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No Ordinary Day: 2003

No Ordinary Day: 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007

About This Project

"No Ordinary Day" is a visual diary of the events, both large and small, that serve as milestones in people's lives. It debuted on March 24, 2002 and concluded on Aug. 29, 2007. We hope you continue to enjoy looking at our archive of “No Ordinary Day” images.

Travis Long

The column is a celebration of the struggles, triumphs and tears we experience as we travel from birth to death. Our goal was to document moments in time that might otherwise be missed; sometimes it's the tiniest incident in one's life that has the most profound effect. When on assignment for the column, we looked for that one photo that tells a whole story. Some are the result of a found moment we came across on our daily assignments or our daily existence. For others, we thought of a specific event, like a first haircut or last dance, and sought out a subject who might illustrate the idea.

More photos: 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006

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March 12, 2003	Mel Nathanson
With a smile of satisfaction, Paul Carruth (age 17) strikes the last note on his original composition "Up the Mountain" on his hammer dulcimer during the 2003 Queen of Hearts celebration at Broughton High School in Raleigh. The performance capped yet another mastery of an instrument for the musically gifted Paul, who has taught himself piano, guitar, drums and the mandolin. He started learning the hammer dulcimer just this summer at a Christian camp. "David Hughes, my camp counselor had brought this dulcimer to camp. I started playing around with it and, boy did it come naturally. Later, David heard me play and said that God wanted him to give the instrument to me, and that it was his blessing!" exclaimed Paul. Taking the dulcimer, Paul immersed himself in the instrument and it quickly became his favorite. Where Paul and his dulcimer go from here is a mystery as he considers either a career in music or medical school. "I really would like to lead worship at church with my hammer dulcimer!" exclaimed Paul.