gish

Unofficial NotGISH Scavenger Hunt

Standard

Hereby known as: Scavenger Hunt Summer 2023

I designed this hunt to coincide with the traditional week of GISH that I’ve been participating in since 2013. I’ve designed scavenger hunts for classes I’ve taught as well as one for my kids to do on vacation, which went pretty well considering their ages. It might also have done well because their vacation bags included snacks and money, but I digress.

Whether or not I’ve thought of life as a scavenger hunt, I feel as though I’m always on the hunt, on the lookout for different things to bring to my website with music playlists, photographs, thoughts, and information, and doesn’t that sound a little bit like a scavenger hunt with no list to follow?

I’ve been working on this hunt for several weeks, and hope that its participants enjoy doing it.

Below are some rules and information. Any questions can be directed to me as a comment on this post or through email at: kbwriting11@gmail.com.

How to Hunt

  1. This scavenger hunt is inspired by Misha Collins’ GISH Hunts, but it is in no way affiliated with Misha Collins, Supernatural, Random Acts, or the GISH hunts. This is not a charity hunt, and I will be collecting no money in regard to this scavenger hunt.
  2. There are no points awarded, however there is a random drawing that we will refer to as a prize.
  3. All participants are acting in their capacity as individuals and are expected to follow all local and federal laws. The items are open to interpretation; however, no interpretation will be accepted that violates the law or any other party’s civil or US constitutional rights.
    • No participants will be discriminated against or discriminate against anyone, in a protected category or not. We are ambassadors for good.
  4. I expect to add two items each day including on the 7th, which would be a total of 18 items. There may be bonus items.
    • All items should be rated PG-13, for all social media audiences.
  5. As I said earlier, no judging, no judgment. Purely for fun, but I will choose one winner RANDOMLY on August 10 at Noon. Prize to be determined prior to the drawing. Winner will need to provide a valid email address.
  6. To qualify for the random drawing, you must either post your item in the comments on that day (You have until the 7th for posting; it does not need to post on the actual day the item appears) or a link to your own social media/blog posting of the item, labeled with the day it’s for and item 1 or 2. Do not do anything illegal or violate any town/village/etc. ordinances. This is fun for you, and neutral for everyone around you.
    • While you may post your items anywhere, posting on any GISH related pages and media will not count towards the random drawing unless you also meet the posting criteria of #6.
    • Each item receives a “ticket” for the random drawing, so if you do one item, you’ll have one chance, five items, five chances, and so on.
  7. Do not do anything illegal or violate any town/village/etc. ordinances. This is fun for you, and neutral for everyone around you.
  8. I will be attempting to do all the items, but I will not be eligible for the random drawing.
  9. The hunt began this morning at 9am EDT and concludes at 11:59pm on Monday, August 7. That gives you NINE (9) full days to complete the items.
  10. Hydrate. Do Good. Be Good. Create. Laugh.

Item #2 coming up!

ANNOUNCEMENT: NotGISH Scavenger Hunt Coming at the End of the Week

Standard

A preview of the Not-Greatest-International-Scavenger-Hunt!

(I do realize that what that says is NotGreatestInternationalScavengerHunt Scavenger Hunt, much like chai tea and ATM machine, but there are no grammar police in the NotGISH world!)

With the end (for now?) of the Scavenger Hunt formerly known as GISH, nee GISHWHES, colloquially known as Misha’s Folly, I miss it, and I’m a little bit sad that I opted not to participate last year, which turned out to be the last year (I guess, although Misha is mercurial, so we will see) and so I wanted to do a bit of a hunt here; for you.

And yes, for me, too.

Beginning on Sunday, July 30th, I will furnish two items per day for you to find, create, do, and overall still your neck out of your comfort zone, but not too far out; I’m not a hypocrite on neck sticking out, but I hope that you’ll use the 8 days that follow Sunday to do something extraordinary or at least something extra and perhaps ordinary.

You can share your items on your own blogs and social medias, you can include links in the comments section of each item I post or include the items themselves.

I don’t have the capacity for prizes, but I will choose one random participant for a “grand prize” or at least a “lovely prize” or maybe simply a “mediocre-I-didn’t-know-I-needed-this prize; what the heck is it?!”

If you want to get your mind in the scavenger hunt feeling, glance at my previous GISH items over the years by searching #gish on this site.

And may the gishes be ever in your favor.

(c)2023
Lindt chocolates and the Candy Taste Test.
(c)2020-2023

National Scavenger Hunt Day

Standard

Long time readers know of my affinity of the annual GISH scavenger hunt. I had opted out of last summer’s, and wouldn’t you know – that was the last one. I know Misha Collins, the actor who started that hunt has been pulled in too many directions, and he finally decided that last year would be the last. This has led me to two ideas.

The first is to honor the legacy of fun with a quick hunt today. It’s similar to one that I’ve done with my kids when we were on vacation. How that one was set up was that they each got a small bag, like a party goody bag that among other things included a journal, a pen, and a photocopied list of things to look for. It gave them something to do in the car, and it reduced the complaint, of “I’m bored.” At the time, my kids ranged in age from 10 to 19.

Below (and on the Download page found in the sidebar), you will find a colorful sheet to print out for your own hunt. The directions are at the bottom, and you can add your own items to the back if you like. Below that, I have just the list if you’d prefer your list to fit on a quarter sheet of paper or for emailing.

The second thought I had was to have my own scavenger hunt during the traditional week that GISH is held: July 30 through August 6. I’m still working out the details, but here is a preview of the logo I’m creating.

My idea is to post two items per day (perhaps 16-20 items). You can put your “entries” in the comments on either the main post or the individual item posts. I’m not going to judge anything, but I will draw a random name from the participants for a small prize (still working out the items and the prize). That person will receive an e-gift card and to receive the prize must consent to share their email with me. (I will not sell or share their information with any third parties.)

Enjoy today’s mini-hunt and I look forward to seeing everyone at the end of July for the hunt-that-has-no-name-yet.

Continue reading

Bad Poetry Day

Standard

I don’t know who decides these things, but today is bad poetry day. I am not a great poet, but sometimes I try. Below the cut is some artwork with a haiku that I did for last year’s GISH. Tokitae is a whale at the Miami Aquarium who was taken from her pod decades ago. She still sings and recognizes the songs of her pod. I believe she has since been returned to her natural habitat.

Continue reading

Mental Health Monday – More Lists

Standard

I mentioned earlier today that I participated in a scavenger hunt this past weekend. The hunt consists of a long list of items to find, do, create and then submit for judging which occurs way in the future. Today with the hunt long over, I completed one item from the kids’ section of the list. These are items geared towards younger ages, usually for lower points because of their level of difficulty or ease. I made a bookmark (see below).

I might be asked why did I make this bookmark when the hunt was already over. It was one of the items that I wanted to do; I don’t know why, although it does do to remind myself and others of the importance and benefit of lists. They are certainly a valuable part of my mental health toolbox. Sometimes, I’d say they are essential and a powerful way to keep track of what I’ve done and what I’ve still yet to do.

Seeing it all laid out in brainstormed order with no numbers or priorities lets me see it all, and allows me to choose one or two to get done even on a bad day. Crossing each item off after they’ve been completed is a positive reinforcement that is beneficial to those of us with anxiety or depressive disorders as well as ADHD, autism, and a whole host of things that slow us down and get in our way, whether we’re overtly aware of them or not.

I’ve written previously of journals, and one thing I’ve done this season is use a small spiral notebook/journal that fits inside my purse to keep my master list. It’s handy and it’s easy and unobtrusive to sneak a quick look at. It also leaves me space to keep a master list and a grocery lists separate and along side it. At the moment, filing my taxes should be at the top of every list.

I wrote recently about my intense enthusiasm for the Amelia Peabody books, and one of the things that attracted me to Amelia and her style is her use of lists. Whether it’s for packing and travel, or solving the murder, or planning a dinner party for her archaeologist friends, her lists are indispensible.

Mine are too.

Some of my past publishing on lists you may want to revisit:
1. Mental Health Monday – Lists
2. Mental Health Monday – Lists & Listmaking

I also discovered two items that I think readers will enjoy:

What is another word for a list of items? (This is for all you word obsessives out there.)
Macmillan Dictonary’s Types of Lists (It states this as a function of the thesaurus, but I saw it more as a suggestion of what lists I could and possibly should be keeping, either for mental health, necessity, or for fun.

Lists can be fun. They can.

Post-BookBash Bookmark. It folds over the page like a magnetic bookmark, but no magnets and no dog ears either.
(c)2022

Reflection on Weekend’s Book Bash

Standard

This past weekend was spent in scavenger hunting fun! Since the pandemic, they’ve (GISH) been doing more and more mini-hunts to give people on lockdown something to do and raise money for charity. This most recent hunt was called a Book Bash and most of the items centered around reading and writing. My go-to’s if you will. With my writing retreat cancelled I found myself with nothing* to do so I signed up at the last minute.

[*Nothing to do means: cleaning house, taking a shower, going to mass, planning and cooking dinner, writing, preparing and filing my taxes, typing up interfaith meeting notes, writing and sending Cursillo reports, and half a dozen other things that are still on my to-do list, but hey who doens’t have 48 hours to spend aimlessly. I also signed up for a free vision journal workshop at a food co-op.]

Aimlessly doesn’t accurately describe the weekend, but I think you get the drift of the lack of impulse control I sometimes have.

Before I share the few items I did, I want to share the link to the charity that we supported with our registration fees: World Central Kitchen for their current humanitarian work in Ukraine. Their leader is Chef Jose Andres who leads with his heart and encourages giving especially where getting hungry people their necessary nourishment. If you have the mean, please give generously. They are on the ground in the world’s poorest and dangerous places, bringing hope with their meals.

World Central Kitchen

Continue reading

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Standard

On this “official” Random Acts of Kindness Day, I wanted to remind readers of one of my favorite organizations: Random Acts.

Random Acts was started by actor Misha Collins and they have regional events for making life better for many people through the simple act of kindness. They are partially supported by his international scavenger hunt, GISH, which I participate in yearly in the summer.

Every little bit helps. One year, I donated $1.20 – there was a reason for that specific amount on that specific day, and after all was said and done, they had raised over $10,000.

Inspire. August.

Standard

August can be a tough month. Summer is both at its peak and winding down. Back to School is far off, and yet just around the corner. It’s too hot for home maintenance especially in the garage and basement as my husband wants to focus on. For our family, it’s time to get ready for our annual vacation as we stress about covid – getting it and not getting it but having our vacation canceled as so many others are having happen. There is also GISH. The annual, Guinness Book of World Record-holding scavenger hunt is about a third of the way complete, and while I can’t share actual items, I have four things that you can do at your own home that are inspirational and GISH-adjacent. But first:

“Education must, then, be not only a transmission of culture but also a provider of alternative views of the world and a strengthener of the will to explore them.”

Jerome S. Bruner

This photo will be added to my post about my recent visit to a labyrinth. I went back and found these newly painted rocks as well as a new plant, a rainbow flag, a fallen tree branch, and a basket of bubbles.

It is a good reminder to revisit places because even in the shortest times, they will change; some for the better (new rocks) and some not so much (a bit of overgrowth).

However there is always something new to see if you just open your eyes, your heart, and observe the world around you.

Those four things I mentioned above:

1. Find a cloud in the sky that you like. What does it look like to you? Take a photo. Or draw it. Whatever you do, enjoy it.

2. Write a poem. Any topic.

3. What direction do you want to travel in today? Draw a compass and make a map, like a treasure map, but all your own. What (and where) is your buried treasure?

4. Do some good. Donate time or treasure. One good organization is Random Acts and a second is the ACLU.

Make good choices. Do good. Be kind. Create.

GISH Recap

Standard

GISH is The Greatest Scavenger Hunt started and organized (if you could use that word to describe it) by Supernatural actor, Misha Collins. It is in its tenth year, and this will be my eighth participating. This year was a little different due to the pandemic, and Collins, his GISHGnomes, and the players really stepped up to provide food and water to those in need while also giving us a well-deserved respite from home isolation.

There were three GISH hunts held this year (and one more still coming up for Halloween); two mini hunts, one in April and one in May and our regular week long hunt in August. The mini hunts were unusual in that they were about twenty-four hours long and they were meant to be done while on home quarantine.

They were a break from the daily pandemic news, and let us take a breath and do more than fret and worry about what was happening. They included a kids’ menu with items especially for our stuck at home kids to do, either with us or on their own.

The big hunt in August was similar to past hunts but most items were meant to be done at home or on social media. No in-person gatherings according to local laws. There were also several tributes to John Lewis who had recently died, inspirational items, and items that were civic minded like protesting, prison reform, and voting including our rights and registration drives.

The registration monies went to No Kid Hungry, which you can still donate to individually.

I can only give you my August totals. I was not great about keeping track of the mini-hunts for points. I contributed to a total of fifteen items, seven of which were individual, the other eight being team items for a total of 214 individual points and 480 team points totalling 694 points.

I have to be honest, but I enjoyed these hunts more than I’ve enjoyed some of the previous years. I like the civic mindedness, the social justice aspects, the caring for neighbors, random acts of kindness and compassion.

I would encourage people who are curious to join the Halloween H(a)unt. Each registration donates money to UNICEF providing clean water for a person in need for six months. Registration ends on October 23rd, and the H(a)unt will go live Oct. 30 – Nov. 1.

The captions on the following photos will explain the items. For the spring mini-hunt, I have them listed as April/May although they may have been done for either:

Continue reading