The Open and Inclusive Worldwide Online Sherlockian Society (Really, We're about Having Fun)
We still need a toast to Medicine and a toast to Mary for this Saturday’s meeting!
Also, bring your Watsonian New Year’s Resolutions, your irrefutable opinion on Watson’s “third continent” and a hat.
podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com if you need an invite.
Next Saturday, it’s that time again! Get your show-and-tell item ready, think of your Watsonian New Year’s Resolution, decide where you fall on the subject of Watson’s “Third Continent,” and let Sampson Buttons know if you’d like to give one of the traditional toasts (Murray, Mary, or Medicine) at buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com .
Saturday, December 12 at 9 AM PDT, 10 AM MDT, 11AM CDT, 12 Noon EDT, 5 PM BST, 6 PM CEST, etc. Wear your Watson hat if you’ve got one (Yes, we’re going to try it again! Don’t wait to throw one on until after Bonnie shows up.), and get ready for some fun. If you need the Zoom invitation, please send a request to podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com and we’ll get you the link.
Also, it’s time for your weekly does of Watson with the Watsonian Weekly!
https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/december-7-2020-a-disputatious-ulster-full-of-bees
The Watsonian Treasure Hunt is our signature event each year. It is a 100 point Watsonian quiz that challenges the best minds in our community. You can see our past Treasure Hunts on the website – they have run the gamut from very traditional quizzes to chains of deductions to punny story riddles. As long as it is challenging, fair and about our beloved Doctor and his flatmate we are open to it. The hunt takes place in the month of August, but ideally we would like to see a complete quiz sent to beta testers June-ish? Are you the Hunt Master we are looking for? Contact buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.
It’s a very special week at the Watsonian Weekly, the John H. Watson Society’s official podcast, as we get a live report from the celebrations of Watson’s return to England and landing at Portsmouth! We may be a small podcast, but our international team apparently can be in just the right place at just the right time once per year. It’s been a fine 140 years since Watson returned to England and set in motion the course of events that would bring us the Holmes Canon, which means we have just ten years to plan a Portsmouth gathering for the 150th!
Also this episode, Watson-related treasure, Watson-related holidays, and a certain species of ape that Watson was surely not related to. Apologies for the poor sound editing on one segment, but the content is still solid! Look for the latest episode of the Watsonian Weekly at:
https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/november-30-2020-the-140th-anniversary-of-watson-docking
as well as Apple podcasts and Spotify.
As today is a feast day for some, following an important Watsonian holiday that most of us didn’t realize was there until yesterday, it is a good time to step back and look at the whole of the Watsonian holiday calendar. This is, by no means, a complete Watsonian holiday calendar, as we celebrate that great man on so many days of the year, and could change with time and comment, but these are still some special dates to look forward to in the coming year.
Sherlock Holmes’s Birthday
January 6 — A day John Watson would celebrate in ways dependent upon the mind of the Watsonian. See the short film “The Adventure of the Furtive Festivity” for one of Watson’s major efforts to organize one such celebration.
“Whatever, Watson!” Day
February 14 — The day we celebrate John H. Watson’s vague and ever-changing relationship status. How many times was he married? Was he straight, gay, or bisexual? The fact he made it through over a thousand pages of autobiography without giving clear answers to any of that makes us just go, “Whatever, Watson!”
Contrived Miracle Day
April 3 — The date of Sherlock Holmes’s return to Watson’s life in 1893, causing the doctor to faint for the first and last time in his life, only to be himself revived by his own miracle cure, brandy.
Reichenbach Day
May 4 — A solemn day of remembrance recognizing the day in 1891 when Sherlock Holmes died ending Moriarty’s criminal empire and Watson’s two year period of mourning that followed.
Wounday
June 27 — The day to show your friends how you feel about them in honor of Watson’s second wounding at the apartment of Nathan Garrideb, believed by some to be the final reason for Sherlock Holmes’s retirement from detection, not wanting to further endanger Watson’s life. “It was worth a wound — it was worth many wounds — to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay beneath that cold mask.”
Watsonian Veteran’s Day
July 27 — The date of the tragic Battle of Maiwand in 1880, when the gallant Murray the orderly saved John Watson’s life by throwing the wounded doctor across a pack-horse, bringing him safely to British lines. (Curiously, John H. Watson could only be injured on the 27th of the month. If we ever find evidence of the day he died, it will surely prove to be on the 27th of the month.)
Hallowatson
October 31 — Whether it’s wearing a black silk mask you made at home or just shouting “Hallo, Watson!” at your friends, Hallowatson is the October celebration of Watsonian weirdness, created simply to summon a spirit in one’s heart more powerful than any disembodied spook. Hallowatson!
Watsonian Thanksgiving
November 25 — Since no Watsons were on the Mayflower, the real Watsonian Thanksgiving occurs on November 25th, when his ship landed in Portsmouth in 1880 and he dined on English soil once again
Compliments of the Season Day
December 27 — The day John Watson gets around to telling his friends “Compliments of the season!” which is about as vague as his love life. Appropriate compliments of the season can range from “Happy Hannukah!” to “You have built a really nice snowman!” and since we don’t know Sherlock Holmes’s religion or snowman-building habits, this is a very non-denominational seasonal holiday.
The Watsonian is the journal of the John H Watson Society. We publish scholarship, fiction and art and we are open to publishing even more! We are looking for someone who is excited about moving our journal forward and supporting all kinds of creative output from all sorts of voices. This is a real opportunity to shape how we engage with the wide world of Watsonians. If you are interested, please contact buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.
Sharp-eyed visitors may have noticed a couple of additions to our menu up at the top: Member Login and Member Resources. With these links, members can view their account details, renew their membership, download the 2020 issues of the Watsonian, and a few more things.
Having trouble logging in? Not sure how to log in to your account? Selena can help!
We are still so inspired by the art panel given by Talia Bordallo Mico “Brighton” and Chris Aa Bakkane! We want to see YOUR Watsons, too!
Today is Mickey Mouse’s 92nd birthday! Mickey has worn a deerstalker on several occasions and is even known in Europe as a detective! But the most important thing to think about on this day is who would be Mickey’s Watson and why? Discuss.
Name (or alias):
Paul Thomas Miller
Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):
Buck
Who is your favourite Watson and why?
Today, James Mason just for the line “You squashed me pea.” But I reserve the right to change my mind constantly. They all have something to offer.
If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?
The Adventure of the Easily Distracted Moron.
Give us an improbable fact about yourself!
I’ve made it this far through 2020 without crying more than once a day.
Why did you join the JHWS?
It seemed like the inclusive, playful, friendly group, and I wanted some of that!
We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Especially you! Why don’t you respond to the questions above (picture optional) to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com?
Be your own Boswell and tell us a little about yourself!
1. Name (or alias): Margie Deck
2. Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):
Mopsy
3. Who is your favorite Watson and why?
Beyond the original in the Canon, I tend to favor Jude Law’s interpretation—he presents exasperated enthusiasm better than any other in my view, and he has the “natural advantages” Sherlock Holmes said Watson has.
4. If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?
The Adventure of the Puzzled Imposter
Give us an improbable fact about yourself!
In 1995, while in London for a honeymoon, I rang the bell at Westminster Abbey for a call to a prayer service.
Why did you join the JHWS?
When the first treasure hunt was announced in 2013, I gathered some friends from The Sound of the Baskervilles to work on the thing as a team. I contacted Don ‘Buttons’ Libey and told him we were playing along just for the fun of it even though the treasure hunt was not a team competition. [The treasure hunt was originally planned as an individual competition only.] Buttons added the team competition because of the SOBs, and I’ve happily been a member since then.
We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Especially you! Why don’t you respond to the questions above (picture optional) to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com?
As mentioned a few days ago, Society members will receive an email inviting them to join the JHWS Announcement e-mail list. Those emails went out tonight, and should be arriving soon (if they haven’t already). See you there!
For the upcoming meeting of the John H Watson Society (Saturday, November 14 at 9 AM PDT, 10 AM MDT, 11AM CDT, 12 Noon EDT, 5 PM BST, 6 PM CEST, etc.) we are looking for a few toasters with the most-ers. We traditionally toast Murray, Medicine and Mary and if you hurry I believe any of those three topics are up for grabs. Contact buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com if you would like to volunteer or if you need the Zoom link.
This week’s Watsonian Weekly sets the year for the first use of the term Watsonian in a John H. Watson context as 1914. Do you know of an earlier use? If so, let us know at podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com . But give us a listen in any case!
https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/november-9-2020-president-watson-and-the-first-watsonian
Society members will soon receive an email asking them to confirm their subscription to the John H Watson Society Announcement list.
We’ll be using this list to share important information with our members, so please do join us!
Name (or alias): Rich Krisciunas
Bullpup moniker: Hector
Who is your favorite Watson and why? My first answer was the former hockey player, Bryan “Bugsy” Watson but I remembered who was asking the question, so it has to be Nigel Bruce because he was my first. He is also as fearless as Bryan Watson.
If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?
“The Romantic Adventure of the Tenacious Barrister and The Woman”
Give us an improbable fact about yourself!
In 1984, I attended the first Detroit Tigers fantasy camp which reunited the 1968 World Championship team and I hit a single off world series MVP Mickey Lolich and a double off Mark “The Bird” Fidrych. I was MVP of the Lawyer’s softball league in Detroit.
Why did you join the JHWS?Everyone in JHWS is very welcoming and knowledgeable. I want to be part of a group that takes the “game” seriously and I love “playing the game.” After retiring from a 37-year career as a criminal trial lawyer and law school professor, I had more time to re-read the Canon and attend local scion meetings; Ribston-Pippins, Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit and Greek Interpreters of East Lansing. I enjoy looking at the stories from a legal point of view and presenting papers, toasts and poems. I found the podcasts “I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere” and “Trifles.” Then, I discovered the blog Sherlock Peoria and listened to the “Watsonian Weekly” and “Sherlock Holmes is Real” podcasts because they are clever. I’m hooked.
Best wishes. Thanks for asking. Let me know if you need anything else.
Rich Krisciunas JHWS Hector
Retired Professor Trial PracticeDetroit Mercy School of Law
734-620-1052Ribston-PippinsAmateur Mendicant Society of DetroitGreek Interpreters of East LansingCrew of the Barque Lone StarThe Fourth GarridebSherlockians of BaltimoreJohn H. Watson SocietyTankerville Club of Cincinnati Harpooners of Sea Unicorn St. CharlesBlue Carbuncle of PortlandWatson’s Tin BoxParallel Case of St. LouisOrder of the Last Bow
Cesspudlians of London (Ontario)Sherlock Holmes Society of London
We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Especially you! Please feel free to answer the questions above and send the response (photo optional but we love to see your smiling faces) to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com
Come for the traditional toasts, a little show and tell, the finals of our poetry contest, and a Watsonian artist panel on Saturday, November 14 at 9 AM PDT, 10 AM MDT, 11AM CDT, 12 Noon EDT, 5 PM BST, 6 PM CEST, etc. Wear your Watson hat if you’ve got one, and come say “Hi!” to our brand new Buttons. Our fifth meeting ever, and we’re hoping to get better every time.
If you need the Zoom invitation, please send a request to podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com and we’ll get you the links.
Also, it’s time for your weekly does of Watson with the Watsonian Weekly!
https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/november-2-2020-watson-drinks-beaune-and-dies
Be your own Boswell and tell us a little about yourself!
Name (or alias):
Brad Keefauver
Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):
Calder
Who is your favorite Watson and why?
John C. Reilly, whose genius as a comic actor in movies like Walk Hard and Step Brothers brought a John H. Watson to the screen who could explore his relationship with Sherlock Holmes in the movie “Holmes and Watson” more than any other film Watson has done. (Yes, I’m serious about this point. There is more insight in “Holmes and Watson” than most folks would like to admit.) Unfortunately, Reilly’s Watson is not discussed on this week’s episode of The Watsonian Weekly, but you can listen to it anyway at:
https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/october-26-2020-sherlock-holmes-is-the-weasel-one-not-watson
If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?
“The Case of the Persistent Podcaster?” (No, that’s too Perry Mason.) How about “The Adventure of the Perpetual Writer?” That gets it, I think.
Give us an improbable fact about yourself!
I served a year aboard the S.S. Albatross under Captain Jinks and first mate Salty Sam. (It was an afternoon kids show that I wrote for and occasionally appeared on camera as “Bosun Brad.” And that’s the whole of my experience as a seaman, as I do not swim well.)
Why did you join the JHWS?
I don’t know. I think it was just cool that there was a John H. Watson Society.
(Also, it has this great podcast that you can also listen to on Apple Podcasts at
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-watsonian-weekly/id1465553726 )
You’re a Wonderful Watsonian, aren’t you? Answer the questions above and send to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com because we want to know your Watsonian secrets too!
