Meadow Mansions are spreading across the nation. I hope they're being put to good use, but I fear not.
OK, here are the rules. They seem to be accepted by all civilized people. If you're fortunate enough to have a huge house then you do 3 things that small house people don't do.
1.) you have relatives often staying in spare rooms
2.) you have special guests staying in spare rooms---as a result rich/big-house people worldwide have frequently been host to visiting talents and dignitaries
3.) you have big, classy parties and dinners (see Gatsby)
*Note: one does NOT treat a meadow mansion just like a huge college dorm where you crash out after work watching the big screen
The reason why I think this is not happening is that several typical meadowsful of mansions sprouted near our house over the past decade and I walk and ride my bike past them regularly. I basically never see anyone home, for one thing. For another I've never seen anyone visibly enjoying themselves in or in the vicinity of said mansions. And for a last another thing I've never ever seen a mansionite hosting a party, much less a good one, much less a proper catered affair, much less one with valet parking.
I suspect that rich people in the countryside nowadays are only money-rich and are ignorant slobs in every other way. (I have seen a lot of fancy pickup trucks parked at these mansions.)
I further suspect that these people aren't really rich per se. They're just renting a larger home from the bank temporarily. I've seen almost half of them go up for sale already. They turn over almost as fast as apartments. Still, that's no excuse not to party and support culture and family properly. I also suspect that these folks are Dual Incomers who are both working overtime and whose kids apparently are shipped away to school, since I've basically seen NO HUMAN EVER around any of these several dozen area homes. They must go to work in the early dark and come home even later. Then maybe occasionally sneak out after work to the airport for a vacation getaway---or drive north to their second mansion.
It's a weird world.
Here's a fuller picture of meadow mansion reality below: cracks in the road ahead. And buy-sell as fast as you can...
...You may not own it long but while you're there, you're still obliged to be civil with what you have. And what do you have? SPACE! So use it!
I'm going to start an interactive party webpage for people to put up their own party stories and photos. Let's see if we can find an example of a meadow mansionite who knows what's up.
I suspect that in this disappearing American culture we'll find more cottage-dwellers who know how to host and party. They may have to put guests up in tents and trailers but I suspect they're not as dumb as today's country-rich.
By the way, a proper mansion guest isn't a bother, isn't seen much, except once a day when they give a summary report around after-dinner drinks of what they learned that day while doing their original research or questing of some type. They're supposed to add to your eyes and ears in a quality way.
Note, too, that a 6000sqft MM in rural Michigan probably has HALF the overhead of a similar size house in the Hamptons. A new house, furthermore, has far less upkeep needed. These MM people also aren't likely to have as extensive of gardens. They should be partying more.
So post your party stories and pics down below!
Here's my first one, of the latest REAL DINNER we attended NOT at a meadow mansion, but in a meadow... It's open season...
Monday, July 25, 2005
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1 comment:
"It's a weird world."
May I quote you? And I've got to say that you are an unusually wired individual ... yet I find you, and your writing, to be extremely comfortable and I want to read more. You seem to have your head screwed on right. Congratulations!
I've got an idea for a theme that you can use for your dinners. Why not turn them into fundraisers for charity?
I am the CEO of a great charity called "Food for Orphans" and we have a special program called "Back Door Dinners" where we provide food to the homeless orphans in the neediest parts of the world. You can find out more by visiting our website: www.FoodforOrphans.org. On the left menu click on Donation Info, then Back Door Dinners. With a $10,000 donation, we are able to provide a meal to 25,000 homeless orphans. Now that is a worthwhile project.
Good luck with the blog. I want to read more, and hope that I will hear from you in the future.
Gary VanDyke
CEO & Founder
Food for Orphans
Saving Lives ... One Meal at a Time
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