I'm someone who has been considering and learning about intentional communities for a couple of years now. We've visited several in Portland, but we want to live outside Multnomah Co, in Washington Co. or Clackamas Co. which basically means suburbs. We can't go too far out because I'm a person with differences (disabilities) who needs public transit, so the suburbs it is for us. I've made some good headway on my goal of becoming decent at
gardening this year, I've been learning a lot, even though all I have to work with is a patio (we live in an apartment right now), so growing veggies in pots, helping my MIL with projects at her house almost an hour southeast of us when we visit, and learning everything I can in order to become better at everything.
My top 5 values I seek in community are:
Personal liberty, collaborative cooperation, personal responsability, respect and kindness, and connection with Creation/nature.
About us: I do Celtic, fantasy, folk and shanty singing at Renaissance faires, fantasy festivals, pirate campouts, artisan markets, etc. I also have a booth at an antique mall, as well as doing some mental health peer support work. My husband currently works at the grocery store, but will be starting his 6-month cyber security
course soon, time for a career change. I'm extraverted and he's what we call a social intravert. We're both Christians, we camp in the warm months, love being in the
water, he's at the beginning of learning to play the hurdy gurdy and he's a great cook. He enjoys learning how to do new things and learn new skills. We're trying to do more subsistance things, namely fishing, tried crabbing this year, etc.
We definitely are unique people who don't fit into cookie-cutter molds that some might think we ought to fit into. I really enjoy the Inside Community podcast and that's how I learnt about
Wheaton Labs and got interested in joining Permies. Do I want to start a central-leader community like Paul? Not necessarily, I could go either route, that way or forming something with friends, or, perhaps, joining something that already exists if we can find something we would fit into. We might even be willing to cross the Columbia and do Clark Co. in WA if its the right situation.
