Stories Behind Your User Names & Avatar Pictures.

[Dumai]

So, I am new here and I have been asked what's the story behind the avatar picture of mine ;) Short story actually but anyway...

 

Me and my boyfriend just created a new YouTube channel for some upcoming fanvideos. Right now it's only for Sherlock but I am pretty sure there are other fandoms going to to follow. We thought about a cool and unique name for that channel and due to the fact that we both love cats (got 3 at home) + we love Hawaii (have been there 3 times already) we chose the cat, the typical hibiscus, the very famous Hanauma Bay on Oahu (which is even more breathtaking in real) + a TV which stands for our channel. So, Hawaii is famous for pineapple. Cat + pineapple = Catnapple = the profile picture :D

 

And yeah, a cat emoji is definitely missing here hehe

[Carol the Dabbler]

I love Hawaii too, though I've only been there once, many years ago. It's about time I watched Magnum PI again, to refresh my memory!

 

Alex and I have five cats, so I love your avatar!

[Van Buren Supernova]

My username comes from my name

Turkish=Burçin

English=Doe

Turkish names come from nature. Flowers, stars, animals (like my name), weather... etc....

Interesting. So are they chosen because of certain characteristics of animals or others?

Originally I thought you chose Doe as some anonymity symbol.

 

My oroginal name means ice and my mom chose it because she thinks it's cool. I love it! When I was a kid, during playing time, girly girls (good god! I actually wrote 'female kid' and wondering for some time about why it sounds weird and there should be better term :D) around me explained what their name means; some flowers, sunset, something nice, something pretty and they didn't know how to react to mine. :p

 

 

@Dumai, welcome to the forum.

Dumai is also a name of a remote place in Sumatra where one of my good friends comes from.

Nice origin story, I wouldn't have guessed it for a long time! :D

[Doe]

 

My username comes from my name

Turkish=Burçin

English=Doe

Turkish names come from nature. Flowers, stars, animals (like my name), weather... etc....

Interesting. So are they chosen because of certain characteristics of animals or others?

Originally I thought you chose Doe as some anonymity symbol.

 

My oroginal name means ice and my mom chose it because she thinks it's cool. I love it! When I was a kid, during playing time, girly girls (good god! I actually wrote 'female kid' and wondering for some time about why it sounds weird and there should be better term :D) around me explained what their name means; some flowers, sunset, something nice, something pretty and they didn't know how to react to mine. :P

 

 

@Dumai, welcome to the forum.

Dumai is also a name of a remote place in Sumatra where one of my good friends comes from.

Nice origin story, I wouldn't have guessed it for a long time! :D

 

 

No special meaning. My mom loves the name. I guess, I don't look like a Doe. )

 

I was wondering, what's your name? 

[Dumai]

@Carol: Sounds great! I hope you are getting there again! I highly recommend 'Hawaii Five-0' (the new version) to you. Always great to see the nice beaches and stuff ;) And of course great acting and story. Anyway, thank you And five cats wow!

 

@Van Buren: Thank you Haha that's funny but I didn't choose it because of that. Didn't even know that place exists^^ Yeah, it's not so usual at all xD

[Seaweed]

Well, I don't have an avatar pic yet, I just got here.

 

But Seaweed is a moniker that I've used for a long time. It's because when I love otters and collect anything to do with them, including plush. I have a decent collection of the Beanie Baby Seaweed Otters, so it kinda became my nickname.

 

Silly, I know.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Well, I don't have an avatar pic yet, I just got here.

 

But Seaweed is a moniker that I've used for a long time. It's because when I love otters and collect anything to do with them, including plush. I have a decent collection of the Beanie Baby Seaweed Otters, so it kinda became my nickname.

 

Silly, I know.

 

No.. not silly. I am fictional supernova, and we have Doe, why not seaweed :p

 

Is that why, or at least partially the reason you like Sherlock/Ben? (I am assuming)

 

And can I expect to see Otter avatar? XD

 

 

No special meaning. My mom loves the name. I guess, I don't look like a Doe. )

 

I like it as well, and the song Doe, a deer, a female deer.. but that is the story for another day.

 

No worries, I never imagine you look like a Doe, to me, you look like Eurus. :p Because I tend to think everyone looks like their avatar.

 

I was wondering, what's your name?

 

It's not wise to say. This is my safe house. :p

I actually have different formal name for formal purpose, but people knows me more by actual by not official name. Confusing, I guess.

[Carol the Dabbler]

One thing for sure, Seaweed -- you have a distinctive forum name, which is good.

 

I second VBS's suggestion that you use an otter as your avatar picture. Because I think everyone looks like their avatars too, and otters are cute.

 

By the way, welcome to the forum!

[Hikari]

One thing for sure, Seaweed -- you have a distinctive forum name, which is good.

 

I second VBS's suggestion that you use an otter as your avatar picture. Because I think everyone looks like their avatars too, and otters are cute.

 

By the way, welcome to the forum!

 

Blowing the dust off this thread.  I didn't come here earlier, and I meant to.

 

I like to think I have a distinctive forum name wherever I go, which is why I have been 'Hikari' as my online persona since 1998 when I set up my first e-mail account.

 

'Hikari' is a Japanese word meaning "Brightness or light".  It is a nod to the nearly 6 years I spent as an English teacher in Japan.  You may be familiar with the male form, worn by Lt. Hikaru Sulu of the USS Enterprise.

 

Earlier this year when I decided to become a Serious Sherlockian (as opposed to just a Cumberb*tch), I created another email account exclusively for my Serious Sherlockian Stuff to go into, and I needed another user name to distinguish it from my other account.  So I became the Stormy Petrel of crime.  Stormy petrels are a water bird of the gull family who are notable for being able to stay out at sea for weeks and who have the knack of appearing to walk on the water.  I looked at a lot of stormy petrel photos before I found one that I really liked, which shows it in this posture.  I grew up around the Great Lakes, and used to have the Sea of Japan practically on my doorstep, so I am very much a big water person.  Stormy petrels are also considered by sailors to be harbingers of coming storms by their flocking activities.

 

In the story of "The Naval Treaty", Sherlock calls Watson 'the stormy petrel of crime', which is droll, because John is not really stormy, nor does he trail crime in his wake.  Sherlock was obviously thinking of himself and making a little joke there.

[Artemis]

Thanks for the background, Hikari!  I love to hear how people come up with their names.

 

Wasn't there another story where Sherlock called himself a stormy petrel?

 

 

[Hikari]

Thanks for the background, Hikari!  I love to hear how people come up with their names.

 

Wasn't there another story where Sherlock called himself a stormy petrel?

 

Very likely, Artemis.  In fact, I thought Sherlock was referring to himself until I read TNT again and was surprised to find he was addressing Watson (while in a pawky mood).  Sir Arthur was fond of recycling phrases (how many, many times did we have to sit through 'This case contains features of interest'?) . . I will look into this.  I could have sworn that yes, SH calls himself a stormy petrel at some point but I've read a couple of hundred pastiches in the last 8 months and I could be thinking of one of them.

 

I would be too humiliated to ask my Sherlock guru David Marcum and reveal my ignorance of Sherlockian arcana.  I'll see if I can find it and report back. 

[Artemis]

I found it, I think! Or a reference to it in an article: https://mcmurdoscamp.wordpress.com/trifling-monographs/stormy-petrel/

 

What is a Stormy Petrel, or Storm Petrel, and what does it have to do with Sherlock Holmes? In the Canon, we hear of them in two unrelated references.

 

In The Reigate Puzzle (or Squires, or Squire), Holmes says to his host, Colonel Hayter, after a murder investigation was completed, “My dear Colonel, I am afraid that you must regret the hour that you took in such a stormy petrel as I am.”

 

Then in The Naval Treaty, Holmes tell Watson, as Watson brings him the note from Tadpole Phelps introducing Holmes to the case, “You are the stormy petrel of crime, Watson.”

[Hikari]

Thanks, Artemis!

 

I was going to post the same link and you beat me to it.  That website is very interesting.

 

Most writers probably wouldn't use 'stormy petrel' twice, but when Sir Arthur hit upon a pleasing phrase, he repeated it as many times as he could get away with.  At least 'stormy petrel' only appears twice--not enough to qualify as a stock phrase of his.

 

When asked to compile his personal list of favorites, ACD was largely in accord with the readership in picking the same stories, albeit in a slightly different ranking order.  Both Sir Arthur and the reading public were (overly, in my opinion) fond of 'The Speckled Band', rating it #1.  It's certainly a memorable story, but for me, not for the best reasons, which are more subtle ones having to do with memorable quotes or personal interactions between our signature duo that deepen their friendship or enlightens something about their respective characters.  BAND has tons of Gothic atmosphere and a definitely recherché villain and mode of homicide.  But I do not feel it displays Sherlock Holmes, or ACD at their respective best, because it's so over the top.

 

The one story Sir Arthur put in his tops list which the readers did not was 'The Reigate Squires'.  This will put me in a decided minority but I'll say it anyway--I think the criminally overlooked 'Reigate Squires' is a superior Sherlock Holmes tale to 'The Speckled Band'.  This story has never been committed to screen in any form . . a real shame.  It features as much human greed and avarice as BAND, if in a more subtle, spontaneously-expressed form.  Prior to the case proper we get some backstory about how Holmes has nearly ruined his health with overwork, necessitating a rest cure in the country.  Watson attends him to be sure he's resting . . . and within a day or two, Holmes is dashing about on the case again, to the consternation of his physician.  There's a delightful, faintly slapstick episode involving a table and a bowl of oranges that would be worthy of Benedict or RDJ's comedy timing.  And, as the icing on the cake, there's the stormy petrel!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Not recalling Reigate just now, but from what little you said, I'm virtally certain that I've seen the Brett episode, at least.

 

But I certainly agree regarding Speckled Band.  I don't think much of that story -- and primarily, I think, because the dying girl says "It was the speckled band!" or something along those lines (which is of course interpreted in a red-herring sort of way).  I can think of a number of things a person might say under her circumstances, but that sure ain't one of them!  And yet the whole story hinges on it.

[Hikari]

Not recalling Reigate just now, but from what little you said, I'm virtally certain that I've seen the Brett episode, at least.

 

But I certainly agree regarding Speckled Band.  I don't think much of that story -- and primarily, I think, because the dying girl says "It was the speckled band!" or something along those lines (which is of course interpreted in a red-herring sort of way).  I can think of a number of things a person might say under her circumstances, but that sure ain't one of them!  And yet the whole story hinges on it.

 

I first encountered Sherlock Holmes in my middle school library via two volumes--'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' and 'Hound of the Baskervilles'.  I can't remember now if either of those were abridged for children, but I have a very clear and still visceral memory of 'The Speckled Band'.  It is the standard for a 'locked room mystery' and, of course, I have an ingrained revulsion of snakes, so that made a big impression on me. (I will make an exception for the 'Thirsty Snakey' gif in the Cute Animals thread--that guy looks like he was smacking his (non-existent) lips like, 'Ahhh!'  I still wouldn't want him in my bed, though,)

 

Rereading it again more recently, I find its theatricality off-putting.  The Stoner girls hair turns grey overnight?!  That trick wasn't plausible when Victor Hugo used it in Les Miserables, either.  The monstrous stepfather.  The wild animals roaming the park.  Really, a milk-drinking snake that lives in a safe and can survive happily without air was one of the lesser implausibilities.   ACD overloaded his story with so many recherché elements, it makes "The Abominable Bride" look quite nearly restrained.

 

I'm glad they aren't all that way.  But 'The Creeping Man' makes even BAND look realistic. 

 

I double-checked to be sure . . I own the Jeremy Brett box set and have seen them all, but according to both Wiki and the essayist in 'About Sixty' writing on the Reigate Squires (called 'The Reigate Puzzle' more often in American editions, presumably because we colonials wouldn't understand 'Squire'?  ?) this story has never been filmed in any medium.  The Granada series may have had plans to get to it, but 18 stories were left unfilmed by the time of Jeremy Brett's untimely death.  I guess this is a fairly 'small' canvas--the crime is a domestic event entirely, and SH never has to call for Scotland Yard at all . . but it would have been relatively easy to film and would have presented an opportunity to go on location.  I'd have to go through all my episodes again to see if perhaps they have borrowed the 'Sherlock Holmes upsets a tableful of oranges as a distraction' setpiece for another episode.  It's one of those humorous bits of physical business that ACD would slip in on occasion.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I may be confusing it a bit with the Grenada version of The Musgrave Ritual, but if they didn't do Reigate, then I must have read it at some point.

[Van Buren Supernova]

... ACD overloaded his story with so many recherché elements, it makes "The Abominable Bride" look quite nearly restrained.

 

I'm glad they aren't all that way. But 'The Creeping Man' makes even BAND look realistic.

...

 

 

Actually I beg to differ, because there are many cases where facts are stranger than fiction.

One of the skeptical question about Band is whether snake can hear the whistle because they don't have visible ears.

(But yes, they 'hear' through vibration), other about whether snake could scale through rope (yes they could), about the living condition I believe it's possible that snakes could be conditioned indoor and happy enough with heat or uv lamp.

 

And The Creeping Man!

XD Sorry to disappoint you, for this story ACD didn't stretch it further than reality as well.

 

I had done some reading about that, and made a post sometime ago, so I dig it up.

 

The Creeping Man tells a case about a respected Professor Pressbury and his mysterious changing behaviours after taking treatment of rejuvenating serum extracted from a monkey, black-faced langur, published in 1923, was probably influenced by real life scientific experiment in 1920.

 

 

Surgeon named Serge Voronoff, learned transplantation technique from respected Nobel Price winner, Alexis Carrel, was interested in finding solution to reverse aging process that he called rejuvenation.

 

Veronoff believed that testosterone produced by the testes, was the key to that. In earlier experiments he injected himself with dog and guinea pig testicles under his own skin. When it failed to show significant effects, he revised his method into cross-species glandular transplantation surgery, like transplanting testicles of executed criminals into rich old guys as treatment for senile and schizophrenia. Because demands exceeded supply, he began to use monkey testicles, first "monkey gland" to human transplant took place in 1920. Thin slice of testicle would be inserted into recipient's scrotum, the theory was that it would fuse with the host tissues so that they would receive rejuvenation and renewed vigor. His work was applauded by world's leading surgeons at International Congress of Surgeons in London in 1923 and published in respected journals from The Lancet to Scientific American. He even had to set up his own monkey farm to keep up with the demands.

 

However, after years, hundreds of patients, the treatment was not proven and even resulted in various complications, infections and shocks. Veronoff's reputation was ruined, clinic disappeared, and he died in obscurity.

 

For the link. To be precise, post #596

[Hikari]

 

... ACD overloaded his story with so many recherché elements, it makes "The Abominable Bride" look quite nearly restrained.

 

I'm glad they aren't all that way. But 'The Creeping Man' makes even BAND look realistic.

...

 

Actually I beg to differ, because there are many cases where facts are stranger than fiction.

One of the skeptical question about Band is whether snake can hear the whistle because they don't have visible ears.

(But yes, they 'hear' through vibration), other about whether snake could scale through rope (yes they could), about the living condition I believe it's possible that snakes could be conditioned indoor and happy enough with heat or uv lamp.

 

And The Creeping Man!

XD Sorry to disappoint you, for this story ACD didn't stretch it further than reality as well.

 

I had done some reading about that, and made a post sometime ago, so I dig it up.

 

The Creeping Man tells a case about a respected Professor Pressbury and his mysterious changing behaviours after taking treatment of rejuvenating serum extracted from a monkey, black-faced langur, published in 1923, was probably influenced by real life scientific experiment in 1920.

 

 

Surgeon named Serge Voronoff, learned transplantation technique from respected Nobel Price winner, Alexis Carrel, was interested in finding solution to reverse aging process that he called rejuvenation.

 

Veronoff believed that testosterone produced by the testes, was the key to that. In earlier experiments he injected himself with dog and guinea pig testicles under his own skin. When it failed to show significant effects, he revised his method into cross-species glandular transplantation surgery, like transplanting testicles of executed criminals into rich old guys as treatment for senile and schizophrenia. Because demands exceeded supply, he began to use monkey testicles, first "monkey gland" to human transplant took place in 1920. Thin slice of testicle would be inserted into recipient's scrotum, the theory was that it would fuse with the host tissues so that they would receive rejuvenation and renewed vigor. His work was applauded by world's leading surgeons at International Congress of Surgeons in London in 1923 and published in respected journals from The Lancet to Scientific American. He even had to set up his own monkey farm to keep up with the demands.

 

However, after years, hundreds of patients, the treatment was not proven and even resulted in various complications, infections and shocks. Veronoff's reputation was ruined, clinic disappeared, and he died in obscurity.

 

For the link. To be precise, post #596

 

 

VBS,

 

Your scholarship re. The Creeping Man is very impressive.  I am aware that ACD was referencing a scientific fad of the time with his 'monkey experiment' . . . the fact that there were real people injecting themselves with monkey serum like the Professor in the story makes the whole result more disgusting to me, not less.  Can't imagine what injecting oneself with monkey glands would do.

 

ACD was a savvy businessman and he knew what would sell.  Outrageously Gothic horror stuff like BAND or Creeping Man caused copies of 'the Strand' to fly off the newsstands.  People do so like their vicarious horror . . it's made Stephen King a mint.  My comments about those stories were strictly on a personal level--I do not care for those overheated, over-the-top Gothic pieces and much prefer the more realistic ones.  Perhaps Sherlock Holmes shows himself to be more the Superhero Detective in something like 'Band', but he shows himself to be more a fully-rounded human being and friend to Watson in the less outrageous outings.  My opinion.  So my personal list of favorite Sherlock Holmes stories wouldn't tally much with the 'popular' list.  I like ones like "The Noble Bachelor" and "A Case of Identity", to name two, in which SH comes to the aid of regular people--women in these cases--and there isn't a Gothic stately pile in sight.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

There's also the question of, yeah OK, doctors really were treating men with monkey glands -- but did it cause effects like were described in Creeping Man? I've never heard that it did anything of the sort.

 

And I've already described my own greatest objection to Speckled Band, which has nothing to do with the behavior of snakes.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Ah well, if you are looking for everything happens exactly like reality...

Perhaps I should empathise for that particular story the inspiration was very real, and extension of all side effects might not had been known yet and still theorized and fantasized. (Some butchered grammar here I suppose)

 

Anyway, I'm always reminded of yummy pretzel.

[Mischief Girl]

I am new to this site, introduced to it by my very best internet friend Hikari.   I use Mischief Girl (often shortened to MG) any time I am on line.  My first and much loved rescue dog was named Mischief, so it's to honor him.  My avatar picture is of my sweet Pippa, who died this February.  She was an English Setter rescue and had the gentlest soul.

I really enjoyed the Sherlock series with Bendi...correction, I really enjoyed the first two seasons of Sherlock, and with the following two seasons with each episode I'd shake my head and ask "What did I just see?  Sherlock Holmes as Jason Bourne?"  I do love the series and kudos to Moffat and Gatiss, but they sort of jumped the shark with some episodes.

In no way do I consider myself an expert on anything Sherlock, but I enjoy the stories as written by Doyle.  I read every one over a Christmas break one year in college. 

Fun fact:  "Musgrave" is a family name of mine.  It was my grandmother's middle name.  So I get a thrill every time I hear of The Musgrave Ritual.

Looking forward to hanging out here with you and meeting new folks.  It'll take me some time to figure it out, I'm sure! So please don't think I'm being rude if I don't respond to you.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hello, MG -- welcome to Sherlock Forum! 

Another Minnesotan, huh?  That makes at least three, enough to rival the western-Ohio/eastern-Indiana contingent!

I must agree with you regarding S3 and S4 -- lots of good bits, but also a disconcerting amount of

That's cool, you're a Musgrave -- what do you think of the family ritual?  (Or is it only for boys? )  I'm related to the Wolfe family, so I like to think I'm some kin to Nero -- especially since Rex Stout was born in the same general area where my Wolfe ancestors lived.

Glad to have you here!

[Hikari]

Aww, thanks, friend!!

I believe I can honestly say that Benedict Cumberbatch  brought us together because I think it was Sherlock that MG and I bonded with first over on the Amazon Movie Forum, though we went on to discuss many other topics, too.  We are both fans of all things British, but she can actually claim British relations.  Me, I can only claim to an active fantasy life involving relations with various attractive British celebrities, and a pretty large collection of British detective shows on DVD.  MG and I have been together through now, 2 royal weddings and the loss of beloved pets for both of us and look forward to many more years of connection, and hopefully one day actually meeting IRL.  Something to shoot for. 

Welcome to our little madhouse clubhouse! 

[HerlockSholmes]

17 hours ago, Mischief Girl said:

I am new to this site, introduced to it by my very best internet friend Hikari.   I use Mischief Girl (often shortened to MG) any time I am on line.  My first and much loved rescue dog was named Mischief, so it's to honor him.  My avatar picture is of my sweet Pippa, who died this February.  She was an English Setter rescue and had the gentlest soul.

I really enjoyed the Sherlock series with Bendi...correction, I really enjoyed the first two seasons of Sherlock, and with the following two seasons with each episode I'd shake my head and ask "What did I just see?  Sherlock Holmes as Jason Bourne?"  I do love the series and kudos to Moffat and Gatiss, but they sort of jumped the shark with some episodes.

In no way do I consider myself an expert on anything Sherlock, but I enjoy the stories as written by Doyle.  I read every one over a Christmas break one year in college. 

Fun fact:  "Musgrave" is a family name of mine.  It was my grandmother's middle name.  So I get a thrill every time I hear of The Musgrave Ritual.

Looking forward to hanging out here with you and meeting new folks.  It'll take me some time to figure it out, I'm sure! So please don't think I'm being rude if I don't respond to you.

Hello MG,

Welcome to the Forum.

Any friend of Hikari’s..........👍

Im glad to read that you’ve read and enjoyed the Doyle stories😃

[Hikari]

1 hour ago, HerlockSholmes said:

Hello MG,

Welcome to the Forum.

Any friend of Hikari’s..........👍

Im glad to read that you’ve read and enjoyed the Doyle stories😃

Herlock,

Now that MG is here, I can reveal that it was she that gifted me the companion to your Awesomest Present I've Ever Received:  I got the complete boxed set of Jeremy Brett from her one Christmas.  I first encountered The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in my middle-school library, but receiving the JB series re-ignited my dormant interest in SH.  For the first half of Granada Sherlock, I was away at college and in the second half, I was living abroad, so I had never seen a single episode.  I had a massive binge-watch after I got that Christmas package.  She and you both have given me an inestimable gift that will keep on giving!