Tripecac - Ourboretum (2003-2005)

  1. Background [8:07] 2003-03-02 - 2005-02-08
  2. Green [4:23] 2003-03-05 - 2005-02-08
  3. Sprint [7:21] 2003-03-24 - 2005-02-10
  4. Taxed [4:49] 2003-03-25 - 2005-02-14
  5. Lost [4:51] 2003-03-26 - 2005-02-16
  6. Nuther [5:06] 2003-03-26 - 2005-02-16
  7. Glued [6:25] 2003-03-27 - 2005-02-17
  8. Ciao Bella [2:42] 2003-03-29 - 2005-02-19
  9. The Fool [4:29] 2003-04-01 - 2005-02-19
  10. Practicy [1:50] 2003-04-02 - 2005-02-22
  11. Bang [6:05] 2003-04-06 - 2005-02-23
  12. Temperary [7:41] 2003-04-22 - 2005-02-24
  13. April Shower [10:33] 2003-04-23 - 2005-02-28
  14. Glued Reprise [1:54] 2003-03-27 - 2005-03-01

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".