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Hello:

We have a few items this time around and I hope that this newsletter finds you well and keeping hope alive. I know that keeping ones spirits up is important and challenging, especially now as well as during the past several years. I won't preach to the choir or lambaste anyone, however satisfying that might be, but rather emphasize the need for real "self" defense. I mean to say keeping your own peace inside you, no matter the externals and the habits of mind that you have. If you are not at peace, calm and "together" inside it makes it that much more difficult to meet the challenges that day to day life throw at you.

There are many techniques, as many as there are people it would seem. Meditating is a matter of focusing on peace, relaxing the breath, the mind and calming the emotional oceans that may rage within. If you have any interest in art or other expressions, this is also a means to release and relax. I used to take what I called "hour vacations". I would go to some part of town that I had never been in and go for a walk. I would let myself have an hour when I would not work on anything, plan anything or do anything. It was a way of recharging and becoming more able to cope with stress.

Also, I would like to do chats at set times. If there are any suggestions for that I am open to letting anyone know

Some other interesting news items, between the YahooGroup and my emailing list I estimate that there are nearly 170 persons on those lists combined. Also the polls we've had up for some time have stabilized. This means we know what we want to some degree. The polls will stay open, however, but soon we should accept and analyze the results and decide to make them ours.

Thanks so much Dan

I updated some of the information on our profile at the F.I.C..'s website. No major changes just some odds and ends.

The directory: http://directory.ic.org/

The site: http://www.ic.org/pnp/cdir/1995/01kozeny.html

Again, seasons bet from us both, Wendy and Dan

Community of Light

We want to co-create a community in a rural area, grow a good portion of our own food, create a profitable cottage industries, and so be self employed. We would keep well the land that we live on and engage in right livelihood. We also want to contribute to the community around us and so benefit our society. Ideally, we would want to be near enough to a good sized town maybe some 50,000 or so, a college community would be something to consider. We could each use our talents, abilities, or professions to provide for ourselves as well extent help to others.

You are all welcome to express your ideas about what our community should be. We are, after all, the persons who will make it up.

There are a lot of ideas that we've discussed but I want everyone to know that what is or has been in issues are meant as working concepts. This whole idea is a work in progress and so let us know what you think.

If you have not been to the Community of Lights web page we now have a listing of communities that are forming. It may be educational to visit some of those sites to see what's new in the community universe See the links at: Community of Light

Thanks, Dan and Wendy

Email Address: creative1@creativeideasforyou.com

These are the introductions from persons that have written us since the last issue. Please go to Subscriber's Profiles if you would like to see the profiles we have on file currently. Some but not all of these people may have additional information there.

Tim Robertson ………. scotchrobertson@gmail.com

A great amount of the many expressed "ideas and ideals" for a community on your site have been a culminating source of my own dreams and vision as well. I won't go into any real detail now, but I would like to take the first step of expressing a shared interest in and kindred spirit toward what this ambition is all about.

Shannon Putnam ………. s_putnam@yahoo.com

I want nothing more than to work for my brothers and sisters with the same expectation from them. I have visited a couple of farms including Alpha Farm in Deadwood, Oregon and Twin Oaks in Louisa, VA. Though both of those were completely amazing, I want to live closer to San Fran right now. Well if you are as interested in me as I am you, feel free to contact me. Much Love, Shannon Putnam

Joe Abrams ………. jdbrms@pacbell.net

I am encouraged by your listing stating support of spiritual practice because I am a practicing Zen Buddhist and appreciate an environment conducive to regular sitting meditation. I am also very aligned with the development of cottage industries, especially because of my familiarity with the works of E.F. Schumacher. And also because I am a creator of practical art and because I have for the most part dropped out of the modern economic system that relies on consumerism

Jesse ………. jesdive@comcast.net

I would love to be a part of a group such as this one day. My boyfriend and I have been saving to buy land and build a sustainable "house." We are both a bit fanatically about the sources of our food and the connection between

Dirk Ruff ………. dirklruff@gmail.com

Hi,

I am quite interested in your life concept. I searched the web for a communal living situation, being tired of living in the rat race of our society for over a half-century. I am 54 and my wife has recently passed away. I came to Colorado to eventually retire in the Rockies. I am intelligent, well adjusted and have proven to be very cooperative, humble and caring toward others. I have many, many skills related to construction, maintenance and home building as well. food and overall health.

idaho_hippee ………. idaho_hippee@yahoo.com

50yo lady nurse co-op dream: we all have strength skill ability a strong

family/friends can be built upon in peace & harmony.

Graham ………. grolston@ku.ed

I am a 21-year old from Kansas City, planning to move to San Francisco. I am looking to free my spirit and hopefully help free others as well. I am looking to participate in an intentional community and this looks like a good one.

Hardknocks ……….Hardknocks@windstream.net

This was addressed to me but someone of us may know what he needs to know

I am looking for a place near Vancouver, Can. Know you have looked around the west coast considerably. Looking for the remote house or cabin.

Have you happened to see anything good up that way?

Just wondering, John Coleman

eddyricka ………. eddyricka@hotmail.com

Offered some kind words of support, thanks so much!

She also wrote:

I think a chat room would be great they are easy to set up so let me know for sure. thanks again for your newsletters. I enjoy the connection out here in the sticks where...la la la the deer and the antelope play, and the elk and the moose, and the bear and coyote and wolves W.L.

I would like to do chats at set times. If there are any suggestions for that I am open to letting anyone know Dan

Pace Pace ……… minnesinger5@yahoo.co.nz

A summary of what was written talks about communities he's heard about "Sieben Linden" in Eastern Germany, a place in the Kärnten area of southern Austria and some projects in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Jason ……… munkiman4u@yahoo.com

This is an excerpt from a longer letter, food for thought:

Nothing seems more clear to me then not only sharing the load mentally, physically and emotionally, but the land itself and it's resources. That we must base an entire community on resources and not on wealth. But how does a person do such a thing when everything around him or her is based on the fluffy financial schemes really meant to divide people?

Most communal type projects consist of sharing with towns a surplus of goods brought forth from the communal labor, food products, clothes, meats etc. Perhaps in trade or perhaps in exchange of the dollar, but the biggest problem with that is trying to define the best use of the exchange. How does the individual feel benefit from such an exchange of labor? With a great deal of diverse interests and ultimately needs, communal living failures seem to hinge on the overall mentality of the group needs over the individual needs, but there's always a personal vested interest at play. So it's absolutely vital that the group is of one mind on all the subjects of benefit versus personal cost.

David ……… shdatu@adelphia.net

Dan, I have done a bit more investigating into that 1700 acre lot that I have been dreaming about. I went there yesterday and I was very surprised and even a bit impressed with what I saw. Even though it had been clear-cut by a lumber company about eight to ten years ago there are no fields or open spots of that nature but it was high and dry and has many possibilities for starting a community.

The land use regulatory commission (LURC) is in charge of what can be done on the property and I as I understand and they're very hard to deal with as well as very slow in making any type of decision. But I think I know way to get around much of their paperwork and still give everyone who lives there an opportunity to do is the please.

There's three miles of lake frontage on the property and there are no other camps or structures on the entire lake. This will greatly minimize the amount of neighbors that may complain about our lifestyles. The property is all unorganized territory as is the property to the north. And to the south and the east is the main public land preserve or reserve. On the west side of the property there is access to public utilities that come by way of telephone poles. There's also a gigantic communication tower which overlooks the entire lot. It was big enough to have stairs to climb to the top but I was too scared to make the trip so I missed out on some great pictures. Maybe next time.

I was hoping you still might have an interest in sharing the property? I was also hoping you might know someone that is good at applying for grant money? The other thing I thought you might know or have some idea about, is roughly how many acres of property it might take to grow, farm, or raise whatever is needed to support 500 to 1000 people?

Just an added note, access to the ocean is only one are two miles away. There are also many small businesses and other nearby properties that have the potential of being leased or purchased for use. Or anyone that may have an interest in making a living from the sea would not have to travel far to get there.

The "asking" price is $2,000,000. (2MIL) for a 1700 acre lot with 3 miles of lake frontage on Narraguagus lake (I have to look it up every time I spell it).

A very easy way to give food to the hungry is to set the Hunger Site as your browser's home page. Check out the Hunger Site to see what it is about and how it works.

If you want to research intentional communities this is a good place to start.

Communities Magazine comes out regularly and is a resource for those seeking to explore communities. The directory that is a great primer in the variety of the community universe. You can write them at the address given below. This is their office address.

Communities Magazine, 138 Twin Oaks Road, Louisa VA 23093 USA or call them at: Tel/Fax: 540-894-5126. Their website is at Intentional Communities

The resources on the Northwest Intentional Communities site might be valuable. There are lists of legal documents, process advice etc. They're at: http://www.ic.org/nica/resource.htm

This list of places seeking members, communities forming and the like. It's at the F.I.C.'s website: http://directory.ic.org/iclist/

It might be a place to do research, who knows there may be a place within a relatively short drive.

My yahoo ID is available for use as a means to chat online. I am willing to schedule a time(s) during a given month where we could chat. I am thinking that a Saturday or Sunday would be the best time overall, however I am open to suggestions. Please advise.

If you are a member of our Yahoo group you can access the current polling data, or vote: this is the link to our group This is what we have at "press time"

Would you consider a location outside the United States?

Choices	Votes	%
Outside the U.S. preferred	2	9%
depending on country chosen	5	22%
Neutral - no preference	2	9%
would but not first choice	9	40%
NOT consider outside U.S.	4	18%

Should we have a membership fee of some kind?

Choices	Votes	%
Income of entering members	5	27%
Money making capacity of the community	13	72%

If we had an entry fee what should it be based upon?

Choices	Votes	%
Number of entering members	0	0%
Income of entering members	2	12%
Money making capacity of the community	2	12%
Other	4	25%
A share buying system	8	50%

Areas or regions we'd like to consider: (See the site for details)

Choices	Votes	%
AZ, NM, W. Texas	0	0
Cent. US: NB KS OK DA	0	0
G. Lakes, AK, MO, IL, IN,WI, KY, TN	1	6%
E. KY, E. TN, WVA, W.VA, W.,PA,	2	13%
G. Coast, FL, LA, MS, AL	1	6
E. PA, NY, NH, VT, CT, RH ME, MD	0	0
N. Idaho	1	6
NW/W OR, W. WA,	7	46%
CA, NV, UT, E. OR, E, WA, MT, CO, Wy	3	20%

What kind of climate would you want to live in?

Choices	Votes	%
Tropical	2	8%
Subtropical	5	20%
Forest	7	20%
Woodland/meadow	10	41%
Tundra	0	0%

What land locations would you like?

Choices	Votes	%
Island	14	18%
Peninsula	11	14%
Land bound w/coast	15	19%
land bound no coast	12	15%
High altitude	13	16%
Low altitude	12	15%

What sorts of things would you want to use the land for?

Choices	Votes	%
Farming	20	13%
Raising livestock	14	9%
Raising feed crops	11	7%
Hunting	6	4%
Gathering	16	11%
Fishing	14	9%
Utilitarian crops	10	6%
Fruit bearing trees	23	16%
Lumber/milling	5	3%
Water/solar for alt. power	24	16%

Would you consider a buy/sell/relationship with the outside world?

Choices	Votes	%
Yes	23	100%
No	0	0%

A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston , and walked timidly without an appointment in to the Harvard University President's outer office.

The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge

'We'd like to see the president,' the man said softly. 'He'll be busy all day' the secretary snapped.

'We'll wait,' the lady replied.

For hours t he secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go a way. They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted.

'Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave,' she said to him!

He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.

The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple. The lady told him, 'We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus.'

The president wasn't touched. He was shocked. 'Madam,' he said, gruffly, 'we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery.'

'Oh, no,' the lady explained quickly 'We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.'

The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, 'A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard.'

For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.

The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, 'Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?'

Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.