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........