Tag: books

Octavia Butler, The Power of Habit, Remember the Titans, James Clear, and a Bible Passage

Octavia Butler, The Power of Habit, Remember the Titans, James Clear, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 15, 2023

Sunday Supplement #127 (October 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.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“First, forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not.”

– Octavia Butler

Book of the Week:

The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg

Charles Duhigg is a journalist and nonfiction author. He reported for The New York Times and received the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting in 2013.

Part of Duhigg’s reporting that won him the Pulitzer Prize contributed to the basis for the book The Power of Habit.

Duhugg reported on how Target figured out a teenager was pregnant before her parents knew and how they advertised products to entice her patronage.

In the book, Duhigg goes over many case studies that exhibit how habits play a role in our personal lives, work lives, and the institutions around us.

I picked up a few extremely valuable insights from this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking to understand habits better.

Movie of the Week:

Remember the Titans

Remember the Titans is based on the true story of a football coach, Herman Boone, and his first year at the newly integrated T.C. Williams High School.

Denzel Washington stars as coach Boone and shares the screen with a brilliant supporting cast that includes Will Patton, Wood Harris, Ryan Hurst, and a young Hayden Panettiere.

Boaz Yakin directs the well-crafted screenplay written by Gregory Allen Howard. The film is excellently executed to let the actors and the story take center stage.

The film explores themes of racism, stereotypes, and discrimination in 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Remember the Titans tells a powerful story from American history and has been on many top sports film lists over the years.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Get 1% Better Every Day – James Clear | APB Speakers

APB Speakers has been around for over 50 years as a global speaker and entertainment agency. The APB hosts unedited content from leaders, innovators, and celebrities.

In this video, bestselling author and speaker James Clear explains how small habits and little decisions transform us daily.

Clear breaks down four stages of habit formation: noticing, wanting, doing, and liking. He explains how every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.

The video is only eight minutes long, and I can’t recommend watching it enough for those looking to start a new journey or end an old habit.

I’ve featured James Clear in Sunday Supplement #8 and Sunday Supplement #72. Check those posts out if you want to learn more about Clear’s work.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.”

– Proverbs 13:4

This Bible passage is a good reminder to be aware of our actions and to be intentional with our time.

I think when we let our focus slip, we can find ourselves overindulging in activities that we wouldn’t ordinarily want to stew in.

Diligence allows for awareness and reflection of our actions. When we are intentional about what we do, we define parameters that are easier to navigate.

For me, this passage shows how laziness can often result in excess of what we don’t want, and diligence can result in specific results.

Reflect on the habits you want to build or eliminate, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Willie Stargell, The Great Santini, Holes, Simon Sinek, and Riyad as-Salihin 322

Willie Stargell, The Great Santini, Holes, Simon Sinek, and Riyad as-Salihin 322

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 8, 2023

Sunday Supplement #126 (October 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.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“There’s nothing a value more than the closeness of friends and family, a smile as I pass someone on the street.”

– Willie Stargell

Book of the Week:

The Great Santini – Pat Conroy

Pat Conroy’s The Great Santini is a coming-of-age novel that follows Ben Meecham’s life in a fictional military town in South Carolina under the strict rule of his father, Wilbur Meecham.

Wilbur “Bull” Meecham calls himself the Great Santini, and Conroy describes the man as a warrior without a war.

The Meecham family struggles as newcomers to fit into the small South Carolina town, and the novel explores this dynamic through Ben’s time in high school.

The Great Santini was adapted into an Oscar-nominated film starring Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, and Michael O’Keefe.

Conroy is a brilliant author. I’ve featured two other Pat Conroy books; this is the third novel I believe is of the highest quality of storytelling.

Movie of the Week:

Holes

New York Times bestseller, National Book Award Winner, and Newbery Medal-winning novel Holes by Louis Sachar was adapted into the 2003 film five years after publication.

The story follows Stanley Yelnats, a thirteen-year-old boy with a curse on his family, as he is wrongfully convicted and sent to a detention camp where the boys are mysteriously tasked to dig holes in the desert to build character.

A movie adaptation of a novel can always be hit or miss, but Sachar wrote the screenplay, and Andrew Davis brought the story to the screen with an all-star cast of legends and newcomers.

Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voigt, and Shia LaBeouf stand out in the excellent adaptation, and you’re likely to recognize some quality cameos as well.

Holes is a fun movie that has an engaging and entertaining story with a deeper core of themes around consequences, destiny, and friendship. Check it out if you haven’t seen it!

Brainfood of the Week:

The Importance of Human Connection | Simon Sinek

I recently featured a Simon Sinek video, and even though I liked to vary up the content, this video was perfect for the week’s theme.

Sinek is a bestselling author and speaker. He spoke at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in 2016 and has an imprint at Penguin Random House, Optimism Press.

In this video, Sinek discusses the shift of functioning virtually and how virtual communication doesn’t fulfill everything an in-person human connection does.

One aspect in particular Sinek highlights is trust. He talks about how building trust happens in little moments of connecting with someone in person.

The short video mainly focuses on the benefits of working in-person versus virtually, but there are good reminders of how we need human connection in our lives regardless.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The person who perfectly maintains the ties of kinship is not the one who does it because he gets recompensed by his relatives (for being kind and good to them), but the one who truly maintains the bonds of kingship is the one who persists in doing so even though the latter has severed the ties of kinship with him.”

– Riyad as-Salihin 322

Riyad as-Salihin is a selection of Hadith (a record of the words, actions, and the silent approval of the prophet Muhammad as transmitted through chains of narrators), in this case, by Imam Yahya bin Sharaf an-Nawawi.

This passage reminds me of how important it is to check in on those we consider family, even when it’s been a while since you’ve spoken.

I think it’s easy to let time pass by and believe that you’ve fallen out of touch with someone who was once close to you.

However, in those moments when a person randomly pops into your head, I think it’s a chance to reach out to let them know you were thinking about them. You never know if a kind word is exactly what that person needs at that moment.

Cherish the connections to others in your life, reach out to a friend or family member, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Victor Hugo, Stardust, Warm Bodies, Brad Troeger, and an Ethiopian Proverb

Victor Hugo, Stardust, Warm Bodies, Brad Troeger, and an Ethiopian Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 1, 2023

Sunday Supplement #125 (October 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.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Life is the flower for which love is the honey.”

– Victor Hugo

Book of the Week:

Stardust – Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman’s third novel follows young Tristran Thorn, who will do anything to win the love of cold and beautiful Victoria.

Thorn even promises to fetch her the star they watch fall from the night sky. However, to do so, he must go across the unexplored lands beyond the wall that is their village’s namesake.

Tristran finds the realm of Faerie beyond the wall, where nothing, not even a fallen star, is what he imagined.

I featured Stardust, the movie, in Sunday Supplement #31, but the book is well worth checking out for those who enjoyed the movie or love the fantasy genre.

Gaiman is a master storyteller, and even though he is early in his novel career, this Locus Award-nominated novel showcases some of the best of his imagination.

Movie of the Week:

Warm Bodies

Jonathan Levine’s Warm Bodies is an adaptation of the Isaac Marion novel about a highly unusual zombie who saves a still-living girl from a zombie attack.

The unusual zombie, R, played by Nicholas Hoult, forms a relationship with Julie, the still-living girl played by Teresa Palmer, which sets in motion events that transform the lifeless world.

Warm Bodies had a budget of $35 million and made around $117 million at the box office. The movie seemed like it came and went, though, because not many people have seen it.

The film is a hilarious but heartwarming story that is able to craft a thought-provoking world and explore what it means to be human.

Levine is probably most known for his film 50/50, but I highly recommend Warm Bodies as I have it high up on my feel-good movie list.

Brainfood of the Week:

What is Love? – Brad Troeger | TED-Ed

The animated TED-Ed video starts by emphasizing how there is no shortage of answers for what love means.

One of the challenges to defining love is comparing it to something else or getting a biased/skewed answer.

The video explains how our environments, experiences, and expectations can influence our experiences of love.

While the video shows how there can be many different interpretations, it emphasizes the necessity for communication and openness for it to grow.

This short video from Troeger is worth checking out for a thought-provoking look at how nuanced love can be.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“When one is in love, a cliff becomes a meadow.”

– Ethiopian Proverb

When I came across this Ethiopian Proverb, I was struck by the dual nature of the interpretation.

You can view the proverb as meaning love makes difficult things easier to navigate or be reminded that love can obscure reality.

I think both are helpful interpretations. We must remember to view things from a clear perspective, but we can also take strength in action from love.

Ideally, we can see things clearly and act from a place of love.

Find the strength in love, see things clearly, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Sadiq Khan, Shoe Dog, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Ferriss, and an Armenian Proverb

Sadiq Khan, Shoe Dog, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Ferriss, and an Armenian Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 24, 2023

Sunday Supplement #124 (September 24th, 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.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“We should celebrate when optimism and hard work triumph over cynicism, lethargy, and fatalism.”

– Sadiq Khan

Book of the Week:

Shoe Dog – Phil Knight

The founder of Nike, Phil Knight, shares his story of the company’s beginnings in this excellent and engaging memoir.

Knight starts the book’s journey at a time fresh from his business school days when he decides to go on a world tour, not knowing what to do with his life.

The decision to create a company that imports high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan resulted in selling shoes from the trunk of his Plymouth.

From there, Knight recalls the early beginnings of his company, Blue Ribbon Sports, and takes the reader on a wild ride through the origins and beginnings of Nike.

Shoe Dog is a fantastic read with a few gems worth picking up in its pages. At the very least, you’ll learn about the story of one of the most famous brands in modern history.

Movie of the Week:

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The classic 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas tells the story of Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town.

Jack has grown tired of the same routine in Halloween Town, and on a walk in the woods one day, he finds a portal to Christmas Town. He then schemes to take over the holiday.

Tim Burton wrote the script with Michael McDowell and Caroline Thompson, based on a poem he wrote while working as an animator for Disney.

The film was nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar, becoming the first animated movie nominated in that category.

A classic of the Burton library, The Nightmare Before Christmas has a creepy but heartfelt story. The film is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and is well worth putting on the watch list.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Jar of Awesomeness & Celebrating Small Wins | Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, podcaster, and lifestyle blogger. I’ve featured him in many previous Sunday Supplements, usually his interviews of other people.

In this video, Ferriss is interviewed by Chase Jarvis, a photographer, artist, entrepreneur, and CEO of CreativeLive.

Ferriss discusses the jar of awesome, an exercise of writing down small moments of gratitude each day and storing them in a mason jar.

This practice helps build the habit of celebrating accomplishments and attuning to gratitude. It’s a simple exercise but is extremely valuable.

CreativeLive, an online education platform, hosts this video. Give it a watch and check out more of Tim Ferriss, Chase Jarvis, and CreativeLive if you enjoy it.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“He who cannot pray at home will celebrate mass somewhere else.”

– Armenian Proverb

There’s a lot packed into this Armenian proverb. The obvious one for me is that if you reject one’s practices at home, they will go elsewhere to be accepted.

On the surface, this saying is rooted in prayer, but I think the proverb has many layers.

However, there are many things someone can feel rejected for, and eventually, they will move on to somewhere else if they don’t feel supported.

This proverb is a good reminder to engage and be interested in what the people around you care about. That way, you can understand them.

Stay positive, celebrate your successes, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Robert Urich, Breath, Win Win, Little List Project, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Robert Urich, Breath, Win Win, Little List Project, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 17, 2023

Sunday Supplement #123 (September 17th, 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.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“A healthy outside starts from the inside.”

– Robert Urich

Book of the Week:

Breath – James Nestor

Science journalist James Nestor’s Breath is a historical, scientific, and personal examination of breathing, particularly the differences between nasal and mouth breathing.

Nestor investigated how humans shifted from nasal breathing to mouth breathing and how that shift impacted human health.

One of the explanations argues that the shift to mouth breathing was due to the increased consumption of processed foods, which had led to a rise in snoring, sleep apnea, and allergies.

Nestor wrote Breath after ten years of intense research. The book became an international bestseller, selling over two million copies worldwide.

Breath has surprisingly been one of the most helpful books I’ve read in regard to improving my health. I highly recommend it.

Movie of the Week:

Win Win

Tom McCarthy’s Win Win is about a financially struggling small-town lawyer’s chicanery that comes back to haunt him.

Paul Giamatti plays the struggling lawyer, and his haunting comes in the form of a double-crossed client’s grandson.

The film is surprisingly lighthearted in tone, but it is able to craft a narrative that takes a deeper look into facing the question of what’s important in your life.

For those who don’t know Tom McCarthy by name, he is the writer/director of Spotlight, The Station Agent, The Visitor, and Up.

Win Win is probably a movie that most people haven’t heard about, but it has a special slice-of-life feel that is worth the watch.

Brainfood of the Week:

Healthy Habits: 10 Daily Habits That Changed My Life | Little List Project

The Little List Project YouTube channel is dedicated to providing simple and practical tips for a daily lifestyle.

In this video are ten tips for leading a healthier lifestyle. Ria, whose background is in nutrition and food engineering, explains how these tips help physical, emotional, and mental health.

Ria explains how she implemented these habits gradually over the years. There’s no pressure to do them all every day, and she highlights doing what you can when you’re stressed.

The video goes over habits like meditation, exercise, and healthy eating, but each tip is explained thoroughly, with research offered as supporting evidence.

Many of these types of videos can be over-simplified or obvious, but I thoroughly enjoyed the breakdown from Ria and highly recommend checking the full video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“For him who is moderate in food and diversion, whose actions are disciplined, who is moderate in sleep and waking, Yoga destroys all sorrow.”

– Bhagavad Gita 6:17

Yoga is often assumed in the West only to be the practice of physical exercise through various poses. While this is an aspect of Yoga, it isn’t the complete picture.

This Bhagavad Gita passage speaks to the larger mental, spiritual, and physical practices or disciplines to control and still the mind.

The breakdown of different practices in this passage is an excellent guide to living a healthy life, both physically and mentally (and spiritually for those interested).

Maintaining a healthy balance in our lives is essential to being able to combat the sorrows we encounter.

Take productive steps in your mental and physical health, and have a blessed week ahead!

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