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Tag: Harold Ramis

Jen Sincero, Kafka on the Shore, Bedazzled, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Sunday Supplement #131 (November 12th, 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:

“Gratitude is one of the strongest and most transformative states of being. It shifts your perspective from lack to abundance and allows you to focus on the good in your life, which in turn pulls more goodness into reality.”

– Jen Sincero

Book of the Week:

Kafka on the Shore – Haruki Murakami

I’ve featured Murakami stories in three previous Sunday Supplements but had not covered arguably his most famous novel, Kafka on the Shore.

Kafka on the Shore was listed in “The Best 10 Books of 2005” by The New York Times and received the World Fantasy Award for 2006.

While I wouldn’t consider the book a fantasy novel, I’ve stated before that Murakami’s prose often reads like dreams, and he has many stories that contain elements of magical realism.

Kafka of the Shore follows two characters: a 15-year-old boy who runs away from home and an old disabled man with the uncanny ability to talk to cats.

The themes around metaphysics, music as a communicative medium, and dreams are intriguingly explored. Check out the book if it piques your interest.

Movie of the Week:

Bedazzled

2022’s The Whale, which I highlighted in Sunday Supplement #115, marked the “Brenaissance” of actor Brendan Fraser.

Fraser was a big movie star in the 1990s and 2000s before experiencing debilitating on-set injuries and other setbacks that hampered his career.

Thankfully, he’s experiencing a resurgence in the movie industry. And when looking back at his heyday, it’s hard to pass over the Harold Ramis Comedy Bedazzled.

National Lampoon and Ghostbusters alum Ramis directed and co-wrote the film about a hopeless romantic and absolute dweeb who exchanges his soul to the Devil for seven wishes.

Elizabeth Hurley fantastically plays alongside Fraser as the Devil. They both make an excellent duo for this surprisingly heartfelt, campy 2000s Comedy.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice | Huberman Lab Podcast #47

Dr. Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.

Huberman’s podcast discusses neurosciences and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.

This video is a deep dive into the science of gratitude and effective gratitude practices. I clipped the podcast to the point where it described receiving gratitude and seeing others expressing gratitude as the most effective gratitude practice.

I thought that was an interesting point in the video worth a quick look, and if you enjoy the content, give the whole episode a watch.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I accept with joy.”

– Bhagavad Gita 9.26

This Bhagavad Gita passage reminds me to look for the good in what I am receiving. 

In this case, the Bhagavad Gita passage refers to the joyful acceptance of a gift coming from a place of love.

But I find it interesting how the passage describes the gifts as a leaf, fruit, or water. Some might not think of these as gifts, and it’s a reminder to look for intention when receiving.

Gratitude can be a powerful perspective to operate from and help you look for the good in the situation you’re in.

Find the positives in your life with gratitude, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Mary Halloway, The Mastery of Love, Groundhog Day, TED-Ed, and Galatians 6:9

Sunday Supplement #75 (October 16th, 2022)

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:

“Resilience is knowing that you are the only one with the power and the responsibility to pick yourself up.”

– Mary Halloway

Book of the Week:

The Mastery of Love – Don Miguel Ruiz

Don Miguel Ruiz was born to parents who belonged to the Toltecs of Mexico. He chose to follow a different path than his ancestors and decided to become a surgeon.

However, after a near-death experience, Ruiz devoted himself to mastery of the ancient ancestral wisdom of the Toltecs and later passed on what he learned.

In The Mastery of Love, Ruiz highlights assumptions and fear-based beliefs that lead to suffering in relationships and undermine love.

The book shows how we can heal from the ill practices and traumas that affect our relationships so we can return to loving ourselves and loving others.

Ruiz’s books have been on the New York Times’s bestsellers list for over a decade. In Sunday Supplement #38, I featured his book, The Four Agreements.

Movie of the Week:

Groundhog Day

Harold Ramis’s film follows a narcissistic weatherman who finds himself stuck in a time loop on Groundhog Day, fated to keep repeating the same day.

The 1993 movie stars Bill Murray as weatherman Phil, Andie MacDowell as producer Rita, and Chris Elliott as cameraman Larry.

The three travel to Punxsutawney for the annual coverage of the Groundhog Day festivities but cannot leave the same day after a blizzard hits.

As Phil continues to wake up on the same day, aware he is destined to repeat that day continuously, he goes through an existential journey.

Groundhog Day has a brilliantly comedic script, but the core of the story is grounded in meaningful themes that help it rise above a simple movie just for laughs.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Stay Calm Under Pressure – Noa Kageyama & Pen-Pen Chen | TED-Ed

The video discusses different experiences of succumbing to pressure and starts with the distraction theory, suggesting performance suffers when losing focus on the task at hand.

We can get caught up with the precise details of our actions, worry about our performance, and lose sight of the goal.

Kageyama and Chen then highlight performance tips: practicing under pressure, pre-performance routines, and removing internal doubt about how to achieve goals.

The TED-Ed video is animated by Olesya Shchukina and is a quick lesson on how we can get overwhelmed by pressure and how to overcome it.

If you check it out and enjoy the video, check out some of the other TED videos I’ve featured on previous Sunday Supplements.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

– Galatians 6:9

I think some of the most challenging times occur when you’ve put in enormous effort but don’t get the desired results.

This Bible verse points out a few things for me that I try to remember when I encounter low moments in my life.

One is that it might be too early to judge my efforts. Another is that the harvest might not be what I expected, but there should be something valuable I can take from it. And the last thing is to not give up on doing good things. 

I always try to remember this last one because if I can acknowledge and appreciate the good of my efforts, I can always find more energy to move forward.

Acknowledge your good efforts, love yourself, and have a blessed week ahead!

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