17 April 2012

Victim of your own creation

Can't sleep. Have another video. Jazz really isn't my thing, most of the time. But this I like. Nothing fancy about it, just atmospheric music.



 Sherlock was, once he woke up, full of talk about the pond.

Mycroft was talking about what he and John had been to see.

John was talking about his mysterious man in the river.

I didn't feel like talking about anything.

204 comments:

1 – 200 of 204   Newer›   Newest»
REReader said...

Sorry you're feeling wakeful--should I worry (just a bit) at the feeling quiet part?


(I don't see the video--is it me, or did the embed code fail?)

Greg Lestrade said...

I think I fixed the video. I didn't even check it when I posted, sorry.

Calliope said...

I love the music. Thanks, L. I'm trying to wind down and sleep since I have to get up early tomorrow, and it's really quite soothing.

I hope everyone has a great day. I'm off to meet an Internet friend after work...at a Taco Bell on the beach. :)

CzechReader said...

I get you, L. I got some very nice headache yesterday and my husband wanted to talk about some computer game. I have to admit I don't remember a single word he said, only the desperate wish to have some quiet...

All good today, powered by Red Bull and Ibuprofen :-)

Have a good day.

PS: Calliope, my captcha says "ntacco exista" - I guess your Taco Bell plans are approved ;-)

Desert Wanderer said...

There's no contract requiring you to fill the day with anything. If you don't feel like talking, you don't feel like talking. Nothing wrong with that. Did listening to them make you feel good?

pandabob said...

Listening is sometimes better than talking but if you weren't sleeping by silly o'clock then I'm guessing thinking might just have been being a pain. I'm not going to push you about what kept you awake but the old thing of you know where we are still stands :-)

I hope the course goes ok today (I'm still seriously impressed with the way you've handled it all :-) )

Anonybob

Rider said...

For a rather different music to zone out to, I like Ed Alleyne-Johnson eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLIlHvRqKQ

Small Hobbit said...

Hope all goes well today L. Have you managed to arrange an evening out with the Doc this week?

pandabob said...

Ok, kids at school and nursery and given up on the idea of a swim, mind needs it body too sleep deprived to do it, so I’ve been looking for the song and I’m seriously hoping I’ve found the wrong one!

I really hope you’re ok and that today goes alright for you, I think I might hold off on telling you I’m impressed with how you’re handling this course because that can sometimes become screwed up and look like pressure to keep handling it and that is not it anyway what I want you to take from it.

Be good to yourself and let us know if there’s anything we can do.:-)

Anonybob

Anonymous said...

Hope you're feeling better than your song quote title would seem to indicate :)

As Anonybob says, speak at anytime you want to (one of the major advantages of a blog with international readership - there's probably always someone awake).

Lancs. Anon

CzechReader said...

Hmmm, how about a little bit of instrumental music? YouTube Wednesday Night by Nini Rosso - here's the link...

Greg Lestrade said...

Thanks AnonyBob, alancs Anon. The song the title is from is rather....extreme. But some of the sentiment is valid.

The course is fine, there's just a lot of thinking to do around it which is ... Yeah, hard. Confusing.

pandabob said...

I’d never doubt the relevance of the songs, or at least bits of them I just hope one day (very, very soon) the title can come from a happy fluffy feel good song :-)

I’m glad the course is going kind of OK :-) do you ever wonder what it must be like to be one of those people who never get around to thinking? I never know if I envy them or if I think they’ll go properly insane one day ;-)

Can I ask, you don’t have to say you really don’t but what kind of things do you have to do and think about? I’d never really considered the thinking side of a course on guns I’d only ever really thought about learning to shoot straight and to keep the gun in working order and safe. (I know it was a bit thick of me but I think I’ve made my dislike of guns apparent over the last few weeks so I hope that explains me never really thinking about it.)

Be good to yourself :-)

Anonybob

Greg Lestrade said...

SH - tonight is date night :) but I don't know where we're going - John has made some sneaky plans!

AnonyBob - lots of the thinking is surrounding the enormity of having a weapon myself (potentially), and being in charge of others who are armed and looking to me for command decisions.

Target shooting is fine - enjoyable, even. The thought that lives might be at stake, and I could potentially actually be shooting someone, that's harder to deal with. Thinking through the scenarios they give us - many of them based on past incidents - it makes you realise that it really could happen to you. Unlikely, but it could.

John H. D. Watson said...

Sneaky plans are the best sort.

They're not going to expect you to carry one on a regular basis now though, surely? There's been no talk of transferring you?

Greg Lestrade said...

No, no plans for me to carry a weapon, but after the training, I'll be 'available' to take on a role in the command structure of a firearms incident. Like I said, unlikely, but... The Met arent going to conveniently forget I've done the training.

Hope Sherlock doesn't go meltdown on Mrs H tonight at the thought of us out having fun.

John H. D. Watson said...

Ah. I'm not sure I fully grasped that before. I'm sorry. No wonder you've been so quiet. Are you... I suppose it's not very useful to ask if you're all right. Is there anything I can do?

I think meltdown on us before we leave is far more likely. He's usually pretty good for Mrs H. Might be all right though. She has biscuit plans, and edible glitter.

pandabob said...

Thanks Greg I think I understand a bit better about the course, and a little better why it is such a brain busting thing for someone like you. (someone who has spent his life trying to make the world safer).

Target shooting I guess is a bit like most ‘sports’ it’s a competition of accuracy and success with yourself. I would bet that technically you will be very good at it, which in some ways would be a good thing to focus on if you ever have to use the skills, but I hope and pray there is no horrible plan somewhere that means you’ll ever have to use it.

DATE NIGHT :-) :-) :-) just what you both need :-) I hope you have some great plans John :-)

Anonybob

Anonymous said...

Greg, any reasonably physically strong person could kill another human being, you could, I could. We don't. We fervently hope that we won't ever have to. I think you need to be clear with yourself that the training doesn't really change that. I appreciate that the training makes it that bit more immediate, but in reality you are not in that different a situation than you were before the training, although I'll admit the being in charge of other people and making the decisions is much worse.

Is this a situation where after the training you are obliged to use the training if required?

You are not suddenly a more dangerous human being, you're still you with your morals and ethics, nothing can change that!

Greg Lestrade said...

Anon - maybe it's the old saying - "Guns don't kill people; people kill people. But guns make it so much easier...".

I don't feel like I'm any more likely to kill anyone, but the thought of being in command of others too...that's not so easy.

AnonyBob - a happy meal and a park bench would do me, as long as it's with John.

pandabob said...

I think I would find the 'in command' bit the hardest! There are things I could do myself that I could never ask someone else to do not that they come anywhere close to this, Is there any way to fail the course? maybe it's something you should look into (I know that that is a bad idea really)

You and John amaze me Greg, life throws things at each of you over and over again and between you, you work through them, sort things out and get stronger as a pair each time, I'm so glad you've both found someone you love and who loves you in equal measure not many relationships are so equal. :-)

I hope the plan involves ice cream after the happy meal just to top it off perfectly ;-)

Anonybob

Desert Wanderer said...

This isn't going to come out well, so just assume I mean it in the best way possible ('cause I do). I'm honestly a little glad you're concerned. I'd rather have someone with an eye to the consequences in charge than someone who was a John Wayne type, all bravado and instant solutions over possible ramifications. I'm sorry you're losing sleep over it, though.

a happy meal and a park bench would do me

I was going to make some joke about 6 billion people on the planet, but I restrained myself. Aren't you proud? :D

Greg Lestrade said...

I guess I should also point out that it's not like I'm here losing sleep and worrying about all this while everyone else here is calmly at peace with the idea they may have to shoot another person. We talk about it, it doesn't sit easy with anyone. One bloke already left the course, deciding it wasn't for him. The other DI is finding the idea of being bronze or silver for an incident as unsettling as I am.

But it's part of the course to prepare for that as much as it is to prepare to discharge a weapon.

Anonymous said...

Are there lots of people who you consider would be better at it than you, honestly?

Greg Lestrade said...

Errr... no. Like I just said, I'm sure most people would struggle with similar aspects. And no one can know what they'd do for real until it happens, which ideally, it won't.

pandabob said...

I don't think any of us thought you were the only one Greg you're just the one we care about ;-) (we really do you know)

I'd trust you to make the right decision about most things but I know that is easy for me to say!


Anonybob

REReader said...

L, it strikes me that you and you, Mycroft, are having similar concerns about gun training and self-defense training, respectively. Maybe it would be a good idea to talk about it with each other?

Small Hobbit said...

I can see why it's so hard. After all if I make the wrong decision at work and make a mistake in the payroll it can be put right the following month, but for anyone in your potential situation the consequences are on a totally different scale.

Hope you and John have a great sneaky date, wherever it may be. We'll all be waiting to hear whatever you are able to publish on a public blog (and the rest of it we'll just imagine).

REReader said...

Oh, I meant to say--nice jazz piece, L, thanks for posting it. (I don't remember if I recommended Gilad Hekselman here or not? He's a jazz guitarist, very, very good, and his pieces have definite melodies.)


I bet Sherlock is just fine with the two of you, John & L, going somewhere together. For one thing, you're not taking Mycroft--and for another, it's a good opportunity for him to give Mrs H degu-training training, right Sherlock? (Not to mention edible glitter, which is brilliant!)

Sherlock said...

I think John should take ME on a date if it just means eating nice food and ice cream and having fun.

pandabob said...

he'll take you out soon Sherlock I'm sure but tonight you're going to be a lovely boy and have fun with Mrs Hudson so John and Lestrade can have a special time to themselves :-) I know you're a lovely boy and that you know how important it is for adults to have special time together just like children :-)

Anonybob

Anon Without A Name said...

Ah, Sherlock. Quite often a date does involve those things, but there's usually yucky romance lovey-dovey stuff as well. There may even be kissing! I reckon you're better off with Mrs H, biscuits, and the edible glitter.

(Maybe you could save some of the edible glitter for John and Lestrade? Apparently they like sparkly stuff)

Sherlock said...

I have to save it for Lestrade because it's his job to clean up glitter, it's on the chore chart, and edible glitter counts too.

pandabob said...

You are a very good boy to leave it for him to do then Sherlock ;-)

Do you do all your chores? or is the chart just for Lestrade?

REReader said...

Ha, Nameless, you got there ahead of me! Just as Nameless said, Sherlock, dates are part of the romance stuff--private together time either for people who think they might get romantic with each other, or for people who already are romantic with each other.

(But maybe some night when Lestrade has to work at night, you can go to dinner--not a date!--just you and John.)

I think if Mrs Hudson says it is okay for you to bake with the edible glitter while she's in charge, it would be okay--and you have time to check with John before he leaves. (And Lestrade can always clean it up when he gets home. :))

Sherlock said...

Everyone has chores and John and Mrs Hudson have the most and then Mycroft when he's home and then me and Lestrade doesn't have a lot because he has to work all the time. He's supposed to cook and clean up glitter and it says hoover the ceiling but he never does that.

REReader said...

Does the ceiling need hoovering yet, SHerlock? I guess he'll do that when it gets dusty or maybe when there are spider webs--removing the spiders to safety first, of course.

pandabob said...

I'm going to guess that hoovering the ceiling is a bit tongue in cheek because he's the only one who can reach ;-)

I'm glad everyone has chores it's important really don't you think?

Greg Lestrade said...

He is indeed the only one who can reach. But Mycroft is catching me up fast....

Danger, just putting petrol in the bike. Get you glad rags on. I need a shower when I get in.

pandabob said...

Stop growing Mycroft or you'll be gaining a chore ;-)

Enjoy your evening boys you deserve some fun :-)

Anonybob

John H. D. Watson said...

Can't wait. :)

Anon Without A Name said...

John, Lestrade - have a lovely, fun evening :-)

REReader said...

Have fun, guys--those going out, and those staying in! :)

Sherlock said...

My bedroom doesn't need tidying either but John still makes me so he should make Lestrade Hoover the ceiling.

John H. D. Watson said...

Sherlock - you and I can go somewhere next week, okay? You can pick, as long as it's not too far away or expensive.

John H. D. Watson said...

RR and Nameless - thanks! I think it'll be a fun evening.

REReader said...

Sherlock, I got an email with a comment from you, but it seems to have disappeared into the spam filter.


(The answer is that adults ALWAYS think kids' rooms need tidying, even when they are really arranged in a perfectly logical and easily-accessible way. There is no way around it that I ever found, except for growing up--and believe me, I tried! :))

REReader said...

John, I'm looking forward to hearing about it (not ALL about it, but something)! :)


Sherlock - you and I can go somewhere next week, okay?

That's awesome!

Mazarin said...

Have fun tonight, guys - all of you!

What are you up to this evening, Mycroft, as it sounds like you'll have the flat to yourself, somewhat?

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock - your room needs tidying or you'll lose the degus in the mess.

Danger is being very mysterious about our destination. He's even taking us there on the bike, so I won't know until we're there. (I'm hoping this means he doesn't expect me to ride back, either, and that there'll be good beer or wine...)

Desert Wanderer said...

Alright guys. I've opened the book with 5 Jammy Dodgers on "underground rap battle." Place your bets now!

John H. D. Watson said...

Good wine and beer and I think a pretty extensive selection of whiskeys too, so you'll have your pick. And no, you won't have to ride back, promise.

John H. D. Watson said...

DW - I'm going to manfully ignore your implications about my taste in date nights and give you turtles instead:

http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2012/04/yellow-spotted-amazon-river-turtles-hatch-at-the-rosamond-gifford-zoo.html

There weren't any underground rap battles until the weekend anyway.

Desert Wanderer said...

...Doc, are you psychic? How did you know that's exactly what I needed? Thanks. <3

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock - you and I can go somewhere next week, okay? You can pick, as long as it's not too far away or expensive.

Sherlock, who is the BEST Nanny in the world?

Sherlock said...

JOHN IS!

AND I know where you're going. But John says you can't bribe me but I think you could, but there isn't enough time before you go to get me all the ice cream and newts and giant rabbit it would take to get me to tell you and anyway then John probably wouldn't go on the date with me so I won't tell you anyway but you can still get me things to try and make me tell.

Desert Wanderer said...

I'm laughing so hard right now. God help you two when Sherlock learns to play it cool.

Sherlock, maybe tonight you should ask Mycroft and Mrs. H. about a poker face and the uses thereof. I think you might find it...useful. ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm...not sure if it's a good thing to know that, indeed, every man does have his price. And that that's yours... but thanks for telling me not to try, anyway ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

L - I feel now like I should've also told him it couldn't be life threatening or illegal...

DW - God help you two when Sherlock learns to play it cool.

I am praying this will never happen.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm just laughing at the fact you two are going on a date.

I would say that I saw you first...but sadly that's not true! And there we were thinking we had ten or so years before he started dating...

Sherlock, you should buy John flowers and pay the bill, you know, if you've invited him on this date. It's what a gentleman would do. ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

He's just being silly, Sherlock, don't listen to him.

And it's not a date!

Sherlock said...

I'm meant to ignore him when he grumpy but if I have to ignore him when he's grumpy or silly then I'll be ignoring him lots. I could bring you flowers because you like them or cheese or a turtle if I can get one or jam or bake you sparkly biscuits because I can do all of those things except perhaps the turtle.

Greg Lestrade said...

Oh, God, I might laugh so much I fall off the bike. The thought of Sherlock turning up on a first date with a turtle and some cheese.... i'm laughing so hard I'm crying.

John H. D. Watson said...

You're very sweet, Sherlock. Not a turtle, please. We really don't need any more pets.

The thought of Sherlock turning up on a first date with a turtle and some cheese...

He could do worse! A turtle and some cheese might win him any number of hearts. At the very least they'd never forget him...

Greg Lestrade said...

He could do worse. I'm afraid I have bought you neither for our date night....

REReader said...

A turtle and some cheese might win him any number of hearts.

It would work on me!

REReader said...

(Footnote: Turtles and cheese and the rest are perfect because they are things John likes. It's always important to tailor gifts to the liking of the recipient, so excellent list, Sherlock!)

Desert Wanderer said...

It'd win mine. And definitely be unforgettable.

Mazarin said...

Sherlcok, any of those things would be wonderful because you know John likes them. (well, flowers and the cheese and the jam and maybe sparkly biscuits?) You just keep being yourself, kiddo, because that person is pretty darn awesome.

You better give us a full report of this date, John. Not yours and L's, yours and Sherlock's!

CzechReader said...

Oh my god... Turtles and cheese...

But what do we know, he might get the reputation as The Original Player... :-) Even though I am more cats and steaks girl myself. Which reminds me, I guess we're going to spend this year anniversary in the Prague botanical garden. Will be fun :-)

Anybody having a good tip on how to cure a sore throat FAST without including things like gignger, milk and honey (allergies) or combinations of lemon juice with garlic? Help please...

Greg Lestrade said...

My boyfriend, John Watson, is, in case any of you were under the impression this may not be the case.... AMAZING.

mazarin said...

Sorry, Sherlock, fumble fingers on the most important part.

Piplover said...

CR, have you tried gargling with warm salt water? That always gets rid of my sore throats.

Greg, John, I'm glad you're having a good date! And Sherlock, I think a turtle and cheese would be an amazing present for a date. You're an amazing kid.

pandabob said...

never doubted it for a second Greg :-)

glad you're having fun

Anonybob

CzechReader said...

L, we don't doubt that :-)

Piplover, will try...

Greg Lestrade said...

So...'date night' has really turned into actual date NIGHT, not just 'date evening', because the aforementioned AMAZING John Watson has booked us a room!

I could carry on explaining all his virtues, but you'd all become insanely jealous. And there's a bath tub built for two waiting for me... (a bath tub at the bottom of our bed, I might add.)

John H. D. Watson said...

The rooms were right upstairs from the restaurant, how was I supposed to resist? :)

pandabob said...

you really are the most amazing man on the planet John!!!

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha! I don't know, taking me out on a date, thinking you'll get to have your wicked way with me... (Sherlock, this is not how a true gentleman behaves!) :)

John H. D. Watson said...

Hm...no, I think you'll find that's my boyfriend, actually.

Desert Wanderer said...

I could carry on explaining all his virtues, but you'd all become insanely jealous.

BECOME?! Please. I've been jealous of you since about...this time last year. Lucky fox.

pandabob said...

joint most amazing then John you can't find a way to argue with the surely :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry, DW. Just persuade him on that cloning machine....

The food was amazing, wine was amazing. Scotch continues to be amazing (having your room with your bath tub over the restaurant means you get to enjoy the rest of your scotch in the bath...)

You could have let Sherlock tell me - I wouldn't have believed him!

John H. D. Watson said...

Very much worth it to see you relaxed and smiling.

REReader said...

Woo!

(I don't know how you managed to keep that secret, Sherlock, even without bribes!)

Greg Lestrade said...

You literally leave me speechless with the lengths you go to for me.

I love you.

John H. D. Watson said...

I love you too. And it's really not any more than you do for me.

pandabob said...

enjoy every second boys :-)

I can't think of two people who deserve good times together more than you two do :-)

Anon Without A Name said...

Sounds wonderful, you both deserve to have a lovely evening.

And a bath in the room? Very handy if you start feeling dirty :-p

Greg Lestrade said...

going to drop my phone in the bath if John wiggles his toes like that just there again.

Desert Wanderer said...

C'mon, Nameless. How could you possibly get dirty in a hotel room? Seems a bit unlikely that they're going to be exerting themselves or anything...

Greg Lestrade said...

DW - can't exert until after finished digesting the amazing dinner. It's bad for you, or something.

Lucky we're here all night ;)

pandabob said...

You see I thought working off your dinner was the whole point of eating it in the first place ;-)

but as you say you have all night I just hope there were (are) enough courses ;-)

Desert Wanderer said...

Wouldn't want to get a cramp in the tub, no. Might drown if your face is near the water. Although if something does happen, I've heard you can massage a stiff area to great effect.

Small Hobbit said...

I can't compete with DW's way with words, so I'll just say I'm glad you two are having such a great time.

Greg Lestrade said...

Mmm, the Doc's got all cures for stiff bits, I assure you.

John H. D. Watson said...

I shall certainly do my best.

Kate L said...

L & J - you two are making me grin like crazy. That sounds like such a wonderfully decadent way to spend an evening!

S - hope you've had fun with the sparkly biscuits. And as for cheese and turtles: I'm sure that anyone who received a gift so thoughtfully tailored to their interests would count themselves lucky :)

M - hope you've also had a nice evening, whether you've been helping with the biscuits or taking advantage of the peace and quiet in the flat. Which I imagine is a bit of a rare commodity!

Mycroft said...

Thank you, Kate. We had a nice time with Mrs Hudson and did make biscuits that were, in Sherlock's case at least, extremely sparkly. I'm just reading now. It's nice to be alone for a little while; we're never alone at school.

pandabob said...

I hope you're fast asleep now mycroft but glad you had a nice evening and that you managed to get some time alone :-) it must be strange always to be surrounded by people. I like my quiet time to myself I'm not sure how I'd cope without it!

Sleep well or I hope you slept well :-)

Anonybob

Desert Wanderer said...

What are you reading, Mycroft? Are you one of those people who can read multiple things at once and keep track of them all?

Mycroft said...

I'm reading The Once and Future King. Father used to read it with me when he was home. And for school I'm reading Lord of the Flies, but I don't like it very much.

I'll go to sleep soon.

REReader said...

I'm with you on the Lord of the Flies--and it's depressing.

The Once and Future King is an old favorite. Do you generally enjoy fantasy, or is this a special case because of the associations?

Mycroft said...

We're already essentially living it; I don't see why they need to make us read it as well.

I don't like most fantasy, but I like this one, and The Tombs of Atuan. And I started one of John's called The Graveyard Book, which is about a boy who's raised by ghosts. I like that one so far, too.

Desert Wanderer said...

I think the point of reading it in school is for people who aren't as perceptive as you, Mycroft.

I read The Once and Future King (a candidate for "Books That are More Interesting Without the Last Letter") several years ago and remember that I wish we'd had more time in school for it, since we only read a few of the chapters.

Do you have a favorite genre, then?

REReader said...

Well. I don't know that people are quite so relentlessly--I'm not even sure of the right word--as Golding makes them out to be. I've certain met people who are considerably less power-driven than most of these characters, and they haven't all ended up at the bottom of the figurative food chain by a long shot. (Personally, if I have to read an exposition of that world view I prefer Machiavelli. At least he had a good sense of humor, however mordant.)


I've read some of Le Guin's work, but not that book--I'll have to look it up. And my brother's been urging Gaiman on me for a while, but since he tends to like harder-edged books than I do I haven't gotten to him yet. That's definitely an interesting concept, though. (Yay, new books for my list! Thank you. :))

I've just finished reading my way through the Belgarian/Malloreon cycle again--always a lot of fun for me, since I enjoy the simultaneous use and puncturing of all those high-fantasy/grand-epic tropes.

REReader said...

(Belgariad, not Belgarian. Bah, humbug.)

Mycroft said...

DW, did you read it while you were in school for the Air Force or a long time ago? I'm not sure I have a genre that I like. Maybe history. In Latin, we're reading Suetonius' Twelve Caesars, which is great because he was alive then and knew what it was really like.

In fiction, I like most of the Greek tragedies, especially Euripedes, even though my Greek teacher thinks he wasn't as good as Sophocles. I think Sophocles is kind of boring. And I like Salinger's Nine Stories, especially A Perfect Day for Banana Fish.

REReader said...

I'm very fond of microhistory for entertainment--have you any interest in that, Mycroft? I like the sort of sideways angle it comes in on, so to speak. And I've always enjoyed reading contemporary sources--like Madison's Notes on the Constitutional Convention (not the actual title, but I can pull the book down if anyone wants it!) and the letters John and Abigail Adams wrote to each other.

(And good night, when you do drop off!)

Desert Wanderer said...

When I was in high school. I don't know if I should take offense to "a long time ago" or not. For the Air Force, the Chief of Staff comes out with a new reading list every year in an attempt to provide a "common frame of reference between airmen." This year's list includes Catch-22, which I think is an...interesting choice.

I haven't read Twelve Caesars, but I agree with you about Euripedes vs. Sophocles. I liked Aeschylus best of all, but I couldn't really defend that opinion beyond "I liked it better." Are you reading them in their native languages, though? Because I most assuredly wasn't.

I hadn't read A Perfect Day for Banana Fish, but I have now. If you like that, how do you feel about Flannery O'Connor?

REReader said...

Catch-22, DW? Ha!

Mycroft said...

RR, I'm not sure I've read any microhistory; I didn't know that word, so I had to look it up just now. It sounds interesting though. What's your favourite?

DW, Mummy likes Aeschylus best too. The Bacchae is the only one I've read all the way through in Greek; the others I've only read parts in Greek and the rest in English. Drama is harder than history. I haven't read any Flannery O'Connor. If I were going to, where should I start?

Chief of Staff comes out with a new reading list every year

So everyone in the whole Air Force has to read it, even if you're out of school? Also, that's... I haven't read it, but I know what it's about. It is, indeed, an interesting choice.

And now I'm going to sleep because Sherlock will probably wake me up in an hour. But he has to go to school and I don't, so I can go back to bed after John takes him to school.

REReader said...

For when you wake up, then, Mycroft--There are a lot of good microhistories out there, and a lot depends on where your interests lie. A few of my favorites are: One Good Turn by Witold Rybczynski (he's written quite a number of good books--Home is another I really enjoyed); A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage; At Home by Bill Bryson (that's sort of a compendium of mini-microhistories, organized by rooms in his house); and my absolute favorite is The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski. I would recommend that last to anyone who loves books--or even is vaguely interested in books.

Have a good 1-hour nap--and a good, solid daytime sleep out!

Sherlock said...

John and Lestrade ONLY JUST got home!

REReader said...

Do they look like they had a good time, Sherlock? :)

Sherlock said...

They're both yawning lots so maybe the hotel wasn't very good or the bed was uncomfortable.

REReader said...

Or maybe they just stayed up really late... :)

And they did get home on time for John to take you to school, that's a good thing! Did you save them any glittery biscuits?

Greg Lestrade said...

He did indeed. Well, Mrs H did.

And some beds, Sherlock, are not made for sleeping ;)

Now I must go before I'm not just sleep deprived, but late, too.

REReader said...

Have a safe trip and a good day, L! (Complete with glittery biscuits and happy thoughts. :))

Sherlock said...

It's raining and horrible and John just yawned so widely that his jaw clicked and Mrs Hudson said he was a dirty stop out but I don't know what that is.

pandabob said...

There are worse reasons to be sleep deprived Greg ;-) glad you're feeling happy and smiley this morning. Have a good ride and a good day :-)

I hope you're smiling too this morning john :-) maybe a good thing mycroft was up late you can both go back to bed once Sherlock is at school.

Have a nice day everyone :-)

Anonybob

Anon Without A Name said...

Sounds like you two had a very successful date night - good :-)

Sherlock - a "dirty stop out" is a saying for someone who stays out very late having... fun.

Mycroft - I'm impressed that you're reading so many of the books in the original language. I read some of the Aeneid in Latin at school, but I wasn't very good at Latin at all. I've read The Twelve Ceasars, but only in translation. Oh, and I read The Graveyard Book just last month - I thought it was very good.

I hope you (and John, by the sounds of it) find time for a nice nap today :-)

Lestrade - no napping in meetings :-p

CzechReader said...

Oooh, I envy you guys :-)

Mycroft - I get what you mean. I also like being completely alone from time to time, simply to enjoy the feeling of not having to pay attention to somebody else constantly (I always register when somebody moves or talks around me; I have to concentrate in restaurants to only listen to my companions, because I tend to tune in randomly to conversations at other tables).

RR - Yay Eddings! Have you read the prequels too? Very interesting.
Gaiman, well, he's kind of dark. Dark-ish. Much more philosophical than Eddings. The only books I was able to read was the Stardust (and even then I preferred the movie) and then his collaborative piece with Terry Pratchett, the Good Omens, which I do recommend strongly.
I always thought that similar to Eddings' style is Gemmel's - have you tried his books yet? And if you feel like relaxing and reading a good old-fashioned fairy tale in the style from before they all got PG-rating approved and sanitized, go for Garth Nix and his Abhorsen trilogy.

Okay, and somebody make me shut up about the books - I can go on and on about fantasy genre...

DW - I wonder if they want to imply something with this choice of literature...

Piplover - sadly, I've found out it's nearly physically impossible for me to gargle with anything. My dinner tries to re-visit the moment the liquid hits my throat. So I have to go to the doctor and will probably have to get antibiotics. Again. *grumblegrumblegrumble*

PS: recaptcha says "nommed dutches" - I can't nom anything right now! L, your recaptcha is EVIL :-)

Jaws said...

Mycroft, have you read Jean Anouilh's version of Antigone? I personally enjoy it the most, probably because we analysed it in IB English Lit, and because of the time period Anouilh wrote it in just paralleled Sophocles' so interestingly.

My brother's just finished reading Lord of the Flies at school, he enjoyed it (he's a year or so older than you), does it really feel like you're living it at Harrow? (Apologies if this is a little personal, simply interested)

Also, have you read the Hunger Games? It might be a little young for you, in which case ask John if you can read Orwell's 1984 (in my humble opinion the better by far) or Ben Elton's Blind Faith, which is in essence an updated 1984, but is definitely for older audiences.

Other books I rate highly, The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry, the Empath series by Anne McCaffrey, anything by Ian McEwan, anything by Gabriel Marcia Marquez, A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. But to be fair, I read everything.

Greg Lestrade said...

Can everyone stop mentioning how John is probably warm and cuddled up asleep in hed? I'm freezing and wet and jealous.

pandabob said...

Raining?

Try to focus on the energy John will have to look after you tonight when you get back to him later ;-)

Hope your day gets drier :-)

Anonybob

REReader said...

L, the freezing and wet bit has obviously been arranged entirely for your personal benefit--so you don't drop off while driving, yeah? :) (Were you able to dry off and warm up once you got there?)

CR--yes, the whole 12-book cycle. (Eddings is a traditionalist. :D) I have not yet tried Gemmel, and as I said, I've put off reading Gaiman because I know that my brother prefers darker authors than I do, in general.

Sherlock--I had to look it up myself, because that's a British phrase, and Nameless's definition of "dirty stop out" is of course quite correct as far as it goes, but it's not meaning just any sort of fun, so you don't want to be using it that way!

(If I'm going to be running on 3-1/2 hours of sleep, I want a better reason than "couldn't sleep". *grumble*)

pandabob said...

I can think of a worse reason than 'couldn't sleep' RR, how about spending three hours in casualty with a small child rather than sleeping? I'd rather have Greg's sleep deprivation any day ;-)

Hope you don't feel too bad for your lack of sleep RR

Anonybob

Greg Lestrade said...

I'd been here an hour and a half when I posted that! No, we've been running about in full body armour doing scenarios in the pissing rain.

But I am still smiling like a lunatic after last night, so everyone just thinks I'm enjoying it... or mad. Or both.

Greg Lestrade said...

Hope the small child (and you) are okay, AnonyBob?

pandabob said...

Aye she has a lump on her head and a lip that looks like she's been thumped (interesting explaining that without an accident form from nursery!!) but she's ok. I however will be living on the caffeine drink I'm not allowed to mention in the same sentence as coffee for the rest of the day!! ;-)

I'm voting for people thinking you're mad ;-)

Anonybob

Desert Wanderer said...

Mycroft, if you read "Good Country People," it'll give you an idea of O'Connor's style. It was the first bit of hers I ever read.

The Chief's reading list is "highly encouraged" for all officers and senior enlisted, but there's 330,000 people in the AF, so it's not like they're doing spot checks. You just have to be prepared to discuss the list with any senior officer come to visit on a dog and pony show.

Lestrade, hope you don't spend too much time in the rain. Glad to hear you had a good night, though. :)

REReader said...

Yikes, Anony, that's Not Good! (Okay, however, is good, lumps and bumps aside. I'm very glad she's okay.)

L, I can't do arithmetic at 6:30 am no matter how much sleep I've had! As for the rest of it--I don't guess you actually need the rain to keep you alert in that case, but yay for long-lasting happy! :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Arithmetic?

Glad she's largely okay, AnonyBob.

You lot are making me feel all unread again:) I tried Ian McEwan once... I think? Atonement? Did he write that? Only made it through 2 chapters or so. Not my kind of thing.

Desert Wanderer said...

Says the guy who made a classical music pun just a post ago. What is your kind of thing, then?

Captcha says "prtiest ssinger" It clearly thinks you should serenade Doc at some point. :)

pandabob said...

I can assure you Greg that if you have read one book in your life, or even a few chapters of one book, then you are better read than me ;-)

I hope you're drying off now :-)

Anonybob

REReader said...

Arithmetic to figure out what time it is where and how long ago which what was posted, of course... :D

I'm not sure that spending copious amounts of time between the covers of a book is a morally superior way to spend one's time, L! :) Speaking for myself only, books don't misunderstand me, and they don't judge me, so I've always liked it in there, is all. And for me it's a good way to learn things.

Small Hobbit said...

L - anyone who enjoys running around in the rain in full body armour clearly has to be mad.

Greg Lestrade said...

But the time stamps work again now, don't they? Or dont they for everyone? Or do they vary depending where in the world you are? I've just assumed they were working again for everyone!

DW - I don't think I have one, honestly. When I moved in here Sherlock announced he'd cleared me a space on the bookshelf - which I completely failed to fill. But I quite like reading about real things - factual books, usually about disasters, murders, feats of humankind... That sort of thing.


But we didn't really read growing up, and I never got in the habit, so I don't feel like I'm missing out. I'd rather play my guitars if I've got spare time, than try to find a book I'll enjoy. I've never heard of almost every book you lot have just mentioned. But I imagine I have a library of songs in my head most of you haven't heard of either :)

John H. D. Watson said...

anyone who enjoys running around in the rain in full body armour clearly has to be mad.

Sounds like fun to me. ;)

But I imagine I have a library of songs in my head most of you haven't heard of either

Quite sure that's true, yes. And I'm selfishly glad you'd rather play. I like hearing you.

pandabob said...

Songs are the best form of words and music is way to everyones heart and mind isn't it?

Greg Lestrade said...

Ah, awake again are we, Doctor Dirty-Stopout?

It's less running and more 'crouching behind things', really.

John H. D. Watson said...

I've been awake! Well...more or less. I only went back to bed for an hour or so. There might've been some light dozing on the sofa. Sherlock complained bitterly on the way to school that no one slept but him so we're all sure to be SO BORING this afternoon. Heh.

Greg Lestrade said...

Hah, I bet the degus slept. He can train them to take over the world or something.

REReader said...

The time stamps are working, yep. On this blog I see UK time on a 24-hour clock, and on John's UK time on a 12-hour clock--BUT when I read any of it in email, which is what I mostly do when I'm not at my desk because the type is bigger, I get NYC time. Which requires translation to get UK time on ANY clock! :)

And I KNOW you know far, far more songs than I do, by any measure!

REReader said...

Ha, John! I really, really love the way Sherlock's mind works. :)

(I hope Mycroft got or is getting more than light dozing on the sofa. And surely you could catch another nap before it's time to pick up Sherlock?)

Greg Lestrade said...

By the way, don't think I've mentioned enough times today just how much I bloody love you, Doctor Watson.

John H. D. Watson said...

I think you might've said it quite a few times in the early hours of the morning...

I love you too.

Are you warm and dry inside yet?

Greg Lestrade said...

Still not enough times.

Still cold and wet externally. Warm inside :) and occasionally being reminded of you ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

By the warm inside part and not the cold and wet I hope.

...That didn't sound quite like I meant it to. Anyway.

Mycroft's reading me bits from a story one of this lot recommended to him last night...

'She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity.'

Ha.

mazarin said...

think you might've said it quite a few times in the early hours of the morning...

*wolf whistle* Well done, Dr. Hotson.

pandabob said...

I thought all this loving stuff was supposed to be banned over here? Not that I'm complaining I love that you're so in love with each other (can't think of two people who deserve to be so sickeningly in love more than you two do) but Sherlock wanted murders didn't he not death by love ;-)

Anonybob

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, but he's at school, so he can't stop us. ;)

pandabob said...

We'll just enjoy the love and wait for his complaints later then ;-)

You really are amazing Dr Watson if memories of last night can still be bringing a smile to your mans face this far into a wet day ;-)

Hope you've had a nice day :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Definitely the warm inside part, Doc Hotson ;)

Apologies, Sherlock, I shall post tonight about both lovey stuff and firearms training, okay?

Maz - I can never tell him I love him enough, but certain... skills he has definitely make me more vocal ;)

Mycroft said...

Jaws: have you read Jean Anouilh's version of Antigone?

No, but I think we will later. I know an older boy whose class is reading it.

does it really feel like you're living it at Harrow?

Not in detail, but in essence and attitude, yes. I've been to boarding school before; it's always like this.

I haven't read The Hunger Games, though a lot of boys at school are reading it. I'm not sure I want to read 1984 after what John said about the rats. The Book Thief sounds interesting. John has Pride and Prejudice, but Mummy says it's just a really old romance novel. If I were going to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez, where should I start?

DW, I read Good Country People today. I'm not sure that I understood it fully or that I liked it, but I enjoyed reading it. I'm going to look for some more of her short stories. Also, I liked the line that John quoted (She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity.) because that's exactly how Anthea looks at all the older boys at my school.

The Chief's reading list is "highly encouraged" for all officers and senior enlisted

That must make it the biggest book club in the world. Have you read Catch-22 already then?

REReader said...

Did you get sufficient sleep this morning, Mycroft?

(Ah! Perhaps my never having been to a boarding school accounts for my disconnect with Lord of the Flies. I suspect I would not like it any better if the cast of characters was more personally familiar, however.)

Jane Austen's works can indeed fairly be described as romance novels--but she was an exceptionally shrewd and witty observer of human nature and the mores and foibles of her own society. She repays a read, I think--and, of course, you'd quickly discover if she's not to your taste. (My brother is not a fan, I know.)

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm free, I'm coming home, I'll probably get rained on again and I thought I'd make us a pie when I got in, if anyone wants to suggest what to fill it with?

Sherlock said...

Sting rays.

Greg Lestrade said...

I so nearly put 'within reason'... And then I didn't.

No sting rays. Something available at the supermarket, preferably.

Sherlock said...

Fish and coconuts? I want a coconut.

pandabob said...

what kind of supermarket doesn't sell stingray?

I'd love to have dinner made by you Sherlock it would be the most interesting meal in the world I am sure ;-)

Anonybob

Sherlock said...

I would make a dinner that's all rainbow colours! Blue would be hard but I think there are blue potatoes.

REReader said...

A rainbow dinner would definitely have eye appeal! There are indeed blue potatoes, Sherlock--they look more purple than blue really, but they're called blue so that should count. And there are blueberries, but they can look kind of purple too.

pandabob said...

I had purple potatoes once and they looked kind of blue once they were mashed with butter and cream :-) Rainbows are my favourite so I think it would be a lovely idea Sherlock.

there would be lots of colours to chose from so you could make anything really couldn't you :-)

What do you think you would pick? or would you just add food colouring to ice cream and have an ice cream rainbow and nothing else?

Anonybob

Sherlock said...

Blue potatoes and steak because it's red and lots of things are green so maybe asparagus, I like that. And then all the fruit colours for dessert, maybe in ice cream. Except that's kind of cheating but what's orange or yellow that you can eat with steak? I don't think steak with bananas would be good.

pandabob said...

fried eggs? or pineapple rings? I like both of those with Steak :-) Your ideas sound delicious :-)

You could do rainbow ice cream and a weird fruit salad? that wouldn't be cheating it would just be really really nice :-)

REReader said...

How about a butternut squash soup for starters? That's a very pretty orange color. And isn't spaghetti squash yellow? That would go with the steak and blue potatoes!

This is starting to sound like a very delicious meal, Sherlock!

REReader said...

Or you could have a pepper salad, or fried pepper rings--those come in green, yellow, red, and orange, so you'd get them all in together!

Sherlock said...

What's spaghetti squash? Do you make spaghetti out of it?

Greg Lestrade said...

How have none of you mentioned carrots?

Sherlock, I was thinking meat and veg. Fish pies have mashed potato on them, usually.

Steak and kidney? Chicken and mushroom? Liver and Bacon? Squash and goats cheese?

I'm in the shop now....

pandabob said...

I think we thought carrots were a bit obvious for a rainbow meal of the quality Sherlock was suggesting :-)

I'd have steak and kidney if it was me but it's not!

Sherlock said...

Squash and goat's cheese! But you COULD put fish in pies. You could put octopus in pies and then all the tentacles would stick out the sides!

REReader said...

It's a squash or marrow--and when you cook it, you can scrape it away from the rind with a fork and it turns into stringy bits so it looks kind of like spaghetti. There's pictures of it step-by-step under this clicky link. My sister makes it for her family a lot, usually with a tomato-ey sauce.

John H. D. Watson said...

Chicken and mushroom sounds quite nice.

REReader said...

You could put octopus in pies and then all the tentacles would stick out the sides!

I now have a most...interesting...mental image of an octopus pie, rather like a pizza, with a tentacle sticking out of each "slice".

REReader said...

How have none of you mentioned carrots?

Carrot cake!

Greg Lestrade said...

Unfortunately there are no pie-sized octopus on sale here. I'll get stuff for you and John, we can always make 2. Mycroft, you have a preference?

Mycroft said...

No, they all sound good to me. I want to help you make it though if that's all right.

Sherlock said...

Carrots are good and yellow could be the lemon risotto Lestrade makes and asparagus and steak and blue potatoes and that purple kind of cabbage AND dessert could be all the colours too!

Greg Lestrade said...

Definitely all right. It will be a pleasure. I'll be home soon, once I've packed all this on the bike.

pandabob said...

When are you cooking it then Sherlock? It sound delicious just as I thought it would :-)

REReader said...

Sherlock, all I can say is if you ever have that rainbow meal, you are going to have a lot of people wanting to come to dinner!

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock just looked at me very very closely and announced I looked like I might 'get a bit boring later'. (tired, I think he means.)

And Mrs Hudson pinched my bum on the way up the stairs because I said John had led me astray last night...

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha! I didn't lead you astray, I just led you upstairs...

I'm glad you're home.

pandabob said...

Mrs Hudson's a braver women than me touching what belongs to the doc ;-)

I'm sure Sherlock can be entertaining enough for all of you can't you Sherlock ;-)

Have a nice evening (and nice pies)

Anonybob

Greg Lestrade said...

Upstairs was definitely astray! But only in the best possible ways.

I'm glad I am too, despite disappointing Sherlock by returning without octopus.

Now, Mycroft and I should hit the kitchen. And you should do your best to distract me ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

Shall I send Mrs Hudson in to pinch your bum again? Or was that not the sort of distraction you had in mind?

Greg Lestrade said...

Right sort of distraction, wrong perpetrator...

Mycroft is shaking his head (fondly) at us.

John H. D. Watson said...

Hmm. You probably don't want my cold hands up your shirt either, do you? Nevertheless...

CzechReader said...

Mycroft, I love your comment about the biggest book club :-) I enjoyed 100 years of solitude by Gabriel García Marquéz very much, so I would recommend that one. I would also recommend anything by Louis de Bernieres, I enjoyed Captain Corelli's Mandoline (MUCH better than the movie) and The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts - just there are some explicit scenes in the second, so I don't know...

If you could get your hands on this book by Thit Jensen, I would certainly recommend it. All in all it is a nice study of character, ups and downs of Renaissance in Denmark, politics and so on: "Jørgen Lykke, the Last Knight of the Realm: A Novel in Three Books about the High Renaissance in Denmark". I am not sure if it is actually translated to English, I've read it in Czech, so...

I've also enjoyed Colas Breugnon by Romain Rolland very much.

Sherlock - I don't know if octopus meat is good to bake in the pies. I've always thought it needs shorter preparation time and higher temperatures... Otherwise nice idea :-)

Anon Without A Name said...

When I moved in here Sherlock announced he'd cleared me a space on the bookshelf

That's lovely :-) I would agree with everyone else that there's nothing special about enjoying reading; I can't play any musical instrument, I can't sing, and I'm madly envious of those who can and do.

John, Lestrade - sounds like you two had a *very* good night :-)

John has Pride and Prejudice, but Mummy says it's just a really old romance novel

Well, on one hand, your Mum's right, Mycroft. On the other hand, it (and most other Austen novels) can also be read as unflinching deconstructions of the culture and morals of the day, a scathing indictment of the way that class and money dictated the entirety of a woman's options in life. Well worth a read if you keep your cynical hat on on.

You could put octopus in pies and then all the tentacles would stick out the sides!

I am reminded of Desperate Dan and his cow pies :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Your hands are warmer than it's been up my shirt all day! Just pick your moment, so I don't chop any important body parts off.

Sherlock, I cut you a pastry octopus for the top of your pie.

Jaws said...

Mycroft, apologies for not responding sooner, I've been revising, hence offline an awfully large amount.
P&P is indeed *the* original romance novel, but as ReRe says, much more too. Personally I find it pretty darn funny, and I do recommend persisting with it, on 1st read it took until about 1/4 through before I started to enjoy myself, but well worth the effort.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez I was introduced to via Chronicle of a Death Foretold, a slim volume, but my personal favourite is Love in the Time of Cholera. Absolutely unputdownable.
And because I forgot my FAVOURITE novel, Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres. Do not watch the movie, read the book, that goes for everyone! I'm reading it aloud to my boyfriend at the moment, it's great for different voices at bedtime, and there's a lot of death (for Sherlock), history (for you), medicine (for John) and love (for Lestrade, the big softy)

I have lots more recommendations, I love reading and will read pretty much anything. Of course, now I claim it's "research", I'm writing a novel, very very slowly.

Sherlock said...

Lestrade keeps nearly falling asleep and he hasn't even got pudding yet!

REReader said...

Ah, well, he had a busy day. And then some. :)

pandabob said...

aahh Poor L maybe he's not going to be able to manage pudding Sherlock, he has had a tough day after a tough day and fun night yesterday ;-)

Send him to bed then you won't have the earliest bedtime for once ;-)

Anonybob

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm getting pudding. Well, it's yoghurt and fruit, but it's sort of 'getting'.

And I've been told I can't go to bed until I posted. Which I shall, in a min.

CzechReader said...

Nearly on 200 comments... Moving to John's?

Sherlock - sometimes rest is much better than pudding, believe me.

pandabob said...

you did promise after all ;-)

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