some will say that I’m too late, but I figure if I want to learn, this is pretty much my last chance.

I want to dispel some rumors. I have been walking down Allen Street quite a bunch (not really) and heard some people chattering about some handsome man returning to the Nittany Mall to work a petite pretzel store, the Pretzel Gourmet. Yes, those rumors are true. The other ones claiming that I was robbed at cane-point by an elderly gentleman on his way to Albuquerque are only moderately true…the cane had a gun inside, but he was so nice! Anyway, I have returned to the PG under a measly salary and am now the only person working at the store whose permanent residence is in State College (insert exclamation or scornful comment). While I am the most experienced, I am the most underpaid; while I am the most recognizable to the mall patrons, the crew is completely new and couldn’t pick me out of a police lineup. So I guess you could say things have been interesting, but I’ve met some new people and it has definitely been a different experience. Holidays have sucked, and when people at the mall wouldn’t stop coming, my mood was usually unusually snappy. But I endured (with God’s help) and things are peachy now.

I have to add a specific moment to my archive of PG Ridiculous Moments. This is probably the moment that confused me the most. Okay, I lie, when one customer complained that his Icee was too airy, that was a bit confusing if not stupid, but this moment is up there. Before requesting a 21 ounce cup of our world-famous Strawberry Sensation Smoothie (oh, they’re sensational all right), one young woman inquired, “Is the yogurt you use active yogurt?” Yeah, we have our yogurt base in the back running on the treadmill to keep it’s calories down. Let me go make sure it’s in its target heart rate zone. Completely blown out of the water, I drag the yogurt box to the counter and prop it up so she can read the label. “Okay,” she sighed, “It’s not active, I can’t have it. Bye.” C’mon yogurt! Bring up that heart rate! You’re slacking today! I’m adding three more miles to your run today. I now know that when customers ask about our yogurt, I will politely tell them, “Yes, our yogurt base is 5% low-fat and inactive. If you’re looking for active yogurt, either supply us with a yogurt trainer or hit the road, buddy.” I’m working there until I leave for the Grove once again on the 20th, so if you’re cool, come see me!

As I said before I stopped leaving regular posts, I have been reading quite a bit now that I have had more time off. If you’re interested in some good reads, I will suggest Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. It’s a good mystery novel that is deeply entertaining. I am also in the middle of The Man Who Was Thursday by Gilbert Keith Chesterton (probably my favorite author) and also recommend that book for those looking for something to do.

Wow, I went one paragraph without a joke, nice! So I don’t think I would be doing my audience any service if I didn’t comment some on Grove City. After all, GCC is where my heart is…so yes. Laura, my awesome friend from school, left last week for Mexico on a two week missions trip. She is majoring in Spanish and International Business, so this trip is right up her alley and I pray that she’s having an awesome time serving the people there but moreover serving God and fulfilling his plan for her. The guys of Third Floor Memorial Crawford are still the best group of guys with which I’ve ever been. They’ve taught me a lot about things, especially what it’s like to live for God, I can’t imagine a college experience without that awesome supportive environment. So guys, if you’re out there, you rock, and I can’t wait to come back to school. People always ask me, “So how’s school going?” I tell them, “Amazing, best time of my life! I can’t wait to go back,” and sometimes I get, “Why?!” as if school were something not to be enjoyed. School has never really been that way, and now that I feel that the things I’m learning matter all the more, the experience is magical. Combine the education with the extra-curricular experience, and I can’t see being anywhere else. God placed me in Grove City, I’m trying now to discover what he wants me to do.

Majors are a tricky thing. We all choose majors, but I don’t think we see their magnitude. I guess I’m being general and specific at the same time. I suppose majors like Business or Economics aren’t very specific and can open up lots of opportunities; but when you talk about Electrical Engineering or Math Education, that’s what you’ll do once you leave. So I guess you can say that I’m having my doubts. For those of you who don’t know, I have changed my major from History Education to Math Education. I am still doubtful, but I remain in prayer and I am confident that if I continue to seek God that he will reveal his plan for my life.

I’ve been doing a lot of Bible verse memorization lately. When I set out to do it at first, I had my usual, mortal doubts, but (and I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised) it has been amazing how much I have been blessed through it. In my third month now, I have written a Bible verse on an index card and carried it around in my pocket, whipping it out whenever a dull moment arises (trust me, there are more than you think). Now, I do not profess to know every single one of the verses I have memorized, but I am familiar, and I do know a decent number of them through and through. Stale time at the PG has been wonderful because it has allowed me to go back and memorize a big stack of verses I tug along with me to work, and it’s awesome to feel God tugging at my heart whenever a verse comes up. The PG has been a blessing in disguise because I mostly work alone during not very busy times and it has allowed me to do a lot of thinking.

My spiritual walk has had its highs and lows lately. As I said, the verse memorization and the introduction of continual devotionals and prayer have been tremendous highs, but I can feel the world always trying to pull me away from spending time with God, perhaps this here is one of those things. There are days where I can really feel God with me, and days I feel him faintly, and I think I sense that because he’s trying to make me realize that he truly is the most important thing in my life. I say that a lot, and if people ask me that in person that’s what I will tell them. But when it comes down to knowing in your heart if God is the one thing in your life that you love the most, it means showing it! And for me, showing has turned into a lot of talk, and a walk that isn’t where it could be. Romans 12:1 is perhaps my favorite verse: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”[my italics] I’ve been frustrated lately concerning my call and where God wants me to go, but I think God is just telling me, “Alright alright, Tyler, calm down. Be patient. I’m in control. You need to live completely for me and stop concerning yourself with things that are of this world, things that are fleeting. Rather, renew your mind; then, and only then, will you be able to discern my will for you.” That’s exciting! So many verses are popping into my head as I write and I could write on each of them for hours, but I want to finish my thoughts here. To know that there is a God who loved me so much by granting me eternal life in Heaven, and that he has a plan, a purpose(!) for me, is astounding. The Bible says, “It’s in Christ that we find who we are and what we are living for. Long before we heard of Christ…, he had his eye on us, and designs on us for glorious living part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” (Eph. 1:11-12) Nothing, anywhere, can offer me more intrinsic value and worth that those verses. There are countless more that affirm those statements, but if I ever need a shock, a spark of something that just fills all that I am with life and a sense of worth, it’s right there, and that something is God. If only everyone lived with that sense of worth. If only everyone knew that God has a purpose for their life, and that that God-given purpose is “good, pleasing, and perfect,” how different would the world be? I started this paragraph saying I’ve been having my highs and lows; this is a high. God “is a rewarder of those who diligently seek his will.” (Heb. 11:6). I’ve been distracted the last couple of days because I’ve conformed to the ways of this world; I think the momentum has just taken a turn for God.

Thank you faithful readers for sticking with me through the website change. Because I am rarely on AIM at home (because of some weird problem I cannot resolve), stick this site on your favorites and jump back here every so often. I should be updating more, especially since Penn State students are back in session and I’ll be bored. My guitar-stricken fingers have had just about enough for now. To think I’ve written the equivalent of a nine-page college paper is kind of sickening. I need some Nyquil.