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)

 

02
13

A culture of learning

Written by Nathan on February 13, 2009 at 3:58 pm from A Month of Listening.

Yesterday I sat down with Margi McCombs, founder of International Community School and ministry leader at Northland Church, to talk about culture and learning.


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 12 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

(1) Comment

 

02
11

A pint of fresh air

Written by Nathan on February 11, 2009 at 10:29 pm from A Month of Listening.

Last night I sat down with Brent Hernandez, owner of the renowned local bar Red Light and Republican party official.


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 10 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

(2) Comments

 

02
09

Wandering to acquire focus

Written by Nathan on February 9, 2009 at 10:32 pm from A Month of Listening.

Despite knowing me for a dozen years, Benjamin Clyde still saw fit to grant me a few minutes for today’s interview about roaming, story-telling and film.


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 9 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

(2) Comments

 

02
09

The Hunters’ Vision

Written by Nathan on February 9, 2009 at 8:22 pm from A Month of Listening.

Yesterday I interviewed brothers Josh and Joel Hunter about business and brotherhood.


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 8 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

(3) Comments

 

02
08

Hunting about for audio cleanup strategies

Written by Nathan on February 8, 2009 at 11:18 pm from A Month of Listening.

Generally I’ve been fortunate since getting past the disaster of the first day with audio cleanup—I’ve needed to conduct very little audio cleanup or editing. But today I interviewed two people for the first time that edit-less stage is definitely behind me. There are so many variations in audio levels that it’ll take me a while to normalize the interview.

That said, today’s interview will post tomorrow. It was a good one, though the pressure was on because in addition to the two interviewees I had their wifes in the room with me as well.

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02
07

The increasing irrelevance of distance

Written by Nathan on February 7, 2009 at 11:47 pm from A Month of Listening.

Tomorrow Dennis Peters, friend and Strategic Project Manager at Seimens Energy, departs for a week in Germany where he’ll enjoy face time with his internationally dispersed team. But tonight, he sat down with me to talk about distance, culture and the business of transcending (or perhaps just properly valuing) both.


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 7 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

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02
06

Listening to Meghan

Written by Nathan on February 6, 2009 at 11:23 am from A Month of Listening.

Today I sat down with my friend, Meghan Brennan. I’m glad she gave me the few minutes, if for no other reason that to commit her to making some progress on Sharks Don’t Get Breast Cancer.


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 6 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

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02
05

Bundle of energy

Written by Nathan on February 5, 2009 at 11:56 pm from A Month of Listening.

There are few finer ways to spend an hour than with a friend playing soccer and conversing. That was my afternoon with Jeremiah Shaw, today’s interviewee. A whirlwind of ideas and activity, Jeremiah was kind enough to pause for a moment to talk with me, before heading off to an indoor trampoline park and then later a late-night jam session. (Related: what’s a term for a jam session that doesn’t sound so lame?)


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 5 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

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02
04

Genuine taste

Written by Nathan on February 4, 2009 at 11:43 pm from A Month of Listening.

Today’s interview was with Mark Thompson, executive chef at Two Blondes and a Shrimp and general food genius. Bon appétit!


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 4 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

Update: Something was weird with the original video, so it’s reposted.

(1) Comment

 

02
03

I’ll take a side of awesome with that sandwich

Written by Nathan on February 3, 2009 at 8:56 pm from A Month of Listening.

The only problem I see with this project (A Month of Listening) is that there are more people I want to interview than days in the month. But on my shortest of short lists was today’s interviewee, Mike Iaccarino, or just “Manager Mike” to most people around Northland. Mike’s a constant fixture at the local Nature’s Table Café, managing and tending not just to the store and its staff, but also to the many regulars that frequent the restaurant. He was one of the reasons I came up with this project, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled that he let me take a few minutes from his afternoon to listen and learn a little bit more about him.


Year of Months / A Month of Listening Day 3 from Nathan Clark on Vimeo.

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