Tag: seattle

Blogging & Vlogging

Carl Setzer

Just watched Chris Pirillo getting interviewed by Press Play Consulting. Pretty interesting stuff. Chris has done great work both blogging, then evolving into vlogging. I haven’t been in any hurry to move into the vlog world. However, listening to Chris, I’m thinking of reconsidering this. People seem to be getting better engagement with vlogs now. However, I’m primarily a writer, which is why I’ve been reluctant to make the move, besides a few experiments over on YouTube.  Personally, I have always felt the internet is a big place, with room for all kinds of content. In that regard, I guess the real answer should be “what’s the most fun?”

What about you? Where do you think the internet is heading? Watch Chris and let me know your thoughts.

 

The Lovely Town Of Sultan

Carl Setzer

Good ol’ Sultan, butted up against the edge of the Cascades. I spent many a summer’s day/night up by Spada Lake and making a general nuisance of myself in the Sultan Basin.  Fortunately, my friends and I were able to avoid annoying too many folks and that the selfie hadn’t been invented yet.

This little town off of Highway 2 came up in conversation yesterday. A friend was showing properties out there and was wondering “how the market was doing there?”. Well, I decided to take a dive.

Well, there are fewer properties on the market now than there were a year ago (40 in 2014 vs 34 in 2015).  But that’s only part of the story. Around this time in 2014, there was a little less than 4 months of inventory, now there about 2. Properties are selling faster, much faster. Perhaps the biggest piece, though, is the median sales price, which has risen from $172,500 last year to $229,950; a 33% increase. This for a small town of 4,750 about 40 miles north east of Seattle.

So, my friends, the market is good.

[wnt_grid keyid=”1″ maptype=”disabled” ownertype=”all” paginated=”false” sortoptions=”false” maxresults=”25″ search_mode=”form” primarysearchtype=”active” searchtype=”city” state=”WA” min_price=”0″ max_price=”1000000000″ listing_status=”Active” county=”Snohomish” city=”Sultan” single_family=”y” /]

HOV to HNWI Lanes

Carl Setzer

I have misgivings about shifting 405’s HOV lanes to the premium priced lanes. I’ve taken to calling them HNWI (High Net Worth Individual) lanes. Maybe it just offends my democratic (please note the lower case “d”) values. But the purpose of the lanes was to encourage more carpooling. Is this change acknowledging failure of this idea? Or just a drive to increase the state coffers? Yes, this has activated my cynicism system.

Actually, as I think through it, perhaps this is an effective new direction. Those with High Occupancy Vehicles still get to ride in these lanes for free. Maybe this will encourage more combining of forces. Maybe. Anyway, Seattle’s high density traffic issues are only going to grow. We need to get more people out of their cars unless we want to emulate Los Angeles. For me, there’s a resounding “no thanks”. Personally, I wish we’d embraced the original Sound Transit plan, with its aggressive rail system. But we couldn’t get past the price tag. And here we are. Here we are.

Steamposium

We’re currently putting together the show for Steamposium 2015, one of the largest, most amazing Steampunk events on the planet. Like our amazing show last year, be prepared for luminaries and sky pirates from across the steampunk world.

Star Wars & Bumbershoot This Weekend

Carl Setzer
Bumbeershoot 2015

Well, several of my friends and I committed to venturing forth into Seattle to catch the EMP’s Star Wars And The Power Of Costume exhibit this weekend, as that ends at the end of the month and I’ve been itching to see it. Rocket scientist that I’m not, it hits me a few minutes ago that this is Labor Day Weekend, and we’ll be jumping into the full on Bumbershoot festival mayhem.  Part of me thinks it’s a bit of a mistake to jump into this madness, and pay the high-end parking fees. However, it’s really just the price we pay to live in a really popular area.

GeekGirlCon

Come celebrate the legacy of women and their contributions to science and technology, as well as the surrounding culture of comics, sci-fi, fantasy, anime games and game play.

Star Wars and Bruce Lee

Carl Setzer1 Comment

There’ve been two local exhibits that have been compelling me: EMP’s Star Wars and the Power of Costume and Wing Luke’s Bruce Lee exhibit.  As a long time Star Wars fan, the EMP exhibit is deeply compelling. One of the things I enjoy about the series are the ways George Lucas connected with the mythological constructs of culture.

As a martial artist, Bruce Lee is something of an icon for me. The Wing Luke exhibit connects us to Lee’s history and evolution as a martial artist. That is particularly compelling to me.

Of course, I need to hit these fast. Next week, the Bruce Lee exhibit changes focus, and Star Wars ends it’s run at the EMP. Crunch time!

Seafair weekend

Carl Setzer

Ah, the big weekend! Seafair! This is a pretty big deal in the Seattle region, for the unfamiliar. Brings back loads of memories for me. Cutting out hydro shaped boats to be towed behind bicycles. Many musical memories of marching in Seafair parades. The Seattle Center vibrant and alive, more so than the average summer’s day. And the roar of hydros, both from Lake Washington and from the tv. With the Blue Angels flying overhead.  Oh, and the beloved antics of the Seafair Pirates!

66 years of this stuff. What great fun the organizers bring to the region. I’m thankful both for the memories, both serious and silly, and for the building of community. The parade in particular brings together and showcases the region’s rich diversity. Performers of all stripes come forth. It’s amazing, really, to sit still and have our multicultural vibrancy brought to you. Paraeded before you, so to speak.

So this morning I offer up my morning tea to the ever diligent and hard-working organizers of Seattle’s Seafair. Thanks for this perfect celebration of who we are as a region.