Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing-L tailing off

[Denise Cote (denise]

Interesting that the subscription level has stabilized (a little over 500 
for the last 15 months, according to Fred Olsen, our dedicated list 
manager), but postings have dropped off.  I don't have "five favorite 
explanations," but a few questions:

--I suspect that of those 500+ subscribers, only 20 percent or so post 80 
percent of the messages (the old 80/20 thing).  I'm curious if this is 
true and if this is the pattern on other lists.

--Why aren't more of those subscribers participating more actively?  And 
what can be done about it (assuming more participation is a positive 
thing)?  I thought Joani Blank's offer to mentor shy lurkers was 
wonderful.  Joani, has anyone taken you up on it?

--Is this list too boring?  Have we answered all the burning questions of 
cohousing?  Are we too polite?  Too bland?  Too confined in our 
discussion?

--Or are we just experiencing winter doldrums followed by spring 
fever--i.e., not much was happening so there was not much to talk about; 
now so much is happening there's no time to talk about it?

--Lately the subjects have been very specific topics that I haven't felt 
"qualified" to discuss--parenting issues, legal questions, demographics 
of existing communities.  I'm not a parent or a lawyer, and my community 
is still a twinkle in my eye.

Soon it will be more, though.  We got the go-ahead from the county last 
week, with a 40 percent increase in density!!  OK, it was two more lots, 
but that's very significant for North America's future smallest cohousing 
community.  The funny part is that we may also be the largest, land-wise, 
with 176.7 acres putting us just a teensy bit past Ecovillage at 
Ithaca--correct me if I'm wrong.  About 120 acres will be forever 
protected in a conservation easement.

Denise Cote',
Geneva Community
Lyons, Colorado
We now have openings!

Denise Cote'
Boulder, Colorado
denise [at] diac.com