More news rolling in about some of the gala movies at the festival: A History of Violence, Brokeback Mountain, Shopgirl, Pride and Prejudice, Proof, and others.

[via Yahoo] | [TIFF media releases]

…when I just can’t concentrate at work. Too many voices, too many throat clearings, too much rattle and clank from down the way. I have the Nomad on, turned up a little louder than usual. Nada Surf and CCR are keeping the hounds and gnats at bay(ou).

Last night Nellie, T-Bone, DJD and I summerlicious’d at Square, the OliverBonacini joint on Mount Pleasant. Very, very good. The fish was good, and I don’t even really like fish. Nellie liked how symmetrical the place was (and she enjoyed the food too, obviously).

But best of all was being served by an actress from a favourite old TV show (and who I thought was dreamy, in a TV kind of way). She denied it was her, but it obviously was (the name on the bill confirmed it), so I was a little giddy for the whole dinner.

I didn’t think we were eating that late, but apparently we closed the place down. Good food, good wine; I think maybe a non-summerlicious visit is in order.

When I look at bands like The Bravery or any of those purveyors of emotionless, fashion-based music, I feel a heavy disappointment that our age old occupation of choice often relies on pouting, posing, and three haircuts on the one head to achieve success rather than the production of well composed, good old tunes.

From Transform via Chromewaves

I tried buying Jon Stewart tickets this morning. First try, for the $65 tickets: found two tickets, but it told me the sightlines would be obstructed. Screw that, I’m not paying $65 for an obstructed view. Cancel order. Try again with the $75 tickets. Still obstructed, and these seats are even further back than the $65 tickets. The hell? Screw that, I’ll get the $65 tickets. Cancel order. Try again using $65. Nothing available. You bitch. Tried again using any price, any seat. Nothing available. Sold out. Arrrgghhhhhksasdkofprgjrgnb65842thgihgir8g.

I could’ve gotten them from the Massey Hall website, but now I’m not so sure they’re worth $85 each when I can just watch him on TV every night.

Yowzah. The five-day forecast for Toronto:

• Monday: sunny & 34 degrees
• Tuesday: sunny & 35 degrees
• Wednesday: sunny & 35 degrees
• Thursday: sunny & 34 degrees
• Friday: sunny & 34 degrees

The Film Fesitval site has been updated for 2005. Passes go on sale next Monday. I get pumped about this every year; this year there’ll be fewer movies for us (my next course falls right in the middle of the festival), but I still look forward to the buzz the city gets.

Finally sorted through all the pictures. Just under 700 usuable ones. Whew! I should be able to upload them sometime this week while I’m reading all my HR crap. In the meantime, here’s one of my favourites:

I should have the rest up somewhere soon. Haven’t yet decided which ones I’ll share, and how. Stay tuned.

Hooray for schoolwork. I have to read 127 pages of HR and write a six page paper by next Monday. Oh, and I have two summerlicious dinners (one tomorrow evening, one the day the paper’s due), and a friend visiting from out of town on Friday.

I guess I’m paying the penalty for a two-week vacation now…

Willie Nelson to release reggae album. Also: cats and dogs to live together.