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Tag: Walter Mosley

Sundar Pichai, Little Scarlet, A Single Man, Navajo Traditional Teachings, and a Dhammapada Verse

Sunday Supplement #89 (January 22nd, 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.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.”

– Sundar Pichai

Book of the Week:

Little Scarlet – Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley’s Easy Rawlins series follows Black WWII veteran Rawlins, who moved from Louisiana to Los Angeles after the war.

There are fifteen novels in the Easy Rawlins series, and Little Scarlet is book nine. You don’t have to read them in order, and Little Scarlet is one of my favorites in the series.

In the novel, Rawlins is asked by the police to investigate the murder of a Black woman right after the Watts Riots just ended.

Mosley’s novels take the best of the detective fiction genre and explore deep themes and the history of Black America in Los Angeles over a few decades of the character Rawlin’s life.

I featured Walter Mosley and his Easy Rawlins series (picking the first novel in the series) in Sunday Supplement #3. Check out the series and see where you’d want to start.

Movie of the Week:

A Single Man

Tom Ford’s A Single Man adapted Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel about an English professor George coping with the death of his partner, Jim.

George goes throughout his day in a despondent nature but has various encounters with people that provide color and illuminate different possibilities of existence.

The casting of the film was excellent. Colin Firth received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of George, and Julianne Moore and Nicholas Hoult also shone in their roles.

A Single Man was Tom Ford’s directorial debut. The famous fashion designer brought an impeccable look to the film that aided the brilliant narrative.

While the film has a small scale, it has a rich depth to the story and characters that help capture a beautiful snapshot of life.

Brainfood of the Week:

Teachings About Balance in Life | Navajo Traditional Teachings

Navajo Traditional Teachings’ YouTube page aims to teach the culture of the people from the language, traditional teachings, and oral history passed down through the generations.

In this video, Navajo Historian Wally Brown discusses the teachings of balance and how we can take things that don’t matter and lose our balance.

Brown emphasizes the importance of not allowing things that don’t matter to rule your life. He gives the example of outside influences trying to change your values.

Another form of balance Brown discusses is how understanding a negative thing can help make it a positive and create balance.

This six-minute video has much wisdom, and the Navajo Traditional Teachings channel provides a unique insight into a great breadth of teachings.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Do not associate with evil companions; do not seek the fellowship of the vile. Associate with good friends; seek the fellowship of noble men.”

– Dhammapada verse 78

This Dhammapada verse made me think about the influences I have around me. While it discusses people, I think different mediums also can affect your life.

On one side, I see people or things wanting you and pushing you to be the best you can be.

The other side would be people or things that promote negative habits that drag you down and take you away from positive experiences.

I liked how the end of the verse was about seeking the fellowship of noble men (& women). The search is worth considering because they may require effort to find, or they may already be in your life and needed to be left in.

Consider your influences, look for positive fellowship, and have a blessed week ahead!

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David Suzuki, Walter Mosley, Stand and Deliver, Jesse Itzler, and Surah Ar-Ra’d 24


Sunday Supplement #3 (May 30th, 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:

“The way we see the world shapes the way we treat it. If a mountain is a deity, not a pile of ore… if a forest is a sacred grove, not timber; if other species are biological kin, not resources; or if the planet is our mother, not an opportunity— then we will treat each other with greater respect. Thus is the challenge, to look at the world from a different perspective.”

– David Suzuki

Book of the Week:

Devil in a Blue Dress – Walter Mosley

Mosley’s first novel in the Easy Rawlins series was an Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel (1991). It follows Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins, a Black World War II veteran living in the Watts area of Los Angeles in the late 1940s. He knows the neighborhood and is asked by a White man at a bar to locate a White woman known to visit jazz clubs in the area. The job turns out to be even more complicated than it initially appears. Blackmail, extortion, and secrets are just some of the many obstacles Easy runs into. 

The book is a classic in the private detective genre and delves into many different subjects, including race, money, sex, violence, and survival. It is the first of fifteen novels in the series, spanning decades of Los Angeles history and culture.

Mosley was awarded the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 2020 in recognition of his contributions, which include more than sixty critically acclaimed books covering various subjects and genres. His Easy Rawlins series offers an intelligent and captivating read for those who pick up the books. You don’t have to read the series sequentially, but Devil in a Blue Dress is a brilliant way to start. 

* Devil in a Blue Dress was also adapted into a movie starring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Tom Sizemore, and Jennifer Beals.

Movie of the Week:

Stand and Deliver

Ramón Menéndez’s Stand and Deliver is based on the true story of a high school teacher, Jaime Escalante. In the 1980s, James A. Garfield High School performed below grade-level expectations and did not have high expectations placed on the student body. Escalante became a mathematics teacher at the East Los Angeles school and galvanized his students to excel in academics. He recognized the untapped potential of the class and made it a goal for the students to take AP Calculus by their senior year.

Edward James Olmos portrayed Jaime Escalante and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the 1989 Academy Awards. He was also the reason why co-star Lou Diamond Phillips landed the role of Angel. Their characters’ relationship is one of the highlights of the film and one of the many highlights in their respective careers.

In an interview with The Hudson Union, Phillips explained how he was on the verge of moving back home to Texas because he couldn’t book a part and was running out of money. His famous role in La Bamba was in the bag, but it hadn’t been released yet, so no one knew who he was. Phillips caught a break, though, and got cast in a guest role on Miami Vice. He shot one scene with Olmos, and Olmos told him to get in touch with Menéndez about being in Stand and Deliver.

The interactions between Escalante and the students make the film, but the true story it’s based on makes it more than just a film. The movie is inspirational and is a great reminder of how expectations placed on us and from ourselves can affect how we view our lives. It also shows the power of believing in yourself and having others believe in you.

I’ve highlighted Los Angeles in a few posts now and twice in this week’s Sunday Supplement. Part of the reason for that is I’ve lived in Los Angeles for four years now, and I like to watch and read about the history of where I live. I also worked and volunteered at schools in Los Angeles for three of the years I’ve lived here. This film is one of my favorite depictions of the city and an educational setting.

An outside source of validation for the movie is that the Library of Congress selected Stand and Deliver for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2011.

Brainfood of the Week:

Rich Roll’s interview with Jesse Itzler on his podcast The Rich Roll Podcast.

Rich Roll is a vegan ultra-endurance athlete who changed his life at 40 after struggling with drugs, alcohol, and unhealthy living. His podcast is just one of the many ways he provides inspiration and information.

Jesse Itzler has an unbelievable biography. He came out of college with a recording contract under Delicious Vinyl records as a songwriter/artist. During this time, he made it into the Billboard 100, made music hits for sports franchises, and won an Emmy. After that, he found success as an entrepreneur, creating and selling companies like Marquis Jet and Zico Coconut Water. He and his wife, Sara Blakely (founder of Spanx), were part of a group that purchased the Atlanta Hawks in 2015. 

In the interview description, Roll asks the question: how does this guy have such an extraordinary life?—watch and learn. 

There are certain principles and perspectives Itzler shares that are nuggets of wisdom you can incorporate into your life. He tells many hilarious stories and gives insights into how he views life and the decisions that have improved his way of thinking.

Check out the interview; I’m sure you’ll pick up at least one useful tool from it.

Closing Prayer/Passage:

“Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.”

– Surah Ar-Ra’d (24)

In high school, I had my first exposure to the Muslim religion through one of my best friends. I didn’t have many deep thoughts at the time, but looking back, I’m grateful for this exposure. And I’m glad to have had examples of good people from all faiths in my life.

There are literal breakdowns of passages and prayers, but I enjoy the metaphorical examinations as well. For me, this passage speaks to the benefits of reflecting and responding vs. reacting. The final home is the excellence of peace. It isn’t something I always embody, but I continue to work on incorporating that mind state.

Have a blessed week ahead, and may you find peace in it!

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