Shouting from the Shed 139

Happy New Year!

If you’re a New Year Resolution sort of person, I dare you to hit ‘reply’ and tell me what you’re hoping to make better this year. I’ll share it with everyone in my next newsletter and also email you at the end of the year to ask how you got on…

I have two aims for my newsletters in 2025:

1. To double the readership of this newsletter. It has been stagnant now for a few years! So if all of you could find me one more reader, you’d do my job nicely for me… Please forward this email to a friend.
2. Growing my new A + P newsletter. This is now taking up much of my time, energy and momentum. Please will you give Adventure + Purpose a try today?

Thank you so much to all of you who continue to support these newsletters via Patreon (either monthly or one-off) and keep the metaphorical lights on and the newsletters going out to 18,000 readers.

   I find time to write these updates by getting up stupidly early to do them (they take about two hours each time). The world dark and still outside, 6Music playing softly on the radio, tea steaming. I enjoy it. Today I have added a new ingredient into the mix by also baking a loaf of bread. I’ll pop this in the oven now, and we’ll see how it looks by the time I finish writing…

• Astonishing giant artworks. Magnifique!
•  This short video of ice skating on Alaska’s remote lakes is a delight.
• Article: What you can learn from the monk who ran 1,000 marathons.
•  A Striking Photo Series Documents the Melting Glaciers Along 4,000 Kilometers of Greenland’s Coast.
• Some of my reading recommendations to launch you into 2025.
•  If your kids’ schools read any of my books, please do let the teacher know that I’ll happily answer the children’s questions via YouTube video – like this.
• An interesting short podcast series about living a good life during the climate crisis.
• Every month, Jodi Ettenberg sends out one of the best links roundups around, her *free* Curious About Everything newsletter. This month’s issue came out yesterday and there’s really so much good stuff in there — Spotify’s ghost artists, biofarming animals for live-saving chemicals, the history of risotto, and a look at how the Vatican picks saints. Sadly, her health is really, really poor, and she very much needs the backing of her Patreon supporters. Please chip in if you can.
•  Join Mind Over Mountains charity for inspiring walks and retreats in nature; guided by expert counsellors, coaches & walk guides; where you will find the perfect blend of fresh air, uplifting support, and practical mindfulness tools to boost your mental wellbeing.

Let me know if you have a relevant project that my readers would appreciate.

Also, I’m really noticing that I get so much lower engagement on Twitter these days. Let’s get back to high quality blogs and nesletters and quality content! Do you write your own newsletter or blog? Let me know and I’ll share it here.

Here’s what you guys have been up to recently:

• Walk: Explore every street in your city! Read about the “every-single-streeters” in this Guardian article.
• Film: Watch the stunning Journey Around Earth in Real Time. It’s a perspective-shifting masterpiece!
• Nature: Check out these magnificent murmurations of birds.
• Change: Learn how to reduce your digital carbon footprint.
• Map Projects:
  • Help map all the country’s walking routes.
  • Contribute to updating the Scottish Hill Tracks.
  • Add old trees to the Ancient Tree Inventory.
• Goals: When I’m 70, I want to:
  • Mountain bike like this.
  • Sprint like this.
  • Run marathons like this.
    And meet people like Ted, an 85-year-old embarking on a 1150-mile trike journey for charity.

1. Observations From the Road
   Read insights on our country from the perspective of three long-distance cyclists.
2. Cycling Kit List
   Planning a cycling adventure? Here’s a comprehensive kit list. (Pro tip: a revolver isn’t essential in Europe, but do bring your Union Flag for brigands!)
3. Hold My Beer…
   Watch this masterpiece to see how a bike should be ridden. (Note: not recommended after a pint!)

What Are Days For?

What are days for?
Days are where we live.
They come, they wake us
Time and time over.
They are to be happy in:
Where can we live but days?
– Philip Larkin