Trip #81 Butler Street to Baker Street, Morningside, Pittsburgh was taken on November 15, 2017, and published on January 12, 2018.
Some Zen stories can be a little head-scratching, but I like the one about two students who go to their teacher with a question and receive no reply. The students go back a few more times, and after failing to elicit any response, they decide to head home. One student, years later, discovers the answer through self-directed effort. The other student says something like “fuck this shit” (or whatever the Zen equivalent would be) and goes off to do something different with their life. The concluding point of the story is that neither decision is right or wrong. They are simply decisions. We often place a premium on perseverance, but calling it quits isn’t always a bad idea (ponder for a moment the wisdom expressed in Kenny Rogers’ classic song, The Gambler). I think about Zen and 70’s-era country music as I watch the river and Butler Street traffic stream by. I, too, have questions running through my head, but I’m slowly figuring out when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em.
Field Notes: Nice view from the top of this Morningside street with the river in easy sight. Lots of graffiti on the walls leading down to Butler.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
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. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
