Category: Events

No Tea for You: Virtual Meeting Planned Instead

~ inconstantreader (@janice_e) ~ Leave a comment

We regret to announce the cancellation of our planned English Tea at the Clockwork Rose Tea Emporium, originally scheduled for June 13. Covid-19 strikes again.

Instead, we will gather virtually once more that day and discuss “The Priory School,” an exciting tale of kidnapping and murder. Details are on our Events page; keep an eye on that or our Facebook page for any changes or updates.. So far two people have promised presentations; more are always welcome.

We had a lively discussion of “The Final Problem” and “The Empty House” today, with several of our new Eggs (probationary members) in attendance. Physical distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation. Interested guests are quite welcome; you don’t have to be a member to join us.

“That Great Cesspool”: Cesspudlians of London, ONT to Host International Group Online Viewing of 1939 “Hound”

~ inconstantreader (@janice_e) ~ Leave a comment

I can do no better than to quote the announcement sent out by Ian Bennett:

An invitation to Sherlockians around the world

 On behalf of The Cesspudlians  (The London, Ontario Sherlock Holmes Society), I extend greetings to you and all your members, and an invitation to participate in a group online viewing of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), which is available on YouTube, at 9pm EST on Saturday, April 25th, 2020.  Twitter comments will be appreciated as you watch and afterwards as well. Please use the hashtag #combetracey.

If you prefer and you have your own copy, you can watch along at home without YouTube.  The version on the link above is 1 hour and 19 minutes long. I bought my own copy some time ago, so I’ll probably watch that and save some internet strain.

 Currently prevented from meeting—you know why—by the Professor Moriarty of viruses, we are determined not to let the Napoleon of Crime have his unfettered way with us and will strike back in a Baker Street Irregular way, by conspiring against him to enjoy the genius of Mr. Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart companion Dr. Watson (a first responder of excellent character and qualification).

 Please pass this message on to all your members, and also to any other society to which you may have a connection, wherever they may be, so that all Sherlockians can come together and celebrate the work of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce and, of course, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

 Use the hashtag #combetracey to announce your presence and the participation of your society, wherever you may be.  We hope to make this the largest (virtual) gathering of Sherlockians from around the world.

 It may be that we are not ourselves luminous, but that we are conductors of light.  We have no genius, but perhaps we can stimulate it !

 Join us on April 25th at 9pm EST and shout to the world how you feel about Holmes.  And Damn Covid-19 to hell !  Online slide show here:  https://bit.ly/3HoundSh0

Ian Bennett for The Cesspudlians
Scion of The Bootmakers of Toronto

Many thanks to the Cesspudlians for organizing this unorthodox assembly. I hope to “see” you there!

Virtual Meeting a Success, Another Planned!

~ inconstantreader (@janice_e) ~ Leave a comment

The NMSOBC just gathered virtually on Zoom for the first time. Fourteen of us saw one another for the first time in a while and discussed “The Man with the Twisted Lip.” We enjoyed presentations on whether the story takes place in a different universe from the rest of the Canon (Jim Cassetta), the social history and geography of the story’s locations (Elinor Gray Howell), and wood in Victorian England (Ken Meltsner).

Given the success of the meeting, we decided that, since the ongoing pandemic will prevent us from gathering to commemorate the “death” of Sherlock Holmes with a memorial service, we will instead have another virtual meeting, where we will talk about “The Final Problem.” Details are on our Events page; keep an eye on that or our Facebook page for any changes or updates.

“Let Us Consider Our Data”: April Meeting to Be Held Virtually

~ inconstantreader (@janice_e) ~ Leave a comment

In light of the Covid-19 quarantine, we have suspended all in-person meetings. We have decided to try having our April meeting over Zoom. We’ll skip the business meeting and just have presentations and discussion of “The Man with the Twisted Lip.”

All members who are on the email list should receive the necessary information. If you don’t get it or need technical assistance, you may contact Janice Eisen at her email or through the NMSOBC Facebook page.

This is an experiment, so wish us luck!!!

Important Announcement re Tea on June 13

~ inconstantreader (@janice_e) ~ Leave a comment

Eternal optimist Christine Ellis reports that despite the current shelter-in-place order in effect in Oregon, she has not canceled the reservation at Clockworks Tea. However, given the uncertainty about the duration of the restrictions, we are no longer collecting the $35 cost. A final decision will need to be made by mid-May.