The inspiration for �Binary Life� was drawn from several sources. Those elements dealing with the dehumanizing effects of technology stem directly from my recent job stress. Software engineering can sometimes feel like a sterile occupation, with no emotionally expressive or creative outlet within the work. Add to that the culture of corporate America (where complimenting someone could get me fired) and the prospect of being trapped within this world for the next four decades, and panic sets in quite easily. Those elements having to do with isolation from people stem largely from my first year out of college, when I was living alone in Seattle and knew only one other person in the entire region. Finally, those elements addressing online addiction are gathered from my observations of the sometimes obsessive behavior of my friends and family.

When I was writing these lyrics, I principally had No Doubt�s �Excuse Me Mr.� and Queensr�che�s �Suite Sister Mary� running through my head, influencing the arrangement of the words into the mood and beat I wanted. The lyrics are a bit of a downer, so I envision this being arranged very up tempo, with a ska beat (emphasis on the afterbeat instead of the downbeat) and heavy bass. It could be a little angry, but the desperation in the lyrics can�t be echoed in the mood of the music or the song would become �emo.� That�s not what I�m going for.