There are many ways in which to say goodbye to March this year. Like any period of weeks, there have been many highs that I’ll recount in the paragraphs to come. However, you can’t help but feel insignificant in the bigger picture because that’s not where the conversation is right now. For every personal success, there’s the reality that a lot has happened since the president gave The State of the Union a month ago and said that “America is back, baby!” Some things weren’t even included in his exhaustive prompt, and it’s distressing how quickly calamities are happening without any safeguards in place. Given that we’re roughly three (!) months from USA 250, you’d assume more effort was made to hype things up, but it feels like the exact opposite.
I’m not capable of running down everything that has worn me down recently, but I’ll provide some notable takeaways. There’s the invasion of Iran, which nobody understands and has led to some laughable exchanges from the president, including useless rants about paperclips and getting gifts. As much as this makes for decent fodder on The Daily Show, the reality is that people are dying for the sake of this asinine distraction. I can laugh, but we have to realize the bigger joke is how little is done to account for these actions in more immediate ways. Every time we get caught up in him saying that his attack plan has 15 points, but one takes up three spots on his list, we’re incapable of moving forward with things that could restore a global balance.
Transport routes have been shut down due to being lined with bombs. Everything is shutting down. The president refuses to pass any legislation unless his fraudulent voter law passes, DESPITE him performing mail-in voting (the thing he wants to criminalize). We have yet another partial shutdown that has greatly impacted airports to the point that planes are crashing due to understaffing issues. The solution has been to call in I.C.E., because they have a sweetheart deal in the budget. Never mind that this is within months of news coming out that I.C.E. recruits have had their requirements lowered and, thus, they are incompetent enough to murder you if they feel the least bit flustered. It truly does suck that the people at the top don’t suffer a bigger consequence for being stubborn bitches about financing. Everybody else wants to keep the world running. Why must they suffer for others’ petty grievances?
I’ll admit that due to circumstances, I haven’t fully felt the gas price hike just yet, though I am very aware of the situation. As someone who lives in Southern California, the one caveat is watching national news and hearing them say that the price is “hiked” to $3+. That is still under our average price, which makes for a light laugh in a difficult situation. With that said, my last trip two weeks ago already showed some sticker shock, as my half-tank fill-up was double my average. With some suggesting that it could get above $10 very soon here, I am horrified about how this will trickle down into everything else. It doesn’t take an economist to know that when gas goes up, everything else does to combat production and shipping costs.
Having talked to people who were alive in the 70s, one of the most disappointing talking points has been the difference between then and now regarding gas prices. Back then, the controversy was that it was raised above a dollar. Even so, it was something that stabilized until around 2008, when I began driving to college, and suddenly, the next two decades have seen continual growth at a rate far exceeding the 30 years prior. It’s upsetting, and I can only hope this isn’t an example of settling for the new pocket burner. It’s the type of reality that reminds me of that scene in Dan in Real Life (2007) where Steve Carell fills up his tank and says, “There goes your college education.” The thing is, the joke was cute then. Nowadays, it feels dystopian.
There’s so much to be worried about, especially from a president who once argued that kids could survive Christmas by getting fewer dolls. There’s no sense of a solution short of decreasing the surplus population. This is the man who recently celebrated the deaths of Rob Reiner and Robert Mueller. I choose to believe his conscience can take the inhumanity, though I don’t know why. Even so, it’s unpleasant to have been heard, even in passing, that Iran could bomb California – the one state he famously abhors. We didn’t do anything wrong. If things go south, we are suffering for his own arrogance and an entire government system that couldn’t find a counterstrike for a decade now. I ask, how do you restore America’s faith in the system, especially for the younger generations who have never known better, so that patriotism means anything? Right now it’s really gross.
I’m sorry for front-loading this so much, but it does feel like we’re entering a period of very complicated geopolitics. As it stands, the International Olympic Committee recently announced that transgender women can’t compete despite having yet to be proven a threat to an event known for people being abnormally strong. I get that this has all been part of some trans genocide rhetoric, but it sucks that the myth persists, given how little the minority impacts the greater picture. Then again, I imagine that the conservative party that goes gaga for genitals would’ve had a field day pulling back the waistband of those ladies and not realizing they’re performing an invasive lookyloo. Frankly, everyone who supports that should have their privates xeroxed in a government file for the consenting public perusal. I’ll never look at it, but Jesus Christ, is this whole thing beyond abusive. I ask you, please talk to trans individuals and understand that they’re just trying to live normal lives. They don’t need constant harassment.
To start shifting a bit, I’ll talk about the one thing I did this month that was more upbeat than watching the news. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of seeing the touring cabaret performance by Bernadette Peters. Sometimes you don’t realize how much a person means to you until considering everything they have done. I grew up watching Animaniacs, where she sang Broadway-adjacent songs. I watched The Jerk (1979) an insubordinate number of times, even writing an essay about The Hero’s Journey involving Navin Johnson for college. As a Stephen Sondheim fan, it’s impossible to not acknowledge her impact on his career, especially with Sunday in the Park With George. There’s a lot more, including Mozart in the Jungle, but I hope my point is clear. In short, she is an icon who remains a big deal.
This was evident in the attendance, which featured one of the most diverse outcomes I’ve seen for a cabaret show at La Mirada Theater. Whereas Davis Gaines and Brian Stokes Mitchell tended to skew older, Peters was able to attract a crowd full of people who were young and old, who were likely to cheer for an Anyone Can Whistle cover unprompted. I accept maybe this is rolling over from the attention she received for Old Friends a few years ago, but it warms my heart to know she has that intergenerational love that means she’ll always be a big deal.
The simple band set-up meant that everything was stripped down, finding her wandering the stage and doing playful banter with the musicians. At one point, she even climbs atop the grand piano and performs a sensuous number with a classy yet winking nature. Even in its simplicity, she has a magnetic presence that kept me engaged. Part of it was that the majority of the set was Sondheim or Rodgers & Hammerstein numbers, but it was also that she’s inherently charming. I’d say more, but it would mostly be variations on how loving the room was and that her stories were perfect filler. I’m grateful to have seen her at least once in my life, if just to remind me of the kind and caring people who make a difference in the world.
Continuing through recent live events, I want to touch on my latest visit to see CSULB men’s volleyball. At the time, they were ranked second in the nation. Their defeat to UCLA set them back slightly, but I had hopes that they’d do better against Hawaii, who I saw as the bridesmaids of the top three teams. Another reason I was eager to attend was that this is the final year the school will be part of the Big West conference. For those who don’t know why that’s a big deal, I consider them to be one of the most consistently good schools in all sports. That, and you haven’t lived until you see a game with their fans, who come decked in Hawaiian shirts and carrying palm leaves while yelling “Rainbows!” across the court. Even now, as Long Beach got ameliorated, I couldn’t be mad because those guys have such an infectious identity. My regret is not seeing them more this season because they’re always a good time.
It is with some remorse that I finally admit something I was nervous about since the preseason. Because Long Beach had a significant turnaround since their nationals win last season (including a new coach and parting freshman phenom), I was skeptical that they’d get a consecutive win. UCLA and Hawaii have more established programs going into everything, and I choose to believe both are out for blood. Regrettably, I haven’t seen as many volleyball games as I’d like due to streaming distribution, but I have kept on top of scores. By the time I caught Game 1 against Hawaii last week, nervousness emerged. Along with many leg cramps, Hawaii was just outpacing them despite going to five sets.
As an alumnus, you want to believe they course correct by Game 2. Given that it was sold out, there was a lot of conflicting energy in the room to keep things interesting. With that said, Hawaii had the odds in their favor. Despite being down by eight in Set 1 early on, I had hope that CSULB would pull through. They didn’t flounder per se, but there wasn’t that overdrive that would’ve given them at least one set. Was it a good game? Only in the sense that both teams are really competitive. Unfortunately, Hawaii just has far more going for them at this point. Given how close we are to the end of the season, I’m worried that this spells death for another nationals win.
Fingers crossed. Even so, the team has far exceeded my assumptions for the year. To wrap up this section, March Madness is kind of whatever this year. I’m not terribly invested in anybody at the moment… though I managed to get 12 games into the women’s bracket before busting. Since then, it’s spiraled into chaos. Anyway, I hope UCLA wins because I recognize they’re having a good season. That, and I got to see Lauren Betts absolutely maul The Beach in The Pyramid. It’s borderline abuse to see her in commercials right now, knowing she’s so much better than any of our girls. Other than that, baseball and softball are back up, and I’ve been enjoying those weekend games.
Next, we have The Oscars. Given how much I liked Conan O’Brien’s hosting last year, I’m surprised by how indifferent I was to his presentation this time. The presenters had bits that felt overlong, with the Bridesmaids (2011) team feeling like they took 45 minutes to open an envelope. It felt a bit disorganized, but at least the In Memoriam ranks as one of the best I’ve ever seen. I am particular about this segment, especially because it’s supposed to be about the deceased and not the living. In what I’ve seen, The Grammys are the most offensive failures of the bunch, where last year found it turning into a jam session that was only an excuse to reunite The Fugees. What a crock. But The Oscars knew how to play up sentimentalism and allowed the segment to breathe in ways that I hadn’t seen before. I’m aware it could’ve gone longer or whatever, but it did everything in its potential to be as clear and respectful as possible.
As for the winners, I don’t have too many things to say. I’m happier that Paul Thomas Anderson is an Oscar winner than that he won for One Battle After Another (2025). It’s common knowledge that I started The Oscar Buzz because of how much I loved The Master (2012), and he’s only grown in my adoration ever since. I’m also very high on Jessie Buckley’s win for Hamnet (2025), which ended up being one of my favorites and has stuck with me since seeing it. There have been few performances as realized in recent years as hers. She has the warmth and vulnerability of motherhood in her, and I hope she continues to find roles this endearing.
Though speaking of Buckley, I also popped my cherry in 2026 cinema and finally saw The Bride! (2026). As a Frankenstein fan, I was always curious to see what Maggie Gyllenhaal would bring to the topic. I liked The Lost Daughter (2021) and figured she’d bring some dramatic pathos to the project. What we got was something messier, at times disorganized and unclear. And yet, I ended up really liking it because somewhere in its muddled tone was a compelling idea trying to break through, where the history of Mary Shelley was competing with cinematic history and her creation’s legacy. It’s a mishmash of ideas that features an impressive audacity that I can’t help but appreciate. As I said at the time, this film will likely make me think of Gyllenhaal as forever cool. She took the studio’s money and made artful madness. I love it.
In the realm of music, I have been scratching some long-term itches. Earlier this week, I wrote an essay on The Sex Pistols. It was based on an idea I've had kicking around my head for some time now, especially given how ubiquitous they’ve been with the genre. There was one artist I never thought to explore, despite her name being associated with the 70s era. Part of the reason was that she came across as more of a folk rock singer in descriptions. That isn’t wrong, necessarily, but I think the nuance isn’t something I’d appreciate until adulthood.
At long last, I have listened to Patti Smith’s “Horses,” and let me say that I hate myself for waiting so long. If judging punk as a lyrics-based genre, then hell yeah, she’s as rebellious as they come. She’s deconstructing religion and questioning women’s place in society. There’s “Redondo Beach,” where she contemplates leading a friend to commit suicide. It’s morbid and thoughtful in ways that contradict most of my talking points around The Sex Pistols. Smith may be fond of jam band and scatting now and then, but it’s tearing apart structure in ways that inform later feminist artists. I also checked out “Easter,” which is another masterpiece. I especially love the title track and how it incorporates bells with somber biblical imagery. Ideally, this is only the start of a deeper dive because I am addicted.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend some newer album. As a big “Wallsocket” fan, I want to recommend the Underscores’ latest “U.” It’s poppier and straightforward, but very infectious. I’m also keen on Elucid’s latest “I Guess You Had to Be There,” which continues to find him rapping over the wonkiest beats imaginable. I don’t like it as much as “Revelator,” but he’s been doing some great work over the past few years. Also, it’s funny that my month began with Gorillaz releasing the engrossing “The Mountain” and ending with Dorian Electra doing a cover of “Feel Good Inc,” which is very much the hyperpop itch that I’ve been needing for a while. Hoping the next phase for Electra is even more off the wall.
All in all, March was a decent month. It has its highs and lows, though I’ve been in a bit of a sluggish mindset as of late. Part of that is due to the temporary heatwave, but it’s also the stress of life. This isn’t to say that I’ve done what I can to remain productive, but I feel like I’ve withdrawn from people whom I don’t deem significant enough. I knew I was irritable when I saw the Timothee Chalamet conflict with ballet and opera, and was annoyed that people didn’t have better things to complain about. I didn’t want to place that in the world, so I’ve been doing work to get big projects done. Let’s just say that this is the closest I’ve gotten to a realized short story collection in some time. It’s finally “making sense” if that makes sense.
Fingers crossed that things get better. For now, I’ll continue to take stock of what I deem important and recognize what brings me joy during these dark times. In preparation for The Odyssey (2026), I am finally reading Homer’s “The Iliad” and having an odd go of things. It’s thrilling and unique, but I realize why “The Odyssey” has more cultural cache. The story is more focused and creative. With that said, I do love the interactions of gods and warriors in ways that feel like building blocks for later literature. I’m not sure if I’ll read “The Odyssey” anytime soon, but do know that I got Virgil’s “The Aeneid” for Christmas and plan to break that open one of these days. I also recently discovered that Philio is playing Breaking Bad on a loop, so that’s been fun to revisit (I’ve considered dropping into Mad Men as well), especially because I am the type to not watch shows because I fear starting a show I’ll never finish just to watch one episode and have it on my queue forever. For example, I saw Hoppers (2026) and would love to know what We Bare Bears is all about. Hopefully, there’s a happy medium.
So on and on we row through March Madness and whatever lies ahead. I want to believe things will get better soon, though I will do my best to control what I can. Life is good to me, and I’m grateful to have what matters. However, it’s hard to think of tomorrow when so much is being threatened by a man who can’t take anything seriously. Dissonance is a hell of a thing, and it’s been odd to try and keep everything straight. At least I got to get out and see Hoppers with my family recently. There’s still something worth holding onto. It’s best not to let go. I hope a small piece of joy is within your grasp as well. Until next month, take care.
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