Nominations Are Open for the 2025 Susan Rice Mentorship Award

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">“twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us” [SPEC]  </h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNsgCY2JRMohz42NAtuVTQXg8WSSN8Hf4peDxiox5RWJOeJ2AS6tlyNMsQJVrNi5Ff9MdNw6PeZ7w0--Bg7bpxzouCLqGCEBhAYe_uXv1kyGoKHgvDeI8Hi3pXWWjeyO-gouPG6cbojhQ7UdI9XjtT98NM-q9zHsL6_mccy4ajEzRrQsxlSP2l3Onaw/s960/Blau-Rice.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNsgCY2JRMohz42NAtuVTQXg8WSSN8Hf4peDxiox5RWJOeJ2AS6tlyNMsQJVrNi5Ff9MdNw6PeZ7w0--Bg7bpxzouCLqGCEBhAYe_uXv1kyGoKHgvDeI8Hi3pXWWjeyO-gouPG6cbojhQ7UdI9XjtT98NM-q9zHsL6_mccy4ajEzRrQsxlSP2l3Onaw/w640-h428/Blau-Rice.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Will Walsh, BSI</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <div>Every profession, every hobby needs mentors. A mentor's job is to help new arrivals understand the context and meaning of the organization they're stepping into. Mentors helpfully point out the guardrails, endlessly encourage curiosity, and consistently communicate the worth and potential of those in their charge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mentors are leaders.</div><div><br /></div><div>And we were blessed to have such a leader in <b>Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s.</b> ("Beeswing") as part of the Sherlockian movement. You can read <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2020/10/remembering-susan-rice-ash-bsi-2s.html#.Y0VupXZKjb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">what our peers had to say about Susan</a> upon her passing four years ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>Susan was an exceptional writer, and one of her specialties was Vincent Starrett. We had the opportunity to speak with her and <b>Ray Betzner, BSI</b> ("The Agony Column") about Starrett on <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose61" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 61</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="4677" data-dashlane-rid="7bd3e822dd64a1ca" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/2671427/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/000000/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And there could be no better example of Susan's mentorship than her involvement with the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes and the quiet yet determined effort to see women admitted to the Baker Street Irregulars, which we discussed with her and <b>Evelyn Herzog, BSI</b> ("The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet") in <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose89" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 89</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="4680" data-dashlane-rid="ef76ff83883f0b14" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4113629/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/a70101/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So when the <b>Susan Rice Mentorship Award</b> was announced at the 2022 BSI Weekend, it was no surprise that stalwart <b>Peter Blau, BSI</b> ("Black Peter") was announced as the inaugural recipient. [That's Peter pictured above with Susan.]</div><div><br /></div><div>The second recipient, announced at the 2023 BSI Weekend was <b>Evelyn Herzog, BSI, ASH</b> ("The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet").</div><div><br /></div><div>And the most recent recipient in 2024 was <b>Francine Kitts, BSI, ASH</b> ("Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope").</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Nominations for the 2024 Susan Rice Mentorship Award are open until October 31.</b> The winner will be announced and presented with the award during the 2024 BSI Weekend.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXTIK0FKFYMe2DJ3yLgFLMocXxgB2syBNincfwLQCeTX3An7QTCWcucAiHzG_6l5Q4Kyms8xJDI8hE2ml2wiaRwb09Q_nnePlZ7iGWiSyKDeGGCdjwouO_iXxTURfrsPMohGC2wGEQkGz-OTNJaFAqnSE_Qfd3w6VnUl_chkZlWgkXT3Lm6xpIyoj6A/s1500/Award.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1500" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXTIK0FKFYMe2DJ3yLgFLMocXxgB2syBNincfwLQCeTX3An7QTCWcucAiHzG_6l5Q4Kyms8xJDI8hE2ml2wiaRwb09Q_nnePlZ7iGWiSyKDeGGCdjwouO_iXxTURfrsPMohGC2wGEQkGz-OTNJaFAqnSE_Qfd3w6VnUl_chkZlWgkXT3Lm6xpIyoj6A/w640-h494/Award.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><h3>What is the Susan Rice Mentorship Award?</h3><div><div>The award is to recognize the activities of a member of the Sherlock Holmes community who has been a mentor to others, in the spirit of Susan Rice. The award will be judged on the mentor’s commitment to bringing aspiring Sherlockians into the cause and encouraging them to find ways to keep green the memory of Sherlock Holmes. While those activities could be in the traditional realm of trifling monographs and playing The Game, we would also recognize that the effort could take place in other media and activities. </div><div><br /></div><div>To sum up who we are looking for in a few words: Someone who is generous, welcoming, and offers encouragement.</div><p><br /></p><h3>Who Is Eligible For The Award?</h3><p>The Susan Rice Mentorship Award is open to all living Sherlockians who are generous, welcoming, and offer encouragement. They will also need to have a proven record that supports that definition. No current judges or previous winners may be considered for the award. The award is not limited to members of the Baker Street Irregulars.</p><p><br /></p><h3>How Is Someone Nominated?</h3><p>The award will be given based on nominations. The nominator should complete an essay of <b>750 words or fewer </b>that answers this question: “Who do you believe should be recognized for their work in mentoring aspiring Sherlockians and why? Please provide specific examples of their guidance, encouragement, and welcoming spirit.” </p><p>Qualities to consider when nominating: Welcoming to all Sherlockians; looking out for new Sherlockians to join the ranks; encouraging involvement and guiding people through their participation; connecting new Sherlockians to current members of the BSI; believing in someone even if they don’t believe in themselves; leaving the organization better than when they joined it. </p><p>Should someone be nominated in one year and not win, they would need to be re-nominated for consideration in succeeding years.</p><p><br /></p><h3>Where Should Nominations Be Sent?</h3><p>Nominations should be sent to <a href="mailto:SusanRiceMentorAward@gmail.com">SusanRiceMentorAward@gmail.com</a>. An acknowledgment email will be sent in reply. </p><p><br /></p><h3>Who Are The Judges?</h3><p>The current judges are <b>Curtis Armstrong</b>, <b>Francine Kitts</b>, <b>Jenn Eaker</b>, <b>Ashley Polasek</b>, and <b>Steven Rothman</b>. Again, judges are not eligible for the award.</p><p><br /></p><p>For a heartfelt reminiscence on Susan Rice's impact from a former mentee of hers, read <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/susan-rice-mentorship-award" target="_blank">Curtis Armstrong's essay on the Studies in Starrett blog</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>We hope you nominate someone worthy of the award.</p><p><br /></p><p>--</p><p><br /></p></div>

Nominations Are Open for the 2025 Susan Rice Mentorship Award

“twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us” [SPEC]   Photo courtesy of Will Walsh, BSI   Every profession, every hobby needs me...

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by Scott Monty

Nominations Are Open for the 2024 Susan Rice Mentorship Award

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">“twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us” [SPEC]  </h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNsgCY2JRMohz42NAtuVTQXg8WSSN8Hf4peDxiox5RWJOeJ2AS6tlyNMsQJVrNi5Ff9MdNw6PeZ7w0--Bg7bpxzouCLqGCEBhAYe_uXv1kyGoKHgvDeI8Hi3pXWWjeyO-gouPG6cbojhQ7UdI9XjtT98NM-q9zHsL6_mccy4ajEzRrQsxlSP2l3Onaw/s960/Blau-Rice.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNsgCY2JRMohz42NAtuVTQXg8WSSN8Hf4peDxiox5RWJOeJ2AS6tlyNMsQJVrNi5Ff9MdNw6PeZ7w0--Bg7bpxzouCLqGCEBhAYe_uXv1kyGoKHgvDeI8Hi3pXWWjeyO-gouPG6cbojhQ7UdI9XjtT98NM-q9zHsL6_mccy4ajEzRrQsxlSP2l3Onaw/w640-h428/Blau-Rice.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Will Walsh, BSI</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <div>Every profession, every hobby needs mentors. A mentor's job is to help new arrivals understand the context and meaning of the organization they're stepping into. Mentors helpfully point out the guardrails, endlessly encourage curiosity, and consistently communicate the worth and potential of those in their charge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mentors are leaders.</div><div><br /></div><div>And we were blessed to have such a leader in <b>Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s.</b> ("Beeswing") as part of the Sherlockian movement. You can read <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2020/10/remembering-susan-rice-ash-bsi-2s.html#.Y0VupXZKjb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">what our peers had to say about Susan</a> upon her passing two years ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>Susan was an exceptional writer, and one of her specialties was Vincent Starrett. We had the opportunity to speak with her and <b>Ray Betzner, BSI</b> ("The Agony Column") about Starrett on <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose61" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 61</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="4677" data-dashlane-rid="7bd3e822dd64a1ca" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/2671427/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/000000/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And there could be no better example of Susan's mentorship than her involvement with the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes and the quiet yet determined effort to see women admitted to the Baker Street Irregulars, which we discussed with her and <b>Evelyn Herzog, BSI</b> ("The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet") in <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose89" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 89</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="4680" data-dashlane-rid="ef76ff83883f0b14" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4113629/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/a70101/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So when the <b>Susan Rice Mentorship Award</b> was announced at the 2022 BSI Weekend, it was no surprise that stalwart <b>Peter Blau, BSI</b> ("Black Peter") was announced as the inaugural recipient. [That's Peter pictured above with Susan.]</div><div><br /></div><div>The second recipient, announced at the 2023 BSI Weekend was <b>Evelyn Herzog, BSI, ASH</b> ("The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet").</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Nominations for the 2024 Susan Rice Mentorship Award are open until October 31.</b> The winner will be announced and presented with the award during the 2024 BSI Weekend.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXTIK0FKFYMe2DJ3yLgFLMocXxgB2syBNincfwLQCeTX3An7QTCWcucAiHzG_6l5Q4Kyms8xJDI8hE2ml2wiaRwb09Q_nnePlZ7iGWiSyKDeGGCdjwouO_iXxTURfrsPMohGC2wGEQkGz-OTNJaFAqnSE_Qfd3w6VnUl_chkZlWgkXT3Lm6xpIyoj6A/s1500/Award.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1500" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXTIK0FKFYMe2DJ3yLgFLMocXxgB2syBNincfwLQCeTX3An7QTCWcucAiHzG_6l5Q4Kyms8xJDI8hE2ml2wiaRwb09Q_nnePlZ7iGWiSyKDeGGCdjwouO_iXxTURfrsPMohGC2wGEQkGz-OTNJaFAqnSE_Qfd3w6VnUl_chkZlWgkXT3Lm6xpIyoj6A/w640-h494/Award.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><h3>What is the Susan Rice Mentorship Award?</h3><div><div>The award is to recognize the activities of a member of the Sherlock Holmes community who has been a mentor to others, in the spirit of Susan Rice. The award will be judged on the mentor’s commitment to bringing aspiring Sherlockians into the cause and encouraging them to find ways to keep green the memory of Sherlock Holmes. While those activities could be in the traditional realm of trifling monographs and playing The Game, we would also recognize that the effort could take place in other media and activities. </div><div><br /></div><div>To sum up who we are looking for in a few words: Someone who is generous, welcoming, and offers encouragement.</div><p><br /></p><h3>Who Is Eligible For The Award?</h3><p>The Susan Rice Mentorship Award is open to all living Sherlockians who are generous, welcoming, and offer encouragement. They will also need to have a proven record that supports that definition. No current judges or previous winners may be considered for the award. The award is not limited to members of the Baker Street Irregulars.</p><p><br /></p><h3>How Is Someone Nominated?</h3><p>The award will be given based on nominations. The nominator should complete an essay of <b>750 words or fewer </b>that answers this question: “Who do you believe should be recognized for their work in mentoring aspiring Sherlockians and why? Please provide specific examples of their guidance, encouragement, and welcoming spirit.” </p><p>Qualities to consider when nominating: Welcoming to all Sherlockians; looking out for new Sherlockians to join the ranks; encouraging involvement and guiding people through their participation; connecting new Sherlockians to current members of the BSI; believing in someone even if they don’t believe in themselves; leaving the organization better than when they joined it. </p><p>Should someone be nominated in one year and not win, they would need to be re-nominated for consideration in succeeding years.</p><p><br /></p><h3>Where Should Nominations Be Sent?</h3><p>Nominations should be sent to <a href="mailto:SusanRiceMentorAward@gmail.com">SusanRiceMentorAward@gmail.com</a>. An acknowledgment email will be sent in reply. </p><p><br /></p><h3>Who Are The Judges?</h3><p>The current judges are <b>Curtis Armstrong</b>, <b>Ray Betzner</b>, <b>Jenn Eaker</b>, <b>Ashley Polasek</b>, and <b>Steven Rothman</b>. Again, judges are not eligible for the award.</p><p><br /></p><p>For a heartfelt reminiscence on Susan Rice's impact from a former mentee of hers, read <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/susan-rice-mentorship-award" target="_blank">Curtis Armstrong's essay on the Studies in Starrett blog</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>We hope you nominate someone worthy of the award.</p><p><br /></p><p>--</p><p><br /></p></div>

Nominations Are Open for the 2024 Susan Rice Mentorship Award

“twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us” [SPEC]   Photo courtesy of Will Walsh, BSI   Every profession, every hobby needs me...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

What Is Your Favorite Jeremy Brett Episode?

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“I have my old favourite” [3GAR]  </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFTGIk3rZjWXMQJmKvC5xZ9UnXKtj8-eA7Rr74Fgh7ZZqjM0qG1sgaTFksviB3IGd2-8H0hCuo8uvnx7PFZdOEwwKH7JqZCkaFVY4jAH0MKhytsO5Q4vKRQjH0Y2EEkw9vLZtc0-Ctpg_mkjJvwxPhGYSyhAhrnx-pM-qaRDULMaunTVw5DK_R6QUYA-B/s1280/Jeremy%20Brett%20David%20Burke%20Baker%20Street.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1280" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFTGIk3rZjWXMQJmKvC5xZ9UnXKtj8-eA7Rr74Fgh7ZZqjM0qG1sgaTFksviB3IGd2-8H0hCuo8uvnx7PFZdOEwwKH7JqZCkaFVY4jAH0MKhytsO5Q4vKRQjH0Y2EEkw9vLZtc0-Ctpg_mkjJvwxPhGYSyhAhrnx-pM-qaRDULMaunTVw5DK_R6QUYA-B/w640-h389/Jeremy%20Brett%20David%20Burke%20Baker%20Street.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>It's hard to believe, but next year — 2024 — will mark the 40th anniversary of the premiere of <i><a href="https://amzn.to/45t1YO6" target="_blank">The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</a></i> by Granada TV.</p><p>The series was part of a resurgence of Sherlock Holmes interest that carried over from the 1970s, with <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3RRs8Xx" target="_blank">The Seven Per-Cent Solution</a></i> in 1976 and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/48WEkwy" target="_blank">Murder By Decree</a></i> in 1979.</p><p>Then, the early 1980s featured not one but two productions of <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> — one starring Tom Baker and another starring Ian Richardson, who also followed with a version of <i>The Sign of Four</i>.</p><p>But it was Michael Cox's production efforts on behalf of Granada TV that resulted in one of the most iconic Sherlock Holmes portrayals of the era. Starring Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes and David Burke as Dr. Watson (portrayed by Edward Hardwicke in later episodes), we were treated to lavish productions that were mostly faithful to the original stories, with set designs, costumes, and locations that made the stories spring from the page.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Vote Here</h3><p>And to celebrate the 40th anniversary, our friends at <i>Sherlock Holmes Magazine</i> have commissioned <a href="https://www.sherlockholmesmag.co.uk/granada-holmes-poll" target="_blank">a poll</a> in which they ask us to <a href="https://www.sherlockholmesmag.co.uk/granada-holmes-poll" target="_blank">vote for the greatest Granada Sherlock Holmes episode</a>.<span style="color: white; font-family: enriqueta, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">e</span><br /><br />The results will be published in the Spring 2024 issue of <i>Sherlock Holmes Magazine</i>.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Related:</h3><p>While we have you here, you can <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose206" target="_blank">listen to the interview with Adrian Braddy</a>, founder and editor of <i>Sherlock Holmes Magazine</i>.</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="924" data-dashlane-rid="4c44f84e5497aa56" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/17213351/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p>And why not <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose203" target="_blank">hear how Gus and Luke Holwerda produce their show</a>, <i>The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast</i>?</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="928" data-dashlane-rid="6d780de6eb9ee892" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/16622513/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/60011c/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>

What Is Your Favorite Jeremy Brett Episode?

“I have my old favourite” [3GAR]   It's hard to believe, but next year — 2024 — will mark the 40th anniversary of the premiere of The Ad...

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by Scott Monty

Sherlock Holmes and the $64,000 Question

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> “It was sixty-four” [MUSG]</h4><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8rWN9rpkCLaimKzE8mfYe2Td0wVpnuiDSPwR9Uk673eh3uwqHA1lO96AM9HgScrTCgtYafxnJchSkplKJhoEu3nnnzIhUlvIWGKlhOpPkuTNnZwxz81BEoh1AmbE58iWUuJR5oKBqGzecfQhn2H7_-ipvj4r98QIbffg-tyrjrMyC3KXNXWktbwiVIrnL" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="911" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8rWN9rpkCLaimKzE8mfYe2Td0wVpnuiDSPwR9Uk673eh3uwqHA1lO96AM9HgScrTCgtYafxnJchSkplKJhoEu3nnnzIhUlvIWGKlhOpPkuTNnZwxz81BEoh1AmbE58iWUuJR5oKBqGzecfQhn2H7_-ipvj4r98QIbffg-tyrjrMyC3KXNXWktbwiVIrnL=w640-h486" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Screengrab via <a href="https://youtu.be/Ytu4-oFPv48" target="_blank">YouTube</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />If you listened to <a href="https://ihose.co/trifles343" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 343</a> of the <b><i>Trifles </i></b>podcast, "<a href="https://ihose.co/trifles343" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Canonical Sevens</a>," you'll know that the episode was inspired by Ruth Buchholtz's article "Seventy-Seven Canonical Sevens" from <i>The Baker Street Journal</i>.<p></p><p><br /><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1575275797&color=%23af6ac0&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/sherlockholmes-trifles" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Sherlock Holmes: Trifles">Sherlock Holmes: Trifles</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/sherlockholmes-trifles/canonical-sevens" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Canonical Sevens">Canonical Sevens</a></div><p></p><p>Ruth was described as a contestant on "The $64,000 Challenge" [sic], having gone up against Bobbiye [sic] O'Rourke.</p><p>In the summer of 1956 millions of American viewers were glued to their television sets as, week-by-week, Air Force Captain Thomas O'Rourke and his wife Bobbye, answered questions about Sherlock Holmes on NBC's "The $64,000 Question."</p><p>We <a href="https://mediaburn.org/video/the-64000-question-the-buick-berle-show/" target="_blank">unearthed an archival clip of the show</a> in which Mrs. O'Rourke and her husband complete their heart-stopping journey. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/228100999?h=b5dde4cb41" title="vimeo-player" width="640"></iframe></p><p>Spoiler: they win $32,000 each.</p><p>Can you imagine being <i>paid </i>to showcase your knowledge of Sherlock Holmes?</p><div>If you'd like to try your hand at the questions without watching the video, <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/86750224" target="_blank">we've got all of them on Patreon</a>. Just click through for access.</div><div><br /></div><div>Alternatively, you can find them all in Peter Haining's <i><a href="https://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/2670720/77416/2029?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.com%2Fservlet%2FSearchResults%3Fsts%3Dt%26cm_sp%3DSearchF-_-home-_-Results%26tn%3DA%2520Sherlock%2520Holmes%2520Companion%26an%3DHaining" target="_blank">A Sherlock Holmes Companion</a></i>, published in 1980.</div><div><br /></div>

Sherlock Holmes and the $64,000 Question

 “It was sixty-four” [MUSG] Screengrab via YouTube If you listened to Episode 343 of the Trifles podcast, " Canonical Sevens ," y...

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by Scott Monty

Baker Street Elementary – Partners in Crime

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“they took into partnership” [VALL] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCT5cgoXyHKj4rut96fccHRfeY8hU0mvdBpvx02_Q5WUBUYCv27xJ0TKTxnZYFK5DjjWKEypM9g3LUfgAiuknaiofipmlQXb64N9-qV0pwwNygChQMo6ust0Uk30G7l-Je63YqcgKwTUcbDlO98Vl2eXRICXiAT635iuVBiXbX-mjkOSjAPpTTW9nHS4f/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCT5cgoXyHKj4rut96fccHRfeY8hU0mvdBpvx02_Q5WUBUYCv27xJ0TKTxnZYFK5DjjWKEypM9g3LUfgAiuknaiofipmlQXb64N9-qV0pwwNygChQMo6ust0Uk30G7l-Je63YqcgKwTUcbDlO98Vl2eXRICXiAT635iuVBiXbX-mjkOSjAPpTTW9nHS4f/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As Christopher Morley told us, the Sherlock Holmes stories were a textbook of friendship. But more than that, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson relied on each other as erstwhile business partners. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not partners in the legally binding sense, but certainly a symbiotic relationship of sorts: Holmes gained notoriety through Watson's writings, and Watson gathered story material from Holmes's cases. Partners in crime, as it were.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But it got us thinking about more formal partnerships—of the professional sort. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is a list of 20 professional firms in the Canon. Can you name the sort of business each practiced, and which story they're from?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Allan Brothers</li><li>Mawson & Williams</li><li>Brickfall and Amberley</li><li>Coxon & Woodhouse</li><li>Dawson & Neligan </li><li>Graham and McFarlane</li><li>Harding Brothers</li><li>Holder & Stevenson</li><li>Madame Lesurier</li><li>Marx & Co.</li><li>Morton & Kennedy </li><li>Morrison, Morrison and Dodd</li><li>Ferguson & Muirhead</li><li>Rae & Sturmash</li><li>Ross & Mangles </li><li>John Underwood & Sons</li><li>Westhouse & Marbank</li><li>Stimson & Company</li><li>Venner & Matheson</li><li>Holloway & Steele</li></ol></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Five points for each correct answer. We're relying on the honor system. Send answers to comment @ ihearofsherlock.com and we'll have a prize for the best score.</div></div></div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, let's see what kind of a partnership is brewing at Baker Street Elementary...</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yHSpo2iHwrUYXH-BdWOUu8DHViRBeoGUodb0nQJHNtsGdB1aYX7UpqH6yi0YcAGzB5CsDL9HPxcbpJ3I90n67OAEJRNTEvcnRTqHD1TiIaGV2U0zE01UwD3voK48QlYh9ACuFnVi-6FI6TzaBAPcBW0M_FeZwM5TUvz75VmrLCNLZsyC0BKzZjzYVT5Q/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yHSpo2iHwrUYXH-BdWOUu8DHViRBeoGUodb0nQJHNtsGdB1aYX7UpqH6yi0YcAGzB5CsDL9HPxcbpJ3I90n67OAEJRNTEvcnRTqHD1TiIaGV2U0zE01UwD3voK48QlYh9ACuFnVi-6FI6TzaBAPcBW0M_FeZwM5TUvz75VmrLCNLZsyC0BKzZjzYVT5Q/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7h9gAvLOxkVHATTfQlNnXvZ4uGZmvDs0b5_CsbLQPpkrXZkixKALgq0l5nfNcLwyo5ER_p4qPeb914282MgZ1_NpO9xZ2TsVq5F25xLMWsG2VGohtKcJgTyTm2zxTBGnfNQXDwime28BxJdsZHRGJOAZCtt4ANRGz_5N11TiiDyeizXMPtsDpdEHtcS3/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7h9gAvLOxkVHATTfQlNnXvZ4uGZmvDs0b5_CsbLQPpkrXZkixKALgq0l5nfNcLwyo5ER_p4qPeb914282MgZ1_NpO9xZ2TsVq5F25xLMWsG2VGohtKcJgTyTm2zxTBGnfNQXDwime28BxJdsZHRGJOAZCtt4ANRGz_5N11TiiDyeizXMPtsDpdEHtcS3/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuo5RDcDk8o3Hk64a7F4zR-0N-mDKgJDbss4nWTRLNpPjmXq017D59bkvO5hfkyIamEiHmYdYgCvgL8HpT_scEvZ56LpJJpSpXxWYZnGupNgSzUNEQJOEslvucTFUDFseHdTwrjNOVjMCMSrO5d99ABX4IvyKShGKlPNfzB31w5vI3SB_pqeqr5f5h3MJ/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuo5RDcDk8o3Hk64a7F4zR-0N-mDKgJDbss4nWTRLNpPjmXq017D59bkvO5hfkyIamEiHmYdYgCvgL8HpT_scEvZ56LpJJpSpXxWYZnGupNgSzUNEQJOEslvucTFUDFseHdTwrjNOVjMCMSrO5d99ABX4IvyKShGKlPNfzB31w5vI3SB_pqeqr5f5h3MJ/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaR9StBVxL8xAzWyy0YoPpXtOv_eJmTqengPa33OyYI7sTc39FWqsglUgvE54TBJ3-0ASFVvMQNkIzwPgIbIDKbbmIfEiZbFFUfD7Y2eWTcHia4ewDUzar5zK84xTYSVkpyPPccOoOIWWFdoakXzvQJCaT12nd45FgKzPCx_qCklstND51NSY2dq6lxwM/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaR9StBVxL8xAzWyy0YoPpXtOv_eJmTqengPa33OyYI7sTc39FWqsglUgvE54TBJ3-0ASFVvMQNkIzwPgIbIDKbbmIfEiZbFFUfD7Y2eWTcHia4ewDUzar5zK84xTYSVkpyPPccOoOIWWFdoakXzvQJCaT12nd45FgKzPCx_qCklstND51NSY2dq6lxwM/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20157.5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For further information about Sherlock Holmes and the law, please check out <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose161" rel="nofollow" style="color: #013fd3; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 161: Canon Law</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="13132" data-dashlane-rid="227029e4c8f9e14f" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/8461778/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/5995ce/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Baker Street Elementary</i></b><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in Victorian London. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at </span><a href="http://www.bakerstreetelementary.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #006f85; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;">www.bakerstreetelementary.org</a><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyHxoov2AdCNzI-sA382WHyzmCYKmU5vuVxxUUbwgmzd_zESpxNTWBoDo-0BOUVmZPf0EpIOXFT9y59il288HBvx1-_JJJXxHhZAn2orzWJPWbYZasKlLBplbQMHDaY9thgs_w1diI7ch/s1600/Baker+Street+Elementary.jpg" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyHxoov2AdCNzI-sA382WHyzmCYKmU5vuVxxUUbwgmzd_zESpxNTWBoDo-0BOUVmZPf0EpIOXFT9y59il288HBvx1-_JJJXxHhZAn2orzWJPWbYZasKlLBplbQMHDaY9thgs_w1diI7ch/s640/Baker+Street+Elementary.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><br /></div></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>

Baker Street Elementary – Partners in Crime

“they took into partnership” [VALL]  As Christopher Morley told us, the Sherlock Holmes stories were a textbook of friendship. But more than...

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by Scott Monty

Tips for Making the Most of the BSI Weekend

<h4 style="text-align: center;"><b>"Let me have the straight tip and you won't be a loser" [SILV] </b></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFYYwNkDcFee52TLetezTvrjJuCKXcoJ8tRTmgBBmyA6s8xbAhLwknSBTpj-Pkrx6jpEyFqM9xEg-CaN-pHP8mPZatyZtGZm8Rqasu7Kb8BZSgUSpY_ZdFEBKopS_ZrYAzONcuAGPHOHA/s1600/BSI+logo+full.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFYYwNkDcFee52TLetezTvrjJuCKXcoJ8tRTmgBBmyA6s8xbAhLwknSBTpj-Pkrx6jpEyFqM9xEg-CaN-pHP8mPZatyZtGZm8Rqasu7Kb8BZSgUSpY_ZdFEBKopS_ZrYAzONcuAGPHOHA/s640/BSI+logo+full.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: center;">With the </span><b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/2022/10/17/plans-2023-bsi-weekend/" target="_blank">BSI Weekend</a></b><span style="text-align: center;"> coming up, we thought it might be helpful to provide a series of tips for the veteran attendees and the newbies alike.</span><br /><br />The <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/2022/10/17/plans-2023-bsi-weekend/" target="_blank">Baker Street Irregulars Weekend</a> is happening January 5-9, 2023, and it's usually a pretty big deal if you're taking time out of your life to head into New York City for three or more days of activities with people you haven't seen in a year (or years!) or those you may have only known online until now.<div><br /></div><div>Whether you're making the trip for the first or twenty-first time, you know that the Weekend provides the same level of excitement, anticipation, and giddiness as Christmas morning does to a child.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6OGNTJ9y_alsmGZ4itwvxut6FnZFBQOLkk-N2WkkKYRjWi6VhW3taPMuwHbm71ZOdynxKBFX43yxwG0F0HkBqsQx3Z1pc4kiIezeMXQG6zPdPVmG4FPv6y_wsBc8QavGdfNnOZ680d6u/s1600/TWIS+Hugh+Boone.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6OGNTJ9y_alsmGZ4itwvxut6FnZFBQOLkk-N2WkkKYRjWi6VhW3taPMuwHbm71ZOdynxKBFX43yxwG0F0HkBqsQx3Z1pc4kiIezeMXQG6zPdPVmG4FPv6y_wsBc8QavGdfNnOZ680d6u/s320/TWIS+Hugh+Boone.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">All tips gladly accepted</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It's usually during those anxious moments that our brain-attic tends to forget some of the essentials that help make a great trip perfect. And for the uninitiated, it's just a matter of not knowing what you need to survive the BSI Weekend.<br /><br />This is the <b>tenth </b>annual installment of this post — the first of which was inspired by interviewing several members of the Baker Street Irregulars — including some newer members who might have a less distant memory of their first Weekend, and some who have been at it literally for decades. Information has been updated to reflect changes in the city as well as in technology.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this year, the ongoing pandemic has incurred some changes as well.<br /><br /><br />And if there are any additional tips that you think would be helpful to attendees, please feel free to add your own as a comment below. And if you'd like a sense of what it's like, listen to <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose74" target="_blank">Episode 74</a>:<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/191368218&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /><br />Herewith are the suggestions:<br /><br /><h3>Health 💉</h3></div><div><ul><li>While Sherlockians like to imagine a world where "it's always 1895," the reality of the present day is that we are still fighting a global pandemic. While it's not Tapanuli fever or the black Formosa corruption, it's a good idea to take precautions.</li><li>The first thing to note is that all events hosted by the Baker Street Irregulars require proof of vaccination for entry. The virus situation is always changing, so please visit the <a href="https://files.bakerstreetirregulars.com/bsi-event-covid-19.pdf" target="_blank">BSI Event Covid-19 requirements PDF</a> for the latest details. And check that PDF again on January 4, in case there are any last-minute changes.</li><li>And with the tripledemic, it wouldn't hurt to wear a mask when you're indoors and around a lot of people as well. </li><li><b style="font-style: italic;">Remember:</b><i> Your health and the health of loved ones at home when you return are of great concern to people who like to share your company at these events. </i>❤️</li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>PLEASE NOTE: </b>To get the latest BSI event news, go to the BSI website and sign up for the free <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/bsi-news-via-email" target="_blank">News from the BSI</a> email service.</li></ul></div><div><br /><h3>Bags 🧳</h3><ul><li>Make sure that you have plenty of room to bring home books that you buy. If you have to bring an extra bag that you can fold up and put in your suitcase, do so. </li><li>Some suggest bringing a plastic shopping bag to the BSI dinner, as it makes carrying the dinner packet around a little easier, especially if you plan to go to another venue afterward. </li><li>You might also consider <b>bringing a shopping bag to the Merchants Room</b> on Saturday to carry your various purchases. Not all merchants provide bags; carting away your haul is <i>your</i> responsibility. And you <i>do</i> want a haul, don't you?</li></ul><br /><h3>Meeting Others 📇</h3><ul><li>Bring business cards. You will be meeting a lot of new people, and you will be sharing contact information. Put as many as you think that you will need in your pack, and then double it. And be sure to include all modes of contacting you, including website, Twitter handle, etc. </li><li>If you're in need of a good card, the <a href="http://moo.com/">Moo</a> does a splendid job and <a href="http://vistaprint.com/">VistaPrint</a> has a fast turnaround time. </li><li>If you want to make sure you get your table mates to sign your menu, bring a pen to the dinner.</li><ul><li><b><i>Pro tip</i></b>: there's usually a pen in the dinner packet.</li></ul><li>Allow yourself time to schmooze with other Sherlockians. This is the fastest way to make new friends, who will quickly become old friends. </li></ul><br /><h3>Comportment / Etiquette 🤝</h3><ul><li><b>Do</b> tell people how good it is to see them again — or how lovely it is to meet them for the first time after having known them only online. </li><li><b>Do</b> tell them that you miss them in the intervening months between BSI weekends. </li><li><b>Do</b> tell them how invaluable they are to you as a Sherlockian comrade-in-arms and friend and how much you value their friendship. </li><li>If you're scheduled to speak at an event, be mindful not to overdo the alcohol beforehand. Dutch courage is usually inappropriate in such circumstances. </li><li>In this hyper-connected world, it's easy to forget that there are those attending the weekend for whom "it is always 1895" — or nearly so. When you're taking photographs, please be mindful of those who are firmly rooted in the 20th (or 19th!) century and who might not want to appear on your timeline by <u>asking their permission</u> to share your photos of them online. Common courtesy is timeless.</li></ul><div><br /></div><h3>Attire 🥿 🧥</h3><ul><li>Bring comfortable shoes. The weekend inevitably includes a lot of walking. </li><li>This one is especially for the ladies: it's useful to have a change of shoes in your handbag so the stilettos don't murder you by the end of the evening (or vice versa). </li><li>Bring warm clothes. It is winter in New York, and non-Sherlockian New York friends say they know when we are in town because we bring really bad weather. </li><li>Dress in layers. Many times the weather can be cold, but there have been instances in New York in January when we could – and did – comfortably walk about the streets without even a jacket on. </li></ul><br /><h3>Money 💰</h3><ul><li>Bring small bills. They will come in handy as you share taxis going from place to place, and you’ll find them handy when tipping helpful service employees. </li><ul><li><b><i>Pro tip</i></b>: We prefer withdrawing $2 bills from the bank and bringing them with us to make things extra efficient.</li></ul><li>Bring a checkbook (or cash!) to the Merchants Room, as not everyone there takes credit cards and you may find an item you must have. </li><li>If you see something you're interested in at the Merchants Room and you can afford it, don't wait until your second sweep of the room – it will probably be gone by then.</li><li>Most of the vendors in the Merchants Room are very kind and understanding people, and many are also collectors or Sherlockians themselves. If you would care to haggle with them, they're likely open to it. It can't hurt to ask.</li><li>The BSI and Wessex Press tables accept <b>credit cards, PayPal and Apple Pay</b>.</li><li>Estimate, on the top side, what you expect to spend – and then double it. That might get you through. 💸</li></ul><br /><h3>Time 🕰️</h3><ul><li>If you have any health conditions, allow yourself time to go back to your hotel room for periodic rests. Many find these rests invaluable, enabling them to enjoy the weekend despite their condition. Schedule your time. </li><li>Know when you need to be places (including when you need to catch the train/plane back home). </li><li>Count on it taking some time to get a cab amongst the other Sherlockians who may be headed to the same events as you.</li><li>Alternatively, download a ride-hailing app (such as <b>Uber </b>or <b>Lyft, </b>or <b>Curb </b>for taxis) to help you avoid these waits. <b>See below for more details and a way to save money on rides</b>.</li></ul><br /><h3>Getting Around 🚕 🚇 🚶</h3><ul><li>Hey, Magellan, guess what? You have the power of a global satellite navigation system in the palm of your hand. That is, if you have a smartphone. Google Maps or Apple Maps are indispensable for getting around, by foot, taxi, or public transportation.</li><li>If you want something customized to New York, there are other apps to choose from: <a href="https://citymapper.com/nyc" target="_blank">Citymapper</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=guide.unitedstates.newyork.prod&hl=en_US&gl=US" target="_blank">New York Guide for Android</a> and iOS has the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/new-york-travel-guide-offline/id319296365?mt=8">New York Travel Guide and Offline Map</a>.</li></ul><div><br /></div><ul><li>If you don't like using the map app on your phone, print out a street map of the city with the places you need to be circled or otherwise identified. Many things are within walking distance, but it is good to know you are starting out in the right direction (or know when to turn). </li><li>Download and print Monica Schmidt's <b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15khA9aIru03NI-O1aH6SARTWjsouUe6DUIQTXk9aIl4/edit?usp=drivesdk&fbclid=IwAR1kCfGk0796ssWAhvJYm1BgPHbLLfRH-ajm5qCip4jD_hENs4Tcw-Lw284" target="_blank">handy schedule</a></b>, particularly if you're more visually inclined. It's a nice grid.</li></ul><ul><li>If you want to go to Otto Penzler's <a href="http://mysteriousbookshop.com/" target="_blank">Mysterious Bookshop</a> and are staying at The Westin Grand Central Hotel, the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to go is by subway. From Grand Central take a <b>4</b> or <b>5</b> express train <b>two</b> stops to <b>Brooklyn Bridge Station</b>; it is a very short walk over to Otto's. Don't take a local (which makes 10 stops). The express is about five minutes. </li><li>Download the <b>MYmta app</b> from the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mymta/id1297605670?mt=8">App Store</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.mta.mymta&hl=en">Google Play</a> for navigating the subway. </li><li>Pool funds with others to buy regular per-ride <b><a href="http://web.mta.info/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm">MetroCards</a></b>. These can be shared by up to four people on each trip and are good for one transfer between subway/bus or between buses on uptown/crosstown routes within 2 hours.</li><ul><li>If you're 65 or older, present ID for a reduced fare MetroCard – $2.75 for two rides with the same transfer provisions noted above. <b>Note:</b> a 65+ MetroCard <b><i>cannot</i></b> be shared and you must find a live 'token booth' clerk to inspect your ID – reduced fare not available in machines.</li><li>If you reach the end of the Weekend with a balance on your MetroCard, return to New York more frequently! Or give your card to local-area Sherlockians.</li></ul></ul><div><br /></div><ul><li>Download a ride-hailing app such as <a href="https://lyft.com/i/SCOTT726787" target="_blank">Lyft</a>, Uber, or <a href="https://my.gocurb.com/invite85u83u" target="_blank">Curb</a>. </li><ul><li>If you'd like a code for <b>Lyft</b>, use <a href="https://lyft.com/i/SCOTT726787">SCOTT726787</a> to sign up and receive a $5 credit towards rides.</li><li><b>For NYC taxis, </b><a href="https://my.gocurb.com/invite85u83u" target="_blank">download the Curb app</a> and use the code <b>85U83U</b> to get $5 when you create an account. You can either request a cab with it,  or when you're in a cab simply enter a 7-digit code displayed in the cab and it will pair with your device.</li></ul></ul><br /><h3>Logistics 📝</h3><ul><li>Bring your event payment confirmations, just in case of a glitch in the system. </li><li>Also, everything is pretty centrally located, but it's a good idea to have a list of your schedule with the addresses of the venues so that you don't suddenly find yourself asking, where the devil am I supposed to be right now? </li><li>The heat during the BSI dinner has been uncomfortable in years past in the Yale Club (potentially dangerously uncomfortable a few years ago) – if this happens again, vests/waistcoats are not advised. Unless you're <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcaric/8379354330/">Mattias Bostrom</a>. </li></ul><br /><h3>The Unscheduled 📅</h3><ul><li>If possible, make breakfast plans with other Sherlockians (unless you prefer to eat breakfast alone – saving energy for later conversations).</li><li>To some, the secret to enjoying the jam-packed weekend is to find private, unpublicized events for more intimate interactions. How to find these? “<i>You know my methods. Apply them</i>.” </li></ul><br /><h3>Dining 🍽️</h3>What? You’re not getting enough food between events? Thankfully there are gaps that allow a Sherlockian to venture places on his or her own. And of course, there are plenty of restaurants in and near Grand Central Station, which is in great proximity to the Yale Club and the Westin Grand Central Hotel.<br /><ul><li>The restaurant scene in NYC has changed drastically during the pandemic. Some old favorites may no longer be there; some may have restricted hours or dining arrangements.</li><li>Check <b><a href="https://www.opentable.com/landmark/restaurants-near-grand-central-station" target="_blank">Open Table</a></b> for restaurants that take reservations; they offer free booking and allow you to see availability of tables by time and by number of seats. </li><li>Several Sherlockians like to go to the <b><a href="http://www.oysterbarny.com/">Oyster Bar</a></b> for dinner. There are a number of <b><a href="https://www.grandcentralterminal.com/restaurants/" target="_blank">Grand Central Restaurants</a></b> inside. </li><li>For a more comprehensive listing of eateries nearby, check <b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/RestaurantsNear-g60763-d103371-Grand_Central_Terminal-New_York_City_New_York.html" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Restaurants+Near+Grand+Central+Station&find_loc=New+York%2C+NY" target="_blank">Yelp</a></b>,</li><li>And heaven forbid, don't forget about the <a href="http://www.redflamenyc.com/">Red Flame</a>, the perennial favorite next door to the Algonquin Hotel on W. 44th Street.</li></ul><br /><h3>Online 📱</h3>Whether you're in New York for the festivities or sequestered at home, it might be worthwhile to follow along online. Some ways to do that:<br /><ul><li>The official hashtag of the BSI Weekend on Twitter is <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bsiweekend&src=typd">#BSIWeekend</a>.  </li><li>We also have a <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock/lists/sherlockians">list of Sherlockians on Twitter</a> whom you might consider following. A number of them will be at the weekend as well.</li><li>The Doylean Honors will be held <b>online </b>as well as in person on Thursday, January 5 at 11:15 am EST. <a href="http://acdsociety.com/Honors/Honors.html" target="_blank">Register at the ACD Society site</a>.</li><li>And don't forget about <a href="https://www.doingsofdoyle.com/p/the-literary-agents.html" target="_blank">The Literary Agents, who are hosting a Zoom meeting</a> at 10:30 am EST on Friday, January 6.</li></ul><br /><br /></div><div>That sums up our list. Do you have tips as well, dear readers? Please leave them in a comment below or drop us a line and let us know what your secrets are so we can all be beneficiaries.<br /><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">--</div></div>

Tips for Making the Most of the BSI Weekend

"Let me have the straight tip and you won't be a loser" [SILV]  With the  BSI Weekend  coming up, we thought it might be helpf...

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by Scott Monty

Nominations Are Open for the Susan Rice Mentorship Award

<p></p><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">“twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us” [SPEC]</h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNsgCY2JRMohz42NAtuVTQXg8WSSN8Hf4peDxiox5RWJOeJ2AS6tlyNMsQJVrNi5Ff9MdNw6PeZ7w0--Bg7bpxzouCLqGCEBhAYe_uXv1kyGoKHgvDeI8Hi3pXWWjeyO-gouPG6cbojhQ7UdI9XjtT98NM-q9zHsL6_mccy4ajEzRrQsxlSP2l3Onaw/s960/Blau-Rice.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNsgCY2JRMohz42NAtuVTQXg8WSSN8Hf4peDxiox5RWJOeJ2AS6tlyNMsQJVrNi5Ff9MdNw6PeZ7w0--Bg7bpxzouCLqGCEBhAYe_uXv1kyGoKHgvDeI8Hi3pXWWjeyO-gouPG6cbojhQ7UdI9XjtT98NM-q9zHsL6_mccy4ajEzRrQsxlSP2l3Onaw/w640-h428/Blau-Rice.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Will Walsh, BSI</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <div>Every profession, every hobby needs mentors. A mentor's job is to help new arrivals understand the context and meaning of the organization they're stepping into. Mentors helpfully point out the guardrails, endlessly encourage curiosity, and consistently communicate the worth and potential of those in their charge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mentors are leaders.</div><div><br /></div><div>And we were blessed to have such a leader in <b>Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s.</b> ("Beeswing") as part of the Sherlockian movement. You can read <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2020/10/remembering-susan-rice-ash-bsi-2s.html#.Y0VupXZKjb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">what our peers had to say about Susan</a> upon her passing two years ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>Susan was an exceptional writer, and one of her specialties was Vincent Starrett. We had the opportunity to speak with her and <b>Ray Betzner, BSI</b> ("The Agony Column") about Starrett on <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose61" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 61</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="4677" data-dashlane-rid="7bd3e822dd64a1ca" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/2671427/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/000000/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And there could be no better example of Susan's mentorship than her involvement with the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes and the quiet yet determined effort to see women admitted to the Baker Street Irregulars, which we discussed with her and <b>Evelyn Herzog, BSI</b> ("The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet") in <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose89" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 89</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="4680" data-dashlane-rid="ef76ff83883f0b14" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4113629/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/a70101/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So when the <b>Susan Rice Mentorship Award</b> was announced at the 2022 BSI Weekend, it was no surprise that stalwart <b>Peter Blau, BSI</b> ("Black Peter") was announced as the inaugural recipient. [That's Peter pictured above with Susan.]</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We're happy to say that the accolades will continue annually and that <b>nominations are open until October 31</b> for the Susan Rice Mentorship Award, which will be announced and presented at the 2023 BSI Weekend.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXTIK0FKFYMe2DJ3yLgFLMocXxgB2syBNincfwLQCeTX3An7QTCWcucAiHzG_6l5Q4Kyms8xJDI8hE2ml2wiaRwb09Q_nnePlZ7iGWiSyKDeGGCdjwouO_iXxTURfrsPMohGC2wGEQkGz-OTNJaFAqnSE_Qfd3w6VnUl_chkZlWgkXT3Lm6xpIyoj6A/s1500/Award.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1500" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXTIK0FKFYMe2DJ3yLgFLMocXxgB2syBNincfwLQCeTX3An7QTCWcucAiHzG_6l5Q4Kyms8xJDI8hE2ml2wiaRwb09Q_nnePlZ7iGWiSyKDeGGCdjwouO_iXxTURfrsPMohGC2wGEQkGz-OTNJaFAqnSE_Qfd3w6VnUl_chkZlWgkXT3Lm6xpIyoj6A/w640-h494/Award.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What is the Susan Rice Mentorship Award?</h3><div><div>The award is to recognize the activities of a member of the Sherlock Holmes community who has been a mentor to others, in the spirit of Susan Rice. The award will be judged on the mentor’s commitment to bringing aspiring Sherlockians into the cause and encouraging them to find ways to keep green the memory of Sherlock Holmes. While those activities could be in the traditional realm of trifling monographs and playing The Game, we would also recognize that the effort could take place in other media and activities. </div><div><br /></div><div>To sum up who we are looking for in a few words: Someone who is generous, welcoming, and offers encouragement.</div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Who Is Eligible For The Award?</h3><p>The Susan Rice Mentorship Award is open to all living Sherlockians who are generous, welcoming, and offer encouragement. They will also need to have a proven record that supports that definition. No current judges or previous winners may be considered for the award. The award is not limited to members of the Baker Street Irregulars.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">How Is Someone Nominated?</h3><p>The award will be given based on nominations. The nominator should complete an essay of 750 words or fewer that answers this question: “Who do you believe should be recognized for their work in mentoring aspiring Sherlockians and why? Please provide specific examples of their guidance, encouragement, and welcoming spirit.” </p><p>Qualities to consider when nominating: Welcoming to all Sherlockians; looking out for new Sherlockians to join the ranks; encouraging involvement and guiding people through their participation; connecting new Sherlockians to current members of the BSI; believing in someone even if they don’t believe in themselves; leaving the organization better than when they joined it. </p><p>Should someone be nominated in one year and not win, they would need to be re-nominated for consideration in succeeding years.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Where Should Nominations Be Sent?</h3><p>Nominations should be sent to <a href="mailto:SusanRiceMentorAward@gmail.com">SusanRiceMentorAward@gmail.com</a>. An acknowledgment email will be sent in reply. </p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Who Are The Judges?</h3><p>The current judges are <b>Curtis Armstrong</b>, <b>Ray Betzner</b>, <b>Jenn Eaker</b>, <b>Ashley Polasek</b>, and <b>Steven Rothman</b>. Again, judges are not eligible for the award.</p><p><br /></p><p>For a heartfelt reminiscence on Susan Rice's impact from a former mentee of hers, read <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/susan-rice-mentorship-award" target="_blank">Curtis Armstrong's essay on the Studies in Starrett blog</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>We hope you nominate someone worthy of the award.</p><p><br /></p><p>[<i>Correction: an earlier version of this misattributed the photo credit. Will Walsh, BSI took the photo.</i>]</p><p>--</p><p><br /></p></div>

Nominations Are Open for the Susan Rice Mentorship Award

“twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us” [SPEC] Photo courtesy of Will Walsh, BSI   Every profession, every hobby needs ment...

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by Scott Monty

Evil Lurks Abroad

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“foreigners who get into difficulties” [GREE] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsaX-NHMHL7XwD-Woeho7gDqcL8rfwaCGn-gh3K81buVbt35SKn8428BocA68_0YDdUCYbm9kJT8tx8G5FSkK8Pe9-H6_SZSdl2VadyUdWupYmjDMAoQ3TTyh8PsKlpKkhFqHd3ph_HSoXh15qUTzGV0XuY8N5b7OfzR9Mg0wj8RsvOQx_qF3hN9hnA/s1280/GREE%20-%20Latimer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1117" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsaX-NHMHL7XwD-Woeho7gDqcL8rfwaCGn-gh3K81buVbt35SKn8428BocA68_0YDdUCYbm9kJT8tx8G5FSkK8Pe9-H6_SZSdl2VadyUdWupYmjDMAoQ3TTyh8PsKlpKkhFqHd3ph_HSoXh15qUTzGV0XuY8N5b7OfzR9Mg0wj8RsvOQx_qF3hN9hnA/w558-h640/GREE%20-%20Latimer.jpg" width="558" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><i><b>Editor's note:</b> the following was submitted to us by Robert S. Katz, BSI ("Dr. Ainstree") and Mark Jones, BSI ("Peter Jones")</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>It’s notable that so many of the crimes and criminals investigated by Sherlock Holmes have their roots in other nations. Even if a crime is committed in England, the roots of the evil deed and/or the origins of the evildoer were planted in some foreign land and imported to England.</p><p>While a few of the crimes in the Canon are homegrown, relative to the size of the Canon itself, a disproportionate number start elsewhere. </p><p>In the very first story, <i>A Study in Scarlet</i>, everything starts in the American West and a major religion, based in the United States, is represented as some sort of criminal conspiracy. The trend is continued in <i>The Sign of the Four</i> as the initial action takes place in India, followed by the Andaman Islands, with the consequences migrating to British shores at a later date. </p><p>The first of the short stories, “A Scandal in Bohemia” has two protagonists-cum-antagonists, one of whom is Bohemian and the other from New Jersey. </p><p><br /></p><p>The list continues throughout the Sherlockian journey. Killer Evans and Abe Slaney are from Chicago. While Neil Gibson might not have committed an actual crime, he is the villain of the story and he’s also American. The criminals in “The Red Circle” and “The Six Napoleons” have their roots in Italy. Russian anarchists are the focus of “The Golden Pince-Nez.” </p><p>Even native Englishmen first go abroad to go astray, and then return to home. Grimesby Roylott is an example of this trend.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">“a foeman who is worthy of our steel” [HOUN]</h3><p>Yet, this antipathy towards foreigners, with devilry hatched elsewhere and then foisted upon England, reaches a zenith with the creation of the greatest of canonical villains. Professor James Moriarty, seemingly a native of Great Britain, possessed of an Irish or Anglo-Irish name, is really himself based on a foreigner.</p><p>Ben McIntyre, in his excellent book, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3eOR5BD" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Napoleon of Crime</a></i> tells the story of Adam Worth, master criminal and criminal mastermind. Worth’s exploits were well-known to Conan Doyle, and the term “Napoleon of the criminal world” was first used by Robert Anderson of Scotland Yard. McIntyre describes in considerable detail how Conan Doyle came to model Moriarty after Worth.</p><p>While Moriarty at first appears to be something of a homegrown creation, the backstory is consistent with the persistent xenophobia that echoes throughout the stories. </p><p>Adam Worth has a seemingly British-enough name. But Adam Worth was not Adam Worth. He was Adam Werth, or perhaps Adam Wirth. Born in Germany to impoverished parents, he was brought to Cambridge, Massachusetts as a small child. </p><p>While still a teenager, he had a notorious Civil War career, joining the Union Army in return for an enlistment bounty, deserting, reenlisting under another name for another bounty, etc. At one point, he even deserted the Union and surrendered to Confederate troops in return for yet another payment, and then promptly escaped the South. He eventually became the great criminal of his age, plying his trade on the Continent and in England.</p><p><br /></p><p>Conan Doyle was aware of this when he created Moriarty. Rather than developing a character <i>de novo</i>, he returned to his basic concept of seeing evil born elsewhere and then traveling and polluting English soil. Edgar Smith, in his early study of Moriarty (<i>The Napoleon of Crime</i>, The Pamphlet House, 1953), suggests that the Professor was born in the West of England. But his true birth was on the Continent and his development into a criminal took place in America. </p><p>Conan Doyle maintains this attitude to the end. In “His Last Bow,” our final glimpse of Holmes in action, we find that he traveled to America to establish himself as a criminal, and then returned to England to fight spies who were from yet another foreign nation, Germany. </p><p>What then was the basis for this persistent effort to blame so many problems, so many crooks, so many crimes on people or events from abroad?</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">“the loungers and idlers of the Empire” [STUD]</h3><p>One explanation comes in the form of “imperial gothic,” a concept put forward by Patrick Brantlinger in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Lgy7A4" target="_blank">Rule of Darkness: British Literature and Imperialism, 1830–1914</a></i>. Brantlinger argued that many of the late Victorian writers were concerned that civilization, empire, and progress generally had stalled and were at risk of collapse. Conan Doyle, Rider-Haggard, Kipling, Buchan, et al responded with works that share three common views of the wider world.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">“the path backwards” [PRIO]</h4><p>The first is the idea of regression, that an individual who traveled to the furthest reaches of the Empire would be corrupted by the dangerous ideas to be found there. </p><p>One very explicit example of this is Professor Presbury’s monkey-antics which stem from a visit to Prague and the regular importation of a dangerous serum from overseas. Conan Doyle also presents imperial outposts as places where despicable impulse can be indulged, such as James Barclay’s treatment of Henry Wood. This is more a commentary on the lack of law and order on the frontier, rather than threats from overseas specifically. </p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">“the powers of evil are exalted” [HOUN]</h4><p>The second theme is the invasion of the west by demonic or barbaric forces. This is where imperial gothic really gets gothic and the occult comes to the fore. </p><p>Given “no ghosts need apply” in Sherlock Holmes’ world, this theme is more often seen in Conan Doyle wider work, in stories like “The Brown Hand” where a doctor is haunted by an Afghan hillman for his actions in India. </p><p>Of course, there are examples in the Canon, everything from the infamous Tonga and the swamp adder to the predatory sexual behavior of Baron Gruner, who is pointedly the “Austrian murderer.” The foreign criminal societies operating in England are themselves examples of barbaric forces, though again principally as threats to law and order.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">“persuaded her to fly with him” [GREE]</h4><p>The third theme is that, as the map of the world is filled in, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for adventure and for people (men) to prove themselves in the modern world. </p><p>The evidence for this is much stronger in <i>The Lost World</i> than in Canon but we may see it in the Sherlock Holmes stories in reverse. </p><p>The constant invasion of the metropolis by forces from overseas provides these opportunities in so many cases. Perhaps it’s significant that, after his Watson-reported retirement, Holmes has to go to America for a bit of adventure.</p><p><br /></p><p>All this should be colored by the recognition that often these writers — especially Conan Doyle —  saw empire as a civilizing mission, patronizing and aggrandizing though that was. </p><p>In later years, Conan Doyle appears to have lost faith in the empire’s ability to do this and saw spiritualism as an alternative —  a way of connecting all humanity towards a higher purpose. </p><p>The allegorical historical short stories in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3eRIj5R" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tales of Long Ago</a></i> are an overlooked stepping stone on that journey, in that they describe the cyclical nature of empires, and that while Britain’s may rise, it will inevitably fall. </p><p>In <i>Rule of Darkness</i>, Brantlinger argued that “the ultimate victory of spiritualism was prefigured for Doyle in the demise of the empires of this world” which may explain why he regarded <i>Tales of Long Ago</i> as his favourite collection of stories.</p><p>One wonders if the number of threats specifically from America is an unconscious recognition that the USA would one day supplant Britain as a world power. Conan Doyle was speaking as Holmes when the detective said the children of the future would be “citizens of the same world-wide country under a flag which shall be a quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes.” [NOBL] </p><p>But perhaps in that quartering there was some anxiety too. </p><p><br /></p><p><i>If you enjoyed this essay, you might enjoy the series of discussions on <a href="https://soundcloud.com/sherlockholmes-trifles/sets/international" target="_blank">international influences in the Canon</a> we hosted in Season 3 of <a href="https://www.sherlockholmespodcast.com" target="_blank">Trifles</a>:</i></p><p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/827406449&color=%2302ae05&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/sherlockholmes-trifles" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Sherlock Holmes: Trifles">Sherlock Holmes: Trifles</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/sherlockholmes-trifles/sets/international" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="International">International</a></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><p></p>

Evil Lurks Abroad

“foreigners who get into difficulties” [GREE]  Editor's note: the following was submitted to us by Robert S. Katz, BSI ("Dr. Ainst...

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by Scott Monty

Tips for Making the Most of the #BSIWeekend

<h4 style="text-align: center;"><b>"Let me have the straight tip and you won't be a loser" [SILV] </b></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFYYwNkDcFee52TLetezTvrjJuCKXcoJ8tRTmgBBmyA6s8xbAhLwknSBTpj-Pkrx6jpEyFqM9xEg-CaN-pHP8mPZatyZtGZm8Rqasu7Kb8BZSgUSpY_ZdFEBKopS_ZrYAzONcuAGPHOHA/s1600/BSI+logo+full.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFYYwNkDcFee52TLetezTvrjJuCKXcoJ8tRTmgBBmyA6s8xbAhLwknSBTpj-Pkrx6jpEyFqM9xEg-CaN-pHP8mPZatyZtGZm8Rqasu7Kb8BZSgUSpY_ZdFEBKopS_ZrYAzONcuAGPHOHA/s640/BSI+logo+full.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: center;">With the </span><b style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">BSI Weekend</a></b><span style="text-align: center;"> coming up, we thought it might be helpful to provide a series of tips for the veteran attendees and the newbies alike.</span><br /><br />The <a href="http://bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">Baker Street Irregulars Weekend</a> is happening January 12-16, 2022, and it's usually a pretty big deal if you're taking time out of your life to head into New York City for three or more days of activities with people you haven't seen in a year (or years!) or those you may have only known online until now.<div><br /></div><div>Whether you're making the trip for the first or twenty-first time, you know that the Weekend provides the same level of excitement, anticipation, and giddiness as Christmas morning does to a child.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6OGNTJ9y_alsmGZ4itwvxut6FnZFBQOLkk-N2WkkKYRjWi6VhW3taPMuwHbm71ZOdynxKBFX43yxwG0F0HkBqsQx3Z1pc4kiIezeMXQG6zPdPVmG4FPv6y_wsBc8QavGdfNnOZ680d6u/s1600/TWIS+Hugh+Boone.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6OGNTJ9y_alsmGZ4itwvxut6FnZFBQOLkk-N2WkkKYRjWi6VhW3taPMuwHbm71ZOdynxKBFX43yxwG0F0HkBqsQx3Z1pc4kiIezeMXQG6zPdPVmG4FPv6y_wsBc8QavGdfNnOZ680d6u/s320/TWIS+Hugh+Boone.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">All tips gladly accepted</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It's usually during those anxious moments that our brain-attic tends to forget some of the essentials that help make a great trip perfect. And for the uninitiated, it's just a matter of not knowing what you need to survive the BSI Weekend.<br /><br />This is the <b>ninth </b>annual installment of this post — the first of which was inspired by interviewing several members of the Baker Street Irregulars — including some newer members who might have a less distant memory of their first Weekend, and some who have been at it literally for decades. Information has been updated to reflect changes in the city as well as in technology.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this year, the ongoing pandemic has incurred some changes as well.<br /><br /><br />And if there are any additional tips that you think would be helpful to attendees, please feel free to add your own as a comment below. And if you'd like a sense as to what happens, listen to <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose74" target="_blank">Episode 74</a>:<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/191368218&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /><br />Herewith are the suggestions:<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Health 💉</h3></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>While Sherlockians like to imagine a world where "it's always 1895," the reality of the present day is that we are still fighting a global pandemic. While it's not Tapanuli fever or the black Formosa corruption, it's a good idea to take precautions.</li><li>The first thing to note is that all events hosted by the Baker Street Irregulars require proof of vaccination for entry. The virus situation is always changing, so please visit the B<a href="https://files.bakerstreetirregulars.com/bsi-event-covid-19.pdf" target="_blank">SI Event Covid-19 requirements PDF</a> for the latest details. And check that PDF again on January 11 in case there are any last-minute changes.</li><li>If you're doing non-BSI things in New York, the city also requires proof of vaccination for indoor activities such as dining.</li><li>And it wouldn't hurt to wear a mask when you're indoors and around a lot of people as well. </li><li><b style="font-style: italic;">Remember:</b><i> Your health and the health of loved ones at home when you return are of great concern to people who like to share your company at these events. </i>❤️</li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>PLEASE NOTE: </b>To get the latest BSI event news, go to the BSI website and sign up for the free <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/bsi-news-via-email" target="_blank">News from the BSI</a> email service.</li></ul></div><div><br /><h3>Bags 🧳</h3><ul><li>Make sure that you have plenty of room to bring home books that you buy. If you have to bring an extra bag that you can fold up and put in your suitcase, do so. </li><li>Some suggest bringing a plastic shopping bag to the BSI dinner, as it makes carrying the dinner packet around a little easier, especially if you plan to go to another venue afterward. </li><li>You might also consider <b>bringing a shopping bag to the Merchants Room</b> on Saturday to carry your various purchases. Not all merchants provide bags; carting away your haul is <i>your</i> responsibility. And you <i>do</i> want a haul, don't you?</li></ul><br /><h3>Meeting Others 📇</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Bring business cards. You will be meeting a lot of new people, and you will be sharing contact information. Put as many as you think that you will need in your pack, and then double it. And be sure to include all modes of contacting you, including website, Twitter handle, etc. </li><li>If you're in need of a good card, the <a href="http://moo.com/">Moo</a> does a splendid job and <a href="http://vistaprint.com/">VistaPrint</a> has a fast turnaround time. </li><li>If you want to make sure you get your table mates to sign your menu, bring a pen to the dinner.</li><ul><li><b><i>Pro tip</i></b>: there's usually a pen in the dinner packet.</li></ul><li>Allow yourself time to schmooze with other Sherlockians. This is the fastest way to make new friends, who will quickly become old friends. </li></ul><br /><h3>Comportment / Etiquette 🤝</h3><ul><li><b>Do</b> tell people how good it is to see them again — or to meet them for the first time after having known them only online. <b>Do</b> tell them that you miss them in the intervening months between BSI weekends. <b>Do</b> tell them how invaluable they are to you as a Sherlockian comrade-in-arms and friend and how much you value their friendship. </li><li>If you're scheduled to speak at an event, be mindful not to overdo the alcohol beforehand. Dutch courage is usually inappropriate in such circumstances. </li><li>In this hyper-connected world, it's easy to forget that there are those attending the weekend for whom "it is always 1895" — or nearly so. When you're taking photographs, please be mindful of those who are firmly rooted in the 20th century and who might not want to appear on your  timeline by <u>asking their permission</u> to share your photos of them online. Common courtesy is timeless.</li></ul><div><br /></div><h3>Attire 🥿 🧥</h3><ul><li>Bring comfortable shoes. The weekend inevitably includes a lot of walking. </li><li>This one is especially for the ladies: it's useful to have a change of shoes in your handbag so the stilettos don't murder you by the end of the evening (or vice versa). </li><li>Bring warm clothes. It is winter in New York, and non-Sherlockian New York friends say they know when we are in town because we bring really bad weather. </li><li>Dress in layers. Many times the weather can be cold, but there have been instances in New York in January when we could – and did – comfortably walk about the streets without even a jacket on. </li></ul><br /><h3>Money 💰</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Bring small bills. They will come in handy as you share taxis going from place to place, and you’ll find them handy when tipping helpful service employees. </li><ul><li><b><i>Pro tip</i></b>: We prefer withdrawing $2 bills from the bank and bringing them with us to make things extra efficient.</li></ul><li>Bring a checkbook to the Merchants Room as not everyone takes credit cards and you may find an item you must have. </li><li>If you see something you're interested in at the Merchants Room and you can afford it, don't wait until your second sweep of the room – it will probably be gone by then.</li><li>Most of the vendors in the Merchants Room are very kind and understanding people, and many are also collectors or Sherlockians themselves. If you would care to haggle with them, they're likely open to it. It can't hurt to ask.</li><li>The BSI and Wessex Press tables will accept <b>credit cards, PayPal and Apple Pay</b>.</li><li>Estimate, on the top side, what you expect to spend – and then double it. That might get you through. 💸</li></ul><br /><h3>Time 🕰️</h3><ul><li>If you have any health conditions, allow yourself time to go back to your hotel room for periodic rests. Many find these rests invaluable, enabling them to enjoy the weekend despite their condition. Schedule your time. </li><li>Know when you need to be places (including when you need to catch the train/plane back home). </li><li>Count on it taking some time to get a cab amongst the other Sherlockians who may be headed to the same events as you.</li><li>Alternatively, download a ride-hailing app (such as Uber, Lyft or Via) to help you avoid these waits. <b>See below for more details and a way to save money on rides</b>.</li></ul><br /><h3>Getting Around 🚕 🚇 🚶</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Hey, Magellan, guess what? You have the power of a global satellite navigation system in the palm of your hand. That is, if you have a smartphone. Google Maps or Apple Maps are indispensable for getting around, by foot, taxi, or public transportation.</li><li>If you want something customized to New York, there are other apps to choose from: <a href="https://citymapper.com/nyc" target="_blank">Citymapper</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=guide.unitedstates.newyork.prod&hl=en_US&gl=US" target="_blank">New York Guide for Android</a> and iOS has the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/new-york-travel-guide-offline/id319296365?mt=8">New York Travel Guide and Offline Map</a>.</li></ul><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If you don't like using the map app on your phone, print out a street map of the city with the places you need to be circled or otherwise identified. Many things are within walking distance, but it is good to know you are starting out in the right direction (or know when to turn). </li><li>Download and print the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/2019/12/summary-of-events.html" target="_blank">Summary of Weekend Events</a> from <a href="http://bsiweekend.com/">bsiweekend.com</a> (and seen below), or bookmark it on your smartphone. </li></ul><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If you want to go to Otto Penzler's <a href="http://mysteriousbookshop.com/" target="_blank">Mysterious Bookshop</a> and are staying at The Westin Grand Central Hotel, the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to go is by subway. From Grand Central take a <b>4</b> or <b>5</b> express train <b>two</b> stops to <b>Brooklyn Bridge Station</b>; it is a very short walk over to Otto's. Don't take a local (which makes 10 stops). The express is about five minutes. </li><li>Download the <b>MYmta app</b> from the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mymta/id1297605670?mt=8">App Store</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.mta.mymta&hl=en">Google Play</a> for navigating the subway. </li><li>Pool funds with others to buy regular per-ride <b><a href="http://web.mta.info/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm">MetroCards</a></b>. These can be shared by up to four people on each trip and are good for one transfer between subway/bus or between buses on uptown/crosstown routes within 2 hours.</li><ul><li>If you're 65 or older, present ID for a reduced fare MetroCard – $2.75 for two rides with the same transfer provisions noted above. <b>Note:</b> a 65+ MetroCard <b><i>cannot</i></b> be shared and you must find a live 'token booth' clerk to inspect your ID – reduced fare not available in machines.</li><li>If you reach the end of the Weekend with a balance on your MetroCard, return to New York more frequently! Or give your card to local-area Sherlockians.</li></ul></ul><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Download a ride-hailing app such as <a href="https://lyft.com/i/SCOTT726787" target="_blank">Lyft</a> or Uber. </li><ul><li>We highly recommend <a href="http://ridewithvia.com/" target="_blank"><b>Via</b></a>, which costs only $5 per ride anywhere in Manhattan and is one of the best values from the airport. Use the code <b><a href="http://ridewithvia.com/">scott5q3</a></b> to sign up and get a free ride.</li><li>If you'd like a code for Lyft, use <a href="https://lyft.com/i/SCOTT726787">SCOTT726787</a> to sign up and receive a $5 credit towards rides.</li></ul><li><b>Pro Tip:</b> </li><ul><li><a href="http://ridewithvia.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Via</a> offers the <b>1-week Manhattan 24/7 <a href="https://support.ridewithvia.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002370132-What-is-the-ViaPass-" target="_blank">ViaPass</a></b>, which is a great option if you're planning on non-subway transportation. It will give you up to <b>4 rides per day</b> (all day!) of up to $12 each in Manhattan (most Via rides are $5 or less) and will give you <b>20% off</b> any rides to the boroughs or airports. There is an additional nominal charge for +1s. The cost for a 1-week Manhattan 24/7 ViaPass is <b>$89 + tax</b>.</li></ul></ul><br /><h3>Logistics 📝</h3><ul><li>Bring your event payment confirmations, just in case of a glitch in the system. </li><li>Also, everything is pretty centrally located, but it's a good idea to have a list of your schedule with the addresses of the venues so that you don't suddenly find yourself asking, where the devil am I supposed to be right now? </li><li>The heat during the BSI dinner has been uncomfortable in years past in the Yale Club (potentially dangerously uncomfortable a few years ago) – if this happens again, vests/waistcoats are not advised. Unless you're <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcaric/8379354330/">Mattias Bostrom</a>. </li></ul><br /><h3>The Unscheduled 📅</h3><ul><li>If possible, make breakfast plans with other Sherlockians (unless you prefer to eat breakfast alone – saving energy for later conversations).</li><li>To some, the secret to enjoying the jam-packed weekend is to find private, unpublicized events for more intimate interactions. How to find these? “<i>You know my methods. Apply them</i>.” </li></ul><br /><h3>Dining 🍽️</h3>What? You’re not getting enough food between events? Thankfully there are gaps that allow a Sherlockian to venture places on his or her own. And of course, there are plenty of restaurants in and near Grand Central Station, which is in great proximity to the Yale Club and the Westin Grand Central Hotel.<br /><ul><li>The restaurant scene in NYC has changed drastically during the pandemic. Some old favorites may no longer be there; some may have restricted hours or dining arrangements.</li><li>Check <b><a href="https://www.opentable.com/landmark/restaurants-near-grand-central-station" target="_blank">Open Table</a></b> for restaurants that take reservations; they offer free booking and allow you to see availability of tables by time and by number of seats. </li><li>Several Sherlockians like to go to the <b><a href="http://www.oysterbarny.com/">Oyster Bar</a></b> for dinner after the Thursday night lecture. There are a number of <b><a href="https://www.grandcentralterminal.com/restaurants/" target="_blank">Grand Central Restaurants</a></b> inside. </li><li>For a more comprehensive listing of eateries nearby, check <b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/RestaurantsNear-g60763-d103371-Grand_Central_Terminal-New_York_City_New_York.html" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Restaurants+Near+Grand+Central+Station&find_loc=New+York%2C+NY" target="_blank">Yelp</a></b>,</li><li>And heaven forbid, don't forget about the <a href="http://www.redflamenyc.com/">Red Flame</a>, the perennial favorite next door to the Algonquin Hotel on W. 44th Street.</li></ul><br /><h3>Online 📱</h3>Whether you're in New York for the festivities or sequestered at home, it might be worthwhile to follow along online. Some ways to do that:<br /><ul><li>The official hashtag of the BSI Weekend on Twitter is <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bsiweekend&src=typd">#BSIWeekend</a>. We have a feed set up on the <a href="http://bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">BSI Weekend website</a>, or you can simply follow along by clicking on the hashtag, or even on <a href="http://tweetdeck.com/">TweetDeck</a>. </li><li>We also have a <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock/lists/sherlockians">list of Sherlockians on Twitter</a> whom you might consider following. A number of them will be at the weekend as well.</li><li>The Doylean Honors will be held online as well as in person on Thursday, January 13 at 11:15 am EST. <a href="http://acdsociety.com/Honors/Honors.html" target="_blank">Register at the ACD Society site</a>.</li><li>And don't forget about <a href="https://www.doingsofdoyle.com/p/the-literary-agents.html" target="_blank">The Literary Agents, who are hosting a Zoom meeting</a> at 10:00 am EST on Sunday, January 16.</li></ul><br /><br />Here is a handy downloadable and printable guide for the weekend; you may also bookmark it on your smartphone for easy reference (or download the Scribd app [<b><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDkQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fscribd-worlds-largest-online%2Fid542557212%3Fmt%3D8&ei=-CbdUJjZGcvkqQHM0IDoDQ&usg=AFQjCNFJrFun262V6ZZVXqQGlmr6dpo80A&sig2=1OSvbhebL4loQDJvzNIoJA&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.aWM">iOS</a></b> or <b><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CEIQFjAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Dcom.scribd.app.reader0%26hl%3Den&ei=-CbdUJjZGcvkqQHM0IDoDQ&usg=AFQjCNGmLSiZ-MqZs3_glflhk5qz1KmvgQ&sig2=O0KNeNDotXW6UwFloblUBA&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.aWM">Android</a></b>] to make it easier).<br /><br /><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/540764015/The-2022-BSI-Weekend#from_embed" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" title="View The 2022 BSI Weekend on Scribd">The 2022 BSI Weekend</a><span face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14px;"> </span><br /><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" scrolling="no" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/540764015/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-VrIuhT5MsUxe9Jmuofmn" tabindex="0" title="The 2022 BSI Weekend" width="100%"></iframe><br /><br /></div><br />And this year, Monica Schmidt has created <b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15khA9aIru03NI-O1aH6SARTWjsouUe6DUIQTXk9aIl4/edit?usp=drivesdk&fbclid=IwAR1kCfGk0796ssWAhvJYm1BgPHbLLfRH-ajm5qCip4jD_hENs4Tcw-Lw284" target="_blank">a handy schedule</a></b> for those who are more visually inclined.<div><br /></div><div>That sums up our list. Do you have tips as well, dear readers? Please leave them in a comment here on our site or drop us a line and let us know what your secrets are so we can all be the beneficiaries.<br /><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">--<br /></div></div>

Tips for Making the Most of the #BSIWeekend

"Let me have the straight tip and you won't be a loser" [SILV]  With the  BSI Weekend  coming up, we thought it might be helpf...

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by Scott Monty

Remembering Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s.

<p></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"> "she had indeed been a very remarkable woman." [VEIL] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwQlXKe6vPwAMtYelVcq9E9nEkkwQRrzSsa3JeNDC6EAv0beBXIB0-1mKUV-ibRmnsY1hyphenhypheno3tC4FiJPgJvA4RaT7vYDzGXX05VL0VhzhMzf1bLEO5SSH61E3SBdtve6853i7X51bUoOAt/s2048/IMG_4540.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwQlXKe6vPwAMtYelVcq9E9nEkkwQRrzSsa3JeNDC6EAv0beBXIB0-1mKUV-ibRmnsY1hyphenhypheno3tC4FiJPgJvA4RaT7vYDzGXX05VL0VhzhMzf1bLEO5SSH61E3SBdtve6853i7X51bUoOAt/w640-h480/IMG_4540.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>With every passing year, the world of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts loses some of our own. While it's to be expected as part of the circle of life, it's heart wrenching each time we have to stand "on the terrace" for our dearly departed friends.</p><p>And no more so than in the case of Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s. ("Beeswing"). Susan received her investiture in the <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/">Baker Street Irregulars</a> in 1991 and the Two Shilling Award in 2002. Her investiture in the <a href="https://ash-nyc.com/" target="_blank">Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes</a> was "A Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with Some Observations Upon the Segregation of the Queen," granted in 1981.</p><p>We've known Susan for almost as long as we've been involved in Sherlockian circles, first having met her at an Autumn in Baker Street in the mid-1990s. And despite being the resident wordsmith around these parts, we were struck dumb upon her death on September 28. </p><p>Even if we did find our voice to properly honor her memory at this time, it simply wouldn't be enough. You see, Susan's impact on the world of Sherlock Holmes deserved more than a single voice remembering her. She touched many lives and touched them deeply—so deeply that we thought it appropriate to have her honored by a number of voices, and particularly voices of those who were closest to her.</p><p>Susan ran ASH Wednesday gatherings until recently. She took over the annual William Gillette Luncheon from Lisa McGaw and ran it for decades before passing it along as well. Obviously, there are decades more that preceded these recent organizations, but Susan was an able administrator who ran things with a schoolteacher's stringency and a loving hand.</p><p>John Bennett Shaw, BSI ("The Hans Sloane of My Age") has been called the Johnny Appleseed of the Sherlockian movement, planting his influence all over the country as he met people, corresponded with them, and brought them together for his conferences.</p><p>Susan Rice might be best remembered as the Lady Liberty of the Sherlockian movement, welcoming everyone, regardless of how they came to Holmes, what their interests are, or any other aspect of their lives. Susan made her home in New York City, lifting her lamp beside a golden door to Sherlockian circles, offering a warm welcome to anyone who wished to enter:</p><blockquote><p>"A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame<br />Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name<br />Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand<br />Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command<br />The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame."</p></blockquote><p><br />Rather than nattering on in a way that doesn't do her memory justice, we'll turn this over to a small group of people whose lives Susan undeniably touched.</p><p><br /></p><hr /><div><i><br />The first goes back the farthest.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Curtis Armstrong, BSI ("A Fine Actor")</h3><p>Susan Rice, while a young teacher at the Kingswood School in the toney Bloomfield Hills suburb of Detroit, lived in an apartment many teachers would’ve given their eye-teeth for. When I close my eyes, I can still walk through it.  </p><p>Not that that was difficult, because it was a two-room, tiny place, with a kitchenette and bathroom, but to me it seemed like heaven. For one thing it was located in <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Cranbrook+Gardens&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS913US913&sxsrf=ALeKk01xZCMOU7iDpb_ROv-CPRlhW_SZvA:1602817533020&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiCxMfNkLjsAhVFOKwKHd_zDGIQ_AUoAXoECAUQAw&biw=1280&bih=616" target="_blank">Cranbrook Gardens</a>, the park surrounding the old Dodge Estate. Not near the gardens—smack in the middle of them, overlooking the walled gardens themselves, what may have been the original kitchen garden of the estate.  Her apartment was in one the towers in this eccentric layout, and it was beautiful, especially when the park itself was closed to the public, in the winter and after a snowfall. </p><p>Anyway, it was what happened once you got inside the apartment that the real magic happened.  I keep meaning to look through the boxes of old <i>Baker Street Journals</i> that I have stored away somewhere to find that issue of the <i>Journal</i> that changed everything for me. One reason I particularly would like to find it is because Susan and I, in after years, could never remember if it was 1969 or 1970. It doesn’t matter and I have always said it was 1969. It announced the formation of a new scion Society in Bloomfield Hills, calling itself The Trifling Monographs. The contact information was Susan’s address in Cranbrook Gardens. I wrote her, requesting information about the next meeting. I don’t recall a phone conversation, though there may have been one.</p><p>Sometime later, I received a packet in the mail.  Everything in that packet was donated years ago to the BSI Trust, including things like the By-Laws and Initiation.  I did keep a copy of Susan’s cover note to me, invited me and a friend of mine at the time, Cheryl, who was experiencing a fleeting interest in Sherlock Holmes, to the next meeting the following Saturday.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguD3f26RfTH1lUnWcR3B_wAlSDo8OeepJt7dkZn8_ZgIeDO2lKZu42nCwwi6QLmVv1KrI6AHtvdpb-ohYn5kzHe8_ar7He7WjbpWmjNzEaoRfSF9mmt8xKXG-YvMMCoWjUU7y3-OjfgMg/s1461/Curtis+note.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1461" data-original-width="1228" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguD3f26RfTH1lUnWcR3B_wAlSDo8OeepJt7dkZn8_ZgIeDO2lKZu42nCwwi6QLmVv1KrI6AHtvdpb-ohYn5kzHe8_ar7He7WjbpWmjNzEaoRfSF9mmt8xKXG-YvMMCoWjUU7y3-OjfgMg/w538-h640/Curtis+note.jpg" width="538" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Susan's note to Curtis (courtesy of Curtis Armstrong)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I remember being particularly impressed by the fact that she had to change the time of the meeting because she had a luncheon in Detroit. Not lunch. <i>Luncheon</i>!  </p><p>Our meetings consisted of discussions about previously assigned stories, imaginatively designed quizzes, and just socializing. We were <a href="ihose.co/ihose125" target="_blank">nerds</a>, after all, and Susan’s apartment was a safe space for us.  One of the rare Monograph meetings not held at Susan’s was a dinner at my house, celebrating The Master’s birthday in January 1972. As Susan later reported it in the <i>Baker Street Journal</i>, the menu consisted of “grouse and a little something choice in wines.” (We had all turned 18 by then). I can guarantee that her description made it sound better than it was. As I recall, Cheryl and I had prepared Cornish Game Hen, and garlic bread. To choke down the feast, we had a bottle of Liebfraumilch or something equally lethal. My parents, good eggs that they were, had made themselves scarce that evening, giving the Sherlockians the run of the place.</p><p>And Susan, bless her, had made special arrangements for the evening. One of the guests that night was none other than Robert G. Harris, BSI ("The Creeping Man"), of the legendary <a href="http://www.amateurmendicantsociety.org/" target="_blank">Amateur Mendicant Society</a>. Probably the biggest “get” in the Detroit Sherlockian community at that time, Bob Harris, accompanied by his wife, arrived bearing a Tantalus, a gasogene and a lot of stories. This was a man who, when referring to Christopher Morley, called him “Kit.” Truly, Jupiter had descended that night.  Harris was Susan’s Sherlockian mentor in the same way that she was ours.  </p><p>There were never any restrictions placed on discussion within our little group, and I felt free to talk there in a way I just didn’t with my school friends. We all of us had an instinctive sense of where the limits were, and were we to go too far astray, Susan had the good educator’s ability to rein us in without seeming to.  <br /><br />She was never a collector, but she did have books that we didn’t have, the cherished Writings on the Writings, which we could borrow if we were interested. There was only one book on her shelves she refused to lend us and that one still makes me smile. </p><p>She had been to Greece, she told us, and while there had found next to her on a bus, a paperback book left behind by a previous rider.  The title was <i><a href="https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30179191646&searchurl=sortby%3D17%26tn%3DThe%2BSexual%2BAdventures%2Bof%2BSherlock%2BHolmes&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title2" target="_blank">The Sexual Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</a></i>, by J.Watson. There was much laughter and she let us leaf through it but the book remained on the restricted list.  Many years later, after moving to New York, I found a copy of the book in, of all places, Christopher Morley’s favorite bookshop, Medoza’s, on Ann Street.  It has remained in my collection, unread, ever since.  </p><p>On moving to Los Angeles, I reconnected with one of my erstwhile Monographs, Lucy Chase Williams, who I hadn’t seen since Detroit days. We agreed to meet in a bar in Hollywood and I jokingly said she should wear something distinctive, so I would recognize her. As I walked in that evening, there she was, at the bar, prominently displaying her copy of <i>The Sexual Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i> for me to see. It appears that during the Monograph’s diaspora, acquiring a copy of Susan’s forbidden book had become a kind of badge of honor! </p><p>Years later, Susan invited me to my first BSI weekend, and the year after, I was invited to my first dinner. As the evening ended, with famous Irregulars as far as the eye could reach, Susan dropped into the seat next to me.</p><p>“Okay,” she said, smiling. “Who do you want to meet?” </p><p>Thanks to Susan Rice, I never looked back.</p><div><br /></div><p></p><hr /><div><br /></div><div><i>A newer attendee of the "weekend" shows how Susan still had that same touch.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Nancy Holder, BSI ("Beryl Garcia")</h3><div>During my first BSI weekend, I was new to the process of securing reservations for all the different events and I neglected to make a reservation for the Gillette luncheon. I emailed Susan from my room at the Yale Club the morning of. She immediately wrote me back and said, "Come on down anyway! We'll find you a place!" </div><div><br /></div><div>And she did. She greeted me warmly, sat me down with all my new friends, and I immediately felt at home. I think that was the same year she won the Babes Ball costume contest for dressing either as a bee or a beehive. By then I already knew that she  was the bee's knees.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wdpp4WotQr30GYxRzs_oIlR8XP-xUGCn2IFwYi029Stzzbru9-tFUxatNrr5keAPknsW1BiQII1Hh_bercLGuVClGIgCbnkr79f2G1Udhhffc0_J_dQzcRQEpcYNO8ehVLnos3KV4PwH/s2048/IMG_0199.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wdpp4WotQr30GYxRzs_oIlR8XP-xUGCn2IFwYi029Stzzbru9-tFUxatNrr5keAPknsW1BiQII1Hh_bercLGuVClGIgCbnkr79f2G1Udhhffc0_J_dQzcRQEpcYNO8ehVLnos3KV4PwH/w480-h640/IMG_0199.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Susan, sporting her classic beehive at at the Gillette Luncheon</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /><div><br /></div></div><p><i>Over on the Studies in Starrett blog there's a slight detour titled "<a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2020/10/6/off-topic-susan-rice?fbclid=IwAR1jRlimh-gKNNPwFPPR0ntY7VGiZ0P8bObPnmRi6myeuCmqCtShwMN99ZA" target="_blank">This is a Fan Letter</a>." These are some excerpts.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Ray Betzner, BSI ("The Agony Column")</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jNhyphenhyphen322Pm28cWXGYfEh9sEj8axmghJ6VFnVwg9MLzEKoJ2Iu7Uw4J1LBWk2aYh2DPmFj5iwEfpmMML-twTpWZh2UcWWIo4Qj4Hicnt4djn740JtTUAFPfJ3yrBRUiw_hGTCad48YcW_z/s1500/Ray+Betzner+and+Susan+Rice.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1500" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jNhyphenhyphen322Pm28cWXGYfEh9sEj8axmghJ6VFnVwg9MLzEKoJ2Iu7Uw4J1LBWk2aYh2DPmFj5iwEfpmMML-twTpWZh2UcWWIo4Qj4Hicnt4djn740JtTUAFPfJ3yrBRUiw_hGTCad48YcW_z/w640-h384/Ray+Betzner+and+Susan+Rice.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy of Ray Betzner</span><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Susan was one of those rare folks that everyone admired. That was born out with the ear-splitting cry that went up when Tom Stix called her name as one of the first round of women invested into the BSI. (You can hear it yourself via <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose89" target="_blank">Episode 89 of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a>. If you were there, it is a grand memory to relive. And if you weren’t there, this was a historic moment you may enjoy.)</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/244625436&color=ff5500" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="ihearofsherlock">ihearofsherlock</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/episode-89-the-adventuresses" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Episode 89: The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes">Episode 89: The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes</a></div><br /><p></p><p>It wasn’t until the 1992 BSI dinner that she and I chatted for a while and we learned of our mutual admiration for Vincent Starrett. Susan had long been a fan of his work and I was just beginning my fascination with the fellow. Susan, who owned many of his books while always claiming not to be a collector, encouraged me to get a hold of Starrett’s books about books. I made a note to do so. </p><p>It was a pleasant talk, the first of many along those lines.</p><p>Then a wonderful thing happened. I got a letter from Susan Rice in the mail. It was my first (and only) fan letter. I know this was a fan letter because Susan states clearly at the top: “This is a fan letter.” I don’t know many shades of crimson that went across my face as I read it, but looking at it now, 28 years later, I am still floored that she would recall those little bits where our paths crossed and thought them worth writing about. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsYirFepqVn89KHzbjIKcTxH7JpFWShL28czs4eyMt55AbOMtlqN8dOcnPpBku6pvcU_7rcbuj9P8tJ5Mf0O2W3_KESEoCeGno_OGNXFrYjPp54zwywz8iyO3PPIUzQI-rufkAOmCk29P/s971/Fan+letter.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsYirFepqVn89KHzbjIKcTxH7JpFWShL28czs4eyMt55AbOMtlqN8dOcnPpBku6pvcU_7rcbuj9P8tJ5Mf0O2W3_KESEoCeGno_OGNXFrYjPp54zwywz8iyO3PPIUzQI-rufkAOmCk29P/w494-h640/Fan+letter.jpeg" width="494" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Susan's fan letter to Ray</i></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>For the next few decades after that letter, I became her devoted follower and we delighted in every opportunity to sit and chat. Susan was one of the wittiest folks I’ve ever known, and being with her encouraged me to try my hand at matching her bon mot for bon mot. I rarely rose to her level, but the competition was always delicious.</p><p><i>Read <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2020/10/6/off-topic-susan-rice" target="_blank">the rest of Ray's tribute in full here</a> and listen to Susan and Ray talk about Vincent Starrett on <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose61" target="_blank">Episode 61</a>, about which Ray writes, "<b>I didn’t want the afternoon to end. I still don’t</b>."</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134357765&color=ff5500" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="ihearofsherlock">ihearofsherlock</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/i-hear-of-sherlock-43" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Episode 61: The Private Life of Vincent Starrett">Episode 61: The Private Life of Vincent Starrett</a></div><p><br /></p><div><hr /><div><br /></div></div><div><i>Al and Julie Rosenblatt were there for many aspects of Susan's life, including her marriage to Mickey.</i></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Al Rosenblatt, BSI ("Inspector Bradstreet") and Julie Rosenblatt, BSI ("Mrs. Turner")</h3><div><div>We gain our sense of completeness from everything around us, most importantly the people that have enriched our lives. Losing Susan diminishes us personally and in our circle, but we will always have, and keep, the memories she forged: her talent, her character, her fortitude, her boundless fidelity to her friends and causes (not least, the Sherlockian side of her life), her engaging sense of humor, and above all, her love.</div><div><br /></div><div>Nowhere were these qualities on better display than at her wedding with Mickey. Officiating at the ceremony was among the truest privileges of my life. I cannot remember an event that produced more festive tears of joy  from all those assembled and  part of it. We have been to many weddings but this was by far the happiest. </div><div><br /></div><div>We have all shared years of great remembrances like these, with Susan, and we will cherish them forever.</div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsz8yEypCHrRe0yuvvjyCLs8BWuZCCzIpYr-7tDfexcJQ3Ez5pIyoAwujd4GoO5lZICuoiHHFB6JVK02uBlnj00PlTSj4XUW6PCniHmBvvCb7ZDjKWJHAH981cwX9R07coBLOfcjoAb1Ie/s960/Mickey+%2526+Susan+wedding.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="620" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsz8yEypCHrRe0yuvvjyCLs8BWuZCCzIpYr-7tDfexcJQ3Ez5pIyoAwujd4GoO5lZICuoiHHFB6JVK02uBlnj00PlTSj4XUW6PCniHmBvvCb7ZDjKWJHAH981cwX9R07coBLOfcjoAb1Ie/w414-h640/Mickey+%2526+Susan+wedding.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Courtesy of Mickey Fromkin</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /><div><br /></div></div><div><i>The Rosenblatt connection to Susan spans two generations.</i></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Betsy Rosenblatt, BSI ("Lucy Ferrier")</h3><div><div>Susan Rice was one of the first adults who felt like a friend to me.  I never really “became” a Sherlockian—in a way, I just always was one, the product of growing up in a Sherlockian household.  But Susan’s inviting kindness and open enthusiasm made me a Sherlockian, rather than just the child of Sherlockians. </div><div><br /></div><div>At my first ASH dinner, I was 12 years old, and I imagine it would have been easy to treat me as an inconvenience. But Susan and the “rowdy table” embraced me. They taught me the songs. We sang them with gusto. </div><div><br /></div><div>Susan always—<i>always</i>, no matter what else was going on—was surrounded by a bubble of warmth and invited others to join her and be joyful in it. She loved you, exactly you, exactly as you are, with all of your offbeat passions. She wanted you to be yourself, as she was herself. Herself was elegant and radiant and compassionate and opinionated and loving and oh, so knowledgeable. </div><div><br /></div><div>Susan and Mickey have been a model of love and mutual support for as long as my memory goes.  They were, I think, the first adults I came out to.  For years, I have delayed making an “oral history” of my time in Sherlockiana because I wanted to find a time when I could do it with them, because my Sherlockian story is so intertwined with them. I love them. I miss Susan.</div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1SUL5RfVWC3a05f7m8HfFyrBv3_djHSlAjThG7AvdBOuEvcOCuuRlcQf5B4sPpTF-jzxZ-8ZCI7FXwq96W3Ls9natdM_2qBMKcswN1HdgpQNshQ1-JvzO8QkrG3XhXBn6XTvDIo2QK57/s960/Mickey+%2526+Susan+BSIWeekend+2015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1SUL5RfVWC3a05f7m8HfFyrBv3_djHSlAjThG7AvdBOuEvcOCuuRlcQf5B4sPpTF-jzxZ-8ZCI7FXwq96W3Ls9natdM_2qBMKcswN1HdgpQNshQ1-JvzO8QkrG3XhXBn6XTvDIo2QK57/w640-h428/Mickey+%2526+Susan+BSIWeekend+2015.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mickey and Susan</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /><div><br /><i>Susan's decision to turn over the reins of the William Gillette Luncheon was a big one.</i> </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Jenn Eaker, BSI ("Mary Sutherland") </h3></div><div><div>“I know I made the right choice.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Susan used to always say those words to me when we were discussing the future of the William Gillette Luncheon and when she would finally step down. She’d say them again when she told me she had decided to pass the hosting torch to me at this year’s event. And she would repeat those words over and over when others came up to her to congratulate her on her tenure of hosting the luncheon coming to an end.</div><div><br /></div><div>Those words are like a balm to me right now. Her belief in me as a successor, her encouragement as a Sherlockian, her support as a friend, made me feel like I could do anything. She was so sure of her decision. Of me. Of my abilities. As someone who suffers severely from imposter syndrome, her words helped me peel away the layers of self-doubt and embrace my talents. </div><div><br /></div><div>And it wasn’t just me she did that for. Susan did that for everyone who came into her orbit. It’s just who she was. A nervous first-time ASH Wednesday attendee would arrive unsure, and leave with new friends, the dates of the next scion meetings in your area, and a seat at the table anytime you were able to return. Susan facilitated that.</div><div><br /></div><div>A new Sherlockian who was interested in writing a trifling monograph on a topic from the Canon would mention it to her in conversation. She would applaud the idea, ask questions to help you shape your thoughts, and then put you in touch with the right people to get it published in one of the many journals. Susan was your personal cheerleader. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a woman, I wouldn’t be a member of the BSI if it wasn’t for Susan and all of the hard work she and the other early Adventuresses did. Susan helped break down the door, and then after it was opened, made sure it never closed on the women and next generations of Sherlockians who followed her. I owe her so much. <b><i>We</i></b> owe her so much.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have our final photo together framed and displayed on a mantel in my home. It’s a lovely picture Charles Prepolec took of Susan, Mickey and me in January 2020. It’s the end of the luncheon, and we three are smiling at the conclusion of another successful event. I look at it every time I pass it, remembering how happy she was that day. And relaxed. Because it was her final time hosting the luncheon. And she knew who was taking over those duties and she didn’t have to worry. I hear her laughter as she catches up with friends. I see her greet old friends she hasn’t seen in years. And for a moment, I can feel the warmth of her presence next to me.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a Susan-shaped hole in my heart. But her memory lives on. And her legacy will continue to impact all of us, and those yet to find our Sherlockian world.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_DXFt0iFsE5qFH4qR9EJSt6LbchWvFWRApKUhyHsR4K3jKoDiVbJ9eualRZWuHmu126omnPNMgX2G4diEAyZAAems2cUKryjcuMSdYb5j2VDUSaq_C5JKg1sxpiX1LUt1Nc-rMW6-N2t/s960/Eaker+Fromkin+Rice+-+via+Prepolec.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_DXFt0iFsE5qFH4qR9EJSt6LbchWvFWRApKUhyHsR4K3jKoDiVbJ9eualRZWuHmu126omnPNMgX2G4diEAyZAAems2cUKryjcuMSdYb5j2VDUSaq_C5JKg1sxpiX1LUt1Nc-rMW6-N2t/w480-h640/Eaker+Fromkin+Rice+-+via+Prepolec.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy of Charles Prepolec</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /><div><br /></div></div><div><i>Susan had friends from all over, including a relatively quick train ride just south, in Philadelphia.</i></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Janice Fisher, ASH ("A Violet-Tinted Pencil")</h3><div><div>At the 2003 Birthday Weekend, I became <i>The </i>Woman of the Baker Street Irregulars. I had arranged to be toasted by my old friend Sherry Rose-Bond; I thought myself rather cunning in being the first Woman to be toasted by a BSI woman. Susan told Steven and me how much she enjoyed these performances and confided, </div><blockquote><div>"Long before I knew I could be a BSI, I had a fantasy of being named The Woman and seizing the microphone after the toast to give the BSI what-for. In my fantasy, I was so witty and charming in my invective that the fellas melted before me and changed their ways. Luckily, I was present to see Janice fulfill that fantasy, except of course that there were women in her audience because the BSI had actually managed to change their ways earlier."</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>I remember the famous 1991 Weekend cocktail party where Tom Stix had opened those BSI gates to the investiture of women. In my recollection, Evy Herzog levitated toward Tom as he announced her name, and Susan’s jaw actually fell open when she heard her own. (Sherry and I, in our exuberant post-game recap, were almost ejected from the train back to Philadelphia, but that’s another story.)</div><div><br /></div><div>As a result of my exalted Womanly status, Susan almost immediately began to address me as <i>The</i> in her emails. “Greetings to The,” began one. “I could have typed Greetings to Thee, which would be pronounced the same and would have made me feel all Quakerly!” (She was of course giving my Philadelphia home a shout-out—but Susan never needed to shout.) Another email promoted me: “Greetings O Sovereign The.” An email to Steven and me addressed us as “Dear <i>The </i>and <i>He</i>.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Steven (and I’m sure he’s not alone) has written of Susan’s delight in her friends and in knowing more about them. In an email, she told me, </div><blockquote><div>"I was surprised to hear of [Steven’s] comic collection, though something tells me I learned of this once before and then filed it in that bulging folder of miscellaneous interesting things that soon become obscured by the very thickness of the file. How many-parted we all are, and that's a sort of consolation when the world goes all awry. I can still look into friends and find something new."</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>I feel cheated of the opportunity to continue to learn new things about Susan. I'm so <i>peeved</i>—a truly childish word, but that's how I feel—that I won't be able to try match sass with her anymore. I've never met such a witty person who was also so unfailingly nice. It says more about me that I've always taken those to be incompatible traits. But not in the remarkable Susan. It was a privilege and a joy to be her friend.</div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOczhxON51zj9Qz-ZrSUkUtemzm-MnJCWfxknaCsik-vcIB9-QZoNPOYPiVty80Ry_UZjfAQ4Inj6cYxGKS4jPvnv93KC0E8BEU6toyrnoncHBB-5Ifm4dNDd4GKvzwREGP6TGjBk2zpkf/s2048/Susan+Rice+and+Sherry+Rose-Bond.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOczhxON51zj9Qz-ZrSUkUtemzm-MnJCWfxknaCsik-vcIB9-QZoNPOYPiVty80Ry_UZjfAQ4Inj6cYxGKS4jPvnv93KC0E8BEU6toyrnoncHBB-5Ifm4dNDd4GKvzwREGP6TGjBk2zpkf/w640-h480/Susan+Rice+and+Sherry+Rose-Bond.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Susan with Sherry Rose-Bond</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><hr /><div><br /></div></div><div><i>And while we're in Philadelphia, we should hear from Janice Fisher's husband.</i></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Steven Rothman, BSI ("<i>The Valley of Fear</i>")</h3><div><div>I am not sure when Susan and I first had a real conversation. I certainly knew her by sight and reputation by the very early 1980s. I <i>think</i> it was at the bar at 24 Fifth before a BSI Dinner. (Had we both been drafted by Stix to help with set-up? I know I always felt his hand on my shoulder.) But when we spoke, it was immediately clear that here was a people person of the first order—a woman who loved to meet people and find out about them. Since my own philosophy is “everyone has a story,” we were able to chat happily. </div><div><br /></div><div>Janice and I would see Susan and Mickey in New York and when they would come to Philadelphia either to see Helen Gioulis, Mickey’s college roommate, or for a Sherlockian event. Once Susan came to my home just to spend some hours reading Christopher Morley’s letters to Vincent Starrett. We all had fun marveling at what it meant to be a Sherlockian and a literary man in the 1930s and ’40s. Susan enjoyed her time in my library but made it quite clear that she was not a collector. (She always insisted, even while sitting by her own bookcase filled with bee books, that she was <i>not</i> a collector.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Talking with Susan was a delicious experience. She would give you all her attention, her bright eyes glistening with delight. And she would laugh, frequently. She was as happy to see you as you were to see her. I am sure there are people she disliked or who irked her. Susan was not a saint. But even those folks had something in them that she would find intriguing, if not beguiling. The disputatious nature of some Sherlockians frequently troubled her, but, when asked, Susan would offer up a compliment, since they, too, were her friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yet Susan had a tongue that could be sharp. She traded gossip with a touch of acid, a gleam in her eye, and that smile on her face. Susan’s smile was at the heart of her very being. The way she would light up at the sight of her friends was a gift to them she could not stop giving.</div><div><br /></div><div>Susan was a great Sherlockian. She was at least a triple threat: she knew her Canon, she loved her Sherlockian family, and she could write like nobody’s business. Susan was brimming with ideas about Sherlockiana, and she told them to the world in her distinctive voice. Susan was a great friend of <i><a href="https://ihose.co/BSJ" target="_blank">The Baker Street Journal</a></i>, and it was a joy to get an article from her. Not only did she write for the <i>Journal</i>, she made sure to let me know she read it, often copying me on notes to authors about articles that she particularly enjoyed. Humor, particularly subtle humor, gave her a special pleasure.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I wanted a <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/2004/12/27/bsj-2004-christmas-annual/" target="_blank"><i>Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual</i> devoted to The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes in 2004</a>, Susan reluctantly but graciously took on the project, though she had not been there at ASH’s birth. It is not only a scionic history; it is also a cultural history. She was always happy to be asked to serve as one of my (heretofore) anonymous judges of the <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/2001/05/01/morley-montgomery-award/" target="_blank">Morley–Montgomery Memorial Award</a> for the best piece in that year’s <i>BSJ</i>. Indeed, for several years she broke precedent and asked me if she could be a judge, claiming it gave her the greatest of pleasures. And she was an excellent judge. Susan always gave long, reasoned responses for her choices, and there was no real arguing with her rankings. She also helped make the small cocktail party where the Award is announced a special occasion, mingling, laughing, and drinking with a wide smile throughout. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of my favorite memories was the day that Susan and Susan Dahlinger took the bus to Philadelphia to see an exhibition of comic books (with virtually no Sherlockian content) that I had curated. We spent the afternoon looking and chatting. Neither of them had ever really been readers of comics or comic strips, so I was very touched that they would schlep on the bus just to see my tatty comics (albeit in an academic setting). It was a lovely day, and I loved both Susans for arranging it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then there was the wonderful day when we went to Manhattan for Susan and Mickey’s wedding. Everyone in that crowded room at the Players’ Club was smiling broadly. The officiant, Judge Al Rosenblatt, smiled very broadly indeed. But the biggest smiles of all were on the two brides in their matching dresses and lovely floral wreaths. Everyone in the room felt thrilled to be able to witness the marriage of two people whose long engagement had finally been ended by a slow-witted New York State.</div><div><br /></div><div>The best times with Susan were away from the Birthday Weekend crowd, where we could talk, eat, and laugh together. We would exchange our delight with the TV shows <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> and <i>Xena: Warrior Princess</i>, the most out television show ever in its day. Janice and I would join Mickey, Susan, and our near-neighbor Helen for long, lovely, brunches. Even when she had to use a wheelchair, Susan would trek with Mickey’s tireless assistance to Philadelphia for the <a href="ihose.co/ihose18" target="_blank">Copper Beeches</a>. We discovered together that the Racquet Club’s idea of “wheelchair accessible” involved a very steep ramp from a darkened alley. Somehow, we were able to maneuver Susan and her chair safely, but no one was happy until we had made it to Locust Street.</div><div><br /></div><div>I always said that Susan, with her delight with people and with life, was the youngest person in the room. I think I will forever hear Susan’s voice and see her smile. And I am the better for it.</div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1mbcT7OGRY_ULwzNCIayivzEVde5wR4cKXYwjYOW7C7192YpW2c523c_BUl_fSkvQ-gv78TCaYObXs_HnEv9QJwCNhRbeyp8fis7YcNYLwhfIQMKP6MhNs_S5h1H9YyYoyMyzObKWwsg/s960/Blau-Rice.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1mbcT7OGRY_ULwzNCIayivzEVde5wR4cKXYwjYOW7C7192YpW2c523c_BUl_fSkvQ-gv78TCaYObXs_HnEv9QJwCNhRbeyp8fis7YcNYLwhfIQMKP6MhNs_S5h1H9YyYoyMyzObKWwsg/w640-h428/Blau-Rice.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Peter Blau bringing out Susan's smile at the Gillette Luncheon</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><div></div><div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><hr /><div><br /></div></div></div></div><p>One privately-submitted response indicated an important aspect to Susan's collecting habit: that despite her strenuous objections, she <i>was</i> indeed a collector. But unlike so many other Sherlockians who amass books, artwork or tchotchkes, Susan collected friends. And many of them were on the young side, from her aspiring students in Detroit to the more recent fandom. She was a mentor to all of them.<br /><br /></p><p>There's so much to process with these wonderful perspectives. </p><p>While we could write a thoughtful reply or essay to each one, here's a through-line that's worth considering: Susan made everyone feel at home. Like they could be themselves.</p><p>We're not just talking about in Sherlockian ways; look again at the above. She made misfits feel as if we had a rightful place at the table. Nerds, LGBTQ+, noobs, comic book collectors, awkward types. Not only did she collect people, but she put them together and gave them a sense of <i>belonging</i>.</p><p>To make someone feel as if they belong is the ultimate act of love.</p><p>And Susan dispensed it liberally.</p><p>Farewell, Susan. The air of the Sherlockian world is forever sweeter for your presence.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA8CwMO7T9N9Ab1rQo_jDSGRHvk0is5xRXh1r2G2dyrh-W-RgDHDshTd9OcJbwO5w9gYaDRQ2_VtBXcBlQwEv1UJhKo2VMw-TIhBEYP3HeBymMYbGmi18qe6TxhkKYzHYc8vtSiYotqxw/s640/Susan+-+from+Mickey.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA8CwMO7T9N9Ab1rQo_jDSGRHvk0is5xRXh1r2G2dyrh-W-RgDHDshTd9OcJbwO5w9gYaDRQ2_VtBXcBlQwEv1UJhKo2VMw-TIhBEYP3HeBymMYbGmi18qe6TxhkKYzHYc8vtSiYotqxw/w456-h640/Susan+-+from+Mickey.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy of Mickey Fromkin</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><i>Do you have a particular memory of Susan? Feel free to leave it in the comment section below.<br /></i><p>--</p><p><br /></p>

Remembering Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s.

 "she had indeed been a very remarkable woman." [VEIL]  With every passing year, the world of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts loses so...

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by Scott Monty