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Desert Bus 2025 Total Raised
$1,059,553.89
Desert Bus 2026 Begins Oct 23, 4 PM PT
140:22:35:19
Welcome to
Desert Bus 2026
Giveaway: RG RX-93-Hi Nu Gundam Model and Figures
November 16, 2023 at 10:49 PM PST
Posted by Soraya
Three boxes of gundam models stand stacked together. On top are two pre-built models labeled Tallgeese II and Shining Gundam. On the bottom, is a self-assembly kit for a Real Grade RX-93-V2 Hi-V Gundam.

Here on Nightwatch, we build gundam, and so can you! The Real Grade RX-93-Hi Nu model, once assembled, features moveable joined and detailed armor panels that slide aside to expose the internal frame. But if you get impatient while you're building it, you can always take comfort in the pre-built and poseable Tallgeese II and Shining Gundam models that also come with this bundle.

Donate $7.81 (or multiples thereof) before 11:35pm PT for a chance to win the RG RX-93-Hi Nu Gundam Model and Figures!

Silent Auctions: Mechanized Fictional Warfare
November 16, 2023 at 09:01 PM PST
Posted by Soraya

We trust you to be responsible with these items, because if you're not, we're going to send Harry after you to take them back. You see, both of these items represent dangerous mechanical beings that could be unleashed to wreak great havoc in the wrong hands. But again, we trust you. Don't let us down! Remember that you're doing this for the children and go bid on these silent auctions in the name of peace.


Papier-Mâché Choo Choo Charles Trinket Box

A horrifying spider with a grinning clown face and sharp, blood soaked teeth gazes directly at the camera. His body is a train engine, and one of his legs has a human pierced through the gut hanging off it.

Choo Choo Charles got tired of people asking him the bussing trolley question day after day. Kill one person you know or kill five strangers? Here's a better idea: kill all the people. Run them down and pierce them with your horrifying, sharp claws. If you also hate philosophical questions (and/or love the indie horror game Choo Choo Charles and its eponymous demon spider train), then you and Charles are meant for each other and you should place a bid while you still can.

Papier-Mâché Choo Choo Charles auction ends at 2am PT.


Evangelion Bead Crochet Bracelets

Three shining beaded bracelets with chevron patterns in alternating colors are displayed on a person's wrist. From left to right, they are: 1) blue, black, and white 2) purple, black, and green 3) orange, black, and red.

These bracelets (made with the tiniest and cutest crochet hook I have ever seen in my life) represent three of the iconic mechas from Neon Genesis Evangelion, but they are much less choosy and will allow anyone to wear them.

Evangelion Bead Crochet Bracelets auction ends at 2am PT.

Giveaway: Desert Bus Shift Banner Cat Cube
November 16, 2023 at 07:35 PM PST
Posted by Soraya
A soft cloth cube, each side patterned with the flag of a Desert Bus shift. A hole in the front gives cats access to the inside, and there is an Omega Shift pad with velcro corners that can be adhered to the box as well.

During Desert Bus, your cat is your co-pilot. They sit next to you, they sit on top of you, and they sit flat on your keyboard while you're trying to type in chat. The least you can do to reward all their extremely hard work is try to get them this cozy cat bed (and hope they'll sleep inside it instead of on your overheated laptop/tower).

Donate $6.17 (or multiples thereof) before 8:15pm PT for a chance to win the Desert Bus Shift Banner Cat Cube!

Giveaway: Hyrule's Night Skies Shawl
November 16, 2023 at 05:09 AM PST
Posted by Soraya
Photo of a masked and bespectacled human holding up the shawl in their hands. One arm is raised just above their head, and the bottom of the shawl hangs down just above the human's ankles. The shawl is nearly circular, with a tapered shape at the top. It is studded with small silver and iridescent beads.

Gaze into night skies of Hyrule every time you wrap up in this one-of-a-kind shawl made from cozy merino wool. The constellations in the Astral Observatory from Breath of the Wild have been painstakingly charted and mapped onto this shawl in sparkling, perfect detail.

Donate $7.31 (or multiples thereof) before 5:45am for a chance to win Hyrule's Night Skies Shawl!

Giveaway: Poseable Naruto Figuarts Models
November 16, 2023 at 03:55 AM PST
Posted by Soraya
Photo of three Naruto figurines, one stacked on top of the other two. On the top is Naruto Uzumaki; on the bottom left is Sasuke Uchiha; and on the bottom right is Kakashi Hatake. All three are by SHFiguarts, Bandai Namco.

Stay true to your dreams and don't let anyone deter from trying to win these three Poseable Naruto Figuarts Models! And yes, the fact that they are poseable means you can make Naruto run like a Naruto.

Donate $7.62 (or multiples thereof) before 4:45am PT for a chance to win these Poseable Naruto Figuarts Models!

Giveaway: Tetris Box Art Cross-Stitch
November 16, 2023 at 12:35 AM PST
Posted by Soraya
A framed cross-stitch of the original Tetrix box art, slightly altered at the bottom where a triangle with the Desert Bus road and evergreen tree air freshener has snuck in.

Nothing beats that satisfying feeling when a tetromino falls into place... and nothing feels worse than getting squiggly after squiggly when all you need is a line piece! Ahem. The powerful feelings it evokes just go to show how close Tetris is to our hearts. And it could also be close to your hearth if you bring it home and put it there! As a bonus, it glows under a blacklight which is honestly just rad as heck.

Donate $8.44 (or multiples thereof) before 1:32am PT for a chance to win the Tetris Box Art Cross-Stitch!

Silent Auctions Ending Soon!
November 16, 2023 at 12:23 AM PST
Posted by Soraya

Snipers if you're snipin', you'd better get your sights aimed at these silent auctions. They're ending in less than two hours, at 2am PT! Bid while you still can!


Legend of Zelda Wood Panel Triptych

Current High Bid: $4,690.20

Picture of all 6 panels.  Top are all three in color, bottom are all three artists proofs.  In order from left to right Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. Order is the same top and bottom.

Get this triptych and the only tears in your kingdom will be tears of joy. These laser cut birch panels are painted with watercolor and acrylic to give them that a glow that looks like stained glass.


Cross Stitched Progress Pride Flag

Current High Bid: $1,964.20

Show your pride in a unique way with this 8"x10" framed Progress Pride Flag made up of over 6,000 cross stitches.

Nightwatch: You can't look away
November 16, 2023 at 12:10 AM PST
Posted by Soraya

We really learned a lot about each other tonight. Maybe too much about Andrew specifically?

Andrew and Jordan sit at the news desk, holding back grins. Andrew starts giggling first, then Jordan falls forward laughing. The camera switches to the stage where the rest of the crew is clapping and laughing.

A touching moment: Ben opened up about his struggles in Engineering, especially the problem of getting literally anyone to speak directly into the mic. Maybe he's just Ben, but he is also... Benough.

Ben stands in the center of the stage, clad in a Hawaiian shirt and a headband. As the lights flash around him and the other cast members wave their phone-flashlights like cigarette lighters, Ben sings soulfully into the microphone.

It's a good thing our Engineering department is so stable and supportive of each other, you know? Otherwise, you could imagine how easy it would be for one of them to snap and do horrible things to punish the entertainers.

Totally unrelated: the mysterious Jigpaw reappeared tonight! Whoever's behind that mask is incredibly cruel. Cruel enough to force people to eat delicious sushi in a gripping game of Wasabi Roulette! Which sushi has been "fatally" overloaded with wasabi? Only one way to find out...

Graham salutes with sushi held in his chopsticks, then takes a bite. After a moment, he flinches and melts back into his chair, his face contorted in a rictus of pain.

Another knight was inducted into the service of driving the bus, as Garrett not only drove for the first time but also scored a point.

Ian, dressed in a kingly crown and red robe, taps both of Garret's shoulders with his scepter.

One of the under-rated wonders of the Desert Bus is that over the course of this long and challenging week, you watch people change and grow. Like Jordan, who started the night as a little baby and ended as an increasingly aggravated parent.

Andrew and Jordan sit side by side at the deks. Andrew is holding it together as Jordan steeples his pointer fingers together and makes a baby face at the camera.

All right, that's enough from us. Zeta, take it away! Seriously: take it away before we hurt ourselves (⚠️ LOUD).

Graham dramatically falls to his knees, pressing his hands to the side of his face in squinting agony.

Nightwatch Nightly Nuggets: Your one-stop shop for recurring features!

Art Challenge: Keep Arting and Nobody Bricksplodes
November 16, 2023 at 12:08 AM PST
Posted by Soraya

Bricksplosion has taken the nation by storm. Hollywood is knocking down our doors, demanding the rights to make a feature film out of our antics. And who are we to refuse them? We like money (for the children, naturally).

But our contract has a rider: the promotional materials MUST be made by loyal Zeta watchers. We know you can do better than some Hollywood schill who doesn't really understand us (and our journey). Make a promotional poster for this future blockbuster, complete with a tagline and an all-star cast!

Send an email with the title "Bricksplosion Movie Poster" to contests@desertbus.org before 4:30am for a chance to win! Use PNG, JPG, or GIF formats only and please include your name (and pronouns) in the email so we know how to refer to you!

We'll pick one favorite to win a Desert Bus 2023 T-shirt (Unisex) that will look fabulous for your red carpet appearance.

Image of black t-shirt against an orange background. The design on the shirt is done in a classic Mac OS with orange, cyan, and pale yellow. The shirt says Desert Bus 2023
Art Challenge Results: DB2023 Title Card
November 15, 2023 at 11:30 PM PST
Posted by Soraya

Ah, we can feel it. We have a title card now, and everything is right with the world. Thank you to everyone who sent us wonderful art to consider! The contest winner for the DB2023 Title Card Art Challenge is...

WINNER: Julia Price (aka JPulse2)


Runner Up: Darth Paradox


Runner Up: Cassey Gilliland


Honorable Mention: Laura Chan (aka Laogeodritt)