Cohousing-L Mailing List: Lurker Bio

[Calvin D. Smith (75061.1026]

July 31, 1995

To: all cohoers

From: Calvin D. Smith

My ticket has been punched by your explicit request for the bios 
of those who lurk, so here is the charcoal-sketched self-portrait 
of a lurker of several months:

Born 1949 in a farming community in Western New York State. 
Attended Cornell U during the turbulent late sixties but did not
graduate.  Went on to travel and work as a professional musician.

Took up guitar-building and restoration.  Was interested in the
commune/homesteading movement of the sixties and seventies. 
Married in 1976.  We raised dairy goats for a number of years 
in addition to my primary professional work with musical 
instruments.  Instead of goats we now have two children, 
aged 5 and 10.  As a craftsperson, for years I envisioned a crafts-
supported community apart from the economic mainstream.  
Our family made a number of attempts to establish community 
living situations with other families, but none were successful.
We live in Perry City, New York (central New York State)
on six acres in non-traditional housing.  My wife and I both
currently hold managerial positions in different book-publishing
enterprises.

We have been working on joining the EcoVillage at Ithaca 
cohousing group since the beginning of 1995.  We are potentially 
one of the buyers under the offering plan for one of  the 5 houses that 
were not committed under the terms of the corporation that was 
set up for EcoVillage Cohousing.

Finally, I have a question for the group: EV Cohousing is 
making plans to set up a workshop for various community 
activities, including auto repair, metalworking shop, woodworking
shop, and possibly some additional compatible crafts.  I would 
like to know if any  of those who have preceded Ithaca on the 
road to coho would care to comment on the size/capabilities/design 
of a multi-purpose workshop space and the activities that are readily
compatible in such a workshop.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

Calvin D. Smith
75061.1026 [at] compuserve.com