Finkel's Fast Five - Issue #16

May 18th, 2018

The best last two words of a college graduation address of all time: This comes courtesy of the great Michael Keaton, who gave the commencement address at Kent State University this week. Imagine the coolest thing he could have said. Now watch him say it.

A new cold brew that I recommend:
Readers of this newsletter know that I will pretty much buy any protein bar, shake, cookie, cold brew or iced coffee they put by the cash register at a store because I'm a sucker. I'd say 30% of the time I'm pleasantly surprised. This week I tried a cold brew called Blue Bottle Coffee in a little 8 oz. can. Had a nice, smooth kick and tasted great black. I'd give it a solid 8/10.

The one long form sports article I reread every few years:
Eleven years ago legendary Sports Illustrated writer Gary Smith wrote a piece on then-Yankees phenom Joba Chamberlain and his father that blew me away on every level. The storytelling device Smith used... the structure... the brilliance of all of it. I read it again this week and I encourage anyone interested in great writing to read it too.

The odd lower back stretch/exercise that saved my week:
I woke up Wednesday morning and it felt like someone snuck into our room at night and beat on my back with a Louisville Slugger. I could barely get out of bed. My daughter had to put my socks on because I had so much lower back pain. So I turned to Dr. YouTube and found this video. I never heard of this guy but the stretch he demonstrates around the 4:00 mark was a lifesaver. My back felt 50% better an hour later. It's Thursday night and I'm almost all the way...wait for it...back.

A tremendously written sentence I can't get out of my head:
"Then, through the hammering of the gun, there was the whistle of the air splitting apart and then in the red black roar the earth rolled under his knees and then waved up to hit him in the face and then dirt and bits of rock were falling all over and Ignacio was lying on him and the gun was lying on him." - from For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway

Have a great weekend and please avoid the air splitting apart and the red black roar of the earth!

Thanks to everyone who recommended the FF5 to friends last week! I have 5 "Mean" Joe Greene bookmarks left. Same deal: Get a friend who you think will really enjoy this newsletter to sign up and I'll send you one! Just reply to this e-mail with your address and their name so I'll know it when I see them on the list.

- Jon