Time to break out your fake mustaches and kale again

October 20, 2012 7:21 AM

Supernatural supporting actor Misha Collins is holding another international scavenger hunt this year. Called GISHWHES (for Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen), last year's attempt broke the standing world record for largest scavenger hunt (the rhino hunt (previously) was only a test run). This year's list has not yet been released, but there is a video featuring selections from last year's, including the Christmas tree that flew into a Canadian airport's airspace (which was not the same Christmas tree that mysteriously appeared on a farmer's field.
posted by dinty_moore (56 comments total)

Augh, forgot one: the link to the video is here.

I participated last year ("Hey Dinty, do you want to do insane things to win a trip to Italy with a C-list celebrity?" "DO I!"), and while I'm not participating again this year, it was a ton of fun, and meant that I got everyone I know involved. Seeing the ridiculousness come together was pretty damn awesome.

I was not responsible for either flying Christmas tree.
posted by dinty_moore at 7:26 AM on October 20, 2012 [2 favorites]

Well, I just signed up. I'll consider it carefully later.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 7:46 AM on October 20, 2012 [3 favorites]

Yeah, I think this is one of those things that is best done as a rash impulse. Sorry for not getting this up sooner, though! I sort of forgot about it for a while.

You can select your teams this year (somehow, different mechanism from last year), so there can be a Team Metafilter, if that'd appeal to anyone.
posted by dinty_moore at 7:51 AM on October 20, 2012

How do you pronounce "GISHWHES"?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:52 AM on October 20, 2012

Rash impulse here....

I didn't even finish reading it before I signed up. I have to go out and won't be home before the registration deadline. lol

Sounds like some weird fun. Misha is a nut. Love him. Just wish I had enough money to waste to get the level where he sends you a personal message. It appeals to the geek in me.

I signed as an individual for now but would join a team if there is one.
posted by Jalliah at 8:03 AM on October 20, 2012

"Hey Dinty, do you want to do insane things to win a trip to Italy with a C-list celebrity

I'm pretty sure this was my answer to the " what do yu want to be when you grow up?" question.
posted by The Whelk at 8:05 AM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

I've formed team Quonsarites. Join at will.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 8:06 AM on October 20, 2012 [3 favorites]

It is long past bedtime here and now I'm all hepped up and listening to Desmond Dekker. Thanks ever so much, Metafilter.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 8:15 AM on October 20, 2012

From what I remember of last year, a lot (though, admittedly not all) of the projects were things that were either very, very cheap to put together, or items where you really just had to know someone, and money wouldn't really help. Like, get some lawyers to play musical chairs, or law enforcement to pose with a biker, or a cat eating kale.

Though you'd have to have some way to photograph or videotape this, which admittedly cost money.
posted by dinty_moore at 8:22 AM on October 20, 2012

Let' s do this, Trivia Newton John!
posted by Freyja at 8:52 AM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Team Metafilter? I'm in.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 9:58 AM on October 20, 2012

TEAM QUONSARITES WOOOOOOOOOOO

(Which is to say, I'm in.)
posted by bakerina at 10:02 AM on October 20, 2012

Just to give you an idea, I spent about twenty-five dollars on this last year, most of which was on gold foil, parking quarters, some craft supplies and kale. Other people in my group spent more. However, I did know and called on:
A Russian translator
A phone sex operator
Some lawyers
My vet
Canadians
A Nobel prize winner
Musicians
A mall Santa

And we could have really used a gospel choir.

So while money can help, being able to call up on people and get them to participate is also a really useful skill.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:18 AM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

"What is this, what’s it all about" is what I was thiking. Is there a part that explains it a little more?
posted by bongo_x at 10:22 AM on October 20, 2012

Okay my outing got cancelled. Read some more and am in for sure.

Just joined team Quonsarites. :)


Oh and if there is any Canadian stuff this year I got that covered.
posted by Jalliah at 10:38 AM on October 20, 2012

I think it's pretty clear what it's about.

No, it wasn’t clear at all, everything just says how awesome it is. Your explanation, on the other hand, was simple and clear. Thank you. Sounds interesting.
posted by bongo_x at 10:44 AM on October 20, 2012

Representin' NYC for Team Quonsarites!
posted by miss-lapin at 11:16 AM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

I love Misha Collins. That is all.
posted by kmz at 11:47 AM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Question. If our team isn't full do they fill it up with individuals that sign up?
posted by Jalliah at 12:07 PM on October 20, 2012

I think the answer is yes, they do. Teams are fifteen people, and if you signed up as an individual, they'll add you to a team.

Uh, if you guys really need a fifteenth person, I'll be it. It just so happens that talking about how awesome this scavenger hunt was last makes one want to participate again, despite things like 'grades' and 'job searches'. Who knew?
posted by dinty_moore at 12:16 PM on October 20, 2012

Okay cool dinty. It looks like we only have 5 so far on team Quon so was just wondering.

I have someone I just talked to so that's one more and my sister is thinking about it.


Got a women from work so I have someone here to do stuff with. :) She got so psyched when I told her about it. This type of thing is right up her alley. She's nuts and she loves Misha. We're in a small town and rural area so it should be some fun times. lol
posted by Jalliah at 12:21 PM on October 20, 2012

I've emailed a few people to join. If only I'd known sooner!
posted by miss-lapin at 12:31 PM on October 20, 2012

I've emailed a few people to join. If only I'd known sooner!

Yeah me too. I doubt they'll get it in time though.

I'm just happy I saw it in time at least.
posted by Jalliah at 12:35 PM on October 20, 2012

Slightly off-topic, but does anybody know why they keep writing Collins out of Supernatural for long stretches? Castiel is clearly a fan favorite, but he keeps dropping out of the plot for months at a time. Do the show's creators say the character is too hard to write for, or is Collins difficult to work with, or what the heck?
posted by Ursula Hitler at 1:28 PM on October 20, 2012

ANGEL CASTIEL: "It's not funny, Dean. The voice says I'm almost out of minutes!"

I'm not the biggest Supernatural fan by a long shot but something about that scene makes me lose my shit every time.
posted by Justinian at 1:41 PM on October 20, 2012 [3 favorites]

I suspect they're really not sure what to do with such a powerful character. I mean, they keep on depowering him, repowering him, then killing him off.

It does ruin some of the tension if anything that Sam and Dean can hunt can easily be killed/exorcised by castiel. And I know that Ben Edlund, at least, seems to really really like writing Cas.
posted by dinty_moore at 1:46 PM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Speaking of Supernatural I should get back to watching season 7. I only just recently started watching it on Netiflix. Part of me was, 'oh look what I've missed for years' and the other part was 'Cool, I now get to watch season after season like one big epic movie.' Season 7 just recently was released so I'm watching it before delving into this season 8 which I've been recording.

Cas is my favorite character by far.
posted by Jalliah at 1:55 PM on October 20, 2012

Just joined team Quonsarites! I am a bit worried I will be a shite team member, but I will aim to do my best.
posted by Acheman at 2:06 PM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

So...a bit of a derail, but would Supernatural fans mind answering a question I have about the series? I started watching it because I heard lots of recommendations from people who like the kinds of series I like (Joss Whedon's oeuvre, BSG etc.). But half way through S1 it seems incredibly episodic. I mean, kinda fun, but utterly without any of the long-narrative-arc payoffs that seem central to my enjoyment of those other series. It's also without a single continuing female character--so the only women in it serve somewhat the same function as the "hot female alien" in the first Star Trek--someone for one or other of the boys to fall a little bit in love with and then promptly forget.

So, my question...does this change radically? And how long do you have to persist before you get to the change?
posted by yoink at 2:33 PM on October 20, 2012

In terms of the long story arcs, it begins towards the end of season one and finally climaxes at the end of season 5 with a very wicked ending. As far as women go, there's a mother/daughter team that surfaces in the show but the boys love interests are pretty episodic. Oh, and Meg the demon. Some have complained that all the important women get killed in this show but the thing is, EVERYONE important gets killed. Ben Edlund and company must be GRRM fans because if you come to care about a character it is certain that something very bad is going to happen to them.
posted by Ber at 2:43 PM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

SPN has always been ... problematic when it comes to women characters. The constants are the two brothers and the car--everyone else is up for grabs. Seasons 4 and 5 are my favorites--5 ends with a whopper. Season 3 is my least favorite. The post-season 5 episodes suffer a bit because they've already had a huge climactic arc that could very well have been a great ending to the series, but they're still fun and there are some very fun nods to the fandom.
posted by lovecrafty at 3:07 PM on October 20, 2012

Even the brothers die but of course they have to be back somehow. With SPN it would be easier to list which characters don't have something really bad happen to them or die. I can't however think of one off the top of my head though.
posted by Jalliah at 3:19 PM on October 20, 2012

I hear it starts with hot flashes. Are you getting those?

I think you get stuck to the ceiling before the hot flashes start. That's my limited S1 understanding.
posted by yoink at 3:31 PM on October 20, 2012 [3 favorites]

how long do you have to persist before you get to the change?

I hear it starts with hot flashes. Are you getting those?

If the hot flashes are caused JDM getting a lot of screentime (and understandably so!), that sounds about right.
posted by dinty_moore at 3:33 PM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

7 as soon as my friend signs up.
posted by Jalliah at 4:31 PM on October 20, 2012

So I found the list of items from last year because I was curious what I got myself into. Here it is.

Of particular interest in the video category:

148. Someone tapping out in Morse code: “This Hunt has destroyed my family.” (9 points)

(What have I done?)
posted by miss-lapin at 4:52 PM on October 20, 2012 [2 favorites]

Ha ha. Oh dear. That list is nutz. Can't wait to see this years list. Looks like we're in for some fun.
posted by Jalliah at 5:16 PM on October 20, 2012

Signed up.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 5:29 PM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

i have never watched this show but i love this guy for the way he interacts with his fans & audience. he has one of the most engaging celebrity twitter accounts and is not shy to call out a fuck you or two to politicians and celebrities alike. really love his swagger.
posted by liza at 5:33 PM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm in. And I'm going to use this as my excuse to scavenge the hell out my neighborhood. Whether I need stuff from around here or not.
posted by quin at 5:33 PM on October 20, 2012 [3 favorites]

What the hell, it's one week. I'm in.
posted by dinty_moore at 5:47 PM on October 20, 2012 [2 favorites]

I had to google who Misha Collins was, but anyone who supports Good Times With Strangers is okay with me.

Are any other Australians going to join, or are you all just going to leave me hanging?
posted by Trivia Newton John at 5:49 PM on October 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Well my friend just joined,Trivia. She's Aussie but is here in Canada right now so that sorta counts? :)
posted by Jalliah at 5:52 PM on October 20, 2012

We could also to with some more continental coverage. Asia, continental Europe, Sth America... where you at?
posted by Trivia Newton John at 5:56 PM on October 20, 2012

My payment went to Conglomerated Ubiquitous Multinational. Keep it classy, Misha.
posted by dinty_moore at 6:01 PM on October 20, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm in Ontario, but could likely call some people for help on the West Coast.

Hopefully if the team isn't full by deadline the individuals we'll get will be from some of those places.
posted by Jalliah at 6:01 PM on October 20, 2012

My payment went to Conglomerated Ubiquitous Multinational. Keep it classy, Misha.

lol

I didn't notice that.
posted by Jalliah at 6:02 PM on October 20, 2012

hot flashes are caused JDM getting a lot of screentime

mmmmm
posted by elizardbits at 6:33 PM on October 20, 2012

10.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 7:03 PM on October 20, 2012

We just got #11 from my network. I have someone within 1000kms of me now!
posted by Trivia Newton John at 8:53 PM on October 20, 2012

Argh I missed the deadline!
posted by Pronoiac at 2:46 PM on October 21, 2012

For any interested onlookers, I will be giving public updates on quonsarites.tumblr.com there is also a post in the Metafilter group on Couchsurfing.org

Considering last year's list there needs to be a coordinated global offensive just to put a dent in this thing.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 4:33 PM on October 21, 2012 [2 favorites]

So, I just realized that this whole thing is going to all begin the same week I'm supposed to start working with a lady that wants me to teach her some photography stuff. I'm thinking that [insert clever name here] and I should neglect to mention that we're on a scavenger hunt, and just try to convince her that this is what all photographers do.

"Yeah, see; the Christmas tree needs to be in the air so that you can learn to shoot at something moving, and it needs to be on fire so it looks interesting. Don't worry, I filled that ballon with Hydrogen, so it won't go far, and we'll be able to find it based on the giant expolsion..."
posted by quin at 8:22 PM on October 21, 2012 [4 favorites]

So hurricane sandy is supposed to hit when this starts. This is going to make my hurricane prep plan more interesting I'm sure.
posted by miss-lapin at 8:34 PM on October 28, 2012

Now with extra Metatalk action!
posted by dinty_moore at 11:33 AM on October 30, 2012

For those interested, Misha's holding another event Christmas Will Never be the Same. There are no details, but I've signed up and already received an email instructing to prepare my "holiday helmet" while I await further dispatches. I can't wait.
posted by miss-lapin at 11:23 AM on November 9, 2012