A week or so ago I renewed the greenflame.org domain name for the tenth time. Originally I acquired the domain name and web hosting to experiment with a web site for keeping track of various interesting web links and to have my own email address (pre-gMail).

I started using phpWebsite, before starting a blog to keep track of my PhD research project and to connect with other bloggers. That started out in August 2003 using Blogger to FTP the blog onto this site. Later on I moved to MovableType before finally settling on WordPress.

Since finishing the PhD and starting a full-time academic role the frequency of blog posts declined (esp. with Facebook becoming more useful to connect to people) and last year I really didn’t blog much at all as work, health and family kept me very, very busy.

This year I’m planning on getting back into blogging. Facebook doesn’t really work for organising things I want to keep track of, and I enjoy other people’s blogs – even though it might be considered blasé in some circles.

With the old iPad I’ve inherited and a mobile connection, I’m thinking the commute on the train might be a good time to do that.

Anyway, the new year is well underway now so it’s time to get back into it. Hope your new year has started well. All the best for 2013.

2012 has been a hard year, hence the lack of regular blog posts. However, I’m hoping 2013 will be a marked improvement and will aim to get back into blogging mode in the new year.

In the meantime have a good Christmas and a happy New Year.

Things look good – no more dramas with the blog, so time to get back posting.

Blog needed some urgent maintenance so has been offline while I found time to do that. But I think I’ve got everything sorted now.

Simon Carey Holt’s reflections on the contemplative life meeting family was very helpful this week.

See The man in orange | SIMPLY SIMON

As I read it I was making connections between the point he raises from Wendy Wright’s ‘Seasons of a Family’s Life’ and the definitions of folk culture we talked about in The Bible and Popular Culture last week.

Links from the great Marmite crisis!

• Marmite Stock Running Out | Stuff.co.nz.
• New Zealand Marmite Shortage: Traders Cash In | Stuff.co.nz.
• How To Make Your Own Marmite | Stuff.co.nz.
• The English Can Cook: How to make your own Marmite.
• ‘No truth’ to Marmite stunt rumours – National – NZ Herald News.
• Marmite – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
• Marmite – Love it or hate it (Official UK site).
• Sanitarium – MarmArt (NZ site).
• Vegemite – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
• VEGEMITE (Aus/NZ site).
• The Marmite FAQ.

And the pretenders

• bonox.
• Bovril – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is clever. Take a street map of London and replace all the road names with song titles connected to locations. See Dorothy | Song Map Unlimited Edition.

Blue skies, a beach, a pool, good food, and family and friends. So much to be thankful for.

Still some snow on Southern Alps. Lovely views on flight down to conference this morning.

Related to last week’s posting Greenflame» Blog Archive » Election resources – 2011, there’s a joint church leaders’ release just out detailing their vision for New Zealand society. See Leader’s vision / Features / Anglican Taonga – Anglican Taonga.

Interestingly, no Catholic presence in the signatories, though an election related statement from the Catholic church can be found here: The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand | Bishops’ Statements | A Statement for the New Zealand General Election 2011.