In the past month, with the idea formation and launch of the DHMakerBus, I have learned the true meaning of collaboration. A small idea that grew very quickly has only been possible because of the work of so many people. Meetings happened, videos were made, social media campaigns were launched. Networking helped us to broaden our horizons. Doubts were definitely had, and, once voiced, only helped us to realize the potential of the project we were taking on. I know if I create a list, I will forget someone, and I know that our team is only going to grow in size since we joined forces with UnLondon and have found friends to pick up along the way, but those who have helped know who they are. Thank you.

A very wise professor I know said ( just a few hours ago, actually) that “Grad students are truly amazing, and the DH grads we have here at Western doubly so” – we thank him for that, and want him to know that his support goes a long way to helping us achieve our goals (It would do more if he would just agree to #getonthebus already). I already feel honored to be part of such an amazing team, and I know, whether we arrive at Nebraska via bus or not, that something very cool has only just begun.

So we’re putting the final touches on both our introductory video and our crowdsourcing site for the DHMakerBus… Elika Ortega and David Brown. We’ve been playing with text, video, audio and sound clips all day, and have added the dulcet tones of Mark McDayter (aka The Talent) and should have something to you show you in the very near future.

Ok, with coffee now secured and breakfast smiling happily at me, I’m sitting at the Western Fair Farmers and Artisans market, which is where I start most of my days. Its usually fairly empty, with the whir and scent of coffee beans in the background, and I find it quite conducive to getting work done when I don’t feel ready to be on campus. Today is a big day for me, not only is it my first Day of DH, but its the official beginning of a new collaborative project between a number of us from London, Ontario, interested in making a difference in the technological know-how of our citizens: the DHMakerBus!

So, from here I’m going to finish up the initial blog post over on http://dhmakerbus.com/ and head over to CulturePlex prepare to film a video on the same topic with a few other digital humanists at Western.