"I've been having a sweet dream / I've been dreaming since I woke up today..."

a while back now, I had a dream about something big happening in November, but I wasn't sure what it would be. I have a big birthday coming up then, but I doubted I'd be thinking about getting a year older as something monumentally exciting.

and then I get this news:



::goes into cardiac arrest:: well, this is certainly NOVEMBER NEWS!

this was along with me writing up this summary of a press release we got from XL.

I am really excited about everything for them, b/c I know how hard they've been working and touring. the MTV America premiere on Thursday was great. I was just finishing up breakfast and doing my dishes and then 7 AM on the nose on MTV Hits, I hear a rhythm I'm not familiar with emanating from my tv - I look back at the tv, I have no idea what it's is, there's a lineup of people in coloured outfits, and I worry it's another Sean Kingston video. then I see a closeup shot of Ed Macfarlane - nooo, it couldn't be! I knew the video premiered on Channel 4 but hadn't heard about us Americans getting it on our screens.

that XL is releasing the expanded version of their debut album - with concert DVD, all the remixes to date, all the promo videos to date - in the U.S., not just the UK, so I don't have to fork over tons of $ to get it from Amazon UK or HMV - I'm stoked. what does this mean? this means XL thinks the band is commercially viable in the U.S. which means more touring around America. which means...this little band from St. Albans is going to make a big noise in the U S of A. I like being spot on with my predictions!

I couldn't be happier for a nicer bunch of blokes, period.

what else...because it pains me that I can't be in England for all the many festivals they're playing - like the brill looking, dance-themed Creamfields - I am currently praying for a D.C. date on the Nylon tour. I hinted to Ed that I'd rather head out to the West for my birthday to see them rather than traipse up to Boston and risk getting stuck in a snowstorm or facing a cancellation trying to get to Logan Airport. but it'd be even better for them to be here and I can prove to them that American food is more than stupid Denny's skillets. there are more good Chinese places around where I live than I can count on both hands. soz...