They're not pointless. I feel they have a place in my personal experience. Like, 'Lake Swimming' — I like the second verse of that song. It's just this dream world about swimming in a lake, but everyone swims in a lake. Everyone knows what that's like.

I wrote the songs pretty much on a guitar by myself, like normal. This time, though, I was writing with the live shows in mind.

Sometimes we have a jump rope. I didn't get one this time yet, but I'm starting to feel disgusting. So I think I might go ahead and get a jump rope soon.

Some of the lyrics come from stream-of-consciousness, and I used to spend a long time honing them into a narrative afterwards. Now I'm fine with keeping things more mysterious. I just let the words and images come to me, rather than direct them. You just have to try not to get lazy, and avoid clichés. There are a lot of things you have to throw away.

I was showing them stuff about music chords and theory. Then we'd teach them how to play lead, and do some Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers numbers by ear.

Some fear the dark; I embrace it. It is the only place where my eyes are blind, and my soul wanders freely from the truth of reality.