Renton, WA

“Community is conversation and conversation is opportunity”…

Here’s your opportunity to join in…

RE Barcamp is going to be held in the Northwest Rooms at the Seattle Center on March 19, 2010. A great in city location right next to the Key Arena with plenty of parking, hotels, and restaurants within walking distance.

Looking from the Northwest Rooms SE over the Key Arena.

Click for: Seattle Center Map… (#2 on the map)

At Warren Ave N and Republican St, Seattle WA 98109

Join the RE Barcamp Seattle Facebook page for the latest information.

I think this has all the cyber-markings of a fantastic RE Barcamp. The location is perfect. The volunteer planning committee walked through the Northwest Rooms back on January 14^th and we were all immediately excited about the possibilities. There’s a lot of flexibility in the way the spaces can be used. All rooms have built in sound systems and the acoustics are wonderful with no room reverberation. Great for breakouts, we’ll be able to hear everyone very well.

Don’t forget that the day before, March 18, is the 2010 Pacific Housing Summit. It’s exciting to have both of these events back to back in the same location, a wonderful opportunity to attend both events. We have a lot of thanks for the Summit sponsors also, without this great collaboration none of these events would be possible.

Looking west down the Northwest Rooms hallway.

Join the NW Housing Summit Facebook page for the latest information.

What I love about RE Barcamp is the spontaneous energy one gets caught up in from being around 100’s of like minded curious people roaming around a shared space (in no seemly organized fashion) all seeking conversations to participate in about everything internet, technology, marketing, and social media.

This is one of those special events where all we need to do to qualify is simply possess a thirst for knowledge, show up, and share; we check our attitudes at the door, and participate. It isn’t about the stars of Social Media, it’s about you.

We’ve all been to workshops and have been talked at by an expert who pontificates about what we should be doing to be successful like them.

This is not one of those events. This ain’t no classroom lecture.

This is an event about the many to the many. I value what you think and hope you’ll show up and contribute. I need your help too, so I can do better in the future.

People talk here about their life, work, and play online. All of us are in some kind of related real estate field. We’ve done things that have created business and want to share what works, what doesn’t, and have plenty of questions to ask others doing the same.

It’s a day of discovery and opportunity. What could be cooler than asking one of your peers you follow on Twitter why they do what they do, and how that works for them? Or to hear someone share how they got a ton of Google Juice by linking their blog pictures to Flickr, or how writing Yelp reviews enhanced their web presence by 20%. Or how they discovered the power of Delicious and Stumbled Upon to direct more traffic to their blog, or how market statistics really made an impact on their blog readership and it led to deals.

The RE Barcamp volunteer planning committee, I had a little fun with the digital paintbrush...

Here’s your opportunity to be in person, rub elbows, and be in those conversations. Talk, exchange, ask 100 questions and reap the rewards.

This will be a truly UBERTASTICAL event, especially if you show up!

You can RSVP here:REBarcamp.com/Seattle

I was thinking the other day about the technology in my life and how it has shaped me. That took longer than I thought; several days in fact. I became fascinated (actually obsessed) about the lineage of electronic devices I’ve owned over the years and that prompted me to ask,

“What was the very first personal technology I owned?”

My quest had a simple premise:

1. It had to have something to do with the electronic medium and connected me to the world in some way.

2. It had to be mine. I owned it.

In the summer of 1958 our family moved across town to Earlington, a neighborhood on the west side of Renton. I was 8 years old. That Christmas I received a present from Santa that I’ve never forgotten. I didn’t realize until now that it was my very first personal technology.

The HearEver Germanium Crystal Rocket Radio – 1958

I can’t begin to express what a revealing process this was. I traced a line of technology from now directly back to this beginning. It all began here with my very own crystal rocket radio. This is where technology and I hooked up. As I recall, I could only get 3 or 4 radio stations, the strongest signal was KJR AM Seattle. I listened to a lot of Doo-Wop, Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Everly Brothers, and other top 100 hits of 1958.

The important thing to me, while peeling my life’s glass onion, is making the connection to a larger world and the role technology played. It’s not about the toy or the gizmo; it’s about what they represent, what we use them for and how that influences us. I spent a lot of evenings lying in my bed at night (when I should have been sleeping) with my imagination a blaze. I didn’t understand how it worked. It just did, it was mine, and somehow I was more a part of everything by having it.

What an awesome piece of technology when you think about it. The crystal radio uses no tubes or transistors, nor does it have a separate power source. They are passive receivers and run on the energy they get from the radio waves themselves.

Now that’s what I’m talking about… crystal power!

Looking backward or forward in time is often a funny thing. It can be full of surprises and discovery. I was walking through our new Renton Uwajimaya store yesterday past the inside BECU branch. They have a PC just off the lobby for online banking. A dad was sitting there trying to keep his 3 small children from scattering while his wife was in line. As I walked pass them I noticed his attention was full on two of them. But, unseen and behind dad was the youngest, 14 months at the very most in training pants. He was stretching with all his might, pounding the keyboard with his tiny little hands, staring up at the monitor with wide eyes and great expectation.

I juxtaposed thoughts about my life and his life with technology and the news, “Will Apple’s iPad kill the Kindle?” What an amazing time to begin the journey.

“What was the very first personal technology you owned?”

Info from my friends, Kimberly Terry and Cathy Pizzini of Evergreen Home Loans in Seattle.

I want to give all our Associates the heads up that Seattle based Evergreen Bank was shut by regulators this afternoon. This will be in the morning paper.

Evergreen Home Loans is not related to Evergreen Bank. Nor do we have any account or lines of credit with the bank.

Your customers are safe doing their loans with us. We have a message posted at the bottom of our website indicating we are not related to Evergreen Bank. You can refer customers to this if they have questions.

Unfortunately, I know a number of people who were employed at Evergreen Bank. It’s sad to see to see people and businesses in our community impacted by these challenging times.

Kimberly Terry & Cathy Pizzini

206-774-7595

I have worked with Cathy and Kimberly since 2002 and we have many satisfied clients together. They are still the tops when it comes to getting a home loan.

The Gary McNinch Team home website is www.RentonHomeFinder.com My twitter handle @RentonHomeFinde Our facebook page is Gary McNinch on Facebook My Active Rain website is Gary McNinch Team on ActiveRain Gary McNinch Team Realtor Renton WA Real Estate Keller Williams Realty Renton WA. Call us 206-696-2329, email Gary@GaryMcNinch.com Serving Renton, Kent, Auburn, Newcastle, Skyway, Fairwood, Renton Highlands and Kennydale.

Please tweet us, text us, or send us a snail mail. We like to hear from our many satisfied clients.

Mortgage rates are near their lowest levels in history, affordability is at an all-time high and there is an excellent selection of homes available. If you’re in the market for you’re first home, it’s important to start looking NOW!These three factors make it an extraordinary time to buy – and I can tell you from experience it won’t stay this good forever.

Let’s get together soon to talk about the opportunities I’m seeing right now. In the meantime, I think you will find the $8,000 Closer to Home eBook a great resource. It's free and has great info.

Renton Realtor Gary McNinch Team looks forward to helping you on your path to homeownership.

The Gary McNinch Team home website is www.RentonHomeFinder.com

My twitter handle @RentonHomeFinde

Our facebook page is Gary McNinch on Facebook

My Active Rain website is Gary McNinch Team on ActiveRain

Gary McNinch Team Realtor Renton WA Real Estate Keller Williams Realty Renton WA. Call us 206-696-2329, email Gary@GaryMcNinch.com Serving Renton, Kent, Auburn, Newcastle, Skyway, Fairwood, Renton Highlands and Kennydale.

Please tweet us, text us, or send us a snail mail. We like to hear from our many satisfied clients.