Does my title make sense? I suppose "Uninspired Ramblings" would've done the trick.

I want to write something, but I'm so uninspired to write anything meaningful. There are no juices in my brain at the moment. Perhaps it's because I'm the just going through the constant route of work.

Sleep, dress, commute, work, small talk, work, lunch, small talk, work, commute, home, dinner, couch, sleep, and begin again.

I've been taking up swimming for another term, just because I think swimming beats going to the gym. I feel my instructor, this frosh from George Brown, is very frustrated with me because she says my breaststroke needs "some work." Considering that swimming instructors always seem to give you very encouraging feedback like "good" even when you know you ain't got it, "some work" sounds pretty bad.

My main problem is my flutter-kick. Apparently, I'm not flexing enough, and not my feet are not angled enough. But seriously, it's like unnatural to put your legs in this kind of position. To teach me, she decides she would hold onto my feet and flutter-kick for me, just so that I could get the gist of what I should do. Although she had good intentions, she nearly drowned me since I found myself not stroking and breathing to the same rhythm as her fluttering.

My dives suck too.

Anyways, I'm going to show her my magnificient breaststroke, you'll see.

What else is new? I have been attempting to catch a billion TV shows, now that there isn't much to do after work. During the first bit, I have attempted to regularly watch (1) Grey's Anatomy, (2) American Idol, (3) Desperate Housewives, (4) Will and Grace, (5) The Office, (6) Falcon Beach: "It's HOT" (7) Rick Mercer Report, and (8) the occasional King of Queens. Obviously, this is a mind-killing amount of TV, and I have given up on all of them except (2), (3), (5), and (7).

Those are your daily Pick 4.

More rambles perhaps another time. In the meantime, perhaps you guys can inspire me to write something-- I'm taking suggestions for what you want to read. Haha.

I was never a fan of the books nor the movies, but the latest Mirvish original production of the Lord of the Rings is definitely a great eye-catching spectacle of great stage art, but nothing more.

Perhaps it is again that condition where, because the play stirred so much buzz and hype, I found myself having very high expectations, and then falling in disappointment after.

The theatre stage and props were definitely the highlight of the production. The set was decorated with twisted tree branchesthat extend beyond the stage and into the the audience seating areas.

LOTR was the longest theatre production I've seen, which ran nearly three-and-a-half hours and two intermissions, and it left left me a bit restless near the end of the play. I suppose this is an ideal time, given it originated from three 300-page novels.

What I never understood was the miniature seats in the theatre's balcony. I doubt that people back in the day were that much smaller. I'm not a big or tall guy, but I was seriously bumping knees with the seat in front of me. Maybe because I'm used to slightly slouching, I found myself having massive back pain at the end of the show from sitting straight for so long. I pity the guys bigger than me.

I am now a rebel of Mr. Anton, my high school bootcamp music teacher, who pushed us to sit straight and far away (not leaning) from the back of the chair. He says that we should breathe with our anal muscle.

This topic deserves an entry on its own.

Those who are expecting the smooth sounds of Les Miserables or even the Lion King will be very disappointed with Lord of the Rings. I would definitely not call this production a musical, but perhaps a theatrical drama. Not much singing, and lots of talking. Not much fighting, not much dancing, but lots of lights, and creative theatrical effects.

Gollum was definitely the highlight of the show, as was the case in the motion picture. He is always interesting to watch, especially when he's torn between his "precioussssss" and honouring his promise to Frodo.

Overall, I was, and still am, cautiously optimistic about the success of LOTR. It just seems like a weird story to be adapted as a musical/play. And considering that the regular theatre-goers are retired or soon-to-be-retired patrons, I'm not sure if a tale like LOTR would be appropriate to them. But at the same time, perhaps this might draw in a different younger demographic, which might help to mould them to a lifetime of theatre-goers, who knows.

We'll just have to wait and see.

Musical 'Lord of the Rings' delays previews - [cbc.ca]
Lord of the Rings: they really like it - [theglobeandmail.com]
Lord of the Rings - [mirvish.com]

Toronto, say hello to Hollister, the nation's first two retail locations of the ever-present collegiate and queer-boi parent clothing empire, Abercrombie and Fitch. I had the opportunity to head to the Eaton Centre to kill some time and check things out.

The Hollister experience can be summed up into one word: dark.

The collegiate pop-punk music was atrociously blaring to the point that it was impossible to grasp what the sales associate was saying.

The exterior facade resembles a beach paradise tavern, with the token traditional window shutters. Because of these unique shutters placed on the storefront, there are no prominent storefront merchandise displays that shoppers have become accustomed to.

Once inside, I started to question what kind of theme this store is trying to represent-- it definitely didn't look like a beach paradise. Inside, it was dark, really really dark. The only lighting in the store are the overhaning spotlight fixtures casted only at its table clothing displays, leaving the other areas near pitch dark. Maybe I found it a little weird because we have become so used to stores that are brightly lit with floor space that casts absolutely no shadows.

Many elements of store reminded me of the now defunct, Loose Change Louies (but with Good Charlotte playing or something), but perhaps even darker-- since at least Louies had ghetto black light. Hollister managed to turn the once spacious Bluenotes location into probably most crammed and stuffy shop in the mall.

For the record, the mall wasn't busy.

As I browse their selection of Humour Tees, I was soon amazed at the people that were brushing against me. Sure I'm irresistible, but the brushing was feeling quite uncomfortable. I would only expect that at a dirty bar.

Another reason why I thought I was at Louies. Perhaps that's was their intention.

When all's said and done, I hope this is "dark beach" theme is just temporary because I don't think I can get used to this.

Hollister is now located at the Eaton Centre and at Sherway Gardens, and Abercrombie will soon be open on the street level at the Eaton Centre close to Sephora. Abercrombie is already open at Sherway.

Anyone know if they have the topless "All-American" AF associates announcing promotions at Sherway like their American counterpart?

Just curious. Yep.