The Harvard Hiatus: "Casanova" Screening

The importance of context can sometimes go unappreciated, until you find yourself rushing to put something into context to avoid embarrassment. I found myself in this situation on the Tuesday after Canadian thanksgiving, at the Canadian Club dinner.

I was telling the story of how, once I'd arrived back from Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, I walked into the apartment to find John about to sit down to a salmon dinner. He'd made enough for the both of us, so I sat down to join him in front of the TV, and grabbed a bottle of chardonnay out of the fridge. John also had a scented candle burning.

As we were eating & watching PBS, "Masterpiece Theatre" came on, showing a new BBC production of "Casanova"--which is positively classic--so we tuned in. Now the floor lamp in my living room is touch activated, so in passing by at one point, one of us turned it off inadvertently.

So we found ourselves sitting by candle-light, sipping chardonnay on the couch together and watching "Casanova". Tough one to explain, and when you start from the end without context around a table of 8 people, you generally don't get the chance to provide the context after the fact.

That night, we decided we needed to share the movie with our critics. We got on the PBS website and rush ordered the DVD for our "Casanova" screening. Just to play up on the misunderstanding and embellish it further, the program for the night was:

- Champagne & creme brulee
- Candle-lit screening of The Work
- Cosmopolitan's and conversation afterwards (and during)

John and I decorated the place with roses, candy hearts and candles. It was hilarious. In fact, guests could be heard laughing in the hallway on their way to our apartment when they saw the petals and single rose on our door. Classic.

The Approach