Sunday Supplement #142 (January 28th, 2024)
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.
Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!
Quote of the Week:
“I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it’s true – hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don’t love something, then don’t do it.”
– Ray Bradbury
Book of the Week:
The Century Trilogy – Ken Follett
The historical epics Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, and Edge of Eternity comprise Ken Follett’s #1 New York Times bestselling The Century Trilogy.
Follett’s novels follow five families (Welsh, English, American, German, and Russian) and their fortunes through the 20th century.
I’m a big fan of Follett’s work, and you can expect a well-crafted and researched story when you pick up one of his historical epics.
I featured his The Pillars of the Earth novel in Sunday Supplement #47, where he decided to break free from his thrilled typecast and write the historical epic he always wanted.
Follett has since delved deep into the veins of the historical fiction genre with many epic books since then. The Century Trilogy is one of his best works.
Movie of the Week:
Emmy-winner Mike Judge, creator of Silicon Valley, Beavis and Butt-Head, and King of the Hill, wrote and directed the 1999 cult classic Office Space.
Office Space follows the plan of three workers who hate their jobs as they decide to rebel against the company.
The cast is an all-star ensemble that includes Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Ajay Naidu, David Herman, Gary Cole, and John C. McGinley.
Judge’s Office Space brilliantly and hilariously captures some of the tedious and baffling idiosyncrasies of a workplace.
There’s a positive message at the end of searching for work that fulfills you in some fashion. I recommend it for those looking for a lighthearted comedy.
Brainfood of the Week:
Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address | Stanford
Steve Jobs, the former CEO of Apple and Pixar Animation, gave the Commencement Address at Stanford’s 2005 graduation. He told three stories from his life.
The first story was about connecting the dots. Jobs recounted his experience with college, dropping out, attending the classes he wanted, and later seeing the dots connect.
Jobs’ second story was about love and loss. He talks about his time at Apple, getting fired, and relationships.
The last story was about death. Jobs would wake up and ask himself, “If today were the last day in my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today.” He knew he needed to change something if the answer was “no” for too many days in a row.
The commencement speech is just over 15 minutes, but it is worth the time from your day. Give it a watch if you get the urge.
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“You cannot work for food when there is no food for work.”
– African Proverb
This African proverb reminds me of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Physiological needs, such as food, water, shelter, and sleep, are at the bottom of the pyramid.
On the next level of the pyramid are safety and security needs: health, employment, property, and social ability.
Love and Belonging with friendship, family, intimacy, and a sense of connection are on the next tier, with Self-Esteem (confidence, achievement, individuality, respect) above that.
The top of the pyramid is Self-Actualization, where we experience purpose, meaning, creativity, etc. This African proverb speaks to the necessity of having a base level of sustenance to be able to achieve more.
Make sure you’re meeting your base needs, work on the things that give meaning to your life, and have a blessed week ahead!