My friend asked me several times to join GISHWHES with her, but I was afraid I would end up letting my team down. I work from home, for myself, and I was worried life would get in the way. This year was the last year of the HUNT AS WE KNOW IT, though, so I had to take part - there was no waiting one more year.
And BOY am I glad I did! I am on a team with five of my personal loved ones PLUS 10 random strangers (who had two smaller teams of their own). So far we have had team members who didn't know each other collaborate, team members who DO know each other collaborate, and we've had a whole lot of love passed on to each person who completes a task.
It's been fun imagining, re-imagining, puzzling out details, and - most of all - fundraising for a GREAT CAUSE! I've donated goods to a homeless shelter (socks and food), created art (I always protest I'm not a creative, so the art creation I took on was not only a big deal in that sense; but it was also time consuming and FUN), socialized quite a bit via Twitter (I haven't used Twitter much in the last few years, and I reconnected with a few great friends!), discovered I enjoy collaborating on things (I custom-designed my job so I wouldn't have to work with anyone), brought my nephew into the fun (dress-up for political protest-HAH!), and I plan to possibly do a small protest, travel to a location I'm enthusiastic about so I can take a photo of something, and do more art - including an abstract piece.
I am so impressed with how well this is managed, and I cannot imagine what an undertaking it must be for the GISHWHES staff members. I am incredibly thankful for their hard work and dedication, their humorous ideals, and their wittiness.
My life has been made better by GISHWHES, even though life did indeed get in the way and i have been unable to participate the last two days. I hope to get a whole lot of tasks done tomorrow and the next though, and with any luck we'll turn in a majority to completion!
This is the last year of GISHWHES in its current form; however, if it continues on, I highly recommend becoming a part of the madness! read more