It was for round three, so like the voters said: nope. 🫣😓

At least I don’t have to post *my* (ukulele) cover of FinD, now.

Unfortunately, these essays can’t really have a life after Xness—unless there’s another anthology and it makes the cut. It’s the thrill/agony of Xness.

(When my essays lose so fast, as both those did, I go back and screenshot nice things that were said about them. I’ll have a lot to choose from this year, un/fortunately.)

Two favorites:

!!! Genius! I too could make a couple of great @martinseay.bsky.social mugs.

That would be a good one too… I meant of Billies post, à la @suburbanprairie.bsky.social ‘s past Xness mugs.

You need to make a coffee mug!

Play on for me, you crazy diamond!

💔💔💔

In The Little Prince, the pilot says, “it is such a secret place, the land of tears.” We’ve tried valiantly in @marchxness.bsky.social to open that place up to one another. Mazzy was never up once that I saw, all day, by even one vote. But I appreciate everyone who voted & sent notes or messages.

These games! I am giving up the ghost on my Paula Cole essay, and want to encourage you all to go vote for @cbiondolillo.bsky.social & MAZZY STAR!!!

Collective Soul & I have pulled ahead but we're getting serious pushback from Des'ree & could still use your vote!
VOTE Collective Soul "The World I Know" by NOON ET!!
marchxness.com#/2ndround-co...
(And while you're at it, vote Mazzy Star / @cbiondolillo.bsky.social too!) @marchxness.bsky.social

A little levity amidst all the sadness is not a bad thing.

(Which is why I’m learning (again!) a hard lesson about what I should feel compelled to subject my tendernesses to—but NB, I wouldn’t have gotten the essay written at all if it weren’t for the comfort of the constraint and deadline that Xness provided, so it’s an unavoidable wounding, seems.)

The last paper Chris drafted was supposed to be an astrophysics primer. He told me I’d inspired him to revise the title to smth “whimsical.” I never got a copy, but he sent pics of the front page and first footnote. It remains unpublished.
@marchxness.bsky.social

marchxness.com#/2ndround-fo...

maybe leave a trace of him that could champion some of his beauty, since so much of his legacy (aside from his lovely boys) is in physics papers.

Which is the hardest part about it, 8 months (exactly! Jesus) on. I am in a new relationship, and I am trying to move into the lessons/gifts that knowing Chris afforded me. And so I wanted to place the grief and the fucking sorrow_ugh_ the sorrow into an indisputably beautiful package AND

I think part of me formed this hope for a kind of noble closure via a winning performance of the essay (re: the grief). Closure I couldn’t get from Chris obvs, or his family or friends or from any part of how it all went down. There is a door slightly ajar quality to this grief,

(The votes don’t matter except they do)

Emotions Evoked by Music Across Cultures — Mapping Emotion Central to the meaning of music are the subjective experiences it evokes. We examined the feelings evoked by music in both the US and China. We discovered that music evokes 13 kinds of subjective expe...

For the @marchxness.bsky.social crowd. I was going to save this fun toy for later, but I am pretty wrung out by the ratio, so here you go (headphones on and it's better on a full screen):

www.alancowen.com/music

March Sadness 90s Edition A yearly March Madness-style tournament of essays about songs we love (and occasionally loathe)

Like sketching a falling star just before it burns out, @cbiondolillo.bsky.social captures the intoxication of new love and the devastation of loss. Beautiful and absolutely gutting @marchxness.bsky.social essay on Mazzy Star (and the Little Prince and Chris).

marchxness.com#/2ndround-fo...

💔

I sure hope it keeps going!!

Vote Mazzy!

i am still sobbing (sobbing & posting) on my couch after reading this beautiful essay by @cbiondolillo.bsky.social —vote mazzy!

Mazzy is falling behind, and I’m torn between wanting to continue to try—to do all I can, and also wanting to look away because I can’t bear it. Even though we are supposed to vote “which is sadder” —this essay losing doesn’t mean my grief wasn’t griefy enough. @marchxness.bsky.social

March Sadness 90s Edition A yearly March Madness-style tournament of essays about songs we love (and occasionally loathe)

"If you could choose how to spend your last year, would you pick falling in love?"

@cbiondolillo.bsky.social on Mazzy Star. on love. on everything.

marchxness.com#/2ndround-fo...

March Sadness 90s Edition A yearly March Madness-style tournament of essays about songs we love (and occasionally loathe)

Been a rough 1st half for me & Collective Soul & our backs are against the wall...but in the words of Ed Roland, "you don't know what good feels like until you feel bad." We're gonna regroup at half & come out ready to go!
Plenty of time to READ & VOTE COLLECTIVE SOUL!
marchxness.com#/2ndround-co...

March Sadness 90s Edition A yearly March Madness-style tournament of essays about songs we love (and occasionally loathe)

Raitt's sad. But, she said, in dramatic, I'm voting for the more wrenching @marchxness.bsky.social essay.

@lelascottmacneil.bsky.social & a complicated Alanis: "I told myself I needed nothing, but it wasn’t true & I’m grateful I don’t listen to that voice anymore." marchxness.com#/2ndround-mo...