This is the printable cover for Ourboretum.
Since I use it to make labels, it's tailored to my printer and browser (IE7) settings. It might not look or print as nicely on your PC.
I suggest you try a print preview and/or low-ink draft print before trying to print actual labels.
Make sure you configure your browser to print backgrounds, or the images won't print.
Set your left/right printer margins to 0.75 and your top/bottom margins to 0.50.
During Thanksgiving week of 2002, I was 3000 miles from my family and friends. Feeling the holiday loneliness, I decided to socialize with the only people I knew in town. They were into bar-hopping. It had been years since I'd actually gone out at night, so I was out-of-practicy, but I decided to give it a shot anyway (no pun intended).
The first evening actually went well. The novelty of being around people was stimulating, and I think others were attracted to my energy. I drank enough to feel relaxed and empathic, but not so much that I acted the fool. It was a good vibe.
The second evening required more effort. I felt self-conscious and less impressed with the people around me. In an attempt to reprise my confident groove from the night before, I drank... a lot. For some reason that "strategy" seems to work, because people kept coming over to talk to me. Perhaps I was an oddity ("what's that geek doing in here?") or maybe I still had "it" from the previous evening, whatever "it" is. I kept drinking, trying to maintain "it", even though deep down I realized that "it" was only temperary, and not sustainable.
By the third evening, I was exhausted, hungover, and unhappy; my social muscles (and liver) were taxed. My eyes had lost their sparkle. My friends dragged me out again, but this time I felt so crummy that I just tried to stay in the background. I avoided alcohol and gazes, and kept my eyes glued to the floor and the door, itching to get out of there.
The next morning, I shunned everyone. I didn't want yet anuther night of strangers and forced smiles. I fled the phone and went for a long jog. Gradually I began to feel better. I was surrounded by green, blue, and white: my favorite colors. The air was cool and invigorating, cleaning my lungs and thoughts like a fresh breeze after an April shower. I felt healthy, natural, and happy again.
After jogging through my usual route, I decided to push myself before returning home. I wanted to end my day with a proud bang of accomplishment, to make up for the wasted evenings. I thought about sprinting home, but instead decided to extend my jog another hour, to the top of the arboretum, which I hadn't visited in several weeks.
What happened next is discussed in the song "Cheating" (on Disco Hike). I won't repeat it here, because I am out of space, but I'll give you a clue: "Ciao Bella"! :)
This album is named after that fateful day, and represents a return to introverted habits. I finished it in three weeks, which was even faster than Coma Pill! All the sounds are from the Triton, except for my voice on "Glued".