I've Got A Question For The ACD Holmes Community. What Is "The Practical Handbook Of Bee Culture'"? I

Why Sherlock Holmes's Introduction Scene is Important to his Autism Coding

Ive made several sherlock holmes posts now so obviously i now have to talk about autism-

Im not an expert in autism for starters but i did discuss this with many people and it was one of the clearest scenes i remembered when judging Sherlock adaptations. I would dare to say Holmes's introduction is one of the most important scenes to his autism-coding, and that when adaptations fail to realize its importance, it also tends to reflect on how they code Holmes.

We hear about Holmes before we see him. The description of him is more than a bit negative and uncomfortable at this time, with Stamford being overcautious and warning Watson about Holmes's tempers. While i cant read this now without the pop culture knowledge of Holmes, I suppose it was to build up tension as to what sort of strange scientist he would be.

Yet when we meet Holmes, hes doing some chemical work. When he spots Watson and Stamford, he immediately runs over to them and excitedly shows them that hes made a chemical that detects hemoglobin. He only briefly brings up Watson's military career, just the barest hint to intrigue us.

He then starts rambling excitedly and passionately about how his chemicals work. He goes into the effect they have on his job, and criminal justice as a whole. Him infodumping about his passions is a fantastic introduction by the way, but some people skip it or place more focus on extending his deductions of Watsons life. This introduction does a lot to show how overall passionate he is about his work, and that it is what he cares to be speaking on (this is one of the rare times we see him out of case mode).

I think its worth it to note that while the scene is written with hints of Watson being overwhelmed, he seems willing to go along with whatever Holmes is saying. Basically, while he finds Holmes's demeanor odd, he still tries to engage positively and follow what Holmes is saying.

They also exchange things each other should know as roommates, both relatively cheerful and relaxed about it. Watsons behavior is what i consider also important for his characterization, but i am here to talk about Holmes (oh just you wait watson-)

The thing is, this introduction is one of the most humanizing depictions of Holmes. While he is talking about crime, this shows early on he has interests related to it that arent just "deduction." It is also a very active conversation from him! He infodumps incredibly excitedly, projecting more than he seems to normally, interrupting Watson several times, and forgoing social convention.

This can be seen in direct contrast to how Stamford introduces him, showing the humanity and passion behind what he described. It gives us an even broader view of Holmes from the get go.

Holmes's introduction codes him as autistic by showing what he looks like when *excited*

The fact the first thing we get to see of this character is his overwhelming care and passion for his work is not only important to his character, it should be the basis for his autism coding. He is excited! He gets overwhelmed with how he likes his work! He forgets not everyone else knows what he does! He wants to show, share, and explain it to everyone in good humor!

To me, that is something ive experienced with every autistic person ive known, and the details of it are so, so instrumental

hidden city novels?

ok tumblr I need you help. I played Hidden City (the mobile game) first when it came out in 2016. I I distinctly remember there being novels about the story of the game. Now I got into it again and I can’t find any information about these novels. What happened to them? Can you still read them somewhere?

"boringly abled" omg this is amazing

Things to start calling allistic people IMMEDIATELY:

people with allism

people suffering from allism

people trapped in allistic bodies

low-functioning allistics

the boringly abled

“he’s mostly normal, he’s just got a lick of the ‘lism”

people: BuT deMisExUaL iS jUSt nOrMaL

one night stand *exists*: am I a joke to you?

Sherlock Holmes from Elementary being autistic, Sherlock from the BBC show being autistic, just Sherlock Holmes, in general, being autistic, Temperance Brennan from Bones being autistic, Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars being autistic,

Fellow neurodivergents of Tumblr, I have a question for you:

What are your favorite neurodivergent headcanons?

Mine are Jake Peralta from Brooklyn Nine-Nine having ADHD, Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables having ADHD, Shawn Spencer from Psych having ADHD, and I'm sure some others I can't think of atm and will add when my brain is working a bit better lol.

I haven't been on tumblr for like 4 days and for some reason everything is about about vanilla extract? What is happening? Can someone pls explain?

sometimes I forget standing up isn’t painful and difficult for most people so I’ll be watching something like game changer and see the people standing behind their podiums the whole episode and think ‘wow don’t they need to sit down. how can they still think coherent thoughts’ and then I’m like oh. yeah. I have a disease

I've got this Idea for a Shaun Murphy x reader or x oc or something like that fic, which is basically a good doctor lie to me crossover, where the reader works at the lightman group or at least, can read micro-expressions and that stuff and they somehow meet and become friends and maybe fall in love. I think it would be really interesting because he doesn't really see or understand facial expressions but the other person is so aware of them all the time. I'm not good at writing in English but I might someday write it anyways. So if someone wants to write this or has written something like that pls tell me.

WTf bahahah. I wrote this at 3am and thought it made perfect sense. Well...

If clubbing and partying was a video game I would be the perfect supporter. Hear me out, I am that asexual arospec friend who doesn’t drink but does Krav Maga and drinks way too much energy drinks. So I will never leave you alone for an attractive person and I will never be too drunk or too tired to help you. Got a creepy man annoying you? I can kick his ass. Drank too much? I’ll make sure you get home safely. The only thing that might be a little tricky is my noise sensitivity due to my autism but that can be fixed with noise cancelling headphones or earplugs. Also my social skills are not very good, so I won’t disturb your conversations. I will just lurk in a corner and wait until somebody needs my help. All in all I’m a good add on for a team of friends who want to go partying and need a supporter.

Pinnacle

@flashfictionfridayofficial prompt - "out of love"

During Watson’s first months and even years of living with Sherlock Holmes, he had found the man incredibly odd. Sometimes, Watson thought he understood his companion, and then would find himself completely wrong. Making lists of Holmes’ abilities and even accompanying him on cases had not been enough to unravel that mystery.

Attempting to puzzle out Holmes and all of his contradictions kept Watson occupied, at least. After his injuries in war and subsequent illness, his health remained poor. Not well enough to set up in active practice as a doctor, certainly.

There were plenty of interesting things to observe during his ongoing convalescence, even if somewhat baffling to live with. Holmes was very particular at times, fussy and upset if Watson so much as moved papers off the settee. But when looking for something, Holmes would scatter those same papers all over the floor, and then seem entirely to forget that he had done so.

He was similarly erratic in other ways, from his sleep habits to whether or not he would permit himself any food. Watson suspected that some factors governed these changes, but his own observational skills were not developed enough to fully understand it. Not that it stopped him from trying to unravel that mystery.

It was on a cold, stormy night that one of those contradictions presented itself strongly, and in a way that altered Watson’s way of looking at the world. The topic at hand: love.

Love was something that had come up occasionally during their late night conversations beside the fireplace, and it returned now as they sheltered indoors from the storm. Watson argued strongly in favor of it, calling on all the arguments he had heard. What was life without love, without having one person to whom one was entirely devoted? Marriage was surely the pinnacle of the whole human experience, and a life without love incomplete.

“Now, I cannot agree with you there,” Holmes said hotly, pushing more tobacco into his pipe as he spoke. He sounded very nearly hurt by Watson’s comment. “I have never loved, and I do not find my life the slightest bit incomplete. I shall never marry.”

That was a shocking statement, and one that left Watson momentarily speechless. He shook his head, baffled. “But Holmes, everyone wants to be married.”

“My dear doctor, you are falling into the habit of neglecting the facts before you. I do not wish to marry, nor to love. And therefore?”

“Not everyone,” Watson admitted, although it still seemed a shock.

Holmes raised an eyebrow. “And you?”

Watson’s cheeks warmed. “Well, I’ve… had my share of experiences. I was a soldier, Holmes.”

“And such things are expected of soldiers. I have no interest in those things either, and do not understand the appeal.” Setting his pipe aside, Holmes steepled his fingers together and gazed at Watson. “Have you loved? And if not, do you feel your life incomplete?”

“Well, I should like my life a bit better if I was able to be more active,” Watson said ruefully, resting a hand on his thigh. The cold weather gnawed on it, making movement at all difficult. Even sitting still hurt, and his shoulder was no better off. “And if I was in less pain.”

“You are deviating from the question at hand, Watson.” Holmes sprang out of his chair and dashed into the bedroom. He emerged with two blankets, and settled one across Watson’s lap as he continued. “I hardly think that marriage would miraculously resolve the effects of your injuries.”

“I suppose not. But a wife could bring me tea, or brandy!”

Holmes gave him a look, finished tucking in the blanket, and then swept over to the dining table. He poured a cup of tea, and a glass of brandy, and then brought both to Watson. “A friend may fulfill those particular little needs just as well. Unless you intend to argue that love is required to merely pour a glass?”

“I suppose not,” Watson said, watching as Holmes placed the drinks on a small table and moved it within easy reach. “Then it is friendship which you deem essential for fulfillment?”

“Your mistake is in assuming that I think any single element of life is essential for fulfillment. I know a man who has no friends whatsoever, and is entirely happy so long as his track between home, work, and his club is not interrupted.”

Watson smiled, nodding. “I suppose we are all individuals. But I meant for yourself, my dear chap.”

Holmes twitched a brief smile at him, then picked up Watson’s pipe and filled it with tobacco with the same care he would use when filling his own. “I admit to the value of friendship for myself.”

Chuckling, Watson accepted the pipe. “You sound like a man confessing a crime!”

“Well, I do not like to be reliant on anything outside myself. One can always rely on oneself.” Striking a match, Holmes indicated the pipe again. “But it is pleasant not to be alone.”

Having lit Watson’s pipe, Holmes wrapped himself in the second blanket, settled crosslegged in his armchair, and turned his attention to his own pipe. Watson watched him, heart clenching with affection for this strange man.

Holmes claimed not to love, and it certainly seemed he had never experienced it in the way that was so glorified by society. But when he fetched drinks or a blanket for Watson, was that not born out of love of a different kind? That seemed the case to Watson, at least, and perhaps love for a friend was every bit as wonderful.

And as for himself… Well. Although less pain would certainly be nice, what experience could possibly surpass living at Baker Street with his dear friend, and passing every stormy night exactly like this?