My UBER NYC BDAY Photo Scavenger Hunt
Monday, November 14, 2005
I can’t believe so many people humored me in my quest to make everyone act silly!
On Sunday, we got to celebrate my birthday with the two things i love best in the world: 1) absurd silliness, and 2) photographs! People from church and school got a chance to meet for the first time and, happily, everyone was really quite comfortable with each other! We made two teams and came up with appropriate names for our groups. One team was “The Cobras” in honor the movie Dodgeball’s team of hulking gym trainers. The team i was on happened to be comprised completely of NYU students, so we became “The NYUts”.
The rules to the scavenger hunt were simple. 1) Cram as many thing as you can from the list into one picture, 2) you can only turn in 10 pictures total at the end of 1.5 hours, 3) you *have to* have more than one item in each picture, and 4) cheat creatively to earn more points. (Involving strangers got you extra points!) The list involved 4 categories: object/people, actions, concepts, and locations.
So with a flurry of shoe shuffling and coat putting-on-ing, we were off!
I think the pictures will be the best way to sum things up, but i’ve got to tell a couple stories first. The NYUts had a special opportunity to harrass a tourist who at best was mildly startled by the fact that we called him out so quickly as being a tourist. We ran up to him and asked him, “You’re a tourist right? Can we juggle fruit next to you?” I’m not even sure he spoke English quite honestly. He didn’t say much. Just sort of nodded hesitantly while his family gathered a safe distance away from the “crazy New Yorkers.” They seemed so frightened, as if no one had ever asked to juggle fruit next to them before. Their faces were priceless.
The Cobras had a similar situation where they asked a couple with a dog in costume to pose with them. The team then assembled in a strange formation around them, including Nathan looking like Godzilla on the rampage. They sort of had a frozen, “If we just pose, they won’t hurt us” look on their faces. You can see the picture below.
Disclaimer: The pictures you are about to see are in no way an indication of the values or moral standards of those involved. Thank you.
The NYUts are a) doing a football play, b) having a bright idea, c) reenacting The Empire Strikes Back when Luke loses his hand, and d) all in front of a bong shop.
The NYUts a) enjoy the sound of one hand clapping, b) wear “I Love NY” (in Chinese) t-shirts, c) wear wigs, d) do awesome non-photoshoped-but-looks-like-it manipulations, e) go to ethnic hangouts like Pearl River Market, f) and find Chinese lanterns in festive places!
NYUts got really lucky finding a bunch of freaks in costumes. I happened to get to them first and here we are, voguing. AND he’s cross-dressed.
The Cobras have a lot going on in this pic with a) a statue, b) Godzilla on the rampage, c) a frightened couple of strangers with a dog in a pink shirt, d) crowd surfing, e) a light-saber battle in the front.
The Cobras are a) having a wardrobe malfunction, b) being Princess Leia (note the hair buns!), c) evoking the story of Romeo and Juliet, and d) with people playing chess at Wash. Sq. Park.
This one, i have to say, is one of my favorites. Here is a Cobra with a “wig” of Susan’s hair (also featured in afore mentioned Leia buns) next to a mannequin who happens to be a police officer. Ya gotta love New York.
If you want to see all the pictures you can download them by clicking on the following team buttons:
Thanks for playing guys! 
Those are fun pictures, but I must admit that I am happily distracted by your awesome boots, Kat! Whee! They look wonderful! What are they?
Oh, and happy birthday!
Posted by laura on 11/15 at 05:56 AMGreat post, great pics.
But isn’t your birthday on the 17th? Or am I all mixed up (a good possibility)?
Posted by leslie on 11/15 at 06:09 AMIt is INDEED on the 17th! Good memory.
BUT i’ll be flying back home that day, and also it’s hard to get people together on a Thursday for good ol’ Scavenger Hunt fun.
Oh, and the boots are from Sketchers.
Posted by on 11/15 at 07:54 AMGood, I’m glad my memory isn’t failing yet. I went into a slight panic that I might have forgotten your birthday. Which would mean I would have forgotten my Dad’s, Thor’s, and Dave’s as well since you 4 all fall within the same two days. So much pressure! lol
Posted by leslie on 11/15 at 08:00 AMWhat a great idea!!! You’s so crazy; you’re going to die guffawing. Really wish I could have been there.
Posted by on 11/17 at 09:54 AMHappy (belated) Birthday, KA-SHII (^_^) I even get an extra day, and I’m still late… Have fun back home!
Posted by Daryl on 11/20 at 03:52 AMHey, happy birthday! Yes, I’m late. BUT, you know, living in Japan, living in the future (while you all live in the past)... I thought I had time and could send some greetings a day late, and then one thing led to another, etc., and procrastination took over and threw me on a plane to D.C. But happy birthday! November people are cool.
Posted by Ramone on 11/20 at 04:07 PM