Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Is Commonspace cohousing? [was: We're in Time!

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Nov 20, 2017, at 9:21 AM, Alan O'Hashi via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
> cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> sounds like this place has elements of community, like a dormatory - separate 
> rooms, common spaces for interaction.
> i also don't buy the one-size-fits-all approach to cohousing. the intentional 
> community social fabric can overlay all kinds of housing configurations. 

To add, this is also affected by age and the stages of adult development. Not 
all 20-somethings, for example, are interested in the multi-generational family 
setting of cohousing. 

It’s hard to believe but some people don’t like children — much less 20-40 of 
them running around at dinner.

Others want more focus on personal interests than cohousing allows. It can be 
very distracting. Not only is there (almost) always someone around to help you, 
there is also someone who needs something. Our social planning people became 
much more active a few years ago and it is not uncommon to have 4-6 organized 
activities in a week. A Sunday or two ago, we had a brunch, a membership 
meeting, a pot luck, and the monthly birthday celebrations. I had a team 
meeting between the brunch and the membership meeting.

I have had to accept that I have to skip a lot of events or I go bonkers. But I 
love it that everyone else is out there is having fun and happy. I have fun 
writing. I’ve thought about taking my laptop and writing in a corner, but I’m 
not sure how this would affect the party.

I don’t participate in very many meals because I have come to love eating 
quietly with no muss or fuss. No “pass me the salad followed by pass me the 
potatoes.” As little preparation as possible  and as little clean up. (And I 
also like salt in food.)

There are many situations that provide the amount of community each person 
wants or needs. Obviously we talk about cohousing here because it is a list 
devoted to cohousing but I think there is a place for discussing the factors 
that promote community in any lifestyle. 

Remember Cheers?

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org