Michael O'Brien

It’s important, I think, that the lyrics are a little bit blurry. I’m not exactly sure what some of the songs are really about. People keep asking, “What’s the song about?” It’s usually a mixture of different things, and that’s why the songs last for me. I can listen to them over and over again and find something and connect it in a different way.

You need some expertise to handle that Canadian-level chill. The first thing you should know is that below negative five, external heat sources become more or less useless. Warming up with hot water bottles or electric heaters is like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Do not have a bath, no matter how tempting it may seem. The warmth of your skin after a bath is a mirage; it’s the heat in your core flowing away from you. You need tea and you need layers, many layers, preferably many down-filled layers.

When you hear someone complaining, here’s what it means:

1. They know what’s wrong, but don’t realize they can change it. (They think they’re powerless.)

2. They know what’s wrong, but are too lazy to change it. (They’d rather sit and complain.)