Sometimes, the world can be a cruel and harsh place that sucks away your optimism and causes you to ask yourself, “Why am I here? Why am I doing this? Where did my faith in humanity go?” Gishwhes is here to answer those questions and restore your happiness, in the most abnosome (“abnormally awesome”) of ways.
Gishwhes is an intenrational scavenger hunt put together by actor of television series “Supernatural” fame, Misha Collins. Anyone familiar with the actor’s eccentric, golden-hearted tendencies is well aware that he is renowned for his charity work and general do-goodery, and Gishwhes is somewhat of a living embodiment of that aspect. As described by the official website, Gishwhes scavenger hunt items “range from the touching: ‘Take a picture of you hugging a war veteran’ or ‘Create a video of you visiting a children’s hospital and giving a puppet show’ to the weirdly sublime: ‘an image of a formal tea party replete with parasols, silverware and a string quartet situated in a junkyard or garbage dump’ or ‘a fully dressed storm trooper cleaning a pool next to a sunbather.'”
Gishwhes has previously broken the Guiness World Record for the world’s largest scavenger hunt with a shocking 14,580 participants from over 94 different countries and growing on a world-wide scale. People register as either individuals or teams during the registration period, and are then put together in full groups of fifteen people that they work with to complete tasks with over the course of a week.
Registration for this year’s events began on July 17, and closed about a week and a half ago, the website shutting down for that time so that teams could be formed. Teams were put together and given contact information a few days ago, and the the items list was finally released today around four o’ clock. Groups have begun the third annual Gishwhes, and the hunt is most certainly on.
While the list does change every year, some awesome items from previous years include; “Get a five-star general in uniform to swing on a children’s playground swing,” “Arrange a church choir singing “Eye of the Tiger” in a church,” and “Dress up (three people) like frogs and play “leapfrog” in your local Starbucks or chain coffee shop. We must see patrons and must hear “Ribbit!” each time you leap.” All of these events (and many others like them) are either recorded on video or in photographs, which are then submitted to Gishwhes for review. This makes for a plethora of entertaining evidence of the week-long extravaganza, such as these gems from the official website.
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Bearing those images and this information in mind, don’t be alarmed at any of the oddities you might come across this week as the hunt commences. The writer, herself, is partaking in the festivities, and looks forward to both helping out great causes and making an absolute fool of herself. To participants and bystanders alike; merry Gishwes, and happy hunting!