Month: March 2017

Visions of The Reaper?

Carl Setzer

I thought I saw 

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p style=”font-family:’Helvetica Neue’, Arial, sans, sans-serif;”>The Great Reaper 

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p style=”font-family:’Helvetica Neue’, Arial, sans, sans-serif;”>But was unsure 

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p style=”font-family:’Helvetica Neue’, Arial, sans, sans-serif;”>Was that a scythe,

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p style=”font-family:’Helvetica Neue’, Arial, sans, sans-serif;”>Or an umbrella?

A week of challenge, growth and development 

Carl Setzer

An interesting week. Much excitement, accompanied, as that often is, by aggravation. My team is moving at a frantic pace. In such circumstances, things get lost in the blizzard. Which frustrates me more than anything. I can deal with most annoyances with grace and patience. Except when the causality is mine. My tolerance is slim towards myself. Strange phenomena, that. I’ve read how compassion towards oneself is the critical first step in developing compassion towards. I seem to be in reverse. As I’m want to do. 

Next month I’ll be taking classes again, bringing my autocad skills into the 21st century. I took autocad back in the mid-90s (DOS based, I should add), used it on a handful of projects, with the last of those ending in the late 90s. From that point forward I used Visio for that sort of work. Mostly just laying out office space, mapping outlets and network jacks, that sort of fun. 

I’m actually quite delighted to get this update, build this knowledge. Construction has been great fun, even with the challenges. Looking forward to continuing onwards. 

There’s a great alignment of my interests within this industry. My time at Starbucks working on environmental issues, as well as accessibility, plenty of opportunity for that here. Studying Seattle and the region’s culture has a place, too. Plus the things I liked most about real estate have a place. Very pleasing, indeed. 

It is interesting that, at 50, I feel like I’m new, freshly learning. I’m blending refreshing old skills and knowledge with the new. Part of what drives that feeling of newness: the mistakes. Fortunately, I’m in a place where real risk taking is encouraged. “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not pushing yourself enough.” As I embrace that, let it pull me forward, there’s positive changes coming forth. I like the way things are moving, the direction I’m growing. 

I can’t think of a better life than that. 

Walking under the stars 

Carl Setzer

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p style=”font-family:’Helvetica Neue’, Arial, sans, sans-serif;”>Walking under stars

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p style=”font-family:’Helvetica Neue’, Arial, sans, sans-serif;”>Tranquillity of evening 

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p style=”font-family:’Helvetica Neue’, Arial, sans, sans-serif;”>Peace filling my soul 

Growth, development, change, and my little suburb, Lynnwood 

Carl Setzer

Went walking this evening. It’s been nice walking in the evenings these past two nights; last Friday I gave my left ankle s mild sprain. That frustrated me as I was starting to do jumping jacks. JUMPING JACKS! I’m a black belt in taekwondo and am limping after jumping jacks. Sigh…
It’s nice seeing the stars. Orion’s Belt crisp and clear in this night’s air. 

On part of my walk there’s some new construction. Working in the industry, I take notice of such things in my neighborhood. 

Now this lot (if you know Lynnwood, it’s on 60th between 176th and 173rd, just south of Meadowdale high school) was a single family home on a decent sized lot forever, or so it seemed. I walked by that house daily from junior high through high school. 

Well, the house is gone. 5 houses are going up. Five. And they’re 5 bedroom homes as well. Well, it was hard to read the sign in the dark, and I didn’t want to use my phone as a flashlight. Just seemed kinda weird. 

Anyway, the surrounding houses are mostly mid-century three bedroom ramblers. Nearby at some larger split levels from the 70s and 80s. These new homes are quite a shift from the existing ones. But that’s what’s bring built in my town right now. All around, and in some large plat developments, too. 

Makes me wonder what the future holds for Lynnwood. I’m expecting many more older homes will get replaced buy these larger homes on smaller lots. What will it look like in a couple years? That’s anyone’s guess. How many will get absorbed by growth, vs how many folks holding out against the incoming tide? There’ll be some hold outs. Perhaps many. But I expect there will be a gradual attrition that will snowball at times. Eventually, my funny little suburb will be as glitzy and shiny as Bellevue. BMWs, glad towers and McMansions. 

It’s the way of things,  I guess.