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.

 
 

It's March, and March is a …

A Month of Accomplishment (about)

 

~ or ~

 

Forcing myself to finish something (about)

 

07
06

Fire at the whites of their eyes

Written by Nathan on July 6, 2009 at 11:35 pm from A Month of Health Living.

On Sunday I had pizza and soda for dinner. First soda of the month, and not a particularly healthy meal even with water. Granted I had only two pieces, it was still an anathema to my month of healthy living. Then I compounded the problem by working until well past midnight, and finally by marking my day by turning in at 3:11, choosing finally to tribute a terrible band. Unhealthy diet, unhealthy sleep, unhealthy art.

I’ve seen the enemy and it’s me.

Of course all of those unhealthy choices had good reasons. My family wanted a peaceful meal and the pizza place we went to is a favorite, and on the water. We had a great family time. And the late work was fine tuning the live iPhone video, then finishing up editing photos from a friend’s wedding. And 311… well, there was no excuse for that.

On the first day I asked for input from many people as to what defines “healthy living” and the most intriguing answer had to do with balance. As I’ve tried this week to find health, I think balance’s close cousin, proportion has stood out as a virtue. So while Sunday wasn’t particularly healthy by certain regards, in others it wasn’t all that bad.

As for today I smartly declined soda and cookies at lunch, wisely partook of chick fil a with my family for dinner and elected to stay up past midnight to document my progress. I don’t expect to stumble into bad choices of the lazy variety tomorrow, and with a trip to the YMCA scheduled I can hope to take some active steps toward health.

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07
01

What does healthy mean?

Written by Nathan on July 1, 2009 at 12:42 pm from A Month of Health Living.

According to the dictionary health means “in good health.” Right. In trying to pick a lunch today I had tomato basil soup, which after the fact I was told is certainly unhealthy owing to it’s cream base. So clearly, I don’t understand “heathy.”

Can anyone help? What does “healthy” mean?

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07
01

A month of healthy living

Written by Nathan on July 1, 2009 at 12:16 pm from A Month of Health Living.

This month I’m in pursuit of health, because next month I’m spending 10 days playing soccer in Brazil on a mission trip. I workout semi-regularly and consume some fruits and vegetables, but I’m also overweight and spend my work days in front of a computer. The out-of-shape me is in for a terrible shock when I start to play soccer in the hot, humid Amazon.

I know I can’t change my health but so much in the next month. I also know I can take good steps towards a better lifestyle that will ensure next summer I won’t be in the same predicament. The question is, how do I get there? I could just try working out more, or eating differently. But those would both be guesses, because I really don’t know what “healthy” means. So these 31 days I’ll try to figure it out, and as I do practice what I learn.

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