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Bellingham Podcast

Bellingham Podcast

Di: AJ Barse
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A proposito di questo titolo

 Pacific Northwest aficionados, AJ Barse and Chris Powell are your hosts each week talking about their views and interests in technology, travel, gear and watches. Or, put another way, "PNW life and views from the city by the Salish Sea." The Bellingham Podcast is recorded in or on location in or around the City of Subdued Excitement, Bellingham Washington. This show is also available on-air on Bellingham's KMRE 102.3FM. bellinghampodcast.substack.com

bellinghampodcast.substack.comAJ Barse and Chris Powell Scienze sociali
Episodi
  • Ep. 241 | "Use It or Loose It" in 2026

    Ep. 241 | "Use It or Loose It" in 2026
    Feb 2 2026

    Happy New Year, dear listeners! AJ and Chris are back for the first episode of 2026, kicking off the year not with resolutions, but with something far more honest: use it or lose it.

    From digital overwhelm and doomscrolling, to the resurgence of analog life, retro tech, journaling, and intentional living, this episode is a wide-ranging, reflective conversation about what’s worth carrying forward…and what might be better left behind.

    🌐 Use It or Lose It (instead of a Resolution)

    Instead of New Year’s resolutions, AJ frames 2026 around sustainability: what habits, tools, and practices help us maintain in an era of information overload—and which ones quietly drain us.

    📱 Losing Doomscrolling

    A candid discussion about social media algorithms, attention capture, and how easy it is to feel trapped by always-on digital life. The antidote? More intentional, analog-adjacent experiences that slow things down.

    📼 The Return of Analog (and 90s Tech)

    From cassette players and iPods to dedicated single-task devices, the guys explore why 90s-era tech feels like a “vaccination” against hyper-connectivity. Less friction, fewer notifications, more presence.

    🎮 Retro Gaming & Intentional Play

    AJ dives into handheld emulators, retro consoles, and the rise of the “90s Nook,” including why replaying those classic retro games can be comforting, affordable, and surprisingly fresh thanks to modern communities like RetroAchievements.

    * Retro Achievements - https://retroachievements.org/

    * Retroid handhelds - https://www.goretroid.com

    ✍️ Journaling, Simplified

    Chris shares a major shift: stepping away from premium pens and notebooks in favor of simpler tools that remove pressure and invite use. Cost doesn’t equal meaning, and sometimes less really is more.

    * Muji - https://www.muji.us/collections/paper-goods?srsltid=AfmBOoqisSkxF5sZ96uEtQQNMhG9pTUx7j8KUaF73Z0pA1qvMevqHyIg

    📓 Gamifying Life with the Hero’s Journal

    AJ talks about transitioning to a Hero’s Journal, a guided, quest-based journaling system that blends reflection, goal-setting, and storytelling, plus how journaling has become a shared, normalized practice with his son.

    * The Hero’s Journal - https://theherosjournal.co

    📻🎧 KMRE Love

    A heartfelt thank-you to KMRE 88.3 FM, proudly broadcasting The Bellingham Podcast on the terrestrial dial and online.

    🌲 Quality Assurance

    🔥 Fire & Story (Waypoint Park)

    Fire & Story, a January event featuring music, storytelling, and community warmth down at Waypoint Park. Sauna groves, live performances, and family-friendly vibes—one to keep an eye on next winter.

    * Fire and Story - https://www.fireandstory.com/

    * Energy Pyramid band - https://energypyramid.earth/

    📚 Silent Book Club

    Chris’s talks about Silent Book Club — a relaxed, introvert-friendly gathering for anyone who loves to read in good company (but without the pressure of discussion). Bring your own book, grab a drink if you like, and enjoy focused reading time alongside others. It’s all about presence, calm, and intentional community — a perfect fit for our use it or lose it theme.

    * Learn more at https://silentbook.club

    * In Bellingham at Ponderosa Books https://www.ponderosabeerandbooks.com

    Thanks for starting 2026 with us. Whether you’re using it, losing it, or figuring it out one analog step at a time: we’re glad you’re here. Take care of yourself!

    AJ & Chris



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bellinghampodcast.substack.com
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    31 min
  • Ep. 240 "GPT takes on Bellingham, and we correct it?"

    Ep. 240 "GPT takes on Bellingham, and we correct it?"
    Nov 30 2025
    In this episode, AJ and Chris dig into a playful but insightful exploration: What would happen if an outsider spent a weekend in Bellingham guided solely by web searches or AI?Fresh off a Portland conference with heavy AI themes, AJ tests what “SmackGPT” thinks a weekend in Bellingham should look like across five traveler personas: the Local Explorer, Family Adventurer, Mindful Explorer, Camper, and Lux High Roller (exact output posted below).The gents review, refine, and sometimes hilariously correct the AI-generated recommendations, offering their hyper-local expertise on food, lodging, hikes, coffee shops, costs, and hidden gems. Along the way, Amtrak stories, camping advice, critiques of $10 gas estimates, and an update on the infamous “mics on sticks” recording setup.It’s a mix of travel guide, tech commentary, and classic Bellingham banter all better than any bot.🦃 Happy Thanksgiving from AJ and Chris🤖 “SmackGPT vs Locals”As mentioned- the output from AI (ChatGPT after a bit of conversation with the bot) Five Ways to Spend a Weekend in Bellingham (with Estimated Costs)With Estimated Costs for 2025Below are five distinct ways to experience Bellingham — from hidden-gem explorers to luxe travelers — each with activity ideas and estimated weekend totals (Fri–Sun).1. Local ExplorerHidden gems, coffee shops, local seafood, & Baker trailsEstimated weekend cost: $400–$550 per personFriday Evening* Check into Hotel Leo or Fairhaven Inn (~$180/night)* Coffee at Makeworth or Camber* Sunset stroll at Boulevard Park* Dinner: Rock & Rye Oyster House ($45–60)Saturday* Coffee + breakfast at Camber ($15–25)* Drive SR 542 toward Mount Baker → stop at Nooksack Falls* Hike options: Horseshoe Bend, Yellow Aster Butte, Chain Lakes Loop* Lunch from Old World Deli (packed $12–15)* Espresso + pastry at Wake ’N Bakery* Dinner at Carnal or Keenan’s on the Pier ($40–60)Sunday* Tony’s Coffee + brunch at Evolve ($25)* Chuckanut Drive detour & oysters at Taylor Shellfish ($30–40)* Final coffee at Lettered Streets2. Family Adventurers (Kids 4–11)Kid-friendly hikes, parks, treats, simple pacingEstimated weekend cost: $600–$850 for a family of fourFriday Evening* Stay in Fairhaven Inn or Larrabee cabins (~$200/night)* Boulevard Park playground time* Dinner: Boomer’s or Colophon ($40–50 family)* Mallard Ice Cream run ($20)Saturday* Breakfast at Evolve or Magdalena’s ($40 family)* Easy Mount Baker stops: Nooksack Falls, Horseshoe Bend (short sections)* Picnic at Silver Lake Park (snacks ~$10)* Pizza at North Fork Brewery or local family option (~$50 family)* Early evening in Fairhaven Village GreenSunday* Crêpes at Magdalena’s ($40 family)* Short hike at Stimpson Reserve or Whatcom Falls* Boulevard Park lunch and playtime ($30 family)* Edaleen Ice Cream stop on the way home3. Mindful Explorer (No Alcohol)Tea houses, wellness walks, yoga, calm nature spotsEstimated weekend cost: $350–$500 per personFriday Evening* Hotel Leo (~$160/night)* Kombucha flight at Culture Café ($10)* South Bay Trail walk* Dinner at Keenan’s or Wild Oat ($40–50)Saturday* Gentle morning yoga at 3 Oms ($25)* Coffee at Refind or Avellino ($10)* Mindful walk at Stimpson Nature Reserve (free)* Healthy lunch at Leaf & Ladle ($12–20)* Late afternoon tea at EvolveSunday* Coffee + light lunch ($15–25)* Sehome Hill Arboretum lookout or Clayton Beach tidal walk* Reflection/journaling break before departure4. The CamperNo hotels, minimal cost, full-time outdoorsEstimated weekend cost: $200–$300 per couple/personFriday* Camp at Larrabee State Park or Silver Lake ($30–40/night)* Campfire dinner or simple takeout ($10–15)* Sunset on Larrabee cliffsSaturday* Camp coffee + oatmeal ($5)* Mount Baker hiking day: Yellow Aster Butte or lakeside loops* Lunch from camp supplies or Wake ’N Bakery ($10)* Dinner over the fire (salmon/veggies ~$10–15)Sunday* Pack up camp* Quick hike at Fragrance Lake or Clayton Beach* Taylor Shellfish oyster stop or casual lunch ($25–35)5. Luxe ExplorerHigh-end stays, spa, private hikes, elevated local diningEstimated weekend cost: $900–$1,400 per personFriday* Stay at Chrysalis Inn & Spa (~$320+/night)* Welcome drink & balcony sunset* Dinner with local seafood tasting menu ($70–90)Saturday* Brunch at Keenan’s or in-room dining ($45+)* Private driver or curated transport to Artist Point (~$150)* Optional private mountain guide (~$75 per person)* Catered picnic at a scenic viewpoint ($60+)* Dinner at a fine-dining restaurant ($90+)Sunday* In-suite brunch ($45–60)* Spa treatment (90 min $150–200)* Scenic drive or chauffeured Chuckanut outing (~$100)☕ Local’s Additions and Corrections * Woods Coffee (local staple)* Camber (micro-roastery)* Fenex (Bellwether )* Avellino (downtown)* Café Adagio (Chris’ all-time favorite)* Banter & Avenue Bread for breakfast/brunch lovers (with shoutout to Ben Mann art)* Boomers math checks out ish (≈$35–40 for a family)*...
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    32 min
  • Ep. 239 | Unabridged Season

    Ep. 239 | Unabridged Season
    Oct 24 2025

    After more than a year off-air, AJ Barse and Chris Powell dust off the mics, on sticks (more on that next episode) and return to the Bellingham Podcast from their favorite city by the Salish Sea for a catch-up that’s part reflection, part revival.

    AJ and Chris share what pulled them away from the mic; from AJ’s medical detours and higher-ed budget storms to Chris’s growing fatigue with all things digital, as always they open up and ultimately brought them back. They trade updates on analog tech experiments, air-gapped AIs (snarkly brought to by the fictitious SmackGPT), and the joys of going offline. The conversation also highlights what’s new around Bellingham:

    * El Sueñito Brewing (tamales & trivia)

    * Event page: Noches de Trivia

    * Frelard Tamales

    * Training Grounds (gym) —Training Grounds

    * Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro (closure) — Announcement: Boundary Bay closing at end of 2025

    * Hey Dumplin’ (dumplings) — Hey Dumplin

    * Cosmic Games (game store) — Cosmic Games

    * Waypoint Park (waterfront park) — Info page: Waypoint Park – City of Bellingham

    * Pen y Fan - Mountain

    * Boundary Bay closes after 30 years - Cascadia Daily News

    * KMRE 88.3

    It’s a relaxed, real, and refreshingly and quasi-analog homecoming for the long-running Bellingham Podcast - complete with shout-outs to listeners old and new, the regular plug to KMRE 88.3 FM, and the reminder that even in a tech-tired world, community still connects.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bellinghampodcast.substack.com
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    39 min
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