I’m a 67 year old man just wanting to see what all ICs are in the NW and what their details are, from locations & names to purposes & procedures. While I understand I may be too old to join any such community I'm still interested in the history and current affairs of those, and other, communities.
I spent a wonderful year or so at Alpha Farm near Deadwood, Oregon in 2004-2005. In late 2003 I had heard of Alpha and its consensus decision making way of life. I was interested in seeing and learning the process and, having just gotten out of a job that was all about resolving customer issues and mollifying state agencies when customers filed complaints with them, I was interested in learning a non-adversarial way of deciding issues. So I contacted Caroline and applied to be her student. I had no idea if I wanted to take it any farther than knowledge for knowledge's sake, (and had to reassure her main student/protoge'/fellow farm owner Lysbeth Borie that I was not out to replace her). I was there while Jim and Caroline were both still alive and in fact stayed in the "New House" with them in one of the side bedrooms with its own entrance.
As it was the only way to learn from Caroline herself I agreed to prepare as though I was planning to be a backup for Caroline and Lysbeth. It was my first, and so far only, exposure to that way of life; not just the consensus studies but also working on other parts of the farm since no one was allowed to spend more than 3 days a week in their chosen vocation.
As for what I want to do now, despite what you've forced me to choose, (seeking or being a representative of an existing community, along with the only 4 reasons given below), I don't have money except what I get from Social Security but it's enough to take short trips around Oregon as well as northern California and southern Washington. And while visiting such places maybe I'll actually find a community – intentional or otherwise – where I’d like to spend my last years. If not I’ll still consider the journeys and exposures a worthwhile and, hopefully, enjoyable experience.