Author: Carl Setzer

A blogger blogging from just north of Seattle.

Upping my writing game

Carl Setzer

As I seek focus

And to up my writing game

Seek to keep growing

I’m evaluating my work as a poet and blogger, considering what I want to do next. What kind of focus do I want, what kind of stuff I want write. So very much to consider, and I’m trying to have it mapped out and moving forward within a few weeks.

Thinking about my place in the blogosphere

Carl Setzer

I’ve been exploring my work as a blogger. Remarkably unfocused, but I’ve had s lot of fun. For several years I was the blogger in residence for a real estate team. Otherwise, it’s been about fun.

Lately I’m hearing from folks who’ve managed to make their living blogging or vlogging. And that’s a vision that compels me.

I love writing my blogs. But my scattered interests have resulted in seceral poorly attended to projects and cluttered sites.

I know I need focus. Need refinement. So, that’s my work right now. Which elements to i want as my focus. Not sure it needs to be anything I’ve spent time with before. Poetry, though, has resonatined and performed well. My Seattle blog does reasonably well, too. Neither is really at a point regarding page views to help me even cover the expenses of the site, though. I’ve also written about business, real estate and technology. So many possibilities….

So, I’m building a business plan, figuring out my focus and will then launch my new initiative. It’s time for me to take blogging more seriously, and to the next level…whatever that means.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Please leave me a comment below!

Focus: A Moving Target 

Carl Setzer

​Focus is fluid 

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Focusing My Life

Carl Setzer


Seeking a focus
Answering “what to do next”
Where my brain is now

Spending some time and energy right trying to figure out what I want to be focusing my energy on now.

Childhood’s End

Carl Setzer


Children now so tall 

Just a few years left of school 

Childhood’s ending 

Looking At Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir Performing “Cloudburst” Live

Carl Setzer

I love Eric Whitacre’s work, as it speaks deeply to me. The soaring sopranos, amazing blends of voices, interweaving of tight-textured harmonies with breath-takingly open chords all delight me. His Virtual Choir pieces, though, achieve the highest levels of awesome. This one, Cloudburst (where gets bonus points from me by basing it upon an Octavio Paz poem) hits me strongly.

Inspired by a Midwestern thunderstorm, the song captures the audio essence of the storm. From a musical perspective, I adore his use of clapping and finger snapping to achieve the feel of heavy rain. And his interweaving of harmony and dissonance really strikes a chord (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun).

Regarding the “virtual choir” nature of this work, in addition to the choristers in the auditorium, there are an 30 choristers currently standing in 30 countries, all Skyped in.

And this pushes technical boundaries, too. VOIP communications suffer from lag issues, and I delighted at the way Eric dealt with that: the piece was written to use it. Turning a liability into an asset: genius.

So, please, enjoy Eric Whitacre’s virtual choir performing “Cloudburst” at a TED talk.

 

 

I’m experimenting with posts other than poetry. And this video delighted me so very much, I wanted to share it with you. I hope you like this post, as well as the music. Let me know what you think in the comments, or via a “like” or share. 

Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir Live “Cloudburst”

Carl Setzer

I love Eric Whitacre’s work. His music speaks deeply to me. His Virtual Choir pieces, though, achieves the highest levels of awesome.
This one, Cloudburst (where gets bonus points from me as he based on an Octavio Paz poem) is stunning. Inspired by a Midwestern thunderstorm, the song captures the audio essence of the storm. From a musical perspective, I adore his use of clapping and finger snapping to achieve the feel of heavy rain. And his interweaving of harmony and dissonance really strikes a chord (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun).

Regarding the virtual nature, in addition to the choirs in the auditorium we have 30 choristers in 30 countries, all Skyped in. Pushing the technical boundaries, too. I delighted at the way Eric dealt with the lag: the piece was written to use it. Turning a liability into an asset is genius.

So, please, enjoy Eric Whitacre’s virtual choir performing “Cloudburst” at a TED talk.