For years I hosted an informal TV club at my apartment in Chicago. We usually met Sundays and watched 1-2 episodes of a show we all decided to watch together. It started with Season 4 of The Wire, which centered on a failing city school system. At the time I was the only person I knew watching The Wire. I was obsessed with it and needed to share my obsession. I figured the education angle might be just the ticket to convince my teacher friends to join me.

And it worked! Not only did they come but a new tradition was born. Each Sunday I’d plan a meal –sometimes we cooked, sometimes we got delivery- and someone would bring wine and I got to do two of my favorite things: hosting friends and watching TV. Knowing people were coming over made me happy. Knowing I didn’t have to go anywhere made me even happier.

After we finished The Wire – I got them hooked, of course – we moved on to other shows: Homeland, The Americans, the John Adams mini-series, even The Voice made the rotation. Eventually, Sunday became Monday and Monday became Thursday but we always made time for what I now realize was a very special time in our lives. We couldn’t have known in early 2014 that by the year’s end 3 of our original 4 would leave Chicago. We couldn’t have known just how special it was for so many friends to all live within mere blocks of each other.

I was thinking about that tonight as I sat in my still-new (to me) apartment on my sectional couch with seating for 6. I finally have my ideal living room but my TV watching is now mostly a solo experience. I finally joined the streaming party but I miss the “responsibility” of the group watch. It’s hard to describe. When I watched with The Club, there were unwritten rules we all followed that I have trouble enforcing on myself when I’m alone. Things like not playing on phones or pausing during serious scenes. I find myself more engaged with Twitter than ever, looking for those folks watching what I’m watching, feeling what I’m feeling.

Musical inspiration? The Rolling Stones.