20 May 2012

Brains

It's Sherlock because Lestrade said I could do a post. Today after I made breakfast and then John and Lestrade cleaned the kitchen and I sorted out everything in all the cupboards we went somewhere AMAZING. And they both knew about it and hadn't even told me even though we could have gone before, but John said I would have been impossible if they'd said anything but anyway it doesn't matter because we went today and it was all about brains.



There were real actual brains and you could look right at them close and then there were videos and pictures and old brains and new brains and ones that had diseases and it was the best thing ever. They said it wasn't meant to be for people until they were 14 like Mycroft but I told the man all about why I wanted to see the brains and John told him I'd be okay and they let us in and it was great and I've never been that close to a real brain out of a human before and I saw what Molly does when she cuts them up and looks inside and you could see how they use other ways of looking inside in hospital too. They also had really old things about brains and how they used to think they worked and what they used to do if your head hurt and John says he's never cut a hole in anyone's head but he might start with Lestrade's if Lestrade doesn't behave and it was really great and you can go and look on their website to see some of the videos and brains and pictures and it won't be as good as going but it'll still be good and they even bought me the book so I can read that when I'm in bed and I might take it to show Mrs T too. And they had skulls as well and they were good too and one of the brains was from Ancient Egypt and they hadn't mushed it all up and pulled it out through the nose but it was proper and dried up now but still looked like a brain and that's really old. And there was stuff about what happens if you're shot in the head and about music and how you can see what happens in your brain when you hear music and they can see all that with clever scans and what happens when you think and they even had some of Einstein's brain there.

It was the best thing ever and John says it was free so we can go back too. And now Lestrade's cooking dinner and John's asleep in his chair and Lestrade says maybe I could try trepanning on him.

119 comments:

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh he said that, did he?

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm sure he never said any such thing.

John H. D. Watson said...

Sounds like something he'd say...

Greg Lestrade said...

What a terrible accusation.

We were just putting the corkscrew and tin opener away, as we replaced all the kitchen utensils into the kitchen...that's all. I'm sure no one ever suggested alternate uses for them. Especially not him.

(by the way, Sherlock determined where they went. Don't expect to ever find anything ever again, unless you think Sherlock-style about what goes with what.)

John H. D. Watson said...

Sounds like a challenge.

Sherlock said...

It's Lestrade who needs the trepanning anyway because he gets more headaches and it might work and John's a doctor so he could patch it up after!

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm actually entirely content with the number of holes in my head already, ta.

REReader said...

I must say, Sherlock, that was an excellent and exciting report, and now I've read it I have the strongest urge to get myself to London so I can see it too! Since I can't afford that, I definitely will be checking out the website, thank you for the link. :)

(I'm sure your reorganization of the kitchen is perfectly logical, but you may have to explain it to John and Lestrade--or be sure you're there when they want to cook or bake so you can find everything for them, that would work, too.)

To the best of my knowledge, trepanning is done when there is pressure on the brain, and I'm pretty sure that migraines aren't caused by pressure. Before cutting a hole in Lestrade's skull to cure his migraines, you might want to check the research on that--the first rule of a doctor is "do no harm," after all. :)

John H. D. Watson said...

L - you don't want a nice silver coin to plug up the hole?

Anon Without A Name said...

What a wonderful day out, Sherlock. Thank you for writing all about it for us :-)

I think a good scientist would check out the existing research on a procedure like trepanning before attempting to take a corkscrew to their nanny or DI's head. After all, a corkscrew might be completely the wrong size tool for the job, and that would invalidate any findings. It would be a shame to go to all that effort and then not have a valid result at the end. (You might also want to think about the way modern science tends to insist on the informed consent of research subjects these days...)

Desert Wanderer said...

I thought copper was preferred for plugging holes?

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha, you're right I'm sure!

Greg Lestrade said...

A silver coin would be almost invisible in my silver hair, so that'd be a bonus. But someone might try to nick it...

Nameless - he assured me he'd actually use my drill, not a corkscrew...

REReader said...

*judiciously* A drill would likely work better, it's true...

(You two clearly gave him a day he'll remember for years to come as something to measure other trips against! :))

pandabob said...

What an amazing day Sherlock :-) I'm so glad you had fun but I'm really not sure drilling holes in Lestrade's head was the headache cure he was looking for!

I suppose that they shouldn't take you to these places and let you learn about these things if they don't want to give them a go though ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Anonybob - just make sure he doesn't ask me when I've actually got a migraine... I'd probably take just about anything then! He'd be halfway through my skull before John could stop him :)

pandabob said...

Sally - "The boss doesn't look great John I think you might need to come pick him up"

John - "OK I'll be there as soon as I've been home and hidden the corkscrew" ;-)

I think anybody who's ever had a migraine would understand that Greg!

John H. D. Watson said...

Do I have to make a no trepanning rule? Maybe I should warn Mrs T too so she can put it in her book...

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha! Might be wise. For him and me. Migraines just make me angry - except I've never quite got the energy to manage that properly when I've got one, so I just get grumpy and pathetic instead.

And I need to go to bed. A Sherlock that excited seems to draw the life-force out of elderly DIs ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

If I meet any elderly DIs, I'll let them know. Meanwhile I'll be happy to take my non-elderly DI to bed. I'm exhausted as well.

Ro said...

Wow, Sherlock - that really is AMAZING! You lucky, lucky boy! It's really good that they let you in, even though you're not 14. I'm going to have a good look at the website, and next time I come to England it will be on my list of things to see.

Hope everyone is currently having a lovely, deep sleep. I wish I was, too. Stupid work.

Greg Lestrade said...

Feel old and grumpy and really want to go back to bed.

REReader said...

:( I'm sorry you're having an unhappy morning, L.

(If it helps--in the misery-loves-company way-- I'm feeling a bit too revved to sleep and will undoubtedly be grumpy when I have to get up, too.)

Greg Lestrade said...

Ta. I'm sure I'll get over myself soon. Just being childish.

REReader said...

Nah, being tired isn't childish, it's just that it's Really Early. You're allowed!

Greg Lestrade said...

Being grumpy about being tired and having to go to work is childish though.

Whoever invented Mondays should be shot though.

pandabob said...

Old, grumpy, tired and childish! You really are on a roll this morning Greg ;-)

Seriously give yourself a break Monday morning is never good especially when you were so tired lastnight.

How many cups of coffee will it require to wake you up do you think? Is it a three cup morning or worse? (maybe you should have a nice cake with your coffee caffeine plus sugar must make happier Greg surely)

Anon Without A Name said...

Being grumpy about being tired and having to go to work is childish though.

Well, that's me told :-p And I'm only just in the process of waking up three hours after you. With you on the who Monday thing, though.

Small Hobbit said...

Mondays are a seriously bad invention. I don't want to go to work, I can find far more interesting things to do.

Can we all be childish together and stomp round and grizzle about how unfair life is?

Have a good week, grumpy badgers.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry, Nameless. See exhibit one - grumpiness.

Anon Without A Name said...

I was just teasing, Lestrade - I'm always grumpy (and a bit childish) about being tired having to get up and go to work. This morning is no exception.

Drinking tea now though; it's helping :-)

Hope your day improves :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

AnonyBob - on my fourth mug. Tiredness has improved, mood hasn't. But that's everything to do with incompetence from someone who should know better. And I ate a pain au chocolat.

pandabob said...

I'm glad that coffee and sugar have helped the tiredness :-)

Incompetence is a pain any day but when you already feel rubbish it's not really fair :-( I hope you get things sorted out and something (or someone ;-) ) appears to make you smile soon.

mazarin said...

Add me to the grumpy Monday morning badgers. *yawn* I have to hustle this morning and get in early so I can drive 5 hours west to watch some field work. Its early. It may rain. I don't know exactly where I'm going. But I'll get there eventually, with coffee in tow.

That tour sounds simply amazing, Sherlock! What would you say is the most interesting thing you learned? Anything you didn't really know before?

John H. D. Watson said...

I don't mind going to work, it's the getting out of bed to do it that I resent...

Greg Lestrade said...

Getting out of a bed with you in it is a crime.

John H. D. Watson said...

Better arrest yourself and then confine us both to bed for a few days.

Greg Lestrade said...

The beds in the cells aren't very comfy though.

John H. D. Watson said...

That is not the bed I had in mind...

Greg Lestrade said...

Suggesting I should go easy on myself? Grant bail?

REReader said...

*looks at clock*
*looks at cloudy day*
*has to squint and peer and pickup clock to see time*
*has headache*

*pulls covers over head and snivels*

pandabob said...

house arrest for medical reasons Greg ;-)

John H. D. Watson said...

L - yeah, just come quietly. I'll go easy on you.

Greg Lestrade said...

Always come quietly these days....

You free? I might actually kill someone here soon. And that would ruin my rep as a nice DI

Greg Lestrade said...

Just noticed the time. You free after you've fetched Sherlock?

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, you want to get some lunch or something? Killing someone would be unfortunate. I don't think you'd get house arrest for that.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah. Sorry, I'll be a horrible angry person to be with.

John H. D. Watson said...

It's all right, love. Everyone's allowed a bad mood once in a while. Although I'll be surprised if you can sustain it through Sherlock hugging your leg and telling you all about whatever new frog developments have happened over the weekend.

Sherlock said...

They're the size of GIANT RAISINS but don't have legs yet but will really soon!

REReader said...

Hugs and exicited!Sherlock sound like excellent antidotes for the grumps. (Even for most angry.) Hope it works!

REReader said...

Wow, Sherlock--those tadpoles are growing really fast! Is Mrs. T having the expert come in again to talk to your class?

pandabob said...

I hope John and Sherlock coming to bring smiles cuddles and excited stories helps chase the grumps away Greg :-)

How long does it take tadpoles to become Frogs Sherlock? I've never really been interested in the before but your enthusiam seems to be contagious :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

It's about nine or so weeks, I think. We'll have to look it up.

Sherlock and John have indeed cheered me up a bit. I fear it'll be short lived by the time I'm back in the office though.

My team are great, but when you mess up in this job, you mess up big.

REReader said...

Ouch. That has to be extremely frustrating. I hope the cheering up lingers a while.

pandabob said...

There's nothing like being on the front line to make mistakes look enormous :-( I hope it's nothing terminal to anything or that there's another way around things if it is.

Short lived cheering up is better than no cheering up and at least your base line for annoyance has been lowered a bit for being out so you may manage to avoid murder for today at least ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

I think it'll result in disciplinary action. But you can't make mistakes.

But yeah, definitely cheered up by my visitors.

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh dear. That does sound bad.

pandabob said...

that sounds like a mess Greg :-(

I don't know how it all works but I hope you're going to be ok with whatever has to happen from here. :-)

Small Hobbit said...

From what you've said L I would guess you're not the only grumpy one on your team, which won't help. Here's hoping you manage to get off home sooner rather than later.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'll be okay, yeah. Team's got a good enough reputation to weather the storm, it'll just take a bit of a dent. Case... well, we'll meet the cps tomorrow and see what we can salvage.

Sherlock said...

What happened? Did the wrong person get arrested?

pandabob said...

I'm glad you'll be OK Greg and I hope the case can be salvaged some how :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

No, someone contaminated evidence Sherlock

Sherlock said...

Did they do it on purpose?

Greg Lestrade said...

No, they were just a bit stupid.

Small Hobbit said...

I can see why that would have you jumping up and down - it must be incredibly frustrating. Especially if it negates a lot of effort that's been put into a case.

REReader said...

Sherlock, you should ask Lestrade more about it when he comes home, because obviously I know nothing more than he's said here and I could be wrong--but I don't think it could have been a normal sort of mistake; people aren't usually punished because they're not perfect. I imagine it had to be something that it's the person's job to know how to do right, or something he or she was being stupidly careless about--something like that.

Sherlock said...

John says if you do things on accident you shouldn't get yelled at like if I spill my milk or when I let Mycroft's dogs out the first time but I think if you're a police officer or a doctor or something really important like that you have to be more careful but I don't know what they did yet but if Lestrade thinks it was stupid it was probably really stupid.

REReader said...

Yes, Sherlock, that sounds exactly right, all of it.

(Do I want to know about letting Mycroft's dogs out? :))

John H. D. Watson said...

The first time, as he said, was an accident. But apparently the result was so exciting that he just had to try it again. There was some shouting the second time.

Anon Without A Name said...

"L - yeah, just come quietly. I'll go easy on you."

Always come quietly these days....

Well, you'd have to, what with kids in the flat... Oh, wait, you were talking about something else, weren't you?

Never mind.

*whistles, innocently*

Greg Lestrade said...

Nameless... nope, that's exactly what I was talking about!

REReader said...

The first time, as he said, was an accident. But apparently the result was so exciting that he just had to try it again.

That definitely explains the phrasing...I did wonder!

mazarin said...

Hee, Nameless, I thought the same thing. Glad to know we all knew what everyone was talking about! Walls are awfully thin in those old houses, you know! :D

Greg Lestrade said...

John may claim innocence, but we all know better...

REReader said...

I'm sure I have no idea what you all are talking about... *looks innocent*

Sherlock, I've just been looking at the website for the brain exhibit--thank you very much for the link, it's great! I've read Gould's "The Mismeasure of Man" which overlaps some of the images a bit, but the video was fascinating and the pictures were really good. And from the previews they show it looks like the book John and Lestrade bought you is very interesting indeed.

John H. D. Watson said...

John may claim innocence

No, I'm afraid in this instance I knew exactly what you were talking about.

Greg Lestrade said...

Another one of those nights. I sense this will be week of the grumpy Lestrade.

REReader said...

I don't imagine I'll be very good at bedtime stories by myself, but I could try if you like...maybe some better storytellers will join in!

Or I could be really boring. I think I could handle that on my own. :D

Greg Lestrade said...

Boring is being handled by a meeting I'm about to attend.

pandabob said...

I hope you're not feeling too rubbishy this morning Greg. Stress and lack of sleep are not a good mix so I hope you get everything sorted with the work mess as quickly as possible :-)

Small Hobbit said...

Hope the meeting went as well as it could - or at least that no-one noticed you snoring. And also that your week improves from now on.

Can I pass this cold onto anyone - I really don't need it anymore.

Trills the constant lurker said...

SH - Don't send it my way, I've already had it.

Greg Lestrade said...

This is an olympics meeting. Just escaped for coffee and a piss.

REReader said...

It's just as well you didn't want boring at 4:30, L, since I fell asleep shortly thereafter--although, come to think of it, that certainly would have been dull! (I was going to say that I hope your meeting is more interesting than you thought, but after yesterday I'm not sure boring is not preferable...so I'll just hope today is a better day than yesterday all round.)

SH--wrap it up tightly and dispose of it safely--no one else wants it either! (I hope you feel better soon.)

Small Hobbit said...

Trills - I'm blaming you for it anyway :)

REReader said...

Is there anyone around here I can blame this cough on?

pandabob said...

I hope you've escaped your meeting by now Greg, the summer is going to be a busy time in London isn't it? I find myself quite glad I live in the boring north ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger, if youre free you can drag me out from under the strip lights and into the sun.

I now know more than I ever wished to about all the different ways people could be killed at the olympics.

John H. D. Watson said...

Sounds like it could be an Olympic support - meetings about it, not actually killing people.

Happy to. Now?

Greg Lestrade said...

Now would be good. Shame we don't have time to pop out for a test ride...

John H. D. Watson said...

Now you're just teasing me... Be there shortly.

Greg Lestrade said...

Teasing? As if.

Hiw much would you like to kknow about terrorist-controlled-invac-flow-patterns-and-the-risk-of-detonated-devices-and-recovery-of-bodies-and-evidence-thereafter over your sandwich?

John H. D. Watson said...

As much as you would like to tell me, which I'm guessing isn't much. Honestly, you'd think the games were being held in Kabul with the number of meetings you've had lately.

Greg Lestrade said...

It'd be safer in Kabul. All the bad guys are coming over here.

John H. D. Watson said...

Not all of them, I'm sure. Don't worry, there's plenty to go around.

I wish London had had the same attitude toward hosting the Olympics as everyone does toward hosting Eurovision.

Greg Lestrade said...

Me too.

You got any preference as to what days I have off? I need to work a day at the weekend, so can have two off now...

John H. D. Watson said...

Which weekend day are you working?

Greg Lestrade said...

Don't know. Just juggling schedules around. Any preference on that?

Greg Lestrade said...

...probably Sunday. Hope that was your preference.

John H. D. Watson said...

What about Wednesday and Thursday?

Greg Lestrade said...

Perfecy. I'll bring some stuff home to do when you're at work.

John H. D. Watson said...

No work Thursday. They're doing some sort of plumbing part replacement in the morning so the surgery's closed until noon due to not having water.

Sherlock said...

Hiw much would you like to kknow about terrorist-controlled-invac-flow-patterns-and-the-risk-of-detonated-devices-and-recovery-of-bodies-and-evidence-thereafter

LOTS

REReader said...

Sherlock, I don't know how it comes about, but I had a feeling you might say that...

pandabob said...

I'll bring some stuff home to do when you're at work

That sounds like a day off NOT!

Greg Lestrade said...

AnonyBob - it is, doing work at home on the sofa in my shorts isn't the same as stuck in the office in a suit.

Sherlock...who I should have answered before you went to bed... We'll talk about it. It basically means we know where people will be evac'd/invac'd to if there's a problem in the Olympic park. But then we worry that terrorists will guess this and will use it to herd people in the direction they want by causing different threats at key strategic locations... and then, once everyone is going in the direction they want, potentially let of a bomb or deploy snipers of some sort for maximum casualties.

So in the planning process we then work out how we would deal with that as a crime scene if it were to happen, with all the usual problems of severely contaminated scenes.

Dunno, all takes me back to the 7/7 bombings, and I definitely don't want to go through anything like that again.

pandabob said...

Going for a run, having a long hot shower, lazing on the sofa in your dressing gown until John gets home,'enjoying' your afternoon, picking up Sherlock and playing in the park then cooking and eating a nice dinner. Thats a day off ;-) (I know you're busy, you have to work hard and you have to see the bright side as much as possible but make sure you make the most of the time John's at home ;-) )

The other stuff all sounds scary to me and nerves will be on edge throughout the whole thing no doubt :-( Hopefully though every one is so well prepared that anyone trying anything will be stopped before they get going :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

I will also attempt a run, followed by a shower (I'm still slightly alarmed by the number of you who didn't think I'd've showered after my run the other day!!), and have all that done ready to enjoy John in the afternoon. I mean, enjoy my afternoon with John.

As for the security threats...I wouldn't worry.

pandabob said...

I don't think we thought you hadn't just that it might have helped the itching ;-) are you all healed now?

Other than the effect on you the security for the olympics bothers me very little. We have some football up here Brazil and New Zealand or something like that but I can't see that attracting many people so unlikely to be much of a worry :-)

(I will of course be worried about you throughout the whole thing but will do my best not to tell you to be careful ;-) )

REReader said...

I can't speak for anyone else, but I was thinking that if your cuts were itchy, it might help to take another shower and let the water "scratch" your back, not that you hadn't showered!

REReader said...

Ha--see, Anony, too!

As for security threats--I live in Manhattan, and I was here on 9/11, and all I can say is if I'd've changed any of my routines I would have felt the terrorists won, so I didn't then and haven't since. (Which is NOT to minimize the extra burden on police forces, just to say that if a threat is ever-present I think you grow accustomed to it as the new normal.)

Greg Lestrade said...

AnonyBob - yeah, pretty much healed. John oils me up to help ;)

RR - Apart from a short period late 90s I don't think anyone in London has ever felt like there wasn't an ever-present threat of bombs in London. Most people lived with the IRA bombing campaigns for so long that these new threats don't really register as anything out of the ordinary, I don't think.

pandabob said...

I'm not sure Sherlock is going to like the result of the poll Greg! A close run thing I know but still I don't think he'll be too impressed ;-)

REReader said...

L--yeah. I have a lot of family and extended family in Israel, and bombs are just a given. It's not if, but when and where.

pandabob said...

Sorry I missed the answer yesterday. I'm glad you're all healed and that John was able to be so helpful ;-)

Hope you're having a nice day off :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

I am! Been for a long run in the sunshine, now doing my paperwork before John knocks off.

REReader said...

That sounds a lot better than your at-work workweek so far! Have a lovely afternoon. :)

pandabob said...

I hope you get everything done before John finishes work Greg :-) a long run in the sun sound like the perfect way to spend the your time.

Enjoy your afternoon with John and whatever treat you have planned for Sherlock when you pick him up :-)

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