Old habits die hard. Despite hermitting, I feel it is my bounden duty to say something witty, insightful, and deeply profound this morning about the election results. So here goes:
Damn.
30 CommentsCategory: The Retreat
“The veil between the worlds is thin tonight.”
Or actually last Friday night. So they say. Of course, in all kinds of traditions including nominally Christian ones, the veil between worlds is reputed to be thin from All Hallows Eve to All Souls Day.
You couldn’t prove it by me. The veil (if any) between worlds (if any) remained its usual cement-thick self.
6 CommentsJust in time, Elizabeth Tate of Students for Liberty offers self-care tips for activists. I especially applaud, appreciate, and understand that last one: Make Something Tangible. In my experience it always helps if the materials used in the tangible “something” are earthy and natural: rock, brick, dirt, cotton, wool, wood, etc. Today I sort wool and locate matching wooden needles. Tomorrow … I knit. We’ll see about the day after. —– Via Rational Review News.
1 CommentYep, omphaloskepsis. That’s a new word I got from jed. High-falutin’ way of saying “navel gazing.”
That’s what I’m supposed to be doing, starting Saturday and going through the end of the year. I’ve gotten several nice messages wishing me “Happy Hermitting.” I’ll be here for you if you need me. I’ll be thinking of you. I hope you find what you’re looking for. Many of the messages are tinged with envy — busy parents and full-time workers and people with a thousand other commitments wishing they, too, could have a retreat.
I agree it’s a privilege. Absolutely.
14 CommentsI am so grateful today.
I’m grateful to have a solid roof over my head (and Ava, Robbie, and Kitsu the cat would say the same if they could speak) as the rain pours down all week and the season’s first high-wind warnings go up.
This sense of security I owe to you.
—–
I owe C-B, S.H., M.K., L.P., and especially Anonymous and the Mysterious Rockefeller for the latest round of help, which repaired the section of roof that collapsed while the rest of the roof was being refurbished. I also owe many of you, especially Paul Bonneau, for construction advice.
In case you’re wondering, I ended up not having the “Full Joe” repair.
8 CommentsToday I told my local friend L. that I was going to take “hermit time” from November 1 through the end of the year and that for those two months I was making no commitments of any sort except those required to earn a living. That includes not making commitments for holiday plans with friends, though I might be up for something spontaneous. “You’re being so selfish!” she said. “Your friends love you and want to be with you.” “You’re punishing me!” she said. Considering that I was, at that moment, taking six hours of my day to drive her…
33 CommentsOr is it hermitude? I don’t know. But in any case, I haven’t forgotten my intention to commence a period of deeper hermitness.
The world has been too much with me, late and soon. That whole JPFO business was hard and bitter. The aftermath’s been no picnic, either. Even though you and some renewed work for the Backwoods Home print ‘zine have risen to help me through the money part of that, the emotional part is just … whammo.
But I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to forge a plan. You can probably help. You always do.
32 Comments