A few things that caught my attention, made me think, or brought me joy this week.
These past few weeks, I have had too many thoughts and not sufficient facility to put them down on the page.
Life has been odd. Just off. Work has been steady and the same business of teaching that it has been since July 1st. But it is just me. I feel off. Like something inside me is out of whack, or off balance. Either way, I am trying to not spend much time or energy on it, and just keep doing the things that need to be done.
Self-Improvement is Selfish
The more I read and write about the perils of self-optimization, the more I am convinced that the worst part of it is its inherently selfish nature. We spend so much time, energy, and effort focused inward that we lose sight of the reasons to try to improve that actually matter.
And while I am sure that there are plenty who disagree with me, I think the primary reasons should be to better interact with others. Be better family members, friends, members of society.
As a lifelong introvert, the older I get, the more convinced I am of the importance of other people. So, do I still want to find ways to improve myself? Yes.
But the reasons are changing.
The Show May Have Changed, but the Heart Hasn’t
Ted Lasso season 4 has wrapped. And I have feelings.
First, I quite enjoyed it. That seems almost a hot take in 2026. Back in 2020, when season 1 dropped, it was unknown, and there was almost excitement in knowing about it. It was like being part of an exclusive club that you wanted others to know about.
Opinions varied on seasons 2 and 3, but season 4 seems to be the most divisive yet. I feel like I shouldn’t just assume people don’t like it because it focuses on the women’s team. But I can’t help but think that is a large part of it.
Still, I can admit that it isn’t the same show that season 1 was. But the core is there, and I can’t help but feel that haters are missing that.
At its core, Ted Lasso is a show about flawed humans helping each other be better versions of themselves. It is precisely the type of improvement I argue against up above. This isn’t selfish, navel-gazing improvement. This is a show about people helping each other be better.
And viewed from that angle, season 4 was another great episode of Ted Lasso. I continue to love the show, and I won’t apologize for that.
Haunting, Harrowing, Heavy
I’ve had enough time with Solaris, the latest release from The Ocean, to have formed an opinion. And yet, I am certain that, like the previous album Holocene, my thoughts on Solaris will continue to evolve.
This is a dense album. Clocking in at 70 minutes, there is both a lot of music and a lot of ideas here. It isn’t The Ocean’s best album, but it may be their most ambitious, and I respect that.
It is full of atmosphere, haunting emotion, and plenty of heavy moments. And if you are familiar with the 1972 Tarkovsky film, the album really comes alive.
I continue to be fascinated by what The Ocean is doing, and look forward to spending more time with Solaris.
Looking Ahead
I have an upcoming trip, and I feel like I should be more excited for it. I am, no question. But not as much as I would expect. This happens at times.
The stress and anticipation of travel are loud enough to drown out the excitement. Such is life.
But there is a lot going on in the next few weeks with all of this, and I feel the pressure of it.
Still, I can’t help but be grateful for the opportunity.
