Baker Street Elementary – Easter Eggs

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“so trivial a matter as cooking an egg” [THOR]<span> </span></h4><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVQU77Vs50q6EF73rykLwaExIWv563Od35tm5vogAB6lb0D9LYvzV4ryQALmcd3xn8yO4x-MZc5sLZaldypyCV5NkxnDLluaFPyhnWN9uMX6lI7BHQ5RtvIlhJBYFT78Abc6Egun66Oel889IiAZp4DMRhikI-4LGRznl1YH__d5AicxS8qEOIUBUha43/s1024/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20224.1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVQU77Vs50q6EF73rykLwaExIWv563Od35tm5vogAB6lb0D9LYvzV4ryQALmcd3xn8yO4x-MZc5sLZaldypyCV5NkxnDLluaFPyhnWN9uMX6lI7BHQ5RtvIlhJBYFT78Abc6Egun66Oel889IiAZp4DMRhikI-4LGRznl1YH__d5AicxS8qEOIUBUha43/w640-h360/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20224.1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><br />One of the great bits of fun when planning a Sherlockian meeting is selecting the menu. The Canon is ripe with references to food and drink in many different settings. </div><div><br /></div><div>We're keenly aware of Mrs. Hudson's morning cuisine dependably being described as "as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotch-woman," and the rather curious dish that followed in that story.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a fun assignment: at your next meeting, quiz your fellow Sherlockians on this: when it comes to that breakfast staple, the humble egg, which stories did it appear in? We'll give you the quotes, you supply the story. Answers are below.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. “But you have had enough of the case. Better have your ham and eggs first.”</div><div><br /></div><div>2. He received us in his quietly genial fashion, ordered fresh rashers and eggs, and joined us in a hearty meal.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. “Good! What are you going to take, Mr. Phelps—curried fowl or eggs, or will you help yourself?”</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup of coffee, and turned his attention to the ham and eggs. Then he rose, lit his pipe, and settled himself down into his</div><div>chair.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. “I must really apologize, Hopkins,” said Sherlock Holmes; “I fear that the scrambled eggs are cold. However, you will enjoy the rest of your breakfast all the better, will you not, for the thought that you have brought your case to a triumphant conclusion.”</div><div><br /></div><div>6. “There is little to share, but we may discuss it when you have consumed the two hard-boiled eggs with which our new cook has favoured us.”</div><div><br /></div><div>7. “Why, this article,” I said, pointing at it with my egg spoon as I sat down to my breakfast. “I see that you have read it since you have marked it.”</div><div><br /></div><div>8. “My dear Watson, when I have exterminated that fourth egg I shall be ready to put you in touch with the whole situation. I don’t say that we have fathomed it—far from it—but when we have traced the missing dumb-bell—”</div><div><br /></div><div>9. In the morning I was up betimes, but some toast crumbs and two empty egg-shells told me that my companion was earlier still.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Answers are below.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's see what Easter treats await at Baker Street Elementary...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3ip7O35UvQQbvm2s8nCsj8TPPh2330OvlmiA6LPkZzuVCalxrT1k9MlAY8vVlbfD3NI-jc44rdZrWgCZxLx1b5ZH22mufxP-2BQpWhrmEtqya92mYNx_kaO9dHrt5S-H2en9zoJ3YGOTh_x3vatR0fU2VrHD8y0f8XCuNfvggk0Jjw0e_1c4NbiIXk6V/s1365/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20224.2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1365" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3ip7O35UvQQbvm2s8nCsj8TPPh2330OvlmiA6LPkZzuVCalxrT1k9MlAY8vVlbfD3NI-jc44rdZrWgCZxLx1b5ZH22mufxP-2BQpWhrmEtqya92mYNx_kaO9dHrt5S-H2en9zoJ3YGOTh_x3vatR0fU2VrHD8y0f8XCuNfvggk0Jjw0e_1c4NbiIXk6V/w640-h360/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20224.2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczFXBfRZ8OlNAGkX2zFDf1vUGXKGDHTUpC88KfNoVxbS4bryYNUnX-Y84grriITbC8_rbkSHv09WwwGaq97ajworrusfEcodzglnPouqASEnQ7V5PQ-k_N_rymYF8uwS8H4uOcDBZQDFkDMCFPddlNtUJksF4ID8tieM7wrJDTVqdXo6c_BDuHZrTcKBR/s1365/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20224.3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1365" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczFXBfRZ8OlNAGkX2zFDf1vUGXKGDHTUpC88KfNoVxbS4bryYNUnX-Y84grriITbC8_rbkSHv09WwwGaq97ajworrusfEcodzglnPouqASEnQ7V5PQ-k_N_rymYF8uwS8H4uOcDBZQDFkDMCFPddlNtUJksF4ID8tieM7wrJDTVqdXo6c_BDuHZrTcKBR/w640-h360/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20224.3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Answers</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. SIGN</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. ENGR</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. NAVA</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. NAVA (again!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. BLAC</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. THOR</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">7. STUD</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8. VALL</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">9. RETI</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></div></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 <a class="b-tooltip-container" data-preview="" href="https://www.google.com/search?ved=1t:260882&q=John+Watson+Sherlock+Holmes&bbid=6321981775136876837&bpid=3408911776569555507" target="_blank"><span class="b-tooltip" style="display: none;"><iframe src="/share-widget?w=poi&o=t&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fved%3D1t%3A260882%26q%3DJohn%2BWatson%2BSherlock%2BHolmes%26bbid%3D6321981775136876837%26bpid%3D3408911776569555507"></iframe></span>John Watson</a>, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in <a class="b-tooltip-container" data-preview="" href="https://www.google.com/search?ved=1t:260882&q=Victorian+London&bbid=6321981775136876837&bpid=3408911776569555507" target="_blank"><span class="b-tooltip" style="display: none;"><iframe src="/share-widget?w=poi&o=t&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fved%3D1t%3A260882%26q%3DVictorian%2BLondon%26bbid%3D6321981775136876837%26bpid%3D3408911776569555507"></iframe></span>Victorian London</a>. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at the <a href="https://www.dfw-sherlock.org/baker-street-elementary.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Baker Street Elementary website</a></span><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></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br />

Baker Street Elementary – Easter Eggs

“so trivial a matter as cooking an egg” [THOR]   One of the great bits of fun when planning a Sherlockian meeting is selecting the menu. The...

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by Scott Monty

USA Today's 10 Best: The Mysterious Bookshop

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“Who do you give your casting vote to?” [ENGR] </h4><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFqKUS1bGQov2b4Z7eFde4Y8YPIoFcI7HkYwPzaFSTZomchv-As94atiHMepZvjUymtanVIoK8tjG7grnGzmjUHnr5jKUkkoNSOX059J-pWvRys7MHgFs2oc1xLVDy8Yn3SQrPO3PrZHW3VRD3RH7CvrF7JBMhIE1fhifFmwLR9y67G6WVxwXhBmDOl3I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1464" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFqKUS1bGQov2b4Z7eFde4Y8YPIoFcI7HkYwPzaFSTZomchv-As94atiHMepZvjUymtanVIoK8tjG7grnGzmjUHnr5jKUkkoNSOX059J-pWvRys7MHgFs2oc1xLVDy8Yn3SQrPO3PrZHW3VRD3RH7CvrF7JBMhIE1fhifFmwLR9y67G6WVxwXhBmDOl3I=w640-h448" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The Mysterious Bookshop is an independent bookstore in New York City and is one of the oldest mystery bookstores in the United States. Founded by Otto Penzler, BSI ("The King of Bohemia"), it has been in business for over 45 years.</p><p><b>And it needs your vote.</b></p><p>Established at 129 West 56th Street, its charm included a cast iron spiral staircase, a whole wall of Sherlock Holmes-related material, and a sign that read: "Nobody shoplifts from a store that knows 3,214 ways to murder someone." After 25 years at that location, Otto moved the store to 58 Warren Street in the TriBeCa neighborhood. And the sign went with him.</p><p>After 20 years in the new location, business is as strong as ever and is a nominee in <a href="https://10best.usatoday.com/" target="_blank">USA Today's 10 Best Awards</a>:</p><p></p><blockquote>It's no mystery why book lovers have flocked to The Mysterious Bookshop since 1979. Located in the heart of Tribeca, The Mysterious Bookshop is the nation's oldest mystery specialist bookstore, and that includes all its sub-genres, such as detective, crime, thrillers, and suspense. Mystery lovers can browse the store's comprehensive collection of rare collectibles, Sherlockiana, and modern first editions. The Mysterious Bookshop also produces its own Bibliomystery series of novellas by some of the biggest authors in the genre.</blockquote><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Here's all you have to do: </h3><p><a href="https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/mysterious-bookshop-new-york-city-new-york/?mc_cid=bcafac9970&mc_eid=19440ba0c6" target="_blank">Go to this link every day</a> and vote for <a href="https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/mysterious-bookshop-new-york-city-new-york/?mc_cid=bcafac9970&mc_eid=19440ba0c6" target="_blank">The Mysterious Bookshop</a> as your favorite independent bookstore. Vote early, vote often (voting refreshes at midnight every day). </p><p>Let's give Otto's creation the attention and accolades it deserves.</p><p><br /></p><p>Oh, and if you haven't listened to <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose87" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 87</a> of <i>I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</i> yet, now's the perfect time:</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-classification="other" data-dashlane-frameid="1767" data-dashlane-rid="6d1069ed74d8c2bb" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4045502/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><br /></p>

USA Today's 10 Best: The Mysterious Bookshop

“Who do you give your casting vote to?” [ENGR]  The Mysterious Bookshop is an independent bookstore in New York City and is one of the oldes...

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by I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

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...

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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