LYNDA SHERMAN, 41Capitol Hill"The wind didn't affect me, but the rain did. I was out for the flash flooding, and what it really made me realize was how people in New Oreleans were affected by Katrina. I've never seen anything like that, and a friend of mine works in the hospital and they lost power and so it really made me grateful that most of us were safe, but it saddens me about the other loss of life after that. I think it's affected me that way. We're thankful this holiday that everyone I know is safe."And the New Year?"I'm really happy that it's going to get lighter sooner, and we'll get more light and that will help me stay awake longer."
After years of the Bush administration with its "Clear Skies" and "Healthy Forests" Initiatives, we've learned to be skeptical of Orwellian pronouncements from the federal government. But when it comes to local government, it seems that the citizens of Seattle, especially those who consider themselves environmentalists, are all too ready to believe the fine words of our mayor and city council. Unfortunately it is "greenwashing" that too often passes for sound environmental policy in this city.Seattle does indeed have a national reputation for environmental responsibility, but how deserved is it? To be sure, during droughts, we heed the call to save water. We have a higher recycling rate than most other cities, and we hit a new record this year with more than 50 percent of our garbage kept out of landfills. When voting for bond issues to preserve farmland or against developer-sponsored initiatives that gut environmental regulations, we routinely "outgreen" the rest of the county and state. And let's not forget Mayor Greg Nickel's splash in the national press in 2005 when he challenged other cities to join in reducing greenhouse gases to meet targets set by the Kyoto Protocol. But when you look below the surface at critical land use and transportation decisions fundamentally affecting our city's future, you'll find that our elected officials are more responsive to a different kind of green - that being the demands of cold hard cash. Take, for example, current plans for replacement of the SR 520 Bridge.
The stormAs I am writing this, I (Jennifer) have had power for two days and was without power for five days. Needless to say I am so grateful to be safe and warm - which is a feeling I am sure we all had those first days after getting power back. Bridle Trails was hit hard by the storm. What else can you expect when you have a 500-acre forest in your backyard? I had to keep reminding myself that this is the price we pay for the privilege of having nature right next door and I, for one, am more than willing to pay that price.I have not ventured far into the Bridle Trails State Park yet; I know it will make me sad to see all the downed trees so I am waiting until I feel up to it. The trails are not passable on horseback and may not be for awhile.
The barn staysWe've all seen it. The cute doll-house cottage sitting between the railroad tracks and the creek on the east side of Sixth Street South. On a cold night it looks warm and inviting; on a hot night the porch looks cool, and the creek makes it perfect for iced tea and a rocker.So I was saddened when I saw the For Sale sign go up along the property. I went to meet the owner to learn the history of this little house before it was gone. I caught up with owner Jim Fisk, who grew up on the property. When he was young - in his case that means the '50s - the property was a farm. There were a few chickens, a cow or two, maybe some cattle. Jim walked me around the farm in the settling dusk on a cold, rainy evening. As we talked, Jim called his sister Joyce, who lives in Arizona, to clarify a point here and there. She had gone to school with Downtowners such as Lee Johnson and Bob Shular, remembering a few things Jim had forgotten. But Jim remembers a lot. The doll house was never a house to live in, it was built as a barn for feeding animals and for hay storage.
Hello and best wishes to all for a peaceful and happy New Year. Can you believe that is already 2007? Where did 2006 go? And 2005 and 2004? It certainly is true, the older you get the faster the years pass by.December stormWe survived the lack of electricity quite well with our wood stove, gas range and an extension cord to our neighbor's generator to keep our refrigerator and freezer operating. We had plenty of candles and batteries for lights on hand prior to the storm as well.It was kind of nice to have the TV off for the period as it allowed us more time to read books, knit and play games without interruptions. Of course, now I am back to old habits of falling asleep with the TV on and remote in hand.Honda expansion In last year's January column I wrote about the upcoming Honda expansion; today it is nearly complete. The city council approved Honda's private amendment request in December 2003. Today, Honda has cars across the street on the southwest corner of N.E. 85th Street and 124th Avenue N.E., most likely temporarily due to lack of storage during the remodel.It is interesting to ponder if they will still need the space for car inventory once the remodel is complete, considering that one of the issues raised during the debate was whether this expansion would be enough to address future business needs.
I was reminded of an old Etta James song a few days ago (yes, I am old enough to at least appreciate her music!). A portion of the lyrics go like this: Oh, yeah, life is bad. Gloom and misery everywhere ... stormy weather.I can't help but report about the stormy weather as it seems that the worst and the best of who we are here in Kirkland appeared in the midst of the most amazing weather I have seen in my almost 20 years of residing here on the Eastside.I was up in Kingsgate when the storm really broke, sending that torrent of rain down from the sky. I looked out the window of the store I was in and thought to myself, "this looks like the hurricane I was in down in Florida." The rain was blowing sideways, drenching everything around.As I came into Juanita, I saw that there was water running literally everywhere on the streets, almost to the point where I couldn't get to my house. I had no idea what nature had in store for our little area of north Juanita. Neighbors helping neighborsBilly Roeseler and Brook Burnell sent me an e-mail account of their experiences that week; I enclose it as it is a testament to the teamwork, patience and perseverance of neighbors and their partnership with the city that we live in.
Happy New Year to everyone in the Highlands. In this first column of 2007, I want to review the past year, and think about the year to come.Jan. 18 meeting: preparing for emergenciesOne of the biggest local events of 2006 was the Dec. 14 windstorm. It was a tough one, and if Al Gore is right, and I'm pretty sure he is, we can expect to see more like it. How prepared was our neighborhood this time? What can we do better next time?At our next neighborhood association meeting, on Jan. 18, we'll discuss emergency preparedness in our neighborhood. Bring your ideas for how we can prepare our homes and neighborhood for future emergencies. Neighborhood association meetings are held every other month at the Maintenance Center at 915 Eighth St. at 7 p.m. They're informal opportunities to meet your neighbors, discuss issues, ask questions and learn about topics of general interest.Tree decoratingOn a happier note, if you drove past the corner of 116th Avenue N.E. and N.E. 87th Street during the holidays, you saw that the new trees were decorated with golden garlands and colorful ornaments. This is entirely thanks to the Keller family (Sue, Kevin, and Liam) and to Liam's friend Darien Nelson-Henry. Luckily, I happened to drive by as they were decorating the trees, and was able to take a picture. Kevin said, "We wanted to surprise the neighborhood." What a nice gift!
Peking AcrobatsJan. 7, 3 and 7:30 p.m. The Peking Acrobats return to KPC bringing the jaw-dropping acts and startling skill inherent in China's 2,000-year-old circus disciplines. Revered by spellbound audiences the world over, the agility and grace of this elite group has to be seen to be believed. Includes school matinees. Regular prices: Adult $34, seniors $30.50, youth $20, group $30.50Subscribers: Adult $29, seniors $26, youth $15 Dear World Jan. 20, 8 p.m.; Jan. 21, 2 p.m.Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman Book by Jerome Lawrence & Robert. E. Lee Based on the play "The Madwoman of Chaillot" by Jean Giraudoux Angela Lansbury took home a second Tony award for her second starring role in a musical by composer/lyricist Jerry ("Hello, Dolly," "Mame," "La Cage aux Folles") Herman and book writers Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. A whimsical, charming tale of the madwoman of Chaillot and her equally eccentric cohorts who scheme to save their beloved Paris from the big business baddies. Regular prices: Adult $24, seniors $15, youth $15, groups $15Subscriber prices: Adult $20.50, seniors $13, youth $11
Peking AcrobatsJan. 7, 3 and 7:30 p.m. The Peking Acrobats return to KPC bringing the jaw-dropping acts and startling skill inherent in China's 2,000-year-old circus disciplines. Revered by spellbound audiences the world over, the agility and grace of this elite group has to be seen to be believed. Includes school matinees. Regular prices: Adult $34, seniors $30.50, youth $20, group $30.50Subscribers: Adult $29, seniors $26, youth $15 Dear World Jan. 20, 8 p.m.; Jan. 21, 2 p.m.Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman Book by Jerome Lawrence & Robert. E. Lee Based on the play "The Madwoman of Chaillot" by Jean Giraudoux Angela Lansbury took home a second Tony award for her second starring role in a musical by composer/lyricist Jerry ("Hello, Dolly," "Mame," "La Cage aux Folles") Herman and book writers Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. A whimsical, charming tale of the madwoman of Chaillot and her equally eccentric cohorts who scheme to save their beloved Paris from the big business baddies.
Dan LarsenThere is something so inspiring about an artist who knows what he wants to do and goes after creating it. This is exactly what Dan Larsen has done over the last four years. A contractor by trade and artist by design, Larsen paints in an industrial fashion. Utilizing paints similar to automotive paint, he has developed a technique which allows him to interpret polished cut stones, water, flowers and all things splattered.After having had the opportunity to paint several cars, Larsen realized that this highly toxic paint (he uses a full-face mask and respirator) was smooth and glittery and a dream to work with. The tiny pieces of glass infused in the paint make his art shine. "I had an idea that I wanted to create a painting that looked like a cut, polished piece of stone. I did the piece, about five feet by five feet, and realized that a patch about six inches in diameter was the look I was going for," he says. "It then took me about three years to figure out how I made that patch."After preparing his panel, Dan takes a deep breath and lets go of conscious thought, preferring to let the subconscious guide his hands through the organic process of creation. The bulk of his paintings start with just red, blue and yellow. He then mixes them on his palette as his needs arise.
Even before the recent power outage, I was affected by the days of rain that threatened no apparent end. I was feeling increasingly sluggish, only finding relief through deliberate action to enliven myself. I have a friend that says she didn't even notice a difference-the days are short and her office has no windows. Even without windows, I think I would've reacted to the shift in atmosphere. Maybe I'm wired with a strong instinct to pause and soak it up. It's interesting and worthwhile to realize our unique responses to various environmental factors.Did you lose your electricity during the storm? I did, and my home became so cold that my toes began to freeze. I found myself flipping the light switch as I'd enter a darkened room even though I had a candle in hand. My mind kept directing me to go online and check my e-mail.
Dietitians are not fond of January.Yes, we get a lot of business this time of the year, but it's not a pretty picture. For so many of our clients the most wonderful time of the year is followed by a period of misery and regret. Again, the holiday celebrations have left their mark - mostly around the waistline - and it can be hard to muster enough resolve to take up the battle of the bulge once more. Frankly, we spend a great deal of time and effort to talk people out of giving up for good.We all know that failure is a part of life and, to a certain extent, we are willing to accept that. Of course, we prefer to think of ourselves as successes. It's important for us to know that we are making progress in one way or another. My generation in particular has been brought up to believe that there are always bigger and better things in store for us and that our best days are still ahead. I am no exception. Throughout my life, I never questioned the importance of achievement. I've always considered myself as a disciplined, goal-oriented person, someone who was able to roll up her sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done.As a wife, a mother, a homemaker, a professional and an entrepreneur, I tried my best to do what was expected of me - by others, but more so by myself. I was even known for organizing my aspirations by drawing up flow charts, listing short-, middle- and long-term goals as well as strategies to implement their realization. Life can be planned! Or so I thought.
A paradigm shift is taking place within the estate and financial planning industry. Until recently, the traditional objective of planning was to pass as much wealth on to the next generation as tax-free as possible. But avoiding taxes and transferring the maximum amount of wealth are increasingly being displaced by other goals. Addressing the "people issues" is becoming the driving force in the estate planning process. This shift is the result of demographic, industry and societal changes.These shifts are now raising the idea of placing constraints on transferred wealth rather than disinheriting future generations by giving it all to charity or the federal government. The core concern many clients have is: "Should I fear the impact of my wealth on my family more than the impact of estate taxes?" Consider the dilemma of the child whose family has left him $500,000 a year in trust: "Why do I need to go to college? Why will I ever have to work?"One solution to this challenge is what I call the Family Incentive Trust (FIT).
(Part I included the first five mistakes and appeared in last month's Courier.)Marketing is critical to the success of every business. Unfortunately, many businesses discount the effect it can have, and forego marketing because they believe they can't afford it or simply don't have the time or energy to create a plan. Perhaps this is why a high percentage of small businesses fail. But you don't have to be a statistic when you approach marketing with the importance it deserves.
As we enter into the year 2007, we have much to be thankful for. We live and work in a community that joins together to help each other through emergencies. This was put to the test with the recent ravaging wind storm and resulting power outages. We were all affected by the devastation of this storm with power outages, flooding, downed trees and other property damages; yet it was remarkable to see countless cases of those that were able to help others less fortunate.