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 February, and February was a …

A Month of Accomplishment (about)

 

~ or ~

 

Forcing myself to finish something (about)

 

01
20

The challenges of moving forward (with a “leg stimulus plan?”)

Written by Nathan on January 20, 2009 at 9:43 pm from A Month of Resolve.

Barack Obama is now president of the United States of America. But George Bush has not left Washington. His ghost will haunt the capitol for a long time to come. Through ongoing wars financed with borrowed trillions of dollars. Through a legacy of torturing suspected enemies. Through politicized law enforcement. Through a financial system hobbled by unregulated, unchecked greed.

8 years ago I foolishly promised to run 3 miles faster than Bush before he left office. I have resolved, these weeks, to make that happen. Today, in my final attempt to beat his time while he occupied the office, I failed. I finished my third mile at 25:19 (7:40, 10:18, 7:31). It was my best time thus far, but it fell short of the mark. Fortunately, this project doesn’t end today because Bush’s specter will linger in the White House for a while longer.

I have 11 days to run much, much faster. I’m confident that if I can manage my leg issues I can remove at least two or three minutes from my time. Endurance may be an issue, but the real problem is the hobbling pain in my legs. But success will not come easily. After the first mile in today’s run the muscles in the front my my lower legs gradually became less and less useful. As the run progressed my mechanical efficiency ebbed, my strides shortened and I was working harder for less distance.

In many ways my running problems seem similar to the political challenges Obama faces. Whatever preparations and plans he has, he’s impaired by a sagging economy that will constantly provide a foil to his best laid plans. (Of course in my case, my foil is of my own making.) Perhaps I should follow his lead, and look for some sort of leg stimulus plan. Maybe I need a way to reinvigorate these muscles so that they can resume proper function. Then my body could focus on the bigger goals, and less on simple pain avoidance.

I have a third of the project left and I intend to use it well. Tips for my leg stimulus plan are welcome.

(2) Comments

2 Responses to “The challenges of moving forward (with a “leg stimulus plan?”)”

  1. Pip says:
    January 21, 2009 at 12:24 am

    Keep running. I’ve got hope for you.

    And the rest of us.

  2. mattyc says:
    January 21, 2009 at 9:58 am

    you need some time in a hot tub. That’s how I’d roll.

Leave a Reply