AsktheBuilder.com News - January 1, 2023

Issue #1214 (I think...)

Dear ,

Happy New Year! 

Are you a new subscriber? Welcome! This is by no means a normal newsletter. Every year I try to set the tone for the newsletters you'll receive over the next twelve months. Often these first-out-of-the-gate issues have nothing to do with home improvement.

I try to tackle the subject of self-improvement as we begin each new year.

I try to help make your life, as well as mine, better each day.

It's time to look back and peer forward.

Come with me on this adventure. Grab your favorite hat.

It's All About Hats

You never know where inspiration will come from. It happened to me one balmy morning a little over three years ago in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. I was about to head out with these three young women picking up a fourth one in just a few minutes.

I urge you to read the following tale as it contains a very important message about what your New Year's resolution(s) might be. Pay CLOSE ATTENTION to the story opening.

Yesterday I finished Volume 2 of the book my daughter asked me to write. Did you read the story about this book in my letter to the Epoch Times? There's a reason why I share links like that as many things in my life and this newsletter are interconnected.

If you did, and if you then read the open to the El Yunque adventure above, this following excerpt from my Adventures & Advice book will make sense. This is from the Volume 1 Forward:

"...It’s my hope these tales bring my family and friends happiness. Maybe the stories will also help you understand who I am and how my experiences growing up shaped what I came to do and say in my life. One thing’s for sure. You’ll understand why I always wear or pack a hat each time I walk out the door to partake in yet another adventure. TC"

Here's the last paragraph of Volume 2 that I penned yesterday. I feel it really sets the tone for what you might want to consider as you plan for what's in front of you for 2023:

"...Don’t be afraid of your shadow and countless other things as some of my friends are. Perhaps adopt the motto: Is today the day? While that might have a somber overtone, it could just as easily translate to: Is today the day for another amazing adventure? Make it so.

And remember, don’t forget your hat as you walk out the door."

As I started to create this newsletter yesterday morning, I put in my wireless ear buds and this is the first song that came up in my playlist. I love love love to listen to music as I write.

Glenn's opening lyrics hit me like a cold bucket of ice water:

"I felt it when the sun came up this morning.

I knew I could not wait another day.

Darling there is something I must tell you.

A distant voice is calling me away."

The words might not make sense to you. They would had you been with me just an hour before as Willow the dog and I witnessed this sunrise.

I was left speechless in the solitude. The intense mesmerizing color bored a hole deep into my soul. That photo below is NOT color enhanced.

It's impossible for me to look at a sunrise like that and not feel God and His majesty.

When I see something like that where it's impossible, at least for me, to describe with words, I pause and think about how I'm going to make the most of the day ahead... and the next day and the one after that.

Here's another song that might help you re-center yourself so you don't WASTE or ABUSE the time you're given each day.

It's so easy to blink and days, weeks, months, and years vaporize.

What things do you want to say to the ones you love? 

WHY ARE YOU NOT doing it?

"...Best start putting first things first. 'Cause when the hourglass runs out of sand, you can't flip it over and start again..."

When are you going to muster up the strength and courage to say them before your hourglass runs out of sand?

One last thing. There's a reason why windshields are BIG and rearview mirrors are small.

Ice In

How would you like to get $1,300.00 worth of my digital products for FREE? All you have to do is guess correctly the first day I see nothing but ice on Lake Winnisquam as I look out from my deck.

You might want to look at these photos I shot over the past week. Also go back up and look at the high-resolution version of the sunrise photo from yesterday morning.

When you land on the above page, CLICK each photo. Then in the upper right CLICK the tiny circle with the letter i in it. You'll see the date and time the photo was shot.

Then dust off your critical-thinking skills inside your tiny gray cells.

Go look up the ice-in dates for the nearby Lake Winnipesaukee.

Look at a map of Lake Winnisquam.

Ponder the prevailing wind direction. 

Think about fetch.

Research the short and long-term central NH forecasts.

Or, just pick a date at random. Good luck!

Go here to enter the simple fun contest. 

You'll also discover something you didn't know about huge pieces of ice.

Tim Carter

Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Morse Man - www.W3ATB.com