A Somewhat Disappointing Day

I should stress today wasn't all bad.  I did manage to get to the gym, though a lot later than I like on Sat. morning.  (I don't think I actually made it there until 10:45 or so; if I am going to make the effort to go in the morning, then I like wrapping up around 10 or 10:30.)  I'm still generally going to the gym 3 times a week (though only twice this week due to their shutting down on Christmas and Boxing Day) and swimming laps at Regent Park once or twice a week (though the spa pool is still closed down unfortunately). 

I had been pretty sure I was going to see a 70 mm print of Lawrence of Arabia at TIFF, but then I looked up the running time, and it is 3 hours, 45 minutes.  With the intermission, that is going to be 4 hours!  That just seems extremely long (and self-indulgent) to me, and I decided I would pass entirely.  I probably will never get around to watching the film (now that I am aware of this), but if I do, it will certainly be watching at home in smaller chunks.

I was a bit too late to try to make it to Knives Out at Scotiabank, but I had time to catch the 2:15 showing at Yonge-Dundas Square.  However, when I strolled in, it turned out that every one of their screenings (of this particular film) was some ridiculous VIP lounge screening (with wine bar and oversized chairs).  I'm not willing to pay extra for such indulgences.  While I could have gone back over to Scotiabank and waited for the next showing, the moment has passed.  I'm not that interested any more, and I'll see if and when it makes it to Netflix...

I dropped in at the BMV store, and I was very surprised to see Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain (in the newish Woods translation that is supposed to be vastly superior to the previous translation).  This was quite annoying, as I had looked around a bit and then finally ordered a copy on-line (and obviously with the shipping it will cost more and it still hasn't turned up).  BMV is a pretty good chain, but they absolutely refuse to list their stock on-line, so it becomes impossible to track what is actually in the various stores.  I would have picked up a copy of Buddenbrooks (in the Woods' translation), but that wasn't in stock.  Presumably, I'll go ahead and order that one of these days, only for it show up locally.

About the only thing that did go according to plan is that I went to A & C Games on Spadina and picked up a refurbished Nintendo 3DS for my daughter.  Interestingly, she is starting to get into video games, and I guess I can indulge her just a bit.

I'm taking a bit of a break, but will probably do some more reading tonight (I'm pretty close to wrapping up Rushdie's The Golden House) and possibly some work on the quilt.  What I really ought to do is go through another box or two in the basement, but I'm not really feeling it at the moment.  Maybe later.