the (lack of) social life of academia, communal sadness
Solidarity is inviting a sad friend to write and weep together. We've both had hard years personally, but the wheels don't stop turning for either of us.
Said sad friend is one of like... three people I can envision meaningfully socializing with in the semester I need to finish my book manuscript, and I don't know how to politely tell literally everyone else in the world to please stop inviting me to things.
the (lack of) social life of academia, communal sadness
@ErikaAlpert I think a lot of people inadvertently get offended if you don't want to spend time with them because they either forget or never appreciated how long it takes to research for something big and important, or at least meaningful to themselves. It's not just time to read and write and get feedback, but time to let the world fall into the background. If you said you were on a retreat, it might be a stretch but it wouldn't be a lie
the (lack of) social life of academia, communal sadness
@Sharzie Yeah! Now if only I could be a whispering ghost in the office, being fully visible and audible only when teaching 
It's the being around but not around binary that is unpleasant and weird for people I think.
the (lack of) social life of academia, communal sadness
I mean, oh no, how terrible to live a life where I have friends who want to invite me to things, but it just feels grindingly awful to say no time after time after time.