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Tag: The Matrix

Anatole France, Moonwalking with Einstein, Dark City, Sprouts, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Sunday Supplement #105 (May 14th, 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:

“An education isn’t how much you’ve committed to memory or even how much you know. It’s being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don’t.”

– Anatole France

Book of the Week:

Moonwalking with Einstein – Joshua Foer

Joshua Foer’s journey of writing Moonwalking with Einstein started with his curiosity for tangible evidence of who was the smartest person in the world.

His quest led him to the realm of mental athletes and the world of competitive memorization.

Moonwalking with Einstein recounts Foer’s research into these societies, his subsequent initiation, and his quest to compete in the U.S. Memory Championship.

The book breaks down a few of the critical components of memory that have been taught and forgotten throughout history.

Foer’s book is primarily a memoir/non-fiction, but it is entertaining and has excellent insight into the tricks of memory and the world around them. 

Movie of the Week:

Dark City

John Murdock wakes up alone in a strange hotel and discovers he’s wanted for a series of murders. The problem is that he doesn’t remember if he committed them.

The film Dark City brilliantly explores the concepts around memory and personal identity and what it means when both are tampered with.

Rufus Sewell, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, and Kiefer Sutherland star in the Alex Proyas-directed and co-written movie about memory and identity.

Dark City came out a year before The Matrix and was ultimately overshadowed and forgotten in the wake of the immensely successful Matrix films.

If you enjoy films that explore areas of existentialism, check out this Sci-Fi Noir film that offers a thought-provoking narrative worth checking out.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Memory Palace: Can You Do It? | Sprouts

The Memory Palace is a technique to remember facts, numbers, or other things and has been around since ancient times (known as the Method of Loki).

I’m posting this video as the Brainfood of the Week because it’s a valuable technique to learn. 

Joshua Foer discusses it in Moonwalking with Einstein, but I thought I’d include a short video of how the method works for those who don’t want to read the book.

Sprouts is a YouTube channel with over a million subscribers. They feature educational videos about psychology, pedagogy, and child development.

I featured another one of Sprouts’ videos in Sunday Supplement #92. Check it out if you liked this video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.”

– Bhagavad Gita 2:63

This passage from the Bhagavad Gita reminds me how important it is not to allow emotions to overtake the reasoning side of the brain.

Emotions are good indicators of how certain things are affecting us. However, getting permanently caught up in our emotions leaves us powerless to change our situation.

The Bhagavad Gita passage focuses on anger and how that emotion can affect our memory and, in turn, our intellect.

Anger can be one of the worst emotions to get lost in. It is often in these times when we make our worst decisions.

Think about how your memories affect your current experiences, decide how you want to move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Judy Blume, The Alchemist, V for Vendetta, Freedom in Thought, and an African Proverb

Sunday Supplement #27 (November 14th, 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:

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

– Judy Blume

Book of the Week:

The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist tells the story of a shepherd boy who travels from Spain to Egypt searching for a treasure buried near the pyramids. Santiago quests for his personal legend and meets many different people and challenges along the way. He doesn’t know what the treasure is and pursues many different avenues along his adventure. 

There are many lessons that Santiago and the reader learn throughout the journey, and the importance of listening to our hearts is one of the most important.

I won’t spoil too much of the story, but I want to highlight one part from the book in this post. When Santiago makes the first leap into the unknown, he travels to a land where he doesn’t know the language. Santiago gets robbed and becomes stuck without any means to get back to his home country.

What’s incredible about this part of the journey is the reminder of the capacity for humans to land on their feet after falling. It is a lesson that gets repeated throughout the story and is one that we all should remember.

The Alchemist is one of the few books I’ve read multiple times. It always picks me out of a rut when I pick the book back up. I encourage you to give this short novel a read. Let me know what you think!

Movie of the Week:

V for Vendetta

This movie would have been perfect for a 5th of November post, but it is worth watching regardless of the time of year. The film is rated R for a reason and shouldn’t be watched on a whim, but the story, cinematography, and acting are superb.

V for Vendetta is set in a future Britain ruled by tyranny. A freedom fighter disguised behind a Guy Fawkes mask plots to expose and overthrow the government with the help of a young woman. The story is based on the graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. While the movie received some criticism from the fans of the source material, the film on its own is a brilliantly executed motion picture.

The Wachowski’s adapted the graphic novel, and their friend, James McTeigue, directed it. Influence from The Matrix can be seen in the style of the movie. And on the acting side, Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, and John Hurt all give outstanding performances in their respective roles.

It’s worth repeating that the movie’s R rating is warranted. The violence and content of the film are graphic at times, but I believe that content serves a purpose. I don’t agree with some extremes, but that is one of the points in the movie.

V for Vendetta is a movie I recommend with some caution, but its lessons and warnings are captured brilliantly. It currently resides at 170 on IMDB’s Top Rated Movies list.

Brainfood of the Week:

Buddha – Conquer Fear, Become Free — Freedom in Thought

Freedom in Thought is a YouTube channel that breaks down philosophical concepts and explores them through dialogue.

In this video, the concept discussed is based on a quote from the Buddha in the Dhammapada. The Buddha says a wise person is beyond fear, and as a result, is truly free.

The video then uses a Zen story to set up an example that explores the Buddha’s words.

During a Japanese civil war, an army took control of different villages. In one village, everyone fled except for a Zen master. The general went to the temple to get the Zen master to submit to his will. He brought out his sword and said, “Fool, don’t you see? I’m the type of man that can put a sword through you without blinking an eye.” The master calmly replied, “Don’t you see? I’m the type of man who can have a sword put through him without blinking an eye.”

As long as we fear something, we are controlled by that thing. True freedom is to be without fear.

In a dialogue between a monk and a student, the video discusses different facets of fear and how to overcome them. It shows how fear is blinding and controlling. A person who is afraid projects what they are scared of and sees the world through a lens.

The source of fear is our desire to protect ourselves from pain. When we are afraid, we block ourselves from understanding and growth. We must accept pain and fate and focus on our actions and not the outcomes we can’t control.

There are many videos on Freedom in Thought worth exploring. Try this one out to see if it is something that you enjoy.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The unborn baby that fears criticism will never be born.”

– African Proverb

This African proverb is a great reminder for me and my creative pursuits. At times, I’ve not started a projected or have been tempted not to finish because I thought my idea was terrible. I realize looking back on those times I was just scared of the reception my writing would receive. 

I always worked on finishing my projects no matter what, but I wouldn’t always let others see what I wrote. I’ve since worked on removing the barriers I’ve kept up to keep me safe. Every time I put myself out there, regardless of reception, I’ve learned something and grown.

An important lesson from this quote for me is to keep putting myself out there. I want to keep pushing myself to grow and experience new things, knowing that fear can hinder these. and I continue to work on being more comfortable with being uncomfortable. Baby steps helped me move along, but I’m working on taking more incredible leaps and knowing I’ll be okay.

Step outside your comfort zone, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Maxime Lagacé, Who Moved My Cheese?, The Matrix, Eckhart Tolle, and a Zen Proverb

Sunday Supplement #18 (September 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:

“Self-esteem begins with self-understanding, grows with courage and perseverance, and ends with confidence.”

Maxime Lagacé

Book of the Week:

Who Moved My Cheese? – Dr. Spencer Johnson

Dr. Spencer Johnson was a bestselling author and physician. He wrote a series of children’s books, Value Tales, and was most famous for his book Who Moved My Cheese? The self-help book hit the New York Times Bestseller list multiple times and the Publishers Weekly Hardcover nonfiction list.

Who Moved My Cheese? follows two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two “Littlepeople,” Hem and Haw, who live in a maze and search for cheese for nourishment and happiness. Each mouse and Littleperson has their own personality, which affects how they pursue the cheese in the maze. The cheese is a metaphor for what you want in life: a loving relationship, a good job, money, possessions, health, or spiritual peace of mind.

Throughout the story, the cheese continually moves. The cheese factories stop producing cheese, and each character responds differently. The mice are quick to search for new cheese, while the Littlepeople are reluctant to embrace change. Eventually, one of the Littlepeople plucks up the courage to dive back into the maze and leaves notes on the wall for the other Littleperson to follow.

The allegory of Who Moved My Cheese? is brilliant for those experiencing being stuck. It is a reminder of what happens when you choose to embrace change and the new opportunities that result. It is a short read but has many powerful messages throughout. Check it out if you’re in a rut or are looking for a motivational read.

Movie of the Week:

The Matrix

With The Matrix Resurrections coming out later this year, I thought it’d be fun to look back at the first Matrix movie. The Wachowskis wrote and directed a brilliant film that is a visual masterpiece that makes you think. Many action movies that come out nowadays don’t require much engagement. The Matrix treats its audience as intelligent beings and poses questions and riddles that allow for a philosophical exercise wrapped in a Sci-Fi/Action storyline.

Thomas A. Anderson is a programmer for a software company who has a double life as a computer hacker. His alter-ego Neo searches for the answer to the question “What is the Matrix?” and finds out the rabbit hole goes much deeper than he could have imagined.

The film presents many existential questions, like “What is real?” Neo explores this question and embarks on a journey from Nihilism to Enlightenment. The YouTube channel, The Take, has a fantastic video that breaks down the themes and structure of the movie. They show Neo’s Hero’s Journey with the main stops being Dreaming, Destruction, Reconstruction, Self-Knowledge, Doubt, Belief, and Love. The video is a beautiful deconstruction of the film and adds a greater depth to those who’ve seen the movie before.

If you haven’t seen The Matrix, it is definitely worth checking out. It can be a little intense, so read up on it a bit before you give it a watch. If you’ve seen it before, check out The Take’s video and see if that gives you a different perspective for your next viewing.

Brainfood of the Week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBA8W3ldPrA&list=WL&index=40

The Challenge of Self-Esteem – Eckhart Tolle Teachings

I’ve covered Eckhart Tolle in Sunday Supplement #7, but he is a person worth revisiting. He is a spiritual teacher, public speaker, and best-selling author. Tolle’s #1 New York Times bestselling book The Power of Now has Deepak Chopra’s endorsement, “One of the best books to come along in years. Every sentence rings with truth and power.”

Tolle has a YouTube channel where he posts clips of his talks. In this video, he talks about the challenge of self-esteem and how to avoid a negative perception.

The video beings with Tolle explaining how we often live in a conceptual reality and identify with how we are thinking. How we see ourselves is rooted in typically rooted in our thoughts. The image of self often comes from comparison related to ego. We tend to rank ourselves based on material things or abilities to gauge our existence against others. 

Tolle maintains that the only healthy perspective of self-esteem comes from a deeper place of presence. When you are aware of simply being, no narrative is required to justify your existence. His beliefs around this remind me of those moments when I am conscious and in the moment. I am not thinking but am feeling present and am in awe of the world.

Those moments don’t happen as often as I want, but I know they are there, and I focus on doing my best each day to build the habit of being present. I still plan for the future, but the less I worry about it, and the more I have faith that things will work out, the more I find myself at peace. Tolle is one of the authors I enjoy most, and I think his material is well worth checking out. Let me know what you think!

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.”

– Zen Proverb

This Zen proverb reminds me that everything happens for a reason. That is a challenging perspective to have when many things in life are always sad or horrible on one level. After I’ve processed more difficult times, I try to remind myself that I get to choose how I view the event and how I want to move forward.

That perspective allows me to take control of my life and my thoughts. I can reframe a painful experience as one I can learn from. I’m not always able to do this, but I try to catch myself when I am depressed. I try to be kind and remind myself that I can choose how I want to continue.

I hope this passage rings true with you, and I hope you see countless beautiful snowflakes in your future.

Have a blessed week ahead!

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Brianna Wiest, Haruki Murakami, October Sky, Robert Rodriguez, and Romans 12:2


Sunday Supplement #5 (June 13th, 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:

“One day, the mountain that is in front of you will be so far behind you, it will barely be visible in the distance. But the person you become in learning to get over it? That will stay with you forever. And that is the point of the mountain.”

– Brianna Wiest

Book of the Week:

Norwegian Wood – Haruki Murakami

I’ve read eleven Murakami books. His prose always reads like stepping into a dream. Many of his stories have otherworldly elements, but they keep the reader grounded in a setting that feels familiar. It is as if he writes about a place that is around the corner, just out of sight, waiting for you to come and see.

Norwegian Wood is one of Murakami’s more straightforward novels. It follows Toru Watanabe as he reflects on his college days in 1960s Tokyo— a time marked by political and cultural upheaval. The narrative picks up after the death of Toru’s best friend, Kizuki. It explores Toru’s relationship with Kizuki’s girlfriend, Naoko, and how they cope after Kizuki’s death. Even though they take different paths, they are still connected by the past.

The backstory of how Murakami became a writer is as wondrous as his books. He married while in university and worked multiple jobs with his wife to make enough money to open a jazz café. After years of hard work -finding solace in music and books- Murakami went to a baseball game that changed his life. At the crack of a base-hit late in the game, the idea came to Murakami that he could write a novel. Over the next six months, he hand-wrote Hear the Wind Sing, his first novel. The first draft was understandably bad, but Murakami pursued the next draft in an intriguing way. He wrote it in English, then translated it back to Japanese. This allowed for Murakami to write in a much simpler style, differing from the literary language used by most Japanese writers at the time. 

When Murakami finished writing Hear the Wind Sing, he sent it off to the literary journal Gunzo. He didn’t realize he sent his only copy. A year later, Murakami received a call that his book had been shortlisted for their new writer’s prize. He has written fourteen novels and six short story collections to date. All but one short story collection is translated into English.

Norwegian Wood is one of the best novels to start with for readers new to Murakami. It is one of his shorter works and doesn’t have as many mystical elements that might distract some new readers. There is some graphic content in the book, and it splits opinion among his ardent fans, but I think it’s worth the look.

Let me know what you think!

*The backstory on how Murakami became a writer is from his introduction to Hear the Wind Sing

Movie of the Week:

October Sky

October Sky is based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner’s son from a small town in West Virginia. Homer was inspired by the first Sputnik launch and began to learn about and experiment with rocketry. His endeavors were ridiculed by most of the town and severely discouraged by his father. Despite the negativity, and with the help of a few supporters, Homer and his friends reached far beyond the small coal-mining town they were born to.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars alongside veteran actors Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. His performance showcased his talent and ability as an actor even at a young age. It’s not too surprising that he would shine in front of a camera, though, given that his father Stephen is an Emmy-nominated director and his mother Naomi Former is an Oscar-nominated writer. Despite being around the entertainment industry, his parents wanted Jake to grow up outside of the Hollywood bubble. They kept Jake grounded and didn’t let him take many roles early on. October Sky was the first leading role his parents OK’d and was filmed when he was 17.

The movie came out in 1999, an excellent year for television and film. Debut seasons for The West Wing and The Sopranos, and release dates for The MatrixFight Club, and The Green Mile are just some of the famous milestones from Hollywood that year. Unfortunately, October Sky isn’t often remembered when recounting films from that time. 

Even though it didn’t make waves at the box office or in the press, the movie performed well with critics and audiences— a 91% critics rating and a 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes support that statement. It is an excellent feel-good film and one you should check out if you’re looking for an uplifting watch.

Brainfood of the Week:

Tim Ferriss’s interview with Robert Rodriguez on his podcast The Tim Ferriss Show

Rodriguez is a director, writer, producer, editor, composer… the list goes on. He is mainly known for his movies: DesperadoThe Spy Kids franchise, Sin City, and Machete

This interview is one of my favorite episodes so far on The Tim Ferriss Show. Tim’s prep work shows in the questions he asks and allows Rodriguez to cover a lot of his life story. His accomplishments in film are immense, and there are many tidbits in the interview that I picked up and incorporated into my own routines.

In part of the episode, Rodriguez delves into the making of his first movie— told in full in his book Rebel Without a Crew. While he was on break in film school, he raised $7,000 (partly by volunteering for a clinical pharmaceutical research trial) and wrote a feature-length screenplay. He then went to Mexico and virtually as a one-man crew shot the entire film with some help from friends and their connections. Rodriguez then did all of the post-production and drove to Hollywood to shop the finished product around. The result was a deal with Columbia Pictures and a spot at Sundance.

The episode also delves into other areas of Rodriguez’s career since his breakthrough and what he’s learned from the journey. There are some cool stories with name-drops like Robert De Niro and Quentin Tarantino sprinkled throughout. It’s an exciting listen and one you will surely gain something from.

Closing Prayer/Passage:

Romans 12:2 — Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The passage from Romans above reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend in college. My friend told me a Nigerian saying that I will never forget. Roughly translated, it means— “Only dead people cannot learn. If you are not continually learning, you are equivalent to a dead person.”

It’s a heavy reminder of what it means to believe we know everything. 

But to approach it from a positive place, I look at the Romans 12:2 passage and set the goal to keep growing and learning, to keep striving to be a better person each day.

Have a blessed week ahead, and I hope you learn something new!

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