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Audrey Hepburn, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Life as a House, Yuval Noah Harari, and the Sutta Pitaka

Audrey Hepburn, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Life as a House, Yuval Noah Harari, and the Sutta Pitaka

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on July 11, 2021


Sunday Supplement #9 (July 11th, 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:

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’m possible!”

– Audrey Hepburn

Book of the Week:

A Prayer for Owen Meany – John Irving

By the time John Irving released A Prayer for Owen Meany, he was a known name in the literary community. His work consistently hit multiple bestseller lists, and the film adaptations of his novels received a decent share of Academy Award nominations. A Prayer for Owen Meany was not as favored as Irving’s previous novels, The World According to Garp or The Cider House Rules, but it is arguably his best. 

The narrator, John Wheelwright, teaches English at the all-girls school Bishop Strachan in Toronto, Canada. Wheelwright’s present-day narrative punctuates his reflections on his past, where he grew up in the fictional town of Gravesend, New Hampshire. A significant event forever connects John and his childhood friend Owen Meany. That incident also plants the seed in Owen’s mind that he is God’s Instrument. Meany spends the rest of his life to fulfill the fate he prophesied.

The book’s themes of faith, powerlessness, and gender stereotypes jump out vehemently throughout the story. Irving’s literary prose is well crafted and does not come off as wordy or hard to read. It is a beautifully constructed novel that engages and leaves a lasting impression.

I’ve read a few hundred books in my life so far, and this one continues to stand out over the years. It is one of those novels that I don’t always best know how to convince others to read, but it definitely is worth checking out to see if it calls out to you.

Movie of the Week:

Life as a House

When George Monroe is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he decides to take custody of his misanthropic son, Sam, for the summer. George uses his remaining months to repair relationships with Sam and his ex-wife Robin, in addition to fulfilling an old dream to tear down his father’s house and build a new one in its place.

Life as a House has a simple but potent narrative, and all the characters, including the supporting cast, add to the meaningful story. Kevin Kline plays George, and Hayden Christensen makes his film debut as Sam. Both give stellar performances. Supporting actors Kristin Scott Thomas, Jena Malone, Mary Steenburgen, and Ian Somerhalder contribute to the solid ensemble cast. 

For Kline, Thomas, and Steenburgen, the film is an under-highlighted gem in their filmography. For Christensen, Malone, and Somerhalder, the film is an early marker for their impressive careers that followed.

The movie did not perform well at the box office or receive many positive reviews. However, it boasts an 88% fresh rating with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Both the director, Irwin Winkler, and the screenwriting Mark Andrus, have an impressive resume of classic films— Goodfellas, Rocky, and Raging Bull for Winkler, and an Oscar-nominated screenplay As Good as It Gets for Andrus. It’s curious to see the division between the critics and the positive ratings on various sites given the quality of people involved with the film.

I understand how some critics believe it is more of a Hallmark movie than a blockbuster, but I thought the movie was well done and accomplished its intentions. It explores how we have a choice in our focus and our actions— it is never too late to take control of our lives. I often go back and rewatch the movie when I need a lift and a positive reminder.

If you check it out, let me know what you think.

Brainfood of the Week:

Tim Ferriss’s interview with Yuval Noah Harari on The Tim Ferriss Show.

Another The Time Ferriss Show episode is the focus of this week’s Brainfood. Previous episodes are featured in the first and fifth Sunday Supplements. Ferriss has many other accolades to his name, including six bestselling self-help books, but his podcast is one of my favorite contributions he’s made to date. 

In this episode, Tim interviews Yuval Noah Harari. Harari is a historian most known for his bestselling books— Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. His books have been recommended by iconic figures like Barack Obama and Bill Gates. At the time the podcast episode was released, Harari’s books had sold 27.5 million copies.

The interview covers a wide variety of topics but mostly centers on Harari’s thoughts on humanity and where we’re headed. He talks about human history and the experiences of suffering and happiness. Another focus in the conversation is how humans create fictional stories and entities to help further our advancement as a species. We even contemplate our futures in philosophy and science fiction. 

I’ve read Sapiens, and it is a phenomenal book. I’m positive there are more in-depth historical accounts out there, but I appreciated Harari’s approach in creating an overarching narrative of human history. He is currently working on releasing the bestseller in graphic novel form over four volumes. The second volume is due out in October of this year.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Purity or impurity depends on oneself. No one can purify another.”

– Sutta Pitaka

The Sutta Pitaka consists of over 10,000 dialogues from the Buddha and his close disciples. 

This particular passage reminds me of the work I need to do for myself. I am blessed to have the support of my family and friends. But, I know that my future is in my control.

It’s easy to lose focus and become depressed or anxious about a current situation. However, there is a wonderful power in knowing that you can change the direction of where you’re going.

I’m doing my best to aim for the best future possible. I want to do more work in this area and dedicate more time to checking in with myself. I believe the time we use to reflect on our lives and our decisions is the filter that helps us heal. I’m grateful for reminders like these that bring a fresh and positive perspective.

Dedicate some time to assess how to best support yourself, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Thomas Edison, Atomic Habits, Bad Boys (1983), Sadhguru, and Matthew 7:12

Thomas Edison, Atomic Habits, Bad Boys (1983), Sadhguru, and Matthew 7:12

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on July 4, 2021


Sunday Supplement #8 (July 4th, 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:

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

– Thomas Edison

Book of the Week:

Atomic Habits – James Clear

James Clear is an expert on habit formation. The New York Times, Entrepreneur, and Time are a few of the many publications that featured his work. Clear’s work has also been used by teams in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. His website receives millions of monthly visitors where he writes about habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement.

Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, was a New York Times bestseller. The book helped me quit smoking and get back in shape. I accomplished both before, but I found myself burning out at various points. I would eventually use my willpower to push myself back to my best, but I struggled. Atomic Habits broke down concepts that made it easier to improve in areas of my life that I wanted to build up while letting go of things that weren’t good for me.

In the book, Clear goes over topics like identity, which help with starting good habits or breaking bad ones. For smoking, I always viewed myself as a smoker trying to quit smoking. He explains how that frame of mind is rooted in identity and makes it hard to stop. The shift of implementing the identity that I’m not a smoker was a simple concept with profound results.

There are many valuable strategies and systems that Clear explains in his book. One of my favorites is akin to the Edison quote above. Clear gives the metaphor of an ice cube melting to signify one’s dreams and goals. You can work for a long time to melt the ice cube. You can bring the temperature up to 31.9 degrees, and it will still be an ice cube. But you are so close to making water from your efforts. Don’t give up!

Atomic Habits is one of my favorite self-help/self-improvement books. It is an enjoyable read as well. There are many true stories from various inspirational people that will entertain and motivate. Check it out!

Movie of the Week:

Bad Boys (1983)

A Chicago youth Mick O’Brien plans to rob a rival’s drug deal. The heist goes horribly wrong, and O’Brien is sent to a juvenile detention center. He must face the consequences of his actions and decide if the path he’s currently on is one he wants to continue. The story gets more intricate as the film continues, but that is a quick summary without too many spoilers. 

Sean Penn stars as Mick O’Brien in his first film released after the iconic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. His role as Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High created the possibility of being typecast as a comedic actor, but Penn made the deliberate decision to go in a different direction with Bad Boys. Penn’s performance was assisted with a brilliant supporting cast. Reni Santoni, Jim Moody, Esai Morales, Ally Sheedy, and Clancy Brown are some of many who brought immense quality to the screen. 

Bad Boys was a small film and didn’t get too much recognition when it came out, but it received mostly favorable reviews. A testament to the quality of the script and Sean Penn’s performance is that actors like Tom Cruise and Kevin Bacon auditioned for the lead role.

It could have been a simple movie, but instead, it allowed for depth in the narrative, which resulted in complex characters and a powerful story. Even though the film isn’t well known, Bad Boys deserves to be recognized.

Brainfood of the Week:

A conversation with Sadhguru led by Angella Nazarian.

Sadhguru is an Indian yogi and bestselling author. He is a spiritual leader and founder of the Isha Foundation, a non-profit spiritual organization with over 9 million volunteers. Sadhguru’s YouTube page features many videos where he discusses spirituality, perception, and various other topics. His videos have just shy of 1 billion views in total.

Angella Nazarian is a philanthropist, bestselling non-fiction author, and conference organizer. She co-founded Looking Beyond, a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and young adults with special needs, and Visionary Women, a non-profit community, focused on engaging conversations with innovative leaders and funding high-impact initiatives for women and girls.

In this video, Nazarian speaks with Sadhguru about vision, willingness, and joy. Sadhguru discusses how willingness can be tested when other people do not act in accordance with one’s beliefs. However, it ultimately our choice in how we respond or react. This culminates in a direct link with how we experience joy.

Sadhguru’s discussion is a great lesson and reminder of how we can shape our world.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Therefore whatever you desire men to do for you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”

– Matthew 7:12

There are a few bible passages I can quote off the top of my head. Matthew 7:12 one of them. But I didn’t know about the final part— “for this is the law and the prophets.” This part reminded me of the law of attraction. The basic principle of the law of attraction is positive thoughts bring positive experiences, and negative thoughts bring negative ones.

It always sticks out to me when different religions or philosophies I come across repeat similar passages. More often than not, you can find the same messages in different religions or spiritual practices. However, quotes like think positively don’t always have a positive reception when I’m not doing well. That is something I want to change.

In my first Sunday Supplement, I quoted Matthew 22:39— “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” I discussed how if you don’t love yourself, you won’t be able to love your neighbor. I then talked about filling your cup so you can help others. Matthew 7:12 reminds me that assisting others in filling their cup can fill yours as well. I believe in this way, Matthew 22:39 is linked to Matthew 7:12.

Trying to balance the two and knowing when I’m balanced is the goal I’m setting for myself going forward. I also plan on re-reading Atomic Habits to help me with that objective.


Be kind to yourself and others, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Jack Kornfield, Armistead Maupin, Moonlight, Daryl Davis, and Surah Ghafir 40:60

Jack Kornfield, Armistead Maupin, Moonlight, Daryl Davis, and Surah Ghafir 40:60

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on June 20, 2021


Sunday Supplement #6 (June 20th, 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:

“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”

– Jack Kornfield

Book of the Week:

Tales of the City – Armistead Maupin

Armistead Maupin was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. He served as a naval officer in the Mediterranean and had a tour in Vietnam before returning home and working as a reporter for a newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1971, Maupin took a job with the Associated Press in San Francisco and moved out to the West Coast. Because of this move to the more open San Francisco, he announced his homosexuality publicly in 1974.

Tales of the City also came out in the mid-70s when Maupin joined the Pacific Sun newspaper. The story started as a serial and took off when Maupin brought it over to the San Francisco Chronicle after the Pacific Sun folded. Tales of the City, the novel, was published in 1978 after the success of the serial.

Tales of the City is full of adventure and packed with a lot of laughs. It starts with the narrative of Mary Ann Singleton as she visits a friend living in San Francisco in 1976. She decides to stay in the city and make the move permanent during her trip. The novel proceeds to follow Mary Ann as she navigates her way through this exciting new city and tries to make it home. The people she meets float in and out of her life, and those same people have their own narratives throughout the novel that tie everything together.

Because of its original serial format, the chapters are short and snappy. The characters come from a wide array of backgrounds, and there is something to connect you with all of them. It is a fun read and one that is perfect for the beach this summer. 

There have been a few adaptations of Maupin’s work over the years, the latest on Netflix with Laura Linney starring, but I’d say the book should be your first experience with the story. The Tales of the City series spans nine novels, so if you enjoy the first, there’s plenty more to follow!

Movie of the Week:

Moonlight

I saw Moonlight in theaters without knowing anything about the movie. A friend told me to see it, and I’m glad I did. There haven’t been too many films in recent years that fully explore how much the medium of filmmaking can depict. This movie was an experience that few encapsulate.

Moonlight is told in three parts. The story focuses on the character Chiron at three seminal points in his life. A different actor plays Chiron in each segment, but each brings a considerable presence to the screen. The timeline covers Chiron at ages 11, 17, and 25. Each part depicts his struggle with his identity and sexuality and the experiences of isolation, abuse, and neglect. 

Barry Jenkins directed and wrote the film. He adapted the screenplay from Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play, took the non-linear story, and crafted it into three linear parts. Jenkins and McCraney grew up in the same area but did not meet during childhood. They had mutual experiences that helped Jenkins tap into the story he wanted to tell. In particular, Jenkins allowed and utilized a lot of the film to be revealed in silence. The emotions each actor conveys throughout the movie are more powerful than words. And when the characters do speak, their dialogue has immense weight.

The acting is a masterclass from all who were involved. Each actor who played the different ages of Chiron shone. The same can be said for the actors who played Chiron’s friend Kevin. Mahershala Ali won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, and Naomie Harris was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. While it’s clear why both of these actors were highlighted, everyone in the film deserves to be recognized.

Moonlight expertly explores and depicts what can be seen on the surface vs. what’s underneath. It is a fantastic film that hits on many levels. The ending left me wanting more closure, but I still think the movie is one of the best I’ve seen in theaters in the last decade.

Brainfood of the Week:

*Might need a Spotify account to access

Joe Rogan’s interview with Daryl Davis on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. 

Joe Rogan is someone who divides opinion. He is a stand-up comedian, an actor, and a martial artist who regularly comments for the UFC. Rogan’s life story is an interesting one, but that isn’t why he’s part of this post.  Rogan was one of the first people on the podcasting scene and created a massive platform over the years. While I’m not a fan of some of the episodes, he has conducted great interviews with many different people. An example of one of the better ones is his conversation with Daryl Davis.

Daryl Davis’s father was a Department of State Foreign Service officer, so he grew up moving around the world and lived in different countries during his childhood. When he moved back to the States, he experienced his first encounters with racism. In the podcast, Davis describes the initial incident as one that stuck with him, ingrained with the question “Why?”.

While Davis initially found his calling as a Blues and R&B musician, he came across another path that has changed many lives. He recounts a meeting with a Ku Klux Klan member that ultimately grew into a friendship. From that point on, Davis became an activist (although he might not use those words) in the fight against racism. To date, he has influenced over 200 Ku Klux Klan members to leave the brotherhood.

Davis’s story is amazing, and the podcast interview on The Joe Rogan Experience is worth the listen. There are great stories and powerful messages delivered throughout the episode. 

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Call upon me, I will respond to you.”

– Surah Ghafir 40:60

This passage from the Quran reminds me of the power of prayer and how it is a good thing to ask for help when you need it. Asking for help is something I still need to work on, but reminding myself that it is okay is a good place to start. 

Prayer is also something I’ve worked to incorporate into my life. I was told that prayer can be divided into two types: thank you and please help. I gravitate toward gratitude in my prayers, but the above passage is also a reminder for me to ask for help when I need it.

Have a blessed week ahead, be compassionate with yourself, and ask for help if you need it!

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