March '25 ins/outs
Electronic music, messy love stories, and MAYHEM
March! Wow. The third month of the year rode in unremarkably, hit both a hopeful peak and a violent valley in the middle, then floated away in zero G, spinning gently head-over-heels and bumping casually into rigid walls. I can’t be any more specific than that, but what I can say is that 2025 has certainly been one of the most unique years of my life, and it’s only March.
Mercury is currently in retrograde, and when I tell you I’m feeling it in my bones, I mean specifically that my bones have been ground down into a dingy grey powder, planted in a field, and watered such that I hope to spring forth anew in the coming weeks as a bright green sapling.
Here’s what Aliza Kelly had to say about this retrograde for The Cut:
“Just when you think you finally have your life together, astrology will remind you that everything is actually hanging on by a thread! Fine! On March 15, Mercury retrograde begins again, and it’s time to send in the clowns. For the next three weeks, Mercury will appear to move backward in the sky, causing very real miscommunications, technology meltdowns, and debilitating headaches. Welcome to 2025!”
This is horrible news but I’m also obsessed with her and how right this feels. Here’s what she said on the plus side:
“Don’t let the retrograde rush you into decisions you’ll regret later. Aries will tempt you to act before thinking, while Pisces will make everything feel hazy and uncertain. The key is to slow down. If something feels urgent, sit with it. If something seems unclear, ask questions. And if something falls apart, remember: Sometimes Mercury retrograde doesn’t cause chaos; it simply reveals what was already unstable.
Mercury retrograde is a time for reflection, review, and course correction. And if you use this time wisely — by embracing patience, flexibility, and a willingness to rethink your approach — you might just come out the other side with a fresh perspective and a clearer sense of direction.”
Onwards, to April!
1. Wearing the same outfit two days in a row – Is it a crime, or is it just efficient??? I wore the same outfit two days in a row maybe three times in March (not this exact outfit all 6 times, but different riffs on it) and it’s fair to say I was in “comfort zone” mode this month but if you knew why you wouldn’t blame me (see: Mercury in retrograde.) If you saw me IRL on any of the offending back-to-back days no you didn’t.
2. Pai Rosehip Face Oil – I am not one to mess with my skincare routine, but I was looking extra vampiric this winter and decided to give this face oil a try. WOW, honestly, it takes a lot (I mean a lot) for me to say I’m adding a new product to my routine, as I really prefer to keep it very streamlined, but this radioactive orange miracle balm has made the cut, at least in the winter. This oil doesn’t make me break out, and just a few days after starting to use it, I could literally see the color come back into my face (pardon the shameless Taylor Swift reference, but it’s really that good!)
3. MAYHEM by Lady Gaga – What an appropriate title for 2025, honestly!! After a long hiatus, Gaga’s newest album crushes, earning a well deserved 8.0 from Pitchfork. My favorite offerings from Lady Gaga are all from different albums, rather than any particular album from start to finish, and the best tracks on MAYHEM are absolutely good enough to stand with the rest. My favorites that will probably earn a place in my regular rotation are “Abracadabra,” “Disease,” and “Shadow of a Man.”
4. “There’s a toddler running our country.” by Gabby Windey – Y’all, I fucking loooove this former Bachelorette who has gone full on poet in her podcast, Long Winded. Please treat yourself and take the time to listen to this “poem” (Gabby just talking but being absolutely fucking brilliant) that should probably win a Nobel prize: