I have to say it: This is not at all where I thought I’d be one year ago today.

I mean, in a lot of ways nothing has changed: I’m typing this on my laptop at the dining room table, which is exactly how I’ve functioned for the last three years, but everything else is different.

For the last 33 years, the middle of August has marked the end of my summer; my birthday would always be the last time I saw family or friends until after TIFF ended five weeks later. But now that I’m on the other side of the festival, my birthday marks the end of the big sprint to our programming deadlines; the logistics teams take over, and I’m at loose ends until Labour Day.

I am not complaining at all, mind you, but it’s weird. Usually I’d be bracing for a marathon; now, I’m just trading e-mails with people and waiting for the press releases to go out. Kate and I can grab lunch today like civilized people. I have this weird feeling that this is how life was supposed to work all along.

But other things still happen as scheduled, so a new episode of Someone Else’s Movie drops today, with Stupid for You writer, director and co-star Jude Klassen tackling the exuberant teenage dance party (and progressive call to action) that is John Waters’ Hairspray. Can you take creative inspiration for a movie that’s about 15% Divine and Jerry Stiller yelling at each other? You damn well can, and Jude discusses that at length with me. It’s a blast!

Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever and get it instantly,  or download it directly from the web.

And if you still haven’t gotten on the Shiny Things train, this week I used a new Blu-ray of Nathalie … as an excuse to ruminate on what it means to be part of TIFF this year, and reviewed Emily the Criminal, the new 4K editions of God Told Me To and Event Horizon. Seriously, subscribe already. You’re missing out.