Inspiration from inspiration: 29th Annual Mayor's Art Awards Celebration
 Positive-thought provoking. Awe-inspiring. Inspirational. Like a town crier calling for an approaching circus. But the circus you marvel at as a kid, not the media-circus connotation I carry now as a 32 year-old man. 20 artists were recognized last night in Bellingham, for Bellingham, on behalf of  Bellingham. And these people are really the champions of this hamlet, giving back through their respective arts, each with a positive attitude, interaction with kids from age 2 to 92, or just immense creativity. The ability to recognize the moments you were in awe of someone was almost tangible, from the teacher who worked with children who said her art was an unsigned one, but multiplied over and over,making it better than any signature, to the writer who reiterated his account of how the old Fairhaven Hotel was dismantled into dump trucks and dumped along Boulevard Park. Each awardee represented the army of creative minds behind them, and in their brief moments in the spotlight, shone back with the talent that brought them to that podium in the first place. In the true spirit of their art, the Dream Science Circus, who inspires through interaction, teaching confidence building, trust, and creativity through performance art, gave an acceptance fitting to their cause, as the one partner, climbed atop the others shoulders, and gave thanks back to Bellingham, when it was our appreciation they were there to accept. And that was the underlying theme; even when Ben Mann was accepting his award for teaching art to students in the same classroom in Silver Beach where he "first brought his purple crayons", despite the Bellingham Repertory Dance Company's award for bringing performance level dance to our 72,000 plus town, as well as the opportunity to participate, they were still giving. They were giving thanks, genuine, well-thought out, and heart-spoken thanks to a place that isn't the biggest star on most maps, but might have the biggest heart. And when the Poetry Night at Fantasia's spokesman spoke of the ingenuity, passion, honesty, and raw talent of their group, he qualified it for me forever when he made mention that the median age is 22. He boasted that he had hope for the future based on this group of young people, a rare statement in these or any times, really. Grant Donnellan accepted his award, and posed a question for Bellingham to think about the next time that music's budget is on the chopping block: How many of us listened to music today, in some form or another? And in the same day, how many of us used complex mathematics? This doesn't discount the need for math is schools; but shows that music is so much more than extra-curricular. A recipient brought a card from a student, that when opened read, "Thank you, with all our art!' And that's what Bellingham continually does, is thank itself through the local artists who grant us permission into their grey matter, to a creativity that we might be too busy to harness ourselves sometimes, but definitely need to appreciate. Grey could be the predominant color in Bellingham. At points in February, there's no refuting that. But there are folks in this town who are doing their best to splash some accent color through carving, juggling, painting, teaching the piano, restoring the Whatcom Centennial Story Pole, dance, or poetry. No amount of skillful invention can ever replace the essential element of imagination, said a man name Edward Hopper. It's Bellingham's continual combination of the two that keeps me here. Labels: Art in Bellingham, Artists, Bellingham Arts, Dance, Dream Science Circus, Local Authors in Bellingham, Mayor's Arts Awards Celebration, Performance Art, Poetry
Destination Zuanich Point: Spring Run
From a storm of grey days, one brief, shining moment emerged this Saturday. I don't know how, or why, and am guessing since the local weather folks get blamed for the inclement weather, they should gleam some sort of credit for this, but we had an incredible April 12th.
 And so, around 7:00, I pulled the quick laces on my shoes for a run that started on Railroad, went down West Holly Street, past the stores whose sidewalks don't roll out until the sun does, and into Maritime Heritage Park. Mostly downhill. I'm feeling absolutely invincible. And I look over at the park and decide I'm hitting those stairs, partly because I'm the only person alive at this point with the volume of my music, but more because it's Saturday, and it's finally nice out. What better two reasons to push yourself; you get 52 of these a year, and each one should count. Motivation. So 70 stairs later I'm on the top, looking out over the harbor, where the GP site is, knowing that we've got t-minus 10 years or so, and I'll be looking at 137 acres of incredible waterfront, possibly home to some internationally acclaimed organizations to be named later, great parks, and more importantly, more folks in Bellingham.
 I'm an East Coaster, about 3300 miles away from where I opened my first lunch box, and the seascape that we have in Bellingham here is one of the reasons I stuck. We've rolling hills that look over a harbor into the islands. We're minutes from Canada, and and hour and half from Seattle, depending on who's driving. And the Bellingham Bells' symbol is the same as the Boston Red Sox so there's not much more one could ask for. And as I run down the side of the street over the train tracks that helped build Bellingham, I veer left into the Bellwether, home to a couple of fantastic restaurants (Anthony's Ahi cooked to just north of rare) and where I saw a best friend get married in from of a pirate ship (not the wedding theme, just a happy coincidence). And suddenly the songs fade out, and I realize that there are a handful of people with access to this run, to this place on the Earth right now, and I'm one of them. I get a lot of those moments here.
The boats around the marina remind you why there's a waiting list to get a slip. And the view over the park that extends through the rock-built jetty into Fairhaven gives you reason to reason your way through the winters here. It chalks up the thermometer at about 60 degrees when I finish my run, and that's more than enough for a reminder as to why I do what I do here. Being a steward to Bellingham makes me feel like a bit of a beggar at the palace, and that's fine with me. You get 52 Saturdays a year, not barring leap years like this one. And I wouldn't give away Saturday for all the doom-and-gloom market reports in the world, as I know they're out there. But making the best of our surroundings and the best of what we have separates us, helps us top the food chain. Enjoying the sunshine in Bellingham feels good to type. Hope it felt better to read.... Labels: Bellingham Waterfront, Chris McNamara, Unique Runs in Bellingham, Zuanich Park
VA Home Loan Program
 The Bellingham VFW Post 1585 had their monthly meeting tonight. Elections of new officers were held and you are looking at (so to speak), at the new Junior Vice President. Thank you... Thank you... yes with my cup of Mt. Dew in hand I was elected! But this blog isn't about self congratulations. I want to talk about VA Loans. With the number of 100% mortgage loans diminishing, Veterans might want to look into using the VA Loans. You served or are serving our Country honorably so why not take advantage of the benefits offered. Let's touch upon a couple of points. 1) It's possible to get a 100% mortgage loan because of the VA Guaranteed Home Loan. What this basically does, is guarantee the 20% down payment that banks would of required of you. What does this mean for you? Drum roll please...............Your down payment, to get into a home, comes to Zero Dollars! Normally you would get something like a 80/20 loan, giving you two different interest rates, which would raise your monthly mortgage payment. 2) Funding Fees. This is the cost of getting the VA loan. It is a part of your closing cost. If you are using the VA loan for the very first time, the fee is 2.15%. This is a one-time cost. The fee is reduced if you put some down payment down. Click here to see the Funding Fee Table. To get started you need to apply with any mortgage lender that participates in the VA home loan program. You will need to get a Certificate of Eligibility. If your lender has access to ACE (automated certificate of eligibility), this can be done in a couple of seconds. Otherwise, you can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility by submitting a completed VA Form 26-1880, Request For A Certificate of Eligibility For Home Loan Benefits, to the Winston-Salem Eligibility Center, along with proof of military service. For more information about the VA Home Loan Program Click hereLabels: Bellingham VFW Post 1585, Johnny Howes, VA Home Loan Program
Lake Padden Loop and Swim: Not so Fast...
 This weekend was a rough one on the trail around Lake Padden, as the weather doesn't seem to be coinciding with the date (snow last weekend). With each morning, getting out of the car, looking at my MP3 player, and wondering why I didn't sleep in, I wonder when this feeling will start to dissipate. My main motivation still ignites from getting beat by the woman in the Bumble Bee costume at the Jingle Bell run this year. It was a huge costume. And she beat me by a couple of lengths. I think she was running to Clay Aiken, and you can't beat that. I vowed never to get beaten again by someone in a costume, after the "push-up" contest debacle against Goofy at Disney World this year (look at the size of his head, you can almost smell the Human Growth Hormone). But each day at Padden, I tap the Dr. Pepper machine, start my watch, and cruise past the tennis courts, the horse trails, and into the woods. Depending on the direction you run in, it varies in what you're workout will be. Could be flats for a while if you run clockwise, or immediately into the hills, and want to stay out of the winds that whip across the lake, and run counterclockwise. Lake Padden is a gift, wrapped in a 2.6 mile loop (still trying to break 19 mins), about 5 minutes from the Sehome Haggen's. Surrounded by parks, fields, access to Galbraith and a couple great lengths of single track, you're only problem could be finding parking during the summer. And a lifeguard, as budgeting cuts have taken their toll on staff there. But barbecue, bring your dog (leashed here, unleashed there), and as long as you keep the two mutually exclusive, you can get an idea of why parks were created in the first place; to bring folks together in the Great Outdoors. And yet, alone, on the morning of April 2 nd (afternoon sun wasn't going to help much), I decided it was time to start swimming again, and waded into the Lake for a length across and back. I got to about my calves, then dove in, and after the Lady of the Lake stole the breath right out of me, I got right out. On the list of Bad Decisions I've made this year, this one hit the top ten. But we'll get there. The location of Padden, off of Samish Way, makes the swims deviate from commonplace; high winds can produce an ocean-like chop, fog can set in, and by the time you're halfway across the lake, you can get pretty disoriented. And then there are the mornings where it's coffee table of glass, and the sun rises as you make your way back to the beach, and the chill of the water can't even knock the smile off your face. But it tries it's best, and this year, got the jump on me. Sticking to a couple runs in the Chuckanut area for the next weeks will make my list for good decisions this year, and before I try to tap the Dr. Pepper machine at 18:59, give the Lake another go in May. Advantage, Lake Padden. Chris McNamaraLabels: Chris McNamara, Chuckanut, Fun Trail Runs, Lake Padden, Samish, Sehome, swims in Bellingham, Trail Runs
Trail Running In Bellingham; Morning Loops
 In the first couple minutes I begin running, the same phrase comes to mind: This is going to be painful. Coming from a competitive family that did some sort of race every weekend, my usual reply when asked to run was that I was old enough now to stop running, and stay and fight. But talking with other runners whose motivation was more of the journey on the trail, it was blindingly evident I was missing out. It's the places you run that make it more exciting, and that's been burned into me more and more as I'm trying 2 new runs in Bellingham. The North Shore Trail is six miles there and back (and then some if you tag the fence at the mid-mark) and runs most of the perimeter of the East side of Lake Whatcom, looking back on the homes on Coronado, Strawberry Point, and most of Gates 1 and 2 of Sudden Valley, with a few peaks from homes in Gate 5. This trail is about 8 feet wide, compacted gravel and dirt, wide enough for a morning group of coffee drinkers to walk four abreast, making it just about impossible to not say "Good Morning". The whole run you're looking to your left or right at pristine water, incredible landscape, and a waterfall here and there, thrown in with a couple of well-built, and sometimes slippery bridges. And very dog friendly, with a great beach at the end for my friend's dog, Caymus, to cash in on fetch with a piece of driftwood, after very humbly "holding back" the entire run. It gets a little dodgy during the fall, with the leaves covering a lot of the rocks that could turn an ankle, and turn a winter into "the time I actually read those books assigned for summer reading" and no one should have to read Life and Death of a Salt Marsh. No one . Looping down through the Dog Park in Fairhaven, through D owntown, and onto the Boardwalk is surreal. Again, your skirting the shoreline for a good portion, looking up at South Hill, and for a little motivation on your way to Bellingham, you pass Wood's Coffee, one of the best things to happen at Boulevard Park since I got free coffee for bringing a Pomeranian, which sounds like a Poker term for bluffing, but actually happened. Continue around the bend and along the rest of the trail, and it will bring you into Bellingham, behind the bike shops there, the Tai Chi class that practices out back during the summer. With a left when you hit the street, that'll bring you right to where the Farmer's Market is every Saturday during the spring and summer. You can stop here, or at the local Brew Pub (Cheers, Nolan!) or run into downtown. There's always something going on. So many runs in Bellingham....I hope you try out these two, one's a little country, one's a little more rock and roll. Keep an eye out for a Pomeranian. Chris McNamaraLabels: Bellingham Trails, Boulevard Park, Chris McNamara, Lake Whatcom, Northshore Trail, Trail Runs, Unique Runs in Bellingham
Homes and Commercial Real Estate: Condition of the Property
 Make sure that as you are reviewing properties to purchase that you look at the condition of the basics: Undercarriage (varieties of foundation, post & block...), wiring, heating, roof and gutters, etc... Most Buyers should get an "Inspection" by a licensed Inspection Services company, there are many individuals providing this service with a variety of experience. Your Realtor should be able to recommend two or three to choose from... however... don't let an Inspection Report scare you. MOST buildings and property have some issues that you need to be aware of and perhaps have fixed previous to purchase. With the local Building Codes changing continuously, the property will almost always be "behind" the current building codes in some way. Do not let this influence your decision on an EMOTIONAL level "Oh my Gosh.. there are so many 'things' in this report, let's RUN AWAY (screaming...)". These are just issues, they are details to evaluate as a part of the process. I have seen numerous clients "run away" from buying a property that would have been an excellent value with benefits to them far outweighing the items on an Inspection Report. Remember, MOST buildings or even land will have some kind of issues, it is up to you and your advisers to decide what are important items or not; to determine present or future costs of improvement or upgrade; to evaluate dispassionately and objectively what the REAL value is to your investment portfolio. All of these items: neighborhood, house style, business location, current availability of good contractors, structural or system versus cosmetic... all of these issues need to be part of an EVALUATION process, not an emotional approach. Seasoned Buyers and Investors have learned how to look through the details and work toward the VALUE they are looking for in a property. Some details need to be negotiated within the purchasing process, some need to be taken into account for action after the property is yours. Again, I have seen many Buyers hold off from the purchase of an "excellent value deal" because of Condition of Property issues, and the home or commercial property goes to someone else who can work through the details and determine what is truly important. Remember that any improvements you do to a property can be accounted for and used to reduce your "profit" when you go to sell in the future, money you spend over the first 6 months to a year is money in your pocket (actually throughout your ownership) when you go to sell later. You can make sure that you are establishing a real ESTATE of greater value, pun intended. Happy purchasing, Layne ";-> | 360-305-4444 Labels: Commercial Real Estate, Inspection, Layne Southcott
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Bellingham. And these people are really the champions of this hamlet, giving back through their respective arts, each with a positive attitude, interaction with kids from age 2 to 92, or just immense creativity. The ability to recognize the moments you were in awe of someone was almost tangible, from the teacher who worked with children who said her art was an unsigned one, but multiplied over and over,making it better than any signature, to the writer who reiterated his account of how the old Fairhaven Hotel was dismantled into dump trucks and dumped along Boulevard Park. Each awardee represented the army of creative minds behind them, and in their brief moments in the spotlight, shone back with the talent that brought them to that podium in the first place.
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