Trip #506 Pawnee Street, Duquesne Heights, Pittsburgh took place on October 4, 2020, and was published on October 26, 2020.
There are days when it feels like the problems facing us are insurmountable. When will we be able to stop the transmission of COVID? What will be left of the world once the pandemic ends? Who will win the upcoming election, and how will that affect people? It’s easy to spin into a frenzy, imagining all of the “what ifs” and feeling powerless against it all. When I find myself falling like Alice into that nightmarish Wonderland, I grab on to the people, places, or things that make me feel connected and valued. It might be putting on some uplifting music, reaching out to a friend, listening to a podcast or audiobook as I make dinner, or researching my upcoming visits to city steps. Whatever activities or practices give your life meaning, pick one that you can do when that creeping sensation of anxiety appears, and then do it. Resist following the rabbit hole of fear – we already know the cast of characters we’ll find down there.
Field Notes: This flight runs alongside an elementary school and has a perpendicular flight attached to it (Trip #507). The grounds of the school are very nice – big old trees and a flight of stone steps that are clearly no longer used.
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling.
