Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: community communications: how to do it

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 4 Nov 2010, at 3:17 AM, Moz wrote:

>  For many people the problem is that
> email doesn't trigger the emotional barriers that they normally have,
> so it's easy to be too open via email.

This is very interesting. My problems with email are almost entirely from 
misreading the email. I make assumptions the writer never intended.

I can't remember any email guidelines that included rules for reading. When 
upsets occur, it is always the writer who is considered at fault, not the 
reader.

>  also hand-written letters before that).

Ah! I think every 19c novel turns on a letter error. 

>  Maybe I'm
> too geeky, but I use the wiki as my primary interface to the
> organisational side of the coho process, everything from todo lists
> and mental notes to defining major projects.

I moving toward this too. The wiki form is so easy to use. I'm starting to do 
work orders as planning documents for major tasks. We are planning professional 
floor polishing after we have our CH linoleum floors repaired. I needed to 
record a note to include the office which has a VCT floor hastily installed 8 
years ago. The oozing adhesive was never removed from some of the seams and it 
was never polished. 

I can send an email and it will get buried. I can tell the person who is likely 
to do the scheduling but she may (reasonably) forget or the task may be given 
to someone else. By starting a work order for floor polishing, I can add my 
note and everyone else can add theirs. If anyone forgets to sign their note, 
there is a log of who added what when.

Our less, even least, geeky members have been using the wiki like crazy so I 
think it is the format of the future.

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