Where Everybody Knows your Name

My friend Skoticus who does Recreation Management and has many insightful things to say about leisure talked to me once about thirdspace. It's this idea that everyone needs a spot that is not work and is not home (and which sounds a little like fourthmeal to me suddenly) where you can go and decompress and get your head in order in a non-committal sort of way. Sometimes coffee shops fill the function, or bars, or I think the Writing Center was mine even though I was getting paid to be there.

There was a great spot in Provo: Amanda and Daine's. First at The Burrow and then at The Hotel. Amanda and Daine were fantastic hosts: there was always good music and great food and good conversation. Their houses were the kind of place you went into without knocking and they were always glad to have you, and you were free to chat or mooch their wireless or read and somehow all of us ended up there by the end of most nights. And the nights were long/late.

But we finished packing/cleaning/painting the linoleum last night and sent the two of them off to a future in Chicago via European grand tour in over-stuffed vehicles, and so sent off chefs, movie mongers, revolutionaries, intellectuals, and really fast and great friends. This post should be longer, but we'll see you soon.