Recently I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a fantastic gathering of the faithful in Dayton, OH, known as Holmes, Doyle, & Friends. A very full house of Sherlockians gathered in to hear some great papers, see old chums, and get to enjoy laughter and hugs from those we see all too infrequently (at least in my case). Also, the Sherlockian Chronologist Guild was able to give each attendee a copy of our new Handbook, and it made quite the impression. People were really enjoying it and asking all involved with it to sign their names inside. Plus, I got to have some fine talks with some fine folks, and came away with a lot to think about. The result follows.
I'm going to take a break. I don't know for how long. There's still so much to talk about and cover, but I need to refresh my brain and my interest in our hobby (if I can). My chronological buddies gave me some great advice, and I have done much contemplating regarding what they said about a possible hiatus. Also, life for me in the next six months may take a drastic turn, and I have no idea when that might happen. I do know, however, that this blog sometimes feels like work, and that only makes the output suffer. It's also not fair to you, my readers. If I can't read my stuff and feel the fun and energy in the finished product, then I know you definitely can't.
So, I'm going to step away for a while. Now, I realize that it means some of you may not be here when I come back, and I've weighed that, but I still need to do this. I'll keep posting occasionally on my Facebook page, but this part of the Historical Sherlock world will go into hibernation until I figure out what to do next.
See, the older I get, the more I realize that belonging to groups or clubs just isn't something I want or need. I'll stick with a few, of course, but mostly I'll just be a nonentity. (I'm completely okay with that, by the way.) A lot of people in this hobby won't be shocked by this since I haven't really hidden my feelings about it. My good friends will know I'm not going to stop being their friend, but that our hugs and handshakes will grow farther and farther apart.
As far as I know, this is not goodbye. No swan song. No parting words. This is simply me stepping back and deciding what comes next. I am aware that this is just a hobby and probably shouldn't be taken so seriously, but when any grouping of humans with a common interest grows so large, it seems to become less about the subject and more about other things. So, I'll let everyone do what they do and simply step aside.
Please understand that I'm not angry. I don't hate the Sherlockian world. I've simply lost my desire to produce a good product that makes others think and want to do their own research. I can't slap words on a page on then forget about it - there has to be a spark for someone to get excited about. Heck, one tiny little annotation in a book is how I got started! It grabbed me, shook me, and the result was what you've been reading all these years. The presentations and podcast interviews and papers and blog posts and articles and anthology entries and pastiches and consultations and social media posts and computer files and emails and toasts and columns and database spreadsheets and conversations all started with one small paragraph, and that is precisely what I've wanted to do for others. But, I have to be inspired to do it, and my words won't do that for someone else if I'm not feeling it. Life is cyclical, though, so maybe it'll revive.
I adore all of you, and love your loyalty to my journey here. Perhaps we'll pick up right where we left off someday, or I'll come back just long enough to say "so long." I don't know at the moment. What I do know is that it has always been both an honor and a pleasure and a privilege to write for you. (Did you notice I said "both" but listed three things? That's a Col. Blake quote from M*A*S*H. I love that show.) I'll see you sometime in the future, and as always...thank you so very much for reading.
