I’m eternally in the midst of the Pulitzer Project, in which I read the Pulitzer winner in fiction for each year of my life. There have been some real clunkers, but without this project, I may never have read Lonesome Dove or John Updike’s Rabbit series, for example. It’s a fun way to mix up my normal reading habits when I’m in a lull and to get some rich historical context from stories that were written decades ago.
That's a great concept. I've never thought to do that but I'm going to do it. I recall selecting Richard Fords Independence Day only because the jacket said Pulitzer Prize winner and now I have read all his books.
I live in the San Francisco area. There's a few I've done.
A. Walked all the stairs around the city. There's quite a few since the city is built on hills. Some with beautiful tile work.
B. Visited all the public rooftop or vertical wall gardens. There's a few of them scattered.
C. In the process of visiting every park within SF city limits with a friend. We are about 80% done. It involves not just showing up but hiking trails or walking the paths around them.
D. Have visited every rooftop bar. With the pandemic they've become a popular item with more opening. I'm caught up but will probably be working on this for a while.
E. Hiked every waterfall trail in all the counties of the greater SF area.
I am in the process of listening to every single Ennio Morricone album in iTunes. He was one of the most prolific film score composers of all time (I think 400 films). I came for The Mission and stayed for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but it's the stuff in between that keeps me in the groove.
Film scores are a big part of my work playlist. I might add that not all of Ennio's scores are hits. At times it feels like drudgery but then once in a while you stumble upon something so absolutely brilliant that it keeps you motivated. That's probably the hidden beauty in completionism… patience, perseverance, and tolerance for the mundane accented with moments of pure joy.
Exactly! That’s the fun in completionism. Also, something I’ve realized lately is that with film scores the music is there to help support what is on screen and add emotion to that, so not every piece will be or even should be a song with a melody you can sing along to. Same with video game soundtracks.
The one successful “every single [x] “ quest I did was to see every campy sci-fi movie referenced in the opening theme song of The Rocky Horror Picture Show”!
I cannot bypass a visit to a new library and an informal tour in the town I’m visiting is required. Westport, CT’s library was as well stocked as Ye Ole Blockbuster store. Greenwich , CT (very wealthy town) had a hugely disappointing library with boring displays so there went my theory that the wealthier the town, the “better” their library. I’ve since met others who visit libraries as a quest and was surprised to find it is “a thing”!
For a while, my Every Single X was that I went outside without an umbrella or rainjacket for at least a moment every time I noticed it was raining. I think this helped me get through the pandemic lockdown and improved my relationship with rain, the weather, and time.
Apr 25, 2023·edited Apr 25, 2023Liked by Rob Walker
I LOVE this idea. I have a few Every Single X projects:
Every single Oscar winner for Best Picture.
Every State Park and Historic Site in Georgia (My home state)
A game in every MLB ballpark (this one is pretty popular)
Read all of John Steinbeck's books.
See every bird in this guidebook I have on the birds of Georgia. There is a list in the back with little boxes to check and I really want to check them all.
Hi Rob, great post as usual and I'm hooked on the idea of a quest. Thank you for sharing!
I often do these kinds of things informally, as part of a photography project, but you've got me thinking about formalising one somehow.
My first thought is this: I live on the beautiful Isle of Wight in the South of England. I've been here 3.5 years and as I love beaches as a space to breathe, swim and moodle, I'm going to set my quest as "visit every beach on the Isle of Wight".
No time limit / deadline as yet - I'll keep it open ended!
I'm sure some smaller ones will develop as I learn more about this fantastic island!
One of my books is called Wildlife of Greater Brisbane, published by Queensland Museum. Now that I live in Brisbane, I'm aiming to meet up with as many of the critters in it as I can. Today I saw a young Eastern Water Skink p266.
I’m now curious to pick a favourite location and tick off all the flora and/or fauna of that place. But how to I pick a location??? I may need a quest to define my favourite!
I’m in NE Victoria. Surrounded by high country Victorian mountains and rivers. This could take some time...
Get a field guide for the creatures you like. In the NE of Victoria that might be alpine plants, or wildlife, or even fungi. Start there ... just a suggestion
I am going to visit every Spanish Mission in the Western USA. Because, you know, colonialism is cool. I'm being glib. I do have an honest passion for Houses of the Holy architecture, plus I have a compulsive/obsessive personality. I started this endeavor this, and so far I can cross off both Mission San Xavier del Bac and Tumacácori near Tucson, which I visited in March (I was over the moon for Tucson). Next is Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego, and Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside; leaving in three weeks.
I’m eternally in the midst of the Pulitzer Project, in which I read the Pulitzer winner in fiction for each year of my life. There have been some real clunkers, but without this project, I may never have read Lonesome Dove or John Updike’s Rabbit series, for example. It’s a fun way to mix up my normal reading habits when I’m in a lull and to get some rich historical context from stories that were written decades ago.
Great one, thank you!
That's a great concept. I've never thought to do that but I'm going to do it. I recall selecting Richard Fords Independence Day only because the jacket said Pulitzer Prize winner and now I have read all his books.
Independence Day is amazing
I live in the San Francisco area. There's a few I've done.
A. Walked all the stairs around the city. There's quite a few since the city is built on hills. Some with beautiful tile work.
B. Visited all the public rooftop or vertical wall gardens. There's a few of them scattered.
C. In the process of visiting every park within SF city limits with a friend. We are about 80% done. It involves not just showing up but hiking trails or walking the paths around them.
D. Have visited every rooftop bar. With the pandemic they've become a popular item with more opening. I'm caught up but will probably be working on this for a while.
E. Hiked every waterfall trail in all the counties of the greater SF area.
Amazing list!!
I am in the process of listening to every single Ennio Morricone album in iTunes. He was one of the most prolific film score composers of all time (I think 400 films). I came for The Mission and stayed for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but it's the stuff in between that keeps me in the groove.
Ooh Morricone is amazing! I’d like to do this one day.
Film scores are a big part of my work playlist. I might add that not all of Ennio's scores are hits. At times it feels like drudgery but then once in a while you stumble upon something so absolutely brilliant that it keeps you motivated. That's probably the hidden beauty in completionism… patience, perseverance, and tolerance for the mundane accented with moments of pure joy.
Exactly! That’s the fun in completionism. Also, something I’ve realized lately is that with film scores the music is there to help support what is on screen and add emotion to that, so not every piece will be or even should be a song with a melody you can sing along to. Same with video game soundtracks.
Great one, thanks!
The one successful “every single [x] “ quest I did was to see every campy sci-fi movie referenced in the opening theme song of The Rocky Horror Picture Show”!
What a cool idea!!
I cannot bypass a visit to a new library and an informal tour in the town I’m visiting is required. Westport, CT’s library was as well stocked as Ye Ole Blockbuster store. Greenwich , CT (very wealthy town) had a hugely disappointing library with boring displays so there went my theory that the wealthier the town, the “better” their library. I’ve since met others who visit libraries as a quest and was surprised to find it is “a thing”!
Libraryheads!
Love this idea! Thanks!
Library Tourism - Austin Kleon
https://austinkleon.com/tag/tourism/
#librarytourism
https://austinkleon.com/2018/09/04/librarytourism/
For a while, my Every Single X was that I went outside without an umbrella or rainjacket for at least a moment every time I noticed it was raining. I think this helped me get through the pandemic lockdown and improved my relationship with rain, the weather, and time.
This is lovely
I visited every Scottish youth hostel (YHA) one glorious summer at the turn of the century. I wrote an article in their magazine about it.
I LOVE this idea. I have a few Every Single X projects:
Every single Oscar winner for Best Picture.
Every State Park and Historic Site in Georgia (My home state)
A game in every MLB ballpark (this one is pretty popular)
Read all of John Steinbeck's books.
See every bird in this guidebook I have on the birds of Georgia. There is a list in the back with little boxes to check and I really want to check them all.
I am always looking for new ones.
These are great! Thanks :)
Some friends of mine have decided to visit the highest point in every US state.
My wife and I are on a mission to take our dog to every state part that allows dogs and track it on an Instagram account we made for it.
That's great! (And dog pictures are the only thing that keeps me on IG ha ha.)
Well it's @piplovesparks if you want to look! We don't update it very frequently but there are some good ones there
Delightful, what a cutie! (The dog I mean lol.)
Hi Rob, great post as usual and I'm hooked on the idea of a quest. Thank you for sharing!
I often do these kinds of things informally, as part of a photography project, but you've got me thinking about formalising one somehow.
My first thought is this: I live on the beautiful Isle of Wight in the South of England. I've been here 3.5 years and as I love beaches as a space to breathe, swim and moodle, I'm going to set my quest as "visit every beach on the Isle of Wight".
No time limit / deadline as yet - I'll keep it open ended!
I'm sure some smaller ones will develop as I learn more about this fantastic island!
That's a great one! Very fun !
One of my books is called Wildlife of Greater Brisbane, published by Queensland Museum. Now that I live in Brisbane, I'm aiming to meet up with as many of the critters in it as I can. Today I saw a young Eastern Water Skink p266.
Love this idea! And I am pro skink. (Although I have never met that variety.)
Hello fellow Aussie
I’m now curious to pick a favourite location and tick off all the flora and/or fauna of that place. But how to I pick a location??? I may need a quest to define my favourite!
I’m in NE Victoria. Surrounded by high country Victorian mountains and rivers. This could take some time...
Thanks for the inspiration ☺️
Get a field guide for the creatures you like. In the NE of Victoria that might be alpine plants, or wildlife, or even fungi. Start there ... just a suggestion
Lol, read that as one of the books I own ...
My mission is to live a totally random life and enjoy what comes up for me. I live my life on a one off basis. I admire those who go for multiples.
Nrilliant post - love the seeds in the cracks story, Rob.
I am going to visit every Spanish Mission in the Western USA. Because, you know, colonialism is cool. I'm being glib. I do have an honest passion for Houses of the Holy architecture, plus I have a compulsive/obsessive personality. I started this endeavor this, and so far I can cross off both Mission San Xavier del Bac and Tumacácori near Tucson, which I visited in March (I was over the moon for Tucson). Next is Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego, and Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside; leaving in three weeks.
A few years ago a listened to every Frank Zappa record released during his lifetime (which I think is more than 50).
My new quest is to read all of the Extraordinary Voyages novels by Jules Verne. I’m currently on my 7th out of 62!
These are both awesome -- so ambitious!
Yea they’ve been loads of fun, though some of the Zappa records were kind of a slog to get through. Definitely worth it though!