You Celebrated Galentine's

You've wondered 'What If' or are excited Spring Training is here

Hi friends,

I was shocked to learn Meryl Streep’s appearance in SNL’s 50^th anniversary celebration was her first time ever on the sketch show.

Did you watch any of it? I caught a few clips after and could not stop laughing at Eddie Murphy’s impression of Tracey Morgan, who was standing right next to him playing a different character. (Leslie Jones cracked up on set too.)

Did you watch? Any thoughts?

And, now, what to read if …

You Celebrated Galentine’s Last Week

Modern Friendship by Anna Goldfarb

Galentine’s Day, the holiday made up by “Parks and Rec” to celebrate female friendship, was last Thursday.

If you celebrated with waffles or are thinking about how to strengthen your friendships, grab a copy of

Anna Goldfarb

’s Modern Friendship.

Equal parts journalistic exploration of the nature of these critical relationships and self-help book, Goldfarb argues that we need to rethink our approach to friendship in an era marked by busy lives and smart phones. As she explains, “It’s understandable if your friendships are floundering. You’re up against historically new forces that we, as a culture, have no precedent for navigating.”

Goldfarb argues that the solution is to make and nurture friendships based on the three “Ds” — desire, diligence and delight:

• Desire: Wanting to spend time with someone, the foundation of any friendship.

• Diligence: Prioritizing your friends and staying attuned to their lives.

• Delight: The joy you get out of having a friend and being a friend.

It’s one of those things that sounded obvious when I read it, but I’d never put words to it before. Modern Friendship is a good reminder that friendships don’t happen but need to be cared for and nurtured. Leslie Knope would approve.

You’ve Ever Wondered ‘What If’

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

When Lauren returns home late one night after her best friend’s hen do (British for Bachelorette Party), she’s shocked to find her husband, Michael, there. Because when Lauren left for the evening, she wasn’t married. She’s even more surprised when Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and a new “husband” comes down the ladder.

Lauren realizes this wasn’t a one-off. Once a man climbs the ladder into the attic, he’s immediately replaced. Lauren quickly cycles through husbands, keeping them around for days or weeks, or sometimes just a few moments, before growing concerned that this latest pairing isn’t how she’s supposed to live her life. She’s forced to consider when to stop trying to do better and instead embrace what she has.

I loved The Husbands so much I read it in a single sitting over Christmas break. It reminded me a bit of the jam experiment, which showed shoppers were far more likely to purchase jam from a sample table with six flavors compared to a table with 24 options. In a world with limitless options (watch me spend hours trying to figure out what to make for dinner), making a decision and sticking with it is difficult. Gramazio explores this modern-day conundrum with warmth, wit and humor.

You’re Psyched Spring Training is Here

Call Me Roberto by Nathalie Alonso with art by Rudy Gutierrez

Baseball’s spring training kicked off last week, bringing hope for every team that this is the season they win it all. (Last year, the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs as my family welcomed my niece to the world. She took a lot of the sting out.) If you and your kids are excited for the return of baseball, you’ll want to check out Nathalie Alonso’s Call Me Roberto.

This nonfiction picture book tells the story of baseball legend Roberto Clemente, who played 18 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Born in Puerto Rico, Clemente practiced baseball with tree branches and tin cans. While playing for the Pirates, Clemente quickly proved what a valuable player he was but also faced discrimination as Spanish-speaking Black man.

In accessible language, Call Me Roberto shows how Clemente fought racism while becoming one of the game’s greats. The art, from Caldecott Honor Winner Rudy Gutierrez, is bright, lively and adds a layer to the story.

My brother (father of the niece mentioned above) introduced me to Call Me Roberto. Here’s what he has to say about it: “This baseball-obsessed dad and his three-month-old baby love Call Me Roberto! For dad, a compelling story about the highs and lows of an underappreciated great. For baby, beautiful artwork and a bit of bilingual action. It's a real home run.”

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