Can I just say: I am totally thrown by the revelation that there is no need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. I have been trying to process this and its meaning in my life for a week now, and I don't think I've yet to come to terms with it. All these years diligently consuming ca. 2L a day, thinking it was The Right Thing To Do. Have they been in vain? It sure seems that way. What next, friends?

Today's success was getting home from work before 8pm. Mind you, it was 7.45, but we'll take it when we can get it. I've already billed nearly 30 hours since Monday. Which means I only need to put in another 5 to be 'fully utilised' this week. I have a sneaking suspicion we're going to pass that mark...

You know what show I actually really enjoy? Reaper. It runs on E4 here, although it seems a bit like CW material in the States. I dunno. I appreciate its silliness and good-natured humour. I'm sure you're all too cool to have seen or have enjoyed it, but that's all right. When I want to feel cool, I just have to walk out my front door into the New York Times's new favourite 'hood, Hackney. Which isn't such a bad deal.

Oh, about MGMT. I read, also in the Times, them described as 'experimental'. But then I listened to half their album this morning before I went to the office, and they were sort of like New Order meets Arcade Fire. Which, I'm sorry, is Not That Experimental. I liked them and all, but I expected them to make me uncomfortable with my limited range of taste because they were 'out there'. No.

But, on the subject of music, if we could note my favourite single of the moment... ladies and gentlemen, 'Fascination':It's like a Gap advert filled with adorable Danes singing infectious Scandi-pop. Amazing. (The other day it came on while I was in the gym, on the treadmill, and I felt like I could possibly run for the rest of the night so long as those Alphabeat kids didn't stop singing. True story. Promise.)

Also on music: Jason Mraz is apparently the new Jack Johnson. And Jewel's gone country (again). And Nadine gets off to a bit of a rough start, but the Aloud successfully remember the choreography from their video. (Well done, ladies! You're all looking great. Yes, even you, Kimberley.)

Last up: lately I feel I'm supposed to have a tumblr (or a tumble or an [insert proper noun here to describe tumblring for you]) to be au courant on the blogging tip. Am I? I can barely get motivated to write anything here. But I don't want to let the side down. Ya know?

Philip and I went to see Morrissey tonight at the Roundhouse. It was okay. I can't say much for the new songs, but 'Why Don't You Find Out for Yourself' sounded particularly lovely. 'Death of a Disco Dancer,' too. Though I've seen him at least 5 prior times, this was my first time seeing him in the UK. In many respects it wasn't that much different, but 'Irish Blood, English Heart' clearly resonated with the crowd in a more visceral way. I'd give the gig a 3.5 out of 5, which is about as much as I would have expected. It's never going to be as amazing as the first time, is it? And, as the quality of the new material decreases and drags down the average, well, you take the good with the bad. Still, apart from transport delays, a nice night.

Oh, and apparently Moz supports Barack Obama. Down with 'Billary', says he.

In other news, how strange to come home to find out that Heath Ledger has died. And how exciting to find out a new Spiritualized album is just a few months off.

I can't remember if I put it on my list for last year -- I suspect I didn't, as I don't own it; it was originally a soundtrack-only release -- but this morning in the gym, I was reminded yet again of how much I love Take That's 'Rule the World'. There is nothing more you can ask of a power ballad.

Last night, I was explaining Thanksgiving to a friend. Particularly the part about how it leads into 'the holidays' and how honestly no one works between the end of November and New Year's. Well, office types, at least. Of course, as soon as I said it, I realised that'll probably not be the case here, which made me a bit sad. But then, at the end of the day today, I learned I may be heading to LA for a week at the beginning of December, so that's something. It'd be for work and all, but I might stop off in Chicago en route, and that's even more something.

For now, I'm watching the repeat of last week's X Factor results, and the dreadful performance of 'Hanky Panky' by Hope. Glamorous innit.

The other day on the bus to Manchester, it occurred to me how strange it is that what a person experiences as 'normal' can morph so entirely. For a moment, it seemed perfectly natural that we were driving in the left lanes of the motorway, and I honestly had trouble imagining that the traffic 'ought' to be on the other side.

Anyway, I had a fantastic time there, and Glasgow was even better. But now I'm home. As such, I'm off to bed -- it's back to work in the morning -- but here's Hackney's own, singing the song I can't get out of my head. (Well, the new Girls Aloud is another contender for that title, so maybe it should be 'a song', but you get the idea...)