Tag: Lynnwood

Steel Magic Northwest is close to meeting their Kickstarter Goal

Carl Setzer

Steel Magic Northwest is a great local group (located in Edmonds) that provides access to music for a number of youth and adults. I know a number of kids, and adults, who benefit greatly. And they have a great time! The music is brilliant and the audience is having a grand time, too.

https://youtu.be/oVDYsdkM6qI

 

They’re using Kickstarter to fund their summer program, so I highly encourage you to head over to their site and give them a few dollars. They’re doing a all or nothing campaign for $3,000, and are at $2,910. Just $90 more dollars! Now, the campaign ends Friday (June 30th), so I (again) encourage…nay, implore you to head over right now and help this program do amazing for our community this Summer.

My Mother’s Day Weekend

Carl Setzer

​Spent the evening with my folks celebrating Mothers Day. I love that I’m physically close to them, so can keep an emotional closeness. Though, at times, it’s surreal to be back in Lynnwood, within sight of the home I grew up in. 

Many, many memories can and went. Stories told with my son, developing the generational connections. So much of my life took place right here, within a short drive of my folks’ home. So many transformative memories flowed through my mind today. 

Most of the day I slept. Fighting some kind of virus, wakefulness was elusive. 

Yesterday we went to the Reptile Expo at the Monroe Fairgrounds. Then down to the old Woodway highschool for the Edmonds Heights production of Addams Family. The reptile expo was cool, opening my eyes more to herpetological fans, and what they see in their fine scaled friends. And I thought the kids were wonderful. 

Now I’m on my couch listening to St. Mark’s compline service on KING FM. So many rich memories here. I was a member at the cathedral for many years. I’ve so many memories of the halls there. And many evenings, sitting in the darkened gnave. Surrounded by this microcosm of Seattle. Wealthy socialites, broke college students, street kids, the roughest-edged folks, all crammed into the cathedral every Sunday evening. 

The tranquility I’ve felt there has rarely been equalled. Someday I need to take my son down and introduce him to this ancient worship style. It holds deep meaning​for me. 

Growth, development, change, and my little suburb, Lynnwood 

Carl Setzer

Went walking this evening. It’s been nice walking in the evenings these past two nights; last Friday I gave my left ankle s mild sprain. That frustrated me as I was starting to do jumping jacks. JUMPING JACKS! I’m a black belt in taekwondo and am limping after jumping jacks. Sigh…
It’s nice seeing the stars. Orion’s Belt crisp and clear in this night’s air. 

On part of my walk there’s some new construction. Working in the industry, I take notice of such things in my neighborhood. 

Now this lot (if you know Lynnwood, it’s on 60th between 176th and 173rd, just south of Meadowdale high school) was a single family home on a decent sized lot forever, or so it seemed. I walked by that house daily from junior high through high school. 

Well, the house is gone. 5 houses are going up. Five. And they’re 5 bedroom homes as well. Well, it was hard to read the sign in the dark, and I didn’t want to use my phone as a flashlight. Just seemed kinda weird. 

Anyway, the surrounding houses are mostly mid-century three bedroom ramblers. Nearby at some larger split levels from the 70s and 80s. These new homes are quite a shift from the existing ones. But that’s what’s bring built in my town right now. All around, and in some large plat developments, too. 

Makes me wonder what the future holds for Lynnwood. I’m expecting many more older homes will get replaced buy these larger homes on smaller lots. What will it look like in a couple years? That’s anyone’s guess. How many will get absorbed by growth, vs how many folks holding out against the incoming tide? There’ll be some hold outs. Perhaps many. But I expect there will be a gradual attrition that will snowball at times. Eventually, my funny little suburb will be as glitzy and shiny as Bellevue. BMWs, glad towers and McMansions. 

It’s the way of things,  I guess. 

Halloween Comes To Lynnwood

Carl Setzer

Ah, a lovely Saturday in Lynnwood! Nary a cloud, and rather warm.

Besides the basic logistical efforts of weekend life (laundry, decluttering, groceries…), today was the day to costume shop. Well, for the kid, who’s losing his kid-like qualities quickly.

We made our way to Lynnwood’s Spirit Halloween. Even as I’m walking in, I can here the gang from Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas singing “This Is Halloween”. For me, at least, this was delightful.

https://youtu.be/xpvdAJYvofI

Looking around this store, that looks like the wardrobe department for a B horror flick. Rather impressive, really, especially considering the glorified trash bags I wore as “costumes” when I was a kid. Things looked like these:

costumes_black

And I had this one several times (I heart Spiderman):

1970s-costume-spiderman

The world has changed. And kid’s expectations have grown. Makes sense, I guess. And, though I’d love things to become dirt-cheap again, I’ll take the greater fun.

Spirit’s over in Lynnwood Square, I believe in the same spot as the old (ancient?) CompUSA. It’s next to where Sport’s Authority used to be. In the lot is a rather large sign admonishing non-patrons about this being a private lot. I found it amusing. Mainly since there’s a lot of vacant space in this strip-mall. I’m sure it’s from better times, when parking was more of a premium. Anyway, if you’re looking for a large retail space, they’ve got plenty for you. In case you didn’t know, within a 5-mile radius, we have a population in excess of 300,000 with an average household income of nearly $88,000. Not a bad neighborhood, huh?

In the parking lot is the old Chevy’s. I’ve been watching the building for some time.

chevys-lynnwood

I think the building’s been vacant more than it’s been occupied. I’m not sure how long the space has been vacant, but I’m sure you can lease it for a reasonable price. I know it’s been closed for at least 10 years I can speak of. I wonder why it’s still vacant? I don’t imagine there’s a good business case to made for a rotting, vacant building. I’m used to these situations have some kind of legal issue, whether insurance, probate, taxes, criminal…there’s some kind of issue.

I’ve been meaning to dive deeper within, but I’ve been busy. Soon, though.

Stay well, do great things!