The high cost of a certain kind of Sherlocking

This week, I ran head-on into a little "sticker shock" at the price of a Sherlockian weekend that I was looking forward to. It's getting to be a common issue these days, and I'm not talking about a big New York weekend here. This was one of the non-airfare-involved ones.

For most of us, one of life's basic tenets is "How bad do you want it?" Nothing is completely out of reach, but it becomes a question of how hard you're willing to work, what you will sacrifice, and what other responsibilities you have. Sherlockian activity is definitely one of life's luxuries and not a necessity, as much as it might feel that way sometimes. And luxuries come after food, rent, taxes, daycare, medical insurance, and all that other no-fun stuff we do Holmes so we can ignore for a time.

(Yes, I said "do Holmes." Titter if you need to, titillation is what he's here for.}

Around the turn of the century, being a late baby-boomer, double-income, no-kids man-child sort made such choices a no-brainer (along with all those other late baby-boomer no-brain man-child choices one made back then . . . action figure shopping sprees, I mean, c'mon). But times change, and we now have more things to push money toward than ever before. Monthly Patreon support of our chosen artists, lists of software subscription fees, and all those other new bits that didn't exist a decade or two ago. So many choices!

Which takes us back to "How bad do you want it?" What takes priority?

At this point in my life, I have the advantage of a certain "been there, done that" dampening of desire. Certain speakers have been heard many times before, certain venues are no longer mysteries to be explored. And while I'd love to see all of my long-distance friends more often, at some point in a life of travels you just get too many of those to see them all. But there's also a feeling of incompleteness when certain Sherlockian travels were once a regular part of life, then aren't.

In the end, it seems to me to become less about re-living the past and more about deciding what is good for one's future. What activities offer a path into better Sherlocking ahead and not just trying to re-create moments that can never be re-created? Which big-ticket choices are an investment in Sherlockiana that might yield a future dividend and which are just another diversion in a world of diversions?

I think I've decided for me. You do you, and good luck!