"The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves” – Mozart

July 31, 2009

I’ve decided to take the month of August to remind myself of life without blogging and Twitter. I haven’t been a very active blogger (or Twitteur) over the last couple of months anyway… …the hermit needs a break – again. In reality I’ll probably only get about a week of solitude out of the deal. [...]

Unintentional Hermit Chuck Noland

May 19, 2009

Actor Tom Hanks created a truly Memorable Hermit  in the 2000 motion picture Cast Away. Hanks’ character, Fed-Ex manager Chuck Noland, is the only survivor of a plane crash and is forced to survive alone on a desert island for four years. His transition from a portly, time-obsessed urbanite to a tan, bearded, slightly-emaciated athlete is [...]

Hermit Psychology: Introverts Spinning Donuts In the Cave

April 29, 2009

It’s a fair assumption that most intentional hermits are introverts – like Griz and me. There may be a few extrovert hermits about, but they are likely unintentional hermits – living in solitude by accident or sacrificial choice – hiding from the law, castaways on uncharted islands, last-man-on-earth characters like Will Smith in I Am Legend. Introverts as a whole (not just [...]

A Peculiar Being Reacts to Dating Hysteria

April 5, 2009

I came across this poem in my archives the other day, so in honor of Poetry Month (and a quick post): In haphazard desperation This continued search for love Skirts simplicity for complication. Unheralded and quiet truth – above All rewards those cherished others may impart, Award yourself your loving heart. Invaluable, illusive art, But valid joy’s innate [...]

Umbrage, Part 2: "There Are No Happy Psychologists," Declared the Happy Hermit (Though It Didn’t Really Matter)

March 29, 2009

Yes, I’m just trying to be provocative and I presume that is also Professor Christopher Peterson’s intent when he uses the phrase “there are no happy hermits” in his U. Michigan psychology lectures. But I’m quite certain I’m not the only happy hermit in the world, so I’ve decided to come to the defense of [...]

Memorable Hermit Sin Killer: Pragmatic Self Sufficiency Meets Clueless Self Indulgence

March 22, 2009
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I always have great empathy for natural reclusives who find themselves stranded outside their comfort zone and Larry McMurty’s  Sin Killer (2002) is a perfect example.  Trapper/Indian-fighter Jim Snow (nicknamed Sin Killer) relinquishes his solitude in the first of Larry McMurtry’s tetrology, the Berrybender Narratives; but Jim would have (and probably should have) kept to himself had his youthful lust and fire-and-brimstrone [...]

Eremite Mike’s Blog: Reflections on Solitude, Exceptional Contemplative Prose

March 19, 2009

I found Eremite Mike’s Blog after Mike left a comment on this blog. Though Mike didn’t leave a link to his blog (perhaps because the blog is quite young), his comment revealed a clear empathy with the hermitic path, so I searched him out. I am continually impressed with the profound beauty and depth of his [...]

Umbrage, W.O.O.S.H. & Positive Press for Hermits

March 15, 2009

If I were an umbrage-taker, I’d probably be inclined to start taking umbrage with the recurrent and often-unwarranted bad rap meted out to us hermits in legend, lore and now online.  (I’ve always wanted to use the word “umbrage” in a sentence.) Taking umbrage with anything feels a bit spiritually unevolved, though, so I usually just chuckle when I run across these continual hermit defamations. [...]

Can You Get Blog from a Hermit? Not for Awhile.

February 15, 2009
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This blog is six months old today and this will be my last post for awhile. It is premature to conclude my blogging experiment altogether – I have more to learn about blogging and more to learn about myself as a blogger.  I have several more posts mentally drafted, several most memorable hermits to write [...]

The Un-Vows: Put Two Smarties Under One Roof and Sometimes "There Will Be Blood"

February 6, 2009
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Griz and I have been married for 27 years. This week we sort-of celebrated with a dinner out. But the truth be known, the celebration was coincidental to our anniversary date. We were in the mood for a dinner out, and – behold – it happened to be our anniversary. More often we celebrate our first date  – [...]