GISHWHES

[SwanSong]

C'mon, if you're a spn fan, you knew this thread was coming.


I know a few here have been on my team in the past, I have always had a blast.

The countdown is on til this years hunt begins. I am not prepped nor ready, but seems to be best

 

[Death]

I am not ready!!

 

[SwanSong]

I read that as "I am not worthy" and then had my head go on a "we're not worthy" singalong til I snapped out of it hahha.

I am stocked up on kale, the bins are empty. Perhaps I am more prepped than I thought.

 

[Death]

Today will move the table, and move the boxes that are in the space I need for the table! I'll get some washing done so I have enough underwear for the hunt!

 

[Death]

I didn't get any of this done!!!

So gishwhes has started, I'm not as excited by the list as in previous years, but I think I said that last year too! It just seems a little less creative this year. The team seems more mellow too.

 

[SwanSong]

I really love the list this year! Heaps of fun things.

I had a mid week meltdown haha. I have 4 people on the team here, and I gotta be mother hen. Nuh uh! After my meltdown, I decided to focus on mine and mine alone. And today I have had a ball!! So much fun

I am kinda annoyed as I wanted to go to the beach on the nice blue day... but told nahhh friday! Tis freezing so I will have to flaunt almost naked at the beach early on a saturday morning... I wish I could have someone to direct the photo. No one seems to know that there ARE good angles... (not that I am a photographer). A blue day at the beach is stunning. I may have to do it selfie style somehow. I got the door slammed in my face this morning for asking the bins to be put out. So I am doubting getting anyone else early enough before the beach has dogs and walkers - although the sunset is always nice - just very short and I can imagine them focusing on tuck shop arms and it getting dark before a good shot. I dont usually care that much about pics - but this is a public one! I duno why I got assigned cleaning duties too when I didnt even need the food in any of my tasks - plus the food I DID want to use got eaten - not always by me.

I do much better working on my own. Others shoot me down and invalidate me straight away, then the house mate cops that attitude cos I have had it all day and he loses it too. Teamwork is a major issue - but not sure it is my issue. Next year I will re-access. Chatting and drinking, wasting time is not my thing, I can not sit and talk in person to someone while trying to create something. I need to focus. And I have a heap of fun when I do! Once I have a few on the go, I can flitter between then and really have a good time.

Also cost this year - way way way too much! I could have done it without having a parking fine, petrol and alcohol (which I got none of!). Food for 4 isnt too bad - most meals will feed 4 for under $20. My jaw dropped when a teammate just assumed we could afford to dine in the city. Had I been alone I would have got a $2 sushi roll from the traino. Then of course I feel bad cos the bills on the card would have been over $150 over 2 days alone. I guess I forget how much rich people take money for granted. I have blown my budget til next year and beyond So have 2 others on the this states team. I havent really ever spent much on gishwhes before, I have so many props and things, I dont see the need for more, especially as they will only get dumped here or thrown out.

I am really sore too. I did ok for like 2 days before hurting myself looking for glue, picking up boxes and running around after other peoples tasks. We have a rent inspection next week, and because no one seems to know how a bin functions - ours went out on the curb empty. So money for tip runs/runs to mums bin. I am trying to cook up as much veg as possible not to waste - but 12 ears of corn? Im just doing soups. I've done enough.

I know my submissions are not winning level - but I have enjoyed the ones I picked for ME and focused on for ME.

Despite my complaints - I had a really good time today that has made the pain (at least) worth it


Maybe the homeless donation should be to me!! hehehe.

 

[Death]

Oh today I had my breaking point too! I was so angry at her for taking another persons task again. She had put her name down for several and haven't done those, but she's capable of complaining about there not being any tasks to do or that we need to do them quicker. She's only completed one task herself, and that one was one that someone else realised they couldn't do and it probably took her a few minutes to do.

The new people this year are pretty bad, we have 2 great new ones but the rest are pretty useless, taking 5 days to do a simple 5 minute task or can't even get a few retweets with me doing most of the work for them.

I'm tired of it, and I feel bad about it as I recruited these people.

The tasks however are great!

 

[SwanSong]

I hear ya. Housemate and i had a great time today. He said no one is staying over again for a looong while.

 

[SwanSong]

I had in my head that saturday was uoload day, and upload day alone. But a certain person kept saying 'heaps of time' or 'it wont take long' or was just too hungover to move... so I had tasks to do on saturday and ofcourse end up super tense waiting to see if upload worked.

This is the bit I like, the mad rush to do a few more. I hope to do what I plan, but am pretty disappointed i didnt just do it instead of waiting for the perth team.

 

[Death]

Well it's all done, and I'm so proud of us, 100 tasks with half a team is great work. Yesterday was a long day, but I got loads done and got to sit on the beach for a while!

We need to have a team chat about next year and getting a way of finding better people. Possibly someone that can draw Misha too!

 

[SwanSong]

Yeah, I had such a blast the last 3 days. And so did housemate. He was saying, this is what I thought it was like, and I said this IS what its like, without drama.

My origami toilet paper slangaroo blew away... I was all super stoked to do it at the river. First shoot BYEEEEEE. Dad lives on the edge of a very steep very busy hill. Haha It was great to just laugh and try again. At first I had wanted to do a huge one - all out of tissues - I kept them on the couch or on my bed, but Anyabun doesnt like that and threw them on the floor, which is out of bounds for me haha, I had depended on others to help me pick them up (i brought gloves and even if they swept to a pile would have helped). I got as much as I could up and started, but its still wet. I remembered you had this issue last year @Death! And what was worse, I put my laptop on it last night so it was sitting on wet moist toilet paper all night. I am sure that is not good for anything.

I have some great stories of failure and fun this year. I havent yet checked the list for what I missed... but I like the gish high, so no regrets.

I would not join a team with a perth socialite again. Beer is apparently everything she loves and everything she is made of. I had nabbed that in the hope the 120kilo guy on the team might find something to love about himself. But no. Verbally daily, hourly, he would say "kill me now" Or "death is better". I had the two extremes of mental health in my house.


I know you get me - but most dont - my bitchy ranting is mostly a bit of fun and I get over it (sometimes takes weeks haha). If I dont laugh, what else should I do? I had a ball, a blast, amazing fun. I cannot wait to share some!! As there are more who know what it is now.

 

[Death]

The shop is open!

Gishwhes Schwag Shwop

We get to see the new book and t shirts!

 

[SwanSong]

Maybe I am just in a bad mood today, but I hate the cover of the book. I am so incredibly over transpride shite being pushed in my face every where I go online. I dont have to see too much in my real life, but go online and their love yourself shit is everywhere - yet they claim "crippling depression". Im eager to see how these kids turn out when they realise the job world is not going to respect "their right" to have half a shaved head and fandom tattoos.

Im very much in a 'not worth it' mind right now. I have been so sick since gish, I always take time to recover, but this year, its been too much. I didnt have enough fun to be paying for it over a month later! (Physically).

And things have fallen apart more - i had such a battle trying to trust myself, now I doubt that further. I cant be trusted, relied on or helped, because I am too insane. Hopeless making for me. And kinda cements my need to be a hermit in this city.

 

[Bela Talbot]

I'm sorry you're having a bad time right now, SwanSong.

 

[SwanSong]

Thanks for giving me an outlet! Haha, I probably would have exploded if not.

Feeling much better now and in the scheme of things realise why it was so difficult for me. As I keep healing and getting more well - I realise just how unwell I was. At the time I thought I was being a right wimp! But looking back... far out! with the things going on inside my body, that was bloody tough. And now I am quite proud to have even completed one task!

I have my Hope chest item bra in clear view every morning, it gives me a boost. The day was exhilarating and I wish I could have used words better when I submitted it, I think it was a lot of OMG WOOOOWW THAT WAS SO FUNN THANKS MISHA.

I do want to continue to Gish. I asked my dads opinion the other night. He said "well you've been doing it 3 years and havent won, you gave it a good go, but may be time to give it up" I laughed. I never thought I was well enough to be able to claim the prize, let alone win the prize. It is a lot of fun and if the scooby gang need members next year, I hope they consider me. I would understand a vetting process next year though

 

[Death]

Yeah I don't think we'll ever be a winning team either! I do think I need to be around people to do it and make it more fun, and that we do need to have some sort of application process so that we do get good and useful team members.

 

[SwanSong]

Yeah, Nothing went to plan this year haha. I do better on my own (with a photographer who doesnt shake like I do), but if I have just move AGAIN this time next year I wouldnt have any friends in the area yet either for any tasks that need a few people. That is always hard too - getting numbers. And I do get confused how much we can outsource, it seems to be ok for the top teams? I stayed out of the after hype this year - the winners all looked familiar from previous years. Its already set up that you try to get on the good teams rather than try to make your team win.

 

[Death]

Yeah I think I just need a photographer and someone to keep me focused!

I'm just glad that it's not Shatners team winning it!

 

[Death]

Greetings Kimberley !

We interrupt the commencement of your November with an update on something that takes the turnip cake in all things good.

Remember 2016 #Gishwhes "Change a Life" item? (https://www.crowdrise.com/change-a-life-khoulouds-story)? Well, this week the Gishwhes team and our friend, photographer Giles Duley (who brought these families to our attention), traveled to Lebanon and France to meet with the families whose lives will forever be changed thanks to your generosity during the Hunt.

We wanted to update you on the families...

The picture below features 12-year old Khwala (in pink) with her family. Khwala attempted to take her own life so her family would have one less mouth to feed. She also dropped out of school to work picking olives to provide money for her family. We’re thrilled to say, because of you, Khwala can quit her job. We’ll now be taking care of Khwala and all of her family's housing and health care and we’ll make sure they always have food on the table.

We'll also be funding Khwala and her siblings' educations all the way through university. This week, when she learned she could quit her job and go back to school, she said she hopes to become a doctor to look after Syrian refugees. Thanks to the collective efforts of all of you, she's going to get the chance to achieve her dream.

The picture below is of Aya. She's the little girl with spina bifida whose family fled Syria. For years, her sister has had to carry Aya everywhere because the family could not afford a wheelchair or health care. The Gishwhes team went to France (where they have recently been relocated) and met with Aya and her family. We got to share the good news that Aya will be receiving the best medical care and a new wheelchair, and her family will be receiving a car to help transport her to medical appointments and for her dad to use for work. This too is all thanks to the generous efforts of you!

Finally, the picture below is of Khouloud and her family. In 2012, Khouloud was shot by a sniper while tending her vegetable garden with her children in Syria and was completely paralyzed from the neck down. She and her family escaped Syria and have been living in a tent in Lebanon since then. We just shared with them that we're going to be moving them into a flat, providing food for the family and medical care for Khouloud. We'll also be funding the education of all of Khouloud's children.

None of this would have happened without the hard work and generous support of you, your families, and friends. Together, you have made a profound impact on the lives of all of these wonderful families.

Gishwhes is all about being crazy, wild, artistic and undeniably weird, but it’s also about the incredible power of kindness. Thank you for showing these Syrian families (and the world) the unbelievable power of YOUR kindness.

We look forward to keeping you updated on lives of these families over the years.

Thank you again for your generosity (and weirdness),

The entire Gish Gnome team at Gishwhes (including, of course, Misha).

Email came through a while back but figured I would post it here too, so we came remember that in amongst the crazy good happens too.

Sometimes I question – “what is the point of taking photographs?”

I believe in the power of stories, but sometimes that faith is tested. None more so than with Khouloud, a Syrian refugee I met on a visit with Handicap International to Lebanon three yeas ago. Paralysed by a snipers bullet, her situation was as desperate as any I’ve came across in the years of my work.
The Observer published an article I wrote about her, I spoke about her and highlighted her case to those I thought could help. Yet years later, she was still in the same tent, bed bound and in desperate need. Yet still she smiled, never one have I heard her complain.

But I felt like I had failed. If I couldn’t help her, what was the point of telling these stories?

This year Channel 4 news did a follow up to her story, UNHCR published my photos. Yet till she remained there.
Then this week, the organisation Random Acts heard her story and decided to raise money to help.
Within a few days they had raised a life-changing amount. I’m actually speechless.

If you believe in a story, keep telling it – eventually somebody will listen

Thank you to everybody who let me tell her story, and thank you to those who donated. Faith in humanity definitely restored.
Now I just cant wait to tell Khouloud!

Giles Duley