Captain’s log #7: stardate 26-10-15
Signal Strength: Finding Light in the Dark
It’s hard to believe October is already halfway finished, and 2026 is close to over. Time is flying forward at light speed.
Basketball season begins next week. After 5 months since our playoff season ended, I’m excited to watch the Lakers return. They were one of the oldest teams last year, and after some moves and signings, they’re one of the youngest now. The team was built around the strengths and weaknesses of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. With both LeBron and Davis gone, Luka Doncic takes over as the captain. Management has finally built the team around him. While we still need a true power forward, we finally have a squad. I haven’t been this eager since the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis in 2019.
Today, I’m focusing the rest of the entry on positivity. How does positive thinking impact life?
Quote (or passage)
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
I typically wouldn’t quote emperors, kings or dictators, but Aurelius was one of the few I would be comfortable enough to say I respect. He has some well thought out quotes throughout Meditations, which he wrote while at war against Germanic tribes. It’s often said that you are what you eat. The same idea applies here. You are what you think. It’s important to learn self-discipline and control where your thoughts dwell. Sometimes, you can’t help where your thoughts take you, but it’s important to remember that your life experiences depend on what you think.
What I’m listening to
What a Wonderful World, Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole
Louis Armstrong recorded the original version of ‘What a Wonderful World’ in 1967 during the troublesome times of the Vietnam War and cold war. While the original is a beloved classic, this version inspires me the most by Hawaiian legend Israel ‘IZ’ Kamakawiwoʻole (pronounced ‘easy’ for his easygoing personality). IZ was an inspirational, larger-than-life individual (pun not intended considering his size) who made the world better by being in it. He passed away at 38 from respiratory failure and severe obesity after touching so many lives. He knew his time was short, but he filled it with joy, kindness, and positivity. His version of this song and ‘Over the rainbow’, which he recorded together in his first take, are his lasting legacies.
The song dwells on the beauty of life by pointing to nature. Despite one’s struggles amid darkness throughout the world, one must still find light and beauty around them. Life should be about kindness among humanity and positivity for the future. IZ’s soothing voice, singing talent, and ukulele tune leave your heart in tears but also warmth for the people he inspired. He continues to inspire people like me long after his passing. Rest in peace, legend. Aloha! (Interestingly, ‘Aloha’ in the Hawaiian language is the same word for hello, goodbye, peace, kindness, and love).
Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe, Mukesh
Mukesh was a beloved, soulful singer in India decades ago. His calming voice quality always brought a smile to people’s faces. This song has beautiful sentiments about how one should live their life. It’s not about the money in your wallet for name and fame but the sacrifice you make for love and joy. Offer yourself to others, and leave them with a smile. When you’re no longer in the world, they’ll remember you with a smile. The message is simple but filled with positivity.
The Writing Desk
I edited chapters 29 and 30 over the last two weeks. My editing pace has slowed not only because I have been spending less time each week, but also because it has become a drag to edit lately. When I began a couple of months ago, I was energetic with the end in sight. After some time, it began to wear me down. It seems unavoidable when you’re reading the same paragraph several times, revising structure for clarity, re-reading, cutting wordiness, then changing again for better flow. Rinse and repeat until it looks/sounds right. It doesn’t help to question your prose constantly and overthink how a reader might understand it. Now do it continuously across 125,000 words.
Writers sometimes see editing as the thief of joy. I started with the joy of creative writing, but it seems like I’m ending in a slush. During editing, your goal is to fix errors and ensure your writing flows well. That’s where the issue begins: you are no longer creating but fixing (and revising repeatedly what you already have).
But gotta keep chopping, as Rutgers coach Schiano used to say. One chapter at a time, one word at a time, one day at a time.
One Thought
Positivity is easy to overlook in life. Challenges in life, stress, and anxiety can drive us into a negative mindset. Cynicism is always a stone’s throw away once we enter that mindset. It’s not easy to maintain positivity, but I think we often forget what positivity is. It’s not pretending everything is okay when it isn’t or forcing a fake smile. Positivity is recognizing that things may not be picture perfect, but you still maintain optimism, kindness, hope, joy, love, and all the little things. It’s about finding ways to enjoy your life and helping others every chance you get.
Sure, positive thinking will not end suffering or solve your problems. But it can improve your outlook on life and lessen suffering. You’ll still be suffering, but less than if you went in expecting everything that can go wrong to go wrong. Shit might hit the fan, or you might find yourself up the creek without a paddle. You want to control what you can. Try your best. Let the chips fall where they may. This is one thing I’ve been working to improve.
Then there’s the uplift factor. Positivity can help others who are likely going through their own share of issues. Everyone is living a hard life to one degree or another, so any inspiration from you will help them fight their own demons. This is why it’s crucial to forgive and help others improve, whether they do right or make a mistake. There’s a compassionate way to interact with others, even when you’re going through hell yourself. Too often, I notice people take their personal issues or bad moods out on others by lashing at them or going around picking fights during their low moments. That sort of negativity is unnecessary. I believe being kind is a choice. Even when you’re going through hell yourself. Always choose kindness.
Remember that not all positivity is beneficial. There’s toxic positivity, where you lie to yourself and others that everything is okay when it isn’t. You can go from day to day, forcing yourself to accept your bad habits without actively trying to change them. You might have read about heavy smokers who refuse to change their habits even after watching others get lung cancer. Perhaps you’ve seen reckless drivers picking up tickets for speeding and/or driving through red lights. If they don’t change their habits, there’s a decent probability they’re headed toward an untimely demise (or bringing someone else to theirs). Positivity is not an alternative to medicine. That’s when blind positivity becomes dangerous, but I won’t dwell on that here.
What show/film I’m watching
For Film Night Saturday, we have been focusing on horror for October as the countdown to Halloween. We watched Alien (1979) last week, and I think it had a decent turnout. As a Sunday encore, I ran Aliens (1986) because of some interest in watching the sequel, but it surprisingly had a low turnout of only four people (including myself). I believe the Aliens sequel is at least as good as the original. Anyway, Alien and Aliens are two films that never get old; you can rewatch them multiple times without getting tired. Sigourney Weaver catapulted into stardom after her brilliant performance as the badass heroine. Hats off to Ridley Scott and James Cameron for their directing prowess.
This past Saturday, we watched A Quiet Place (2018), which had the most votes for the week. I thought the performances were sensational across the board. A few plot holes prevent this movie from reaching full potential, but the entertainment value keeps you engrossed. I can only imagine the challenge of writing and filming this with characters limited in dialogue. Subtlety becomes king.
I finished watching the DC show Lanterns (2026) this week. I found it a pleasantly surprising change from the usual DC superhero shows. Make no mistake, Lanterns is a subtle, original show targeted for mature audiences in themes and vibe while staying true to the overall DC universe. The first season feels more like a detective drama than a superhero show, but I expect the story to pivot in future seasons. The show doesn’t give you things outright, and you must actively work your way through the non-linear presentation. Though the first season wouldn’t work without the non-linear filming technique, I sometimes found it difficult to follow. Don’t worry though—it all makes sense once you reach the last few episodes.
I give the first season an 8/10. I found myself engrossed by the acting, writing, directing, cinematography, visuals, and production value. HBO is known for high budgets and quality; they rarely jump in unprepared. A big budget also means fewer shortcuts and less writing team turnover from season to season. Depending on the route their writers take in future seasons, DC fans have something exciting here. Think of the first season as an introduction to the world, the Green Lantern Corps, and the principal characters. Some audiences might find the slow-burn ‘boring’ and the non-linear style ‘confusing’, but I think it’s worth checking out. In future seasons, I hope to see more focus on the Green Lantern side of things, more action, and less non-linear filming. Green Lantern adaptations have been disastrous to date, so cheers to this attempt!
Looking Ahead
I intend to finish chapters 31 to 33 by the next update. It’s the home stretch on my way to chapter 46, the conclusion. Forward, march! The next film for Film Night Saturday looks like Ghostbusters (1984) or Get Out (2017). After Horror October ends, I’ll only be running Film Nights for holidays and/or special events. There doesn’t seem to be enough interest to warrant running every Saturday.
That’s it for this update. I’ll catch you next time. Carpe diem!
