Category: Personal Reflections

Lessons learned about life; pearls of wisdom I’ve gleaned through pain, failure and honest reflection

Did You Know Keanu Reeve’s Was In Paula Abdul’s “Rush, Rush” Video?

Carl Setzer

I loved this song back in the early 90s (I probably still have this CD somewhere in my “stuff”). I remember the video. I don’t remember Keanu Reeves in it, though. Someone else shared this today, which is when I noticed him.

Who would’ve guessed, looking at Keanu Reeve’s early work (yes, that’s Keanu in this video), that he would become the powerhouse that he is now? I certainly didn’t.

https://youtu.be/LNPb931HqeM

Some Thoughts On The Coffee Industry, and a Book Recommendation

Carl Setzer1 Comment
Starbucks Logo

In the early 2000s (2004-2009, to be specific) I worked at Starbucks, first in Global Communications then on the Corporate Social Responsibility team. I loved my time there and is the one place I would return in a hearbeat.

We former Partners (as Starbucks employees are referred) have an alumni group, the Green Apron Network. It’s a great group of folks whose presence I greatly enjoy and am privileged to be part of. One of the great figures of Starbucks’ corporate history is a man by the name of Major Cohen. If there is anyone who knows coffee better, I am unaware of them. Recently retired, Major has written a book, “Coffee For Dummies“. Though I haven’t read it yet (I have a copy on its way), I know Major well enough to highly recommend it. A few of my friends have already read it, and recommend it. I’ll write more about the book once I have read it.

So, check it out! There’s a Kindle version, so you can start reading it right now. If you read it, leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

This Morning’s Earworm: Kate Bush “Running Up that Hill”

Carl Setzer2 Comments

Pretty much every morning I wake with a song in my mind. Sometimes it’s simply my latest auditory obsession. Sometimes I think it’s my subconscious “telling me something”. This morning I woke with Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” on earworm. I’m not sure if my brain has a message for me or this just a song I’ve long loved popping back into my awareness. But it’s not unwelcome.

Is the move from big cities permanent?

Carl Setzer
Map of the US

My son and a number of my friends have asked what I think about all these people moving out of cities. Well, a Twitter friend, Bernie, posted this to his blog today: Iowa shows why the move from big cities may be only temporary. I agree with his assessment: cities offer more than affordability. I lived for the better part of 10 years in downtown Seattle and loved it. Arts and culture are a part of my soul. Having galleries, coffee shops, restaurants a short walk away delighted me deeply. One my favorite times in my life.

Anyway, Bernie references an article that looks at Iowan politics that might impeded this desire to attract the coastal urban dwellers to the mid-west*: Wood: About that public narrative we’re crafting to attract out-of-state people to move to Des Moines. Summation: the state’s anti-progressive agenda will impede growth. It’s an interesting point of view. For me, personally, politics might be a part, but, ultimately, the whole urban west coast thing is who I am. Even if they had the fastest internet on earth, I doubt I’d be heading east in a U-Haul.

 

*As a life-long west-coaster, I have long loved calling the middle part of the US the middle-east. 

An update on education

Carl Setzer

This is from one of my assignments this week, and it seemed like a great blog post. So, enjoy!

  • What was the most pressing issue(s) you had to deal with during this course?
    • My biggest challenge this quarter was time. All my courses took more time than my past ones. With that, I had a few side-projects that were more time-intensive than I was anticipating. I often was submitting assignments right on the edge of their being due. This, not something I like! I value proactivity and being solidly ahead, exceeding deadlines. With that, I like to have time for an in-depth review of my readings afterward. That was not easy to make happen.
  • How did you overcome it or remedy the issue(s)?
    • I dealt with this mainly by being more thoughtful. I made it a point to slow down as I read and take better notes at that point. I recognized that I might not have the time to re-read every chapter, but I could take the time to review my notes. So it was critical for those notes to be valuable. I also leaned heavily on things like Quizlet, a flashcard app, which I have on my phone and iPad, and I use this on my PC as well. That enabled me to review things at more random moments. A quick flip through flashcards while waiting at the doctor’s office, dentist’s office, bank, etc. In this time of Covid, I have spent a fair amount of time waiting in lines. Being able to squeeze every bit out of my days has been vital.

5 Jobs I’ve Had

Carl Setzer

On Twitter last week someone asked everyone to list “5 Jobs You’ve Had”. This is a random list of jobs, basically just what popped into my head.

  1. Construction permitting coordinator
  2. Media coordinator
  3. Executive assistant
  4. Church office manager
  5. Realtor

Just 5 of many (take a look at my resume if you want to see more). Each one a piece of who I am now.

Cycling, Cycling Videos, And The Need To Ride

Carl Setzer
Urban Cycling

I love cycling. Sadly, making time to ride at this point in my life is challenging, to say the least. Right after I got out of the Navy, I spent about 10 years without a car. My bike was my main mode of transportation, next my feet, next the bus. Every so often, I either took a cab, borrowed or rented a car as there were places and times that didn’t work with this lifestyle. Mainly, those moments that either need to be somewhere fast, too far or too late for the bus or weekends.

When I went back to school, I planned to ride more. I planned that I would bike to and from campus, as well as for my errands. Covid messed all that up. After the first lock-down, I got out of the habit of exercise period. At this age, the degradation from inactivity happens with a frightening ferocity. Now I’m back to walking daily and am figuring out when to block time to ride. Increments…

I’ve been watching YouTube videos to get me back into the groove. Man, everything is on YouTube! And watching these rides does help motivate me to get back into the saddle.

Today I had this one (below) going while doing some work. A group of New York City-based cyclists on a ride just out of the city. Cool that they can just hop the train, get off, and ride.

I’ve started a playlist of these to inspire me. There’s a lot of variety from urban riders to bike tours to trials riders to mountain biking. I think you should check them out. If you get inspired, too, we can meet on the road.

 

Featured Image Photo by Alex Powell from Pexels

At The End Of A Long Day

Carl Setzer

Mondays are pretty long for me. First, two of my classes tend to have 4, 5, or 6 projects due. And then I have a “class” from 6-8 pm, taking two hours out. There is value in the lectures, of course (else I would just skip and work), but I feel like I’m butting up against the “last minute” every week. I’m a little bit ahead today, which feels good. I actually got a little bit of what’s due tomorrow done. So, yay me!

My preferred state is to be at least a week ahead. Since two of my courses didn’t open until the first day of the quarter, and the third one opened up a day in advance, I hit the ground running, so to speak. And it’s felt like I’m squeaking by every week.

In reality, I am creeping ahead, slowly but surely. I just worry that one illness, or losing a day because of no power (yay Seattle winters!) will break everything. In the end, I guess I just work my way through everything. Do my best, learn every day, and drag myself forward.

Onwards!