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No Ordinary Day: 2004

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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September 8, 2004	Takaaki Iwabu	[/assets/story/image_buynow.comp]
Gilberto Cortez, 78, receives a call from his son in Dallas during his performance as a mariachi at El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant in downtown Raleigh. Trained at a music school in Zacatecar, Mexico, Cortez plays flamenco and other traditional Mexican and American songs to entertain diners at a few restaurants in Raleigh. Cortez moved to the United States in 1945 and has made a living as a mariachi in more than 30 cities, mostly in Texas. He moved here two years ago to be near his daughter. Cortez describes his life journey from Mexico to Raleigh as "La fuerza del destino," the force of destiny.