About

Hi, I’m John Schuster.
I write theschu.net as a personal blog. since it’s inception, theschu.net has gone through so many different designs that I’ve lost count (it’s currently going through a change as I write this). It has also been the launching ground of all my endeavors. When I wanted to monetize my little piece of the web, theschu.net was plastered with advertisements. When I wanted to make my blog a place for people to gather advice theschu.net became a place of semi-useful information. When I thought that I wanted to write tutorials for iPhone games, my iPhoto gallery was soon riddled with countless screenshots of games, and I still have suspicion that my wife deleted several of them, and theschu.net received the most hits it ever had.

My internet endeavors really began through my father, who began his own web design company when it was “the thing to do”. So, I’ve always been around code. I get all the HTML and IP Address jokes that you find at ThinkGeek.com, and could explain them to you.

I began making websites in high school, when we were required to build them for our laptop classes. While my friends were hosting their websites through Geocities and coding them in Microsoft Word, I was hosting mine on a couple MBs on my dad’s server, writing it from scratch. Sure, it wasn’t much. It had a repeating background of something I found on the internet, and the font was bright green and as small as possible, but it was mine.

In 2003, I shelved my nerd stats, picked up a bass guitar, and started playing/volunteering at my church in the Jr. High ministry. While in my final year of High School, I began dating the girl that would become my wife in 2008. My nerd skills were all but forgotten.

In the summer of 2005 I began working at the YMCA in Laguna Niguel. Just like any non-profit, I was soon doing much much more than what my job description said.

In 2006 I began an internship in Worship with the Jr. High Ministry. Shortly after that, I began taking lessons to play guitar. To say the least, Geddy Lee was not pleased.

In 2008 I was hired on full time as the Pastor to 7th Grade Guys as well as the Worship Leader to Jr. High Ministry. And had no idea what I was doing.
Also, I was given the best (work related) advice I had ever received. Although the details are hazy, here’s the gist of what was said: “Don’t let your hobby be your job.” Simply put, if you’re getting a paycheck for your hobby, sooner or later you will become frustrated with it/ hate it.

My nerd skills came flooding back. They were so excited. And so was I.

However, the story doesn’t end there. As a matter of fact, all that seems irrelevant now (Sorry!).
In October of 2008 I got married to my best friend, and everything about who I am changed for the better. My ministry changed. My nerd habits changed. My guitar playing changed. Everything was different.

As I mentioned before, I’ve tried redefining this website a dozen times (if not more), and as I’ve pulled back to observe what I’ve done, I think it’s all been some sort of feeble attempt to redefine myself. But that’s all meaningless isn’t it. I know who I am.
I’m a nerd. I’m a musician. I’m a married man. I’m an Apple fanboy. I’m a twitterer, I’m a Christ-follower. and soon I’ll be a daddy. I’m a new daddy.

This is my blog. And my friends call me Schu.

Disclaimer: The posts on this site are my own personal opinions. They are not read or approved by Mariners Church before posting and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of MC.