Gin Bottles

We know this secluded warm pool
and every time my plane lands in your town
we agree by looks to dip a little deeper.

I’ve been marking my mother’s gin bottles,
afraid to see the levels go down...and marking
my skin as the water of us climbs me...and you

and there is the breath-held thrill that fear might
come as a cold current. But not so far, and last
time you dipped me in the words I love you.

It wasn’t a splash, just some interplay of water
waves and sound waves and time spiraling
imperceptibly as we gave space and touch.

How do I mark this?

Fear asks the question. I know you meant it
as another holon holding me against my own
demon towel. How do I let you know that,

even so, I’ll take it?

Gin bottles. I drink too much fear. In a growing
moment, I believe I can breathe underwater.
And our warm pool is space, silently expanding
after the big bang that didn’t hurt a bit.

--Wren Tuatha

Thanks for your interest in my personal assistant position. Forgive me for putting out this form letter but I prefer to lay out as many details at once so you can get an accurate idea of what I seek.

I hope you find the excitement to join me in this wonderful work!

The position is perfect for someone who wants to explore living simply in an intentional community. My assistant will be housed in whatever space is available around Heathcote. Currently, a room in our farmhouse with the possibility of moving to an outbuilding in the spring. The assistant will be integrated into the community, attending meetings, doing chores and work days and helping with cooking.

Heathcote is 9-12 or more adults and 4-6 or more kids. We have various dogs, cats and goats as well, so pet allergies could be a problem. We’re on 110 wooded acres with an historic mill as our conference center and dining/meeting hall. We’re just finishing our exciting straw bale group house! We are preparing to be the Mid-Atlantic Bioregional Center for Gaia University. We now offer Permaculture Design Courses, Zegg Forum Facilitator Trainings, discussion groups around spirituality and simple living and group meditation and yoga. We host House Concerts, Dancefree and various workshops. We have several hiking trails, a pond, a stream, a playground and several secluded places for contemplation. Interpersonally, we are committed to consensus and conflict resolution. We use tools such as Zegg Forum, Non-Violent Communication and Imago. Our homeschooled kids practice community-building skills in our Open Classroom. You can learn more about us at:

www.Heathcote.org

This assistant job is a true catchall, with the goal of making me more efficient in my many projects. You might be taking notes at a “power meeting” about a feature film in the morning and bathing my dog, cleaning house or doing my community cooking rotation in the afternoon. There may be some film sets in your future but most of my minutes are spent behind the scenes so that goes for my assistant, too.

I am Wren Tuatha, filmmaker, poet, educator, retailer. I do business as Curio Coast Productions. CCP has several active projects:

Feature Films. I have written several screenplays I market as calling cards. They include Bacca Blooms, a ghost story/murder mystery that deals with racism and homophobia in rural America; Strands of Emily, a dramedy/road movie that puts an agoraphobic, lesbian Emily Dickinson into the current day; My Second SImone, a comedy in which an underconfident filmmaker travels to Switzerland to convince her former professor to help her make a film; and This Is how She Steps on Snakes, an experimental poetry feature based on my stage play of the same name.  I have filmed two shorts, “Totems of a Road-Colored Goat,” and “Sparrow, Like Everyone,” based on my poetry.

This winter I’m scheduled to write two features, a thriller and a zombie flick, and a stage play. I will then coproduce the features with the filmmakers who brought those projects to me. I’ll also do background acting for features shooting in the region. My assistant will help with project tasks and personal tasks, freeing me up to write.

Poetry. I am an award winning, widely published poet, previously under my legal name, Dana Bloomfield. These days I still write poems but am focused on editing them into a manuscript for publication. My assistant will help edit and submit the manuscript.

Open Classroom. I work 12 hours per week with homeschoolers in a program that’s part class, part club, part group therapy. I supervise an intern who designs and implements the curriculum. My assistant will help with the details of recruiting more students. S/he may also assist the intern in my absence. She may research topics, help move furniture and help with logistics as needed.

Heathcote Earthings. I have a cooperative business selling jewelry I make, as well as fair trade gifts and notions made from natural and recycled materials. I encourage an ethic of having fewer things but nicer things. I sell at festivals, street fairs, state & county fairs and special events. My assistant will be involved in most aspects of this business, from scheduling appearances to set up and break down to selling, and if desired, making product.

Skills/Qualities Required. Detail oriented. Great follow-through. Computer literate--Mac a plus, Professional phone voice and people skills. Outgoing and fun/high energy with the public. Task-focused. Enthusiastic. Good with pets and children. Good lifting mechanics. Healthy. Flexible. Communicative. Mature. Strong work ethic. Self disciplined. Able to multi task under pressure. Available for travel. Willing to keep confedentiality.

The Hours. The position is 40 hours per week, averaged. There will be evening and weekend hours so we’ll work out a schedule around events. I am very flexible about working around everyone’s needs, including off time, but once a commitment is made, I don’t care for frequent renegotiation. A few of the 40 hours count as “community hours,” benefiting Heathcote, but the bulk improve CCP. The duration of the position is flexible. The first 30 days are a mutual trial period. Heathcote has approved the position for a 3 month trial. Beyond that, the job is open ended.

Compensation.  My assistant will be housed in simple, rustic quarters--a room in a group house or a one room shack, rent paid by CCP. Furniture can be provided as needed or s/he can bring personal furnishings. I prefer my assistant to have dependable transportation but we can arrange to share my car. All meals & snacks on the job and at Heathcote will be covered by CCP. Heathcote is a vegetarian facility but the assistant is welcome to choose another diet off site. Business mileage on your vehicle will be reimbursed. I’ll pay a monthly stipend, $100 to start, which I’ll grow quickly as CCP income increases--This is tied closely to growing Open Classroom recruitment and Heathcote Earthings shows, rather than film windfalls.

Application Process. Although this is not an internship, we are using that model and process. Heathcote strongly recommends a visit during your application process, although we can do your interview by phone in case of hardship.  Visit

http://www.heathcote.org/internships.shtml

and read how to apply at the bottom of the page. Send your application, resume and references to

info@heathcote.org.

To answer what “internship” you’re applying for, put “personal assistant”. This will be forwarded to me and the other members of the internship committee. I’ll then arrange for an interview, in which I’ll ask questions specific to the job. I contact your references. I then make my recommendation to the committee, which makes a recommendation to the community at our next Thursday night business meeting. If it’s a full agenda, it make take 1-3 weeks to have a decision. I’ll then contact you.

Good Luck! Thanks for your interest!

Wren Tuatha