I cannot put a real post together today. My brain just isn't working properly. So, how was your day?
Also, if anyone cares to answer, a few posts ago when I was talking about being generally useless at talking about myself, a few of you said that I showed more of myself than I meant to. What did you mean by that, specifically? Or do I want to know?
86 comments:
My day was rather frustrating, actually--every time I tried to settle down to get some actual work done, something else popped up to interrupt. (Like the plumber, three hours late.) Which is one reason I was looking for happy things, like the Eleanor Powell/Fred Astaire video I linked to back in your last blog post's comments.
As for what I meant by you showing more of yourself than you might realize--it's really impossible to write at any length (and all together your posts and comments are a substantial length, you know) without revealing things about your character. Such as your quiet self-confidence, your essential modesty, how much you care about the people in your life, how much of yourself you put into taking care of people...shall I go on, or have I embarrassed you enough? :)
Want a shoulder rub and a quiet sit down watching MasterChef Professionals? You'll see that slightly soggy cake happens to the best of them...
Oh, I forgot your extreme general competence and your willingness to give almost anything a try.
(Lestrade, have I embarrassed him enough? I could keep going. :))
RR - sorry about your plumber. And...thanks. Yeah i'm embarrassed enough now. :) At least it was nothing dark and sinister!
L - sounds perfect.
Today I work from home. Which means fewer interruptions but much more swearing at technology.
Then this afternoon I get to sand and varnish furniture whch I am hoping will help to Tame The Hordes Of Stuff which have colonised all current available surfaces.
I also need to humanely capture and contain the feral breeding pairs of books which have taken up residence in the bedroom, study, and loo....
See. I think you do better than some of those. And they're professionals!
Anything I can do to help your brain?
Today I had a list of things to do at work. And I did achieve things, just not those on the list. Which means they still need doing, which means other things won't get done and then people will ask me why they haven't been done. Sigh.
And I did some swearing at technology. On the plus side we now have a new shredder in the office which means you don't have to hold the old shredder in one particular place to make it work.
Besides gna4rowly avoiding getting sideswiped on the way to work, getting paid wrong (spending two hours in finance to get it fixed with the snottiest young Airman), finding out my stuff is *still* on the ship and will be here sometime late next week (or maybe December), and a nasty headache that's becoming a migraine, it's been peachy.
I'll wait to explain you giving yourself away for when I get home, but I'll give you a hint. The way you asked that question says a lot about your humility...
Please pretend I ever actually learned to type/spell.
I had to deal with crazy customers who made outrageous demands and then got mad when I said no. So, all in all, a typical day. I work from home, though, so I could call them all sorts of names and dance around to happy music while they angrily typed and took out their frustrations on me. Overall, it could have been worse!
As for what you reveal about yourself through your posts...
I think you show us your strong moral character, how much you love those around you, how much you dislike certain aspects of your life which can't be changed, and show us in doing so your steadfastness to carry on.
In other words, you show us what a great person you are.
Piplover - I can only assure you that he only shows you all a fraction of how great a person he is.
I absolutely believe that. :)
Wanna know what your posts tell us about you, Lestrade? *sweet smile*
Ha. If you want. I like to think I do a reasonable job of managing the parts of me you all see. You'll probably all prove me entirely wrong.
I do even if he doesn't, though I suspect it's nothing I don't already know. :)
L - it's too late, there's no hope for my brain!
There's every hope for your brain.
And if there really isn't, you can live safely in the knowledge Sherlock will delight in pulling it out of your nose with a bent coat hanger before mummifying you or something.
If you want.
I do even if he doesn't,
Okay, Lestrade, here ya go!
You have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility, you are far harder on yourself than anyone else could be, and you always think you can do more even when you can't. You care deeply about those around you, and also about those you come in contact with (which can be a problem in your job). You are also generally competent and more adaptable than you realize.
Shall I continue, or does anyone else want to jump in?
(I still have more about you, John, if you'd like me to continue... :))
I've been getting ready to go up to my folks for Thanksgiving tomorrow. At the moment I'm debating whether a backpack or a rolling suitcase will be less of a hassle to my sprained ankle.
I've also been plotting the dessert I'm making. I've decided on a pumpkin cheesecake, but then I have to choose a recipe. I had the idea to add maple syrup to it, but then my mother sent me a link to a recipe with bacon in it! Which...well, if you have to go, that may be a good way to do it.
John:
You're a pragmatist and extremely efficient. You live to be useful and are a man of action rather than words. You don't think you say you love Lestrade enough, but it's in all your actions: making sure he eats/sleeps/drinks, sending an iPod to Italy with him, the casual affection, the reassurance. You're calme and steady, but mostly so in a crisis (I think because you feel needed).
Lestrade: You have a strict code of ethics and morals and your'e honestly gutted when you don't feel you've lived up to it. You'd give anything for anyone, anywhere (you share that with John) not matter the cost to you. I get the impression sometimes you don't think you're worthy of being loved, which is terribly sad if true. True that you think that, that is, not that you're not worthy.
Both of you love each other deeply, sincerely, wholely with the kind of adult love that recognizes faults and loves the other person all the more for them. You're a pair, which is rare in the world, and the amount of effort you each put into your relationship is simply staggering.
<3s all around.
DW - once again you have put into words my own thoughts but expressed them so much better.
So J&L - what DW said.
John, I was one of the people who said it, so I suppose I should respond - although others have beaten me to most of it.
You're emotionally much more subdued than Lestrade - he's emotionally open, he hugs and wants to hold hands, and believes it's not a proper date if he doesn't show up with flowers at your door. You love that, but it's not something you'd do spontaneously (I suspect you've never been on the receiving end of it before). You're used to bottling up your emotions, to fitting your emotions and your emotional response into the negative spaces around you. You go quiet when you're angry or upset; here, and in life. You pull away, and yes, sometimes you sulk :-p But you also think about how you want to react, you take some time to process things, you try to reach a reasonable conclusion rather than just reacting.
You're much more easily hurt than you like to think, especially where Lestrade is concerned. I think you find that kind of emotional vulnerability quite disconcerting, but I think you're starting to get a bit more used to it.
You worry, and you care, and you you're doing one of the most difficult jobs there is, and you think you should be doing something... more. You're a soldier and a doctor and you use those skills everyday, and you don't even see it. You provide Lestrade with the emotional stability and constancy he needs in his life, and I don't think you see that either (of course, he provides you with the emotional openness and honesty that you need, and I don't think he sees that either; you're a great pair :-p).
You are a fantastic role model to two boys who are in desperate need of good role models; when they grow up to be the fine, *good* men that I believe they will be, you will be in very large part responsible for that.
And mostly you just don't see it. You're adorable :-)
... and instead of rambling on like that, I should have just written; "what DW said" :-)
lol
I was just gonna point out the "emotionally subdued" which is what I was thinking but couldn't phrase properly.
Basically, Doc and Lestallion, the Internetz has your number and we adore you to pieces.
How am I doing? Sorry that I missed all the anniversary awesomeness but pleased as punch that I'll be around to witness babysitting shenanigans with bonus Sherlock!
As for you, Doctor John Hamish Watson, you are hazardous to my health! Every time I see a DANGER! sign on a New York city sidewalk, instead of scooching double-time like the rest of the natives so as to be safely out of the way of whatever hazard is lurking, I smile and think about you and your boys. Seriously, I'm going to get beaned in the head with a wrench one of these days and it will be so sad.
If it happens tomorrow, though, and gets me out of hosting Thanksgiving, well, that would be a silver lining. My little brother is being an unbelievable pain in my butt about the whole thing, doing things like (a) not confirming what time (or what DAY) he's showing up and (b) inviting two friends of his (and their NEWBORN BABY) to my apartment for the dinner and blithely not mentioning it to me. Good times.
How charming, innie! Makes me glad my family doesn't do the Thanksgiving thing. (We don't do the Black Friday shopping either, not having death wishes. :))
Well, maybe you'll end up really liking the couple--it could happen!
Seriously, I'm going to get beaned in the head with a wrench one of these days and it will be so sad.
It will indeed be so sad, innie. We'd be forced to have Sherlock mummify you until Mycroft figures out a way to reanimate you. D:
RR, I do like the couple, but they are very much my brother's friends (he and the husband used to be roommates, lo, these many moons ago) and in any case, not only do I not have enough food for two extra people, but my apartment is definitely not set up for a brand-new baby! Plus, WHY DIDN'T HE JUST ASK ME?
We don't celebrate Thanksgiving either, really, but my mom wants to celebrate her birthday (at the end of the month) with both her kids, and this seemed like a good way to do it.
And thanks, DW, now I'm going to have nightmares about the tiniest little hookman ever, just looming over me and considering the best angles for brain removal.
I think everyone has about covered your virtues, gentlemen. I have known an encouraging number of good human beings in my life and both of you fall into that category from what I've learned of your lives from these blogs..
I would definitely think asking would be the obvious first thing to do, even before inviting. How old is your brother, anyway? (Not that it necessarily matters--I could see my brother doing that and he's 35.)
Do what I can, innie darling. :)
RR - I just turned 35, and he'll be 32 a few days into the new year. I'm the go-to sibling for all of his friends already - his best friend shows up on my doorstep from time to time looking for a place to sleep even though his own sister lives in NYC as well. So I'm sure my brother will spin this as, "But you like them! What's the problem?" If he had ever hosted anything, he'd have a clue, but I guess I'll have to wait a few years before that happens.
Hee, DW! "First" and "last" names - am I in trouble?
If he had ever hosted anything, he'd have a clue,
Can you invite yourself and some friends over to his place some random Saturday night?
Innie - And thanks, DW, now I'm going to have nightmares about the tiniest little hookman ever, just looming over me and considering the best angles for brain removal.
Well, me too, now.
0_0
Don't have nightmares. Sherlock isn't ever quiet enough to loom. He pounces.
...
Not helping, Lestrade.
*runs away to hide at work*
Hey, you lot are just imagining it - it's my reality!
It's a good thing we didn't have this discussion earlier. Sally would never have come over.
Your "dead brave" crack gains more and more credence every day.
Dangers brave, I just suffer from a large amount of stupidity and a small amount of self preservation :)
I expect Sal is training her nephews up to wreak havoc upon us as we speak...
Right. Uh huh.
Think you can liberate some riot gear for Danger for The Big Job?
I actually think it'll be fun.
Danger gave me a 'yeah right' look when i said that, then made me promise to deal with all nappies. But I think he's looking forward to it really.
I think you're right; you guys will have a good time.
"Made you," eh? Especially effective persuasion techniques the good Doctor has? ;)
Ha, I didn't resist very hard. Having helped out with four siblings and Nicky's 2, plus encountered some of the most disgusting things you can imagine in the course of work, a happy really doesn't bother me.
It'll be much harder to entertain the toddler!
Babies can be a lot of fun, especially when it's just for a few hours. And toddlers do tend to have early bedtimes, after all. :) They can be fun to play with, too. Everyone says toddlers have short attention spans, but that's only for things adults want to do. Things that interest THEM they want to do over and over and over--like hear the same book 17 times in a row. (That's an actual count of how many times a 3-year-old niece wanted me to read her "The Paperbag Princess" when I gave it to her.)
Danger was brilliant with the security guy's little girl.
And I defy any toddler to have a shorter attention span than Sherlock when something doesn't interest him.
It'll be fun. :)
And ha! A challenge to ... Is the toddler a boy or a girl?
Both boys. The testosterone wave continues.
Rider - I also need to humanely capture and contain the feral breeding pairs of books which have taken up residence in the bedroom, study, and loo….
This sounds like something you should be able to do for a dissertation. PhD in feral literary biology.
SH - sorry, sounds frustrating. I know those days, and those endless lists. I hope the swearing at technology relieved your feelings somewhat.
DW - I'm sorry your day was crap and all your worldly possessions have fallen down a crevasse in the arctic. Is this a ship that the Air Force is responsible for, or a ship operated by an actual shipping company that expects you to pay them money at some point?
Pip - your customers sound terrible, and dancing and calling them names seems like a very sensible solution.
Becca - good luck, I hope your trip is going well and that your cheesecake is delicious. I am…not sure about the bacon. Let us know how it turns out.
Innie - younger brothers live to plague their older sisters - just ask Harry. Two extra people for dinner and a baby is going a bit far though. Are you cooking an entire turkey?
And to everyone who answered my question…well, thank you. I'm sort of speechless, which seems to happen on a regular basis these days. And once again I'm glad it wasn't something dark and sinister.
Heh.
Well, you have all these XX types commenting, we ought to provide some counterweight!
(That last was in response to Lestrade's testosterone remark--there was a delay in posting!)
Hugs, John! (If it's okay with you. :))
You okay Danger? Regained any brain?
Love you.
Possibly. I love you too. How's work?
It's ok. Nothing special.
Thanks for the commiserations, Doc. Bite your tongue about the crevasse, though. Or have someone bite it for you; I'm not picky. ;P
Oh, and it's a commercial ship the AF will hag so pay for eventually. I'm hoping there's some sort of penalty for.failing to make their dates.
DW - my official tongue biter is out, it'll have to wait.
L - I have a 22 title post for you if you want it:
http://www.bartleby.com/123/13.html
"And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, ’tis true, ’tis true."
Thanks love.
Miserable day, huh? You trying baking again? Or anything else fun?
No, nothing fun whatsoever. Sherlock's coming down with something, I think he'll be home from school tomorrow. He's wrapped up on the sofa being alternately pathetic and cranky and trying to convince me ice cream would make him feel instantly better.
(although I'm four and six, and have given my heart away)
Oh, poor little mite. You feeling ok though?
And I obviously meant six and forty in my last comment...
Aw, poor Sherlock. I hope you feel better soon.
(Chicken soup works better than ice cream. You might try asking for that.)
L - heh, glad to hear it. Ten's a bit young to be giving your heart to anyone. I'm all right. Just a bit down or...something. No real reason. Do you know when you'll be home yet?
A E Housman will tend to have that effect on people (bringing them down). I love Housman, but cheerful he isn't, also I like the parody with
'What still alive at twenty-two? A fine upstanding lad like you?'
Hope Sherlock's soon better, there is as they say, a lot of it about.
Wish I was with you already, giving you a hug, but it'll be at least another half hour.
Anything I can do/bring/cook to cheer you up or help Sherlock feel better?
Maybe bring home some mindless movies? (I like old musicals when I'm feeling blue or ill, but maybe comedies would suit better?)
Anonymous - good point. Not ideal reading material right now maybe.
L - risotto maybe? I think that's gentle enough for him and sounds good to me too. Thank you. For existing and everything, not just for dinner.
Risotto, yup.
You need to thank my mum and various members of the medical profession for my continued existence. Including yourself.
Leaving in a mo.
Sherlock need anything? Has he got a temperature?
No thanks, got everything we need here I think.
Poor little sprog. Hope you feel better soon, Sherlock. You, too, John Sounds like a night for big cuddle on the couch for everyone.
It is DW. Sherlock is a little bundle of misery, almost invisible under a huge blanket on the sofa.
Danger is a bundle in need of lots of hugs. Or getting them, anyway, regardless of need.
Throw in a few extra hugs from me... sounds like you all could do with some.
Sherlock - I hope you're feeling better very soon.
As long as you are delivering hugs, please throw in a bunch from me, too... And collect some as well.
Here's hoping tomorrow is happier all around!
John, you're not feeling out of sorts because of stuff we've (OK, I've) written here, are you?
*worries, just a bit*
Thanks, Nameless. Now I'm a bit worried, too. :P
Nothing to do with you lot, I promise. And I feel a lot better since L got home anyway. It's much harder to sulk with him around. :P
Let us know if we can help with, well, whatever, yeah?
Yeah, thanks.
Ha, I'm mardy enough, so I very much doubt it is hard to sulk. But I'm glad you're feeling a bit better.
I'm going to attempt to put Sherlock to bed early...
Since you all seem to have the hugs covered, I'll make some nice hot tea for everyone. This will also help me, as it's colder in here than outside. Sigh.
Mardy? It's like you have your own secret language sometimes... :D
Just means...grumpy. Surly. Sulky. Not my own language, a few others share it!
DW - just doing my bit, one blog comment at a time :-)
John - glad to hear it - on both counts :-p
Lestrade - you know you say you're grumpy far more often than you actually appear to be grumpy, right?
Nameles - I know I try to appear less surly than I frequently am. Does that count?
I think he finds it more difficult to be grumpy at home than at work.
find it incredibly hard to be grumpy around you.
His kindness and love and warmth. His endless patience with the boys and with me and my baggage train of psychological issues.
The ways he lets me know, literally every day, that he cares and wants me in his life. Everything.
No offence, Lestrade, but that doesn't sound like code for "a right miserable bastard" to me, and I think I trust the Doc's opinion on this one :-)
Several times during the course of my afternoon I thought, "Oh Sherlock would love this." I got a behind the scenes tour of the National museum of natural history given to us by the collections manager specifically in charge of mummies, skeletons, and other human remains. It was so cool. And he was very no big deal about it. It's just the stuff he works with as he's been doing every day since 1989.
We actually saw them taking the fur and last bits of meat off a wolf before they send the bones off to be put in a box with bugs who will clean off the skeleton so they can ... Well I'm not sure what they'll do, put it in storage for researchers I suppose as they've already got wolf skeletons on display in the museum proper.
Post a Comment