Sherlock Holmes....Hotel?

Ooo, lookee, a Sherlock Holmes Hotel! Yes, this is another pic from my quest. This hotel is situatated on Baker Street. I did not venture into the inner bowels, but it looked pretty normal, other than the Sherlock Holmes sign. =D

The Adventure of the Gold-Engraved Box - Part 1

One of the most memorable cases with which my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, was associated during the time I lived with him in our Baker Street flat was a most singular case; brought to him by our landlady, Mrs. Hudson.

It was a cold a dreary morning. Fog had settled once more over the streets of London. All was quiet, and had been for weeks. It was one of those long and rare periods of inactivity which I have found to be most dangerous for my friend, Sherlock Holmes. More than once his eye wandered to the drawer of the desk where his vile drug was kept. I hoped and prayed for some form of activity to draw his overactive mind from the fact that there was nothing to do.

I myself was quite enjoying the tranquility. I took advantage of the peace to work on the narratives of my friend's last case, which I had begun some days before. I was occupied in this when I heard Holmes rise from his armchair and begin to shuffle about the room.

A sense of dread overcame me, and I turned to see Holmes, his forehead pressed against the window, pound his fist against it. I rose, relief flooding through me. He hadn't been after the drug as I had thought.

"Holmes," I began, but stopped. It would be useless to convince him to calm down. It was better to let him vent his frustration. I resumed my place at the writing desk and retrieved my pen.

Then I heard his pacing once more, and glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.

"This really won't do, Watson." Holmes turned and stalked to the other side of the room. I turned to face him as he continued his rant. "This infernal blanket of fog prevents anything out of the ordinary from occurring. The detectives at Scotland Yard retreat to their homes while criminals roam about, eluding even the slightest bit of observance by the common individual. It's dangerous, Watson, dangerous!"

During this speech Holmes had returned to his armchair and had stretched his feet to the fire. I retrieved the morning paper from the pile on the floor and began scanning the columns in an endeavor to cheer my friend.

"Our friend, Lestrade, seems to have been called in on a case several times this week," I remarked thoughtfully, noting three or four different mentions of his name. Holmes snorted disapprovingly.

"They were but trifles. The theft of a china plate from Betram's Hotel; the theft and return of Miss Emily Cole's purse; and the death of Mr. Jack Bromsby, who, I have reason to believe, was not murdered but committed suicide," came the reply.

I turned in amazement to look at my friend, who was smoking a cigarette with his back to me.

"But how did you..." I began in wonderment.

"My dear Watson," Holmes began, turning to face me. I saw an amused smile playing across the corner of his mouth as he witnessed my puzzlement. "I simply noticed the paper lying on the floor this morning during breakfast, and took the liberty of reading a few columns." He turned back to the fire and resumed smoking.

I shook my head, grinning. Holmes always enjoyed seeing me puzzle over some ovbious detail that I had missed. I chuckled and resumed my reading.

Holmes broke the silence. "I do wonder why Mrs. Hudson is on her way up at this time of the morning?"

I realized that my friend's keener senses had heard the landlady coming up the stairs long before my own. "I haven't the slightest idea," I remarked, turning back to my paper.

A few moments later Mrs. Hudson did indeed enter the room. I rose to greet her and noted that she appeared rather confused.

"Why, Mrs. Hudson!" Holmes began, his gaze never straying from the fire. "It is not custom for you to come to our rooms this time of day. What is it?"

I motioned for the landlady to seat herself facing Holmes' armchair. Holmes turned and flashed a small smile at her, then resumed his staring at the fire.

Mrs. Hudson began by saying, "I do hope I'm not bothering you..."

Holmes chuckled. Bothering me? Ha! As if anyone could bother me when life itself is monotonous!" He resumed his serious expression. "Pray tell what is on your mind. You did not sleep well last night. Something is plaguing you."

The landlady was by now accustomed to Holmes' quick deductions, and this simple one had no effect on her composure. She held up a small, white piece of paper with large writing on it. Holmes leaned forward, took the paper, and examined it thoroughly. It read:

"Bring the wedding gift you recieved from M. Baylor to Hyde Park to-morrow. The bench near the tallest elm."

"Interesting message. No signature. Only a fragment of another piece of paper." He held it up to the light. "No watermark. The message is printed. Does this suggest anything to you, Watson?"

Holmes finished his observations and passed the paper to me.

Looking it over, I replied, "He or she wished to conceal his or her handwriting."

"Brilliant, Watson! Only notice the color and thickness of the letters. A man wrote this. A strong man with large hands, as he was pressing hard, but not intentionally. It is his natural way of writing."

I smiled at Holmes' praise and returned the note to him. He tossed it aside.

"I do believe we've deduced all we can from this note, Watson. Go on, Mrs. Hudson."

"I am very confused, Mr. Holmes," Mrs. Hudson stated, clasping her hands on her lap. "I don't even have the gift anymore, and I really have no idea who might want such a thing."

Sherlock Holmes looked rather impatient. "The item in question being...?"

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry," the landlady stammered. "It is a small box, but it's not really a box. I never could figure out how to open it."

"Anything on the outside worth noting?"

Mrs. Hudson thought for a moment. "Not that I can think. There were some gold-colored engravings on it, in the shapes of flowers and leaves. It was very pretty as a decoration, but I pawned it off, along with anything else that was useless to me, over five years ago."

During this narrative my friend's eyes began to shine. I knew he sensed something remarkable about the little mystery presented to us by the landlady, though I couldn't see what. He leaned forward, putting his fingertips together and his elbows on his knees.

"And who is this M. Baylor?"

"Oh, just an old friend of my family, Margaret Baylor. She lived in Derbyshire with her large family, but passed on a few years ago."

Holmes nodded and reached for his pipe. He smoked thoughtfully for a few moments. "Was this box of any value?"

Mrs. Hudson closed her eyes. "I do remember wondering if the box was solid gold, but it's weight proved otherwise. I took it to the jeweler on Twenty-Fourth Street before I sold it, and he told me it was not worth even a shilling."

Holmes leaned back in his chair. I was confused.

"But surely it must be of some value? It appears that it is not as valuable as the author of this note makes it seem," I stated.

Mrs. Hudson nodded. "That is why I've come to you, Mr. Holmes. I would, if I still had the box, have given it away without a thought. But I'm rather curious as to why anyone would want it, seeming as it is not worth anything."

Holmes leaned forward thoughtfully. "But that the author of the note should send a message rather than approach you himself. That is of the utmost importance."

I must admit, I was not following my friend's chain of thought. Glancing at Mrs. Hudson I could see she wasn't either. She was watching the detective, who was again smoking and staring at the fire.

"How did you acquire the note?" He inquired, without a glance upward.

Mrs. Hudson didn't seem to see the significance of the question. The confused look returned to her face. "Why, Billy the page brought it to me last evening."

Holmes turned to me. "Watson, send for Billy immediatly."

Upon my return with the page, I found Holmes, pacing the room in his dressing gown. Mrs. Hudson had gone.

Holmes stopped when he noticed the boy, standing in the doorway looking very puzzled.

"Mr. Holmes," the lad said politely.

Holmes nodded. "Billy, the note you gave Mrs. Hudson; how came it to be in your possession?"

He returned to his armchair and motioned for the lad to sit. The boy shook his head and remained standing in the doorway.

"Sir, the message was attached to the front door yesterday evening. I saw it was addressed to your landlady, so I removed it and knocked on the door. I didn't think she had seen it so I jus' gave it straight to her and left." During this speech Billy had removed his messenger's cap and was wringing it nervously in his hands. "Am I in some kind of trouble, Mr. Holmes?"

Holmes was once again staring into the fire. I assumed he had no intention of answering the boy's question, if he had even heard it. I put my hand on Billy's shoulder.
"Of course not, Billy. You've done nothing wrong."

The lad relaxed and placed his cap back on his head. "Will that be all, Mr. Holmes?"

Holmes grunted from the chair. I thanked Billy softly and he nodded, then returned to his duties. I closed the door when he had gone.

"We seem to be traveling in confounded circles!" Holmes cried, shaking his pipe at the fireplace.

"What else did you learn from Mrs. Hudson?" I inquired, seating myself in the chair opposite my friend.

"Only the name of the pawn shop to which the box was sold," said he. Rising, he went into his bedroom. "I'll be going out, Watson. I suggest you go and examine Hyde Park. Find the bench near the elm that the note refers to."

I rose, confused. I didn't understand why my friend was dispatching me on a seemingly pointless errand. I knew it was useless to question him, though. Holmes always had a reason for everything he said or did.

"Anything else I should be looking for?" I asked, removing my coat and hat from the stand.

"You will know when you see it, Watson," came the reply from behind the closed door.

Shaking my head, I began my long walk to Hyde Park, all the while trying to understand Holmes' reasoning. When nothing came to mind, I gave up and continued on, paying close attention to everything in my path so as not to become lost in the fog.

Holmes has a reason for everything, I concluded. I'll trust that he knows what he is doing.

___________________________________________________________________

Hope you enjoyed part one of my story :D Please feel free to comment at will and check back often for the rest of it!

A Little Introductory Post...

Introducing:

The Adventure of the Gold-Engraved Box!

I'm not very good with titles but this is the name I came up with for Mrs. Hudson's mystery.

So...I'm posting it little by little, after all the proofreading and editing have been completed for each stage. I'm trying to make good breaks in the story, so I have some place to end before continuing to the next portion.

I tried to model it after Doyle's stories...told from the perspective of Watson (hee hee) and I tried to use some words that would be used...so hopefully you can't tell that Doyle didn't write it.

Oh, and I should warn you - this is my first endeavor at a mystery. I've never written a mystery before. I'm more a historical fiction kinda gal. So...hopefully it's not too ovbious :D

Anyway, enjoy, and please feel free to comment on each post. I like to know what the people who read my stories think about them :D So, if you think I should add something, or take away something, or change the wording of something, or if you like it as it is...please feel free to say so. I don't get hurt feelings very easily when it comes to my work, I accept everything as constructive critisism.

Bre

Baker Street!

Lo and behold...I have done it! Baker Street! Hahahaha! Alas, I did not get a picture of Coronation Street, much to my dismay. This trip to get this picture was a spur of the moment, quick thing, not to be prolonged. =D

I have some more sweet pics, but you'll have to wait for them. *evil chuckle*

The Mystery of Mrs. Hudson's Mystery

I wonder how many Holmesians have had the same thought that went through my mind this morning - out of the hundreds of cases Holmes worked on or solved, Mrs. Hudson never had a mystery of her own. Why is that?

I do know for a fact that Holmes and Watson took on a case of a landlady's mysterious guest. I believe that the name of the mystery was The Adventure of the Red Circle. But why did Conan Doyle never write a mystery for Holmes' own landlady? Maybe because it would have seemed mere coincidence that the landlady of the famous consulting detective should have a mystery for her tenant to solve.

That being said, we may never hear of a Mrs. Hudson mystery. Unless, of course, I put into action the plan I've for awhile...being of a writing sort (in this way I can identify with Watson, who, I can say, has a real talent for using big adjectives to describe people and places), I thought it might be fun to write a Sherlock Holmes fan fiction (I've done that with two other books/movies, Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean, and they turned out supurb!). I thought, why not use the opportunity of Mrs. Hudson's missing mystery and write one for her myself? So, stay tuned for developments. I'll post it here, chapter by chapter, if I do write something.

No post about Mrs. Hudson would be complete without mention to her relationship with Sherlock Holmes. In The Adventure of the Dying Detective, Watson writes a couple of really funny paragraphs about Holmes and Mrs. Hudson's apartment...

"Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, was a long-suffering woman. Not only was her first-floor flat invaded at all hours by throngs of singular and often undesirable characters but her remarkable lodger showed and eccentricity and irregularity in his life which must have surely tried her patience. His incredible untidiness, his addiction to music at strange hours, his occasional revolver practice within doors, his weird and often malodorous scientific experiments and the atmosphere of violence and danger which hung around him made him the very worst tenant in London...

"The landlady stood in deepest awe of him and never dared to interfere with him, however outrageous his proceedings might seem. She was fond of him, too, for he had a remarkable gentleness and courtesy in his dealings with women."

- The Adventure of the Dying Detective

That paragraph alone shows that Mrs. Hudson must have been a very, very patient woman, because I know that if my own tenant was shooting holes in my walls (even if they were the initials of the Queen of England) or playing his violin at 3 in the morning I would have probably kicked him out. It says a lot about her character, that she could put up with that for such a long time.

So, even thought Mrs. Hudson does not play a very big part in the Sherlock Holmes canon, she is most definately one of the most important. If not for her, Holmes would have probably been passed around from flat to flat, because most people probably wouldn't put up with his odd habits. I'm thankful for Mrs. Hudson.

(picture above: Rosalie Williams as Mrs. Hudson in the Granada Television Series of Sherlock Holmes)

I'm in London!

Here's the London post you were promised! So, I've been walking the streets that Holmes walked...uh, if he actually walked streets, that is.

I have not yet seen Baker Street, but I *did* see a Sherlock Holmes restaurant/pub. Got a picture...it's my backup in case I don't make it to Baker Street. lol But hopefully I will.

Well, I can't think of much to say...but I'm in London saying it! =)

The End of Memoirs, and Beginning of Return

(WARNING: THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE BOOKS. DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOKS.)

Alright, so...I know Grace and I already talked about this...but did anyone else read the end paragraph of Memoirs, and then immediatly skip ahead to the beginning of the Return? Besides us, that is. lol I mean, I think I was in bed when I read it...and I started crying...(yes I did..I get very emotional reading books like that) and then I skipped ahead. I was like, well, why else would it be called "The Return of Sherlock Holmes?"

Then, I was greatly cheered by the beginning. I started laughing.

Then, I turned around and watched the return on Youtube. It was so funny...I watched it three times in one week, once myself, once with my sister, and once with Grace. I totally recommend the version with Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke (as Watson) as I haven't seen others but it's basically word for word to the book...oh yeah. it's part 2 of 5, of the Empty House. I love when Watson faints..."for the first and the last time..." Beautiful. Then when Holmes is so concerned that he shocked Watson in so unnecessary a manner...and takes care of him until he comes to...such a caring side of Holmes we don't ever get to see :D I mean...I would probably faint too, if Holmes was in my sitting room, after being dead for 3 years. Er...actually, I probably would faint if he was in my sitting room, period. lol No really, I wouldn't. Just joking :D

Did you know...(random fact of the day) that Doyle actually planned on leaving the series ending with Holmes' death at Reichenbach Falls?! I was so upset when I read that. How do you end such a series by killing off the hero, along *with* his nemesis?! So, I am so thankful that Doyle decided to bring Holmes back, even if it did mean killing off Mrs. Watson. (yeah, I do believe she disappeared after Holmes came back.) I'm glad he left it open, so that it wouldn't have to be the end...he never did say that they found bodies or some gross thing...there was no evidence that Holmes actually went over the falls :D So, I was very glad when I kept reading and found that he does indeed return for another 5 books :D

Alright, maybe next time, I will post something more intellectual. But I felt like being fun today :D

And Grace is in London now, probably, I'm so looking forward to that London post ;D

Off I Go!

All righty then, tomorrow's the day! Today I get to sit in the car for nine hours. Yep. Then, tomorrow, we take a plane from Chicago. Off to Baker Street...and any adjacent streets, Coronation Street, for example. =)

Oh, and I have pink eye. So, pray for that to clear up, though it's better today. And no, I'm not pulling a Holmes-like stunt and using petroleum jelly and whatnot. lol

What Were Their Parents Thinking?

A lesser known fact about Sherlock Holmes is that he has a brother. Said brother is reportedly as smart as Sherlock, but just a bit lazy. Sherlock goes to him when all other resources are depleted. His name? Mycroft.

Let us go back in time now, shall we? Ah, here we are, the birth of Mycroft...

"Oh dear, isn't he sweet?"

"Yes, he certainly is."

"What shall we name him?"

"Hmm...I've got it! Mycroft!"

Ditto that for Sherlock's birth.

Ok, seriously? Who names their kids Sherlock and Mycroft? One of my theories is that while under the influence of some overpowering emotion, the child born first received a rather odd name. The parents, not wishing to make the first child feel badly about his name (e.g. Sherlock and John), named the second child something equally strange.

All righty, whatever the reason, Sherlock Holmes is a very cool sounding name, despite it's impracticality.

"Sherlock, come inside, it's time for dinner!"

Ha ha.

But I just don't know how I feel about the name Mycroft...

What About Mrs. Watson?

I'm practically positive that out of every question an avid Holmesian has about the books, the one that is most commonly asked is this:

"What happened to Mrs. Watson?"

I'll start at the beginning.

We are only tolerant of Mrs. Watson because she was Mary Morstan in The Sign of Four. Yet, those of us so devoted to Holmes - those of us who tend to forget about Watson - are selfish. Selfish in the fact that Miss Morstan's marriage to Holmes' best friend and chronicler resulted in Watson's leaving Baker Street; we are angry at anyone or anything that comes between the infamous pair.

Watson's falling in love was, in my opinion, a nice addition to the otherwise dreary and depressing story presented to us in The Sign of Four. Seeming as Holmes is referred to as "a thinking machine" more than once in the canon, seeing someone experience so human an emotion as falling in love in the books is welcome. But did it have to be Watson? There are many other people involved in the case that could have become Miss Morstan's suitor...Athelby Jones, for example, is, as far as we know, unmarried. Sure, it would have been an awkward match, but anything is better in our minds than Watson leaving Baker Street for good. After running down the list, however, ruling out Holmes, who, as we know, is practically incapable of expressing human emotion, the only logical choice to the author would be, unfortunatly for us, Watson.

I have to admit, I found myself a bit perturbed upon reading the section in The Sign of Four where Watson announces his engagement to Miss Morstan to his friend. I wasn't annoyed with Holmes' response, though it was a bit disheartening for the poor fellow...but I was annoyed with the fact that Watson had indeed done what I had thought to be impossible in the books - proposed to one of Holmes' clients. I knew upon the chapter when Watson and Miss Morstan break open the treasure box, only to find it empty, that Watson was going to propose, but when he actually said he did... My first thought was, Oooh Watson, you've ruined everything! Then a bit of consolation as Holmes expresses his disapproval.

Then, to our great sadness, we learn that Watson has moved out of Baker Street. He hasn't seen Holmes in some time - this leaves the ovbious impression that he hasn't chronicled anything for the great detective. After reading this, I was saddened. How many great mysteries did we miss, since Watson wasn't there to record them? True, we do feel slightly happy for the man, who, we later find out, has opened his own practice and is doing well. Yet there is some sort of jealousy - why do we get to hear about Watson's doctor's office, when we could have, with the elimination of the obstacle called Mary Morstan, heard a numerous amount of fresh cases Holmes has worked on. I was mad.

Then, just as I'm wishing Watson was back living at Baker Street - he is, once more! Holmesians rejoice. The once thought to be inseperable pair has been reunited once more! Yet this leaves us with this rather unsettling question: "Where did Mrs. Watson go?"

Watson never once mentions Mary after he returns to Baker Street, as far as I know. Could he have had a bitter divorce? Did she get ill and die? We will probably never know.

But then, after things have gone well for awhile, another Mrs. Watson shows up! Holmes mentions her briefly in one of only 2 or 3 cases he recorded himself, The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier.

"I find from my notebook that it was in January, 1903...The good Watson had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action which I can recall in our association. I was alone."

This Mrs. Watson has no other details about her. Could she have been the same Mrs. Watson, nee Mary Morstan, from earlier times? Yet it seems like such a big gap, between Watson's marriage, return to Baker Street, and this second mention of a wife.

We'll probably never know what happened to Mrs. Watson - and whether or not the second Mrs. Watson was truly the second Mrs. Watson or still the first. But I suppose we will have to live with it forever, only delighting in the fact that Watson does indeed return to Baker Street to be with his famous friend, Sherlock Holmes, once more.

(picture above: Jenny Seagrove as Mary Morstan in the Granada TV Movie, The Sign of Four)

Sherlock's Violin

As all Sherlockians know, one of the strange (but good) habits Holmes has when on a case is scratching away at his violin. I believe it is referred to as being a Stradivarius, as pictured above.

This distinctive trait is one of my favorites. Being a music lover myself, I can see how it would help relieve stress and help him concentrate. Not to mention, violins are really beautiful instruments...to hear and see. It's much needed therapy for the detective, whose mind is constantly running. I really enjoy Watson's descriptions...it seems like he just...zones out, in the words of Grace...and "scrapes" away at it :D

Watson, after meeting Holmes and moving in with him, writes a nice long paragraph about Holmes' violin-playing habits that I really liked:

"I see that I have alluded above to his powers upon the violin. These were very remarkable, but as eccentric as all his other accomplishments. That he could play pieces, and difficult pieces, I knew well....Leaning back in his armchair of an evening, he would close his eyes and scrape carelessly at the fiddle which was thrown across his knee. Sometimes the chords were sonorous and melancholy. Occasionally they were fantastic and cheerful. Clearly they reflected the thoughts which possessed him, but whether the music aided those thoughts, or whether the playing was simply the result of a whim or fancy, was more than I could determine. I might have rebelled against these exasperating solos had it not been that he usually terminated them by playing in quick succession a whole series of my favourite airs as a slight compensation for the trial upon my patience."

- A Study in Scarlet

Then, two other times I found places where Watson comments on Holmes' violin habits:

"When I returned with the pistol, the table had been cleared, and Holmes was engaged in his favourite occupation of scraping upon his violin."

- A Study in Scarlet

"He took up his violin from the corner, and as I stretched myself out he began to play some low, dreamy, melodious air - his own, no doubt, for he had a remarkable gift for improvisation."

- The Sign of Four

It's very clear that Holmes loves music. Sometimes, he mentions that he is going to a concert, as he does very randomly in A Study in Scarlet. He comes home in a good mood after these outings, and is usually caught in a rare moment when he is willing to talk for quite some time about the concert itself.

Music, I believe, is the great detective's therapy - when the topic is mentioned, he is transformed into a different person. He needs his music to cope with the monotony of every day life (I think, as much as HE thinks he needs cocaine). In this way, I feel like I am somehow tied to Sherlock Holmes - we both love music, and need music. Without it, life would be a bore. Which I think he understands.

The inmitable Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, "scraping at his violin" I had to do some major editing so I hope that picture looks as good as it does on my computer...It was very pixelly. lol

The Quest for Baker Street

For the silly goosies of you who didn't know (just kidding), I leave for England on Friday. Like, this Friday. I am so unbelievably excited, you have no idea.

Being the Holmesian I am, what trip to London would be complete without at least trying to get an awesome photo of the Baker Street street sign? Would that not be a fabulous addition to this already fabulous blog?

Apparently, there is a Sherlock Holmes museum on Baker Street....? I like the guy and all, but he had the unfortunate fate not to have actually existed. Whatever, erect museums to whoever you please. Pardon me, I have to go erect a museum to Oliver Twist.

Anyway, I will do my utmost to come back...and come back with a picture.

p.s. Who is the better blogger, me or Bre? Answer: Bre! Look at that beautiful long post she's got there! She has mad skills...'tis true. =)

Side Effects of Being Addicted to Sherlock Holmes

Alright alright. I admit - I'm addicted to Sherlock Holmes. (heh) And, I'm sure Grace is too. Otherwise, we wouldn't call ourselves Holmesians (or Sherlockians, whichever you prefer). And, as we all know, side effects are inevitable when one is addicted to something. So, I shall list some side effects which have come upon me since reading (or watching) Sherlock Holmes...maybe some of you have had strange side effects too...if so, please leave a comment!

- Probably the most noticable side effect for me, being addicted to Holmes, is the fact that I notice FAR more than I used to. For example...a little tiny spider crawing through the carpet in my bedroom, something I would never have taken notice of before. I find myself slowing down and taking notice of the most minute details of things...such as, the first thing I noticed on a car I looked at at a car lot was a tiny scratch on the underside of the door handle (strange thing to notice...that was BEFORE I noticed that the car was purple. *laughs*) And, I didn't purposly make myself that way. It just came upon me, and I didn't notice it until the other day.

- I have a strange new habit of carrying books around with me now. I mean, I've always taken a book in the car with me on the way to exit 36 or whatever, but now I ALWAYS have a book with me. *clears throat* That doesn't sound like a side effect, but when I mention that the book is my gargantuan SH novel...

- I've started calling bad things "diabolical." Now that I know what it means, that is. lol

- Once things wind down, usually at night, the first thing I do is scour the house for the lap top and settle on top of a pile of pillows on the floor and watch Sherlock on youtube.

- I just finished the books and I'm already re-reading them. That only happened to me once before, with Lord of the Rings. I was a hopeless case on that one. Ask anyone.

- I like to stare out the window. Never liked that before.

- I like to *stare.* Not at people, usually random things like...the kitchen table at dinner, or the back of my sister's chair. And then, my mom says my name like, twice, before I hear her. I don't like that side effect.

Ok, so, make me feel better guys...you're all here because you like Sherlock, so what's YOUR side effect(s)?