Thursday 20 April 2017

A hermit's life for me!

St. Cuthbert (AD 635 - 687) spent most of his adult life as a hermit, despite being Prior of Lindisfarne Abbey on Holy Island.  He found peace on a small island off Holy Island in Northumbria (cut off by the tide twice daily) and then on Inner Farne - which today he would have shared with National Trust Rangers, Seals and Puffins - oh, and tourists...

St. Cuthbert's Cave, Northumbria.  Picture by Mrs Twitface
Here's a picture of St. Cuthbert's Cave - not one of his hideaways in life but one where his body was hidden to avoid Viking raiders years after his death.  It's a nicer picture than his island.

Anyway, Academics are hermits.

Academics find peace and time for reflection and contemplation in so many ways:
  • Study Leave
  • International Conferences
  • "Working from home"
  • "Sick" leave brought about by stress (typically self-induced)
  • Out of Office messages
  • "Office Hours"
  • Being "very busy and important" - so no time for idle chit chat...
  • Being surly (relates only to some academics)
  • Saying "It's not in my job description"
  • Doing "Research"
Ahhh, the peace and quiet of the truly academic life........

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