Match for free! - Cooperative Living Communities

DelightfulPeaceGarden

Gen X

Female

Victoria British Columbia

Speed of commitment:

Slow: Open to a situation where trust can build over time, Fast: Open to a situation that takes everyone being all-in from the start (with contracts & clarity)

IC types I would live in or am forming:

Cohousing: private residences around shared space, Ecovillage or urban agrihood, Small farm or ranch, Retreat or event hosting as community, Artist collective & live work space, Spiritual commune, Life partner with community values, Medical risk bubble, Senior cohousing, Resource-sharing commune, Shared housing in metropolitan area

Food production:

Working toward producing all or nearly all of our own food, Working toward a mix of producing our own food and buying groceries

Residential proximity:

House mates (separate bedrooms, shared kitchen), Separate units (separate apartments but some shared common areas with shared resources), Shared land (separate houses possibly with some shared buildings), Multi-house collective (shared resources, but IC houses might be scattered within a traditional neighborhood)

Ownership types:

Rented with shared housing or shared land, Rent-to-own with shared housing or shared land, Co-operative (collectively owned separate houses or apartments), Join an established IC to learn and possibly stay, Whatever the group can agree on, Rent a room as a trial run

Reasons for shared housing:

Ecological sustainability to reduce carbon footprint, Lower cost of living, Sharing resources (spaces, equipment, tools, vehicles, gardens), Sharing meals and chores, Having social interaction while limiting the amount of influence or interaction with society, Having a “chosen family” to share good times and support each other thru hard times, Friendship and sharing activities

Décor of shared areas:

Not important, Decisions based on practical utility and durability, A consistent aesthetic theme is important

Clutter level of shared living areas or work space:

Super tidy at diagnosable OCD level, Tidy in shared spaces, with a designated place for things, Average level of "lived in" look

Cleanliness level (germs & crumbs):

All food counters & tables wiped down after each use, All food counters & tables wiped down daily to not attract pests, Disinfectants must be ecologically safe products (chemical sensitivity), Dishes washed (or loaded into dishwasher) daily to not attract pests

Yard or landscaping:

Tidy and clutter-free outdoors with storage out of sight, Covered space for storage, Space for kids and/or dogs to run, Gardens and edible landscaping, Xeriscape

Current city/town and state/province:

Victoria British Columbia

Nation(s) of current residence:

Canada

Preferred regions:

Canada, Mexico & Caribbean

Population density:

Suburban or exurban, Small town, Rural, Remote

Regions of world:

North America, Middle East

Duration of your current location:

Want to experience a variety of communities and locations, Want to eventually commit to a permanent location if it goes well

Relocation capacity:

Ready to move from my general area now or in the near future, Ready to move from my general area within the next few years, Ready to move from my current residence now or in the near future

Resource sharing:

Time bank, Car share, Pet care swap, Garden (share work and produce), Farm or food forest (share work and produce), Joint business (share work and profits), Tool share (maintenance and use of expensive equipment), Emergency preparedness efforts, Meal preparation, Care of elderly, disabled, or incapacitated relatives

My socioeconomic status:

No income (or extremely low) but will trade work for room, board, and/or learning, Low income

Leisure and lifestyle:

Very frugal about leisure and entertainment expenditures, Somewhat frugal about leisure and entertainment expenditures, Current work or personal demands leave little time for leisure

Practical skills:

Cooking for groups, Childcare, Cleaning, Gardening, Permaculture, Farm animal care

Experience or schooling:

Horticulture or permaculture, Animal training or care, Visual art

Occupation(s) and expertise:

Horticulture and organic gardening, Caregiver/ Care Aid, Artist and painter, Delivery Driver, Lifestyle Consultant and supplements advisor, Reiki Practitioner (Master Level)

Years lived in an IC:

Lived with roommate(s) or housemate(s), No experience, but determined to make it work

Experience in community:

I’ve had several room mate/ house mate experiences. I lived in Israel and contributed to a small community living at a seminary and on private property trading housing for gardening and other duties… like kitchen supervising and food safe protocols . I also landscaped and taught gardening and supervised landscaping in small communal gardens. Taught spirituality and earth based connection.

Professional certifications or degrees:

Horticultural Technician Certificate, BC, Canada

Generation:

Gen X

Generations intended in IC:

Gen X (born 1965 – 1980)

Alcohol (tolerable rules):

Should be allowed after work hours, Should be regulated by group decision only if it becomes problematic

Cannabis (tolerable rules):

Should be allowed with medical prescription, Should be allowed after work hours, Should be allowed in designated areas only

Illegal recreational drugs (tolerable rules):

Should be dealt with by group decision in a manner to support non-use

Overnight guests (tolerable rules):

Should be permitted in limited circumstances as decided by the governance process, Should be allowed in designated guest areas, Should be subject to group decision only if it becomes problematic

Daytime visitor access (tolerable rules):

Should require that community is informed of planned visits, Should be discussed and limited by the IC agreements

Religious or spiritual practice-based IC:

No mandate of strict adherence to shared religious beliefs and practices

My religious beliefs or practices:

Spiritual but not religious, Christian (universalist), Jewish, Spiritualist, Astrology

Practices welcome in IC:

Agnostic, Spiritual but not religious, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Bahai, Spiritualist, Pagan, Wiccan, Taoist, Astrology

Ecological preservation ethics:

Local food commitment for low carbon footprint, Eating vegan, vegetarian, or certified humane meat, Use of alternative power such as solar or wind, Commitment to reduce, re-use, recycle, Gray water recycling where permitted, Composting toilet

Belief-related practices:

Daily and weekly, Meditation and community events

Size of community:

Under 6, 6 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 50, 51 to 150, Over 150

Sense of togetherness:

An IC should have regular opportunities to encourage all to share their feelings, An IC should have regular mandated “group work” to resolve conflicts as they arise, An IC should foster close interpersonal relationships, Relationships should develop naturally, not thru team building exercises or mandated group circles

My gender + number:

Female

Genders welcome in IC:

Non-binary, Male, Female

My current couple situation:

I'm single or divorced, I'm available

Couple situations welcome in IC:

Committed closed partnership(s) (e.g., married monogamous couples), Single (not in a committed closed partnership), Available somewhat (e.g., in open relationship), Not available (e.g., you're okay if you're not going to be a threat to my primary relationship)

My sexual orientation:

Monogamous, Straight

Sexual identities welcome in IC:

Heterosexual (straight), Cisgender (gender aligns with natal sex), Monogamous (committed to a single sexual partner), LGBTQ+ (non-normative gender identity and/or same-sex attraction)

Sex & intimacy norms in IC:

Celibate community, Pre-determined by proscribed religious doctrine, with community accountability, Primarily left to the individual to determine, with the understanding that personal choices can impact community culture, A topic discussed with curiosity and respect, allowing for experimentation around what works for the community

Physical affection:

I selectively enjoy hugs; I lean more toward the physically reserved side, It depends

Children in IC:

Children are welcome but not a necessity (not a dealbreaker issue)

Other people’s children:

I want to be in a setting in which all feel a responsibility for well-being of children in the community, Children are the responsibility of their parents, so any shared care needs to be agreed on between individuals

Behavior correction:

Parents shouldn't be offended if other adults respectfully question their child(ren)'s behavior, Parents shouldn't allow their child(ren) to be loud and disruptive in group settings

Dogs:

Indoor dog(s) okay, Indoor dog(s) okay if non-shedding, Indoor dog(s) okay if some rooms are off limits, Outdoor dog(s) okay, Outdoor dog(s) okay if not frequent barkers

Cats:

Indoor cat(s) okay, Outdoor cat(s) okay

Pets or farm animals I have or want:

I have a dog. She’s an indoor pet. Outdoors she is on leash unless in fenced play or run area in which she can be off leash. She is very social and enjoys other dogs and people alike.

Special food needs:

Strongly prefer home-processed foods, Strongly prefer a high quality of food preparation

Plant-based or not:

Fish okay, Cage-free eggs okay, Small local dairy products okay, Conventional milk products okay, Certified-humane meat okay, Conventional meat products okay, Everyone makes their own food choices even when eating together

Organic:

Commitment to all organic, Organic non-certified is okay, Commitment to local-grown as much as possible, Commitment to non-GMO

Shared meals:

Prefer shared meals daily, Prefer shared meals weekly or monthly, Shared meals are necessary community glue, Shared meals are necessary for efficiency and low cost

Medical risk bubbles:

I can commit to taking extra precautions for others in a high-risk category, I can live with or work physically close to people who do not take precautions against infection, allergy, or injury

Pandemic norms:

Maintain strict social distancing and masks outside the IC, Sanitize hands frequently in the IC, Sanitize hands frequently in public, Vaccinated, Masks only when in public and mandated, Keep good health practices for good immune function

Health conditions:

I live with bipolar disorder and manage it through regular medication, exercise and my support animal (my dog). Fresh air and time in nature and Art making help me manage my illness. I also have some osteoarthritis in my hip. It limits speed and distance I can walk as well as limits standing time and other physical demands or activities.

Noise level:

A quiet serene living space should be the norm, One quiet space should be reserved for those who need to focus on work, One space should be available for those who like to have videos or games on frequently, Different noise tolerance can be managed by having designated times for noise and quiet

Sleep:

I’m a late riser, I keep an early bedtime, My sleep is easily disturbed so I need quiet at night

Sleep needs & noise:

N.a.

Comfort & convenience:

I like my cushy life, I cannot tolerate extreme temperatures, I enjoy a rugged life and hard physical work, I can participate in a rugged life and hard physical work, I can participate with others who do not tolerate rugged life or extreme temperatures

Tech savvy:

I'm about average with tech use

Wifi:

I must have wifi on 24/7, I need to be consistently connected to wifi during work hours

Off-grid:

Is the plan, Is a workable option, Is workable part time, Is okay but not necessary, Is not the plan if it doesn't work for others I want to be in community with

Leisure time:

Nature walks and photography, art making- painting, printmaking, sculpture, cooking and baking, spa visits, Reiki practice, meditation, reading poetry and essays, learning Hebrew language, learning Kabbalah

Films, books, music, podcasts, shows:

Anything “Star Wars”, Dune, The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies, Harry Potter, The Princess Bride, Wide range of musical tastes and appreciations of genres of music, The Big Bang Theory, Gardening and home reno and interior design shows like Fixer Upper.

Extroversion (under 50% means more introverted than average):

Emotional even keel (under 50% means more ups & downs than average):

Agreeableness (under 50% means less compliant or more contrary than average):

Conscientiousness (under 50% means more easygoing than average):

Open to new experiences / imagination (under 50% means more traditional than average, sticks with "tried and true"):

Tendency for dealing with others' expectations:

Upholder

Myers-Briggs (& Keirsey-Bates) temperament type:

ESFJ

Enneagram type:

One

Astrological sign(s):

Aries