The Golden Bowl

Hello readers, long time no write. :-) Right now, it's just me, a Tuesday morning and a nice cup of Japanese tea. I woke up early due to a sore throat that began while on the assembly line on Friday, so I'm a little worried I might have breathed in a toxin or something. If it persists, I am definitely going to see a doctor and ask for a mask at work.

Things have been fairly good as of late besides the aforementioned throat issue. My brother had his birthday celebration on the 18th, a day early since he was planning to be out all day on the 19th. I gave him the movie The Pianist and a David Bowie CD. He had mentioned that he really wanted both things in passing, and he was really surprised that I picked up on it, so that makes me happy. It's not often you can surprise someone with something they really want! On top of that, he received an iPod from mum and dad that had come free with the new sunroom that is being installed next summer. Not only did we get an iPod, but we also got free air conditioning for the entire house - strange, no? Anyway, he was very pleased...and since he got a new iPod, it was obvious that I should inherit his old one, hence making me the owner of an iPod Shuffle - yay! It is great for work since it lasts 8 hours and can fit 110 songs...just brilliant. As my grandad used to say, "we all did very well."

Saturday was well spent toting my little shopping buggy around town with my mum up to Dominion, Shoppers, and the LCBO where we did some of her shopping, and used these amazing free 2 litre milk coupons everyone is so desperately searching for on the line these days. These coupons are printed on the inside of cereal boxes, including brands such as Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and the like. For some reason, a select few people no doubt accidentally throw out these valuable cash-savers, leaving about 100 a day in total for the picking at the recycling plant. Usually, the people at the very front of the line get the most coupons, along with lots of other interesting stuff (free movie tickets, DVD players...the list goes on and on), leaving only a few things for the rest of us...but even so, on average, I find about 3 milk coupons a day. I have 11 so far so that means $44 in savings!

After fishing through my DVD collection yesterday, I was also prompted to watch a movie I have been delaying to watch for quite some time. It is called The Golden Bowl, starring Uma Thurman (Charlotte), Kate Beckensdale (Maggie), Jeremy Northam (Amerigo), and Nick Nolte (Adam). Maggie is Adam's daughter, Amerigo and Maggie are engaged and subsequently marry, and Charlotte is a friend of the family who eventually marries Adam. However, a wrench is thrown into the outwardly perfect relationship of these four individuals in that Charlotte and Amerigo, who secretly knew each other for years in Amerigo's native Rome, were, and still are, infatuated with one another. With Amerigo about to marry Maggie, the couple decides not to mention their past, and Charlotte manages to wean her way back into Amerigo's life by marrying Maggie's recently widowed father, Adam. However, Maggie and Adam soon get inklings of an affair going on between Amerigo and Charlotte, and though neither mention it to their spouses or one another, things begin to fall apart for the entire family. The climax surrounds the existence of a golden bowl which Amerigo and Charlotte had considered buying at a jewelry store as a wedding gift for Maggie. Later, Maggie discovers the same shop and the same bowl, and buys it for her father as a birthday gift. Unfortunately, the owner of the store recognizes a photograph of Amerigo and Charlotte sitting on Maggie's desk when he comes to deliver the bowl, thus proving to Maggie that Amerigo and Charlotte had known each other before Amerigo and Maggie's marriage.

Overall, the movie had an interesting plotline but was brought down by its slow pace and - though it may sound morbid - the lack of murderous drama which was promised throughout the entire movie (Adam tells Amerigo of his experience chasing down and trying to kill a man with an eye for his first wife with a butter knife), but never delivered. The movie ends rather abruptly without any real resolution for Uma's character who is undoubtedly unhappy, and I never got the feeling that Amerigo got his comeuppance for carrying on a scandalous affair behind his wife's back. This aside, the performances were wonderful - I could go as far to say flawless, in fact. Jeremy Northam, as those close to me know, has always been one of my favourite actors ever since I saw him in Emma. (Some of you may be more familiar with his role as the evil British guy in The Net). He is Shakespearean trained just like the likes of Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewert and is versatile in any role. It is a shame he isn't in more movies, but I have heard he is picky, especially when Hollywood offers are made to him. Anyway, it is an interesting time piece, and should be watched by any Austen/Dickens/Shakespeare fan.

That is about all I have to say for today~ Enjoy the long weekend, everyone!