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Tag: Paul Giamatti

Michael Jordan, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Illusionist, Quirkology, and an African Proverb

Sunday Supplement #171 (August 18th, 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:

“Limits like fear are often just an illusion.”

– Michael Jordan

Book of the Week:

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is one of the best-selling fiction writers of all time, with over 2 billion works sold from 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of her most famous novels. The novel’s point of view character is Dr. Sheppard of the English country village of King’s Abbot.

Dr. Sheppard recounts being called to certify the death of a wealthy widow who committed suicide a year after her abusive husband’s demise. Twenty-four hours later, Roger Ackroyd, the man she planned to marry, gets murdered.

Recently retired Belgian detective Hercule Poirot takes up the case and uses his “little grey cells” to solve the case.

If you enjoy The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, check out any of Christie’s novels. I’ve read about twenty of them, all of which were excellent. I also featured one of the film adaptations of her novels in my first Sunday Supplement

Movie of the Week:

The Illusionist

Director/writer Neil Burger’s The Illusionist was adapted from the short story “Eisenheim the Illusionist” by Steven Milhauser.

The film follows the story of Eisenheim and Princess Sophie. In late-1800s Vienna, the son of a carpenter falls in love with Princess Sophie. 

Because of their class difference, they are separated. Eisenheim then disappears to pursue his passion for magic. He returns years later, and the two cross paths again, but Sophie is betrothed to the Crown Prince Leopold.

The Illusionist is a fantastic film. Ed Norton stars as Eisenheim, with standout supporting performances from Rufus Sewell, Jessica Biel, and Paul Giamatti. I highly recommend it.

Brainfood of the Week:

10 Amazing Illusions | Quirkology

I wrote about the theme of illusion in one previous post, Sunday Supplement #94, and featured an illusion video for the Brainfood of the Week.

In my YouTube browsing, I came across this video from Quirkology and thought it worth sharing. Psychologist, author, and magician Richard Wiseman created the channel. 

The video has some fun illusions worth checking out. One spoiler is that the last one can leave you a little dizzy.

I found the video a fun reminder that things aren’t always as they appear to be. Sometimes, it can be fun to be tricked, but it can also be beneficial not to make assumptions.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Examine what is said, not who is speaking.”

– African Proverb

This African proverb is a powerful reminder not to get caught in the illusion of a speaker over their words.

Many people can make confident claims about various topics, but it is up to you to vet what they are saying.

Conversely, someone you believe can add no value to your life might say something with great wisdom.


Don’t find yourself stuck or led astray by illusions, and have a blessed week ahead!

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

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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