In praise of the in between times

I love that special space between the roller coaster that is finishing off work and preparing for christmas, and then the return to normal and a new year, and new start.  Its the annual time in between things. Its the point where one part has finished, and the next one has not yet started. And in that way it is a precious time, where new things can happen.

So here in Plot studio, we were lying low, and cooking up the recipies abandoned during the high pressure time before the holidays, noticing the christmas cards we didn’t get to send, which is next to the list of gifts not purchased and reading the books that have not yet been read over the last 12 months.

Its a special time to think about people who we won’t work with again, notably the lovely Alex McKie, and those we miss from the US, and the many we are happy to be amongst again being back now in the UK. This past year has been so eventful, and we pinch ourselves now that we are in a much better place on many levels.

But first, let us give a nod to this past year. We started the year hopeful in being able to bring something to CMU, but that was rapidly cancelled. Now we are playing and working in Hackney Wick, and collaborating with CityId again, and working with Coney, Microsoft, Psonar and Objects Sandbox at the Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol. It has been great to regain the right balance of diverse range of clients and projects, and we have many people to thank for that.

Our new studio is open for visitors, and after a little refurbishment has become a great inspiration, and there is something warming about being part of a feisty community like this. For Gill, its also about coming home.

And the point? It’s all about appreciation. There’s a lot to be thankful for. Coming back and finding such a great space to be in has been one – to have room to think and create in has made a huge difference. Friends and family are again near, and new collaborators are around us. New kinds of work are possible, and its exciting to meet new people to do that with. New things to start up in this in between time. Happy belated New Year.