Tag: reading

Thoughts On “As Seattle Grew Up, I Grew Up”

Carl Setzer

Today I read a piece by Seattle writer Angela Garbes. It resonated deeply with me, so I wanted to share with you, my friends.

Published in the Seattle Met, “As Seattle Grew, I grew Up” mirrors my own experience. I, too, spent my ‘feral 20s’ wandering Capitol Hill, where I lived the better part of 10 years of my life. Seeking the urban as a cyclist seeking a car-free life, and the vibrancy I imagined coming with concrete. Years making mostly minimum wage, yet able to survive. Gentrification just starting to squeeze. I being able to rise up the wage rungs quickly enough to stay above the flood waters of economic calamity.

My revisits come filled with memories. Oh, “this was here”, and “that was there”. Then “what WAS here”? Memories combine with memory’s absence; strange feelings, ones that I’m not quite used to.

“Cities are meant to change”. Seattle’s changed, quite a bit. Driving home how time has passed, how much older I’ve become. Things I’m not quite ready to accept, so they keep rearing up. Such is the way of things I guess.

What I’m Reading, May 25, 2020

Carl Setzer

I spent my Memorial Day morning catching up on email and reading. The scope of “keeping up” overwhelms me at times. The only solution I found to not letting this stress me? Accepting the lack of a solution, and that I must choose my focus. So, most of the stuff that comes into my inbox gets deleted.

Here are a few things that caught my eye today:

That’s where I find myself this morning. How about you? Anything inspiring and insightful come into view for you?

Lesser Seattle and Other Thoughts

Carl Setzer

I grew up reading Emmett Watson (a key part of Seattle’s literary history), and decided to revisit some of his writings. Currently, I’m working my way through Emmett Watson: “My Life In Print” (affiliate link). This book has a whole section about his, somewhat tongue-in-cheek writings about a somewhat fictional organization: the Society for Lesser Seattle.

The ideology of this came as a counter to the relentless boosterism for growing Seattle. If you loved the city, imagine how annoying it would be to continue to hear how to “fix” what you cherish.

Now, to be fair, the global city that Seattle is today resulted from that boosterism. But there were elements of that growth mindset that were truly mindless. Growth for growth’s sake is not wise or healthy, in my view.

Change is a part of life. It’s crucial to evolve. However, I find deep value in spending time assessing:

  • Who you are
  • Who you want to become
  • Then evaluate the opportunities which present themselves

All three are important. I can’t imagine anything more sad than “evolving” into someone you hate.

The same is true for cities, and any type of community.

“Know thyself”, a line I’ve heard bantered forth occasionally, seems apt here.

With communities, a challenge: dealing with divergent answers of those questions. Democracy can get ugly at times.

Let’s explore all of this, shall we?

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