Category: Seattle

Emerald City Comicon 2026

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I went to Emerald City Comicon on Friday, March 6. I’ve been meaning to go for decades. There’s always something, some reason, some conflict. I finally felt compelled to go. It helped that I’d talked with several other folks, so had accountability partners, including my wife. I’m so glad I did. It was an awesome experience. Below are just a few thoughts on finally going.

Man, the cosplay! I love the passion of cosplayers. The artistry was so impressive. Understanding SO many references mad me feel that I was amongst “my people”. Recognizing so many characters and knowing their key lines made me able to validate others. Understanding the references just made it that much more wonderful for me. Valuing the same things is just so lovely.

Another thing I adored: the inclusivity. The boldly open affirmation of the LGBTQIA+ community delighted me, as did the way they embrace neurodiversity. Things like quiet rooms made the space safe.

The immensity, the scale of it all. My goodness, there was so much going on. So much space in use. So many people. It was perfect. All the vendors, and all the cool stuff was great, too. Floors of stuff.

I opted not to photograph much. Mostly just a few things that caught my eye. Nothing to share. It felt rather like a rather invasive thing to do. I’m probably overthinking that, but I REALLY wanted to be respectful. Maybe next year I’ll be more deliberate about photography.

My wife loves it as much as I did. She’s insisting that we go the full week next year. I’ll see if I can break away that long in 2027. And, who knows, maybe I’ll need to expand out to other cons.

Did any of you go? Or have you gone to a different Comicon? What did you think? What was your favorite part.

The First Airfield at Sand Point in Seattle

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Naval Station Puget Sound Sign

When I was a boy, we re-settled in Seattle as my dad was transitioning out of the Navy. Proximity to the commissary, Navy Exchange, and other amenities of the Sandpoint Naval Station were key elements to our choices of housing. This facility has long been a key part of my life.

Valarie, at Wedgwood in Seattle History, wrote a fun article about a piece of its history: The First Airfield at Sand Point in Seattle. As something of a scholar of regional history, I appreciate people who can expand my knowledge. And Valarie delivers in this regard! I won’t give away too much of her post, but here are two of my favorite tidbits:

  • I never heard of the First World Flight, whose centennial is coming up.
  • I appreciate the details of how the Airfield was established because of insights from WWI.

So, I recommend heading over and checking out this article. If you’re interested in Seattle’s history, you should subscribe to her blog.

This evening’s haiku

Carl Setzer1 Comment
A flower photo with a honey bee
with hints of summer 
watching the vigor of bees
as the springtime fades

This photo was taken in my front yard. The bees were quite taken with these flowers. This was shot with my Samsung S22.

I’m quite pleased with the results I get with this phone. It’s been amazing.

It’s feeling like summer here, just north of Seattle. It’s wonderful. But I’m right at the point of shifting from complaining about the cold to complaining about the heat. The comfortable temperature range for Seattle’s is between 65 & 75.

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend! May it exceed your expectations.

A Seattle Native Born In Rhode Island?

Carl Setzer
tower under blue sky

What do I mean by this? Well, I have a unique background. My father was in the Navy when I was born, which is the root of this situation. I was born in Newport Naval Hospital. My father was stationed there, however briefly. Thus, “born in Rhode Island”.

Native Seattleite, though. Well, my parents were both born in Washington. My dad was born in Seattle. His mom was born in Seattle. All my grandparents were born in Washington…you get the drift. Fun tidbit: I was supposed to be born in Seattle, but I opted to crash my mom’s trip to visit my dad. I like to be early.

My first and second birthdays were celebrated at my grandparent’s place in Edmonds (my mom was finishing up grad school at UW). That same place was “home”, as in “we’re going home for Christmas”.

So, yeah, my early childhood was spent living all over the world. Besides “greater Seattle”, I lived in Rhode Island, California, Virginia/Greater Washington DC, San Miguel and Subic Bay, Philippines, before we moved to Lynnwood when I was not-quite 10. A little over-complicated, but a key factor in becoming who I am.

Cell Pic Sunday, March 12, 2023

Carl Setzer

Fellow blogger, Fandango, posted this response to another blogger, John Steiner’s “Cell Pic Sunday” prompt. I love prompts, so thought I’d dive in.

Approaching Rain

I took this photo a few days ago along the Edmonds waterfront (about 20 miles north of Seattle). I’m walking away from this squall (rather quickly, I might add) in an attempt to avoid getting drenched. Which was successful, though it was shifting from sprinkles to a steady rain when I got back to my car.

I’ve spent the majority of my life in this area. I walked this exact stretch of beach with my grandparents ages ago. I know the winds, the weather, yet sometimes get caught off guard. I was able to read the change before I got hit, while still meeting my step goal. I’ll take that as a win.

Tonight’s Haiku: Summer’s Rose

Carl Setzer
Summer Rose
feeding on sunlight
gracefully growing skyward
now the scent of rain

Garden Lily

Carl Setzer
Lily
evening descending
such delights from my garden
in the cool night air

I saw this lovely flower in my garden today. This photo charms me. A simple thing, taken with my Samsung S9 with Instagram’s XPro filter.

A Walk Along The Beach

Carl Setzer
to approach the sand
as the wind comes from the west
sun behind mountains

On the Edge of Night: A Haiku

Carl Setzer
Sunset in Edmonds 
on the edge of night
evening breeze cooling the air
kingfisher calling

Gazing to the west

Carl Setzer
To the west
gazing to the west
with the sun descending low
as the air's cooling

Looking to the west as I walk through this park. Sunlight drifts through the trees. Summer in the north bringing a steep angle to the light. Richly beautiful. To me, at least.