Earlier this month, the day before my alimony hit my bank account, I had 67 cents to my name and some leftover snacks from the day before. I used the money to buy bananas. None of us was terribly hungry and there was enough to eat, but there was no money for drinks. We got through the day by relying on water from water fountains.
This is not such a common thing for us these days. It has been a while since we did this. But if you are homeless and often destitute, keep in mind that it takes two weeks or more to starve to death but it takes only a couple of days to die from dehydration. Public water fountains can be an important part of staying adequately hydrated and not only alive but healthy and functional.
There are public water fountains on the Embarcadero in downtown San Diego. In the North County, there are public water fountains in Carlsbad Village, in Holiday Park, and at the transit center behind Westfield Mall. There are also often water fountains in grocery stores and department stores, but I am listing specifically public fountains because if you are penniless and homeless, it is a bad idea to go into stores too much and use their fountains and bathrooms. On days when you have zilch to your name, it is best to know where the public bathrooms and public water fountains are so you can be pretty confident of retaining access to these vital resources and not getting barred from the premises.
Generally speaking, public parks, "downtown" or historic "village" areas in San Diego County and public transit areas are good places to look for water fountains. Also, public beaches, which have a lot in common with public parks.
Speaking of beaches, the humidity at the beach can help you stay hydrated even if you aren't drinking anything, assuming you aren't getting overly hot and sweating it out. Hydration is not just about fluids, it is also about staying on top of things like electrolytes. I have a serious medical condition that impacts my relationship to electrolytes. I used to routinely go to the beach or the Embarcadero to soak up the salty sea air and keep my condition in check for free.
This is not such a common thing for us these days. It has been a while since we did this. But if you are homeless and often destitute, keep in mind that it takes two weeks or more to starve to death but it takes only a couple of days to die from dehydration. Public water fountains can be an important part of staying adequately hydrated and not only alive but healthy and functional.
There are public water fountains on the Embarcadero in downtown San Diego. In the North County, there are public water fountains in Carlsbad Village, in Holiday Park, and at the transit center behind Westfield Mall. There are also often water fountains in grocery stores and department stores, but I am listing specifically public fountains because if you are penniless and homeless, it is a bad idea to go into stores too much and use their fountains and bathrooms. On days when you have zilch to your name, it is best to know where the public bathrooms and public water fountains are so you can be pretty confident of retaining access to these vital resources and not getting barred from the premises.
Generally speaking, public parks, "downtown" or historic "village" areas in San Diego County and public transit areas are good places to look for water fountains. Also, public beaches, which have a lot in common with public parks.
Speaking of beaches, the humidity at the beach can help you stay hydrated even if you aren't drinking anything, assuming you aren't getting overly hot and sweating it out. Hydration is not just about fluids, it is also about staying on top of things like electrolytes. I have a serious medical condition that impacts my relationship to electrolytes. I used to routinely go to the beach or the Embarcadero to soak up the salty sea air and keep my condition in check for free.