Tag: Neil Gaiman

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!

Comments closed

Henry David Thoreau, The Graveyard Book, El Mariachi, The School of Life, and Ecclesiastes 5:3

Henry David Thoreau, The Graveyard Book, El Mariachi, The School of Life, and Ecclesiastes 5:3

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 1, 2022

Sunday Supplement #51 (May 1st, 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:

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”

– Henry David Thoreau

Book of the Week:

The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book focuses on the coming of age of Nobody Owens.

Bod’s story differs from most normal boys in that he’s raised and educated by the ghosts of the graveyard where he lives.

There are adventures and dangers in the graveyard, including a portal to the city of ghouls, but in the land of the living, the man who killed Bod’s family is looking to finish the job.

Neil Gaiman is a successful author, comic book creator, and screenwriter, with numerous awards, accolades, and adaptations of his work.

However, when the prolific author came up with the idea for The Graveyard Book, he thought he wasn’t at the skill level to write the book.

In a The Tim Ferriss Show episode, Gaiman recalls the story of how he came up with the story and the wait for the right moment to give the idea justice.

I featured Neil Gaiman in a few of my Sunday Supplements but only once for Book of the Week. The Graveyard Book deserves the nod for this week and is worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

El Mariachi

I’m not always a fan of Robert Rodriguez’s films, but I respect his work and his journey as a filmmaker and creator.

In Sunday Supplement #5, I featured his interview on The Tim Ferriss Show. In the episode, Rodriguez covers his breakthrough into the industry and what he’s learned along the way.

Rodriguez also goes into a bit of the story behind the making of his film El Mariachi, told in full in his book Rebel Without a Crew.

When Rodriguez was in college, he decided to take one of his breaks to film his first feature film in Mexico. He raised $7,000, partly by volunteering for a clinical pharmaceutical research trial, and wrote the script.

Rodriguez virtually, as a one-person crew, shot and edited the entire film with some help from friends and their connections.

The ambitious filmmaker drove to Hollywood to shop the finished product, hoping to sell it to the Spanish language market. He ended up making a deal with Columbia Pictures, resulting in a spot at Sundance.

El Mariachi tells the story of a traveling mariachi who finds himself on the run from a gang trying to kill him after he’s mistaken for a hitman.

Desperado, featuring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, is the American reboot (directed by Rodriguez), but the original is worth watching to see the start of Rodriguez’s journey.

Brainfood of the Week:

What is Success? | The School of Life

The School of Life’s channel consists of content from psychologists, philosophers, and writers devoted to helping people lead calmer and more reliant lives.

In this video, the topic is success and how it often gets defined versus what it actually is.

The clip states how the word success is used a lot regarding money, status, fame, and power. However, the dictionary defines success differently.

Success is more neutral and less value-laden than we tend to assume. It means doing anything well, excelling at something.

This definition can encompass many activities. It can be attributed to major milestones but also to little wins that often get overlooked.

The video goes on to explain how no one can be successful at everything. There is too much out there for us to experience in one lifetime.

Therefore it’s essential we definite the areas of our lives where we want to be successful.

I featured a The School of Life video in Sunday Supplement #33. If you like this short clip, check out their other videos.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“For a dream comes with much business and a fool’s voice with many words.”

– Ecclesiastes 5:3

This bible quote reminds me to focus on work that’s important to me and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I try to jump in on a project instead of sounding it out too much. I’ve learned the necessity of preparation, but I’ve also experienced plans always discussed but never executed.

Henry David Thoreau’s quote works its way into this passage in my mind through the idea that success comes when you are busy doing what you love.

Success to me has to be personal, just as a dream is personal. Both Thoreau and the Bible quote emphasize the utility of personal action.

I’m glad when I come across quotes like these because they remind me that I have the power to define and achieve success/my dreams.

Take a step or two on your personal goal’s path, and have a blessed week ahead!

Comments closed

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Elantris, Stardust, Calm, and the Atharva Veda

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Elantris, Stardust, Calm, and the Atharva Veda

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 12, 2021

Sunday Supplement #31 (December 12th, 2021)

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:

“Magic is believing in yourself. If you can do that, you can make anything happen.”

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Book of the Week:

Elantris – Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson is a Hugo Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author. Sanderson also teaches one writing class a year as an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University and hosts the podcast Writing Excuses with authors Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, and web cartoonist Howard Tayler.

While Sanderson went to undergraduate and graduate school, he was employed at a hotel as a night auditor and wrote many novels while he worked. His sixth novel, Elantris, was picked up by Tor Books and started his career as a Fantasy and Science Fiction author.

Elantris tells the story of the falling of magic in Arelon. Elantris was the capital of Arelon and was the home of magical beings who used their abilities to benefit the kingdom. The residents of Elantris were once ordinary people from Arelon until they became transformed overnight through the power of Shoad.

Without warning, the magic failed, and the Shaod became a leper-like curse. The demigods of Elantris became wizened creatures, and the city of Elantris was walled off for the transformed to be exiled.

Prince Roaden and Princess Sarene’s marriage was the last hope for an Arelon under threat from the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. However, before Sarene could marry Raoden, the prince was struck by the Shaod, and his father snuck him into Elantris.

Elantris goes on to follow the stories of Raoden, Sarene, and a priest of Fjordell and the future of Elantris and how each deals with their own position and the situation they are forced to manage.

The novel is one of my favorite fantasy books and has brilliant lessons on making the best of where you’re at and how to never give up. If you’re a fan of fantasy, this should be on your list.

Let me know what you think!

Movie of the Week:

Stardust

Stardust is a 2007 film adapted from Neil Gaiman’s Locus Award-nominated novel. I don’t think many movies better their source, but Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman make a case for their script.

The movie follows Tristan Thorn, a shop boy, who makes a promise to his beloved that he’ll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the fabled magical kingdom beyond the borders of their town.

This fantasy film stars Charlie Cox as Tristan Thorn and Claire Danes as Yvaine the fallen star. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Lamia, the witch after Yvaine’s heart and eternal life, and Robert De Niro plays Captain Shakespeare, a colorful pirate who aides Tristan and Yvaine.

Stardust is a fun watch that shows the power of saying yes to adventure and learning about yourself along the way. There are great performances sprinkled throughout, and the fun script makes an entertaining viewing.

The movie isn’t an Oscar-nominated masterpiece, but it is something lighthearted that would be a fun watch on a cold or snowy day.

Brainfood of the Week:

10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation | Calm

Calm is the number one app for meditation and sleep. There are many facets of the app, but the focus of this post is on their daily ten-minute guided meditation.

There are many benefits to meditation, such as decreasing stress and anxiety. The practice of meditation can also enhance awareness and patience.

I like to keep a playlist on my phone of downloaded meditations I’ve come across on YouTube. I tend to switch between guided meditations, soft background mediations, and if I’m in nature ambient meditation.

I’m not always in a steady practice of meditation, but I notice how my days feel rushed when I fall out of practice. Ideally, I liked to meditate once in the morning and once in the afternoon or before bed.

Breathing exercises are another great way to ground and be present. Part of these practices helps me be calm when I go through each day. I always finish each session with a little prayer or intention for the rest of the day or for a specific event I’m going to encounter.

These are all practices I’ve worked on incorporating into my life. The Calm video is a great guided meditation to check out. Their app is also worth looking at with a free and subscription option available.

Go at your own pace and find the practice and time that works best for you. Let me know what you think and if you’d like any other recommendations in this field.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“May thou bless me with radiance, courage, energy, and strength.”

– Atharva Veda

In Sunday Supplement #29, I discussed the benefits of cultivating a positive mindset. I delved into the power of gratitude and practicing control over your thoughts.

For this section of the Sunday Supplement, I wanted to list a prayer/mantra. I think it is crucial to work on ourselves, learn, and grow. However, I believe asking for help is something that can often be ignored or frowned upon.

For me, prayer and mantras are the other side of the coin for positivity and gratitude. While we cultivate our lives and perspectives, asking for a bit of help and having faith in something can be a tremendous support.

I believe in a higher power. I don’t care what people call it, but I feel it when I’m with other people, in nature, and when I experience moments of silent bliss within. I believe meditation, prayers, mantras, walks in nature, and connection with others tap into that universal power.

The Atharva Veda has been called the Veda of magical formulas, and it contains over 5,000 mantras in its pages.

The above passage is just one version of a mantra that you can use, but I encourage you to find one that feels right and try repeating it after meditation or prayer. See what happens after you incorporate it into your routine.

Have a magical month of December, and have a blessed week ahead!

4 Comments

M. Scott Peck, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Painted Veil, Maurice Ashley, and the Yajur Veda

M. Scott Peck, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Painted Veil, Maurice Ashley, and the Yajur Veda

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 22, 2021

Sunday Supplement #15 (August 22nd, 2021)

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 this post that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult—once we truly understand and accept it—then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”

– M. Scott Peck

This quote reminds me of a passage I read in The Courage to Be Happy. In the book, the sequel to The Courage to Be Disliked —which I highlighted in Sunday Supplement #7— a philosopher explains to the youth who visits him that people often forget a question that eliminates the past and allows the questioner to take control in the present.

“What should I do now?”

For me, The M. Scott Peck quote is an example of how acceptance can bring us to the present moment. I find myself sometimes in a slump or depressed, but when I remember to accept the present, I’m able to move forward, knowing I have a choice.

Book of the Week:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is a prolific author gathering even more mainstream recognition through the popular adaptations of his works like Good Omens and American Gods. He started his writing career as a journalist conducting interviews and writing reviews for publications like The British Fantasy Society. His breakthrough in creative wiring came from the massive success of his comic series Sandman. Since his initial breakout, he’s written multiple bestselling novels, comics, and screenplay adaptations.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is one of my favorite Gaiman novels. The story follows a middle-aged man returning to his hometown to attend a funeral. While he’s there, he visits his childhood home and begins remembering his past. When he was a young boy, he had a childhood friend, Lettie Hempstock, who lived with her mother and grandmother in a magical world that coincides with the main character’s own. The protagonist remembers an adventure with Lettie that changed his childhood and is the focus of much of the novel. The narrative is truly extraordinary and is a perfect example of the power of the fantasy genre.

I loved how the novel explored a child’s experience of his parent’s struggling relationship through a fantastical setting. On the protagonist’s adventure with Lettie, he brings back evil from the magical world that takes real roots in his own life. The battle he faces with the new caretaker puts immense pressure on his family and has the reader invested in the outcome of the struggle.

There aren’t many novels I like to re-read, but this is one of them. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is perfect for anyone searching for a great fantasy book or a perfect introduction to Neil Gaiman’s fantastic writing. It won the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2014 and is a brilliant piece of fiction.

Movie of the Week:

The Painted Veil

In the early 1920s, a British bacteriologist volunteers to aid a small Chinese village fighting a cholera epidemic and threatens to divorce his wife for adultery unless she accompanies him on the trip or her lover decides to marry her.

The 2007 Academy Awards recognized some brilliant films, including The Departed, Dreamgirls, Little Miss Sunshine, and The Last King of Scotland. However, The Painted Veil wasn’t nominated for a single category. From the screenplay and the acting to the cinematography and the score, there is so much to appreciate in the film. I still don’t know why it wasn’t nominated.

The actors had a lot to work with as the script was adapted from W. Somerset Maugham’s play. Edward Norton and Naomi Watts exude immense presence as the married couple struggling in their relationship and their purpose in life, while Toby Jones, Anthony Wong Chau Sang, and Liev Schreiber are equally commanding in their roles.

One aspect that helps the story’s depth is the focus on themes of alienation and self-realization. This is explored in a brilliant scene between Edward Norton and Anthony Wong Chau Sang that addresses colonialism and a native perspective of China’s situation in the context of Norton’s own journey. The intricacy of the narrative makes for a worthwhile viewing and encompasses different facets of the character’s lives in a rich period and setting.

Naomi Watts is the standout in the film. Her internal journey throughout the movie is powerful and creates a great character arc. This is only one of many highlights of the film deserving of praise, though. If you watch the film, let me know what aspect you enjoyed most.

Brainfood of the Week:

TED-Ed Talk with Maurice Ashley on Working Backward to Solve Problems

Maurice Ashley is a chess grandmaster, author, and commentator. Ashley was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, and was already playing chess at 12 when his family moved to the United States. He earned the title of grandmaster in 1999 and went on to found the Harlem Chess Center. Ashley coached youth from the area, including the Raging Rooks of Harlem and the Dark Knights— both won national championships.

In this video, Ashley describes techniques grandmasters use to look ahead in matches. His favorite is retrograde analysis and describes the method’s recipe as “to look ahead, it pays to look backward.”

Many fields use retro-analysis, including law, science, medicine, insurance, stock market services, politics, and career planning.

Ashley breaks down his opinion on the best use of retro-analysis in the video and how it can apply to everyone. The idea is to think ahead to an outcome or scenario that you know, practice solving it, and then work to get to that point. It is a brilliant technique to envision how you want your life to look like in the future and create a plan to get there.

If you gain nothing else from this video, it will certainly make you a better proofreader.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The one who loves all intensely begins perceiving in all living beings a part of himself. He becomes a lover of all, part and parcel of the Universal Joy. He flows with the stream of happiness and is enriched by each soul.”

– Yajur Veda.

This quote comes from the Yajur Veda, one of the four sections of the Hindu Vedas. For me, it taps into the power of acceptance and choice. When we chose love, we can put aside our judgment and look to see what’s truly there. This is a practice I’ve been working on when an initial judgment pops into my mind. I notice it, then try to listen, aware I do not know what is going on from that person’s perspective.

The acceptance and choice of love also should be aimed towards the individual. I’m practicing being kind to myself and supporting myself when I’m down. Instead of judging my dips and funks, I’ve accepted them and worked on choosing to move forward without negative pressure. I recognize the harmony I experience when I accept my situation and am able to look for the beauty in what’s around me. I will continue to work on this mindset and hope others find the love in their lives as well.

Take a moment to notice the beauty that surrounds you, and have a blessed week ahead!

2 Comments

Muhammad Ali, Rock Me on the Water, Princess Mononoke, Brené Brown, and a Jewish Creation Prayer

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 23, 2021

Sunday Supplement #2 (May 23rd, 2021)

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 from this post that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.”

– Muhammad Ali

Book of the Week:

Rock Me on the Water – Ronald Brownstein

The subtitle of this book is 1974 — The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies, Music, Television, and Politics.

The book is divided into twelve chapters as months of the year and recounts highlights from each month. Brownstein breaks down how musicians, television shows, movies, and political figures shaped the times and the future.

Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Tom Bradley, and Jane Fonda are some of the people highlighted in the music and political arena. All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Chinatown, and Shampoo (among others) are used as examples of TV shows and movies that challenged the previous standards and created a discussion of the current times.

Brownstein did a fantastic job capturing and describing a year in history that reshaped American life. The book is full of rich history and entertaining stories. It also has poignant examples of parallels to today’s times.

Movie of the Week:

Princess Mononoke

If you haven’t heard of Studio Ghibli, there is a whole roster of beautiful Animated films for you to explore. An expert tribute to their movies is a quote from ex-Chief Creative Officer of Pixar and Disney, John Lasseter— “Whenever we get stuck at Pixar or Disney, I put on a Miyazaki film sequence or two, just to get us inspired again.”

Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke tells the tale of Ashitaka as he searches to find the source of the curse put on him by a demon that attacked his village. His journey “to see with eyes unclouded by hate” brings him to the middle of a war between forest gods and a mining colony.

The visuals are stunning, and like the majority of Studio Ghibli films, were mostly hand-drawn. Another one of the great attributes to their company is its strong female characters, which Princess Mononoke is a prime example of.

Both the English dubbed and subtitled versions are excellent. Author Neil Gaiman penned the English dialogue for the screenplay with approval from Miyazaki. And Studio Ghibli famously sent Harvey Weinstein an authentic Japanese sword with a note stating “no cuts” after he suggested edits for the film.

Regardless of what version you choose to check out, you will experience a wonderful tale.

* This is one of the more serious films on Studio Ghibli’s roster— the only one rated PG-13. There is some violence, but that shouldn’t detour any viewer. The messages of the movie are clear for all, and the film itself is brilliant.

Brainfood of the Week:

Russell Brand’s interview with Brené Brown on his podcast Under the Skin.

Russell Brand originally came to public notice as a comedian and an actor. While he continues to act, he has done a lot of work on self-improvement over the years and has delved into different arenas as a result. One of his ventures is a podcast where he interviews leaders and specialists across various fields.

Brené Brown is the guest on this episode. She is a 5x New York Times bestselling author and is an expert on vulnerability, courage, and empathy. Any of her books are worth checking out, as is her TED Talk, “The Power of Vulnerability.” In this interview, she and Russell have a great back and forth and discuss various topics, including perception, parenting, and communication.

If the length of the episode detours you, check out the (20 min) TED Talk to get a feel for her and to see if you’d be interested in delving into more of her material.

Closing Prayer/Passage:

And God saw everything that He had made and found it very good.
And He said: This is a beautiful world that I have given you. Take good care of it; do not ruin it.
It is said: Before the world was created, the Holy One kept creating worlds and destroying them.
Finally, He created this one and was satisfied.
He said to Adam: This is the last world I shall make. I place it in your hands: hold it in trust.

– Jewish Creation Prayer

When I read this prayer, I think of the impact we all have on this Earth. It is a good reminder for me to be aware of my actions and how they can have a positive effect if I am conscious.

Have a blessed week ahead!

2 Comments