Prologue

Over the years, I’ve worked harder and harder to find meaning in life. But the more I've looked, the more I’ve wondered if I was going about my search the wrong way.

I've been looking for meaning through experience, but I think now that I've always had it backwards. Life will never be defined by extravagant experience, but about finding extravagance in common experience. So for 2009, I'm going to focus less on living large, and focus more on living well. Each month I'll start a new month-long project (like trying to run 3 miles faster than George Bush), to find uncommon results from common experience. Each project will involve daily activity, so every day of 2009 you can check my progress on the monthly projects and see what I discover.

None of these projects will cost much—in fact, I think most will be free. So if you're looking for a year uncommonly rich, you can join me. There's no membership required, just participate and comment if you want. Either way, get ready for a year I hope is unlike any other.

Epilogue

I stumbled across the finish line, but I manage to complete 8 of the month-long projects successfully. Blogging is now over at Wonderfam!

 
 

It's May, and May was a …

A Month of Accomplishment (about)

 

~ or ~

 

Forcing myself to finish something (about)

 

p.3

Odds on success

Written by Nathan on December 31, 2008 at 10:35 am from Prologue.

I asked my dad to predict my chances for success last night. He thought for a minute, then said “None.” I think that was at least a wee bit discouraging, so I’m opening up the question. Anyone want to give me better odds on success?

In the interest of full disclosure, I have been doing cardio workouts at the YMCA for the past few months. I haven’t run a timed mile in months, but the last time I started running I managed to get my mile from 8 minutes on first run to just below 6 minute a couple of weeks later. Granted, that just about killed me, but before I stopped running my heart rate never really exceeding 170 bpm.

The time to beat, after further investigation, may be a little slower than 18 minutes. I’m looking for Bush’s best time in print and the best I’ve seen so far is just slower than 19 minutes.

So anyone want to predict success? Right now it’s just my wife who thinks I can do it.

(3) Comments

3 Responses to “Odds on success”

  1. Jenn G says:
    December 31, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    I think there are times when qualifications matter, and other times when determination is far more likely to tip the scale. you are making a public declaration that you are going to do this, and i think that motivation will push you harder than you might want to push yourself normally. are you determined? then i think you stand a good chance.

  2. John-Erik says:
    December 31, 2008 at 7:44 pm

    Nathan,
    Love the idea!

    18 minutes is going to be tough, but I am rooting for you.

    I am doing something similar for January. I am challenging anyone that I know that I can do more push ups then them by the end of the month. My goal is 100 at least (currently I could only do 5).

    Looking forward to the updates.

  3. Bob says:
    December 31, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    This remains a great idea, however, I’ve run a number of 5Ks and… I’m with your dad… chances of success are zero.

    Your success will exist in the derived health benefits (assuming you don’t die)… and the box of discipline you’ve shoehorned yourself into. It’s a worthy effort, for sure… and I don’t think success should be measured only in beating Bush’s time.

    Good luck… I love the idea. I wish you could add a social element to the project (i.e. people can originate their own month-long efforts, and post their updates for others to track – via yearofmonths.com).

    P.S. The leading for all of the text on the page is off in IE … at least for me. Not sure why…

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