Spiritual Warfare

There comes a time in most people's live when they have to move from flippant jokes about living to a serious discussion about serious issues.

Today is not that day.

In 2003 I was introduced to Brad Longard, average Christian, decent guy and played saxophone. Brad introduced me to at least two cool things. The first was Seinfeld. The second was "Spiritual Warfare" which is not the meaningful, complicated and maybe even alarming practice of the church but rather the Nintendo Entertainment System's answer to the age old question: What do I do at 8:30 when youth group ends?

This game has it all.

Basic Premise: You are a Christian trying to make a difference in the world. Your goal destroy the devil. But how does one destroy the devil? Well for that you have two goals.

Goal #1: Collect the armor of God. By exploring the various areas in your city (which include the park, downtown, and the slums) you will meet "bosses" and defeat them. After defeating them you will find the armor piece they had. Now these armor pieces each boost your character. For example: the belt of truth allows you to push large objects (I for one think this is a logical jump from truth to superhuman strength but you can feel free to disagree). Collecting the armor and using their various atributes you can access the dark 'under-city' where apparently the devil lives (which I think is odd because I thought the ninja turtles lived under video game cities but perhaps thats a different town).

Ok so you have managed to maneuver your way into the lair of the devil and even get to see him face to face so now what?

Goal #2: Collect the fruit of the spirit and use it to convert everyone and everything and blow up the devil. That's right your main 'weapon' in the game is the fruit of the spirit which is represented by actual fruit. You throw the fruit at everybody and they get on their knees and then disappear (or rapture). This is true in most cases but watch out sometimes they have a demon in them so throw an extra fruit just in case and get the demon too. The fruit offers great variety. You can throw apples, pears, bananas, grapes and even pomegranates and they all act in different ways. Its mad fun and its saves souls. You also throw the fruit at the Devil. I recommend the grapes because it is a triple shot in an array of directions.

Other high lights:

1- Angels- they show up and ask you trivia. Which includes a very nerd boy who smiles when you get the answer right. Which, as those of you who grew up in Sunday School know, is an accurate description of what is important in church.

2- Wrath of God- in case the fruit just isn't enough you can throwdown a vial of the wrath of God and blow up rocks, walls and people (who I think convert).

3- Hymns- In poor sounding NES quality music you get "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand" over and over and over and over again.

4 and perhaps my favorite- the Bar- You gotta be careful cause if you go in the bar you lose a piece of armor and have to buy it back at the pawn shop, in the slums, with you faith. (Oh Faith is currency you use to buy more fruit, health and is the prize from converting people and winning trivia)

All in all I'd say this is the most accurate picture of my life and faith ever produced into video game form. But like most Christian video games I think this one should be left behind.

Patman the Spiritual

Oh and here is a video if you don't believe me


Even Better I found where you can play it online

Moving on...

It seems to me the natural order of things is to participate in University life at Tyndale and graduate.

After graduation you have approximately four choices:

1 Leave forever
2 Go to Seminary
3 Audit for life
4 Work at Tyndale til you die

That being said I have only personally achieved #2 but I have also created a new option: go back to the university and help run the Canon25.

That's right the magazine we all thought had a heart attack and was gone is back and ready for action.

Student publications at Tyndale has always had an awkward run. The New Apocrypha, and Canon25 have been two recent examples of what student writing can achieve but there was always this problem: how to generate content?

Strategies included:
Loud posters, consistent nagging, write something funny in hopes to get people excited, give up and publish cartoons only.

But I have found a new and exciting way to generate content. Apparently to get people to write you have to come up with the concept and then ask them to write the concept for you.

So I think it would be interesting to hear about the idea of sanctification as a means to time travel... I know that Bret Phlipt is interested in the subject. So I ask him to write up something for me on that subject.

And here is the kicker... Bret often says yes.

Content generated.

Patman the editor

Today is Classic Music Day

I have embarked on a journey of musical direction.

Reminded by my mind of the days of Halo 2 and music I have set out to comprise a playlist of epic proportions including: Talking Heads - Fear of Music, Phish - Billy Breathes, Elvis Costello- My Aim is True, and The New Pornographers.

Til my paper is done this music shall ring forth for all, mainly me, to enjoy.

A dream its true...
But I'd see it through...

Patman the Waster

Jim. Pam. Married this Thursday.

Blogged Down

Well here I am once again confessing.

Oh great priest that hears my confession I beseech thee to forgive my idle hands, my idle mind, and my idle heart.

Oh sovereign ear be wise in counsel, slow to judge and quick to assist me in my hour of need.

Raise up again the keys of my board.

And cause me to blog again.

Oh great internet receive my earnest offering and allow me to write once again my blog.

Amen

Patman the Pat is Back

Comic Book - the Medium

I am clearly a nerd.

No need to argue about it and no need to be ashamed of it.

But up until last year there was a medium of 'nerdom' that I had never given any serious thought or time to: the comic book.

I was blown away.

Now maybe it was the accumulation of all my other nerdy pass-times that thrust me, as many before me, into the genre but I'd like to think that I came upon comic books unnaturally and found them to be a compelling source of insight into art both written and drawn.

As many of you know I like television and I primarily like it for its story. Comics are no different. (allow me to clarify: I keep on saying comics but I really want to refer to graphic novels which are a collection of comics that encompass a large story)

My love affair with comics starts with Batman and technically ends there (although I have branched out to a few culturally relevant Alan Moore reads). Batman is great. I always liked Batman but then I read Batman and I like him more.

Here's the best thing about it: archetypal themes handle by a person which leads to genuine human emotion, struggle and depth. Or to say it another way amidst the absurd story lies a common theme that I can relate to. It draws out questions on morality, justice and sanity. It brings to light the complex balance of emotion and thought that one, trying to make sense of the world, wants and perhaps needs to explore.

I'm down with it.

I'm a nerd.
I'm a Batman Fan.
I'm down with it.
I'm ok.

Patman the Comic Reader

PS I would never read marvel.

I am Second

Casually surfing the net. Reading things. Watching things. I found an interesting website the other day.

www.Iamsecond.com

A collection of video testimonies of famous people or just people who love Jesus. Each one explaining why Jesus is first and they are second.

I am really down with the idea.

Patman the second

New Segment: Dating Advice from cultures biggest strike outs

I was watching "The Phantom of the Opera" yesterday or the day before and I realized that one can learn much from the Phantom in terms of how to approach a lady and win a date and perhaps that great joy of marriage. From observation one can only learn what is not recommended but knowing what not to do is half the battle.

Therefore I give to you...

If you want to impress the ladies like the phantom does...

1) Prey on the Naive.
Naive people are dumb that is why they are naive. Therefore you can convince them of all sorts of things that are both not true and highly unlikely.

2) Prey on preexisting errors within the person:
With Christine it was the whole my dad died and he promised to send me an angel. Become that angel and you win.

3) Become useful in their lives
The phantom taught singing which was a straight line to the heart.

4) Sing:
Somehow when a guy sings, and sings well he can sing whatever he wants to sing without creeping out the lady... I mean really try speaking the song "Music of the Night" to a girl and see how that goes...

5) (and this is where he falls off the deep end) Build a replica mannequin of the girl you desire, put a wedding dress on it and show it to the lady.
No comment

At this point if everything falls apart the Phantom recommends developing a plot to kill everyone and force the lady to love you forever.

I hope this give some fresh perspective to the dating scene out there. Good luck and God speed.

Patman the hopeless

Note: If you need a good mannequin designer I know a guy.

The Back of the Line Club

Once and a while I think I have a good idea. For it to be a good idea it doesn't have to be useful, worth something or even beneficial. It does however have to waste time and be entertaining to me and perhaps you.

My most recent good idea is the Back of the Line Club.

At camp we have a long line during our meals and last year we found that as senior staff we are stuck at the back for about 20 minutes on a good day. So we joked about having a back of the line club. At the time we jokingly called to order, checked old business (of which there was none), checked new business (of which there was none) and then adjourned. It was funny and didn't mean too much.

However this year Jim and I have decided to up the ante. We now have officially formed the Back of the Line club. We have meetings at every dinner meal and record those meetings in our handbook. The meetings are generally a discussion of policy and procedure within the group. Further we have expanded ourselves building new membership and establishing an alumni.

It has been one of the best ways to pass idle time I have ever encountered. Tonight we welcome (hopefully) three new members and applications are coming in daily.

Patman the President of the Back of the Line Club
"We Got Your Back"

Where did I go?

Just when you thought patmanthepat.blogspot.com was dead. It lives.

It turns out that when I finished school and was working approximately 14 hours a week my amount of time spent doing extra curricular like blogging went down hill. It lends to my theory that in order to make wasting time (play) valuable you must balance it with spending time (work). Too bad.

I would have loved to play and never work.

Patman the playfilled

A moment til seriousness

So my last post was heavy (comparatively to my normal posts) and I just got back from my Camden Missions trip and I want to write about it but I feel it will be heavy. And I don't really want to write something heavy after something heavy so this is a momentary lapse til seriousness.

so what do you call a nun who can't sit still?

A roamin' catholic.

Pmtp

Is there honor amungst the thieves?

I hate everything oppression takes from them...
I love everything oppression gives me...

Patman the UnJust.

...Til Somebody Loses an Eye

School is done and I have time to waste.

So I have reinstated some of my old video game favorites. (this likely won't last so I will indulge while I can)


1- Elder Scrolls III- Morrowind
Nothing like battling the undead to give you that "I'm out of school" feeling. I gotta tell you as a Christian it is vital that I spend some time fighting demons and this game gives ample opportunity if only I had the courage to enter those darn Daedra shrines. But in all seriousness there is nothing like an open ended RPG. I have made myself to be a person with high sneaking abilities and uses a bow. This means I steal things and then hide and then attack things from far away without them noticing. Fun.

2- The Sims II
A far cry from the Ghostgate I have also begun reinstating some family life in The Sims. I developed a Patrick character who has decided to live the life of the politician (so true to form). I have married a nice lady from down the street and we had our first daughter who I named Nancy (for unknown reasons... well really I was having a hard time thinking and I cracked under the pressure). Life is good but its getting hectic and my wife wants to have another baby... time to build a second floor to the house and poor Patrick is getting so old. Well thats 'life'

3- Minesweeper
I've referenced this game before but if there are still mines out there waiting to be swept then we need to pick up our detectors and take them out.

4- Wii Sports
Made a return briefly at Kid's Fest this week. Always a big hit with the children.

And last but never least and likely not a surprise for the longterm reader....

5- Age of Empires 2

What more can I say. Classic.

This is all in responce to the lack of attention I had been given video games during my semester in school. Likely I will go back to my regular habits of maybe one game here and there... either way: Enjoying myself.

Patman the less than busy

If I sit calmly at my desk...

If I sit calmly at my desk my work will finish itself.

Hands folded in my lap. A bit of music playing. My computer on but no text opened. A curious grin lining my face. I sit and contemplate the finer things in life. All things seem finer with a paper or two to do. I could play a game, watch a show or even work for my church but this paper is priority. And for that reason I sit calmly at my desk.

Perhaps more effort should be taken to complete my work but I always was an idealist. It's past midnight I could always attempt to sleep calmly in my room and see if my tasks will complete themselves but that's really a pipe dream compared to my sitting calmly stratagem.

I may be going out on a limb here but I am confident in my ability to work less and achieve more. Perhaps making a "crappy graph" would capture what I am trying to do. And so I will sit calmly at my desk and my "crappy graph" will finish itself.

And there it is. I have reached a new blog-o-graphic low. Good night everybody.

Patman the Accomplished

Sleepless in Toronto

I know what you are thinking: "Wow! Just when I thought Pat was done with clever titles he comes up with something so original!" But hold your horses its actually a terrible title but I appreciate your enthusiasm.

2:37am- church in the morning, work in the evening and planning in the afternoon... yet here I am awake. I tried to sleep but couldn't.

I often wonder why I have bad sleep habits. It could be a lifetime of bad habits with sleeping leads to a total abandonment of all things. It could be that I just like staying up late. But I have come to the conclusion that it is often the time that I stop doing things, worrying about things, and get to blindly think about my life. It's for that reason that most of my introspective blog posts happen after 1.

No one expects anything from you at 1 am...

Oh, except maybe to sleep.

(Interesting thought: Yelling and Yawning in photographs are very similar... can you tell the difference?)

Pmtp