RE: Sharing activities
From: Eileen McCourt (emccourtmindspring.com)
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 21:27:06 -0700 (MST)
I don't even do my own housework, (and I'm not afraid to say it)!  I don't
disagree that working together builds character and community, but there is
work involved in planning and executing the "fun" activities as well.  And
gardening and cooking for others are things that bring me a lot more
satisfaction than taking out the garbage, and shoveling snow - but I live in
California, so I NEVER shovel snow.

It's a matter of priorities - mine are not for routine tasks that I can get
help with.  I have many opportunities in my life to build character and
there are certain types of character building experiences I can live
without.

--eileen

emccourt [at] mindspring.com
phone    650-691-1195
fax         650-691-0195
mobile   650-766-0889

-----Original Message-----
From: cohousing-l [at] freedom2.mtn.org [mailto:cohousing-l [at] 
freedom2.mtn.org]On
Behalf Of Elizabeth Stevenson
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 1:25 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: Sharing activities

This is more in answer to Rob's post than this one, but I'm sort of
expanding upon Racheli's theme.

I'm not trusting the idea that we should only play together and not work,
unless we deem it "fun". Work has its own rewards that fun does not, and I
believe going through experiences together makes work even more valuable.
Accomplishing a task that is at least marginally unpleasant builds
character, and I'm not afraid to say it! It's easy to have fun together, but
I'm not sure you can build community without at least some adversity. Our
parents didn't give us chores because we couldn't afford a maid(well, mine
couldn't, but you get my meaning). They gave them to us to instill a sense
of responsibility to our family and to learn the reward of a job well done.

I think doing as much of the work as possible ourselves is important.
Otherwise, it's just a very friendly condo with no depth of commitment.

--
Liz Stevenson
Southside Park Cohousing
Sacramento, California

----------
>From: Racheli&John<jnpalme [at] attglobal.net>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <cohousing-l [at] freedom2.mtn.org>
>Subject: Re: Sharing activities: Was  size and management companies
>Date: Mon, Jan 29, 2001, 12:50 PM
>

> ** Reply to note from floriferous [at] msn.com Mon, 29 Jan 2001 12:50:42 -0600
>>From Racheli
>
> I agree that a group should prioritize what they
> want to do with their time - as a group.
>
> I would like, though, to suggest that doing things
> for ourselves (as opposed to hiring someone to do
> it for us) can be a source of satisfaction.
> One of the major ways to determine what should be
> done in-house, is to find out whether there is a
> person, or persons, who are interested in doing
> the particular job in question.  If a group has
> someone who just loves doing accounting-type
> work (don't ask me why :)) then there is no reason
> to hire someone to do it.  If everybody hates to do
> this sort of stuff, then it might make sense to pay
> to get the job done.
>
> R.
>
>

  • Re: Sharing activities Elizabeth Stevenson, January 29 2001
    • RE: Sharing activities Eileen McCourt, January 29 2001

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