text:
Title: We Believe (4/4)
Rating: PG-16
Warnings: Spoilers for all of Sherlock, up to and including RBF. Some language, 'Supposed' character death, mentions of depression, angst…Oh the angst.
Characters: John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Molly Hooper, Greg Lestrade, Raz, Kitty Reilly, Henry Knight, mentions of Jim Moriarty, mentions of Sebastian Moran, mentions of Mycroft Holmes, mentions of Missus Hudson, various OC's
Pairings: This is where the John/Sherlock kicks in, friends. There's also now Greg/Molly…Cause why the hell not? :P
Notes: My first Sherlock fic, and it's finally done. The very last piece. Dedicated to my betas princess_aleera and jademac2442, and every single one of you who read, reviewed, loved and enjoyed this fic.
Disclaimer: Sherlock, John, all of their friends and the many places the visit do not belong to me. If they did, I wouldn't have to write fanfiction, now would I?
Summary: Post-RBF. He writes one sentence, and while it's not enough, it starts something. A movement.
Part Four—The Resurrection
It's been two months since Molly has seen any sign of Sherlock Holmes.
Which makes it five months since the first article proclaiming the greatness of John Watson (and his stubborn detective, of course) was published by Rhys Sheppard, and nine months since Sherlock Holmes and Molly Hooper had sat across from one another and discussed the physics of faking ones own death.
It's also been about forty days since Molly started dating him… But that's not really important, right now. What's important is that she has no idea where Sherlock is. He's never been gone this long before. Close, but not quite; and she's starting to worry.
She's curled up on her couch, telly on, cup of tea cradled in her hands as she watches some crap romantic comedy that usually had her bawling by the end. She thinks this time she might just get a few sniffles, maybe shed a tear or two; but avoid the messy, red-faced sobs that usually came with these movies. Sobs that had nothing to do with the happy couple on screen.
She glances around her flat and smiles. There are photographs of people on the walls now, one of her and John at The Globe, looking rather done up for a pub (it was New Years). There's another of Greg and John sticking their tongues out at her as she snapped a picture, and it's rather cheeky.
She gives a tiny smirk when a sharp, official rap on her door echoes through the flat. She stands up and pads through her living room.
When she opens the door she is enveloped in warm, strong arms and a deep, passionate kiss, and she can't help the little flutter of joy she feels as she kisses him back.
She rolls over and pleases a kiss on his shoulder, savouring how warm her bed feels with another person in it. "Wake up." She whispers in his ear. He's got things to do today.
Greg rolls over and drapes an arm around her waist, nuzzling Molly's neck with his nose, and she giggles a little.
"No," He whispers, "Don't wanna."
Molly decides not to complain, and instead begins carding her fingers through his hair.
John looks up from his laptop when Greg walks in, trying to look casual. He grins a little before glancing back at the screen. "Did you say 'hi' to Molly for me?"
Greg stops dead, coughs a little and makes a quick detour to the kitchen. John chuckles.
"Not sure what you mean, John," Greg has his head in the fridge. "Spent all night at the office, working on Sherlock's case."
"Liar," John laughs. "You spent all night at Molly's. And you've been dating her for at least a month."
Greg straightens, cracks open a can of diet coke and sits in front of John with an eyebrow raised. "What makes you say that?"
"The day you first asked her out, when we were at the Globe." John types a little on his keyboard, smiling. "Both of you were so red I thought someone had splashed you with paint. I might not be Sherlock, but I'm not stupid, Greg." Greg stares at John until John looks up, and he shuts his laptop abruptly. "What I don't understand is why you didn't tell me. I'm more then happy for the both of you."
Greg doesn't say anything for a bit, leaving John to study his face. Being with Molly seems to have smoothed the detective-inspector's frown lines considerably, and the bags under his eyes are less noticeable then before. John can't help but feel a little spark of jealousy, but it's mostly overtaken by the feeling of genuine happiness for his new flatmate.
"I didn't want to rub it in your face, to be honest." Greg mutters. John raises his eyebrows, a silent question that Greg doesn't answer.
"Right…" John glances down at his screen, smiling still. If Greg doesn't want to talk about it John won't force him, but he's pleased that Greg's moved on from his ex wife.
"…Did you love him?" Greg's voice is dead serious, no joking tone or careful phrasing, and it startles John into looking away for a moment.
"Sherlock. Did you love him?" Greg's got him pinned in place with his gaze alone, and John feels suddenly exposed.
"It's a really simple question, John."
Silence reigns for a long while, before John manages to raise his eyes. "Why do you think that?"
"This goes beyond your best mate killing himself, John. This is like…" Greg gnaws on his bottom lip for a second. "Like you've lost a lover. You don't sleep, you don't eat, you barely leave the flat… You're worrying the people who—" Greg stops, takes a deep breath and sighs. "Who care."
John wants to stand, to turn and walk to Sherlock's room and lock the door, but his legs won't work and his mind is racing. "I…I don't…"
"If you don't want to tell me I get it." Greg shakes his head. "We don't talk about him, and I know it's my fault, but…"
"It wasn't." John whispers, eyes skimming over the flat, looking anywhere but Greg. "It's my fault, Greg, I didn't get to him in time, I—" John stops and closes his eyes. The familiar burning of tears stings his eyelids. "It wasn't your fault." He finally whispers, and he gives a start when Greg's hand is suddenly resting on his knee.
"It's not yours either, John."
Raz leans against the cold brick with his hands shoved in his pockets and a cig sticking out the side of his mouth, watching a young man in a blue sweater slouch around Baker Street. He's been watching the kid for about an hour with a bit of a smirk.
He's supposed to meet John for a late dinner while the copper is out on a case or something, but when striding through some of the back allies he comes across the kid finishing off a rather impressive tag. It's Holmes on a stormy blue background, smirking just enough for it to be noticed, and underneath is scrawled 'Buk'.
The kid gives a terrified squeak when he sees him and runs off, bolting in the opposite direction. Raz follows with a smirk of his own.
He's been trailing after Buk for about an hour when the sees the short, hooded tagger take a hard left and end up right at Watson's front door, where he takes out a can of yellow paint and shakes it with practiced ease. Raz is about to step in and chase the kid off- John's been good to him and he doesn't want the bloke to have to scrub paint of his front door- when Buk takes a step back and begins to paint the sidewalk.
It's a simple message with a hint of dramatic flair to it.
'I will always believe.' And two silver-grey eyes drawn beneath it. No face, no fancy portrait or over-the top shading, just the eyes.
Raz watches the kid run off and slides out from his hiding spot to take a better look.
The eyes seem to stare at him, amused and a little snobby, as he moves to the door and knocks rapidly.
He kind of likes this thing he's started.
John is awake, sitting at the fire reading Rhys's latest article ('Chief Superintendent under investigation, accused of following substandard evidence', and it's a real page turner) when his phone rings loudly.
The screen is flashing 'Molly Hooper', and he glances at the clock on the mantle. Molly Hooper is calling his at three-twenty-six in the morning.
He drops the paper and pounds the talk button, pressing the phone to his ear with a slightly trembling hand. "Molly. What's wrong?"
"John." She's been crying. She sniffs loudly and he winces. "I need you to come, right away, I know it's late but I don't know who else to call and he won't let me take him to Bart's and I—"
"—Molly. Take a deep breath and tell me what's happened, alright?"
"I've got this…" She hesitates "…friend. He's in trouble. He showed up at my doorstep and he's in a bad way, I need you to come and help him." She sounds out of breath but she doesn't seem to be crying any longer. John gets up and starts rummaging around for his medical bag.
"How bad, Molly?"
"I'm not sure. He won't let me look, but there's a lot of blood." John finds the bag shoved under a desk, dusty and forgotten in the corner. He tries to remember the last time he'd pulled the sodding thing out. It was one of the few cases where Sherlock was hit by something accidentally, a bat to the head, and stitching the wound had been both and adventure and a trial.
John pushes the thoughts away. "I'll be there in twenty. Can you keep him stable that long?"
"I think so." John doesn't wonder why she's whispering, just wraps his hand around the handle of his cane and lurches towards the door. "Thank you, John."
He gets there and raps smartly on the door, and when Molly opens it a crack and peers at him he can tell she's been crying since he hung up. She lets him in with a watery 'hello'.
"Okay, where is—"
"I have to tell you something." She says in a rush. John blinks. "It's important."
"… Okay, what?"
"…I'm sorry." She bites her lip, and John is suddenly much more interested in what she wants to tell him. "I'm sorry, and I know you're going to hate me but he made me promise not to say anything. And I'm so, so sorry." She turns and scurries off, leaving John to stare after her blankly for a moment.
'What was all that?'
He shakes his head and follows after her, into the living room and then to a tiny room where she stands, slightly protective, in the doorway.
"Please don't freak out." Molly whispers. "I don't think he can handle that right now, and… Please. I'll explain everything." She steps aside.
It takes a few seconds for John's brain to register what he's seeing.
There is a man with platinum blonde hair and black roots lying on molly's extra bed, eyes screwed shut, face almost covered in blood and the bits that aren't a worrying grey shade. He's wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks, but the shirt is stained through with blood on the right shoulder and the slacks are torn and caked with mud on the knees. He has absurdly high cheekbones and the ends of his hair are beginning to curl around his ears.
John stares unashamedly and with an edge of hysteria to his thoughts. It looks like… It looks like… But it's not.
"It can't be." Molly is staring at him, but that barely registers. The man on the bed cannot be Sherlock Holmes, because Sherlock Holmes is dead. Sherlock Holmes jumped off a building and Sherlock Holmes is nothing more then bones and dust buried under six feet of dirt.
"It is. John, I'm so sorry. He told me not to call you but—"
"—Tell me it's not." He cuts over her.
Molly blinks carefully at him, her hands wringing together. "What?"
"Tell me it's not him, Molly. Tell me."
"I don't—"
"I can't, Molly. Tell me it's not him, I can't." John Watson cannot treat this man who looks like his dead flatmate, because his mind can't wrap around it. The idea of it, the very notion, consumes all reason. His vision begins to swirl.
Molly seems to understand when he backs up a step. "It's not Sherlock, John." She barks, and it's so insistent that John perks up right away. "Don't be absurd. It's just a friend who's had a spot of trouble with the police, that's all."
John nods. "Right. Best get to work."
Three cracked ribs, a through-and-through bullet wound that seems to have just missed bone and a host of lacerations and gashes. John thinks Molly's friend is lucky to still be alive.
Molly watches John work with a wary, critical eye. He stitches and sanitizes and cleans off the blood with a steady hand, but not once does he raise his eyes to Sherlock's face. Not to the whole of his face, anyway. He looks at the patch of skin split open by some sort of blow and the long scrape down Sherlock's cheek, but not once does he focus his eyes on the picture these pieces make.
John is a very good doctor. He murmurs quietly to his nearly unconscious patient as he works, words that she can't quite catch. She's sure the words don't mean anything anyway; it's the tone that he carries. Gentle but firm, soothing in a way she doesn't quite understand.
At one point Sherlock's tired, confused eyes flutter open, and he tries to speak. John gently shushes him, but for the first time in this whole process his hand begins to shake.
"Be quiet, Brett, I've brought a doctor." Molly says, a little sharper then she intended, but it works. Sherlock's mouth clamps shut and his eyes slide over to her before closing.
John asks Molly to pick up some more disinfectant and a larger size of bandages. They'll be needed later and his medical bag is almost out, but as she turns to go he can sense her hesitation. She says nothing about it, though; just changes into some casual clothes and leaves.
John leaves 'Brett's' side and goes to her kitchen, washing the blood off his hands and watching it twist down the drain. The scalding water feels good, somehow. Right.
He can hear noises from the bedroom and tries his hardest to ignore them. He turns the dial on Molly's stove to full heat and begins to fill the kettle.
The bedroom door creaks open. John flinches.
Sherlock wakes up in 'his' room, body protesting his recent activities with a fierceness he rarely experiences in full. His shoulder seems the worst of it, the pain sharp and pulsating, but when he takes a deep breath to call out for Molly he has to bite back a gag. His ribs are fairly badly off.
He glances down at himself. He's shirtless, and his usually pale skin is stained with purples and greens in rather sensitive areas. Kidneys, ribs, stomach…vital areas. He tries to recall how he got to Molly's flat and remembers staggering through the back alleys of London in the dark, avoiding major roadways because the possibility of being followed was still a very present danger. He can vividly recall pausing to heave on the corner of Baker street and deciding that showing up on John and Lestrade's front door at three in the morning was not the best plan of action.
Sherlock remembers making an about-face and stumbling his way to Molly's flat, sagging against the wall of the elevator as it carried him closer to her, lurching to her place (last one at the end of the hall) and pounding a fist against her front door. His hand left bloody smudges on the white paint.
He remembers her opening the door, dressed in a pair of offensively pink pajamas, and the expression on her face. Shock, then distress. And then…
A voice. A very familiar, very male voice, muttering softly to him. Pieces of skin tugging together. Molly calling him 'Brett' for some reason… Disjointed flashes of….
"John?" He whispers.
John doesn't turn when the soft footfalls are in the hall, or when they cross the living room. He stares silently straight ahead, kettle in hand, refusing to look.
'Oh god. Oh god. It's him, all right. That, or I've gone mad.' For a second the idea is comforting. He's been on the edge of it for a little while now, and if he's finally cracked it'll be a relief. No longer will he be worrying about being insane. But it has to be him, because no one has that voice. Smooth and calm and completely indifferent.
"Sherlock." His voice is quiet, mild. He reaches over the counter to find a teabag and isn't surprised to see his hand shaking violently.
"I suppose you were going to find out sooner or later." Sherlock says it so matter-of-factly that John can't help a bitter smirk. "Though I'd rather hoped it wouldn't be like this."
"Mmmmm." John still can't turn. He grasps a teabag in one hand and bites his bottom lip. "Go lie down, Sherlock. You're not in a good way." His voice trembles. John curses his lack of control.
"You're upset." Sherlock says, like he's reading John. And the hell if John's going to allow that.
"Shut up. Just shut up and go back to bed, Sherlock. I'm not joking." God his leg hurts. He doesn't even have any weight on it, his foot is hovering just off the tiled floor, but the bloody ache of it makes him want to yell.
"I believe we need to 'talk' about this. It's an unorthodox situation, but—"
John turns on him, slams the kettle down on Molly's kitchen counter, and tries his hardest to control his voice. "No. No. Get back in bed. Now."
Sherlock stares at him for a moment, and then shakes his head. "No."
"Sherlock, I'm going to fix you up. I'm going to let the bullet hole close up and your ribs heal and all that. Then I'm going to punch you in the face. Rather hard, to tell you the truth." John can feel himself shaking, vibrating with rage, but is impressed with how conversational his tone is. "And then I'm moving my things out of Baker Street and never seeing you again." He grins, and it feels so wrong. Like he's one or two more sentences from breaking into hysterical laughter. 'So for once in your life, listen. Go back. To bed."
Sherlock is gripping the doorframe with one hand, as if it's holding him up, and the strange mix of emotions John can feel tearing through his mind make him want to scream. Shock. Anger. Concern. Utter and complete disbelief, though that's beginning to fade as he takes in the detective's appearance once again.
"…We need to have a discussion, John." His former flatmate looks downright exhausted just standing there. John forces himself not to care about that.
"There's nothing to discuss, Sherlock." He goes back to making himself tea, turning his back to Sherlock. The detective doesn't move in the slightest, but John figures if he ignores him long enough he'll get the hint.
He doesn't. "I know you're hurt."
John snorts.
"And I know you're angry. But I had to." And god, that tone. The note of pleading in his voice that sounds just like 'Please, will you do this for me?'.
"Had to. You had to." John still doesn't turn. He can't look. He knows that if he looks he will not see the Sherlock that's standing in front of him but the one that is constantly there in his head. The Sherlock with his hair matted with blood, his eyes open and unseeing. He can't look. "You had to make me watch you jump off a building and die."
"Yes." Sherlock whispers. When was the last time Sherlock whispered something? "Moriarty… He was going to kill you. You and Mrs. Hudson, and Lestrade. Three bullets…" The floor creaks softly as Sherlock shifts his weight. "Three gunman."
That was not at all expected. John toys with this for a few seconds, thinking it over. He thinks about Greg, with his easy smile and his guilty eyes. And Mrs. Hudson, who looked more and more worried every time she came into the kitchen and saw her baking sitting exactly where she left it, untouched. "…I'm glad you saved them, then."
"And you."
"I'd rather have had the bullet." Bitter, but absolutely true. John tries to picture the look on Sherlock's face, deciding it is either the rare expression of surprise he gets sometimes or the cool detachment he always has. Probably cool detachment. Sherlock has always excelled at ice.
"…You don't mean that." Maybe this isn't actually Sherlock. Sherlock never sounds so quiet, so reproachful.
"I do, actually. Looks like your brilliant deductions have failed you."
"I had to—"
"Oh yes, you had to. Absolutely. Fine. I accept that you had to kill yourself to make sure that the three people who actually cared about you didn't get shot." He leans against the counter, eye squeezed shut, and listens to the total and complete silence. "So explain the eleven months and eighteen days of silence after that."
He hears the intake a breath that signals one of Sherlock's well-prepared and flashy speeches and delights in cutting him off "Actually, no. Forget it. Whatever you say isn't good enough. And I really don't care."
"John—" He's going to go ahead and talk anyway, apparently.
"Go to bed."
"I had to end it. All of it. I had to break Moriarty's empire into fragments. I had to be sure you wouldn't—"
"—Sherlock." He growls.
"—Be hurt. I had to be certain that all of this would be for a reason. Had you known I was alive—"
"—It would've put you in danger. All three of you. Your reaction was the greatest cover I could have ever hoped for, and—"
That stops him. John Watson has given up on controlling his tone, on holding back his anger. That venom that always hovers in his blood comes forth in a blinding onslaught.
"Cover?" He hisses and turns to face what had been his best friend, and his… Well, that didn't matter now. The detective has that bloody look on his face, the one where he's said something 'socially unacceptable' but is loathe to apologise for it. "I was good cover?"
John holds his thumb and finger about an inch apart, ignoring the slight tremble. "This close, Sherlock. I was this close to—" He takes a deep breath. It doesn't help, and he drops his hand to one side. "I get it, yeah? I understand. I really didn't mean a damn thing to you, because I'm…" He holds out his arms, smiling "…I'm normal. I'm ordinary, right? What you see is what you get, nothing special about Doctor John Watson."
Sherlock winces when he says 'ordinary'. Actually winces. John feels a perverse sliver of pleasure and pushes it deeper. "Ordinary. I drink tea and I sit in the bloody flat and stare at your things, 'cause I can't bring myself to throw anything out or donate your damn clothes or even move the furniture." He laughs, and Sherlock winces again. Probably because he sounds more then a little hysterical. "The only thing extraordinary about me is how bloody stupid I've been, sitting here mourning a man who's not even dead. And of course you're not dead! You're Sherlock fucking Holmes, you'd never do something so pedestrian. Like dying."
"But guess what Sherlock? I'm the one that's had to deal with it. All of it. I saw you jump and I saw your blood all over the pavement, and I've never stopped seeing it. Do you understand?" John presses the heel of his palm against one eye, trying to drive the images of Sherlock—His Sherlock, broken on the ground and bleeding and—
A sudden burning sensation in his other hand snaps him out of it for a moment.
"Christ!" John yelps. He's set his hand on the burner he turned on to make tea, the burner that's been quietly heating up while John went off on his tirade. John snarls in the back of his throat.
He's surprised when a soft, cold hand grips his wrist and turns his hand palm-up. Sherlock turns the tap nearby on and holds John's hand under the freezing water, not releasing it no matter how hard John pulls. Eventually the blogger gives up on being released and just stands there, feeling the odd sensation of simultaneously burning and freezing with a bitter sneer.
"It's not serious." Sherlock's whispering again, but this time John can feel the warmth of the detective's breath on his neck.
"I'm a bloody doctor, I know that." John puts some space between himself and his ghost, who stares, unflinching.
"I'm sorry." Sherlock steps closer. He's cornered John against Molly's countertop, and John feels a desperate need to escape. "I'm aware that the words mean little to you, but it's the truth."
"Go away." It's a hiss. He feels like a trapped animal, pinned between Sherlock's thin, beaten body and the counter.
The response isn't verbal, it's physical. He can feel the slight tremor in Sherlock's hand as it moves to rest on the back of John's neck, can feel the exhaustion in the way the detective rests his forehead against John's neck. John doesn't move. Can't. He's frozen in place by whatever this is.
It gets more dreamlike when the detective moves his head as if he's moving a great weight and presses cold, dry lips against John's own.
John's almost certain he's gone insane now, because if he isn't that means Sherlock Holmes is kissing him and really, even he knows that's not possible.
It's over almost as soon as it began, and Sherlock is disappearing back into the bedroom before John has a chance to stutter through some sort of desperate question.
"Moron. Moron. You're a moron." Sherlock growls and eases himself back onto the bed, trying not to jostle anything.
He's gone and 'fucked it up', as they say. Whatever 'it' was.
Molly walks in and finds John leaning against the counter, looking like someone's hit him 'round the head with a brick and he's just come to.
"John?" She drops the supplies on the kitchen table, notices the kettle sitting next to the stove and frowns. "Were you making tea?"
"You knew he was alive." He doesn't sound accusing, but she flinches anyway. "You knew and you didn't tell me. Why?"
"He…made me promise not to." She fiddles with the hem of her jacket. "I'm so sorry John."
He stares blankly at her, and she wonders if he's in shock. "I've got to check in on him. You should get some sleep."
Molly doubts she'll be sleeping anytime soon.
Sherlock's feigning sleep when John shuts the door behind him.
"Don't be stupid, I know you aren't sleeping." John is conscious of how unbelievably wary he sounds, but it fits the last year he's had and he can't be bothered to pretend he's okay anymore. Besides, Sherlock won't be fooled the way everyone else has been.
"I'm certain I don't know what you're talking about." Sherlock sounds guarded, and cracks his eyes open. "I was simply resting my eyes."
"Of course." John collapses into the chair he pulled up to the bed earlier. He lets the cane fall to the ground.
He falls asleep before he manages to say anything.
When Rhys walks into his office at five-thirty in the morning he's surprised (and a little distressed) to find someone sitting in his chair.
"Morning." The man says, back to him, staring out the window. Rhys flicks the light on and gives a tiny smile.
"Sitting alone in the dark's a bit dramatic, don't you think?" He keeps close to the door, in case turning and fleeing is necessary, but his reporter side is far too curious to leave just yet.
"I've been called worse." The voice is deep and almost familiar. Rhys is smart enough to know that the man sitting in his chair isn't finished talking, so he doesn't reply. "I find it interesting that you've got Kitty Reilly's 'farewell article' framed on your wall. Seems a bit vindictive, don't you think?"
Rhys grins. "It makes me laugh on a rough day." He's still by the door, but edges in a little closer. "And I particularly love how she claims she's leaving because of personal problems, and not because the paper dropped her like a sack of rancid garbage." He sets his briefcase down on his desk and stares at the back of the other man's head. "Which says to me they finally got around actually reading her articles, but that's just a personal belief."
"Yes, I did notice the line about 'private issues' was highlighted."
"It's nice to know exactly where to look when you want a good laugh." Rhys replies. Then crosses his arms. "So, why exactly are you sitting in my chair? I worked hard for that chair, it swivels and everything."
"I thought you might be all right with standing for a bit, considering I've made your career." The voice says mildly. Rhys frowns.
"Funny, you don't sound like John Watson."
The chair swivels around (which Rhys really does love), and the man sitting in it gives him a nearly-microscopic smirk.
"He would be rather pleased to hear you say that." Sherlock Holmes says, and Rhys nearly passes out right then and there.
The Resurrection of a legend-My conversation with Sherlock Holmes
Article by Rhys Sheppard, Editor-In-Chief.
He was sitting in my office at five-thirty in the morning, staring out the window in silence, and when I finally figured out who it was I nearly passed out on my very uncomfortable floor.
Yes ladies and gents, it's true. Sherlock Holmes, recently cleared of being a criminal mastermind and the subject of an Internet phenomenon, is alive and well in London.
Holmes, who was accused of multiple criminal acts by the freshly fired 'journalist' Kitty Reilly (I'm sorry, she resigned. For some reason I thought she was fired) last year, jumped from the roof of Saint Bart's hospital two days before the article proclaiming him to be a fraud was set to be released. Since then he has been the subject of suspicion, ridicule, anger and defamation, all based on the testimony of one 'Richard Brook', an 'actor' hired by Sherlock Holmes to portray his nemesis, Jim Moriarty.
It was recently proven by Henry Knight and his handy Cardiff hacker that Holmes couldn't possibly have committed the vast amount of crimes he's solved, and the unwavering dedication of Detective-Inspector Greg Lestrade has managed to establish this in court. Sherlock Holmes was posthumously acquitted of all charges last week, much to the pleasure of those who claimed to be close to him.
But Holmes is a much more brilliant genius then anyone has given him credit for. He managed to convincingly fake his own death and remain out of the public eye for an astonishing twelve months, organizing it with the help of a 'close friend' and a group that he calls his 'homeless network'.
Want details? Interested in the 'hows' and 'whys'? Of course you are, don't lie to me. The exclusive interview is on page three, so go read it. I won't beg.
-Rhys Sheppard, Editor-In-Chief.
AN: Thank you. So much. Each and every one of you made this fic possible, and it's finally done. But don't worry. There's a sequel in the works and an 'interludes' fic for anyone and everyone who enjoyed this. I'm also taking prompts for the interludes fic, so feel free to drop some off! The sequel will be about fixing the relationship between John and Sherlock, because that's too big of a project for a fic that was only going to be three parts.
Again, thank you for reading. I'm so thankful.


text:
My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for Idaho Drug-Free Youth Inc, Coeur D Alene, ID, USA
I have been both a participant and a volunteer for IDFY for a total of 9 years. I am currently a graduate student of Social Work, and IDFY prepared me for this program in so many ways. It taught me leadership skills, within both large and small groups, as well as creative thinking for activities and group planning and facilitating.
IDFY is a powerful program that impacts both the teenagers that it works with and the adults who give their time to be a volunteer. It teaches connectivity and compassion towards others; IDFY also celebrates our differences.
IDFY is a great program for promoting drug and alcohol free practices within teenagers. But this program doesn't stop there. It seeks to reach not only teenagers, but teachers, parents, and other adults in the community to help with the mission of eradicating drug and alcohol use and abuse among teenagers.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
my own life. I have gained leadership skills, attentive listening skills, and skills for connecting with teenagers and clients in general, all which have helped me in my studies of Social Work.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
like to see it be able to reach more communities. It is often limited by funding, and I believe it could do so much more good if it were able to reach farther into more communities.
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
'Shrimp Avocado Salad'
Source: Adapted from Add A Pinch
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 avocado, cut into large pieces
1 tablespoon diced red onion
For the Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
1. Add shrimp, avocado, and onion to a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the dressing. Whisk until well-combined.
3. Add the dressing to shrimp avocado salad until it has the amount you desire. Mix well.
All Images Copyrighted © 2013 The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife


text:
Need help? Check out our Support site, then
Back to WordPress.com Forums
- Member Since
- March 29, 2012 (5 years)
- Website
- http://naturbe.wordpress.com
User Activity
Recent Replies
- Gallery Display Issues User last replied: 4 years ago. Most recent reply: 4 years ago
- slideshow troubles: images dont run properly. User last replied: 4 years ago. No replies since.
Threads Started
No more topics posted.


text:
Few things can marry a healthy dose of outdoor fun with an unhealthy dose of deep-fried, bacon-wrapped food quite like Edmonton's K-Days.
"Anything deep-fried is good. If you add bacon, it's great," said Gerald Stephens, Edmonton residents visiting the K-Days midway with his wife Susie. "I'm in the right spot."
The pair come every year and said this year's lineup of delicacies is better than ever. He said he was interested in the deep-fried foods, including cheesecake, Snickers and Twinkies.
Visitors will likely look for some of the standard favourites like pizza, corn dogs and, of course, mini doughnuts. This year there are a few bites to tempt the more adventurous palate as well.
For starters, there's scorpion pizza. While most restaurants try and keep the creepy-crawlies from getting on the food, this dish necessitates it. And it isn't as disgusting as it seems. In fact, it's like a regular pizza with a little extra crunch.
Stephens said he'd try it but doubted if his wife was game.
"It's high-protein," he said with a laugh.
The pizza can also come with meal worms for those looking for a bigger bug fix.
Not all delicacies are meant to challenge the gag reflex. Some just challenge the imagination.
The pulled pork sundae turns a classic summer treat into a meat and potato melange. Bacon-wrapped corn turns a healthy barbecue staple into, well, a bacon-wrapped healthy barbecue staple. And the porcupine corn dog couples mystery meats with mystery batter and injects a helping of mystery French fry material.
Returning from last year is the deep-fried butter balls but this year they bring with them their cholesterol-laden cousins deep-fried cheesecake, deep-fried chocolate bars and deep-fried cookie dough. Even the mini doughnuts have been revamped with a new maple bacon option offering a salty, sweet, heart-stopping treat.
Some items offer more of a full-sized meal. The chicken po' boy sandwich begins with a piece of chicken breast. As expected, it is then breaded and deep-fried and slapped into a bun and covered with cole slaw.
The winner of this year's food judging managed to sneak some healthy elements into the competition. The Angry Birds candy apple is a fresh take on the caramel-dipped classic. For the health-averse, no need to worry. It is dressed in icing to look like one of the distraught video game characters, making the apple take a back seat to the sugary coating.
K-Days and its many food options is running now until July 27.


text:
Nordstrom family puts on a determined face
Store is heading in the right direction, executives say
Published 10:00 pm, Tuesday, May 15, 2001
A year ago, Nordstrom shareholders were dazzled with a bright and lively annual meeting to hear about sagging sales and earnings. Yesterday, they encountered a much more subdued gathering.
It was almost humble.
Bruce, Blake and Pete Nordstrom took turns at the podium, then sat down and fielded questions from the audience about scaled-back growth plans, slow sales in the men's department and whether the company is for sale.
"How clear can I make this? This company is not for sale," said Bruce Nordstrom, to applause from the audience.
Earlier in the meeting, Bruce Nordstrom assured the audience that "things are going in the right direction."
Latest videos
- Starbucks holiday cup causes social media buzz over hand holdingFoxM9NJ
- Morning Business Outlook 11/22Fox7
- WOW Air's Black Friday Deal Is $99 Flights — and They're on Sale NowTaLTIME
- Mark Suster Says These Are the Hot Trends For VCsCheddar
- Analyst Notes Challenges for New Tesla TruckAP
- HSA v. FSAFox5Atlanta
- United Way hosting career fair for DPSCD studentsFox2Detroit
- Kellogg's Will Open a NYC Cereal Café Five Times Bigger Than Its Times Square Pop-UpFAWTime
- Lyft is going internationalWibbitz
- Chinese FinTech CFO on IPO Day: Mobile, Blockchain Will Drive Industry InnovationCheddar
- All the Black Friday deals that matter right nowWibbitz
- Buena Vista winery hopes visitors will return in droves after the wildfiresKTVU2
- David Does It: Coca-cola StoreFox35Orlando
- This Company Wants You to Get Beach-Ready at HomeCheddar
- Newly-Public Aquantia Is Now Coming For Self-Driving CarsCheddar
- Conde Nast shuts down Teen Vogue magazine
- 8 fast and easy ways to make extra money
- Geo Group revenues up for quarterSunSentinel
- Lennar to merge with CalAtlanticSunSentinel
- Why Nexa Resources CEO Tito Martins Says Now Was the Right Time to IPOCheddar
Nordstrom also announced the appointment of Mike Koppel as chief financial officer. Koppel joined Nordstrom in 1999 and has been the acting chief financial officer since September.
Last year, shareholders took Nordstrom executives to task for a misguided Re-Invent campaign, sagging sales and earnings. Within three months, several top executives were out the door and Nordstrom family members back at the reigns.
Although shareholders said yesterday that they are thrilled to see the Nordstroms leading the company, they are equally anxious to start seeing dramatic improvement in their stock prices.
Nordstrom stock closed at $17.97 yesterday down 3 cents from the day before. It's down about $7 compared with last May.
"I like what they are doing, but I don't like the stock being down," shareholder Gwen Collins said.
Shareholders approved the appointment of a new board member, Alison Winter, who is vice president of Midwest Personal Financial Services in Chicago. She is replacing retiring board member Anne McLaughlin Korologos.
But shareholders turned down other initiatives, including one asking for more details on executive bonuses. Nordstrom has said it meets all required reporting requirements.
Another initiative would have required the company to regularly report on abuses discovered in any of the more than 600 factories, located mainly in 10 countries, that manufacture Nordstrom clothing and accessories.
"We should have disclosure," said Conrad MacKerron, representing Domini Social Investments. "If workers in the factories are being well-treated, why not share the good news with us?"
The company opposed the initiative, but Blake Nordstrom told shareholders that in two years, 16 violations were found at factories, which resulted in Nordstrom canceling its contracts with those manufacturers.
In an interview after the meetings, Gail Cottle, president of the Nordstrom product group, said in one case a door leading to a third-floor fire escape was closed and locked. When inspectors insisted the door be opened, it was discovered there was no staircase on the other side.
"We review the corrective action, then go back and monitor," said Cottle. "If there is no improvement, we end our contract with the factory."
With formalities out of the way, shareholders were anxious to hear the company's plans for improving earnings.
Blake Nordstrom told shareholders that the company is concentrating on "ringing the register" and managing expenses.
Some cost-cutting measures taken by the company include moving employees from the back rooms to the sales floor.
Nordstrom said no layoffs are planned.
Inventory management is expected to improve with a perpetual inventory program -- allowing the company to constantly track each piece of clothing in every store. The program will be tested this summer. The company is also focusing on managing its growth.
In an interview after the meeting, Blake Nordstrom said the most important change has been the improved morale among employees.
"Our customers are sensing that. You can't edict good customer service, and the customers are picking up on that," Nordstrom said.
Analysts, including Robert Toomey of Dain Rauscher, have also noted the improvement in company morale. Toomey upgraded his rating of the company's stock this week.
Shareholders leaving the meeting seemed to like what they saw.
"Bruce and his son being up there makes us feel really good," said Joan Berg, a shareholder with her husband for 20 years. "We have a lot of respect for the Nordstrom family."


text:
Chili Cooks Texas Style Chili with Venison
2015-01-18 04:50:01
- 2 1/2 lbs Venison , cut up
- 1 lb sausage
- 4 Tablespoons chili Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Spanish Paprika
- 1 Tablespoon Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Nutmeg
- 1 10oz cans Rotel diced tomatoes + green chilies
- 2 large onions, diced
- 4 gloves garlic, minced
- Some Jalapeno peppers, diced
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 14oz can Beef Broth
- 1/2 cup corn meal
- Begin by browning the meat in a large pot with 1 tablespoons chili powder. Drain the fat (leave a little for flavor) add the beef broth, the rest of the chili powder, oregano, paprika, and nutmeg. Bring to a slow boil, than turn down to a simmer and add onion, garlic, chipotle, jalapeno, red pepper, tomatoes, lime juice, Rotel and some Sea salt. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.
- Add sugar, whisk together corn meal and water, bring to a boil and stir in water/corn meal mix.Turn down to a simmer and stir until it thickens. You can adjust the amount of water/corn meal to make the way you like and also you can add your favorite hot sauce to kick it up a little.
Chilicooks http://chilicooks.com/


text:
In support of the ARCHIE Foundation, pupils and staff at Kininmonth Primary School donned their onesies for the day, in return for a donation.
Almost all the children turned up in a wonderful array of colours and characters, raising £75 for the Royal Aberdeen Childrens Hospital.
Mr Richard Ingham, visiting Jazz specialist, even ended up with an unusual and unexpected accompianist at the piano that morning.


text:
Purple bike shed, Skills training
Purple bike shed, Skills training
Jul 21 2010, 08:08 AM
Post #1
Group: Members
Joined: 6-April 09
From: Somewhere near swinley forest
Went out with Purple bike shed yesterday for a day's "singltrackrider" skills course at swinley.
I can highly recommend the guys and they have given me some massive pointers for my riding.
They say they cant teach an old dog a new trick, but they got me railing corners properly and even got me doing track stands!
Pricey at over 80 quid, but this is 9am -4pm officially but have been know to extend this (they say record is 8:30pm). They have a max of 1 instructor to 3 riders.
The course was based around cornering (position), braking (stop skidding!, use the front brake!), pumping over singletrack, lifting bike properly, steep climbing and some fitness stuff.
Any swinley regulars want to polish thier riding or like me have never had anyone show them anything can to go far wrong with a day with them.
They also promised to find some hidden tracks in swinley they reckoned I wouldnt know. They failed
Jul 21 2010, 06:18 PM
Post #2
Group: Members
Joined: 12-June 08
From: Bolton
Its great when you go on a skills day, the stuff that you learn that you dont nail on the day, you carry away the skills and practice in your daily riding, well worth the money imho...
Now if i could only get fit enough to employ what i've learned....
|Lo-Fi Version
|Time is now: 25th November 2017 - 09:37 AM


text:
Abercrombie & Kent
The A&K Difference
What sets Abercrombie & Kent apart?
At Abercrombie & Kent, we strive at every turn to redefine your notion of what is possible on a vacation. Our approach combines singular service — such as a private passage by road and lake through the Andes, or a maximum group size of only 12 guests on each Galápagos shore excursion — with insider-access opportunities unlike any you have experienced before. A&K lets you discover Machu Picchu through the eyes of its former resident archaeologist, and introduces you to Incan culture firsthand, through an exclusive meeting with a Incan family.
In these and myriad other ways, Abercrombie & Kent consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty — and no A&K journey is complete without that extra, unexpected "and" that makes your experience unique and unforgettable. Choose from a Luxury Small Group Journey, the finest group travel experience in the world; a Connections Journey, which combines A&K's renowned service with unbeatable value; A Marco Polo Journey to an exotic locale or local festival; a private Signature Series itinerary; or a custom Tailor Made luxury journey created just for you. When it comes to discovering the world, the possibilities are endless.
Making these extraordinary journeys possible are the handpicked experts in our 52 offices worldwide, on call around the clock. Chief among them are our Resident Tour Directors® and local guides. The Resident Tour Director leads each group departure, providing unmatched on-the-ground expertise with A&K local guides contributing along the way.
With expertise in not only luxury but culture, wildlife and history as well, Abercrombie & Kent reveals your destination with an authenticity beyond the reach of any other travel company.
A&K Founders
Geoffrey Kent and his parents, Valerie and Colonel John Kent, founded Abercrombie & Kent in 1962. The company's beginnings were modest; Geoffrey Kent remembers their first safaris were conducted with little more than "a Bedford truck and my mother's sterling silver ice bucket."
In 1967, Geoffrey Kent (by now Managing Director, following his parents' retirement) decided to expand A&K's signature style of travel. In 1969, he began opening additional companies in Africa; in 1971, he met Jorie Ford Butler of Oak Brook, Illinois. She became a partner in the business and together they grew A&K into a worldwide group of companies, with offices in London, Downers Grove, Illinois and Melbourne, Australia.
Today, A&K runs 52 full-time offices worldwide, staffed by more than 2,500 people. Its reputation allows A&K travellers private, sometimes exclusive access to museums, archaeological sites and cultural attractions around the world. The company's more recent innovations include Private Jet Journeys, the ultimate luxury travel experience, and Connections: group journeys that offer something never before possible: a chance to discover the world in the company of unmatched local experts, at an unbeatable value.
A&K's staff continues to seek pioneering new ways of exploring the globe - and among it is Geoffrey Kent, who still travels the world interviewing guides, scouting locations and ensuring that the standards he and his parents established more than 50 years ago remain in place on each and every A&K journey.
Global Reach
Abercrombie & Kent's feet-on-the-ground approach is unique in the industry. Every A&K departure is backed by a handpicked staff in 52 offices around the world. Our full-time staff members are on call every day (and night) to ensure that each stop on your journey meets A&K's highest standard of quality.
As well as ensuring your comfort, our deep-rooted connections in every destination allow us to reveal local experiences not available to ordinary travellers. From exotic dining opportunities to unforgettable encounters with friendly locals, we can arrange the kind of privileged access that sets an A&K journey beyond all others.
United States
|Abercrombie & Kent
|1411 Opus Place Executive Towers West 2 Suite 300 Downers Grove, IL 60515-1098 United States
|View Map


text:
Ireland - UK - Ireland
Ireland - Europe - Ireland
Licensed to transport animals in the UK & Europe
We are a family run transport company. We use a custom built van to
move our pets safely and in comfort. Each travel kennel is ventilated.
The van has been inspected and approved by DEFRA. We hold a full
type 2 license to transport animals on journeys in the UK & Europe.
Please feel free to inspect both our DEFRA vehicle approval certificate,
and our type 2 license. Both are carried in the van as required by law.
Or we can email copies to you on request.
Your pet can travel in their own bed and have a small favourite toy with
them. They will have water at all times. Each kennel has a non spill
water bowl. We will stop every two hours and take each dog for a short
We will
feed them to your instructions.
We carry out a national & full European service
You can use us to
Take your pet to the vets
When you move house
When going on holiday, we can take your pet to the
Kennels or cattery
Collect or deliver to an airport. We are based 3 miles from Gatwick
Airport and 35 miles from Heathrow. Stanstead, Southend and Luton
Airports are only 90 Mins. away
Collect your new pet from a breeder
Take your pets to and from a show
London to Dublin collect and deliver same day
London to Paris, collect & deliver same day
If you are moving house we can time the collection of your pets to be
just before the removal starts. Then deliver to your new house after the
removals have finished.
On a long journey we will stop every 2 hours and we give the dogs a
short walk. All stops are recorded on a DEFRA format delivery note.
Through out the trip each pet will have a spill proof water bowl. We will
ask you what when and how much food to give your pet. Also if they
have any special needs.
Your pet can also travel with their own bed or with a favorite small toy.
The van is fitted with an automatic ventilation system. The van is also
insulated to keep it cool in summer and warn in winter
OVER NIGHT STOPS. Your pet will not be left unattended. We will use a
kennel or cattery en-route. Or a pet friendly hotel. If you know a good
kennel, cattery or pet friendly hotel or B&B, anywhere in UK or Europe
please email details to us at email@example.com then we can
add it to our list. Let us know your requirements, and we will see what
we can do to help you .
In order to travel between two European countries your dog, cat or
ferret must have,
A pet passport
Be micro chipped
Be up to date with anti rabies & vaccinations & boosters.
Have a tapeworm treatment (dogs only and only to enter UK)
Rules can change from time to time, so please visit
to get up to date information
Only everr use a licensed pet transporter. A license and a DEFRA approved vehicle are legal requirements. There are rules we have to follow to ensure the safety of your pet. Also if someone has invested time and money to get the correct vehicle and license to carry your pet legally, then they are more likely take care of your pet. An unlicensed carrier is not accountable to anyone, so you will be gambling with your pets life and welfare. A licensed carrier will have the correct insurance, if something should go wrong. Carrying animals in an unapproved vehicle is illegal and the animals will not be insured Only, and their road insurance could be invalid as well. By law we must carry our license and vehicle approval certificate in the vehicle at all times, please ask to see them. If you want to check them before booking we are happy to email them to you.
For all enquiries please email firstname.lastname@example.com
or phone +44 (0)1342 713851
Mobile +44 7958 741224
11) The cost of delivering your
pet will be based on the list given to us by you, and good access.
There are no other charges; insurance is included in the
22) We have a Type 2 License to
transport animals by road in the UK &
2a) We will only ever use a vehicle that has been inspected and approved by DEFRA to transport animals
3) All estimates are valid for three months.
4) Payment can be by bank transfer or cash
5) A deposit of £500 (or full payment if total is less) will be taken on booking, for all deliveries. If you cancel more than 7 days before the start of the job we will refund the deposit, minus anu expenses we incure. Any booking taken less than 7 days before the start of the job is payable in full on booking . No booking is confirmed until a deposit is paid
6) Parking permits to be arranged by you. Any parking tickets will be paid by you.
7) We need the full postal address, with postcode. Printed clearly. Also contract phone numbers. All items must have your name on
8) The estimate is for a collect & deliver service, door to door. Thereis no kennelling in the price
9) If your pet needs kennelling please ask,
we may be able to arrange it for you, at cost to
10)The transporting will be carried out by ourselves we will not sub- contract to anyone else.
11) If your delivery is a shared trip to Europe, please note we will do all we can to collect & deliver on the dates & times that you want. But you may have to be flexible, as dates & times may change. We do not promise any delivery, date or time.
12) If you need the collection and / or delivery to be on a certain date or time, please ask for a price, going as a dedicated trip.
13) Dedicated trips are collected & delivered on the date & times agreed. But you must allow for delays with ferries, weather & traffic delays, Etc. that are out of our control
14) There may be a charge if we have to wait to load or unload.
15) The estimate assumes easy access at both addresses.
16) We will not take our vehicles off road. Please let us know if access is over a field, dirt track, dried river, muddy building site, etc. If we cannot get to your property, you may need to meet us somewhere local. Waiting time may be charged.
17) If there is any problem or any claim you must tell me in person or by telephoning me on 0044 (0)7958 741224 within three days. Then in writing, either by letter or email ASAP. Insurance is £20,000 per load, with a £250 excess. This covers house removals in the UK & Europe. If you need more cover, then let us know and we will increase it for the move at cost
18) The customer shall indemnify the us the carrier against any action as a result of illicit or illegal substances being found concealed within the load
19) All goods delivered to the Carrier for carriage are and will be received by the Carrier and held by it subject to a lien for all carriage charges due to the Carrier from the Customer for the carriage of the goods and other proper charges or expenses incurred in respect of or in connection with the carriage of the particular Consignment and all other goods which may have been carried by the Carrier for the Customer from time to time.
20) The Carrier shall be entitled to charge to the Customer the cost of loading, unloading & kennelling the pets whilst a lien is being exercised together with warehouse rent and any other expenses incurred during all periods during which the lien on the goods or any part of the Consignment is being asserted and all these Conditions shall continue to apply whilst the lien is being exercised.
21) If such lien is not satisfied by payment within a reasonable time of the Carrier's demand or payment then the Carrier shall be entitled to invoke the power of sale
22) All work undertaken will be
carried out under English common law.
23) By using our services you are aggree our terms & conditions


text:
I worked at XATA full-time (More than 8 years)
They offer good benefits. HR is very responsive.
Unfortunately there were several lay-offs.
Good technology, decent co-workers, Salary is ok but could be better
Toxic work environment, 3 Chief Technology Officers hired in last 5 years, no work life balance, no appreciation from management, good people are leaving or are removed because of highly political environment, no raise or bonus given to managers and below in 2009 but Directors and above received bonuses, there is no trust, Managers/Directors asked not to say complete truth in Leadership meeting, senior management offer more money to people when they leave,.....too many VPs
Advice to Management
It is time to start "inspecting" what your direct reports tells you......don't blindly trust them and make or support their decisions.......... have conversation with real people below who is doing all the work. Offer more money to employees (not many left anyway now) who have been with company for many years instead of offering more money to new people who are leaving, Hire actual people to do the wok instead of VPs
Great coworkers. Benefits are okay...better than others. At one point management enjoyed making the department a more fun and lively place.
Horrible management. Attempts to weasel out of paying employees what they're entitled. Bad communication practices between management and their lower level employees.
Advice to Management
Happy employees are productive employees. If you treat your employees like garbage you're going to get minimal effort in getting work done. If so many people are actively looking for employment elsewhere then there's obviously an issue...
I have been working at XATA (Less than a year)
People. I formed relationships with many former employees and owners, managers alike. The owners actually treated people like humans.
Pay. It also stared to go downhill when the company was purchased by another company. I started to feel like a robot and less like a valuable part of the team. No room for advancement
Advice to Management
listen to you employees and say more than 'hi' to them on a daily basis.
Cool technology, most of technical people are very competent; non technical people are very nice too, as long as they aren't managers.
Lack of direction, lack of clear communication between management and lower level employees. Managers don't seem to know what they're doing. You can feel a strong sense of distrust between the new "architects" and the solutions development teams. Apparently, it doesn't matter how good you are, the new architect will tell you what to do and how to do it. Micromanagement everywhere.
Advice to Management
Very difficult. Most of old "managers" were fired. The new CTO should open his mind and leave all the prejudices aside; please, try to understand the business and the technology behind before proposing new solutions.
Peers are generally pretty good below the manager level. Pay and benefits were pretty decent for the industry - nothing great, but on par. Some long-term employees with lots of knowledge of the industry.d Good place to learn the industry - Xata is still considered a leader in the field.
Horrible communication from management Director level and above. Mid-level managers were pretty good. Highly political, very little accountability. Senior management not respected at all. Most of the good people have left, the only ones that remain must have some sort of compensation package waiting for them if they stay on.
Advice to Management
Take responsibility for your own issues - don't dump on your employees. Support your employees and it will result it a better experience and product for your customers. I believe Jay Coughlan is doing the best he can, but I believe he was mis-led by his direct reports (VP's) for a long time and now there may not be a good way out of a bad situation.
Opportunities to work on different projects/products. Friendly helpful coworkers.
Lack of work life balance. 80 % people are always looking for job. Good work are not often recognized. Lack of good quality management.
Advice to Management
Provide more flexibility to people. Try to appreciate the hardwork people put in and I am not talking about middle managers.
Good place to learn a lot of cool technologies.
Always in crisis mode. Unsecure. Poor process/quality management
Advice to Management
Focus on process/quality. Work/life balance
This will replace the current featured review for targeted profile. Are you sure you want to replace it?
Are you sure you want to remove this review from being featured for targeted profile?


text:
Chatting with the Bombers.
WR Chris Brazzell ...
Favourite TV show? Divorce Court.
Favourite movie?
Coming to America.
Steak or seafood?
Favourite holiday destination?
Las Vegas. I love Vegas.
Which three people, living or dead, you would want to have dinner with?
My mother, who is deceased. My grandfather who is deceased and my grandmother, who is deceased. I'd like to have one more dinner with them so I could say a few things to them.
If you weren't playing football, what would you be doing?
I don't know.
What's in your CD Player right now?
Divine Brown.
Leno or Letterman?
Arsenio Hall, I don't like either of those two.
What's your perfect day off?
Best personality trait?
I'm humble.
Worst personality trait?
I'm stubborn.
"My dog got up and left the room."
-- former CBC football broadcaster Don Chevrier, to The Globe and Mail, explaining just how bad he thought Saturday's silent broadcast was after watching it via satellite from his Florida home
"If we pull it off in Toronto it's a coup for us in the month of August."
-- Stamps coach Tom Higgins, to the Calgary Sun, discussing his squad's victory over the Alouettes and the importance of tomorrow night's game at Rogers Centre
"We're playing well enough on defence that we should have won some more games, but offensively we sucked."
-- Roughriders GM Roy Shivers, to The Leader-Post


text:
The 2011 BET Awards will air on June 26th, just two days after Beyonce's new album 4 is released. It's been confirmed that Beyonce will take the stage at the awards show to perform.
Beyonce is up for an award and will perform a cut from her new album 4 on the 2011 BET Awards Show. Other artists slated to perform include Alicia Keys, Drake, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne.