Tag: movie

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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John D. Rockefeller, Cold Mountain, Chariots of Fire, Simon Sinek, and a Bible Passage

John D. Rockefeller, Cold Mountain, Chariots of Fire, Simon Sinek, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 10, 2023

Sunday Supplement #122 (September 10th, 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:

“I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance.”

– John D. Rockefeller

Book of the Week:

Cold Mountain – Charles Frazier

Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain alternates back and forth between the stories of W.P. Inman, a Confederate deserter, and Ada Monroe, a minister’s daughter from Charleston who moved to the rural mountain community where Inman is from.

Inman and Monroe only knew each other briefly before Inman went off to war, but the hope of seeing Ada again drives Inman to desert and make his way back to Cold Mountain.

The story follows Inman’s journey and Ada’s struggles to run a farm, with flashbacks of their history together interspersed throughout.

Cold Mountain became a bestseller, won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction, and was adapted into a successful Academy Award-winning film.

The book might be dated in a few places, but the narrative and writing style are worth checking out. It’s a well-written novel and Frazier’s debut.

Movie of the Week:

Chariots of Fire

The 1982 Academy Award Best Picture winner follows two British track athletes determined to win in the 1924 Olympics.

Devout Christian Eric Liddel struggles against the interferences in his running journey of the obligations of his faith. Harold Abrahams, an English Jew, battles adversity and prejudice in his journey.

In addition to winning Best Picture, the film won an Oscar for Best Costume Design and Best Writing – Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.

Chariots of Fire had an all-star cast, with Ian Holm receiving a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

The Hugh Hudson film is a classic in cinema worth checking out and has an iconic soundtrack permeating pop culture since the movie’s release.

Brainfood of the Week:

What to Do When You Want to Give Up | Simon Sinek

Simon 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 talks about his struggles writing his book Leaders Eat Last and how he got to the point where he couldn’t do it.

Sinek got to the point where he was going to give up. He called a friend for advice. The story about the friend is told in full in the video.

The message from Sinek is how important it can be to have someone in your corner. Reach out if you need help; don’t always take things on alone.

I’ve featured Simon Sinek in previous Sunday Supplements, and I find his videos informative and motivational. Check them out if you enjoyed this video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

– 2 Chronicles 15:7

This Bible passage reminds me to keep moving forward and pursuing the things you want in your life.

It can be easy to take a break from your goals and dreams, and sometimes, it’s necessary to rest and recharge.

However, you can’t take a permanent vacation without becoming weak in some way. Whether physically or mentally, you need to keep challenging yourself to stay strong.

The Bible passage reminds me not to get too down on myself when things aren’t going as planned and to continue working on my goals.

Keep growing and persevering, and have a blessed week ahead!

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John Wooden, A Briefer History of Time, Birdman, Jocko Willink, and an African Proverb

John Wooden, A Briefer History of Time, Birdman, Jocko Willink, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 3, 2023

Sunday Supplement #121 (September 3rd, 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:

“Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be.”

– John Wooden

Book of the Week:

A Briefer History of Time – Stephen Hawking with Leonard Mlodinow

Stephen Hawking was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and bestselling author who received wide praise for his scientific contributions.

Hawking’s worldwide bestselling book A Brief History of Time was lauded for its contents in the various fields of science.

The book covered an array of topics, including the nature of space and time, astronomy, modern physics, and the history and future of the universe.

Hawking wrote the book for readers without prior knowledge of these scientific fields, but some felt the book was still difficult to understand.

A Briefer History of Time makes the content even more accessible to readers and is worth the read for those looking to delve into the world Hawking explores and explains.

Movie of the Week:

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman follows a washed-up superhero actor who attempts to revive his career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.

The film brilliantly brings the viewer into the story that flows almost non-stop from the build-up of rehearsals to opening night.

Michael Keaton was perfectly cast in the lead role, and Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, and Emma Stone all put in stellar supporting performances.

Birdman won the Oscar for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Writing – Original Screenplay, and Best Achievement in Cinematography.

The film was nominated for five additional categories, including three for actors. The recognition for the film is well-warranted.

Brainfood of the Week:

Learning and Moving On From Failure | Jocko Willink

In this clip from episode 151 of the Jock Podcast, Echo Charles reads a question from a listener asking for advice about moving on from a failure.

Jocko answers the question by stating how he would have accepted the situation, asked what he could learn from it, and what he could do next.

He explains that you should learn from the past, but there’s no point in dwelling on it. After learning from it, you should look for the new opportunities that come your way.

Jocko Willink is a retired Navy SEAL, bestselling author, host of a top-rated podcast, and co-founder of a multimillion-dollar leadership and management company.

I’ve featured Jocko’s bestselling book Discipline Equals Freedom in Sunday Supplement #39. Watch the rest of the video to get the full breakdown and to see if you like his content.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Trouble does not discriminate. It comes to everyone at some point.”

– African Proverb

This African Proverb reminds me to stay as calm as possible when encountering troubling situations.

Whether these situations come in the form of anxious moments or external conditions that need addressing, being levelheaded is vital to making the right decisions.

The proverb is a great reminder that trouble or bad luck doesn’t skip over people. Knowing that it is a likely occurrence in life shows me that it isn’t something to dread.

Trouble can come in many forms, including failure, but I believe if you do your best to face the challenge, you can move forward.

Don’t let failure get you down. Learn from it, move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

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