Feldman's Faves: May 8, 2023

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE

So is it, “Go Leafs, Go” or “Oh No Leafs, Oh No”???? Let’s just leave it at that for now.

Today is exciting as we are welcoming our 2023 Summer Students. Please join me in extending a very warm welcome to Maddy, Annie and Gurratan, who are joining our section. Please take the time to meet them and integrate them into the firm. We will be formally welcoming them this Thursday at NOON for lunch so please make every effort to be there.

I also want to wish our good friend Melanie a very happy birthday (from last Friday).

Given all that is happening in the world of sports these days, this week’s theme is loosely based on sports (but not really).

HELLO BEAUTIFUL By: Anne Napolitano – This book is on Oprah’s Book Club list so that alone should be a reason to read it. I was attracted to this book because it was sold to me as a book about basketball, which it is, kind of, but not really. One of the characters is a basketball player who plays college ball at Northwestern and ultimately works for the Chicago Bulls, but that is really a side story. Hello Beautiful is a story about the four Padavano sisters and their lives, the people in their lives and the joys and triumphs that face families. In this case, there are many extremes, but in many ways this book is a homage and modern day version of Little Women (which is actually referenced throughout the book). The story starts in the 1970s, spends a lot of time in the 1980s and ends in in 2008 – through three generations. As one reviewer notes, “Who do we deserve to love and be loved by? Drawn into the orbit of a tightknit family upon falling for Julia, the eldest of the four Padavano sisters, William Waters experiences the kind of family solidarity, affection, and sense of belonging he never had with his own dysfunctional parents. William developed an (initially) effective coping strategy during his lonely childhood and devotes his energies toward succeeding in the only place he feels comfortable: the basketball court. College sweethearts, Julia and William marry and begin a life together directed mostly by Julia’s wishes for stability and status; the plan and relationship are derailed by William’s gradual decline into a crippling depression. Julia and William divorce, and William distances himself from their infant daughter, Alice, too. Relationships between and among William and all of the Padavanos rupture and realign over the ensuing decades as Napolitano spins a saga of familial love, deception, and hope for healing while adeptly highlighting each family member’s unique position in the narrative. Each of the Padavano girls is finely described—there's Julia, who's straightforward and driven; Sylvie, dreamy and romantic; and twins Cecelia (artistic) and Emeline (the sensitive moral compass of the group)—and it is entirely plausible that the girls envision themselves from time to time as the March sisters from Little Women. (Rounding out that parallel is the presence of a dreamy, poetic father and a hardworking, long-suffering mother.) More subtly, the influence of Walt Whitman is felt throughout the book, from epigraph to end, as characters come to terms with their roles in an evolving universe. As in Napolitano’s recent Dear Edward (2020), heartbreaking circumstances shatter the lives of relatable human characters who are unprepared for the task of building a meaningful life. Napolitano’s characters can break your heart as they work to mend their own.” This story was not the sports story that I expected but was really enjoyable and worth reading has universal appeal to any reader of any age. Oprah just knows….Here is a good review from the Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/14/ann-napolitano-hello-beautiful-review/

How I Built This with Guy Raz - Orangetheory Fitness: Ellen Latham – One of the hottest trends in fitness these days is boot camps. Many of you are Barry’s fans, Thunder 45 fans and BewithCore fans (myself included). We all have Ellen Latham, the founder of Orangetheory, to thank for bringing this trend to “the people”. With over 1,500 locations around the world, Orangetheory Fitness has changed the way that millions of people now choose to work out. This story is fascinating because it turns the stereotypical start-up narrative upside down. Latham was in her 50s when she decided to leave her career as a Pilates instructor and start a start-up. For all of you would be entrepreneurs who think it is too late to try entrepreneurship and think it only works in your 20s, this story is quite an inspiration. Here is an excerpt from the PODCAST itself, “Ellen Latham would probably have been happy teaching classes at her popular fitness studio in south Florida until she turned ninety. After being fired from her dream job as a spa director, she’d found stability with her own small business, and began developing a workout program that incorporated strength and cardio for all fitness levels. But then, well into her fifties, Ellen was offered an unexpected opportunity for a second act beyond anything she had imagined. With two partners, she grew her workout concept into Orangetheory Fitness, a franchise that today has over 1,500 locations around the world”: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?i=1000606811875

Thank you for your ongoing engagement and participation.

And remember to stay safe, stay healthy and to docket daily.

Jon