I’m going to begin today’s list with a selection from Malcolm Gladwell, Talking to Strangers. This was a timely audiobook that explores how and why people misunderstand each other, and the way those misreadings can lead to tragedy. Gladwell skillfully exploited the audiobook format to include the actual recordings of interviews that are woven through his narration. He introduces a chapter of the book on his podcast Revisionist History. Listen to the episode “The Queen of Cuba“, then see if you can resist tuning into the full book.
Another important work that I wrote about extensively is Like Dreamers by Yossi Klein Halevi. Again, by exploring different perspectives we can unravel how complex historical events are (mis)interpreted and lead to untold pain.
In keeping with the Middle Eastern theme, I began watching Sayed Kashua’s TV show Arab Labor – I’ve read several of Kashua’s books in the past and loved them. His screenwriting is equally spicy and ironic! The theme song for the show comes from the Palestinian rap group DAM. I was fortunate to see them perform live in Taybeh beer festival several years ago. Definitely check them out.
Sarah Duvall is a fantastic resource for health and fitness. She puts out great content and I particularly enjoy her Form Friday Challenge. Everyone I train knows my key phrase is “Squeeze your butt!” But what does that mean? And are you doing it right? In Sarah’s video, she shows you how to test your standing glute squeeze. And in this IG post, I explain how to max contract the gluteus muscles. Remember, squeeze your butt (not your back, not your hamstrings).
Find the balance. 