Cohousing-L Mailing List: Work value by interests

[Rob Sandelin (floriferous]

I changed the name of the thread here because the topic has changed. Sharon
asked if there are groups where people can work doing things that interest
them rather than work that does not.

I have seen numerous groups with this system, including the one I live in,
Sharingwood. People find their joys doing things for the community. It makes
them happy, makes the group strong, gets things done. Some things don't get
done all the time, but overall the important stuff is all covered. (The
state motto of Washington is Alkai, an Indian saying which means, By and by)

I think the wrong question about work, that is too often asked is: Is it
fair? I think the right question is: Are you happy? If you are happy doing
25 hours a week gardening then that's great. If you are happy not doing any
gardening, but find reading to kids after dinner is your joy, that's good
too. The fact that one is more hours than the other is not the correct
measure of its value to yourself or to the community.

My advice is to find the things that make you happy and do them. If you are
unhappy, stop, tell others why, then do things that make you happy. This is
a good place for a 80/20 gauge, 80% should be stuff that is your joy, 20% is
the rest of it. Remember, your happiness is nobody else's job but yours and
you only get, if you are lucky, 100 years or so to figure this out.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood Cohousing
Community Works!

-----Original Message-----
From: cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org
[mailto:cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org]On Behalf Of Sharon Villines
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 10:45 AM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: Re: [C-L]_common house meals


> However, I feel I
> need to serve where I can do the most good, and I'm a better gardener than
> cook.  It hurts that the community puts pressure on to get the landscaping
> done, and then rewards people for cooking instead.

This is the issue exactly. It isn't a question of one person working more
another less, it is why can't everyone in the community contribute where
their skills and interests are? If people really like to cook, wouldn't it
be better for them to cook than having to maintain the walkways or the
intranet or accounting records.

Has anyone tried this?

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


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