Ha Ha! Privacy Issues...that was a good one! Oh, and Charlie, I agree about "Interviewing new members". Actually we had a reasonably high turnover at our house, and I remember at least 8 or 9 "interviews".

About four or five of our members felt that "Privacy" was a Capitalistic Oppressor type concept, and said that every room whether occupied or not should be open to anyone to just 'walk in'. It was suggested that when anyone had any extra cash, they'd just plunk it into the big coffee can in the kitchen....to be used by anyone who needed it. Naturally the folks who had JOBS weren't terribly thrilled with this....especially when the standard excuse for taking money was "hadda buy dope".

Naturally, after about six months, a hierarchy formed itself with an "earth mother" rising to the top of the heap. She made herself indespensable to the group in many ways, often keeping us just this side of anarchy. We called her "Big Lynda" and I have no idea whether her ascent was the result of strategy, or natural selection. I know one thing though; She was smart enough to have a series of rotating male "consorts". When she'd choose a new one, the old one would become a sort of "boyfriend Emeritus".

When our communal 'house of cards' finally came crashing down, it was shortly after Big Lynda chose one of the other women to be her "consort". There was instant hostility from both the male and female members of the house...it had nuthin' to do with 'anti-gay' sentiments, but everything to do with some kind of "primal balance" thing. Shortly after, people just seemed to move on. I have to admit that even for a 'non-communal' kind of person (I thought I was communal at first) it was an amazing time.

Rick