[Sherlockrulez]

At school (8th grade) I often get ridiculed because I love Sherlock Holmes so much. Even my teachers call me Sherlock. People say things like "Hello Sherlock Holmes isn't real!! And he like went out of style like 500 years ago totally!" (okay maybe like that but...) I don't mind being known for loving Holmes but I am the only person my age at the school that is a fan. So I was wondering if anybody knows something I could say back to them to shut them up?

Also, I was wondering, what's the most extreme thing you've ever done for Sherlock Holmes? (like baked a cake on January 6th or celebrated May 4th etc.)

[Le Chat Noir]

First, I would say that being well read and enjoying a superb literary character at any age is just wonderful-- at a young age, it's especially magnificent. I'd wager that your teachers think they are complimenting you when they call you "Sherlock," and don't realize that you might think it's a bit much. As for your classmates? I think people (of all ages, but especially middle school) love to feel better about themselves by making other people's passions seem... silly. Which they aren't. In terms of saying things back to them... well, I wouldn't want to encourage you to lower yourself to their level. You could say something like, "Yes, I know he's not real. I happen to enjoy reading-- which thankfully hasn't gone out of style."

Honestly, if you are a Holmes aficionado, you are in some good company. And I don't mean me . An amazing brigade of brilliant, successful people have identified themselves as Sherlockians or Holmesians, respectively.

Craziest thing I've done. *points to site* Working on building this with an incredible team of people. And spending a great deal of time here. And putting Holmes on my Master Orals exams. And writing of him in one of my short stories for my thesis. I haven't had a party for him yet, but hey, who can say?

Chat, cheery

[A Study in Scarlett]

I came to love the Canon in High School. Believe me that was about as "uncool" as you could get to some minds there. Well, I still love'em some 30 years later and found along life's way many others do as well. While living in Chicago I belonged to two Sherlockian organizations, one of which held a birthday party for Holmes each year at some loverly restaurant. We had a cake made with Happy Birthday Holmes inscribed on it, sang and all!!! Also, a much loved annual event we did was the "Sherlockian Olympics" which included such events as "Pin the Crime on Moriarity" and a "game show" style quiz of Canon related trivia. Seem extreme? Well not to me!

[ScarletSherlock]

Awww. I want to have Sherlocky friends. I just moved (like 4 days ago!) to NC alllll alone. I suppose that's what this place is for. But still, it would be neat to have in-person Holmes pals. I about died when the tow truck man (roomie's car broke down!!) said "No duh, Sherlock!" about something when he was giving us a ride home yesterday. I was like "EEEP" and my roommate was like "oh god." He knows the depth of my obsession. *nerd*

[x_ariadne_x]

8th grade? How old does that make you?
I started reading the books when I was around 13 or 14 - I'd sit in my English lessons (and occasionally my drama lessons while everyone was too busy messing around waiting for the teacher to arrive) reading the Sherlock Holmes stories while everyone else was reading Harry Potter and the likes (don't get me wrong, I LOVE Harry Potter - I'm a bit of a Hermione actually, heh) but nobody ever bothered me about it at all, which was shocking seeing as I was definately one of the "uncool" kids and got picked on for everything else, hehe I had to sit next to one of the "popular" girls in my English class, and when I was reading The Hound of the Baskervilles she actually asked me if it was good and what it was about, so I got a chance to talk to someone about it

But no, no one ever had any problem with me reading the stories. It sounds as though the people in your school need to grow up a bit.

And also, the most extreme thing I've done for Sherlock Holmes? I spent around £120 on the Jeremy Brett DVDs - is that extreme enough? Well, considering I hate spending too much money, it's pretty extreme for me, hehe!
And when I was in primary school, we had to do a Sherlock Holmes play about a missing stradovarious (or however you spell it). But I was 10 at the time, and I suppose that's not exactly extreme. Although I do remember the songs we had to sing (and that was 10 years ago )

ScarletSherlock, on May 15 2006, 12:29 AM, said:

Awww. I want to have Sherlocky friends. I just moved (like 4 days ago!) to NC alllll alone. I suppose that's what this place is for. But still, it would be neat to have in-person Holmes pals.

Yup, same here. Well, I have one - my friend Sue is into Sherlock Holmes.....actually, she's only read The Speckled Band, but she really wants the rest of the books and dragged me to the most expensive book shop in town to look for them xD I keep asking her if she's watched the Granada series yet, but she hasn't. I really want to lend her my DVDs, but I really can't bare to part with them (plus they were amazingly expensive and I don't want them getting ruined!). I'm going to have to organise a sleepover for the two of us so I can show them to her

Quote

I about died when the tow truck man (roomie's car broke down!!) said "No duh, Sherlock!" about something when he was giving us a ride home yesterday. I was like "EEEP" and my roommate was like "oh god." He knows the depth of my obsession. *nerd*

haha! I always get the biggest buzz when people say that to me

[Phantom of Baker Street]

Hey don't let them bother you. When I was in 8th grade some years ago, I was in your exact same position. (Sherlock Holmes was just another of the many things I was ridiculed about) (Being called Sherlock by teachers can definately up your status on the "uncool" list! Trust me, I know from experience). Don't give up your Holmes passion and definately don't stoop to their level by saying things to them. I know it's hard but you're way better off than your classmates. You're intelligent and well-read, something those same peers definately aren't. Take it also from experience, if you show them you aren't phased by their ridicule, they'll stop pestering you about you love for the great detective. And as you get older, and into high school and college (where I am now) people will accept and even share your love for Holmes and Watson. So keep your chin up because things will definately get better. And if all else fails you can tell them to jump off Reichenbach Falls with Moriarty. They won't know what you're talking about! LOL! (Seriously though, I wouldn't recommend that unless a. you're a good fighter or b. you can run fast. Those middle school jerks don't like being shown their ignorance.) At least here you're amongst friendly people who can totally relate to you.

[jianna]

I'm 20 years old and my friends still make fun of me for liking Holmes so much ! Well, I assume it's intended to be light teasing, but... you know.

I'm with everyone else in this thread - as a Holmes fan you're in good company, even if it doesn't seem so now. In fact, I've found most Holmes fans to be much more friendly and inviting than fans of things more "of my age" (thinking of anime mostly here). I'm afraid I don't know how to make jerk kids stop being jerk kids because that's all they seem to know how to do. I think the best thing to do is to just keep doing what you want and to not let them stop you from enjoying the things you like even if they are "500 years out of style" (which Holmes isn't, obviously )

The most extreme thing I've ever done for Holmes I haven't done yet but I'm already planning. I'm planning on dressing up as him (in my own highly inaccurate but loving way) for Halloween. And I have every intention of calling everyone by their last names for the entire day.

[ScarletSherlock]

jianna, on May 20 2006, 03:28 PM, said:

The most extreme thing I've ever done for Holmes I haven't done yet but I'm already planning. I'm planning on dressing up as him (in my own highly inaccurate but loving way) for Halloween. And I have every intention of calling everyone by their last names for the entire day.

Me tooooo!!! I'm excited. heehee.

[jianna]

Yay xD

We should definitely share pictures

[Sherlockrulez]

jianna, on May 20 2006, 02:28 PM, said:

I'm 20 years old and my friends still make fun of me for liking Holmes so much ! Well, I assume it's intended to be light teasing, but... you know.

I'm with everyone else in this thread - as a Holmes fan you're in good company, even if it doesn't seem so now. In fact, I've found most Holmes fans to be much more friendly and inviting than fans of things more "of my age" (thinking of anime mostly here). I'm afraid I don't know how to make jerk kids stop being jerk kids because that's all they seem to know how to do. I think the best thing to do is to just keep doing what you want and to not let them stop you from enjoying the things you like even if they are "500 years out of style" (which Holmes isn't, obviously )

The most extreme thing I've ever done for Holmes I haven't done yet but I'm already planning. I'm planning on dressing up as him (in my own highly inaccurate but loving way) for Halloween. And I have every intention of calling everyone by their last names for the entire day.

I can't believe you're going to do that! 2 years ago I was Holmes for Halloween. and last year I was Watson. Nobody knew who I was, so I gave them a clue "Sherlock Holmes" I always thought EVERYONE knew Holmes DID NOT have a mustache. So they all thought I was Holmes. When I told them I was Watson they gave me a blank look. Poor Watson.

(And to everyone, thank you for all the advise I appreciate it. Thank you)

[jianna]

He's gotta be more recognizable than Ford Prefect who I was last year. Most people didn't even realize I was dressed up and just thought I had atrocious fashion sense

[whorl]

a bit off topic, but I was playing celebrity with a friend's family (the game involves guessing the identity of celebrities -- who just need to be people who are relatively known to all, either real or fictitious -- first by saying an unlimited number of words, save the person's name itself, then just three words, then by acting it out). anyway, I put in Mycroft Holmes, since they were, in my estimation, a fairly literary bunch, but NOBODY knew who he was! I ended up having to get my teammates to sound it out (and they hit upon the extremely amusing "Moo-croft" as an alternative pronunciation), and then for the rest of the game, they just pointed to me to indicate which one it was. oh well, I'm now just known as the crazy Moo-croft lady (: