Your Interest in Pinterest

What is cohousing?  
This has to be the most asked question in cohousing.  Now I have a tool that — oh my — even beats out Google. It’s Pinterest which I, along with about a zillion other people,  have discovered judging by the number of categories under “cohousing” the number of “pinners” and the number of “boards.” 

And, thankfully, so.  

For awhile, I was trying to aggregate photos and information around certain categories in cohousing for the Mid Atlantic Cohousing website.

Not anymore.  Why bother when there are established categories with curated boards available right on- line instantaneously available?
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At the Pinterest  home page, in the search box, I typed in the ubiquitous question “What is cohousing?”   A beautiful page opened up with an array of options to explore.  At the top of the page it included that very popular and well-received graphic from Great Britain -- “Cohousing 2.0” — it’s impossible to reproduce on a website — I know — I tried.  I contacted the company twice for permission to reproduce the graphic (rather than just a link) but no response from the company.  Here it is.  This page also yielded Ross Chapin’s Pocket Neighborhoods, The Cheesecake Cohousing Consortium for growing older together,  a look at Berlin’s Radical R50 Baugruppen Project (another project that made the popularity rounds a couple of months ago). 

With apologies to Zero Mostel and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” -- Something for Everyone on Pinterest Tonight!

If you type in “cohousing” at the Pinterest search box, you will come up with 56+ categories to search including articles, green, Italia, buildings, kitchens, garden, plans, seniors, ideas, concept … as I said: something for everyone.  

Curiously, there is no category for “Common House”.  You will find many boards, pins and pinners about Common Houses under the category “Common.”  One of the ones I like in this category is a collection from google.ca  — a Canadian Google search compilation.  Yes, Pinterest compiles Google Searches by pinners (nomenclature for the people who post collections to Pinterest.)

The collections include videos, photos, web pages, some audio, sketches, etc.
Do you use Pinterest in your marketing and outreach efforts?  How do you use it?  How has that worked for you?  Do you have some tips to share about using this resource?  Send your thoughts, comments and suggestions to Ann.  Include contact information.

Saturday, March 5, 2016, tour Takoma Village Cohousing in Washington, DC.  Sign up via Washington DC Area Meetup.

Saturday, February 20, 2016 come out for the Visitor Day at Heathcote Community!  Freeland, Maryland.

Heathcote Community, a 50-year old intentional community and permaculture demonstration farm, is seeking proposals from families or groups who would like to be Associate Members of Heathcote and rent Heathcote’s farmhouse for a year.

From the CohoUS website

Saturday, April 30, 2016 Have you registered for the unique opportunity to promote your community along with others around the country through the National Cohousing Open House Day ?

This will be a great way to strengthen the bonds within and between communities while lengthening your waiting lists and filling openings. It will help generate new interest nationwide as well, thus more communities can emerge over time. Sign up using this form.

Aging Better Together: May 20-21, 2016Salt Lake City, UtahDiscover how you can live a powerful purposeful life in cohousing!The conference holds the keys to creating a highly functioning senior friendly cohousing community. You will learn how to get started, meet the people who can help make it happen, and discover best practices from others who have already made the journey.
There is something for everyone - those exploring the idea, newly forming groups or existing communities with aging members.

Do you have an announcement?  Send your info to Ann using the standard 5-Ws:  Who, What, Where, When, Why + contact info!

EDI BITS

Always Something Going on in the Common House!

"You never know who will show up or what you'll learn," says Jay KapLon about a skillshare evening he and wife, Nancy,  host once or twice a month at Eastern Village Cohousing in Silver Spring, Maryland.  Unlike the BIG skillshare events held in cities across the U.S., this home-grown skillshare is held in the EVC Common House. People bring crafts, repairs, skills to learn and skills to teach.  They've taught each other sewing and shoe repair. They've even learned how to repair lamps.   It's low key with folks dropping in and out during the evening. Abundant hot chocolate and munchies round out the fun.   Wanna learn more? Email Jay!

Do you have a regular or semi-regular event in your Common House you'd like to share?  Send info to Ann.   Please include details and contact information.

Up?  Down?  Where will interest rates be in 2016?

Inquiring minds want to know!  Here are two "experts" in an posting in Urban Turf  forecasting interest rates to stay in the low to mid 4% range. ​

Tiny Spaces Deserve BIG Solutions

From DWELL Magazine ... eight devices that transform small spaces into lux living.  Be sure to click on the URL in each one -- takes you to more photos. The Air Stream trailer:  a feat of engineering and design.

HUH?