Average 50+ white guy of mostly southern Italian heritage with a healthy dash of West African & Iranian. Husband, father, friend, community member. Smart enough to appreciate life, Wise enough to question it, Dumb enough to seek answers.
“Life on the Backside” refers to those of us past our physical and mental prime. Intent on creating an open and honest conversation not only about how our bodies might be turning on us or how goals and beliefs have gone unmet or ignored. More importantly, how we are remaining vital and engaged, how we are facing a changing world and making our way through it. How things that seemed self evident and true may have placed us in positions we find uncomfortable now. Not about blaming the past or accepting the way things were but looking to be better, to understand the world we are in now. We are no longe a 13 year old in 1980 but a 54 year old in 2020.
So, that’s not exclusivley masculine. But a page for men. That came from a search of websites that could help me, Rob, navigate my age, life and the world around me. So many of the sites I came across focused on rock solid abs, lasting longer in bed, meeting women and so on. When the conversation got deeper it seemed to focus on things not emotional or vulnerable. And consisistantly with a lack of introspection.
This website will hopefully be beneficial by sharing the life it’s founder, of Rob Herrmann. And in time grow beyond myself and into something of it’s own. Much of this will be written by me, I hope to have guests as things progress, but as I sit here now, it’s me. But beyond just me at the same time, maybe we can strike a chord within you.
Rob Herrmann
Rob Herrmann is a father of three, husband, friend, lover of all things outdoors, community member & small business owner. In order of importance.
Rob is in his mid-fifties and lives in the town of Spearfish, located on the north-western edge of the Black Hills, SD. As part of their journey together Rob and Ann, his wife of 25 yrs, moved uprooted their family in 2016 for their latest adventure. This latest move was born of the frustration of feeling tied down all week as a small business owner, to only be stressed about fighting the masses of Minneapolis getting out for the weekend. Unable to take long vacations, the family decided to bring their love of nature to everyday life.
This while adopting a foster child the entire family fell in love with, Nate. Rob and Ann never intended to add to their family, especially with the twins being 12 at the time. Friends were looking towards empty-nesting and Rob & Ann were headed towards parenting round two.
In an America vastly different from the one we live in now, Robert grew up in the 1980s. Perhaps part of the final ‘traditional America.’ As many men struggle against global changes and attempt to place blame on others, Rob is attempting to figure out how we came to be the way we are, how we should alter, and why.
This blog will chronicle Rob’s experience as he ages. From outdoor activities and pushing his physical limits to assisting his older kids and encouraging his youngest. Facing a declining performance, sadness, retirement, and fatherhood… all the while trying to make sense of it all while keeping an eye on the world around him.