Another great start to another great day. We had breakfast at the Duke with CBGB before the ladies went shopping. So I may have to read three chapters of accounting today, but at least it’s warm and (relatively) sunny.

Jaysus, it’s nice out there. After happily reading my paper this morning, we set out on many errands this afternoon, amidst the crowds enjoying the sunshine & 19 degrees. Got some passport photos taken, rented some movies to distract Nellie while I attempt to study accounting tonight (exciting Saturday night, no?), drank some Italian soda, checked out some new bikes, bought some bread & ginger loaf from the bakery, picked up some wine (read: I sat outside for half an hour while wee Nellie searched high and low for a few particular bottles), grabbed our first street meat of the season, investigated a condo sales centre (we have no intention of buying; just wanted to look), got some groceries and came home to our hungry boys.

I really have to get the balcony chairs set up; perhaps my understanding of accounting will increase if I read my textbook out of doors.

Almost a year ago we saw Death In Gaza at Hot Docs, and today another piece of this shitty story falls into place.

James Miller, the BBC cameraman working on the documentary, was killed by an Israeli soldier while leaving a palestinian house carrying a white flag. Today an Israeli court cleared the soldier of disciplinary charges in the shooting.

Find out more at Justice For James Miller.

[update: it appears that justice4jamesmiller.com is gone, but the BBC has more info on the criminal charges being dropped about a month ago.]

I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to this.

[update: I can’t tell you how pissed I am that they lost. Blew a 13-point lead. Carter scored 39. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck…]

Man, if there’s a better food out there than butter chicken, I don’t know what it is.

This is working pretty well. The first ten songs my Nomad picked for were by Bardo Pond, Led Zeppelin, Bad Religion, Bob Mould, Matthew Good Band, Death In Vegas, The Fire Theft, The Rheostatics, Ashley MacIsaac and The Muffs. Only two — “Doubleface” by Bob Mould and “P.I.N.” by The Rheostatics — were from my mixed folder, the rest were from discs that I’ve already ripped. 30% CanCon there, too…perhaps I could take radioDan to the airwaves.

I have a lot of stuff coming up. Well, for me; I’m sure by some people’s social calendars this is pretty light, but considering that it’ll be mixed in with normal work and school work, it’s looking busy.

• Apr 22-29: 5 documentaries at Hot Docs
• Apr 27: Arcade Fire concert
• May 12-15: Santé wine festival
• June 5-10: Away on course
• June 22-July 6: Trip to Europe
• July 22-26: Back to the farm for a big family get-together
• July 29-31: ??? (surprise trip; my wife won’t tell me nuthin’)

And there’s a mother-in-law visit, two accounting assignments and a visit from MarneyK in there somewhere as well…

• My favourite song du jour: “I Will Never See The Sun” by The Great Lake Swimmers, and only a tiny fraction of my affection is because they name drop a bunch of familiar subway stations.
• I’ve moved all my CDs from A -> N on to my Nomad. Tomorrow I’ll have over 20GB of music on my walk to work…which takes all of five minutes.

Now that a Ritz-Carlton is going up in Toronto, it would seem that the Wellington & John area is the new home to all the shmancy hotels, what with the Soho Met and Le Germain already in the neighbourhood.

On Sunday we watched Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster, a documentary that we missed at last year’s Hot Docs. After watching it, I have confirmed something I already suspected: I hate Lars Ulrich. I never liked his drumming, he makes porn star face when he plays and he’s been among the most whiny millionaire musicians protesting filesharing. And, after watching this, I think he’s a snivelling little camera whore. The way he preened and showed off for the camera, the way he got in everyone’s face…argh. I hate him.

Not that Hetfield’s a joy. He’s a guy with monumental issues, as evidenced by his sudden year long rehab, and he’s a full-on control freak, but he really looked like a guy trying to fight his demons…which can’t be easy when one of them’s in his face, screaming his little spandex pants off.

The two best parts of the movie, by far:

• When Dave Mustaine let out 20 years of frustration and envy and abandonment on Ulrich all at once. Not blaming him, just letting him feel a tiny bit of what it was like to be the guy who got kicked out of Metallica just before they hit it big. What would’ve been sublime is if Hetfield had been there.
• When Hetfield, post-rehab, was complaining about how after he’d leave for the day, when he came back all these decisions had been made without him and he felt powerless. Kirk Hammett, in a rare speaking appearance, said “That’s what it’s been like for me for 16 fucking years, man!”. Hetfield looked a bit stunned.

Really, truth be told, Hammett was the only one I felt bad for. Well, maybe Bob Rock too, but mostly Hammett, despite the fact that he too annoys me.

Shit. I think I’m giving the impression that I didn’t like the movie, and that’s not my intention at all. It’s a great bit of drama, and shows that millionaire rock stars are stupid too.