At The Mandolin

It’s already Friday. Man, it was a busy week. I was at The Mandolin Café last night listening to a friend’s band. It was pretty cool, the place was packed. I hadn’t been to The Mandolin in quite a while. They added a cool little bar in the middle of the floor that was getting a lot of use. The place has a nice vibe; coffee, beer, wine, music, couches…what’s not to like? Another acquaintance is playing at Jazzbones tonight. It should be a good show, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it. We’ve got plans all weekend and I’ve got to get some things done. We’ll see… And to make things better, baseball opening day is Monday. Go M’s! Sun, beer, and strikeouts make a good afternoon.

First Pitch

Well, baseball season is back. I’m not so sure that the Mariners have a chance to do anything, but I’m still happy that we have baseball. There’s nothing quite like going to Safeco and watching a game on a nice sunny day. Or even watching the game at home during a BBQ is nice. Baseball is one of the great signs that spring and summer are underway. You may or may not be a baseball fan, but if you haven’t gone to Safeco and had a beer in left field while watching the game or hanging out with friends, you’re seriously missing out on one of the great spring/summer events. FYI, pre-funk at Pyramid! See you there.

Tacoma Condos

There’s been plenty of news in The Tacoma News Tribune regarding condo prices and how the market is full of high end units and is rather lacking in units offered at low to mid-level prices. Unfortunately, I think this is a concern. In order to really have a vibrant city, all types of people with varying levels of income have to be included. It becomes difficult to have a city full of artists, musicians and creative professionals if the city can only accommodate those people who make above average salaries. Not everyone is going to make six figure incomes. In a weird sense, I think the market will ultimately help solve the problem when developers realize that there is an underserved market and that money can be made by creating housing in a category other than “luxury” or “premium”. And really, how many people can really afford those units? And are these people looking at moving to Tacoma right now (or in the next twelve months)? I’m not quite convinced that Tacoma will be able to steal away these types from surrounding cities by simply offering expensive condos with views of the bay. At least not yet, anyways. I think the glut of the expensive units will continue. What Tacoma can do is offer homes to middle and upper middle class families and professionals. This seems like a battle that Tacoma can win. Seattle and Bellevue are expensive cities and housing is no exception. With the Sounder in place, Tacoma can become poised to offer an alternative to working families and professionals who cannot afford to live further north. With our urban feel, mass transit options, and proximity to the Sound, Tacoma can offer a viable alternative to those looking to live in an urban setting and still be able to afford a lifestyle that they desire. I think it’s good to set our sights high, but I also think that the condo developers are all setting their sights just slightly too high for where we are right now.

Sounder in Lakewood

Sound Transit is currently breaking ground on the new Sounder Station in Lakewood. That’s great news. Within a couple of years, there should be Sounder Train service connecting Lakewood and giving residents the opportunity to commute to work and stay off the road. This is exactly what needs to be done to help the traffic situation in Western Washington. I wish the Sounder service would be expanded to include more than just servicing the I-5 corridor. If anyone has attempted to drive I-5 between Olympia and Everett during rush hour, you know what I’m talking about. Also, getting to the East Side is a complete nightmare as well. What still concerns me is why there isn’t an even bigger push by our political leaders to expand mass transportation. Obviously, not everyone in WA is going to use the service. But results show that usage has been greater than expected. And also unfortunate is the fact that the option of using rail is only limited to weekdays and certain sporting events. I personally love using the Sounder and do so whenever I get the chance. Between the Sounder and Link Light Rail, we have viable examples of what can happen if our governments truly commit to building mass transit that is more than just a necessary evil. Washington is continually growing and I’m not sure that what is being done is completely sufficient. We can do more and should demand more from our government. Let’s press the issue further and make potential government leaders see that there is a mandate of mass transit improvement and expansion from the people. You, your emotional well-being, and calendar will be better off for doing so.

Misc. News on Tacoma

Lots of interesting things going on in the area. There’s been plenty of news about the condo market here in Tacoma. I’m not sure how that will play itself out in the short term, but it will be interesting to watch. If you’re condo shopping, you should have plenty of choices. Also, the local political race is getting interesting as people make themselves available to run for city council. I think that this is a huge race coming up in terms of importance. I believe Tacoma is on the cusp of great things but we need great leadership to securely get us closer to our goals. And as the city continues to improve and clean itself up, it’s quite obvious that there are still pockets of crime spread throughout the city. We can change this as we continue to work towards letting people know that criminal behavior will not be tolerated. This next year can be a great one as we work towards positive change in our city.

Politics-No Response

What's with the administration in Washington DC? Does the Executive Branch and the Republicans in it not feel the need for accountability to its constituents? It just seems like every day there is a new debacle and no reasonable explanation for the mistake. Furthermore, there seems to be no oversight to clamp down and try to prevent any other disasters from happening. With the war, holding detainees, firing prosecutors, inept staff, lack of response after Katrina, etc., etc., the list could go on and on. And when do people within their own party finally decide that this is enough? It's no secret that many Democrats and moderates are tired of this sad routine, but what about those further to the right? It's not enough to have political opponents screaming for change. Those within that party need to speak up and demand accountability. I'm still completely amazed that no one else in that party is willing to speak up and request reason, transparency, responsibility, and a sense of service to the American public. Maybe that's why that party has no real Presidential candidates worth mentioning at this time. No one on that side of the aisle has been willing to speak up and begin doing the right things as opposed to toeing the party line. It's too bad, good debate and politics can only occur when there are viable candidates from different parties. One party full of potential candidates doesn't fully engage the potential of the great American political process.

Tacoma Jobs

Can Tacoma's job market grow? What will it take for the city to be able to attract companies that can employ local residents? Is it our current tax structure that limits who is willing to set up shop here? Is it the city leadership or government that hasn't been able to address concerns and give proper incentives? I'm not completely sure that we have one answer for this. But I think it needs to be reviewed and addressed. Tacoma cannot grow into a vibrant, thriving city if a large percentage of it's residents has to leave town daily to produce elsewhere. Thankfully, I'm not sure that our neighboring towns are necessarily on the cutting edge of business development either. But, we can't take too much solace in that. We need to find new, more creative ways to keep our talent home and producing goods and services in town. I think we need to find new ways to promote relocation and growth in Tacoma. Favorable and fair taxing in Tacoma could help. A good infrastructure with low crime wouldn't be too shabby either. But can the city also look at ways of promoting new growth by subsidizing the reconstruction and redevelopment of dilapidated areas of the city? Tacoma has numerous dead spots and rundown areas that could use some serious TLC. Could the city find ways to sweeten the pot when it comes to finding more beneficial ways to redevelop those areas? Many questions remain to be sure. But I think we all need to try to come up with answers if we do not want to fall into the trap of mediocrity. Your thoughts?

Resource-The Maker's Diet

I've been going through and reading some material by an author named Jordan Rubin. He has written The Maker's Diet as well as some other books. The Maker's Diet is a great resource for those looking for some advice on diet and living a more healthy lifestyle. The advice is easy to understand and it doesn't have the feel of a textbook or anything like it. If you're interested, check it out. You may end up feeling better and living a more fulfilled life because of it.

Food-Organic Foods

I’ve recently been trying to eat more organic and whole foods as opposed to my past diet which consisted of some rather horrible foods (too many to list). I’ve been going to various stores and I’m quite happy that places like Wal-Mart Superstores and other grocery stores like Fred Meyer have been improving their organic and natural food selections. And of course, Marlene’s is a great store to shop at as well. It would be nice if some other natural food stores would begin popping up in and around Hilltop as well. It’s still a battle to find a large selection of products. I’d be thrilled if a Whole Foods or PCC store would locate in or around Tacoma. But for now, the stores I’ve mentioned have some decent stuff. If you happen to know of any other stores that I’m unaware of, pass it along.

Resource-feed >> tacoma

Kevin Freitas of KevinFreitas.net fame has done a good thing. He has put together feed >> tacoma (feedtacoma.com). Feed tacoma is a collection of blogs and blog updates specifically pertaining to Tacoma and its happenings. And you may have or have not noticed that Hilltopia occasionally shows up there when a Tacoma related article has been written. The cool thing about the site is that it has a good mix of articles and featured writers. If you are interested in Tacoma and what's going on, feed tacoma is a great resource to stay on top of things. It's really cool to see all of the different writers put their talents to work and come up with something for the rest of us residents to peruse. Check it out.

feed >> tacoma

Tacoma-Commercial Districts

There’s been plenty of buzz about UW Tacoma expanding, new businesses going downtown, and even the Tacoma Mall beginning its renovation. Which brings me to my point, where will the next commercial district be? Will Sixth Ave. continue to develop? Will the Proctor District decide to become more of a shoppers’ destination? 38th Street seems like it could become an even larger International District with an Asian themed shopping center and larger market perhaps? All of these things appear to be somewhat viable and possibly desired to some extent. More jobs in Tacoma is definitely desirable. And there could certainly be more places to walk to and experience. There are many possibilities, I just hope we can retain the character of all of these neighborhoods during any and all of these changes. Tacoma has shown a good propensity to retain some of it’s grit and character so far, hopefully we’ll keep up the good work.

Tacoma-On the Dumping Lookout

Yesterday a neighbor and I had to confront a lady who was dumping some trash on a curb. This lady claims that she had planned to have the city pick the garbage up. I highly doubted it since the lady reeked of crack addict. Not that she unequivocally was a crack addict, but she certainly could’ve won a crack addict look-a-like contest. And to make matters worse, I swear the stray shopping carts are reproducing. Oregon is looking at passing some sort of law to address the stray shopping cart situation. I think Washington should do something to solve the issue as well. There is nothing more lame or trashy than looking at a stray shopping cart left by someone’s house or apartment building. If a grocery store can’t find a way to secure them, I think they should at least have to hire someone to go around and pick them up. I’m not trying to pick on people that need a way to transport groceries, but I also don’t think everyone in the neighborhood should have to pick up after people stealing these shopping carts either. Does anyone have a cure for the shopping cart ills?

Business News-Good Day for Stocks

The stock market had a good day today. That’s nice to see since the last few weeks have been a little rough. We may have some more rough waters ahead with fears of a recession and an increase in loan defaults. For the investor with cash, this may present a buying opportunity. So, keep your eyelids peeled for buys.

Get Out and Walk Tacoma

I’m only one person of a much larger group that thinks Tacoma is turning a corner in its revitalization. The neighborhoods are cleaning up nicely, downtown is growing, and more growth appears just ahead. There have been numerous citizens who have worked countless hours to make Tacoma a safer, more attractive place to live. I think many appreciate and acknowledge this work, but it would be early to say that we’ve arrived at our desired destination. We still have more work to do fighting crime and making the city yet more livable and enjoyable. My suggestion for helping to change perceptions and reality is that we need to get out and walk. That’s right, walk through your neighborhoods more often. We need to continue to force the issue with criminals that responsible citizens are in fact taking back their city. If everyone made their presence felt more often, I think those with bad intentions would make themselves more scare here and find somewhere else where they are tolerated. Tacoma doesn’t have to be that place. Besides, most of us can use a little more physical activity. So as the weather gets more bearable, take a walk through your neighborhood with your head up. Make sure people notice that there are residents who will notice criminal activity. I think we’re so close to making things much, much better. A strong display of unity and ownership will send a message that certain illegal activities will not be accepted here. And really, who can’t afford to walk and get out more often?

Open Sunday Night

I went for a long walk Sunday afternoon/early evening. My wife and I ended up at Starbucks on Sixth Ave. and left when it closed which was at 8pm I believe. I noticed that our town really closes up shop fairly early on Sundays. Which brings me to my point, I miss the old hang outs that you know and can rely on to be open at all hours. I'm talkin' diners, greasy spoons, coffee shops, etc. I'm not so sure that Tacoma needs more upscale restaurants. I do think Tacoma needs some more good places where people can go to hang out, read, eat, drink and just be at almost all hours of the day (or night). I know there's a couple of places that are in this description (Mandolin, Knapps, Harvester), but I do think we need more of it. And besides, I need variety. Hopefully you do too.

Creative Tacoma

I took a look at the Creative Tacoma website and was somewhat hopeful from what I read. In a nutshell, it’s a group that is rather progressive and forward moving in its message and goals for Tacoma. There is sort of a multi-faceted set of goals including commercial, ethnic, cultural, and ecologically safe goals that would benefit Tacoma and its residents as a whole. I was pretty impressed. Of course goals and outcomes can be dramatically different, but this is certainly a promising start. If you’re a Tacoma resident or are thinking about becoming one, click the link below and check it out.

creativetacoma.com

Current Economic Forecast

With more news of the economy wavering, it may be a good time to look for some deals. Stock prices have dropped and experts think there may be more foreclosures as people are forced to re-finance some of their low interest rate loans originated a few years back. If you do have some cash on hand, stocks and properties may be a good deal now and an even better deal if we hit the skids. I think things may flatten out and we could see some deals that haven't been this good for a few years. Keep your fingers crossed.

Now I Remember Why I Live Here

With the sun out and an afternoon breeze blowing through my house, I finally begin to remember why I live in Washington. When the weather is nice, I think this may be one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Of course, being in such a green place should only be expected with rain nine months a year. But when it's nice, it's really nice. I can't wait for the warm weather events like kayaking in the Sound, baseball at Safeco, walks into downtown Tacoma and up in Seattle. Maybe even some work around the house with some music and cold beers. Finally, spring is here.

Tech-Google Docs and Spreadsheets

If I find something that I really like, I tend to become an evangelist for the gadget, book, idea, etc. Well, I love Google's personalized homepage and some of their office tools. Google Docs and Spreadsheets is awesome since the docs are stored at Google. Because of that, you can access your docs as long as you can access Google. So if you're like me and you don't carry any data storage on your person, this alternative is great. You can write word or excel-type docs, save them on Google and then pull the docs up wherever you have internet access. It comes in handy when you want to show an acquaintance something and you didn't plan on bringing the doc with you. Life is a little more spontaneous than even us planners admit sometimes. But, having access to your stuff online takes some of the pain out of surprises and having to run back to your office or home office to access your docs. So, if you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend taking a look at some of Google's products.

Promising Work Towards Criminal Supervision

There’s a good article in The Seattle Times by Jennifer Sullivan and David Postman explaining some of the work that is being done to better supervise released felons. This issue of supervising felons is a serious one and it demands our attention. In the past year alone, three Seattle Police Officers were killed as a result of actions taken by felons who were currently under supervision. It is quite obvious that those felons were not rehabilitated and probably should not have been released if there was a chance that anyone could have been harmed or worse, killed. Tacoma and Seattle are not the only areas that can or could be negatively affected by unsatisfactory law enforcement and supervisory efforts. I’m not sure if there is one particular person at fault for these procedural shortcomings, but the issue still remains. Citizens can and should demand an improvement in this area. Thankfully, it appears that our governor is determined that corrective action is taken as soon as possible. I think people of all political backgrounds appreciate the effort, but we cannot rest until there is significant improvement regarding this. There’s always a wish list of what citizens want from government, but this cannot be a wish; it must be a demand met with excellent results.

The Seattle Times