Tag: Academy Awards

Benjamin Franklin, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Field of Dreams, Freedom in Thought, and a Bible Passage

Benjamin Franklin, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Field of Dreams, Freedom in Thought, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 22, 2024

Sunday Supplement #189 (December 22nd, 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:

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

– Benjamin Franklin

Book of the Week:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey

Stephen R. Covey was an educator, author, speaker, and businessman. His highly acclaimed book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, sold over 20 million copies by his death in 2012.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is the culmination of years of research by Stephen Covey into the principles behind stirring positive personal change and achieving effective results.

Covey highlights the importance of focusing on character rather than personality ethics and focusing first on self-improvement as essential to success in interpersonal relationships.

I’ve read many self-improvement and self-help books in my life, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is one I’d recommend for your top-shelf.

Movie of the Week:

Field of Dreams

The 1989 film Field of Dreams follows Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella as a mysterious voice prompts him to pursue an unbelievable dream.

Kevin Costner plays Ray Kinsella, Amy Madigan plays his wife, and the brilliant supporting cast includes the likes of James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster.

Field of Dreams was nominated for Best Picture, Best Writing – Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Music – Original Score in the 1990 Academy Awards.

Some films have a magic quality to them that can lift you up and inspire you. Field of Dreams is one of those movies for me.

Brainfood of the Week:

Miyamoto Musashi – How to Build Self-Discipline | Freedom in Thought

Freedom in Thought is a YouTube channel that breaks down philosophical concepts and explores them through dialogue.

In this video, Freedom in Thought explores the first five principles in Miyamoto Musashi’s Dokkōdō.

Miyamoto Musashi is considered the greatest swordsman in Japan’s history. However, he wasn’t just a master of the sword; he was an artist, a philosopher, and a Buddhist.

I recommend watching the video for valuable tips on building self-discipline. If you enjoy the tips, check out the other Sunday Supplements featuring Musashi or Freedom in Thought.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Pray without ceasing.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:17

I was once told that all prayers can be divided into two categories: asking for help and giving thanks.

When I come across this Bible passage, I think of the utility of continuously asking for help and giving thanks.

If we wish to improve our lives, asking for help will create opportunities for us to learn and grow. If we give thanks, we will always attune to the good in our lives.

Praying without ceasing is a good way to consistently reflect on your life and create awareness of the direction in which you want to head.

Continue to better yourself, give thanks, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Bruce Lee, The Outsiders, Atonement, Einzelgänger, and an African Proverb

Bruce Lee, The Outsiders, Atonement, Einzelgänger, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 15, 2024

Sunday Supplement #188 (December 15th, 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:

“Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them.”

– Bruce Lee

Book of the Week:

The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

S.E. Hinton began writing the classic novel The Outsiders when she was in high school, and it was published in 1967 when she was 18.

Hinton’s novel follows the conflict between two rival gangs divided by socioeconomic status in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The story is told in first person narrative from the point of view of a young “Greaser” named Ponyboy.

I first read this book in middle school, and it was one of the earliest books in my reading journey that has stuck with me over the years.

Movie of the Week:

Atonement

The 2007 film Atonement chronicles a thirteen-year-old’s accusation that irrevocably changes several lives over the course of six decades.

Christopher Hampton adapted Ian McEwan’s novel, and Joe Wright directed the film. The cast included Kiera Knightley, James McAvoy, a young Saoirse Ronan, Brenda Blethyn, Harriet Walter, Juno Temple, Alfie Allen, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Atonement was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (for Ronan).

I don’t want to spoil anything about the story. It is a movie that is well worth putting on your watch list.

Brainfood of the Week:

5 Ways to Forgive Someone Who Wronged You | Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger’s YouTube channel features videos that explore different people and ideas of history with the aim of inspiring, resonating, and entertaining.

In the video’s introduction, Einzelgänger emphasizes the Viktor Frankl quote, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Einzelgänger’s video then explores five healthy ways to forgive and let go based on philosophy and psychology.

I’ve featured several Einzelgänger videos in previous Sunday Supplements. If you enjoyed this video, check out the other posts or his YouTube channel.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“If you offend, ask for pardon; if offended, forgive.”

– African Proverb

This African Proverb is a straightforward reminder for us to forgive others and to seek forgiveness when we have wronged.

However, I think both require awareness and reflection, which isn’t always easy. We can often fall victim to believing our narrative is the only correct one.

Realizing our mistakes and asking for forgiveness can be challenging. We might not receive the forgiveness we seek. But it is important to acknowledge our wrongdoings. It is also important to forgive others to release them and ourselves from the burdens.

Forgive yourself and others when you can, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Bryant H. McGill, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, The Conversation, Tim Ferriss, and a Japanese Proverb

Bryant H. McGill, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, The Conversation, Tim Ferriss, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 8, 2024

Sunday Supplement #187 (December 8th, 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:

“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”

– Bryant H. McGill

Book of the Week:

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t – Steven Pressfield

I featured Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art in Sunday Supplement #37. Pressfield is most famous for his novels The Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire. His life story includes bouncing around jobs, like advertising, tractor-trailer driver, and fruit picker, amidst bouts of homelessness.

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t is primarily aimed toward writers, but I found it to be an excellent guide for connecting with others.

In chapter four, Pressfield states, “When you understand that nobody wants to read your shit, you develop empathy.” He explains how putting yourself in your reader’s shoes allows you to develop this empathy skill.

The book is short and easy to read. The chapters exemplify the message they impart. Whether you’re a writer or not, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t is an excellent book on how to move past your ego.

Movie of the Week:

The Conversation

The 1975 Academy Awards featured many classic films, including Chinatown, Murder on the Orient Express, Lenny, and The Godfather Part II.

Francis Ford Coppola won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing for The Godfather Part II. However, he was also nominated in each of these categories (Original Screenplay for Writing) for his film The Conversation.

The Conversation follows a paranoid surveillance expert as he experiences a crisis of conscience after he suspects the couple he is spying on will be murdered.

Gene Hackman performs brilliantly in the leading role of the surveillance expert, along with a notable supporting role performance from John Cazale.

The Conversation can be overlooked in Cinema history, but it is worth watching for film buffs or moviegoers who enjoy a slow-burn story.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Negotiate (or, “The Art of Dealmaking”) | Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, top-rated podcaster, and lifestyle blogger. I’ve featured his books, interviews, and quotes in previous Sunday Supplements.

This video is a seven-minute breakdown of Tim’s principles of negotiation. He starts the video by expressing how you have to persuade others in some capacity throughout life.

While listening to others is important, you shouldn’t have to belittle yourself to make someone else feel understood or accepted.

Tim shares many valuable tips in this video and recommends further reading for those interested in the art of negotiation.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The mouth is the origin of disasters.” (口は災いの元)

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proverb is a fairly straightforward reminder that you should be mindful of what you say because your words might have unintended consequences.

I’m also reminded of how it can be easy to interrupt someone when you have something you want to say rather than actively engaging in listening to what the other person has to say.

What I take away from this proverb is not to rush when conversing with someone. Take time to listen and understand what the other person is saying.

Create space to listen to yourself and others, and have a blessed week ahead!

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John Wooden, In the Woods, Warrior, TED-Ed, and a Chinese Proverb

John Wooden, In the Woods, Warrior, TED-Ed, and a Chinese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 10, 2024

Sunday Supplement #183 (November 10th, 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:

“If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”

– John Wooden

Book of the Week:

In the Woods – Tana French

Tana French’s debut novel In the Woods won several awards, including the 2008 Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author.

French is an American-Irish writer, theatrical actress, and longtime resident of Ireland. Her Dublin Murder Squad series, which started with In the Woods, features two Irish Detectives.

In the Woods follows Detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox. Ryan keeps a terrifying childhood incident a secret but finds himself assigned to a case where a 12-year-old girl was found murdered in the same woods of his childhood incident.

French’s writing is gripping, and the story is a well-crafted mystery/thriller. I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy the genre.

Movie of the Week:

Warrior

Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior tells the story of the youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer, who returns home to be trained by his father for a mixed martial arts tournament. This tournament puts the younger son on course to face off with his estranged older brother.

Tom Hardy plays the younger son, Joel Edgerton plays the older brother, and Nick Nolte plays the father. Nolte was nominated for the 2012 Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.

I believe the movie didn’t do as well as it should have because of the marketing campaign and trailers. It failed to show the depth of each character and their journeys in the film.

This movie has much to appreciate, including a tight script and brilliant performances. If it piques your interest, check it out.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Overcome Your Mistakes | TED-Ed

This TED-Ed video starts by highlighting a 2019 study that invited participants to learn a mysterious invented language.

The study’s findings showed that the participants who were arbitrarily categorized as failures had a hard time doing better in the next phase of the study.

The video explains how we can avoid situations that will negatively affect our self-confidence, potentially cause pain, and make us feel demoralized or incompetent, causing our brains to stop processing new information.

At the end of the video, one of the guiding points for overcoming your mistakes is to be mindful of your self-talk.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.”

– Chinese Proverb

This Chinese proverb reminds me of the power of practice and how any success worth achieving requires effort.

When I discovered self-improvement books, I finally understood how studying things you were interested in made learning fun.

However, if you want to learn something new, you have to be okay with failure. You have to be okay with putting in the practice, which will eventually allow you to find success.

Learn to have fun failing, move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Bob Marley, Tesla: A Man Out of Time, To Kill a Mockingbird, Einzelgänger, and a Bible Passage

Bob Marley, Tesla: A Man Out of Time, To Kill a Mockingbird, Einzelgänger, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 6, 2024

Sunday Supplement #178 (October 6th, 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:

“The greatness of man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

– Bob Marley

Book of the Week:

Tesla: A Man Out of Time – Margaret Cheney

I picked up Tesla: A Man Out of Time because I was curious to learn more about a man entrenched in history but whom I knew little about.

Cheney’s biography of Nikola Tesla is an engaging read that covers Tesla’s childhood in Yugoslavia to his death in New York in the 1940s.

There are entertaining anecdotes, including some of Tesla’s friendship with Mark Twain and interesting insights into his inventions, which others commercialized.

After reading the biography, I found that it wasn’t as in-depth as it could have been and wasn’t as objective as it should have been.

I think it’s worth reading if you are interested in whetting your appetite for a deeper excursion into the history of a brilliant scientist and inventor.

Movie of the Week:

To Kill a Mockingbird

The 1963 film To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, remains a classic, as does its source material.

The story is set in a small town in 1930s Depression-era Alabama. It follows the childhood of Scout and the events around the trial of a Black man for an underserved rape charge.

Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, a widowed lawyer, defends the man on trial and tries to educate his children against prejudice.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic in film and literature. The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role for a brilliant performance by Gregory Peck.

Brainfood of the Week:

3 Stoic Ways To Be Happy | Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger’s YouTube channel features videos that explore different people and ideas of history with the aim of inspiring, resonating, and entertaining.

The video starts with the observation that many people are concerned with achieving a happy life. Einzelgänger highlights how the Stoics figured out how to suffer less and enjoy more with a system of exercises, wisdom, and ethics.

The first point Einzelgänger covers is about altering your judgments to be aware of what lies within your control and what lies outside of it. Check out the video to see the other two points.

I’ve featured several Einzelgänger videos in previous Sunday Supplements. If you enjoyed this video, check out the other posts or his YouTube channel.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

– Proverbs 21:3

I think it can be an easy trap to create narratives around your actions or the actions of others to support your opinion of yourself or others.

This Bible passage reminds me not to get wrapped up in excuses for poor behavior. We can stumble and make mistakes, but we should be honest with ourselves.

The part of the verse about sacrifice reminds me of how we can take on burdens or cope with a wrong situation rather than speak up for what is right.

Reflect on the integrity of your actions, move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

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