On leaving and returning to Jesus Creed

Since writing this blog, Beliefnet has cleared up some of the issues with Jesus Creed, so I'm back ... andstill think it's a great blog.

I've come to the reluctant conclusion that I have to leave the Jesus Creed blog. I don't want to. But the difficulties of trying to navigate Beliefnet, Jesus Creed's new home, have defeated me. I can't take the time to watch the swirling beach ball go round and round while I hope my comment may post. I can't wait for minutes on end while I try to scroll ... I won't go on with the tiresome list of problems.

I feel sad about this because Jesus Creed was the blog that got me started, and I still find it a wonderful forum for intelligent discussion about the Bible and contemporary religious thought. I think it is the best blog on the Internet. Scot, to whom I've complained, has sent my complaints on to Beliefnet. I will check in from time to time to see if the site has improved but I am not expecting to be able to post there again. I will post summaries of Scot's blogs that I find particularly interesting and my responses here.

A wonderful outcome of Scot's JC blog is the cyberfriends I've made on that site, including Ted and Peggy (the Abbess) who have been doing some interesting blogs lately that I encourage everyone to take a look at. I will be moving my energies to become (I hope) more active on their blogs and on this blog. The Empire may have killed Jesus Creed for me, but Scot's work lives through his disciples ...

Scot has been more than generous in conversation with me about problems with the Beliefnet site, and I hope they get resolved.I've suggested some alternatives to him, such as a subscription to his "old" blog, but at the moment he is committed to trying to make Beliefnet work. In the meantime, I'm interested in the response of other Jesus Creeders to the new Beliefnet site. Has it been difficult for you to navigate? Do you have any tips?

New Year, New Job ...ssss

Happy New Year. This year has got to be better than last, economically speaking, right?

In the all-important world of "moi," several jobs have emerged despite the dismal economy: First, I will be teaching Writing and Rhetoric I at Ohio University in St. Clairsville, about a 20-25 minutes drive from home here in Barnesville. I will also be working from home as a document transcriber. (If anybody has a transcribing tape recorder they no longer need, I would be willing to buy it.) And giving proof to the theory that if it rains, it pours, I also heard from Rise Up magazine, which I had thought was defunct, but apparently isn't. So I may be paid for work already done and the publication may resume printing. That would be wonderful!

All this means that in a few days I leave my restful, peaceful life behind and enter into a busy period. I am looking forward to all these jobs, which perhaps indicates I have had enough of R&R. More likely, it means I don't know what I'm getting myself into!

We had a lovely week at home during Christmas and New Years. We spent a night at my in-laws in York, Pa. and then the rest of the time with our friend Sherri in Laurel, Md. We saw many friends and enjoyed our time back in our other "home."

How was your holiday?