"What?!?! There’s actually a National Save-A-Spider Day?" Sarah, reading the March 14th issue of National Geographic, leapt from the couch like a lioness, totally in control of every muscle. She cleared the entire living-room before landing on the balls of her feet, a foot away from the plush armchair where her brother, Jake, sat – if you could call it sitting. He was sprawled awkwardly across the chair, listening closely to the stereo. From it, the mournful soundscapes of the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós emanated softly, captivating Jake with their icy sound.

"Come on, Jake! We have to save the spiders!" his sister shrieked into his ear, rousing him from his reverie. Jake knew he was resigned to help her in this escapade. There was nobody else. His mother was at the law-firm, like she was every other day. His father labored in the kitchen, half-watching the sizzling pan on the stove, tunelessly humming to himself. So Jake followed his sister out the front door into the real world. As usual, Jake found he preferred the world in his own head – where he could be forever lost in the music that constantly bounced around inside his skull.