Going Thru It

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving can be tough for families for a multitude of reasons. But Thanksgiving off the heels of an election can be an entirely different story. And if you come from a politically divided family, like we do, it's not always that easy to navigate. No one understands unconditional family love during divided times better than the Laub family. We sat down with famed artist and creative storyteller, Gillian Laub to discuss what it's like to be part of a family whose political values may not necessarily align. In 2021, Gillian published her third monograph FAMILY MATTERS which, through photos taken over a 20 year period of time, illustrate the dichotomy between the political divide her family experienced during the 2016 election but also the everlasting love and compassion that trumps all. We wish we had this book back then but being that we're all back in this same-ish place, we're glad we have it now. 

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FAMILY MATTERS by Gillian Laub 

Live2Tell 

A widower has lost a spouse, an orphan has lost their parents, but what do you call someone who has lost a sibling? Oh, right — there’s no word for that. This week, we have the pleasure of connecting with cultural researcher, writer and storyteller Annie Sklaver Orenstein, author of Always A Sibling. After Annie’s brother Ben was tragically killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, she found herself in the grief section of her local bookstore, searching for guidance on how to navigate the pain of losing a sibling — but found nothing. In a quest for understanding, Annie spent over a decade researching and talking with thousands of people around the world, exploring the unique bond between siblings and the deep sorrow that comes with losing one. Through recounting memories of her brother Ben and the insights learned from her research, Annie has crafted an incredible story that illuminates sibling love and loss.

About Annie Sklaver Orenstein

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Always A Sibling

Remembering Ben

They say the influences of a great teacher can never be erased. And with that, we're honored to share with you the wit, wisdom and super soul vibe that is Marcia Meade aka The Chocolate Princess. A classically trained ballet and contemporary dancer and truly one of Brooklyn's finest, Marcia has made it her mission to bring Pilates to the people. As a certified instructor and life coach, she has the unique ability to teach smart and effective technique that goes beyond the mat and seamlessly creeps into daily life. She's been the source of transformation for so many bodies and minds alike (Holly can attest first hand) and honestly, she's just funny as f*ck. Take a listen and enjoy Marcia's musings on life, love and her connections to the other side.

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It’s been two years to the week that Adam received his cancer diagnosis that changed the course of his life forever. Listen as we catch up and reflect on what that time was like for all of us.  Speaking of siblings, we’d be remiss not to discuss the recent flux of siblings on television lately. And surprise! Holly is heading to Abu Dhabi with her dad for a pilgrimage to the Middle East. Let’s hope he likes the food.

Spiritual goddess, intuitive healer, expert in mediumship, traveler extraordinaire, creative director and photographer, these are just a few hats our guest Taryn Weitzman wears. Also helming from Wayne, NJ, and later finding her way to Los Angeles, Taryn has been divinely connected to us since her and Holly met in middle school in the early 90's. We were lucky enough to catch up with an old friend and hear about the magic she has encountered and embraced since “coming out of the spiritual closet” and her experience losing her mom in 2020. We may need a glossary after his chat because Taryn is a true wealth of knowledge in all things that transcend the human experience, and we can’t wait to share just a small part of her story and magic with you all. 

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Elba Iris Weitzman 1954- 2020 

How does one spend the one-year anniversary of their brother's passing? We didn't know either, but we got thru it. From negotiating with a crypt keeper to over-indulging in cheap wine, we reflect on the ways we spent this September 11th honoring Adam. It wasn’t conventional, but it filled with love and an immense amount of gratitude. Join us as we recount a day that may have been messy and unpredictable, but ultimately was a special day where we celebrated our brother.

E&V Restorante: "Italian Cuisine At It's Best Since 1967" 

The Garland Hotel

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It's been one year since Adam took his last breath on September 11th, 2023. Join us this week for an intimate and raw conversation with our dad, Jack Shakoor, aka "The Pop". It isn't easy for a father to look back and reflect on his role as a dad, and we are so grateful for the honesty and authenticity that came out of this conversation. Real talk, it may be the most we've gotten out of him our whole lives. We hope you enjoy, and we can guarantee you will take a lesson or two away from this. 

Jack Shakoor on YELP

Adam John Shakoor 1983 - 2023 

How do you say grief in French? Le chagrin of course. This week, Holly joins Jill from her family's trip to France and the sisters connect over le chagrin they are each experiencing with summer coming to an end and the looming, anticipatory chagrin as they get even closer to the one year anniversary of Adam's passing. Being so far apart, they are reminded of their own family trip to Paris back in 2001. Join Holly and Jill in a vulnerable conversation as they reminisce, say goodbye to summer and discuss the importance of everyone ordering their own appetizer at a dinner and NEVER, EVER tying up a table at a restaurant on a Saturday night.

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Everything you need to know about Amiens, France 

As the one year anniversary of Adam’s passing approaches, Holly and Jill look back at some of the different ways they tried to show up for Adam – even if they ultimately ended up at net-zero. They also reflect on their conversation with Jakki & Kasey, talk Era’s, and even compare themselves to Henry Hill peak breakdown. Some may liken this to Breaking Bad’s famed bottle episode “Fly” – minimal action, but necessary to tell the full story.

“Not everything that can be faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it’s faced.” - James Baldwin 

Holly + Jill have talked a lot about their transformative work with Well Soul and in this episode, they sit down with the founders of the Well Soul community, Kasey Crown and Jakki Leonardini to reflect on what this past year has meant to them.  With their individual backgrounds and work in interpersonal neurobiology, integrative and spiritual psychology, and energy medicine, Kasey and Jakki have created psycho-educational and experiential workshops focused on bridging the scientific and spiritual together in order to optimize individual and communal health. The goal at  Well Soul is to provide information and tools in order to connect people with who they truly are in an effort to repair, nurture and enhance connections to ones self (in the brain and in the body) and connections with others (relationships to each other in the natural and spiritual worlds). Basically, they teach you how to be your best self for everything and everyone in your life. Listen in on a special conversation that hopefully leaves you feeling hopeful, empowered and maybe even a little more curious. 

Well Soul Workshops 

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To learn more about Kasey Crown + Jakki Leonardini