Month: January 2023

Arthur Ashe, The Martian, Whisper of the Heart, The Art of Improvement, and an African Proverb

Arthur Ashe, The Martian, Whisper of the Heart, The Art of Improvement, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 29, 2023

Sunday Supplement #90 (January 29th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“One important key to success is confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”

-Arthur Ashe

Book of the Week:

The Martian – Andy Weir

Andy Weir’s The Martian is probably most recognizable from the 2015 Ridley Scott movie starring Matt Damon.

The screenplay was adapted from Andy Weir’s bestseller about astronaut Mark Watney being left behind on Mars and his fight for survival using his skills and the supplies left to him.

Weir initially published the book in serial format on his website. He had a small following from his previous self-published stories and comics.

When Weir finished the novel, he listed it on Kindle for $.99. The book’s success and the subsequent film allowed him to pursue writing full-time.

I featured the film version of The Martian in Sunday Supplement #7. If you’re interested, I go into greater detail in the post about the movie and why I love the story.

Movie of the Week:

Whisper of the Heart

Studio Ghibli is one of the top animation companies in the movie business. Their films have been continuously recognized by critics and audiences over the years.

While Studio Ghibli’s most famous films often feature a significant setting or background of fantasy, Whisper of the Heart is one of their more grounded films.

The film is based on a manga and follows Shizuku, a young girl who’s an avid reader and wants to be a writer. One day she notices all of her books have been previously taken out by the same boy, and she attempts to find that boy while she navigates her own journey.

There are many lessons from this film, and one of the things I value in Studio Ghibli’s films is that the female characters aren’t solely relying/focused on male counterparts.

I’ve featured Studio Ghibli movies in six previous Sunday Supplement. I highly recommend all their films. Check out the other posts if you want to see more of their catalog.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Plan Your Week Effectively | The Art of Improvement

In this video, The Art of Improvement breaks down Ryder Carroll’s celebrated book, The Bullet Journal Method.

The principles explained in the video can aid your current planning systems or help you create new ones to maximize how you want to use your days.

An example of one of the tips highlighted in the video is taking a mental inventory of anything and everything you want to accomplish.

This exercise helps combat decision fatigue when we have too many choices of how to spend our time and no organization around what we want to accomplish.

Check out the video if you want to hear the other tips. I’ve also featured The Art of Improvement in previous Sunday Supplements if you want more recommendations.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“He who doesn’t know where he is going doesn’t know whether or when he will arrive.”

– African Proverb

At first, I thought this proverb was pretty straightforward. Preparing a road map of where you want to go is vital to know if you have arrived.

However, I thought more about the wording of when in the proverb. I thought about how I’ve set goals in the past but haven’t always given myself a timeline for them.

This proverb reminds me of the importance of setting a course and giving yourself a timeline.

That doesn’t mean you have to achieve the goal by that time, but it allows you to check in and see if you need to make any alterations to your plan.

Prepare how you want your life to be, work on those plans, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Sundar Pichai, Little Scarlet, A Single Man, Navajo Traditional Teachings, and a Dhammapada Verse

Sundar Pichai, Little Scarlet, A Single Man, Navajo Traditional Teachings, and a Dhammapada Verse

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 22, 2023

Sunday Supplement #89 (January 22nd, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.”

– Sundar Pichai

Book of the Week:

Little Scarlet – Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley’s Easy Rawlins series follows Black WWII veteran Rawlins, who moved from Louisiana to Los Angeles after the war.

There are fifteen novels in the Easy Rawlins series, and Little Scarlet is book nine. You don’t have to read them in order, and Little Scarlet is one of my favorites in the series.

In the novel, Rawlins is asked by the police to investigate the murder of a Black woman right after the Watts Riots just ended.

Mosley’s novels take the best of the detective fiction genre and explore deep themes and the history of Black America in Los Angeles over a few decades of the character Rawlin’s life.

I featured Walter Mosley and his Easy Rawlins series (picking the first novel in the series) in Sunday Supplement #3. Check out the series and see where you’d want to start.

Movie of the Week:

A Single Man

Tom Ford’s A Single Man adapted Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel about an English professor George coping with the death of his partner, Jim.

George goes throughout his day in a despondent nature but has various encounters with people that provide color and illuminate different possibilities of existence.

The casting of the film was excellent. Colin Firth received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of George, and Julianne Moore and Nicholas Hoult also shone in their roles.

A Single Man was Tom Ford’s directorial debut. The famous fashion designer brought an impeccable look to the film that aided the brilliant narrative.

While the film has a small scale, it has a rich depth to the story and characters that help capture a beautiful snapshot of life.

Brainfood of the Week:

Teachings About Balance in Life | Navajo Traditional Teachings

Navajo Traditional Teachings’ YouTube page aims to teach the culture of the people from the language, traditional teachings, and oral history passed down through the generations.

In this video, Navajo Historian Wally Brown discusses the teachings of balance and how we can take things that don’t matter and lose our balance.

Brown emphasizes the importance of not allowing things that don’t matter to rule your life. He gives the example of outside influences trying to change your values.

Another form of balance Brown discusses is how understanding a negative thing can help make it a positive and create balance.

This six-minute video has much wisdom, and the Navajo Traditional Teachings channel provides a unique insight into a great breadth of teachings.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Do not associate with evil companions; do not seek the fellowship of the vile. Associate with good friends; seek the fellowship of noble men.”

– Dhammapada verse 78

This Dhammapada verse made me think about the influences I have around me. While it discusses people, I think different mediums also can affect your life.

On one side, I see people or things wanting you and pushing you to be the best you can be.

The other side would be people or things that promote negative habits that drag you down and take you away from positive experiences.

I liked how the end of the verse was about seeking the fellowship of noble men (& women). The search is worth considering because they may require effort to find, or they may already be in your life and needed to be left in.

Consider your influences, look for positive fellowship, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Michael Crichton, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Mulan, Ken Burns, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Michael Crichton, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Mulan, Ken Burns, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 15, 2023

Sunday Supplement #88 (January 15th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.”

– Michael Crichton

Book of the Week:

The Hero With a Thousand Faces – Joseph Campbell

In The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Campbell shows his research into the many different cultures and how many mythologies contain portions or the entirety of “the hero’s adventure.”

The book can read like a textbook at times, but the research he composed is a fascinating look at the stories from many different cultures across history.

Campbell’s work also offers an interesting look at how these stories shaped our ancestors and how they guided their people.

Portions of the book discuss how these roots are present in today’s society but have also been lost in many cases.

I featured Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth in Sunday Supplement #26, which is a lighter dive into Campbell’s work. Check out whichever calls to you!

Movie of the Week:

Mulan

Disney’s 1998 version of Mulan follows a young woman who secretly takes the place of her elder conscripted father in the Imperial Chinese Army’s defense against the invading Huns.

The script and characters are expertly woven to create an entertaining and meaningful story about identity, culture, war, and family.

The Academy Awards didn’t have a category for Best Animated Feature in 1998, but Mulan was still nominated for one Oscar, Best Music. It could have easily won Best Animated Feature if the category had been around then.

Mulan stands out in the Disney annuls as one of their best and should be on anyone’s watch list if they’re looking for a fun, meaningful, and comedic animated adventure.

Brainfood of the Week:

Ken Burns – Documentaries

Instead of a specific video this week, I’m highlighting the work of documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

Burns’s work is often produced with the National Endowment for the Humanities and is distributed by PBS.

His documentary series cover a wide array of events and pieces of history. Some of his most known series are The Vietnam War, The National Parks, and The Statue of Liberty.

Instead of putting forth a specific series, I’ll put a link here to the catalog of his work. Check it out and see which one piques your interest.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Worshippers of the celestial gods take birth amongst the celestial gods, worshippers of the ancestors go to the ancestors, worshippers of ghosts take birth amongst such beings, and My devotees come to Me alone.”

– Bhagavad Gita 9:25

This passage from the Bhagavad Gita is an interesting look at how what we worship is often where we end up.

In this verse, the Bhagavad Gita discusses the destinations of the different worshipers of the time, but you could extrapolate this pattern to modern times as well.

In Swami Mukundananda’s commentary on the passage, I thought it was interesting how he spoke about the value of being grateful for our ancestors but how an undue concern for their welfare can be detrimental.

I think it raises a prompt for knowledge and appreciation of what came before us but to learn from our past and move forward.

Learn from the past, choose the direction you want to grow, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Antonio Brown, The Way of the Superior Man, Garden State, Angela Lee Duckworth, and a Quran Passage

Antonio Brown, The Way of the Superior Man, Garden State, Angela Lee Duckworth, and a Quran Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 8, 2023

Sunday Supplement #87 (January 8th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The journey is never-ending. There’s always going to be growth, improvement, adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what’s right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment.”

– Antonio Brown

Book of the Week:

The Way of the Superior Man – David Deida

I almost didn’t check out this book because of the title, but a friend whose recommendations I trust put The Way of the Superior Man on my radar.

David Deida’s book is a mixed bag for me because some of the language he uses is dated and oversimplifies certain topics.

However, many excellent takeaways from his book share wisdom for communication, relationships, and life purpose.

I recommend The Way of the Superior Man with a grain of salt, but it’s worth the read and has some moments of excellent insight into how to show up and be your best self.

Movie of the Week:

Garden State

Garden State follows a young man who returns home for his mother’s funeral after being estranged from his family for a decade.

The movie has wonderful performances from Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, and Peter Sarsgaard.

Braff wrote, directed, and starred in the 2004 film Garden State during his run on the ABC show Scrubs.

His writer/directorial debut earned a spot at Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Jury prize.

Brainfood of the Week:

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth | TED Talks

Angela Lee Duckworth is a MacArthur Fellow, New York Times bestselling author, and psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

In this TED Talk, Duckworth discusses how she left a consulting job when she was 27 years old to teach seventh graders in a New York public school.

Her experience as a teacher led her to study psychology and search for the qualities that separate people who succeed in their various fields.

Duckworth explains how her studies and analysis led her to the findings that grit was a determining factor in successful individuals.

The six-minute video is certainly worth a watch, and it goes into more detail about the findings of Duckworth’s studies.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Do not lose heart of despair— if you are true believers, you have the upper hand.”

– Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:139

This passage from the Quran reminds me of the importance of belief.

Belief doesn’t have to be religion, but faith that things will work out can get you through tough times.

For me, belief and faith don’t have to be blind, but they should be there even in dark times. You can accept the situation and look for opportunities to move forward.

The ability to believe is something truly powerful. It can be misused, but a healthy faith can be one of your best allies.

Give yourself the support you need, cultivate your beliefs, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Amit Kalantri, War and Peace, Lion, Improvement Pill, and a Japanese Proverb

Amit Kalantri, War and Peace, Lion, Improvement Pill, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 1, 2023

Sunday Supplement #86 (January 1st, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“A birth-date is a reminder to celebrate the life as well as to update the life.”

– Amit Kalantri

Book of the Week:

War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy

When Covid-19 first settled in, I decided to go to my bookshelf and tackle the volumes I had bought but had ignored over the years. I’m glad I finally got to War and Peace.

The book was first published in 1869 after being published serially in the years before. It has survived and been considered a classic for almost 200 years because of its quality.

War and Peace mixes a fictional narrative with historical events of France’s invasion of Russia and the impact of the war on Tsarist society.

Tolstoy follows five Russian aristocratic families throughout the book and brilliantly captures the lifetime of the characters.

The book offers an incredible glimpse of humanity and all of the celebrations and struggles of the characters. If the book has ever piqued your interest, check it out.

Movie of the Week:

Lion

A five-year-old boy, Saroo, gets separated from his brother one night and can’t find his way home. An Australian couple ends up adopting him, and 25 years later, Saroo sets out to find his lost family.

The film is based on the true story of Saroo Brierley and his book A Long Way Home. The book was adapted by Luke Davies and directed by Garth Davis.

Lion follows the periods of the young Saroo getting lost and his older counterpart, grown up and wanting to reconnect with his past.

While the young actors perform amazingly in their roles, Dev Patel shines as the adult Saroo. The story’s weight rests on his shoulders, and he carries it brilliantly.

Lion was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (for Patel— not Lead Role for some bizarre reason), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The film didn’t win any Oscars in a great year of Cinema, but it should have. And it’s definitely worth a place in the history of great films.

Brainfood of the Week:

This Simple Idea Will Make You Happier | Improvement Pill

The theme of this week’s post is celebrating your wins and setting new goals. This Improvement Pill video is fantastic for helping you create a positive game plan.

I won’t spoil the beginning of the video, but it should get you to watch the rest of the five-minute clip.

The video then explains how our internal “translator” is responsible for how we perceive the events of our lives. If we have a negative setting, we get negative experiences, while a positive setting creates positive experiences.

And one of the best things about the video is its follow-through of showing how you can change your settings.

I’ve featured Improvement Pill in three previous Sunday Supplements. Their channel has over three million subscribers and focuses on teaching practices that can help change your life.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“With hardship comes pleasure, and with pleasure comes hardships.” (苦あれば楽あり)

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proverb was a fun one to dissect. At first glance, I thought of the example of completing a task and the good feeling that comes afterward.

The second half of the proverb reminded me that some good things are worth the hardship required to achieve them.

And when I look at the proverb in its entirety, I see that hardships can be a blessing and sometimes bring out the best in you.

Take stock of your life, appreciate what you’ve accomplished, look at what you want to achieve and what you want to eliminate moving forward, and have a blessed year ahead!

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