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Kengage

Gen X (45-60)

Male + dependent(s)

Poughkeepsie, NY U.S.

Speed of commitment:

Fast: Open to a situation that takes everyone being all-in from the start (with contracts & clarity), In between: Open to a commitment after a defined time for a trial run, Slow: Open to a situation where trust can build over time

IC types I would live in or am forming:

Cohousing: private residences around shared space, Ecovillage or agrihood, Farm or ranch, LGBTQ+ focused, Life partner also into community, Multi-house collective (resource-sharing among houses not adjacent), Off-grid, Resource-sharing or income-sharing commune, Single-parent shared housing, Tiny homes community

Food production:

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

IC seeker or founder/resident:

IC curious: I’m new to this, so I’m investigating what might be a fit for me.

Service-based IC (population served):

In-system foster kids, Learning disability, Low income LGBTQ+, Low income elderly, Low income families with children, Mild to moderate mental illness, Refugee resettlement

Service-based IC (services offered):

Long term shelter, Permanent residence, Provides support services possibly including paid work opportunities for the selected group(s)

Vulnerable population as a proportion of residents:

All

Residential proximity:

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

Ownership types:

Co-operative (collectively owned separate houses or apartments), Join an established IC to learn and possibly stay, Joint land purchase to subdivide, hold shares, or hold "tenancy in common", Multi-house collective (shared resources, but houses have separate ownership or are separate rentals), Rent-to-own with shared housing or shared land, Rented with shared housing or shared land

Reasons for shared housing or land:

Ecological sustainability to reduce carbon footprint, Friendship and sharing activities, Having a “chosen family” to share good times and support each other thru hard times, Having social interaction while limiting the amount of influence or interaction with society, Helping each other with childcare, Lower cost of living, Shared land, shared community hub such as gardens or meeting space, but not shared housing), Sharing meals and chores, Sharing resources (spaces, equipment, tools, vehicles, gardens), Working together in a business (e.g., remote location)

Décor of shared areas:

A consistent aesthetic theme is important, Decisions based on practical utility and durability, Prefer furniture & decor that's kid-or-pet friendly (used or easily replaceable)

Clutter level of shared living areas or work space:

Average level of "lived in" look, Creativity in progress (translate: not tidy in designated work space), Super tidy at diagnosable OCD level, Tidy in shared spaces, with a designated place for things

Cleanliness level (germs & crumbs):

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

Yard or landscaping:

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

Neighborhood or scenery:

Clean well maintained urban or suburban surroundings are a priority worth paying extra for, Nature scenery is a priority worth paying extra for

Current city, town, or county:

Poughkeepsie

Nation(s) of current residence:

U.S.

Preferred regions worldwide:

U.S. northeast region

Population density:

Remote, Rural, Small town, Suburban or exurban

Ideal location(s):

Rural, nearby Poughkeepsie, Hudson Valley, NY

Commitment to my current location:

Committed to location because of friendship and/or extended family, Must stay in current location for childrens school or co-parenting

Relocation capacity:

Committed to the current general location for the foreseeable future

State, province, or region:

New York (NY)

Resource sharing:

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

My socioeconomic status:

Low income

Leisure and lifestyle:

Somewhat frugal about leisure and entertainment expenditures

Leadership availability:

I'm willing to join as part of a core leadership team

Roles and responsibilities:

Flexible responsibilities are often best, which aren't assigned or micromanaged, In a reciprocal relationship you give about as much as you get, but it happens without keeping track, In a small family-like group, the saying applies, “to each according to their need, from each according to their abilities"

Common practical skills:

Bookkeeping, Carpentry & repair, Childcare, Farm animal care, Gardening or crop cultivation, Grant-writing, Organizing & labeling

Experience or schooling:

Activism & organizing, Animal training or care, Business management, Carpentry & construction, English language proficiency, Event planning & management, Marketing, Outdoor survival skills (e.g., hunting, foraging, fire starting), Political science & history, Psychology, Website design

Occupation(s) and expertise:

care coordination and social services

Years lived in an IC:

No experience, but determined to make it work

Professional certifications or degrees:

MPA

Generation:

Gen X (45-60)

Generations intended in IC:

Gen A (born 2013 – 2024), Gen X (born 1965 – 1980), Gen Z (born 1997 – 2012), Millennial (born 1981 – 1996), Older boomer (born 1946 – 1954), Younger boomer (born 1955 – 1964)

Number of grade-school children:

Number of working adults:

Alcohol (tolerable rules):

Should be regulated by group decision only if it becomes problematic

Tobacco smoking (tolerable rules):

Should not be allowed on the premises, Should only be allowed outdoors

Cannabis (tolerable rules):

Should be allowed after work hours, Should be allowed in designated areas only, Should be allowed with medical prescription, Should be regulated by group decision only if it becomes problematic

Psychedelics (tolerable rules):

Legal psychedellics are okay if not disrupting to others, Should be allowed by those authorized to use them for ceremonial purposes

Illegal recreational drugs (tolerable rules):

Should not be policed by the community, as long as no minors are involved and others are not negatively impacted

Overnite guests (tolerable rules):

Should be allowed in designated guest areas, Should be subject to group decision only if it becomes problematic, Should not be a concern of the community, as long as everyone's privacy is respected

Daytime visitor access (tolerable rules):

Should be restricted to guest areas or residence of host, Should not be restricted after certain individuals or visitor types are approved, Should require that community is informed of planned visits

Nudity (tolerable rules):

Should be limited to private rooms or private residences (as is the norm outside the IC), Should be permitted within designated areas of the IC (e.g., a gated hot tub), Should be welcome and discussed through the governance process, to consider each individual’s preferences

Required disclosures:

Background check for landlord/tenant disputes, Credit check, Current addictions even if under treatment, On sex offender registry, Past felony conviction

Religious or spiritual practice-based IC:

No mandate of adherence to shared religious beliefs and practices

My religious beliefs or practices:

Agnostic

Practices welcome in IC:

12 steps (from AA, NA, etc.), Agnostic, Astrology, Atheist, Buddhist, Native American / First Nations, New Age (mix), New Thought (law of attraction), Pagan, Rastafarian

Ecological preservation ethics:

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

Size of community:

11 to 20, 21 to 50, 6 to 10, Under 6

Sense of togetherness:

An IC should foster close interpersonal relationships, An IC should have regular opportunities to encourage all to share their feelings, Relationships should develop naturally, not thru team building exercises or mandated group circles

My gender identity:

Male

Genders welcome in IC:

AFAB, AMAB, Female, Male, Non-binary

My current couple situation:

I'm available, I'm single or divorced

Couple situations welcome in IC:

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

My sexual orientation:

Bisexual, Gay, Monogamous, Non-monogamous, Polyamorous

Sexual identities welcome in IC:

LGBTQ+ (non-normative gender identity and/or same-sex attraction)

Sex & intimacy norms in IC:

A topic discussed with curiosity and respect, allowing for experimentation around what works for the community, Primarily left to the individual to determine, with the understanding that personal choices can impact community culture

Physical affection:

I am a big hugger; I’m affectionate even with people I don't know well, I enjoy hugs and lean toward the easily affectionate side, It depends

My availability for physical intimacy:

Consensual recreational sex is okay with me, depending, Want to take it really slow to be sure a commitment can last, Want to take it slow, be friends before more involvement

Dependent(s):

+ dependent(s)

Socioeconomic status:

Limited resources and income due to disability but able to do work within a community.

Racial or ethnic identities:

Multi-racial family here.

Diversity beliefs or intentions:

prefer a diverse community with a focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC people.

Children in IC:

Children are welcome but not a necessity (not a dealbreaker issue), Children are welcome if 8 or older and well-behaved (e.g., remote work group without childcare), I have dependent child(ren) living with me and I am only seeking community with other families with children

Children present in household:

Part time, approximately half

Other people’s children:

Children are the responsibility of their parents, so any shared care needs to be agreed on between individuals, I am open to a community of free-range children who are allowed to roam the majority of community spaces unsupervised, I am open to sharing child-care responsibilities such as carpooling or swapping child-care, I want to be in a setting in which all feel a responsibility for well-being of children in the community

Behavior correction:

Parents shouldn't allow their child(ren) to be loud and disruptive in group settings, Parents shouldn't be offended if other adults respectfully question their child(ren)'s behavior, Parents shouldn't have to micro-manage their child(ren) for the benefit of adults around them

Children sheltered from:

Drug use, Guns, Sexual behavior or images, Violent images or lyrics

Screen time (acceptable rules):

No screen time or content limits, Screen time and content limits are up to individual families, Screen-free locations agreed on as a group, Screen-free times agreed on as a group to encourage outdoor play with peers

Schooling:

Homeschool, Private school, Public school

Dogs:

Indoor dog(s) okay, Indoor dog(s) okay if non-shedding, Indoor dog(s) okay if small, Not applicable, with separate residences each household decides, Outdoor dog(s) okay

Cats:

Indoor cat(s) not okay, Not applicable, with separate residences each household decides, Outdoor cat(s) okay

Farm animals or pets I have or want:

I have 2 small dogs. Interested in goats, ducks, rabbits, pigs for food and work and horses for fun and work.

Farm animals or pets:

Chickens, Cows, Ducks, Fish pond, Geese, Goats, Horses, Pigs, Rabbits, Sheep, Turkeys

Special food needs:

Avoid over-processed foods with unpronounceable ingredients, Strongly prefer a high quality of food preparation, Strongly prefer freegan, Strongly prefer home-processed foods

Plant-based or not:

Cage-free eggs okay, Certified-humane meat okay, Everyone makes their own food choices even when eating together, Fish okay, Mostly vegan, Mostly vegetarian, Strictly vegan (no animal products), Strictly vegetarian (no meat or fish)

Organic:

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

Shared meals (acceptable norms):

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, Shared meals should be optional

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:

Keep good health practices for good immune function, Maintain strict social distancing and masks outside the IC, Only normal hygiene within the IC; no extra precautions, Sanitize hands frequently in public, Sanitize hands frequently in the IC, Vaccinated

Health conditions:

Depression and Anxiety

Accommodations needed:

Mental health disability or condition, Severe allergy to cats, Severe mold sensitivity

Noise level:

A lively social environment should be the norm, A quiet serene living space should be the norm, Different noise tolerance can be managed by having designated times for noise and quiet, Just keep it down enuf that neighbors don't complain, 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, Parents with children shouldn't have to constantly keep them quiet

Sleep:

I keep a late bedtime, I’m a late riser, I’m not very consistent with my waking and bedtimes, My sleep is easily disturbed so I need quiet at night

Comfort & convenience:

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

Tech savvy:

I’m pretty good troubleshooting tech

Internet connection & phone signal:

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

Off-grid:

Is a workable favored option, Is the definite only plan

Political orientation:

Progressive left

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

31%

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

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

71%

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

57%

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

84%

Enneagram type:

2w1 - The Helper

Astrological sign(s):

Taurus

Weaknesses and superpowers:

Direct communication, finding things that can and should be improved upon, innovation and change.

Dealbreakers:

indoor cats, poor hygiene, judgmental people, passive people, poor communication skills