Tag: parenting

Last days

Carl Setzer

Sixth grade graduation fills my gaze, upon the edge of these last moments of elementary school. Then this building, about to transform, getting erased and re-written; radical transition. Changes. Our lives, constantly evolving. Sometimes these changes challenge, stress, inflicting pain.

My life brings me to this place of acceptance, I see the change as good; at least inevitable. Children excited, feeling the possibilities within their grasp. Perhaps adults long for that time of undefinedness: possibility felt boundless. Perhaps the illusion of boundlessness is preferable to the doom of definition. Only when we forget our gifts, though. Losing sight of what we give, what our community needs fills us with sadness and pain.

This future excites me, even watching elements of my youth vanish. Time absorbs all things, given enough time. Expanding over all, gently at moments, explosively at others, it always wins. Tranquility exists within, awaiting the patient grasp.

A weekend of rocket fun

Carl Setzer

Last weekend, my son and I decided to build a model rocket, an Estes Taser. To fly the thing, we went to Edmonds Elementary’s play-field. I flew many, many rockets over the course of my youth. One challenge with rockets in this region, though: trees. Well, tress and wind. I estimate I lost a few hundred dollars worth of rockets over the years, making this a particularly spendy hobby. But, the boy wanted to and I really do have fond memories, so, what the heck!

Anyway, after the first launch cooked the parachute a little bit, preventing it from deploying properly, we did manage to get two more launches in. The last launch, though, ended with the thing crashing, cone first, into the earth, bending the tube significantly. And that pretty much ended the excursion.

So, the boy really wanted me to create a video, so here we go. I thought, afterwards, it would’ve been nice to add some music. Maybe at sometime in the future.

Below is the creation. Enjoy!