I've made a commitment to myself to start helping out with some of my favorite open source projects. I've started helping in my own little way by hanging out in the jQuery IRC channel. It's not much effort and I've already helped a few people, which feels good. I'm 'mncaudill' in there, so feel free to say hi.
I'd eventually like to start contributing code, but I'd like to get used to the community first and see how things are done. With such an intentionally lead codebase, contributing actual code might be a challenge, so helping people out in the channel might be the best way to help.
Next up, I'd also like to help out with django by doing the same. With a more extensive codebase where size is not as big of as concern as it is in jQuery, getting a patch in or two would not be as difficult I would imagine.
nolan caudill's internet house 