Abandoned Pages, part XIII: Everything hikes B

Dear Diary,

Only three parts left to go!  This is the second and last part about current projects; next, 1) a part about a future project, then 2) one ranking the projects as I see them then.

Then, one month later, 3) re-ranking them in the hope that by then, people other than me will have shared opinions, and anyway I'll have had more time to think.

Why?

Because the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, when I asked for a list of water fountains, gave me a bad one.  It says Sunset Place has one water fountain (15698), and Ravenna Park two (15687 and 15689); in each case it's high by one.  It says Soundview Playfield has one water fountain (15854); it's low by one.  It says Magnuson Park has five water fountains (15731, 15758, 15861, 15863 and 15873); it's high by two thanks to a construction project I haven't yet told you about, dear Diary.  Licton Springs Park's water fountain (15794) is missing like the building it was attached to.  It perpetuates what I expect to find is still a myth, of the water fountain of Baker Park on Crown Hill (15856), but the problems I now know about are much more extensive.

So just as in 2020, I'm trying to leave no stone unturned, looking for water fountains.

What?

Originally, I was going places, visiting all the sites included in my list, photographing most, and then writing about them.

I was also looking really hard for water fountains, trying to follow every trail.

Why not?

Because it was taking too long.

Writing takes time.

Visiting 500 places takes time.

Following every trail takes time. 

And one day it dawned on me that, very soon, Parks would start turning off the water fountains and closing restrooms before I could possibly complete my baseline, my list of places to re-visit in winter and again next summer.

So I stopped writing much, and I stopped visiting all 500 places, settling for just 180, the Parks properties that might have plumbing most of that list.  And only taking two kinds of photos:  water fountain and restroom bread and butter photos, and photos that seem like really good ideas.  And only following every trail to whatever extent that seems necessary.

Except that about the trails, I'd started all this even before I knew I'd be taking four classes this quarter.

What now?

The classes present a huge problem.  I'd hoped to hike both today and tomorrow, but I can no longer pretend that's possible.

However, having just updated the master list, it seems I'm now satisfied that I've adequately visited half the parks, 75 out of 150, and just over half of the other places, 16 out of 30.

So it's probably still possible that I can meet the deadline without breaking out the tools of project management.

Good night, dear Diary.  Tomorrow I have a lot of writing to do, and hope that'll include a most unexpected part of "Under Construction".  Happy hours until then.