It's amazing how one little incident can pull you out of a funk. How a single idea or need will bring back a passion that lay dormant for far too long. I think you can see where this is going, so it would be unnecessary for me to tell you that I experienced just that very thing recently - but I will anyway. (Like I just did.) I pride myself on my unusual ways of relating information to the masses. The manner in which I approach a project is something I don't work very hard at as it comes to me quite naturally. I like that trait. It keeps eyes on the proverbial (or real) page or butts in seats. All good things. So, when I was asked to contribute to an upcoming book, my mind immediately clicked with an idea.
Stated by me many times before is the fact that I am always honored when I get asked to be a part of something that others will read or hear. Something that would certainly be successful without my name ever coming near it. (And, no, I'm not implying
at all that my inclusion would help with any success.) Still, it has happened again, and I was thrilled to be asked and respond immediately with my acceptance of the assignment.
The piece will be about our Patron Saint of Sherlockian Chronology - Helen Elizabeth Wilson. Luckily and happily I am quite familiar with her and what she unknowingly did for our hobby. My initial worry was that I might not have anything new to say about the situation, but I trusted my gut and peaked behind all those doors in my brain to see if any of them harbored a fresh way to relay her story. In usual fashion, one stumbled out. I had the opener, but still needed to define the remainder of the text. This blog entry is only about said opener because I don't have the rest outlined.
The first thing I needed was a specific date relating directly to Sherlock Holmes. It was an easy find since our ilk loves to impart information about him to every corner of the internet. Then I looked for a date associated with that date. After that I looked for something in old newspapers that would assist me on the journey. I found all of those things, and have the basis for my article. But you might be wondering what this has to do with rekindling an old flame of interest. Well, I had jumped on a site I used to love going onto, but have neglected -
Newspapers.com.
See, my life has been a struggle lately. I shan't go into details, but you've all seen me hint at it on entries of late. I have subscriptions to a number of fantastic websites that offer incredible historical data, but I just haven't been on them in a while. (Heck, sometimes I drive all the way to my mom's in southern Illinois without turning on the radio - and I've been a SiriusXM subscriber for over two decades!) As soon as I jumped on the site and logged in, I was instantly transported back to those days when I would sit and do nothing else but read those old papers and make notes about things to research later. The glory days. This, though, has the potential to be a turning point. I subscribe to a British newspaper site, too, and I have a feeling I'm going to be looking at it more often.
The rush of excitement I had looking for the dates I was talking about above was refreshing. The old typefaces, the terminology, the obvious (and likely expected) plagiarism, and the access to lost stories from our past is a historian's dream. I'm so very happy I signed in. Now it will be a place of comfort for me for weeks, maybe even months. Perhaps I'll even traipse through those pages on my desktop computer because it needs the action. I've been on it only twice this year. No joke. Seems it only exists anymore to hold up the light layer of dust that accumulates along its features.
Maybe this will be the beginning of a renewal in what I have become known for. Maybe I'll find the desire to start attacking Sherlockian chronology the way I did before. Maybe that old spark will return and I get can get back to helping my cronies convince the world that our plight is an honest, fun, and worthwhile one. Maybe this is what I need to get out the doldrums. Maybe.
If you've read anything I've written about Ms. Wilson then you know I found, and have been in contact with, a relative of hers. When this offer came in I reached out to her to tell her about the project and asked if it was okay to use her name. (I would never do so without asking.) She assured me that was fine, and then offered me a surprise - new information about Helen! It's not anything earth-shattering, but it just goes to show that there's always something new to uncover. So, off to work I go. Seeing you all the way down here never fails to please me, so I'll give you another chance to do so next month. I'll see you then, and as always...thanks for reading.
