Life in Bellingham

Summer Shakedown 2011

2011-07-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

Here is an event we are holding this weekend. Should be fun!

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Special Event: Summer Shakedown 2011 When: July, 5pm-midnight
Where: Boundary Bay Brewery

Sustainable Bellingham and the Center for Local Self Reliance, two local non-profits focused on environmental education, will be hosting the Summer Shakedown Fundraising event on July 16 at 5 p.m. at Boundary Bay Brewery on Railroad Avenue. There is a cover charge of $8 for a full evening of entertainment. Food and drinks will be sold by Boundary Bay; burgers (including veggie and salmon) will be served in the beer garden until sundown. Boundary Bay beverages will be available for purchase all night in the bar.

Confirmed musical acts include Misty Flowers, Kit Nelson, Keaton Collective and The Endorfins. A fifth act will be added, but is not yet confirmed. The concert will be an all-ages show until 10 p.m., and 21+ thereafter. A Kona WorldBike will be raffled off around 10pm. You need not be present to win, just buy a ticket for a buck. Or five for five bucks. Or twenty for twenty bucks.

Schedule
5:00pm - Kit Nelson
6:30pm - Misty Flowers
7:45pm - Announcements
8:15pm - Keaton Collective
10:00pm - Raffle
10:15pm - The Endorfins

A portion of the proceeds will go towards the ongoing restoration of the Caretaker’s House in Fairhaven - a project led by the CLSR – into a community permaculture site. The CLSR has overcome many hurdles in transforming this once abandoned building into a facility that focuses on teaching sustainable agriculture and living practices and half the proceeds from the fundraiser will support this CLSR project. The other half of the proceeds will go towards funding various projects sponsored by Sustainable Bellingham, which concentrates on community building, living ecologically-sensitive lifestyles, urban gardening, permaculture, and alternative transportation.

About Sustainable Bellingham: Sustainable Bellingham is a 501(c)3 organization with a history of over six years in Bellingham. Its loose organizational hierarchy concentrates every effort into maximizing participation in action-oriented events in the community. It is 100% volunteer. Projects center around community building and low-impact lifestyles, including re-localization, urban gardening, permaculture, alternative transportation, social justice, etc.

About the Center for Local Self Reliance: The CLSR has undertaken the project of saving and restoring the Caretaker’s House in Fairhaven for transformation into an educational facility. So far, it has shown steady improvement, although many projects lie ahead. The Boundary Bay benefit will assist funding of its many capital improvements required for both aesthetics and to bring the building up to code. These include: building a retaining wall; an ADA accessible garden for harvesting of herbs, healing and scented plants; irrigation; a front gate for the main entrance; painting the house; remodeling the kitchen; and an ADA ramp for kitchen entry.

Sustainable Bellingham and CLSR thank our SPONSORS:

Whole Energy Fuels Corp. - Whole Energy has developed one of only economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable approaches to biofuel production and distribution. Whole Energy provides BIODIESEL and alternative fuels to a growing list of satisfied customers and partners on the Pacific Coast. Declining oil reserves, global warming, national security and the health of our local industry are issues of serious concern. Our company addresses these issues and contributes toward the goal of a more secure future. We are currently partnering to work towards an Alternative Fueling Station on Cornwall St. in Bellingham.

Kona USA - Headquartered in Ferndale, Kona is all about the freedom and empowerment of the bicycle. We're dedicated to sustainable practices and are avid recyclers. We're populated by a staff of keen, active, impassioned cyclists. We're not big, nor are we that small. Just a dedicated group of cyclists making bicycles for people who love bikes-no matter if that love is new or long established. We happily help promote bicycle ridership, infrastructure and policies.

The Markets LLC - The Markets, including The Market at Lakeway, Fairhaven, Birch Bay and Anacortes, are committed to great food for everyone! We feature Really Local foods that come from no more than 35 miles away, and also support our state's artisans and growers in our Taste Washington program. We have hundreds of fresh choices for your meals, including a big variety of vegetarian, wheat- and gluten-free and vegan choices every day. Our new store at Lakeway (open now!) is a store like no other! Come see for yourself!

Another Weekend...

2011-07-13T22:39:00.001-07:00

We were lucky to have some nice June weekends. Another trip I took on my touring bike. I was lucky to scor a pair of lightly-used Schawlbe tire for a song. These proved to invaluable on my trips near and far. And I have access to a bike stand, so I regularly clean and tune this bike.

Here is a video of my next weekend trip up Mt. Baker Highway. It was wonderful trip and probably the lightest traffic and generally the most pleasant riding I've done all summer. Climbing and climbing and climbing up a forest road just past Glacier after forty or fifty miles of biking turned into a n effort in futility as I climbed three thousand feet and probably descended back down fifteen hundred to find a sloped campsite for the night.

Waking up freezing the next morning allowed a descent into Glacier (before the Wake-n-Bakery even opened) and then on to the Harvest Moon in Maple Falls. A great trip.

Return

2011-07-12T23:41:00.000-07:00

I miss writing, but someone suggested that I post events up here. Go here for that information. I write more later.

But first, I want to tell you about the wonderful adventures over the past months. I took a straight job, and bought some toys. I splurged and picked up a vintage (c.1990) Schwinn Sierra along with a B.O.B. Trailer for four hundred bucks. So this rig took me far and wide across Whatcom and Skagit Counties.

My shakedown trip was to Birch Bay State Park. Camp for the night return the following day. It's funny when you don't need to spend money on fuel, you can eat a pretty nice meal in lieu of buying gas.

Holidays

2010-12-28T22:25:00.001-08:00

It is wonderful to have warm friends in the chilly moist winter here in Bellingham when your nearest family member is a couple thousand miles away. But Christmas day was spent with the dog reading a Faulkner novel. Holy days of rest and are wondrous, although the rest of the evenings were filled with parties, camaraderie...and rest - something I woefully lack during most holidays, or life in Bellingham in general.

Not much more excitement. Other than jacking up on Vitamin D and realizing how much that can impact me, just another day in Bellingham. Glad to turn off the computer at five or six, come home, and enjoy the free time that the office job affords. So consequently, I'll probably be writing less and less and enjoying my free time more and more. I am fortunately right where I need to be in my life in Bellingham.

Life

2010-12-18T22:08:00.000-08:00

So my eyes stayed glued to a computer screen most of the day. When I get home at night, I try to do other things, such as read, sew, play guitar, cook, or many other things. Tonight, we went to see a movie at the Pickford. I've been building a pile of free passes from volunteering there, so tonight we saw 127 Hours and then to Mallards to use a gift certificate. It's nice to spend $3.25 for a night on the town.

Although I finally have a reugular job and hours, I still have retained my frugal ways developed over my economically challenged days. Last night I did buy an Edith Piaf CD at the music store. And saw a friend working there that I met a few weeks earlier. It's amazing to see the dynamic people of Bellingham just doing their jobs and loving life. It's rare I hear anyone complain about Bellingham, and few inhabitants want to "get out," unlike all other cities or towns in which I've lived. Every place had had its element of people yearning for greener pastures.

But not Bellingham. (Well other than the weather that can deteriorate your demeanor and drive you stone mad) smiles abound.

The picture above is from my bike commute to wok. Fortunately, it's only five minutes or so, and one stop light. This is the route past city hall and the library.

Pete

2010-12-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

One of my housemates back in the spring turned out to be a great friend also. Unfortunately, Pete is moving back east after his (and his wife's) efforts to earn a sustainable living in Bellingham proved futile. And this is too bad, as he is a great guy and had many, many stories to tell, including his living off the grid in Alaska and through hiking both the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. Bellingham seems to attract the nicest and most interesting people. You'll probaly never see this post, Pete, but I wish you Godspeed on your life's journey. You are a good man.

Oh well, off to a Christmas party tonight. Sort of. It's been going on for years and this is my third time atending. Fun, fun, fun.

Writing

2010-12-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, the job has over the past week or two evolved from a "Holy crap, I'm stupid and I'll never learn anything" to "wow, it's all coming together and I really can add some value to this organization." Afer hearing the horror stories in the media, and living in a town where decent paying jobs are more scarce than sunshine, I am indeed a lucky person. And the CPA Exam that I arduously studied for years ago (and passed) many someday evolve into a valid license in this state.

I haven't been writing, as my evenings are spent doing other things like reading, playing music, and generally things that I find more appealing than the tie suckage of a computer. But tonight I need to get some pivot tables done, and that means sitting at the Public Market eating a piece of pizza being content.

The picture above is one I came across of an abandoned gas station we wanted to turn into a biodiesel facility. All indications were a "go," but to deal with getting this property rezoned to a retail facility from a residential mixed-use, even though it always was a gas station. I don't understand why the City of Bellingham so diligently discourages conducting business in their city. Personally, I like the abandoned buildings lining Cornwall Avenue anyway with derelict VWs parked in front. (There's another run-down property a block up the street with a '69 Beetle in front.) At any rate, we walked away from the deal for this year, as the permitting process in this town and county makes you want to consider a place like Anacortes.

And back to my personal situation, I am quite content to be back in the stable office world. As much as I lambasted the lifestyle in my past, a regular paycheck, benefits and not working horrible hours is quite welcome too, which is why I really haven't had much desire to be on this computer any more than I need to when in the sanctity of my peaceful home.

Back to the spreadsheet.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T12:41:00.000-08:00

It turned out to be a wonderful Thanksgiving, with friends coming over and plenty of food to be had. And this year I embraced the notion of being thankful for the many things and people that I have in my life. It has been a tumultuous year regarding my livlihood, but I think good things lie ahead.

And the weekend was spent reading fiction - something that I find to be an indication that I am relaxed and can truly enjoy my down time.

Another interesting thing I began was reteaching myself how to sew. Just the sound of hearing a sewing machine I find to be very soothing and remenicent of simpler times when my mother would be sewing and mending while I conducted my youthful activities void of deadlines and stress.

At any rate, a good weekend of doing nothing. I was tempted to write earlier, but I find the time suckage spent in front of computer is pervasive when my weekend's free time is increasingly more valuable. But today, I needed to commit to getting caught up on work and installing software, so many of my daylight hours will be spent in front of this screen listening to WWOZ. At least I have a wonderful dog keeping me company, who unfortunately is feeling a bit under the weather with a stomach flu. Poor little pooch.

Snow

2010-11-21T17:15:00.001-08:00

On Friday it snowed. And when you live in a city with few, if any, plows, it turns into a challenge when the recurring freeze thaw cycle makes for treacherous conditions. And a few days each year, the temperature dips into the twenties or teens - this seems to be one such time. So today the storm windows went up, as well as the heat tape plugged in and those little pieces of wood that cover the crawl space under the house.

This picture was taken by a friend that lives up near the arboretum and has a great view of Bellingham, the bay, and the Canadian Coast Range in the background. I don't know why thirty degrees seems so much more cold here than ten or zero degrees back east. Maybe the perpetual dampness in the air has something to do with it - even on days like today when the wind kicks down from the north versus off the water.

It is days like this that I am grateful I have a warm home and a dry bed.

Wednesday we will probably see a melting and life returning to normal. I will take forty and drizzle any day over this. Brrr.

Mice

2010-11-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

The weirdest thing happened yesterday:
I went out to leave for work - opening the garage and feeding the chickens before I board my bike for the arduous five minute commute to work. When I opened the door, mice were in the chicken feed container and I caught them off guard. Two fell to the bottom of the bucket as I picked the bag of feed up and stranded them there so they could just maybe think about their actions. Two were nimble and spry.

The third (I'll call it The American) had so engorged himself on chicken feed that he could barely move across the bottom of the bucket. He looked like Augustus Gloop.

So I went to work, left the three of them there, and upon my return home found the spry one standing his fat, dead partner in crime - the little one reaching for the sky. I let the two go and threw the third gluttonous one in the brush pile. Life is fragile.

Tweed Ride

2010-11-16T22:31:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a fabulous bike ride around Bellingham dressed in British attire, riding old classic cruisers. Here is a picture taken at the gazebo in Elizabeth Park in the Columbia neighborhood. This was last Sunday, and a hundred or so cyclists so up at one point or another. I look forward to the next Tweed Ride.

But right now I need to get to bed, after I finish a business plan for someone far away in a warmer climate as I sit here sniffling decompressing from by semi-annual sojourn to the Bellis Fair Mall to realize why I come up there as little as possible (especially Roth, or Ross?, which was like a war zone - a Canadian free-for-all orgy of commerce).

Okay, since I am writing little, I will post two pictures.

Sick

2010-11-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

I think I get sick more than normal in this climate. Or maybe people are getting sicker due to the over-prescription of all the drugs in the world, or the innumerable other reasons. And biking in the rain doesn't really help too much either.

But Bellinghamsters just seem to be sick, and the sniffles through the winter is normal. This latest spell (I was told, as well as am experiencing) lasts about two weeks. Biking home sniffling in the rain I am so grateful that I have a home to come to that is warm and dry with a happy dog awaiting my return. I also empathize with those experience terminal illness that will never get better, versus my temporary discomfort.

And the notion of a health care plan is so foreign to me that I have not yet been able to fully grasp its enormity. I have worked as a consultant for many years, and your health care provider was usually the internet, as a $5,000 deductible was a bit foreboding, and seeing a doctor for things like the flu was deemed silly and not a consideration.

So being a creature of habit, I sit here with zinc tablets, some tea made with dried lemon balm (from the garden), turmeric, ginger (plenty of it) and fennel. I have a disdain and distrust for western medicine, so until I can find a naturopathic doctor I will be treating myself. Fortunately, the worst is behind me.

Poems

2010-11-11T22:40:00.000-08:00

When you (and all your friends) don't watch television, you have a tendency to spend your nights doing other things. So I end up in odd and eclectic places.

Tonight I went to a a house high up on Garden Street and sat around a table writing poems. You pick a subject out of a hat, and begin by writing a few line, and then pass it on to the next person.

The following was what was written, based upon these two subjects written on scraps of paper:
1) The Spartans traded rods of metal and used no real form of currency, and
2) The start of the agricultural culture.

And here's what came of it:
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The abundance of wheat and grain,
The Fertile Crescent
Across the sea.
Willing to trade metal rods like the moon exchanges light with the sea,
Mohawk shadows marching towards villages with groves of olive trees fringing the corridor of traveled passageways.
Do the roots grow deep enough to rabble
the skeletons from their rooked graves?

What am I saying?
Roots depend entirely on what grows, above and seeps down...which I cannot begin to quantify.
Well, I can begin.
And time too soon. We're passing through cycles, like orbits. Is all that we're troubled by today are different than the experiencing of pirates and...who were the others? Other pirates?

Pirates traded spice, slave salve of the coconut palm.
There were ships, were floating farms
Spread from the soil to the foam
Bulging pillaged land floating at sea.

And the seeping grain is a hole in the plastic sack.

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A fun night.

Artichokes

2010-11-08T22:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's gardening entailed transplanting some Jerusalem Artichokes -not really artichokes, and not from Jerusalem either; they are native here in North America. So I transplanted a bunch of them, giave two of my neighbors a clump each, and still had a huge bag to put in the 'fridge.

So for breakfast (my housemate had hers with eggs from our chickens) and dinner we had Jerusalem Artichokes. I consider these to be my sustenance if "the sh*t hits the fan" as all these post-carbon people claim, or some other form of societal collapse - I am not really of the peak oil school.

Some consider this plant a weed, I consider it something I look forward to cooking for Thanksgiving. (There is a second patch near the fence.) Why we consider something edible, healthy and pretty tasty that grows prolific in this country a weed, when we engorge ourselves with all the synthesized agribusiness crap that.... oh never mind - I had a good day.

But tonight I baked them in oil and sprinkled them with dill on one half, and rosemary on the other. Yummy.

Tyrannus melancholicus

2010-11-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Today was the second day that I saw a group of people with expensive field glasses and field guides on the bridge over Whatcom Creek by the bike path. They were obviously birders. Last week I was looking at the same bird they saw and thought it was a Yellow Breasted Chat. I found out today that I was woefully mistaken.

It was actually a Tropical Kingbird, a species way off course from its normal wintering grounds of New Mexico and Arizona. Odd indeed. So I hung out for a bit and watched its antics and talked with some fellow birders and then headed home to a productive day of gardening and doing house things. I do need to get out more, hence my trip down to the coffee shop this evening to play on my computer and add a few items to a business plan.

A warm sunny day, a great night and a good life in the City of Subdued Excitement.

Coffee Shops

2010-11-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

OK, so I couldn't stay away long from writing. I left work and came to the coffee shop for tea and relaxation. Now that I am working a desk job, and can concentrate at for eight hours a day, I no longer need to dawdle on the computer for hours on end to meet endless deadlines of uncertainties. There is something to be said about for the regimented mindset and vision in a more structured environment. It is not an unwelcome notion to reacclimate to the organizaed structure of an office environment, getting up at 6:50am, and doing the same routine day after day.

Although the picture above is blurry, it evoked the sensation of boarding th ferries in the dusk and its beauty. I will always romanticize about riding the ferries back from the islands or peninsula in the fall twilight. My friend took the picture and I took it off her Facebook page. Thanks Donna!!

Time to go home and finally - for one of the first times I've lived in Bellingham - relax.

Finis?

2010-10-31T21:34:00.000-07:00

I have grown weary of writing and do not know that the frequency of my posts here will equal what I've produced in the past. I am working an 8-5 job right now, which is a pleasant change to the chaos and irregularities of working a a consultant. Freedom of consulting comes at a very high price.

So when I get home from the office, I once again cherish the freedoms of simple things like reading, walking the dog, playing guitar, writing, visiting friends (like I spent today doing) or anything except more work on a computer. So maybe I will again pick up the proverbial pencil once my schedule becomes more regimented and I grow into this cycle of regularity. Right now, I enjoy the comfort of an anticipated regular paycheck, a higher stature of professionalism, and health care with a $25 co-pay versus a $5,000 deductible (I am lucky - most freelancers have no health care coverage, at least in the U.S.) I breath a sigh of relief.

A late night at the Wild Buffalo last night (well until the drunken fools were unleashed on the streets after the bars closed - alcohol makes people really ugly, which is why I am glad my drinking days are long behind me), a great day with a morning of attending the BUF, and a day on Chuckanut Bay with a wonderful friend. Time to read and shortly sleep thereafter.

US2

2010-10-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

Here's another picture coming across US2 on our way back fro Cle Elum a few weeks back. Such a beautiful journey over the Cascades, and much has happened in the short while since my trip back. Most importantly, I think that I may take a steady full-time job and cast my freedom to the wind. Back to the comfort of an office, benefits and a regular paycheck. Although I had the opportunity of working with some wonderful people in my consulting days, I also had the misfortune of working with my share of shady characters - more times than not.

So yes, I am burned out. And extremely refreshed (and grateful) to get back into a normal regimen of working with a local company employing my skills and being compensated for a fair wage. It also means getting up with - or actually before - the chickens and starting my day with a refreshing thirteen minute walk to the office downtown.

and some god friends from Cincinnati are moving out to Yakima, so there may be a trip or two out there in the next year. But now it's now ten o'clock and time to get ready for sleep.

Produce

2010-10-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of winding down a few items in my life. I do not know what I did, but it did involve buying a pumpkin, visiting friends, moving furniture, cooking, visiting the myriad grocers in Bellingham. Although I only shop there occasionally, my favorite produce stand is Youngstocks just a stones throw away from my house. Unfortunately, it closes in a few weeks. I remember buying a full week's worth of produce there for under fifteem bucks. Cross the street to Trader Joe's and you are inundated with excessively packaged food that seems much less fresh.

But for what it's worth, Trader Joes does give a lot to the food bank. At least on the produce side. And come to think of it, on the canned and other packaged stuff too.

That's about it tonight. Running over to see a friend on the Lettered Streets.

I wish I had more to say, but my thoughts are limited.

Opportunity

2010-10-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

"In the field opportunity, it's plowing time again."
-Neil Young

I have been working as a freelance consultant for a long time. I have worked with stellar companies that have been models of how businesses in my idyllic world view should function; and I have worked with nont-so-stellar clients.

Some days, in the midst of a quasi-meltdown, I peruse the job listings online ans occasionally submit a resume. Not really because I like the job prospect, but because I dislike the the increasing frustration of consulting. This week was different - in the midst of my mental strife, I was reading the listings and I swear at the bottom of the page it said "This job is specifically for you, Jeff." And the fact that the company is local (yay!) and located in town (a ten minute walk) versus some generic office park in the outskirts of town is also quite palatable. I submitted my resume and today I interview.

So I hope the rota fortunae turns favorably and that an opportunity in line with my evolving career path can truly put me exactly where I want and need to be - in Bellingham, Washington.

A chilly morning here in Bellingham with the sun still present and winter on the run.

A Price

2010-10-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture taken last week coming across State Route 20 - a beautiful drive that brought me back to the rigors of making a living in Bellingham. As fabulous as Bellingham is as a place to live, making a living in this town - especially as a consultant - with a tenuous economic base is a constant challenge.

Sometimes I view the home ownership route as a burden and I daydream sometimes about what my Plan B would be if I didn't have the weight and responsibility of a home. (Memories come back of days renting in Lake Tahoe spent mountain biking and skiing while my landlord schlepped lumber up and down the hundred steps in his constant upkeep of the property.) But home or no home, I hope to hang my hat here in town for a while in hopes that one of my business efforts comes to fruition and maybe I can afford to settle into a comfortable Bellingham lifestyle. Although this quality of life is second to none, it does not come without a price.

But for now, it's back to the salt mines.

Vote

2010-10-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

Ya know, I realize I should vote. But this year the one candidate I wanted to vote for, Craig Mayberry, was in a prior election that evidently I missed. Oops. I would love to see a second party on the ballot, versus the Democrat/Republican, business-as-usual blather.

First, I hear the parties talk about change. Don't we see change every 4-8 years from one party to the other, while our country continues its alacritous decline? Our social fabric continues to deteriorate, the wealth distribution continues to concentrate in the wealthiest Americans, and no one really seems to address these pertinent issues. Or do the politicians even care? And we - the jackass Americans - are too shortsoghted to remember who we voted out of office just a few years ago in utter contempt and disgust, only to vote them back in again? We as a country deserve exactly what we get.

My vote was to toss the ballot into the recycle bin.

But I really didn't mean to go off on a rant about our derelict political system. It was a beautiful day hike we took up to Blanchard Mountain, replete with phone calls to the home front. As tumultuous and uncertain my future can feel at certain times regarding my business endeavors, I am fortunate that I have family members that can nurture me and keep my sane. And for that I am grateful.

Red Elk

2010-10-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

This week we drove out to see Red Elk, Medicine Man out in Cle Elum. When you are in the presence of a very powerful individual, you can sometimes feel intimidated. But Red Elk quickly made one feel at home and opened up his cozy little "gnome domes" as accommodations. The air grew quite chilly at night, although the abundance of stars made for a beautiful evening of learning about Red Elk and his ways.

I also became closer with some of the wonderful traveling partners whose paths I've been fortunate to cross in this hectic world that help me to slow down and understand the day-to-day appreciation I have in this worldly journey versus reaching any destination. I am blessed to live this dynamic life and look forward to many more days filled with meeting exciting people like Red Elk.

There was much filming going on too, so I am sure you will see some links in the near future of the work that was done. But not by me. I just sat and listened and tacitly honored Red Elk and gleaned the wisdom he offered. Although I cannot say so with certainty right now, I will look back upon this visit as being a significant milestone on my life's path.

Monday

2010-10-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

I think I am getting older. I feel like Bilbo Baggins sometimes where I like my little hamlet here in Bellingham. I like my laid back life of my daily routine, which is somewhat regimented and although filled with beauty, not really the most exciting life.

But sometimes I get caught up in these crazy experiences that take me to interesting places in the Pacific Northwest and I am sure that more are to follow. Som e of my past antics include offshore cruising, salmon fishing on a 40-foot gillnetter, hiking and camping the Cascades, and cycling and motorbiking around the wonderful beauty of the mountains and sea.

But today I sit here trying to get the week going. Working on a few projects that will probably carry me into the evening.

Tomorrow I drive to Cle Elum to visit a friend of a friend who is a medicine man. I think being in his presence will be remarkable and I hope that I can garner some insight and wisdom from him. The picture above is from his web log and I think it may be where I am sleeping the next few nights when I visit. Now to figure out the logistics of getting there...

WWU

2010-10-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Western Washington University student Sara Allen marches with fellow students through campus after a rally to protest school budget cuts Oct. 7, 2010. The WWU board of trustees will be voting on budget cuts Friday. Philip A. Dwyer | The Bellingham Herald

Some days I think of what I will write. Other days, random thoughts pop into my head. Today's topic was the latter, although I've contemplated it for quite some time.

It involves higher education, and how the present model in this country is entirely unsustainable. Consider it another victim of easy credit. For years, lax lending, subsidized and guaranteed by our government (not entirely a bad thing), has contributed to a bubble - by any measurement or definition - of our higher education system. And for many years, colleges have enjoyed a robust capitalization that allows them to build gymnasiums, add headcount, and many other things that will soon fall by the wayside.

From a recent article: A Money magazine report notes: "After adjusting for financial aid, the amount families pay for college has skyrocketed 439 percent since 1982. ... Normal supply and demand can't begin to explain cost increases of this magnitude."

Once a highly lucrative industry, its gravy train days are over. Its model is overpriced relative to what the market can bear, especially after increased privatization of the student loan industry in which lenders have tightened credit while increasing the cost of capital.

Hundreds of schools (like our beloved Western) will see significant downsizings as demographics and other market conditions warrant a significant decrease in the number of colleges. Just another rosy economic catastrophe looming on the horizon. These poor kids' march is unfortunately futile and a bellwether of what's to come.

CRE

2010-10-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

It is interesting how there are two types of information out there. The first is the government and main stream media, while the second it the alternative press (to other 90% of content out there).

One shocking item that I have been following is the imminent collapse of the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) market. Maybe not imminent, but over the course of the next two or three years we will see the disentanglement of the CRE debt coming due, similar to the housing market. Meanwhile, the MSM (the mouthpiece of Corporate America) indicates that the CRE market has bottomed out and better days lie ahead. What garbage.

Doesn't the MSM have some obligation to present fairly and accurately what is going on in this country? Or is the Average American just too stupid to learn anything more than is spoon fed to them through the television? Unfortunately, the latter is the case.

I wonder if you and I - the taxpayer - will again be forced to subsidize the elite top 5% of wage earners in this country, while the rest of our socioeconomic foundation continues to crumble? Or the rest of the banking staff, for that matter, gets paid paltry wages?

Maybe I need to watch more CNN or FOX, where things seem a lot rosier. Unfortunately, I do not have access to these channels. And the thing that I find interesting in Bellingham is that none of my contemporaries watch television either or have cable. Maybe that's why my evenings instead are spent drinking tea and engaging in conversation, versus sedentarily staring at a box spewing bile.

Oops, sorry about the rant. Indeed it is a good day; one of the books that I reserved (akin to my above tirade) is on hold over at the library. Yves Smith write this blog, which I've set as my home page. Interesting read, I'd expect.

Life

2010-10-05T23:47:00.001-07:00

Sometimes life throws some interesting curves at you. My story involves an act of spontaneity in offering a friend of a friend to stay here who is on holiday from Switzerland. I am glad the guest room gets used in our tiny 1,000sf house. Next week involves a trip down to Cle Elum to visit a medicine man. What a wonderfully fulfilling life full of interesting people and interesting stories.

I am sure that you will hear more.

The picture above was from the sailboat I helped move last weekend. Actually, I did very little but tell stories and meet some cool fellow Bellinghamsters. If my rota fortuna spins favorably, there may too be more adventures aboard this little O'Day 19 next year.

Time to fend off a cold. Every seems to be sick. {sniffle}

Decline

2010-10-04T09:34:00.001-07:00

An interesting story caught my eye in this morning's New York Times. It discusses how large corporations take advantage of the Federal Reserve's ridiculously low rates to borrow money and then sit out in, instead of using it to grow business. This is not big surprise, as large businesses have over the past decades been trimming payrolls and streamlining operations in the name of "productivity."

Meanwhile, these perks (ie, low interest rates) are virtually unavailable to the small business owner (these are the ones creating jobs) as the lending climate (here in Bellingham at least, and I am sure I speak for this whole nation) is dead for the small business. This is a classic case of crony capitalism (the corporations, who control the policy making of the government, dictate the playing field to their benefit.)

I read how the number of jobs shed by the companies representing the S&P500 (approximately 19m by this article's assessment) were barely outpaced by the jobs created by small business (roughly 20m). I read these statistics back in 2008, so I am sure that things have only bode worse for the small- to mid-sized business. As the sole party in this country (the democrat and republican parties are indistinguishable from one another) continues to eschew the needs of this country's economic base, things looks grim.

But on a brighter note here from the city of subdued excitement, a long weekend of fun on water-related activities. Moving a sailboat on Saturday (yeah, it was trailered, but still fun hanging out on the docks in the boatyards) and then kayaking on Sunday down in Chuckanut Bay over to Dot Island for a picnic lunch. Yeah, this country may be going to hell in a hand basket, but I am forever grateful to be in wonderful town like Bellingham.

Tragic

2010-10-02T09:51:00.001-07:00

This has been a tragic week in Bellingham. While there are usually few ripples of discontent (well other than the chronically woeful economy and wages, at which we all seem to accept, chide or chuckle), this week brought to tragic events.

The first was the accident a few blocks from my house where a child was struck and killed; the second is the disappearance of Dwight Clark, an 18-year-old Western student. I was at Uisce's last night after the Art Walk with some friends, and on the way home saw a slew of people on the street handing out fliers in hopes of finding this young person - another at such an early age. The Red Cross even had a vehicles on Magnolia and Railroad serving sustenance to the numerous volunteers.

In a town with virtually no murders, gang activity, hard drugs or serious crime, two events like this in one week cast a pall over this placid little town on the Puget Sound.

But the evening ended well with a veggie hot dog at El Capitán's downtown on Railroad, replete with relish, spicy mustard and sauerkraut. When a friend (who's since moved way out to the county) and I used to ply the downtown night spots, we would usually end the evening with the yummy vittles of El Capitán's. Arrrrgh.

Off to Fairhaven this cloudy (foggy?) morning to help a friend on her boat. Looks like the clouds are burning off at 10:45 on a Saturday morning.

Sadness

2010-10-01T15:59:00.001-07:00

Three blocks from my house were a bunch of flowers - sort of a shrine - on the sidewalk at the corner of Cornwall and Virginia. I knew these could not be for good reason. They never are. I continued on my motorbike ride and ended at a friend's house. It was there that I found out that a Bellingham High School student rear-ended another car and pushed the stopped car into the crosswalk where a woman was walking here toddler. How shocking and sad to hear of this news.

It happened yesterday, and I can only imagine the trauma felt by all parties, and the town of Bellingham as a whole. Life is so fragile. We all experience sadness at one point or another in our life, and this reminds me to be grateful for the beauty of life, as any day can wreak misfortune and pain.

As I finish typing this, I was interrupted by some friends unexpectedly dropping by. It's always nice to have my day broken up by this. Although the world has its tragedies, there are always the happy moments to cherish too.

Business

2010-09-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones ?
-B. Dylan

I feel as though good times lie ahead in my little cacophonous life here in Bellingham. Since there is no real industry in this town, establishing a viable livelihood can be a rather daunting task. But things take a little longer here in this sleepy little seaside town, and slow and steady seems to be the path de facto to achieve anything.

But in spite of the laid by attitude in this City of Subdued Excitement, there is a pervasive murmur of entrepreneurial spirit here in Bellingham, and people commonly speak of the energy here that drives the attitude and positivity that abounds. I rarely hear of of anyone speaking of Bellingham in a disparaging tone. (This summer I heard a woman with out-of-state plates - evidently vacationing, replete with mountain bikes on the roof - scream out the window of her vehicle "I love this town!" Of course, silly. That's why we live here.

But this energy pertains too to the innovation and the new businesses and jobs that will replace the dwindling industrial base of this country. It's exciting to be part of these new ideas.

Yeah. it's hard to be humble when you live in a beautiful place like Bellingham

TV

2010-09-28T08:28:00.001-07:00

One of the most amazing things about Bellingham is how virtually no one (that I know, at least) watches any television. I was given a 13" television as gift back in the nineties and still watch an occassional DVD on it, but otherwise it goes unused.

This is a stark difference to living back east how every room seems to contain the constant drone of some mainstream media being piped into homes - with the news usually being sourced from CNN, FOX, etc. I also find it amazing that people actually rely upon the garbage MSM news that's being shoved down their collective throats. (Is it even news at all? Propaganda?) I liken CNN, FOX, et al., to eating fast food: Once you've not been subjected to it for awhile and seek alternative, more wholesome sources, you really how crappy it really is.

I am glad to live this life, and hope I never aspire to the world of flat screen televisions. I like engaging in conversation or reading about it from more accurate sources. Or not having my life revolve around "the game" or "the show" is so much more freeing. I will take a good book, CD or heated discussion any day over the sedentary dumbing down.

I read once how North Korea requires all homes to have government sponsored channels piped into their home around the clock through a media device (maybe some type of radio?). How is the US any different?

Spiders

2010-09-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

I do not know why, but this fall seems to have brought a tremendous increase in the spider population around Bellingham. It has been a frequent topic of discussion - they seem to be inordinately large and numerous this year.

Evidently there are some poisonous spiders lurking in my midst, including the Hobo Spider and Brown Recluse. I guess I should be concerned about their bites and intrusion into my civilized world, and combat them with insecticides and pesticides and myriad other chemicals, but they generally do not phase me. We seem to be able to share the same space.

Like most things, the media has a tendency to blow the effects of spider bites way out of proportion. I've read that yes, some people may have allergic reactions to spiders nearly die and others may see their flesh devoured, but the majority of people will feel nary anything beyond a slight bump or irritation caused by a spider bite - even the so-called poisonous ones.

I personally let them live and do their job and maintain a mutual friendship with them. And we all seem to get along just fine.

Another splendid fall day in Bellingham sitting in my favorite coffee shop waiting for a ten o'clock appointment to show up. Life is good in The 'Ham.

Unemployment

2010-09-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

Graph is from this interesting site.

It is amazing how very few of my contemporaries have little optimism that the job prospects for this country will improve. I think we have accepted the fact that our generation (and future ones) will have little chance of jobs with full benefits, pensions, or even a social network (e.g., human services, social security) to fall back upon as our country becomes increasingly broke. Considering the un/underemployment ranks around 25%, there seems to be little talk of ever returning to the grandeur this country once knew.

Full employment is a thing of the past; instead we now hear terms like "structural unemployment" incorporated into our vocabulary. I remember hearing a decade or two back how technology would create an entirely new class of people called the "leisure class" that would not need to work due to the advancements our society made in technology and productivity. I guess they forgot to add that this class would be be impoverished and left to fare on their own.

I am lucky to have a graduate degree and the prospect of jobs when I decide to foray into the market. I am also grateful for living in an economically-deficient town like Bellingham where residents place much greater emphasis on the things that money cannot buy. I have never lived in a community where people have materially so little, yet are the most self-satisfied. I wonder if indeed there is a positive correlation between angst and consumption?

Bicycle

2010-09-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of doing what I really needed to clear my body and soul, and that was to take a bike ride around the south side of Lake Whatcom, east to SR9, and then south into Sedro-Woolley. Well almost. I take shortcut over Prairie Road to Old 99 and come back up north on the highway. SR9 and SR99 are probably two of my favorite roads to bike on around here for views, road conditions and (lack of) traffic.

Fifty miles later, I find myself home unwinding after a friend came by with his three dogs. I wonder if the night scene of Bellingham will beckon this evening?

Some days I have a re-emergence in my awareness of the beauty that surrounds us here. Today was one such day. And to return to town refreshed (albeit a little tired) is a good thing. Some day I dream of riding cross country starting on SR99. I wonder what it will be like to ride fifty miles per day after day after day for a few months.

And I wonder how many more glorious days like today fall holds in store for us?

Acorn Project

2010-09-25T01:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a night of music, as was last night, at the Wild Buffalo. Tonight, the Accorn Project; last night, The Productionists. Bllingham has a vibrant music scene, and I am glad to support it. And its always fun to see fellow Bellinghamsters out and about in good spirits on this wonderful warm fall night.

I cannot write much more, as I am quite tired and hope to bike ride tomorrow. Seventy-four and sunny.

Bellingham Food Bank

2010-09-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

Max Morange, agricultural programs coordinator for the Bellingham Food Bank, tries to catch an ear of corn while loading up approximately 1,160 pounds of sweet corn harvested by volunteers Wednesday morning, Sept. 22, 2010, at Boxx Berry Farm for the Bellingham Food Bank's Small Potatoes Gleaning Project. The corn will be distributed to some of the 29 different hunger relief agencies in Whatcom County.
PHILIP A. DWYER | THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

For a few years I have been volunteering at the Bellingham Food Bank on Wednesday nights. People tell me how nice it is that I work with these people. Altruism aside, I really do it because it's tremendous fun and I get to see the friends I've made over the years, as well as people in my community that need some help.

Some habitually come; others look to it as a last resort. Sometimes the pain on the faces of the families (especially children aware that they are actually in line at the food bank) can be a little dispiriting. But still, we try to make it a fun event and usually laugh and joke with many of the families in need.

Most are grateful that we are there to help them, and I am grateful to be able to serve them. We are lucky to have these wonderful resources and people in a town like Bellingham.

Sleep

2010-09-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

What began as a festive evening with the International Peace Day Celebration in Bellingham turned into a late night of celebration with friends and wonderful people. Night turned to dawn and our collective reluctance to end a spectacular day. As ususal, I was the sober one driving - back up Chuckanut Drive as the ripe full moon was setting in the northwestern sky.

I guess one way to avoid getting stressed out about having to wake up horribly early is to not go to bed. Oddly enough, I find that going a night without slumber can be refreshing and I've done it numerous times at the helm of a sailboat or behind the desk in Corporate America.

So I sit here waiting for a conference call to begin as I type a few words onto this web log on a sunny, crisp, Bellingham morning.

International Peace Day Jam in Bellingham

2010-09-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have been helping a little with this event tomorrow - the International Peace Day Jam in Bellingham. I was told that the Taliban actually laid down there arms for a cease fire during one of the Peace Days past. Imagine the possibilities.

Hope to see you there. Either my housemate or I will probably be the ones collecting your ten bucks.

International Peace Day Jam in Bellingham

2010-09-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

International Peace Day Jam in Bellingham

Tuesday September Twenty-First

Melody Hall

4071 Home Road

Six O’Clock PM $10

Bellingham, Washington, United States of America

Great bands, raw foods, inspirational speakers, earth friendly vendors, fun for all ages, & much more.

Bands Include Yogoman Burning Band, Misty Flowers & Jan Peters, Damon Dimitri Jones, Rock Solomon, Shanty Town, The Productionists, JD and the Blackouts, & Ashley Douglas.

Let's create a world of peace together, one community at a time, starting here in Bellingham.

Check the event out at www.peaceday.tv. $10 admission. Children under 10 free.

Celebrate peace in our lifetime by coming to this fantastic event and committing to living a life of peace from this day forward.

Work

2010-09-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

What I find surprising in Bellingham is the number of people I know that do not hold regular nine-to-five jobs. I can only think of a few, but mostly people are in business for themselves (and we all know the amount of free time that that offers) , so frequently one needs to question what day it is. And considering that time and punctuality seems to not be of the essence, time is a rather nebulous concept in this town.

But the Grateful Dead Hour just finished on KUGS on a cloudy morning with some sun peeking through, so as I sit here sipping my wonderful coffee, I figure that it must be Saturday. I think when time passes in segments of weeks (like I lived in past lives), it seems to be much more compartmentalized and move by so much more quickly. Conversely, living each day on an ever-changing schedule forces one to live in the moment, verus my office days of being on auto-pilot and following the same regimen week after week after week.

People have always told me that as one gets older, time moves by more quickly. I dunno. Living in Bellingham, time has assumed an expanded dimension and seems to crawl by. Maybe I am just more cognizant of time and its preciousness. When I was younger, I used to look ahead for the next big thing and literally wished my life away; by living in the present, I appreciate what I have and my current fulfilled needs, versus my wants, which always will perpetually loom ahead of me. The Now is good. And that's alright by me.

Time to get ready for a noon meeting.

Oil

2010-09-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

I often was amazed at how quickly a catastrophic disaster like the gulf oil spill could be so quickly swept under the carpet, and suddenly life is back to normal in the coastal parishes of Louisiana. Unfortunately, one needs to dig to find the local or non-MSM that is reporting on the ecological horrors in the gulf. Maybe I'm just your typical socialist tree-hugger, but somehow I do not trust our government, which is basically being fed BP's manipulative PR fluff.

Our government has failed us, our corporate anarchy has failed us, and the price that our planet pays is unfortunately less important than the quarterly earnings of rogue companies like British Petroleum. I wonder if history will someday show reprehensible actions such as those of BP to be the catalyst in the decline of our ecological and socio-economic existence in which profits trump absolutely everything, including the survivability of future generations.

And just like night I heard on the CBC about the increasing numbers of deformed fish being found downstream from the Athabasca oil sands processing. (Why is this news? I read about this years ago.)

I wonder what the true price is that we pay for a barrel of oil?

Bailey

2010-09-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

Here is the sweetest animal on the planet. Apologies to the other dogs that I loved as much, there are none any sweeter than this one. And today she let me pick her up. Evidently this is something that is rarely done. Oh well, simple things. Today she visited the neighbor's American Lab for a few hours to do some networking.

Now she lies on the floor lovin' life. I think I will try to emulate this fulfilled little creature more in the following days, and maybe the rest of my life.

Back to an email, then practice a very sedentary activity like pet the dog and watch a borrowed movie.

Tale of Two Cities

2010-09-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

The video above is from the Bellingham State of Mind on You Tube.

A seasonal trend seems to happen in Bellingham. Every year, with summer on the wane and winter coming on, the notion of eight more months of clouds and drizzle can be a bit foreboding. Although many people move to Bellingham, many others seem to leave for sunnier climes.

Two close friends are probably leaving - one for the southwest, and the other for the dry side of the state. Both need a bit more sun in their lives. And considering that this was an abbreviated summer, the onset of clouds and rain in early September can be a bit disheartening.

But on the other hand, I prepare to hunker down for a winter in Bellingham in my cozy home. The winter weather does not seem to bother most people in Bellingham. Or so they say.

Time to get out the rain gear for cycling and line up my winter indoor projects. My rolling five year plan is to remain here. With every passing day, I grow more and more fond of this town. I do wish my good friends godspeed in their endeavours. At least I have a sunny place to escape to in the deep throes of a Bellingham winter.

Scattered

2010-09-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

Some days I just have nothing to say or write. Today is one such day. Through the course of the day I thikn about the good things and bad things that I'd like to discuss here, but when the time comes, I am usually at a loss for words.

Let's see, among recent things I thought I'd praise or bitch about:

Whether working at a mall on the West Coast (as some friends do) is indeed like the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. (So Bellis Fair isn't 1980s California, I was told.) So since this movie was one of my youthful elements of intrigue of what this side of the country was like...oh well.
How can I learn to adapt to this timetable in Bellingham (even though I've been here four-plus years) and not get all uptight when business meetings that are supposed to start at 9am see people saunter in around 9:10 or later and the meeting never gets rolling until 10 or so. (I am learning to let it go, not wear a watch, and get into the Bellingham state of mind. I moved to a laid back town, so I need to understand that a lifestyle such as this encompasses everything, including business and play. I need to relax a bit more.)
The fact that a hefty percentage of American still rally around the preserving tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, even the the present concentration of wealth is historically unequaled in our current society. Something like the top 10% of Americans control 90%-plus of the wealth and yet we still feel that this upper crust is entitled to retain even more.

But there is work to be done this morning, and I need to get ready for a 10:00 meeting. I realize that I shouldn't really care about being punctual in this town, but somehow I cannot eschew that habit of punctuality that I developed living a few decades in Pennsylvania. Some day, hopefully.

Local

2010-09-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Whatcom Creek near my house.

I awoke to rain this morning in Bellingham, and I am okay with fall arriving early. Usually September is sunny and cool, and the kids are all back in school with the Western students filtering back. September is a transition month and creates for a pleasant vibe around Bellingham. It will be early to get the rain gear out for biking and yard work, or things like letting the chickens out (like this morning).

A day to return to SeaTac, but at least it will be in the evening and hopefully I will not experience the wrath of I-% congestion like I did last Friday. Ugh. Driving through Seattle can either be so enjoyable or so exasperating, and it is usually a toss-up - especially on a Thursday afternoon during rush hour.

But time to run out to Sudden Valley for a picnic in the rain at an old friend's place. Well old for me and my presence in Bellingham, which spans just over four years. One last note: I was always amazed how there was no discomfort in not being from Bellingham. Other places I lived or visited (like Tahoe or Boulder), people always used to brag about being "a local" and what that entailed and how long you needed to live there to be considered one of them. I have never used the term thrown about in Bellingham and am amazed how welcoming the community was to a newcomer like myself in spite of the fact that I was one of the culprits driving their home prices through the roof. The locals [sic] made it very easy for me to call Bellingham home.

War

2010-09-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

So the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will exceed one trillion dollars by the end of this year. As we were sailing this weekend experiencing our country's decrepit ferry system (versus the sleek Canadian ferries) and other decaying infrastructure, one wonders how much benefit our country could have gained instad of sinking billions into its follies in Iraq (considered a draw, at best) or Afghanistan (probably a loss but time will tell; the fact the there are an estimated 300 al Qaeda in Afghanistan and we continue to spend billions hunting down these 300 while getting caught in the midst of a civil war that's been going on for hundreds of years, but that's another rant).

Our country is broke, and in sharp decline socioeconomically, yet no one wants to address the horribly wasteful (albeit highly lucrative) war industry. I am sure that some day historians will view the military overstretch supporting corporate interests (my estimate of the true reason we are in Afghanistan - here is a ten year old article I recall reading many years back).

At least the Romans were collecting taxes on their territories; instead the US military is predominantly supporting corporate interests to enter markets or extract resources from these underdeveloped nation-states. I wonder how long this crony-capitalist model can be sustained?

On the anniversary of our government's latest false flag, I reminisce on all that's happened in the nine years since. I also think about the girl that I dated in high school that was on the first plane. Or the other friends of friends that also perished. But I guess a million Iraqi lives are a fair trade for the three thousand or so people killed on American soil (not all were Americans). It's just too bad that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.

Many thoughts percolating here on a Saturday morning. Time to get ready for a ten o'clock meeting.

Bailey, Banks and Piddle

2010-09-09T22:13:00.000-07:00

A drive to Sea-Tac today reminds me of how much I do not miss driving. Or being thrust into environments with way too many people in way too much of a hurry. I dropped off my housemate and her mom at the airport, so it looks like me and Bailey will be hanging out this weekend.

And my piece of paper containing my schedule (my 'blackberry') is filling up with scribbled times and places to be - from work to play and a volunteering stint at The Pickford in between. And fortunately a small house requires dramatically less resources to maintain it.

Not much more to say, other than an interesting e-mail I receive today. This one especially struck a nerve:

These bankers have collectively printed trillions of currency units, purchased unprecedented amounts of government debt, given handouts to commercial banks, slashed interest rates to record lows, and taken risky assets onto their ever-expanding balance sheets.

And how have these historic efforts fared? Poorly. Aside from a few outliers, economic data in the developed world is anemic at best. There has been little recovery in the jobs and housing markets, and the debt crises have grown worse.

Look, I’ll be the first to tell you that there are great opportunities and good news stories around the world; unfortunately, millions of people are having their lives and livelihoods turned upside down whilst Bernanke and his friends toasted themselves to expensive champagne at a luxury resort.

Sail

2010-09-09T00:22:00.000-07:00

A wonderful weekend and back in Bellingham. A full plate is in front of me with regards to my client base. It cost over four years and many sleepless nights, a marriage and a tumultuous emotional roller coaster ride - a visage of hope looms on the horizon along multiple facets, meaning busyness and business (having typed both words - misspelling the first as the second - I figured why not include both).

The picture above is from the deck of my wonderful friend's boat from this weekend. I am so lucky that my housemate brought a camera and knew how to use it.

I wish I had more to say. But it is pushing 12:30am, and I have come to enjoy eight hours of sleep in this moist little seaside town. And with fall and winter on the run, I will strive for even more sleep. We are mammals, and most of the ones I observe seem to be much less active in the winter. I will follow their habits.

Return

2010-09-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

Three days of sailing the Puget Sound was relaxing and just what I needed The weather wasn't the best, but not setting foot on shore aboard a world-class sailing yacht was second to none. The weather was wet and chilly, but it dampened the spirits of no one aboard.

It was a bit unnerving navigating a ship through the precarious channels between the 150-plus islands of the San Juans. Some of the passages were no more than fifty yards across, and I was navigating strictly by software - a GPS system linked to his laptop using this software. I think the captain was impressed at my ability to navigate through these precarious channels; and I was very impressed with the ability for a GPS and computer to get me safely back to Deer Harbor using the (Coastal Explorer) software. . I can only imagine what navigating the San Juans was like in the days of charts and dead reckoning.

And the coming up Cattle Pass in an ebb tide was a challenge unto itself. Five knots against the tide still showed us losing ground.

Exhausted we returned on the noon ferry to Anacortes and then back to Bellingham to an early fall. It is so nice to have this miraculous playground in my backyard, and I am lucky to have friends with swank boats that trust my sailing skills. Life is good.

Sockeye

2010-09-03T16:12:00.001-07:00

KATIE GREENE | THE BELLINGHAM HERALD - Maren Anderson, left, of Olympia, watches as Raquel Ruiz Diaz, of Lummi Island, puts more ice over the day's sockeye catch Monday, Aug. 30, off the shore of Lummi Island. Reefnet fishing, which is a stationary fishing practice that depends on the water's conditions, is a Lummi Island tradition. "(Reefnet fishing) is the best kind of fishing because the fish come to us," Anderson said.

Surprisingly, this year has seen a huge run of sockeyes, and I remember last year hearing on the CBC about the abysmal runs on the Fraser River - to the point where there were altercations involving shootings and such between the First Nation and commercial fishermen. Oh, those violent Canadians.

But this year is different, and there has been a murmur out and about regarding this year's bounty. Geeze, when I went out on a gillnetter a few years back, I shared the boat with some burly seaworn guys, not the hotties in this picture. Maybe it had something to do with the chum salmon versus the sockeyes? Wrong season?

At any rate, winding the week down to take a trip over to Orcas Island tomorrow to see all the amped-up Seattleites trying to unwind. Fortunately the Bellingham groove is only a few notches above relaxed, so I won't have too far to go.

Probably no posts until Tuesday.

Dead

2010-09-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I have had a tumultuous day (not always in a bad way), it's good to have an old friend to go back to. Mine has a tendency to be a corner of a coffee shop where I can listen to an old Grateful Dead bootleg and reflect upon the self-induced risks I bestow upon myself.

I think I am what they call an entrepreneur and will not give up until I succeed. Today was a big step closer to either success or insanity - I know not which one. I was told by a colleague that the average person fails twelve times before they succeed in their start-up. Sounds about right.

At any rate, a weekend without electronics is planned plying the San Juans aboard my friend's boat. I believe tomorrow is Friday, so that leaves a Saturday through Tuesday sail to catch up and slow down. I am sure that you will see some pictures. And the weather is supposed to be spectacular too.

Wednesday

2010-09-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

One of the rewards of working long hours into the evening is the ability to take a few hours mid-afternoon out of a crummy day to enjoy the wonderful weather and go for a bike ride. A few hours in the saddle blowing off steam is one of the things that always keeps me sane. And so the payback is sitting at my laptop tonight trying to finish some things up. Actually, the week is sort of dead with the holiday coming up, so there is a temporary reprieve of business in my world.

Nothing more. Pouring rain yesterday, which we really needed. Today, sun and beauty. Ry Cooder on the stereo right now, and a sleeping dog at my feet.

The picture was taken of Mt. Baker on Sunday.

Clarity

2010-08-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken yesterday as I went with a friend close up to Mt. Baker, although we took the lazy way and drove up. It was could and drizzly, and you could see your breath up around five thousand feet, but with both agreed that the best way to see the lush woods of the Cascades was in the rain. Somehow, when it is dry and sunny, the forest seems stressed and dormant. When it's raining, however, it feel fresh and alive.

At any rate, we spent much more time in the mountains that we'd ever anticipated, and by the time I made it home, it was well past dark.

Upon returning home last night, I came across a white feather and took it as a symbol of clarity entering my life. Then I realized that I have a white chicken, and it wasn't really anything that miraculous.

But today is another Monday. I wish I could be more introspective, but the wear and tear of working with start-up companies is taking its toll on my physical state (although my mental acuity appears unfettered) and I need a good rest. I think that it may be this weekend when I leave my electronics behind and head to the San Juans.

Projects

2010-08-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of owning an 80+ year-old house is that no project is simple. Take unclogging a drain, for instance. What should have been a simple project turned into hours spent over three days of unclogging clumps of hair and other grimy stuff from the bowels of my home's plumbing that accumulated over decades and decades.

Simple joy now prevails whenever I see the water effortlessly disappear down the drain. And while on the topic of water...water sourcing will be quite an issue in the upcoming years (er, actually it already is in many parts of the world), and I think Bellingham is in one of the advantageous position of not having critical water issues. And I would not be surprised if at some point in the not-too-distant future if places that ring the Great Lakes (including Detroit) become more desirable as the arid southwest's water crisis continues to unfold

The funny thing is, many people refer to the precipitation trend there as a drought. I have read that California, Arizona, etc. are not experiencing a drought at all, but merely the end of a wet period that lasted roughly a hundred years. A three points there were unseasonable wet centuries in the west - one in 800AD, the second in 1200AD, and the third began around 1900AD. To call it a drought is wrongs, as it is merely just returning to its normal arid state.

I welcome every drop of rain that falls from the Bellingham sky. While people may complain about the rain, I instead thank a god.

New Orleans

2010-08-27T23:40:00.000-07:00

Probably one of the most remarkable things I've ever done in my life was driving down to New Orleans with nothing more than an printed e-mail and atlas from some woman in Washington State directing us to a farm in Raceland, Louisiana to rescue four-legged victims of Hurricane Katrina.

I was married at the time and we decided to drive from Lake Tahoe (where we lived at the time) to Louisiana via Cincinnati (to drop off our dog), and worked for a week of eighteen-hour days in hundred-degree weather with humidity to match, helping with a hugely successful rescue effort by an organization out of Sultan (of all places) - all hosted by a family on their hundred acre farm amongst the sugar cane fields the low-lying bottoms of Bayou Lafourche.

But that was five years ago and the images will be forever embedded in my mind of ravaged Louisiana and St. Bernard Parish (where we went on rescue): Crossing Lake Pontchartrain and immediately seeing all the blue tarps covering all the roofs; or the few decaying dogs we found outside some of the homes waiting for their owners to return; or the family returning to their home for the first time since the storm struck to find everything destroyed, and asking us (the rescuers from Posados) if we needed anything.

I will always have a spot in my heart for New Orleans.

Gangs

2010-08-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a piece if artwork taken from this site.

Pretty much weekly, I get people searching my site for gangs in Bellingham. It seems to be a trendy thing to have a gang presence in your town, but this is where Bellingham fortunately lags the rest of the country. Maybe there is some gang activity that occurs here, but I've not seen any indication of this, nor have friends or the media taken much notice of it. And I live near downtown where I might hear a police siren once a week, so I somehow still feel quite safe in this drug- and gang-ravaged city teetering on anarchy and societal collapse.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was some pass through of gangs, since Whatcom County is a allegedly a origin of the drug pipeline from BC down through the rest of the United States. I once knew of a woman down on 22nd Street that used to complain about a black man the moved into her apartment complex and blared offensive music all day and used foul language and yelled at his girlfriend and drove a Cadillac Escalade with shiny wheels - she told me he just moved up from California and was involved in a gang.

A friend told me about a gang here called the Tofu Posse. But instead of guns and knives, their weapons are bongs and patchouli oil.

Wednesday

2010-08-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

I realized a few months ago that I would be very busy in my little world with these start-up companies that I am working with. Last January I realized it would be a hellishly busy year, and that has been the case. But at least I find satisfaction in my endeavors, and finally after four years living in a town with limited employment prospects, I might finally be able to match my earnings of the nineties.

But fortunately, in this lifelong exercise, I've been able to realize that there is virtually no correlation between money and happiness. For me, at least. I think having less makes you appreciate the simple things in life, versus being inundated with material goods. And the best thing about my lifestyle is not needing to set an alarm. I cannot recall when I was last woken by the abrasive noise of a morning alarm. I sleep when tired, and waken when rested.

Speaking of downtime, an interesting article in today's New York Times. I frequently leave the house without my cell phone, and eschew most gadgetry of today. I remember reading in the seventies that technology would create all this free time for us and reduce our work loads. I find these people that are wired 24/7 are never truly free from the rigors of work, and quite the opposite has occurred. Speaking of which - back to work at 9am on another glorious Bellingham day.

Monday

2010-08-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it takes a picture like this to remind you of the beauty of the 165 islands that lie just off the shore of Bellingham. And in a few weeks I will be sailing amongst them. This picture was taken a while back, and is about ten blocks from my house.

A wonderful Monday following a fun, balanced weekend of work and pleasure, with probably more of the former. I sit here from an office wishing I could be out in the sun a bit more, as the weekend was sort of cloudy and chilly and today returned to summer mode.

I should be bitching about the state of the economy, or the oil in the gulf, or the poor people in Pakistan, but today I might just bask in the warmth of the sun and blue skies and sea and mountains and realize that I am a lucky person. For now, at least, I breathe a sigh of relief.

But back to work, as meetings will probably run well into the evening tonight. But what could be finer than this life? (Well other than the fact that I my earnings are roughly what I was making in 1996, but I won't go there on this fine day.)

Well the danger on the rocks is surely past
Still I remain tied to the mast
Could it be that I have found my home at last
Home at last

Autumn?

2010-08-21T08:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday - maybe it was the chill in the air, or the cool evenings, or some other odd reason - the small of fall was in the air already. And last night was literally a cold night. Cold enough that I needed to close windows. I wonder if summer is on the wane? I said many times before that a mild winter would lead to a short-lived summer. I never thought that it would mean only six weeks of summer. And of those, a few were cloudy, chilly and rainy.

I actually love September, as it is usually cooler, still sunny, and the youthful energy of the returning WWU students (for better or worse) pervades Bellingham.

The picture above was taken around Glacier Creek last week on a hike. I hope to get to the mountains sometime next month to camp when the blueberries are out.

Tonight, I hope to go to the Acoustic Tavern, as I need to get out. A stressful week with a nice ending.

Yikes

2010-08-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

Working in a world of quirky entrepreneurs, one day your life is imploding, the next you are sitting on top of the world. Yesterday was the former (or maybe it was Tuesday) and today I am somewhere in the middle - or maybe a bit more on the positive side.

When things get really bad, I spend a good deal of time refining my Plan B. The earlier part of the week was spent wondering how I could escape the mainland and go out to Orcas to live on my friend's land and work his ten acres while he tends to his business in Portland. I would live off the grid in my VW bus and get a job in East Sound when the seasons permit, and otherwise raise chickens and grow edibles.

Fortunately, things changed for the better, and today I am back to my typical regimen of launching multiple companies, being woefully undercompensated and loving every minute of it. I am lucky to be a Bellinghamster and be able to tool about my daily life on my bicycle and meet with the interesting visionaries of Bellingham whose ideas spawn the industry of tomorrow. Even the invigorating 9am-12am days don't matter so much.

The picture above is of Deer Harbor, taken last year. I think another passage south is planned for Labour Day from Orcas Island back down to Portland. A three or four day offshore sail. Fun.

Tuesday

2010-08-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day with the first quarter moon climbing the sky. Not much to say tonight. I forget that August in Bellingham is typically a time when vacations occur. There are not many people in town and it can be a bit challenging to conduct business.

But early to bed tonight, after getting caught up on sleep from the weekend. Here is a picture from the magical Cascades taken last Sunday. We had a resident pit bull that stayed a few nights with us until the owner cold be found. She called this morning (a Craigslist ad proved successful) and picked her dog up around 9:30am. What a sweet dog. But we are back down to a one-dog household.

Subdued Hangover

2010-08-16T20:19:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of my camping spot at the festival as it started filling up. The stage was to the right - very close. So was water, bathrooms, tables,... I've been to my share of concerts and festivals and this was comfortable and cozy.

On one hand I want to say it was the best festical that I ever attended, as the mood was beautiful and although I am lucky to live in a wonderfully friendly town like Bellingham, it is always nice to get amongst the evergreens and relax; I think that all the people that make Bellingham such a special place all descended upon the Deming Log Show Grounds for music, fun, merriment, very little sleep and more music.

On the other hand I think it sucked. I say this to strongly discourage any others from ever attending. It was the perfect size (1,000? 2,000?) of mostly Bellinghamsters, and its success and continued increasing numbers may very well be its biggest impediment.

Too much to say, but you will hear more. Ending the festival with a hike up to Glacier Creek was a good way to end the day. Now to slide back into a Bellingham work week, with a pile of fresh, tasty memories. And speaking of tasty, check out this show I stumbled upon from where I grew up in Scranton, PA.

Stringband

2010-08-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

So I sit here writing and will be very brief, since I need to get back out to the log show grounds where I should have camped last night. Driving out Mount Baker Highway, the worries and rigors of the city soon fell away. It was the orientation and set-up for the jamboree was Thursday, followed by a great meal and a concert. Unfortunately, I was unable to see the concert as I needed to get home and pack - something I woefully neglected until the last minute.

So this afternoon the official Subdued Stringband Jamboree kicks of and a beautiful weekend is planned - both weather-wise and musically. And having never been to the Deming Log Show grounds before, I impressed at how clean of a venue it will be to hold a festival After attending many Grateful Dead concerts in my day, the days of concerts and festivals with 50,000 people is a little much. A thousand or two is more my speed.

Subdued

2010-08-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

So this weekend is the Subdued Stringband Jamboree, something I've not yet attended in the many years I lived in Bellingham But oddly enough, virtually everyone I asked about it seems to be going. So a few nights of camping and relaxing and god music. And probably leaving the cell phone home, so that disconnect from the world may be quite beneficial.

Tonight there is a volunteer's orientation, so I am going to head up for that, along with a meal and some music afterwards. And beautiful weather is anticipated too. I love smaller concerts where you can lie on a blanket and soak in the good energy from all around. Now I just need to borrow a tent...

I probably won't post again until Sunday, but who knows.

Bonnie Prince Billy

2010-08-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight at the Wild Buffalo, Will Oldham, or Bonnie Prince Billy, comes to Bellingham. I remember the days of yore seeing him play in underground indie clubs in places like Chapel Hill, DC, Columbus, Cleveland, Louisville and Philly, so I'm glad he's playing more mainstream clubs, as his music too has become a bit more refined over the years, versus his earlier raw Appalachian style.

I actually knew a close friend of his from years back that played with him and the other indie bands that evolved from Louisville, and I was able to speak with him on a few occasions (one time when we were staying at the Volkswagen Inn we asked him if he knew where we could crash - he said "sorry, I'm crashing on someone's couch myself tonight").

It's nice he's playing larger clubs where his following seems to have increased over the years. I frequently hear him on the CBC and KUGS. Although his music has become more refined over time, he is still an eccentric, odd cat. But it will be a show I look forward to, even though I have not been following his music for much of the past few years. I was told the tickets have been selling quite briskly for the show.

Should be fun.

Rainshadow

2010-08-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

A picture certainly not taken this evening. Today was a dreary day - a few hours of napping in the afternoon while watching a French film. The glimmer of hope always looms on the southwest horizon where Orcas Island lies in the rain shadow. There, one can see rays of sunshine peeking through that never quite make it to the mainland (that's how today was), where the needed rain made it a welcome visitor, but not departing too soon - and the realization in Bellingham it's always so much more pleasant being outside once you take the few steps to get there, versus looking at it from your little old-growth cedar and fir abode (from inside the weather always seeming less becoming), and I finally make it out with the gulls crying overhead and my little one-speed zipping about the damp streets of Bellingham immersed in the evergreen sea scents.

A half hour into my re-emergence from something I've not done in a long time (a lengthy afternoon nap). So I sort of need to hit it hard tonight at the coffee shop and should not be typing here. But a 1981 Dead show (with a perfect set list) is helping me find my groove.

Sun, warmth and good vibes predicted for this weekend's Subdued Stringband Jamboree.

Subdued

2010-08-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

Historic Whatcom County agriculture photos, courtesy of the Lynden Pioneer Museum. –PHILIP A. DWYER|THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

So today is cloudy, chilly and looks like rain soon. Fortunately the weather will break later in the week for the Subdued Stringband Jamboree. This is the tenth year for it, although only the first year that I will be attending. I think that I will be camping two of the three nights too. It starts Friday, but I am working at the show in Deming, so I need to go up on Thursday for an orientation followed by a concert later in the evening. High seventies and sunny.

It was a mild winter here in Bellingham and this led to a cooler summer. This morning's Herald mentioned how raspberry production is down 20% this year due to the damp and cold June. Geeze, and I thought it was a typical June. But a few years ago when I was haveing dinner on Montmartre, the owner told me of a saying in France: "Christmas on the balcony means Bastille Day by the fire." I think the same thing could be said here too. But the second half of of summer hopefully awaits, and yesterday's soaking rain was much needed. Now for some much needed yard work clearing the uber-aggressive blackberries. Maybe I will go pick some this week, as they are in high season right now. It seems thet send shoots out the first year that late turn into producing plants the following. That's my observation, at least.

Eggs

2010-08-07T08:54:00.001-07:00

It looks like we finally have full production on the eggs. I believe the Silver-Laced Wyandotte finally started laying, so on a good day, we're getting four eggs. The two RI Reds (bottom eggs) won't lay every day as they are in their second year. With every year their egg production diminishes. I still find it pretty amazing that these little animals can produce eggs the way they do.

I might add two more next year, and maintain a flock of six. My egg consumption is gradually ramping up too, and it's always nice to giive a dozen away here or there. Oh, and the white one is from the California White.

Not much more to say here on a drizzly Saturday morning. I am dog sitting Magilla (and old house-mate's dog) today so we are spending some quality time together. She went out to the Wild Buffalo with us last night, although we just hung out outside and let a hundred people pet her.

Flares

2010-08-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture taken a few nights ago from Fairhaven. Evidently the solar flares are creating some beautiful sunsets. A friend last night told me how he heard of these solar flares and the vulnerability of the electrical grid to solar surges and how this could conceivably shut down the electrical infrastructure throughout much of the country. I guess as I get older in life these things don't really get me too worked up anymore.

Bellingham is a pretty progressive place and the biggest enjoyment that I get living here is the stimulating, engaging conversation with the different people that I meet - either friends or strangers. Even if it's fringe conspiracy topics, it's still invigorating to discuss the myriad topics that make this complex world go 'round.

A hazy morning, after a night of refreshing rain. It hasn't rained in weeks and weeks up here (other than Saturday), so it was nice to see the clouds rolling in.

Business

2010-08-04T08:44:00.001-07:00

Here's another interesting graph showing the sentiments of small business owners in this country hitting a new low. I can go on and on about the decline of the small business in America and the impact on the overall economy. Ironically, Wells Fargo (who conducted this poll with Gallup) is probably one of the biggest culprits of this current mess (in my opinion...I'm sure there are more evil banks) systematically reducing credit across the board to small business owners after making their money on such moral things as money laundering and predatory lending. The WF banker told me this credit tightening was systematic and produced many irate customers. (That same day, I closed my WF accounts and moved over to WECU.)

I envision that things will only get worse, with one of the biggest issues being the small businesses' inaccessibility to credit for working capital and equipment/inventory purchases. Meanwhile, the large caps continue to chug along (the S&P500 performance has basically been flat over the past five years) - systematically reducing headcounts (ie, laying off) to offer their piddly earnings to those crazy enough to still own equities - while the small business owner (traditionally the generator of the bulk of new jobs in the U.S.) closes their doors or continues to see a dim outlook.

By reading the economic news from Wall Street, I see a pervasive disconnect from Main Street. Maybe I have been in the trenches too long an need to go back to the cubicle world. But given that choice, or spending my afternoon in a dentist chair (like yesterday), I think I would choose the latter. Oh well, back to work on another pleasant summer day in Bellingham.

John Powers

2010-08-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

I was riding my bike last evening and passed the Chuckanut Ridge Wine Company, where the many friends of John Powers paid homage to him with flowers and candles. Although I only met him a handful of times, it's sad to see a vibrant member of the community pass early from this world. I had a camera with me so I stopped to take this picture that moved me.

"A Celebration of John's Life" will be held Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 1PM at The Leopold, 1224 Cornwall Avenue

On another somber note, another interesting read on the precarious Chinese holdings of the U.S. Dollar. The huge trade imbalance has basically created China holding a trillion dollars in U.S. debt and basically at any moment being able to trigger collapse of the dollar be selling off its debt. But for better or worse, China would be committing fiscal suicide by liquidating this debt, and cannot overtly change its policy by shifting from U.S. Dollars to more sustainable currencies.

By any measurement, the continued trade deficit (and budget deficit, but to a lesser degree) will lead to the continued decline and eventual collapse of the dollar. Fun times ahead. I wonder what these two governments really have planned to avoid this catastrophe?

Monday

2010-08-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up next to a wonderful dog and thought it was the weekend. But what is the weekend? Traditionally I guess it is the two days that break the week apart and allow one to spend time with friends and family and recharge for the upcoming week. That concept is foreign to me, as my schedule is anything but predictable and regimented. But I actually found that when my life was broken into weekly segments and routines, it went by much more quickly versus my current schedule of having no set schedule.

But it was a good weekend, albeit interspersed with work and meetings. And yesterday I drove my little truck, so it was interesting to see all the out-of-town people visiting Bellingham to spend their tourist dollars - both declining U.S. dollars and its at-parity Canadian counterpart - once again remembering that I live in a quaint little seaside town that is a very desirable destination for traveling families, students and retirees participating in the abounding outdoor activities. Unfortunately for those seeking sun, this was a cloudy, chilly weekend.

A busy few days ahead, with the sun peeking through this morning. And it saddened me to hear that the owner of the Chuckanut Ridge Wine Company passed away this morning after sustaining a head injury last week and a freak accident. I met him a few times and he was always pleasant and upbeat. Life is so fragile.

Rain

2010-07-31T18:33:00.000-07:00

The old Lynden Christian High School in 1965.–COURTESY|FOR THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Today was an odd summer day. The cloud cover never blew or burned off Bellingham, and it turned to rain around noon. And rained all day. This was certainly an oddity, as it never seems to rain around now. And it was chilly.

But it's early evening ad the sun poked through and I sit in a quiet coffee shop working for a bit. A fifty mile bike ride today up through Lynden and Birch Bay, and after a night of interrupted sleep (fun funky fun last night) could lie down and take a nap right here. (But I probably won't.)

Two things that could have benefited from no rain today included the sidewalk chalk art festival, and my friend taking the roof off his house for an addition. Both which seemed to forge ahead anyway - not entirely unimpeded

A good day and ending to July. August traditionally has been the month of adventure, so we shall see what fun lies ahead.

Funk

2010-07-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture taken a few weeks ago that is from Boulevard Park. After a bit more thought, I realize and am glad that the majority of summer is still ahead of us. Summer begins late in Bellingham, and can safely be considered July, August and September. Change comes mid-October, and November begins to turn rainy. So yeah, there's basically three or four months of predictable summer. And Bellinghamsters love every minute of it. But the nicest thing is the $40 electric and $4 gas bills.

Today, another chilly morning that will give way to sun later once the morning clouds burn off. And a funk jam at the Wild Buffalo tonight?

I think my dog sitting stint is over, as my housemate returns tonight. I think I've spoiled the dog, as she really hasn't been left alone for too long and has been diligently walked every night. What a sweetie.

Subdued Stringband Jamboree

2010-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

The picture is of my backyard. Although someehat neglected this summer, most of the plants back here are food producing. If you look between the cherry tree and the hops, you can see Mt. Baker. (click picture to enlarge)

So the days of summer are upon us. That means evening strolls or bike rides through town (recently the walks includes a Labrador retriever) and see familiar faces or meeting people. The constant breeze from the bay is beautiful, and actually a bit chilly even during the heat of the day. This is so much nicer than the constant drone of air conditioning from the other other world where I once lived.

I had a startling realization last night that summer may actual be on the wane as August is almost upon us. Although I've only been here five summers, I recall summer usually edging into early October. Plenty of time for summer activities, including camping, sailing and next week's Subdued Stringband Jamboree. Once of my weekend chores is to get the gutbucket out and start practicing in hopes of joining some midnight picking circles. I used to sit in with a bunch of musicians in Kentucky on their bluegrass jam sessions back in the day, so I can hold my own.

I am volunteering at the jamboree, so I am sure you'll heare more about it here.

Teeth

2010-07-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

Next day I went to the dentist
He pulled some teeth
and I lost some blood
We'd like to thank you
for the cards you sent us
My wives and I were all choked up.
-Neil Young

Let's see, what will my summer slush fund will be used for?
1). New Weber carbs for my VW Type II Weekender
2). A new roof for the garage
3). Camping gear
4). Repair a broken crown and some periodontal surgery

Guess which one?

And here is a very interesting post that basically summarizes all that you hear me bitch about:

Which is the Bigger Threat: Terrorism or Wall Street Bonuses?

By Wallace C. Turbeville, the former CEO of VMAC LLC, and a former Vice President of Goldman, Sachs & Co.

The current system of trader compensation will continue to decay the heart of Wall Street.

Which is a greater threat to the nation — terrorism or the relentless decline of middle income families? Unless we abandon our core values out of unwarranted fear, terror cannot fundamentally change our way of life. The number of people affected by growing income disparity is vast. When I was a student, income disparity was indicative of an underdeveloped and unstable society...

Read On...

Afghanistan

2010-07-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

So the United States is spending $1 trillion per year on our war machine, which is basically bankrupting our country. By latest account there are three hundred Al Qaeda remaining in Afghanistan, and by some accounts (Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Michael Leiter) closer to one hundred. To me this sounds like we completed our objective of weakening and eradicating the Al Qaeda from Afghanistan. Presently, the cost to be in the county is roughly a half trillion dollars, or $5b per Al Qaeda insurgent. What a horrible mess. As the U.S. crumbles and politicians bicker about a paltry $20b being wasted on certain social programs like the Veterans Administration or silly things like education and social services. By any metric - whether society, infrastructure, fiscal policy, income disparity, etc. - we are a nation in severe decline.

I think the U.S. war machine has historically been by far the most effective lobbying effort milking trillions from taxpayers pockets over the years. A back-of-the-envelope calculation concludes that every dollar that each U.S. citizen earns (sort of like tax freedom day, which occurs some time in April) for all of January and a good chunk of February pays solely for our highly wasteful and ineffective war industry. Oddly enough, it takes the same amount of time for you and me to earn the wages spent on that military that the Europeans have for legally-mandated vacation time. Hmm.

Yes, I am quite liberal, but more so than this, I am a business person and have my share of failures and successes. Our military business model is one that cannot be sustained by any form of measurement. I wonder if Afghanistan will collapse the United States the same way it collapsed the Soviet Union and its military overstretch? At least the Soviet Union was blatant and attempted to annex this land for the benefit of the government, and not the private interests.

Believe it or not, a good day so far and a beautiful week lies ahead. I am sooo lucky to have my little 800sf home here is peaceful Bellingham. Hopefully my country won't find it necessary to spread its peace- and freedom-loving ways in my part of the world. I hope the tens of thousands of Afghan civilians killed by NATO forces have found peace.

Downtown

2010-07-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Although I love and live very close to downtown Bellingham, it still amazes me how more and more businesses are closing their doors in town due to the recession, high rents, etc. Yesterday, I saw Sportsman Chalet is moving, although only over to Sunnyland Square next to Trader Joes (a few blocks from my place). Another empty storefront in Downtown Bellingham. I think there is more empty space in the downtown area than occupied space.

Considering that real estate historically appreciated at not much more than a bank CD, and through this decade rose fivefold that amount per annum, I wonder how many people are closing their doors due to the overinflated rents? Or I wonder if the parking enforcement Nazis in town have anything to do with driving away business? (I've heard that "paid" parking does not even cover the cost of all the enforcement staff continuously plying the streets looking for these blatant criminals whose appointment in town may have run over by ten minutes.)

I am sure there are other reasons for this egress from downtown, but hopefully this trend will stabilize or reverse at some point. But after looking for space for a company in town, to say there is an overabundance of office space in town is an understatement.

But this is merely indicative of the bigger national problem. Low interest rates manipulated by the Federal Reserve, coupled with lax lending standards created the commercial real estate bubble (both images are from this article) that is not to often mentioned in the MSM. And I suspect this trend is likely to worsen over the next few years.

Gibbous

2010-07-24T10:10:00.000-07:00

Last night was a night to visit an old housemate that has since moved out to Kendall, a neat little town nestled in the foothills of the Cascades. The juxtaposition of the McMansions immediately next to run down trailers was quite uncanny.

And although there were "Conserve Water" signs all over the community, guess where the lawn sprinklers were operating unfettered? I guess when you have a huge mortgage, the rules of practicality and reasonableness don't apply to you.

But it was still a fun time, and the drive down from the Mt. Baker Highway is more beautiful than the drive out. With a wonderful tired dog sleeping on your lap, driving down the highway in a little pickup truck with the windows down and French Canadian jazz playing on the radio with a full moon (well almost - a waxing gibbous a day or two until the full moon, although it still cast generous light on the surrounding hills). Nothing could be finer.

Saturday morning and I sit here planning my day drinking coffee on a conference call typing away. Bike ride? Kite flying? Hike? Sail? Sit outside and read? Garden? Too many choices for a beautiful summer day in Bellingham.

Tired

2010-07-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

Colton Harris-Moore disembarks from an airplane as he arrives at Boeing
Field in Seattle on Wednesday, July 21, 2010. The alleged "Barefoot Bandit"
is back in Washington state, where authorities say he began a two-year
multistate crime spree.

Summers and winters are quite interesting with regard to the energy level.

In the summertime, people are out and about and it's pushing ten o'clock and the sky is still light. And there is so much to do outside, that by the time you come in to relax in your easy chair, it's almost time to sleep. Movies, reading, or other sedentary activities are quite uncommon (unless the reading is at the park, or the movie is outdoors on the Fairhaven Green) and it's midnight by the time you collapse exhausted, only to have the sun peeking into your window at 5am.

Winters, on the other hand, are more lethargic and 5pm rolls around and it is pitch black outside and by eight you're ready for bed. The low energy level makes for a tendency to be tired, but on a different level. I think all mammals, humans included, have a tendency to require more rest in the winter - some obviously even needing to hibernate.

The movie rental place, bars, and everyone in between seems to realize that people will be outside enjoying the summer, versus being inside. Thank goodness for summer. Speaking of which, tonight I think I need some down time and will pop in a movie, even though I should be getting ready to turn in.

Fixie

2010-07-21T08:18:00.001-07:00

Last year I bought a Felt Curbside single speed bike. It has two hubs: a single speed free wheel and a fixed gear - each on the same wheel, you just flip the wheel for the other option. For the entire time I bought it, I ran it on the freewheel side, as I was a bit apprehensive about making the move to a fixed gear (the pedals turn relative to each rotation of the wheel, so if you are cruising down a road at a good clip, your pedals are too and you need to either keep up with them, or slow the bike down).

So this week when I changed a flat, I swapped it out to the fixie side and it has been interesting to say the least. Personally I prefer the freewheel side, and will probably change back at some point soon. Just not today, as I am in a hurry and need to leave in ten minutes. I guess I could drive, as I have this little truck sitting woefully in front of my house that never gets used. (Sometimes I think that I should just sell it.)

But whenever I'm in my vehicle, I feel like a fat slug and yearn to be on my bike, so it's never a difficult decision whether to bike or drive. Especially when its 72 and cloudless.

A good morning following a nice evening of meditation at the Red Cedar Dharma Hall. I once told a friend that I didn't have time to meditate, and she replied "exactly."

Monday

2010-07-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

Another picture taken last week from the Taylor Street Dock. When summertime is upon us, people frequently talk about how Bellingham is the greatest place in the world. And it is. Those sentiments sometimes change when the sky starts darkening on a cloudy winter day at 2:45pm and night will shortly thereafter fall.

But winter is a million miles away. Right now, it's another beautiful seventy degrees and breezy. Time to run down to Fairhaven on the bike, and then more errands. Although my life is busy, it has become manageable once again. Enough to watch a French film last night (even business at Film Is Truth is way off during the summer, so I've been told).

A Saturday bicycle ride down along SR9 towards Sedro Woolley, followed by a motorbike ride yesterday with my neighbor, following the same path, except a ride back up Chuckanut Drive. Livin' the dream.

Sunnyland Stomp

2010-07-17T10:23:00.001-07:00

I live in the Sunnyland neighborhood, and today is a beautiful day for the Sunnyland Stomp, and art walk where many neighbors open up their backyards are art galleries. Here is a map of the places that I hope to visit this afternoon and evening. My neighbors are on the tour, and my housemate gave them some art to display. They will have a DJ and always have funky, interesting friends at their place.(The picture was taken from this Sunnyland Stomp web site.)

This is my fifth summer in Bellingham, so it looks like Bailey and I will be taking tour to meet more of my wonderful neighbors. But before that, some work, a bicycle ride out in the country, and a handful of other things.

And later a possible concert down at Maritime Park to see Keaton Collective for a CD release party, replete with free Mallards Ice Cream. I thought this was last night, but I think I got the days wrong.

Google

2010-07-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

Today I went a Technology Alliance Group luncheon in Bellingham. I go to these on occasion to see friends and meet new ones. It was a great meeting and the discussion was the fiber network that Google is trying to bring to a city somewhere in the United States. Of the 11,000 applicants, there is a murmur that Bellingham may be one of the finalists.

It is unfortunately a crying shame the the U.S. so woefully lags the rest of the industrialised world in broadband availability. One image was that Finland will used as an example requiring by law that 100Mbps broadband access would be guaranteed to all its citizens by 2015. The U.S., by comparison, has a speed of only 3.8Mbps. I guess when the corporate sector controls the government and profit is all that matters, the citizens of this country must sacrifice something, But I digress.

Lacewing

2010-07-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

I've seen quite a few Green Lacewings flying around. Now I normally have a pretty bad aphid problem in both my front yard and the kale patch out back. This year the aphids have been much less present than prior years. And lacewings supposedly have a voracious appetite for aphids, so I wonder if they are are keeping the aphid numbers in check?

I tried to release a swarm of ladybugs too last year but few seemed hang around. They too seem to love aphids. This year I have also seen quite a few of them, come to think of it. Gee, imagine nature keeping itself in balance without pesticides.

A long day ended by reading in the park: The Genie In Your Genes, a remarkable book that I can use at this point in my life. And walking the dog. And running into friends in town, and all the beautiful smiling Bellingham women. I think in life, that this is about as good as it can get, and for that I am constantly appreciative.

Sunset

2010-07-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here, and that means rides to Boulevard Park, and getting home to settle down when the time is pushing eleven o'clock. This picture was taken across the Bellingham Bay tonight. It's taken me quite some time to decompress after my return from the East Coast, but I gradually feel myself gravitating back to the Bellingham vibe.

Not much more to say. The new resident Bailey might possibly be the sweetest Dog I've know to date, and the her joy and happiness upon my returning home is always very welcoming. I wonder if she knows how much support she gives me in these dificult times of endless work (well almost endless) while trying to get some businesses off the ground.

It looks like some brighter days are ahead. I think.

Economy

2010-07-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

I see first hand of the increased struggles faced by small business owners in this country, especially in raising working capital in cyclical dry periods, such as quarterly payrolls and taxes. The increased spreads , the high turn-down rate of small business loan efforts, the increasing burden of the governments (ie, taxes), hefty service charges by banks (for credit/debit cards, for example) all paint a grim picture for the the small business owner.

This wouldn't be so bad unto itself, but the small businesses are what create the bulk of hobs in this country. I do not know the specific numbers, but I read how the top 500 companies in the U.S. shed - through productivity enhancements, layoffs, etc. - approximately the same number of jobs that the small companies created, hence the jobless economic recovery that we've experienced. The number I recall was approximately 21m jobs created by small business versus 20m jobs eliminated by the S&P500 companies since 2000. Again, a grim economic outlook.

I am not opposed to taxation. Actually, I am a big proponent of redistribution of wealth, which is increasingly concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer in this country (at historical levels - not just for US history, but for the world's history, time immemorial) while the basic needs of society continue to erode and go unmet. So by definition I am a socialist. But the economic system in this country that favours the large corporation (continuing to be comfortably profitable) while the pervasive anemia that virtually everyone feels on Main Street is only addressed through programs that benefit larger banks or are merely lip service to the politicians voting constituents.

One example is the paltry SBA loan program. Back in the nineties, I recall getting an SBA loan for a young kid upwards of $100,000 to open a bike shop, which he successfully launched and operated. Today, this same loan would require perfect credit, a painfully lengthy application process, your home, grandmother and first born as collateral, and you might get the loan. Actually, you probably still wouldn't get the loan. I haven't heard of a single person getting an SBA loan (and I've worked with probably a hundred small businesses) in the past decade. Our derelict government is failing us, and we continue to vote the single Dem/Rep ticket. So sad.

A very interesting blog that I have as my home page that paints a more realistic picture of the economic environment in this country and world: Naked Capitalism. Oh well, back to the salt mines on this cloudy, chilly day in Bellingham.

And on a much brighter note, a picture of my new dog that moved in a few weeks back - quite possibly the sweetest dog I've ever met. All the good things in the world are manifested in this little sentient being.

Sunday

2010-07-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture taken down at Squalicum Marina looking towards the south.

A beautiful Sunday, following a beautiful Sunday, which followed a beautiful Friday. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to enjoy it that much, and it was spent moving someone's stuff down to Seattle. I am glad that business will no long require met to drive down there as frequently as I once had to. I try to take one day off a week to relax, and this Saturday was anything but relaxing. But after spending a few weeks traveling, I realized that weekly days of leisure may be non-existent for the remainder of July.

Sunday is meetings, and a business acquaintance staying at my place for a few days to refine a business plan and model - his arrival anticipated to be tomorrow afternoon.

Not much more to say, other than the Barefoot Bandit finally being apprehended in the Bahamas, after a cross-country spree that lasted years. I recall seeing wanted signs all over Orcas Island with pictures of Colton Harris-Moore, who eluded police for years. A failed DB Cooper?

Canada

2010-07-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

I sit here in a coffee shop in Bellingham listening to a kid chatting on his cell phone about getting turned away at the border for lack of funds in his possession. I have read where Bellingham has become a refuge for many of those getting turned back at the Canadian border, for whatever reason, whether visiting Canada or traveling through to Alaska.

I find our northern neighbors to be quite pleasant, with the exception of the customs officers, the horribly always-in-a-hurry reckless BC drivers on I-5, and the shoppers that I always seem to get behind when I visit the mall (on rare occasion) that are adorned in gold, jewelry and expensive clothes that are always seem to be negotiating a deal or discount on the sale item that they are purchasing. I wonder where these people come from?

I recall working over at one of the ugly malls in Bellingham a few years back where the huge, expensive RVs driven by retirees would park behind the K-mart in order to save money at our allegedly cheaper retail establishments. Whatever floats your boat.

A new housemate, who left for a trip over to the dry side of the state and beyond. So I am dog sitting today. And for the foreseeable future. More work tonight. An exciting Friday night.

Summer

2010-07-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

It was most enjoyable to return to the heat wave of Bellingham, after returning from the heat wave of the East Coast. A heat wave in Bellingham makes the front page when the temperature is in the mid-eighties with a cool breeze off the bay. Conversely, a heat wave in Philadelphia is a hundred-plus degrees with humidity to match, and a stagnant air that oppresses everything. Needless to say, the former is much more appreciated.

Another nice thing is the quiet here on a summer's night, as air conditioning is virtually non-existent. Compare this the places I visited, where every home has a huge motor turning an air cooling machine literally twenty-four hours a day, and you have a constant hum permeating the air along with the heat and humidity.

I really do not like freezing in air conditioning, and I do not enjoy hundred degree temperatures. Needless to say, I am happy to be home in my humble home. I am lucky for the life I live.

Oh and the picture above is from the Bellingham Herald. It's of Caspian Terns at GP site in town.

PHL

2010-07-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

I began and ended my trip staying with a friend in Norristown, PA. His home is one of the large, old row homes that populate that town - a diverse and ethnically mixed neighborhood. But hundred deree weather coupled with seventy degree walls of air conditioning gets old rather quickly. This morning on the train to the airport, the temperature was already eighty-seven at 8:27am.

That is the high for Seattle today, which is labeled a scorcher. And I've been told that summer is in full stride in Bellingham, with temps in the seventies and cloudless. Needless to say, I look forward to returning to tolerable temperatures without the everpresent drone of air conditioners.

Don't get me wrong, I had a fabulous time on the East Coast, but my plate is full in Bellingham with work and life, so I am glad to return home. But we ended the trip with a relaxing night of watching the Phillies play the Braves, and I tried to act like I knew baseball, even though it's been decades since I followed the sport. Adieu from the airport of Philadelphia - a city that holds many fond memories from my formative years, and good friends that still reside there.

Home

2010-07-06T06:34:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture taken of the sun about to set last night while driving up I-81 in Pennsylvania. I reminisce of the fun times I had living in Pennsylvania, but this is no longer my life, and I long to return to Bellingham.

Although the summer began early here and the humidity and heat is overwhelming. Although I never use air conditioning, I found it to be relieving in this oppressive heat. I think after living without heat or air conditioning that I become more sensitive to both.

I will gladly take a Bellingham heat wave (86 is the projected high tomorrow) any day over the 98 degrees (and comparable humidity) that Scranton wil experience today. Off to Philly to end my trip for a flight back to SeaTac tomorrow.

Although I love visiting PA, it is no longer my home. I am both lucky and grateful to return to my simple existence in Bellingham. Someday I might come back to live along the Susquehanna River and drink Genesee Beer but that is a few years away still.

Time to pack and move on.

Computerless

2010-06-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

So I got to Philly safely. Left there Sunday and though, "oh shit, I left my computer there" when I was a hundred miles or so out of town on the turnpike. After freaking out for about five minutes, I was suddenly relieved of leaving that technological anchor far behind. I'd be back on Thursday to retrieve it.

So this is the first few days without a computer since 2003. Conceivably the first vacation I've had where I was not tethered to my laptop searching for a wireless signal somewhere. The freedom is refreshing.

So I type on my nephew's laptop. A fun few days in Cleveland, a mighty city I have only fond memories. In Pittsburgh now, and back east towards Philly tonight, staying at an old friend's place up in the Laurel Highlands.

More soon.

Philly

2010-06-25T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a song I always think of when traveling out of Bellingham.

Woke up this morning
with love in mind
It was raining outside
but my love still shined
Kept me warm
till my plane touched the sky

And I've seen love
make a fool of a man
He tried to make a loser win.
But I've got nothing to lose
I can't get back again.

Man made rules
been holdin' back my love
Can't hold it back no more.
Churches long preach sex is wrong
Jesus where is nature gone?
What am I doing here?
What am I doing here?
What am I doing here?

Woke up this morning
with love in mind
It was raining outside
but my love still shined
Kept me warm
till my plane touched the sky

- Neil Young

Headin' out to the East Coast, Lord knows I paid some dues gettin' through.

10:46pm sitting in SeaTac waiting for a 12:50 red eye to Minneapolis, then on to the City of Brotherly Love. More later.

Dogs

2010-06-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my ex-dog that I found last night. It was taken back on the Utah Salt Flats back in 2005 or so. I was told that Sam Dog passed away last year. He led a noble life.

As I have housemates, one nice addition to the house is a dog. One is here now, and another will be coming in to take Mortimer's place when Mort moves out with his owner, which should be this weekend. Dogs embrace all the good attributes in people, and they are always wonderful to have in the world.

Although I am traveling all next week, I will be returning to a white/yellow Labrador Retriever living with me. Labs rule. Hopefully he can co-exist with the chickens, being the lab that he is. We shall see.

Fascism?

2010-06-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

I increasingly listen to the terms corporate fascism and anarchy being thrown around with regard to the current state of the flagrant havoc that the corporate structures wreaking havoc upon our society with virtual impunity. Obviously BP is one that will never be responsible for the catastrophic impact it's had on an entire region of our country.

But another even more pervasive problem is the hydrofracking of the natural gas that lies within or beneath the shale bedrock oncetain areas of the U.S. Years ago I read about the release of horrible and hiigly toxic chemicals into the atmosphere and environment and the subsequent poising of many residents of the Front Range in Colorado. Now this problem seems to extending into my beloved home state of Pennsylvania. (Here is a primer I strongly encourage you to check out.)

Or nation is in peril. Our capitalist system is derelict. We are a country in collapse on many fronts - sociologically, ecologically, politically, economically. I am glad I am not bringing children into this world. They will see a vastly different world than I have seen. No Brady Bunch or Leave It To Beaver for them. I guess we are too fat, sick, dumbed-down and in debt to dig any deeper than what we're spoon fed on FOX, CNN, MSNBC...

So sad. At least we have gas for our SUVs and McMansions. At quite a hefty price though.

Summer?

2010-06-22T09:12:00.001-07:00

Supposedly this June is one of the rainiest on records. To me, it just seems like a normal Junuary in Bellingham. I know that many of the the crops and seeds that people enthusiastically planted in April have faltered and struggled with the onslaught of chill and precipitation. My garden seems to be doing well, although I planted in a low-maintenance fashion to require minimal effort. And it is nice to live on a tenth of an acre, as managing a city lot of this size is not overwhelming.

9:15am on a Tuesday, and the vicissitudes of business ownership in a time of waning government and private institutional support can be rather challenging and discouraging at times. But other times, and generally, I view the silliness of getting overly stressed about these things that I really have no control over. And that always puts me in a better frame of mind.

Traveling on Friday, for a ten-day trip back east. I enjoy traveling back there because it makes me miss Bellingham so much. And I get to return to a wondrous summer of idle evenings in the park, or fun with friends and the myriad activities of the mountains and sea.

The picture above was taken from a path along Whatcom Creek near my house a few months back.

Happy Valley

2010-06-20T22:44:00.000-07:00

Capitalism calls, and I am ready to serve. This moring, I write from my perch in the little convenience store in Happy Valley where I used to help out a friend once in a while. He is out of town and asked me to help him out to keep the gears of Mother Commerce greased and turning smoothly. So here I sit listening to a 9/14/88 Grateful Dead concert on Sirius Radio. (I was at this run of Madison Square Garden shows, but not this specific one.)

In additional to manning the helm of this ship, today I will be writing one of two business plans on my plate – one alone is usually a daunting task. But as is typical, the preceding trepidation of nearly overwhelming tasks frequently outweighs the act of actually preforming them. Will I ever grow out of that? But this morning, in spite of being out way too late last night at the Wild Buffalo, I feel content. An old friend came in from out of town last night, so it’s always nice to show a vistor around your funky town. It’s hard to be humble when you live in one of the coolest towns in the U.S.

Day Five of the cleanse, and all is well. I’ve been strict on my raw fruits and veggies intake (except for those two lonely bite-sized Three Musketeers I found abandoned in the back room) and dropped six pounds so far. But it’s back to oranges, pears, carrots and miscellanoeous smoothies.

Nama Cleansing

2010-06-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

Today is Day Three of my raw veggie and fruit (and coffee) cleanse. The second day is the hardest from a hunger standpoint, but beyond that it turns less of a physical hunger versus the mental concept of what food really is. But on Day Three, you body starts doing some funky things and you begin to feel the effects of the change upon one's body. I cannot fathom much more than a week of this, but I will keep pushing through the weekend and beyond. The thought of not eating things like ice cream and pasta is worse than actually forgoing it.

Luckily, I ate at Nama for lunch today (a business colleague took me) and realized how flavorful raw foods can be. Bellingham is lucky to have such wonderful restaurants.

But tonight is more fresh local greens with Spring Tonic and Olive Oil (although technically it should be cold pressed, it may not be). Oh well, when you design your own cleanse, you can bend some of the rules.

A good day ending a busy week. Livin' the life in Bellingham. What could be finer?