JessieBlackwood

Somebody somewhere suggested Sherlock has Aspergers. If you read accounts of Aspergers it usually manifests like Autism, but without the attendant learning difficulties that Autistic people have. I have known two people with Autism (although one was possibly Aspergers because he was highly intelligent) and they are both focused people. When you talk to them, you talk to them, not to anyone else. Their whole attention is on you all the time and they are unaware of anyone else. They don't pick up on social signals - whether you are bored with the conversation, whether you are tired, if you want to end it and leave. You have to override social convention and tell them plainly, kindly that you have to go. Usually they don't take offence. It doesn't occur to them to think that you are being rude. You are communicating, simple as that. They do not recognise rudeness, it is water off a duck's back, as they say. It's no excuse to be unkind, but simply to be plain and make sure they understand. Seems the main difference between the two conditions (and I am defintely no expert) is that autistic people have learning difficulties that Aspergers do not, but at then end of the day both conditions are what are called spectrum disorders. There are a wide variety of variables within the condition and different people display different aspects of them. It has been suggested that Sherlock has Aspergers, is 'high-functioning' (whether sociopathic or anything else) and is genius level intellect. What he lacks in social graces, he makes up for in intelligence. John is his moral compass. This allows Sherlock to function, but without the social interaction 'normal' people have. He is very focused, almost OCD in his approach to life, to his experiments. He can manage a few tolerant friends, but periods of inaction are treated like a tantrum thrown by a five year old. John seems to exhibit his own loner tendencies, his own adiction to danger and adrenalin. What made him sign up to the RAMC to begin with? You never hear about his parents, and his only sibling is an alcoholic lesbian who has split from her partner. Another disfunctional relationship. However, where John seeks to remove himself from Harry, he actively seeks Sherlock. In fact he kills a man to protect him in the first episode. Drastic action for such a fledgling relationship. It isn't impulse. He has taken his gun with him. He knows Sherlock is in danger. I do think that the killing is less about killing the serial killer than protecting Sherlock from himself. Jumping off the roof to save your friends could be considered to be selfish. If you know you are going to live, that is. Love itself can be considered to be selfish. after all we non of us want to be lonely, we all want someone to think we're great and worth knowing. John is essential to Sherlock. He is the one person who understands and accepts him, because he can see himself reflected there. With Sherlock it is the Great Game. With John it is the adrenalin. Without Sherlock, John is rudderless, purposeless. Without John, Sherlock is lonely, and has no one who praises him and feeds his ego. Since John came on the scene he has found something prevciously lacking in his life. However, there is nothing to say that Sherlock cannot love, or cannot feel fear, or cannot sacrifice himself to save people. I think John is one of those people who needs to be needed (damn, I so identify with that) and Sherlock needs him. He needs the pressure and stress to function and probably makes a terrible patient. Sherlock I think does not understand him very well though. I know it was a quote taken from the original book to say that "you see but you do not observe" but it is completely wrong. A doctor, a surgeon particularly, does observe. He draws conclusions exactly like Sherlock. He sees the nuances of a case, and he deduces his diagnosis. Really, imho they should make John observe a great deal more than he is doing.

Well done, although it is such a famous quote I figured it wouldn't take you long. Your turn there.

_ _ _ ' t / _ a _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ _ / i_ t _ / _ _ _ _ _ _, / _ _ _ _. / _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ ' t / _ _ _ _ t , / a _ _ / i _ / t _ _ _ / _ i _ / I / _ _ _ _ _ _ ' t / _ _ / _ _ _ / _ _ / t_ _ _ . Right, will be back in a few. Carry on...

Aw, pity. Well, this one might be updated slow, unless someone gets it tonight. I will be away from the computer for a couple of hours though. So don't expect a quick update... _ _ _ ' _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ _, / _ _ _ _. / _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ ' _ / _ _ _ _ _ , / _ _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ / _ _ _ _ _ _ ' _ / _ _ / _ _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _ . Off you go.

We solve crimes, I blog about it and he forgets his pants!

I am interested in looking deeper into the characters we love, and wondered who has insights they'd like to share. I for one have noticed some things about a few of them I would like to see if anyone agrees with. Take John, for example. Several 'reveals' show up exactly how screwed up our dear doctor really is. 1) The meeting with Mycroft where he takes John's left hand and says "You're not haunted by the war, Dr Watson, you miss it." 2) The exchange between Sherlock and John in Study in Pink, Sherlock – “Seen a lot of injuries, then?… violent deaths?” John – “Yes.” Sherlock – “Bit of trouble, too, I bet.” John – “Of course, yes. Enough for a lifetime… far too much. “ Sherlock – “Want to see some more?” john - "Oh, God, yes." Those words are loaded with longing, said with an eagerness that seems almost indecent. 3) Sherlock asks John "If you were dying, if you were being murdered, in your last few seconds what would you say?" John - "Please God, let me live." Sherlock - "Oh, use your imagnation." John - "I don't have to." Has anyone else noticed this emotional bomb that is John Watson waiting to go off? I have read a few accounts from trauma surgeons in the Iraq war as well as Afghanistan and they all point to resulting in severe cases of PTSD at the very least. I agree with Mycroft. I think John should fire his counsellor. She has it completely wrong.

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Yay, thank you for listening and running with my ideas. So proud... lol

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great! Donuts... now I can relax.

My voice is my instrument. I sing, I write songs for my LARP group, I love singing.

And there was Jenny, the girl made from his DNA, so technically he was her dad. She's not dead either and I wish they'd bring her back. Tennant's doctor is quoted as saying "I was a dad, once" in the 11th episode of the second series, "Fear Her".

Blue GIllespie, John Barrowman, Owl City, Cold play (anyone ever listened to Viva La Vida and imagined the Master? Shattered windows and the sound of drums?) Queen, Bond, Blackmore's Night, Billy Idol Robby Williams Lady Gaga Moody Blues Take That Snow patrol Clannad Marillion Led Zep Adiemus (don't expect anyone to know who they are - classical) Karl Jenkins Andrea Boccelli Sisters of Mercy Kate Bush KT Tunstall Bee Gees Glenn Millar That little lot goes to prove 1) my age and 2) I am rather eclectic in my tastes...

Is there space in the fanfiction section for us to recommend other people's work? There are some great stories out there, but I feel we should be able to share the links? Could we have a links page for that? Either for art, or stories that are not on this site?

Look guys, we simply have to be patient. Due process and all that. Wheels are turning. Just be thankful there is another series planned. And Conan Doyle did bow to fandom after all. He listened. He brought the great man back. So we know he's returning, if not how they're going to do it. I just need a marathon Torchwood, Sherlock and Dr Who dvd viewing to keep me sane over summer.

Infamous? Does that mean it's not fruitcake or it's harbouring a guilty secret? Donuts. We're missing donuts... and coffee. I know the nation thrives on tea but occasionally I do like a nice columbian... cringes.... that was NOT supposed to sound like that. It came out wrong... Coffee, I was talking about coffee...

I have two suggestions. I am interested in what makes the characters tick. For instance, how they are played and what is revealed in their background and what they say that might reveal certain traits. Is there a place for discussing character traits, both in the new series and the original books? A certain couple of quotes got me thinking. When Sherlock asks John "If you were dying, if you were being murdered, in your last few seconds what would you say?" and he replies "Please God, let me live." Sherlock retorts "Oh, use your imagnation." John replies "I don't have to." John has been through a hell of a lot which has coloured his view of the world and how he thinks. The second quote from Mycroft when he spirits John away to meet with him for the first time. He takes his hand and says "You're not haunted by the war, Dr Watson, you miss it." There is so much to read into with these things. If it's true there are so many implications on John's character that never get voiced. I'd really like the opportunity to discuss aspects such as these. You might call it "Counselling Session" or "Fire her, she's got it the wrong way round..." I wonder if it would be a subsection of the Mind palace? Second suggestion that we have a place to advertise ourselves as beta readers, our skills as writers, our selling points as artists. Other sites I have been part of have had a specific place to advertise to others. I wondered if there was a place already and if not, should we have one? I would love to be able to advertise my own published books but hesitate to in case this is not acceptible on your site. You could call it Market Place, Portobello Road or some such.

Quite aside from the sexy leads, both of whom I love, I have to plump for Greg. Keep saying I identify with the man, he's my generation and he's ordinary, but Rupert Graves is a good actor, he's had miriad roles in all kinds of things over the years and he's never been typecast as far as I can see. Lestrade is an ordinary foil for both Sherlock and John, grounding the show into the real world, not to mention being the character who represents the seriousness of the crimes, the boring nature of the procedure that goes on behind the scenes. He is there to show up how Sherlock gets to do the good stuff while others have to make sure the cogs keep the machine turning. Sherlock often does not see how essential Greg is. Where would his really interesting cases come from? At times Lestrade is the quintessential copper, he seems pedantic and sedentary, but actually Lestrade is an intelligent, dedicated leader. He understands that Sherlock has difficulties and curbs Donovan and Anderson's attacks on him, unless he wants to teach him a lesson, that is. Lestrade is not above trying to kick Sherlock into behaving himself. John might be Sherlock's moral compass but Lestrade is often his inspiration.

Probably this might be in the tipsy section, if you drink every time Lestrade has that exasperated look of a man trying to keep up with Sherlock's deducing... Drink every time Donovan calls Sherlock a freak... probably in the same section. Drink every time Mycroft adds 'dear' when he speaks to Sherlock...

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I have to admit I am not sure of a favourite. I still like the original Study in Scarlet the best. The Sign of Four is also a favourite. I also like the Adventure of the Dying Detective, but rather than liking a particular case I love some of the particular lines in several of them. I liked the original Scandal in Bohemia, the original exchange between Holmes and the King is wonderfully decisive and pins Holmes' ability down quickly and perfectly. Through out most cases, I love the absolute faith Watson has in Holmes, enough to comply with his orders implicitly despite knowing nothing about why he is undertaking them.

Guess I worked out that Midnat was midnight. Bit of a reach but not too difficult. Scandinavian friends are always useful...

There's a group of us over here, knew we'd hook up sooner or later. Small world indeed.

Is that you Canol? Lol....

lol, yes it would. Haven't been but I know folks who have. I really want to go there. The lads who run it got hitched last year and they sound really nice guys.