How to dissappear...

5 or so years ago, when I moved into this neighborhood, Pete Leki gave me a copy of a book.  In this book, a community living by the river grows.  More sharing, more interaction, more music.  Someday, I hope that we can share this book with more new friends...  in it, the community puts money earned in specially marked garbage cans and uses it to buy property to expand the neighborhood. 

Last night we continued a conversation with Ted Ernst, whom Kevin and I met at a C3 meeting.  (a program with the city's Dept of Environment).  My friends and I invited Ted to dinner to learn about how the HUB co-op works and to discuss what we might want to do here as we transform our home into a proper coop. When Bobby and I bought the house late last summer, we shared the dream of finding others to join in ownership and making it a home for people who are also working with our commmunity group, Beyond Today.  Perhaps even keeping room available for discounted intern housing. 

So last night we learned alot.  And I think one of the really exciting things is actually how positive a response this creates in people who hear of it.   From Kevin we learned that retirement money can be invested in a company which purchases property.  This way, neighbors who feel that they would rather not invest in the stock market (for ethical reasons) could take 5 or 10 thousand and invest it in this neighborhood run company- so that when a building or house goes up for sale, the neighborhood could purchase it.  This neighborhood company could manage the properties in an environmentally and socially concious way.  I've already shared this idea with some neighbors and friends.  Some simply said, "yes, let's do it" others said "we should get experts in to teach us about this and then hold a meeting to present what kind of shares would be available and the paperwork" (paraphrasing).  This whole project, to me, is about faith and trust and love for our community's dedication to our mission of environmentalism.  I would feel proud to give my power (money) to the neighborhood environmental company... 

But back to the task at hand... Last night, Ted spoke of many useful new ways to improve communication in our community.  We have an issue with the webite and email coming from one person (me).  I do my best to channel everyone's input to both, but it's not the best as far as decentralization goes.   It's also a weakness.  So Ted spoke of looking into installing Wordpress, which would help us to allow more of our neighbors to add to the website, - it would be kind of half-blog, half-webite -if I am understanding correctly...  And also allow neighbors to update the calendar by setting it up like the one on wikimaas. 

Glad to expand my circle of friends ... Ok, enough computer for one morning.. we have another green dinner tonight.  and there's much to do before then.  J.