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This was the 3rd Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen (GISHWHES), which is the brain child of actor Misha Collins, initially born out of an attempt to have Supernatural win a People's Choice Award and it has grown into a very silly endeavor supporting the charitable group Random Acts. GISHWHES lasts one week and teams of 15 people get a list of close to 200 items to scavenge and then submit on the website. Several of the items still have to do with Supernatural; portraits of cast members out of candy, having an orchestra play Kansas' Carry on My Wayward Son (a song featured in the show's season finales), getting Jared Padalecki to tweet compliments. This year, William Shatner was on a team with Grant Imahara. Orlando Jones was on team Babysharks... This year's list contained a few Orlando Jones related tasks, resulting in an Orlando Jones saturated twitter (#fauxlando).
Theoretically, the list is possible to complete and when you use your resources can be done on the cheap. But, let's be honest, William Shatner had an easier time getting this together than our team did; e.g. submitting a picture of Curtis Armstrong (Booger from Revenge of the Nerds and an occasional actor on Supernatural). Having privilege means having connections and so things were easier for some people than others. Plus, quality counts in execution and documentation, and I'm sure that William Shatner has access to much better camera equipment than my cellphone camera. That said, this year's GISHWHES commandments (a list of spirited rules) included The Shatner Clause:
14. Shatner Clause - Occasionally GISHWHES attracts “personalities” with massive social media followings that want to compete. We are thrilled by this development; tickled pink. We welcome them to join us in mayhem, but we want ordinary folk to know that they still have a good chance of winning – so here’s our policy: If a member of a GISHWHES team has a more than 100,000 social media followers or “likes” on any social media platform and who the judges deem to be a name of broad public recognition and that team wins GISHWHES, we will award THE GRAND PRIZE to TWO TEAMS. The highest scoring NON-CELEBRITY team will also be awarded the trip. If this should occur, we will be flying the entire “Celebrity” team and the entire runner-up non-celebrity team on the Grand Prize Trip. Once we arrive in said city, we will likely encourage bickering, drama and general discord between the two teams. We will also organize a nerfgun or water balloon fight, the winner of which, will be crowned the “GISHWHES GRAND MASTERS"This last week was amazing and now I hope to do this silly thing every year until I die. GISHWHES was not undersold to me by people who said the clichés about 'coming out of your shell', 'bonding', 'laughing so hard you cry', etc. etc. True clichés. Doing ludicrous tasks under the guise of a purpose made for a glorious week, deep laughter, one bloody toe gash, unusual requests, A1+ text messages (e.g. "Oh, please, explode your sex statue with fireworks"), strange phone calls to Walgreens, a twitter exchange with Audie Cornish, and very little sleep (even for me). I got the opportunity to see my friends do things I thought they never would, we encouraged each other to get way outside our comfort zones (and it was nice, not chiding), and we learned new skills and found out about each others' talents. Heck, some of us learned about talents we didn't know we ourselves had! GISHWHES has broken world records and has been used to encourage people to do wonderful, kind things, as well as highly creative things. Our team was the Lunicorns, named after a cohort of my favorite people on twitter (who were also on the team!), and the team was filled out by friends and friends of friends who did some really extraordinary things. Huge thanks to everyone who helped our team do some very strange things. Long live the Lunicorns! Now for the bit you wanted to see... our submissions! Some were twisted a bit... We've been cleared for post-hunt posting. Here's a tubmlr with the full item list, if you're curious.
#3 It's "me time." Spoil, pamper and be decadent to yourself like you never have before. Oh, and P.S., you’re dressed as a Stormtrooper.
#4 Clearly your bicycle is underwhelming you with its current performance. Convert your bicycle into a warp-speed spacecraft. Ride it.
#5 You and your four friends are a five-headed monster with all of your heads poking out of one collar of a giant shirt. Now do yard work.
#6 As GISHWHES certainly isn't all about dog-eat-dog competition, find someone on another GISHWHES team and surprise them with an act of thoughtful generosity. Make us tear up. We must see the team name or Username of the individual you are helping.
#7 Find an object that you’re holding onto for all the wrong reasons. Destroy it mightily.
#9 Assemble a puzzle with a minimum of 50 pieces in one sitting. The video must show the box with more than 50 pieces and then you putting the puzzle together. For ease of assembly you must be wearing wool mittens or gloves throughout the assembly of the puzzle.
#10 Go through a drive-through at a fast food restaurant in your invisible car. Order, among other things, a Diet Water. You must have a passenger in your invisible car, and you both must be "seated."
#11 Set to opera music, stage a water balloon fight between 10 or more participants all wearing business suits. [This was so great, there's also a director's cut.]
#13 Time flies like a Wooster gone wild. There's someone in your life - an older family member or an older friend - that will someday be gone. There's something you used to do with them that you enjoyed or have been meaning to do with them, but never have. Do it now, before it's too late.
#15 Have an elderly person teach you an "old-school" skill now considered obsolete. For example, how to operate a telegraph or a mechanical typewriter (those examples are now off-limits).
#17 You are off to a most elegant formal evening gala. Disaster strikes! Your outfit is ruined! Dress yourself in an outfit fit for such an evening, using only items found in your bathroom.
#29 If you’re like me, you’re sick of the go-to barista foam-art. If I have to sip at another latte adorned with a fern or clover shape, I’m going to cry. Let's see the Elopus professionally recreated in the foam of a café’s hot drink.
#33 Batman or another superhero playing bingo at a crowded recreation center.
#35 Suck blood from a doughnut.
#42 Some regions have legendary monsters like the Loch Ness Monster in Loch Ness, Scotland or the Abominable Snowman in... well, wherever that creature lurks. Catch the mystery monster on camera that haunts your hometown.
#44 Two people kissing across the Russia/Ukraine border. If safety is a concern, the image may be two people (anywhere) wrapped in a Russian and Ukrainian flag, kissing each other.
#46 Let's hear "Carry on My Wayward Son" on a giant pipe organ (antique preferred) in a cathedral or church, played by someone wearing a sock monkey hat.
#51 Create the next hip facial hair look or hipster accessory.
#59 Fograt, Wooster, Elopus or Marge Simpson tummy-art. The “tummy” canvas in question must be that of a woman who is at least 7 months pregnant.
#62 Office art. The boss is away. Take this treasured time to create a beautiful, museum-worthy sculpture in your cubical comprised entirely of company office supplies. If the artist in you feels it is imperative to use a coworker as a base or as an integral part of the piece of work, go ahead and indulge. The world deserves it.
