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.