Getting to Third Space with Lamar and Tom

Where were you when the U.S. was at war, whether it was Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and, now, Iran? More importantly, how did you feel about where you were?  Lamar and Tom welcome David Bentler to the table for a conversation on his new book, Brotherhood in War & Peace: A Historical Fiction of War, College, and Lifelong Friendship.  David Bentler and Lamar Roth were classmates at Mt. Pleasant...

A new version of an old Rodney Dangerfield joke: “I went to a women’s boxing match and a WNBA game broke out.” In the 30th season of the WNBA this seems to have been more true than not. Or was it? It’s the WNBA playoffs! This week Lamar and Tom explore the evolution of women's basketball, the increasing physicality and violence in the Women’s National Basketball League, and the social media na...

Uh oh. The guys are back from their August break and they are ready to talk! Today Lamar and Tom respond to a listener’s question about the use of humor in conflict and controversy.  The listener asked: “Doesn’t the use of in a challenging conversation where conflict and controversy is possible merely mask your real feelings? Doesn’t it just help you avoid saying what you are really thinking or fe...

Do you know how to combine music, traditional arts, and conversation to create a space where diverse groups of people come together to learn and share with one another? We don’t. But Walt does. Walt Michael is the Artist in Residence at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland and the founder and Executive Director of Common Ground on the Hill, an international arts organization which seeks to pr...

"But what can I do?” This is a question we are getting with greater frequency from our followers, listeners, and viewers. We’re going to try to answer that question…with a little help.  Learn More In this episode of Getting to 3rd Space, we are going to try to answer a question we are getting more frequently from friends, followers, listeners, and viewers: “But what can I do about the situation in...

What is the state of our democracy in the U.S. today? What does it mean to be a democracy? Lamar and Tom check in with historian Joel Kauffman on these and other questions.  Joel Kauffman is a professor, coach, reader, and world citizen. His interest in the world in which we live has led him to learn more about it through the study of history and in conversations with people from all walks of life...

What’s the difference between being “kind” and “nice?” Are they mutually exclusive? Can you be both at the same time? Join us for a conversation with #BeHumankind practitioner Erica Marks to learn more.  Erica Marks is a #BeHumankind practitioner. She has integrated principles of #BeHumankind into her work as a charity (nonprofit) leader in the United Kingdom. In this conversation we learn about h...

What is the difference between “fine art photography” and “taking pictures”? Nope, not your usual topic for our podcast. Plus, we’ve got pictures to share with you!  Lamar Roth, co-host of Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar & Tom , is a fine art photographer. He currently has a show going on in Newton, Kansas and often has opportunities to display his work both in Kansas and around the country, a...

July 4, 2026 is the 250th Birthday of the United States of America. How are you planning to acknowledge this experiment in democracy that has lasted a quarter of a millennium?  In this Table Talk podcast Lamar and Tom talk about the 250th Birthday of the United States of America. To be honest, neither of these guys are too excited about it but they don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. Tune in to...

The Iowa Investigator tells 3-minute stories about his home state of Iowa. He has at least 85 thousand followers on TikTok and 31 thousand followers on Facebook and Instagram. Including us. Today we meet The Iowa Investigator.  The Iowa Investigator is J.T. Vonderhaar, an Iowa native who decided to give TikTok a spin only a few years ago while still working as a banker. He focused on interesting s...

Memorial Day is this week and today’s podcast features a Table Talk between Lamar and Tom about the meaning of Memorial Day and its origins. You may be surprised by what you didn’t know about Memorial Day. Join us! Learn More The Wounded Warrior Project From History Facts  Memorial Day was Originally Called “Decoration Day” Did you know it is Legally Required to observe a National Moment of Rememb...

Starting In 2027 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed in 2025) enables scholarships for private school tuition, tutoring, and transportation for families with incomes up to 300% of the area median income. Is this really a good idea? In today’s podcast, Lamar and Tom talk with LaMonte Rothrock who has been an educator throughout his career. LaMonte began his teaching career as a music educator. H...

You know about earworms, right? It’s a piece of music that gets stuck in your brain and won’t leave you alone. (“Baaabeee shark…”) Sorry about that.  There are questions that are like earworms, too. In our last podcast our guest, Joel Kauffman, asked us if we are making a difference with Getting to 3rd Space and, if so, how do we know it. His questions have been earworms for us ever since.  We sta...

What is the state of our democracy in the U.S. today? What does it mean to be a democracy? Lamar and Tom check in with historian Joel Kauffman on these and other questions.  Joel Kauffman is a professor, coach, reader, and world citizen. His interest in the world in which we live has led him to learn more about it through the study of history and in conversations with people from all walks of life...

It’s Lamar & Tom’s Second Annual Oddly True for April Fools’ Day podcast! Here’s how it works. Each tells the other three stories ripped from the headlines that are odd but true. However, the story teller changes a single detail in one of the stories making it only mostly true. The other has to correctly guess which story has been changed.  Learn More Tom’s Stories: Wild turkeys terrorize Wisc...

Have you ever felt disconnected from the decisions that shape our world?  Today Lamar and Tom are discussing the tragic loss of six Iowa National Guard members in Kuwait. Their sacrifice reminds us of the heavy toll of conflict and the often confusing nature of war. As they reflect on this, they also consider the broader implications of military actions and the importance of transparency in decisi...

In this episode of Getting to 3rd Space, we are going to try and answer a question we are getting more frequently from friends, followers, listeners, and viewers: “But what can I do about the situation in our country?” Frankly, we were a bit stuck. So we went to Perplexity ( https://www.perplexity.ai/ ) and asked it this question: People ask me, about the current social and political situation in...

Liz Weaver joins Lamar and Tom in this episode of Getting to 3rd Space to talk about collaboration, trust, and transitions. Liz retired recently from her role as Co-CEO of Tamarack Institute in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Tamarack is known for its work in catalyzing collective action with diverse leaders to solve major community challenges including ending poverty, building youth futures, building...

When you are wondering about rumors, conspiracy theories, folklore, fake news, and urban legends, who ya gonna call? Not us…but how about Snopes.com? Today Lamar and Tom start by talking about the upcoming season of the Frederick Flying Cows basketball team and a new photo project that Lamar is undertaking. However, the conversation transitions into a deeper examination of four articles from Snope...

An American citizen was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minnesota. The video of the incident was clearly viewed by millions. The truth of what happened is not so clear, especially when the gaslighting starts.  In this conversation, Lamar and Tom discuss the recent shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis and its implications, particularly as it relates to the concept of gaslighting. They...

Stephen Owens was Lamar & Tom’s first guest on Getting to 3rd Space in the first season of the podcast. This week he is our first ever Table Talk guest on the podcast and we talk about school choice. During the first season of our podcast Stephen Owens was representing the 74th District in the Kansas House of Representatives. He served in the Kansas House from 2019 to 2024. In 2025, Stephen wa...

About this Episode In this holiday-themed episode, Tom and Lamar reflect on their experiences and traditions surrounding December holidays. They share personal stories about their favorite holiday memories, gift-giving practices, and the role of pets in their lives. The conversation also highlights memorable moments from the podcast season and their plans for the future. Whatever holidays you cele...

About this Episode Michael Gaskins is a Philadelphian by birth and heart. In fact, he’ll take a soft, chewy Philly pretzel anytime over cookies. He began his career in television production with CBS, NBC, and CNN affiliates but has found himself drawn to work with incarcerated young men to help them prepare for their re-entry into society as citizens upon their release. For a time he operated a pr...

This week is Thanksgiving in the United States and Lamar & Tom take time to celebrate by sharing acts of kindness submitted by listeners and viewers over the last two months. Since August 2025, Lamar & Tom have been collecting responses to two questions about acts of kindness. The first is, “What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?” The second is “What is a...

This episode of Getting to 3rd Space is Part 2 of our conversation with Christie Vilsack, writer, teacher, Former First Lady of Iowa, and sponsor of the Navy’s U.S.S. Iowa, a nuclear submarine.  Our conversation continues with a focus on literacy, acts of kindness, and the benefits of growing up in rural America. Christie writes the Substack column, “Common Ground,” in which she tells stories of t...