I’ve let another new moon drift by, but it’s OK, because I’ll likely be in touch with you again before the next one. My March Sadness essay is complete, and it’ll be published on their website sometime during the first two weeks of March. I’m gonna let you know as soon as the voting’s open!

Hopefully you’ve been organizing Wolfson ‘26 phone banks and cake bakes, doing oppo research on Annie Lennox, and canvassing your neighborhood. What do people say when they open their doors? Have they heard of me before? Do they know about Neutral Milk Hotel? What reservations do they have about my essay’s candidacy? Besides, you know, not having read it.

It’s hard to wait. I think it’s a great piece, and I love it. When I shared the essay with a couple people, I caught myself downplaying it. “Check it out when you have a chance.” It’s important to express your humility and appreciation when someone reads your work, especially when asking for feedback, because anyone who’ll do that is to be treasured. At the same time, if I felt this way about an essay written by any other person, I’d be saying, “Stop whatever you are doing and Read. This. Now!”

As one friend said, it feels a little silly for it to be judged in a contest. Most importantly, it’s an offering for people to connect with me on an emotional level, and it hopefully provides them an opportunity to reflect on their own reasons for living. I’m looking forward to that the most. But since it happens to also be part of a tournament, why not try to win!

A Further Teaser, in the Form of Photographs, Representing Key Essay Subjects and Themes

Oh, By the Way

I’m going to India for a writers retreat next month. I leave on Friday the 13th (!) so I’ll definitely need help ginning up votes after that. No violence please, but strongly-worded pleas are encouraged!

Song for the Worm Moon

Coming March 3, 2026: “Native Americans called this last full moon of winter the worm moon after the worm trails that would appear in the newly thawed ground. Other names include chaste moon, death moon, crust moon and sap moon, after the tapping of the maple trees.”

I wanted to pick something somehow related to the worm moon, but instead, here’s something else. I’ve been pretty obsessed with Geese (and Cameron Winter’s solo album) for a couple months now, and with this song in particular, which I desperately want to sing at karaoke at the top of my lungs, for reasons which I suspect may become obvious when you hear it.

And you know what, if you’re like me, after watching that, you’ve worked up some emotions, and could use a palate cleanser, so here, also, is this.