Captain’s Log. Star Date 93188.89

GiShWheS is upon us, and, luckily, my family, friends, and acquaintances have come to expect the insane from me during the first week of August. 1 am, a text to my brother: hey would you and your wife dress up as Mary & Joseph and go to Wal-mart? 3 am, a text to my aunt: can you find me a lion to read a story to? 10 am, a text to my mother: i need a miracle Noon, a text to a friend: hey i need to trap a hipster. when are you available? 

Yes, the insane is expected for GIsHwHeS. When I see a riddle amidst the list of items, I expect it to take me hours to solve (and it did…curse you item 184!). When I see the request for this year’s GisHwHeS couture made from construction paper, I expect it to take me days. A motorboat atop an aeroplane? Par for the GiSHwhES course.

However, I’m continually surprised with what I don’t expect from this week of mayhem, creativity, and kindness. I don’t expect people to say “yes” when I ask them to do weird things like dress like a fairy or sing “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” with me in harmony. But they do, and each time my worldview gets a little more optimistic. This is the death of my normalcy, the death of a world in which I expect can nothing from anyone else.

I now know that I can expect miracles from my crew. My team is a hardworking bunch and already accomplishing the impossible. A trip to the White House? Easy peasy for our east coasters. Turn a rest stop in to a paradise? Hand us a daiquiri and we’re on it. They’ve already astonished me with what they’ve accomplished, and we’re only on day two. My day in London is winding to a close, and though I have hours of dress fabrication ahead of me, I know that I can text them at any hour of the day and get encouragement, sometimes even in the form of a hilarious Dubsmash video from Diva.

They’re a wonderful crew, dedicated to fun, good deeds, and kindness. I couldn’t be prouder.

If I were to sum up my day in one word it would have to be: unexpected

May Chuck bless all the Gishers this week.

-Mutineer Collectress, co-captain of Team Mutiny in the Impala 

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