Category: Meditations

Reflections on Memorial Day Weekend

Carl Setzer

Though most of the weekend was a bit damp, I am quite pleased. Meet friends for coffee Saturday at Edmonds Cafe Louvre, Sunday had friends over for smores and a movie. Today, after a brief trip, we walked down at the Edmonds Marina, then I strolled through the neighborhood to grab a coke. Lastly, I zipped out to Albertsons for some groceries. Not high demand, which is good right now. Rest.

But getting together with friends was my favorite part. It makes me feel the most blessed. And grateful.

I’m surrounded by good, loving people. My life is pretty awesome.

A reflection about being wished a “Happy Memorial Day”

Carl Setzer

Several recent marketing emails I’ve received lately were titled “Happy Memorial Day”. My response?  Cringing. “Happy”? I don’t want to disparage the senders, but language is important to me. Word choice and imagery, critical.

This day where we remember our war dead, “happy”, to me, misses the point. “Thoughtful”, perhaps. “Reflective” works well, too. Thinking about the history and imagery around “Memorial Day”, and I don’t see joy, happiness; just somberness.

I think of WWI, the masses of humanity ground up in the machinery of war. Also, as its armistice was drawn up yet the fighting, and dying, continued so that leaders could enjoy symbolism; war’s madness, too. Elements which have not faded from the modern battle field.

The loss of so much potential; of sons, fathers, friends. I find such deeply sobering.

I don’t feel anger or offense, though, which is so often our favorite response. Just contemplative consideration.

A few thoughts about Memorial Day weekend

Carl Setzer

As it’s Friday, I’m planning out the family’s agenda for this long weekend. One of the key elements for us will be rest. But there’s Folklife down at the Seattle Center, with that there’s Art Of The Brick at the Pacific Science Center, farmer’s markets, hikes, so very much to do. I want to add one key thing, regarding the reason for the day.

Many cemeteries will have rememberences for our service dead (this one’s in Edmonds, and the one at Washelli in Seattle is thought-provoking). I’ve done many of these over the years. I find them very powerful.

A powerful reminder of the cost of war. Stories of heroism, born of the love of comrades and deep sacrifice. Tied in are tales of deep sadness, of the wrenching loss of sons/daughters, fathers, mothers, friends and siblings. War sizes holes left in lives.

I’ve worked with many vets over the years. All I’ve really done is hang out with these guys, honored their stories, sitting without judgment, with them in their brokenness and pain. For me, at this point in my life, Memorial Day comes with thoughts of those who came home alive in body, and shattered in the soul. For them I harbor a special place in my heart. They are often forgotten between our honoring the dead and fitting in an extra round of golf. With that, evey day 22 veterans commit suicide. I ask you to offer up a prayer for them, however that might look to you. (One way I’ll be doing this is with 22 push-ups. A clever campaign to grow awareness.)

As a Veteran, the son of one, and part of a long lineage of vets, this day is rather sobering. May you pause briefly and remember the cost of war, the joy of peace, and the amazing power of love.

Tonight and Ken Burns’ The War

Carl Setzer

Saw that it was on Netflix and, as I love Burns’ work, thought I’d watch it. Well, as it came up to Bataan, and bedtime, I opted to bail. Facing the worst humanity offers us not something to delve into before bed. For me, at least, my anxieties will go gangbusters and my sleep will be poor, at best.

This raised several memories. When a boy, living in San Miguel and later Subic Bay in the Philippines, I met several Bataan survivors. The horrors they faced aren’t academic. I saw the scars, the missing toes, the wounds. I see faces pained, decades later, when recollecting their stories. Perhaps these tales reach deeper into me than they do for others. Perhaps I’ve done well with absorbing the tao of the Buddha; compassion living deeply within me. Either way, I prefer to face the worst if humanity earlier in the day.

Reflecting upon the day

Carl Setzer

Watching 180 South this evening. My son found this years ago on Netflix, and we find it a nice, calming film.  It’s also thought provoking.

Part of that: it’s core focus on sustainable living.  Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins built their businesses with that long-term view. These were men we talked about when I worked at Starbucks in Corporate Social Responsibility. North Face and Patagonia were, and are, leaders of socially responsible business practices.

Then there’s the travelogue element. These guys are seeking wisdom on their quest. Facing challenges, seeking to understand, to learn about the world. That’s compelling for me, who spent my childhood drifting over the planet.

After watching tonight, I thought some about the quest. About the wisdom gained from the journey. I see that some gain great insight from travels. Others from staying put, deepening their connection to place, a single place. Both paths are valid, both lead to wisdom, both are necessary for the world.

I’ve been on both paths. Now my path is focused on this place. And I find it joyous.

Video, Vlogging And Me

Carl Setzer

Ok, as you faithful readers should know, I attended Video Savvy last week. The goal was to load my brain up with deeper knowledge of the video trends, both in real estate and beyond. I’m rather weird in that I don’t have any terrible fear of facing cameras and also know I’m a decent public speaker. This is actually rather fun for me.

So, I’ve started the quest to get more good (insert winky face here) at video. And the best way seems, simply enough, to dive in and learn hands-on. I’ve been dabbling in video for a while, so I pulled all my video fun into a vlog playlist on YouTube. Please subscribe and stay up-to-date on my explorations.

 

Reflecting On Edmonds

Carl Setzer

It’s been a lovely weekend here in South Snohomish county. Yesterday I made my way down to the Edmonds Barbershop. For me, that’s John’s barbershop. When I lived down there, I’d walk there once a month or so. He always did a fantastic job. Then we moved to north Lynnwood, nearly Mukilteo. Slowly, the drive started to become too much, too convoluted. And for the sake of time, I’d end up at the discount hair place with the shortest line. After moving a few years ago, it finally sank in that I can make the journey now without too much trouble. So, even with my maniacal calendar, I was  able to carve out the time. It was great to catch up. He knows so very much about the details of Edmonds life.

It’s amazing to reflect on all the changes I’ve seen the city come through. My grandparents lived there for decades. My grandfather died in this town. He’d hardly recognize it. I can’t imagine him trying a pain au’chocolat (he’d definitely try a crescent roll with chocolate bits, though). There are elements of that old Edmonds left. The first things that comes to mind is the Edmonds Bakery and the venerable Pankcake Haus. But we have many lovely but fru-fru restaurants now; ones that I love but he’d scratch his head over. These changes excite, but I feel a tinge of nostalgia. Me, though, I focus on the positive and let the negative drift away. Especially as I have little control over either.

With that, it’s time for me to step outside and enjoy this lovely breezy spring-esque day. May you  day be filled with delight and fun, rejuvenating you for the week to come.

Some reflections on the windstorm

Carl Setzer

It’s been an interesting week. During Tuesday’s storm I was sitting in a class up above downtown Everett. Quite the bluster! Even in the 6th floor of a modern high-rise, we could hear the wind. Fortunately, my friends and family came through reasonably unscathed, with the greatest problems being power losses and fence destruction. Many in the region had far worse results (the Seattle PI has a great run-down of the aftermath).

With the storm, traffic was significantly eventful and my poor instructor quite late. I took the opportunity to chat with many of the good folks at Everett’s First American Title office. Such great people! A few folks I’ve known for years, but have never met. Such is the nature of modern business!

Our class covered the Escrow Process, where we focused on several key changes and issues facing this sector. One of the biggest: cyber-fraud.

I’ve been hearing an amazing number of cases of spoofed, or near-spoofed email addresses where funds are redirected. With this, we covered ways in which our business is responding to better protect your information.

Also, we looked at the way the CFPB’s new disclosure rules are getting implemented. The mortgage industry has taken this very, very seriously and implemented (for the most part) solid processes to keep closing timelines solid. Each lender has their own process, which is complicating things. And we’re having issues with certain folks not respecting the amount of time it takes the other players to act (“yeah, it closes tomorrow, here’s our stuff at 6pm. Too bad you don’t have time to get all your work accomplished. It’s your fault, of course”).

Anyway, always trying to learn more. Real Estate is vibrant and ever changing business. It is one of the things that delights me about it. This also speaks to the value of real estate agents. We stay up-to-date on all the changes occurring. Even if you bought a house last year, the market has changed. There are new processes, forms and documentation. Let us help you navigate this morphing realm.

A new post on Medium: Upon The Horizon

Carl Setzer
Rumi and Change

I started writing this while on an evening walk in my Lynnwood neighborhood. Currently, I live where I grew up. Stepping out my backdoor, I can see my parent’s house. My son goes to the same school I went to. This depth of familiarity gave me pause. I consider community, faith and a few other things close to me. I wrote this before Friday’s Parisian horror, though. Oddly, though, it’s still timely, especially considering how laden the world became with invective and rage. It’s challenging to maintain hope for humanity at these moments.

It’s best to focus on the peacemakers, diving deeper into love. Slowly, slowly we transform ourselves and, thus, the world around us. Therein lies my hope.

The Life of a Real Estate Office Manager

Carl Setzer

I loved seeing this piece featuring Christy Belt Grossman, the office manager for the Belt Team, a real estate team with Keller Williams in Virginia. We have pretty solid parallels and do much the same kind of work. It’s really a delight to see the “behinds the scenes” folks getting some credit and appreciate for what we bring to the world.

It reinforces why I’ve stuck with the C&K Team (also part of Keller Williams): I get a solid sense of satisfaction helping people with their home buying. It’s a powerful part of most everyone’s life. Continuously listed as one of the highest stressors in life, it’s gratifying to help people navigate this process successfully.