Elementary School, My Dear Watson.

Today's topic: Obsessions.

And maybe fictional character crushes.

Now, all of this is a little embarassing to admit, and I'm feeling a little vulnerable as I confess this realization about myself, but it's all for the sake of writing and expression, right?

So I've finally come to the conclusion that I tend to obsess. I find something I like, and I completely engulf myself in it almost to the point where I could very easily let it take over my life. Take my middle school years, for example. Saw Star Wars for the first time and spent three years waiting in movie theater lines, wearing unflattering men's t-shirts, buying action figures, and convincing people to call me "Yoda." I have boxes and boxes of Star Wars memorabilia, costumes I made, incriminating Fan Fiction, you name it.

Lucky for all of you, I got over that one.

Then there was my on and off again Phantom of the Opera obsession. I can still sing every line to that entire musical.

And the list goes on: Inspector Gadget (yes, even the Matthew Broderick version), Series of Unfortunate Events, Monk, Michael Phelps, Wikipedia, Jane Austen, Harry Potter, etc.

Fortunately, most of these have been shortlived, but, nonetheless, somewhat intense. The worst are those coupled with fictional character crushes: Luke Skywalker, Inspector Gadget himself, The Phantom, the list goes on.

The most recent obsession: Sherlock Holmes. Saw the new movie, picked up the book that had been sitting on my shelf unread for 4 years, and now that's all I do. If I'm not reading one of the 56 short stories or 4 novels, I'm watching Jeremy Brett's masterful interpretation of it (keep in mind, this is only going on while E is sleeping...I'm not being neglectful).

My husband, B, has even gone so far as to tease me about my supposed crush on Mr. Holmes. I guess he's decided that a pipe-smoking, cocaine-shooting, detective is my type.

Now, there's a topic. Fictional character crushes. As odd as they are, I think we've all had them. I still remember coming out of Anastasia and all my friends swooning over an animated Demitri.

And who hasn't fallen in love with Mr. Knightly or Mr. Darcy?

Then there was my mom's crush (sorry to expose you, Mom) that we still tease her about to this day. Though hers was a historical figure...infinitely more dangerous. :) She fell for Colonel Chamberlin after watching Gettysburg. For the longest time, she never heard the end of it. We quoted his lines. We took her to Gettysburg and told the guide to tell us everything about the Colonel. I even think that floating around her house somewhere is a Chamberlin quotebook and a giant Chamberlin poster that showed up amongst her Mother's Day gifts that year.

My dad was the worst. Since Jeff Daniels played Chamberlin, every movie Jeff Daniels ever made started showing up at our house. I think it was probably Dumb & Dumber and Space Chimps that ruined her impression of Chamberlin...er...Daniels. I wouldn't be surprised if everything with Jeremy Brett -- excuse me, Red Lips, as B calls him--or Robert Downey Jr. starts showing up in our DVD player.

The whole thing is a little juvenile, isn't it? So fifth-grade.

At least I go into things completely whole-hearted, right? Shouldn't this discovery of how I obsess make me see my true nature as someone devoted to and passionate about life and things she loves? I have to see things through to the end. Once I finish reading and watching everything, I'll very likely completely and suddenly move on.

I don't know. If I start buying Sherlock Holmes action figures, please get me some help before I try to convince you to call me "Dr. Watson."

Now, off to 221B Baker Street....