Interesting. . .

I went to the movies this evening and, on the way out, I saw a poster for the movie "Passchendaele". I was immediately intrigued because you really don't see that many movies about World War One.

I came home, did a quick google, and found out that it's a Canadian film by Paul Gross. While I have reservations about war movies that try to tie in a romance, I want to see this film. How often do we get a chance to see a Canadian story told on the big screen?

Some thoughts on the City

Who would've thought that Toronto could support a pro soccer team? I know I had my doubts. As they continue to sell out BMO field, I'm beginning to think I was wrong.

The downside to living two floors above a loading dock - loud trucks and drivers who like their horns.

The upside? I just spent a half hour watching some kids filming their skateboard tricks on the steps and concrete poles. Perhaps not an even trade, but I'm okay with it.

The city needs more buskers.

The city needs less self-obsessed drivers. Share the roads, people. It works better that way.

Sure, I could go to Starbucks and hang out with a book for a while. I just prefer the crowd down at Tim Horton's. A far more interesting mix of humanity at all hours of the day and night.

The city needs more streetcars. Go for a ride on the Spadina car and you'll see what I mean.

The Pasture by Joe Fanfare is one of the city's coolest monuments/installations. It's seven bronze cows on a field of grass in the heart of the business district. Random and fun.

That's it for now.

Stormy Weather

Listening to last night's thunder storm brought back memories of storms as a really young child. I still remember being told by my parents that thunder was just "God moving his furniture." As a fairly literal minded kid, I spent a lot of time trying to picture some old man (always a man, though I'd have doubts about that now)shuffling chairs and tables about.

While my beliefs have changed over the years, I think it's a interesting image. I also love the sense of tradition. It's one of those notions parents pass on to their kids who, in turn, pass it on to their kids and so on.

Last night, I made a conscious effort to leave the flicker box off and to just spend the evening reading. It's a tougher thing to do than it should be. It's so easy to just flick it on for a few minutes, only to watch an hour or two get sucked away.

Last night was really nice. I had a coffee, a good book (David Wroblewski's The Story of Edgar Sawtelle) and a disc of Mozart's piano concertos. So while god (or your diety of choice) shuffled the table and chairs about, I sank into my sofa for a while and read.

A nagging question. . .

A person gets caught trying to take an unregistered loaded pistol onto a plane in a briefcase. Would this person get the sentence reduced to a misdemeanor if they weren't a celebrity? Somehow, I think not. While people like Dennis Farina can "forget" they are carrying a loaded gun, I have to make sure to baggage check my little pocket knife, a tool that really has no practical use as a weapon.

If you can't remember when you are carrying a loaded gun, you should not be allowed to own or even touch a gun.

Argh. . .

Five more days. . .

Until I see Leonard Cohen in concert. I know. I know. I'm a geek. But I'm a geek with a good ticket.

I just finished watching the jazzy NFB doc Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen for the umpteenth time. It's such a great movie.

Anyways, I'm waiting for Dawn Powell's journals to arrive in the mail. This continues my fascination (obsession) with writer's journals and letters. The fact that the writer has almost faded away into obscurity only makes it more interesting. I'm saving her novel The Locusts Have No King for this weekend's trip to Sarnia.

Leonard Cohen followed by Artwalk in Sarnia. . . Can we just skip the next four days?