Ambrose Rookwood

Gishwhes is go!

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:04:08 -0700

So much has happened in the last few days! We have two awesomely done winning websites! Congrats to the everybody involved.

… and the most exciting thing to happen since this whole thing got started - a website with actual information!

So what now? You go forth and build those teams! And I can’t emphasize this enough: spread the word! If we want to have any shot at breaking this record, we need at LEAST 500 teams or two or more people.

So with all of that, the game is on, and my “job” here is done. My goal with GISHWHESEAN was to explore the pre-game, and it’s been an awesome couple of months. Now that the Gishwhes is afoot, my time here is run out.

I can’t express how excited I am for this, and I hope you guys are, too. Enjoy it! Unfortunately, this kind of thing doesn’t come along very often, so let’s make the most of it!

Yes,
Steph.

(Oh, and thanks for bothering to listen to my nonsensical trains of thought. I appreciate it, and all the awesome feedback. You guys rock.)

One Week to Gishwhes!

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:49:00 -0700

Oh, I was in such a hurry with that last post, sorry.

There have been so many awesome websites popping up. The creativity everybody has shown has been really inspiring. This next week can’t go fast enough! Also, a quick congrats to the creator(s) of sehwhsig.com for the Twitter link. How exciting!

I’ve noticed an influx of new Gishwhesheans over the past week or so, so I wanted to include a few links for the recently initiated:

First, decoding-gishwhes (who you should most definitely be following if you haven’t yet) wrote up this handy primer on just what we’ve gotten ourselves into.

Be sure you’re checking out the #gishwhes tag on Tumblr as well as Twitter, and following the appropriate Twitter accounts. And if you’re feeling up to wading through the endless bog that is gishwhesean, I’d suggest starting in the archive and going from there.

The least you should know: Beginning on November 5th, the GISHWHES community will be attempting an as-yet-not-totally-defined world record in the form of a scavenger hunt. Sign up at GISHWHES if you haven’t yet!

New GISHWHES Video

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:31:00 -0700

So THAT’S what all your awesome pictures were for! Over on GISHWHES.com:

Gishwhes Takes… from Philip on Vimeo.

I especially loved “GISHWHES takes Asgard.” Just over a week left!

Oh, and the tweet:

Wittelsbach-Graff is a monster of a diamond with an extensive history.

Website Entry

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:43:11 -0700

Everybody’s sites are so colorful and creative! I went in a completely different direction, but I’m pleased either way. If anybody is interested, here’s my own entry:

GISHWHES on Wordpress

Be gentle, won’t you?

Websites Deadline + One Tweet

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:17:21 -0700

A few days late, I know.

The image is a portrait of Duchamp by Richard Hamilton (who, side note, passed away just weeks ago). Duchamp was a fan of chess, and saw chess players as artists. I suppose this shouldn’t be a surprise at all.

I also came across this site, a lengthy-but-interesting page dedicated to, well, “Making Sense of Marcel Duchamp.” May or may not be of any direct relevance, but I find it interesting nonetheless.

Also, websites are due very soon - not that you need a reminder - but if you’re like me, you might be inclined to wait as long as possible to send off your link. I sent mine a bit earlier than I’d intended, and had a moment of panic when I realized I still had tweaks to make. And I’m still making them.

Get to work (if you haven’t), and good luck!

Updates, 10/8

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:11:56 -0700

New post:

GISHWHES & Guinness (third email + commentary)

Playing catch-up:

@mishacollins (one not-new tweet)
@whatisgishwhes (another not-new tweet)
@MissJeanLouis (several tweets)

P.S.: Hello, new friends! I don’t know where you all came from, but I’m happy to have you here. Please feel free to send me an ask if you have any questions, or look me up on AIM under ambroserookwood. Be sure to check out decoding-gishwhes, also, if you’re just joining us in this whole thing.

GISHWHES & Guinness

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:47:02 -0700

Step out for a movie and I miss all the fun. I’m loathe to admit when I’m feeling overwhelmed. But I am. Onward, as tradition dictates:

So, a broken monitor of some sort and the circuit from the second email. I have some ideas, but I have to come back to this later.

Confirmation that we, as a whole, will be attempting to break a Guinness World Record. In case you might have missed (I don’t think I’ve included this bit), Misha linked to a poorly censored document recently.

I’ve gone back several times to review the questionably humane conditions Tiffany is being kept in, but I’ve never been able to make our what she’s saying. Clearly, this needs (another) re-visit.

Saving Tiffany is NOT mandatory. Participation in the Guinness attempt is compulsory. And a website example! I will assume that this is not one of JL’s or Misha’s, but rather JL’s favorite example of entries received so far. I can’t say who the site belongs to; I’m only guessing. But I like it. The content presented makes me feel like I’ve been on the right track with my own brainstorming.

But we are still building our own sites, right? I’m unsure now, but will assume we still have until Boss Day as previously stated.

Art! I’m excited. Even if I don’t have an Akita. And a “twisted celebration.” Oh, JL.

Those are oddly specific file requirements. My initial reaction is that these are arbitrary numbers - more of JL being the JL we know and sometimes love - but there’s always the possibility that something (coordinates? phone numbers?) are hidden away in these kinds of things.

Tempting though it is, I don’t think I’ll be applying for the position. I’ve been a P.A. before, for a very lovely employer, but I don’t think I’ll be going that road again any time soon. I can levitate though, which is a pretty nifty trick. And I know that my URL is spelled incorrectly, but I think I’m in too deep to change it now.

Second Challenge - Site Building

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:01:00 -0700

(Note: this is, I guess, a ‘personal’ post, which I don’t really go in for very often. No theories, probably no linkage. Just keeping track of some ideas.)

My work area is a mess. I’ve settled in for a long day of hair pulling and photoshop frustrations. Building an entire website is daunting — and I couldn’t be more thrilled. My biggest concern, weirdly, is the national flag. I’m sure by the end of the day I’ll be cranking out something worthy of The Shining.

Heh.

Well, if anybody feels like idea-sharing or just chatting, I’m available on AIM under ambroserookwood. I’ll be around well into the evening, at least midnight west-coast time.

As far as I know there have only been the initial welcome e-mail and one other from Jean Louis, the rest have been tweets on hers, whatisgishwhes and Misha's twitter's. Has that been the same for you?

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 01:42:00 -0700

Yep, same here. I suppose I should have specified :) The only emails sent en masse have been the Welcome Email and the Diagram Email. All other information has been communicated through Twitter and the GISHWHES website.

I have been going through your posts, trying to make sense of everything. I wanted to ask your advice: I have only received the welcome e-mail and absolutely no others. Does this mean they have disqualified me? I'm really worried...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 01:17:47 -0700

I would recommend first double checking your email’s spam folder. Some email clients can be picky about what gets through, and some spam folders will automatically delete messages after a certain amount of time. If none of the above, then…

The initial email did say “If you step out of line [your “citizenship”] will be revoked,” but as far as I’m aware nobody has been disqualified yet. So unless you’ve been harassing either Misha or Jean Louis, I would be inclined to chalk it up to Spiteful Email Gods screwing with your messages. You can sign up again (but whether this is a no-no is uncertain), or sit tight and keep an eye out for future letters.

I’m publishing this question because, with so many participants, odds are that you aren’t alone. So, has anybody else run into this problem? Any ideas?

should i make a tumblr or an actual website for the challenge?

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:45:45 -0700

Both options have their pros and cons, but you should make whatever your intuition tells you is best!

There are several free web-building resources available. In my opinion, the content presented is just as important as the presentation. You have just under two weeks, so do a bit of researching until you find something that feels right.

Do you know what the title and artist of the picture Miss Jean Louis is using for her twitter icon is?

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:16:00 -0700

I remember having a lot of trouble finding that. I went with Google’s reverse image search, which led me to a speed painting video somewhere that never loaded. I was never able to find a proper article about it, no.

Edit: found it!

The piece is Lady with Cig and Beer by ~XiaMan on deviantART.

Tweets from October 4th + a challenge

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:06:00 -0700

No more radio silence! I’ve been a bit busy, but I’m thrilled to see more GISHWHES coming our way. I’m a couple of tweets behind, I know, but want to get into the bread and butter. Other posts will be updated soon.

Tiffany, the person with the correct answer, has received her on page on GISHWHES site — as well as a not-so-shiny new (maybe) straight jacket.

And a cross-tweet by JL:

(I’d like to offer Tiffany my sincerest congratulations, and also wish her a very speedy recovery. That straight jacket looks terribly uncomfortable.)

But you guys. YOU GUYS. Look at this:

That link? Guess where it goes? Here! Well, the @MissJeanLouis post. I flailed. I did.

Okay. I’m done. On to the important part: the new challenge.

The challenge, listed at the end of Tiffany’s vaguely disturbing video, is to build a website explaining what GISHWHES is. I know how daunting that can be, but it’s not impossible. Necessity is the mother of invention.

The list, paraphrased, because I scribbled my notes:

You should include:

staff bios and pictures
location
national flag
secret password
battle cry
function
symbology
artefacts
colors and shapes
vices
nemeses
parlor tricks
future

These are a no-no:

child pornography
cruelty to animals
desecration of graves
mentioning scavenger hunts
gluten
aspartame (the stuff they put in diet soda)
images of one-term presidents
furry whiffle balls
florescent hammers
Iceland

You have until October 16th, Russian time. Links should be sent via email to JL.

Use your resources! Blogs, tweets, communities, your ouija board, Google. There are several free web-building resources available. Explore your options! Check the #gishwhes tag wherever you stop online. Tumblr, Twitter, Livejournal, everywhere.

I’m so excited for this part! I’m can’t be alone, right?

Radio Silence

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:37:58 -0700

I haven’t touched anything GISHWHES related since Jean-Louis went off air. How about you guys? Anybody come across anything interesting?

Updates, 9/21

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:35:26 -0700

I haven’t checked the #GISHWHES tag in a while. Playing catch-up, mostly.

@mishacollins - one tweet + very clear explanation of what GISHWHES is
@MissJeanLouis - four tweets + civet treasure and “The Curse of Marcel Duchamp”

Edits at the bottom of the post, as always. Fleshing out a few ideas - more on those later. Maybe. If they don’t prove fruitless.

The Marcel Duchamp I remember from art class 600 years ago made a name for himself quite controversially by employing the "found object as art." The urinal, for instance. Though he did not design it, or make it with his hands, he transmuted the humble object into art by exhibiting it with his signature and asking the viewer to consider it in a way that would never otherwise have happened. As JL says, many people screamed, "CRAP!," but I always thought that was amazing - like performance art.

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:11:59 -0700

Thank you so much! I had no idea it was a found object. That whole art-or-is-it thing — the controversy, especially — is so very, very JL.

Updates, 9/16

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:50:41 -0700

Long-ish update today, but just the one:

@MissJeanLouis - New tweets and painting, lots of links, some speculating and commentary all added to the bottom of the post.

I’ve been wondering: What if the countdown is leading up to a single event, and the scavenger hunt we’ve been expecting is what we’re in the middle of now? Like these clues are leading us up to one big thing on Bonfire Night?

There was a man who survived after 96 minutes without a pulse. I think that has something to do with it. His name was Howard Schnitzer.

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:19:20 -0700

THAT is incredible! I just went to google it — this is the guy, right? I’m wondering if that event is the kind of “answer” @whatisgishwhes told us to watch for.

Ahh, looks like my 8:04 thing came and went. Oh well.

Riddles

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:00:00 -0700

(As a side note: Because we were put into teams for the Rhino thing, I’m assuming — I do that a lot — that public exchange of ideas is not in violation of the “rules” JL and @whatisgishwhes have mentioned. Hoping I’m not wrong.)

Onward!

Riddles are challenging, yes, but that doesn’t mean they’re impossible. They require logic and patience and a willingness to think in the abstract. It bums me out that people are already giving up!

So, here’s my thought process:

Slam Dunk: getting something right; a slam dunk is worth two points
Could “2” just be net-speak?
Why is mention capitalized?
quetching: complaining, whining
1.6 hours is 96 minutes

Here’s 2 slam dunks for those [complaining]…did I Mention how riddles are best answered? Well I just did. Now back to my 1.6 hour nap.

Here’s [two] slam dunks for those [complaining]…did I Mention how riddles are best answered? Well I just did. Now back to my [96 minute] nap.

Here’s [two] [sure things] for those [complaining]…did I Mention how riddles are best answered? Well I just did. Now back to my [96 minute] nap.

I’ll assume “sure things” in place of “slam dunks” is correct. So there are to “sure things” or clues in this tweet.

“…did I Mention how riddles are best answered?” Mention isn’t randomly capitalized. My assumption is that this is telling us riddles are answered by MENTIONING @MissJeanLouis in your tweet.
“Now back to my [96 minute] nap.” Tweet sent at 6:28 + 96 minutes = 8:04, Pacific Time

~~So what happens at 8:04?~~ Nothing happens at 8:04! It was worth a shot.

(More) Themes

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:05:00 -0700

(More) Themes:

spiritwildheartofachild:

gishwhesean:

(My primary is resurrectionists, btw, in case you see me commenting through other posts.)

(P.S. This is another long one.)

(P.P.S. I realize I go into detail a lot, and that can seem confused of me. I feel like that’s very necessary at this stage, though, as we haven’t been given any real…

When I first heard about GISHWHES, it gave me a vague feeling much like I got when I first heard about poetic terrorism. This analysis is cementing that feeling. Poetic terrorism is beautiful and right up Misha’s alley. If GISHWHES ends up not being related to poetic terrorism at all, in spirit if not in name, I will be greatly disappointed and I will also eat my hat.

I’m so glad you said this! I thought I was alone. I think this is exactly what GISHWHES is intended to be. Here’s a quick run-down of poetic terrorism for anyone interested.