Tag: Mark Twain

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!

Mark Twain, The Great Gatsby, Shattered Glass, Jim Rohn, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 13, 2023

Sunday Supplement #118 (August 13th, 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:

“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.”

– Mark Twain

Book of the Week:

The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald is considered one of the greatest American writers, and his novel The Great Gatsby is one of the great classics of American literature.

I read The Great Gatsby in high school and knew even then that I was reading a brilliant novel that stood out across time.

The novel follows the narrator Nick Carraway’s recounting of his interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and the socialites of Long Island in the 1920s.

Gatsby throws lavish parties in the new-rich town of West Egg, hoping his long-lost love from the fashionable West Egg will one day attend.

The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels of all time and, in my opinion, should be a book on everyone’s reading list.

Movie of the Week:

Shattered Glass

Shattered Glass tells the story of a young journalist of The New Republic magazine, who fell from grace when it was discovered he fabricated over half his articles.

Hayden Christensen stars in the leading role of Stephen Glass. He became famous because of the Star Wars prequels, but he shines in some of his lesser-known films like this one.

The supporting cast of Peter Sarsgaard, Chloë Sevigny, Rosario Dawson, Melanie Lynsey, Hank Azaria, and Steve Zahn also put in great performances.

Bill Ray directed and co-wrote the film based on the article written by Buzz Bissinger. The final result is a brilliant little film well worth checking out if you haven’t seen it.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Power of Ambition | Jim Rohn | Let’s Become Successful

This video starts with Jim Rohn discussing how ambition differs from greed and how ambition is an activated desire to achieve.

Rohn goes on to discuss self-interest versus selfishness. Much of our behavior comes from a place of self-interest, but what makes it different from selfishness is that it is not coming at the expense of others.

Let’s Become Successful hosts this video and is a team of motivation enthusiasts who want to provide videos that will help inspire.

I’ve featured Jim Rohn in one other Sunday Supplement and am a fan of his work.

Check out this video and see if you want to explore more of Rohn’s work or other Let’s Become Successful videos.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Perform your duty equipoised, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.”

– Bhagavad Gita 2:48

This passage from the Bhagavad Gita reminds me to operate from a place of balanced expectations.

Being ambitious and excited about what you are doing/working on is a great source to tap into, but failure shouldn’t derail you, either.

Failure can be a lesson and a motivator to improve and continue. Equally, getting too attached to success can lead to the avoidance of challenging endeavors.

The last part of the passage defines yoga as operating from a place of balance. For those who don’t know, yoga isn’t only a physical exercise; it is also a state of being.

Achieve your dreams, stay balanced, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Mark Twain, The Pleasures of Reading, Murder on the Orient Express, Mr. Money Mustache, and Matthew 22:39

Mark Twain, The Pleasures of Reading, Murder on the Orient Express, Mr. Money Mustache, and Matthew 22:39

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 16, 2021

Sunday Supplement #1 (May 16th, 2021)

This is my first blog post. In it, I will discuss a quote worth pondering, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from this post that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and starting on the first one.”

– Mark Twain

Book of the Week:

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction – Alan Jacobs

This book dismisses what has been referred to as the “right books” or “classic books” you should be reading. Jacobs gives an informative account of reading in America and delves into the many ways reading has been made into a dull affair. He then disarms this notion with the knowledge of how beneficial it is to read at whim, whether that is Harry Potter on repeat, Jane Austen, or comic books. His witty 162-page book about books helps remind any reader or former reader of the joy of reading a good book.

Reading Jacobs’s book helped me dismiss negative notions I had about what books I was reading. It also aided me in picking up a steady reading habit. I currently read a book a week on average. I mix it up between non-fiction and fiction, and I will provide recommendations for both in the future.

Movie of the Week:

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Murder on the Orient Express follows detective Hercule Poirot as he is tasked to solve a murder on the Orient Express train service. The train is stopped by heavy snowfall, and a body is found in a compartment the following morning. Poirot investigates his remaining fellow passengers to find out who the murderer is.

The film is an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic novel helmed by Sidney Lumet. I love Lumet’s films, but I wondered if his movie would do my favorite Christie work justice. I read that the recent Branagh version wasn’t great, so I set my bar lower in case time wasn’t kind to the 1974 version. Thankfully, Lumet brought the story to life faithfully and wonderfully on the screen, and the age of the film helped make the look more realistic for the 1935 setting.

In Lumet’s book Making Movies, he discusses a few interesting details about the production of this classic film. The all-star cast was full of movie and theatre heavyweights, including Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Jacqueline Bisset, Michael York, and Vanessa Redgrave. Lumet revealed in his book that both the theater and film icons were in awe of each other and needed to be prompted by the director to speak up at the first reading.

Another great story relating to acting was the choice Ingrid Bergman made in regards to who she was going to play. Lumet wanted her to play Countess Andrenyi, but Bergman was adamant over the role of Greta. She went on to win the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. That would be the only award the movie won at the 1975 Academy Awards, but with films like The Godfather: Part II and Chinatown in the mix, it had tough competition.

Although Murder on the Orient Express might not be the most remembered film from that year, it certainly is one worth watching. If you’re looking for an excellent classic mystery film, check it out!

Brainfood of the Week:

Tim Ferriss’s interview with Pete Adeney (Mr. Money Mustache) on his podcast The Tim Ferriss Show.

Both Ferriss and Adeney are bloggers. Tim is famous for his “life hack” posts and interviewing many top performers across various industries. He also has six best-selling self-help books on various topics. Adeney runs a famous blog with a focus on tips and lifestyle advice to maximize your finances.

In the podcast interview, you learn about Adeney’s life going up, his early career in tech, and retiring at age 30. All of this is explained in further detail thanks to Tim’s insightful questioning and Adeney’s candid and meaningful answers.

The 2-hour interview is worth checking out and is perfect for listening to on a walk or the commute to work.

Closing Prayer/Passage:

Matthew 22:39 – Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

I wasn’t raised under any denomination, but I did go to Catholic school and a Jesuit high school and college. This passage always stuck with me throughout the years.

In the past year, I was shown how this phrase indicates that you must love yourself to love your neighbor. If you don’t have love for yourself, you won’t have any to give.

Make sure you’re filling your cup first, so you are full and can give to others.

Have a blessed week ahead!

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