#also hornets and wasps are cool even if I prefer to be away from them 😎

[fantasma-de-la-cueva]

De nuevo cumplo con mi cometido. Ahora Jude Sharp también tiene su versión hollow knight, personalmente lo veo como una avispa (A v I s P a).

Solo falta 1 del trío relámpago y todos sabéis quién es :3

——————-

Eng: Again I fulfill my task. Now Kidou Yuuta has his hollow knight version too; personally I see him as a hornet (H o R n E t).

Only one member of the break trio is left and you all know who is :3

[fatehbaz]

I lov wasps so much.. everyone's always like "they're evil lol" and I'm like they literally wont bother you if you dont bother them. I've had wasps land on my hand and chill for a while before flying away. Just be cool and theyll be cool

I agree completely. Thanks for defending them.

Bald-faced hornets have come to be one of my favorite creatures, if only because I’ve spent so much time around them, physically covered in them, with the omnipresent humming and buzzing of their wings. In my experience, and in the specific local circumstances (maybe their behavior, hunting style, demeanor varies by ecological/geographical location), they have been surprisingly docile, towards humans, at least. When they engaged in their foraging and active hunting? They were extremely energetic, and amazing to watch. Constant movement and activity. I cherish this memory of the “Summer of Hornets,” during which I had a severe eye injury from multiple hornet stings, while I was doing work looking for amphibians like 12 hours a day and slept maybe 75-ish nights in this rainforest-y designated wilderness area where there was an unusually high number of hornets that season. And I unironically called the hornets “Our Allies.” Long story short: the bald-faced hornets would literally sit on our shoulders and essentially repel horse-flies and aggressive yellowjackets. During the evening, after looking for amphibians all day, we’d relax at camp while performing casual experiments with the hornets, and bald-faced hornet behavior is fascinating.

Every day, as you woke up in your tent, one of the first things you’d hear would be the buzzing of the hornets, just before sunlight would spill over the ridgelines. Neat. Very proactive. The hornets were active from before sunrise and up until nightfall. At dusk, around the stove or fire, we’d perform some casual experiments with hornet behavior as they gradually retired for the evening. Anyway, at sunrise, when you left the tent to begin the trekking a few kilometers to the Domain of the Toads deep in the forest or whatever, the hornets were like … waiting for you. Waiting outside of your tent. And then they would land on you. On your hat, your shoulder, your backpack. And they’d just calmly wait. Multiple hornets just hitching a ride on your shoulder.

Why? Well, we thought it was because they might know to follow mammals around since mammals also attract the local hornets’ preferred prey: horse-flies. Temperate rainforest is moist, which is nice for both hornets and horse-flies, and there seem to be many vibrantly colorful horse-fly species that I’ve never seen outside of temperate rainforest. (These flies were clad in neon greens and bright pinks and fluorescent oranges; very pretty.) A little while after the sun comes up, the horse-flies would then start following you around, trying to bite you. These horse-flies are huge, and their bites hurt. But the hornets would stir from their slumber, and suddenly they weren’t calm anymore. Now they were extremely active and energetic.

The hornets would rise from your shoulder, as if launching from a warplane hangar, to begin hunting the horse-flies in the air around you. It was like classic Hollywood aerial dogfighting. We observed this every day for consecutive weeks. And almost every time, the hornet’s approach to killing the fly would be to mount the fly’s back, and then decapitate it, chewing the fly’s head off with a snip from its pincers. Then the hornet would carry the fly’s headless body to a nearby surface, and consume it voraciously. Sometimes the hornets would just carry the bodies off towards the horizon. Spooky.

Interesting relationship between the bald-faced hornets and the yellowjackets: The hornets also had some kind of established relationship with the much more aggressive yellowjackets. Again, this is just anecdotal, and I’m not an entomologist, but: it seemed that the hornets would buzz around at about shoulder-height, looking for flies in the air or investigating low-hanging tree branches. Meanwhile, the yellowjackets in this region seemed to exclusively forage along the forest floor. So, they rarely got close to each other. While you were hiking, you’d see both the hornets and yellowjackets in your peripheral vision, but the hornets would be up by your face, and the yellowjackets were harassing whatever unfortunate bugs were trying to chill out on the rotting logs or moss beds. (Once, we were sitting and measuring frogs, and a hornet tackled a yellowjacket on my thigh, and they fought for like a solid 3 minutes, before the hornet triumphed; a friend took a video of it, but I never got a copy.)

Another fascinating behavior: The hornets seemed extremely inquisitive. When “hunting time” came around, they would relentlessly investigate any material that looked vaguely like a prey insect. If any object visibly appeared similar to insect legs, the hornets would poke and prod at the material to see if it reacted like a living insect. And since this was temeprate rainforest, there were all kinds of lichen and moss everywhere; hanging from hemlock branches, covering rotting logs of the forest floor, covering boulders in the streams, etc. And so the hornets would often prod around through little pieces of lichens, since some lichens kind of appear like tangled little masses similar to the morphology of an insect.

So at dusk, back at camp, we experimented with the hornets’ interest in shapes. We’d set up a little fold-out table, right? And then we’d take little pieces of bark or lichen and set them upon the table. Usually, within less than a minute, a hornet would swoop down and begin prodding the lichen, moving it around, turning it over. Interesting. Then one of the people I worked with would find dead insects, and place the body on the table. Again, the hornets would immediately investigate. Sometimes, they actually took the body away. (They seemed to prefer insects, and didn’t like arachnids or molluscs as much.) We also noted that when a bald-faced hornet died, its powerful jaws might continue biting for up to 2 hours; the stinger would also have reflexes that lasted as long. (Again, this is anecdotal, but I saw what I saw.) Also, the hornets would still perform the “mount-and-decapitate” maneuver on the dead insects.

Some lichens might superficially look like insect limbs, I guess:

With that bit of trivia established: It’s a long story, but basically: I have thick eyelashes. A hornet was investigating my eyelashes, prodding around. I was holding a frog in my hands and couldn’t shoo the hornet away. (This hornet was huge, the same size as the little frog I was holding!) I did not want make the frog stressed, so I chose to ignore the hornet. I blinked, and the hornet immediately started repeatedly stinging my lower eyelid. That hurted. When I safely set the frog down to pull the hornet off of my eyelid, I couldn’t … because the hornet had also simultaneously bit my upper eyelid, and no amount of force from me could pull the hornet away. (Their jaws are extremely strong.) I threw myself into the really cold, fast-flowing headwater stream nearby, and submerged my whole body while clawing at my own eyes until the hornet let go. (Unfortunately, they got washed away.) Then, we had a 9-kilometer hike back to camp in 90 F/32 Celsius heat carrying an extremely heavy backpack, and all the extra physical exertion really exacerbated the swelling. Then, it turns out we can’t leave the area because a forest fire forced a road closure and there’s not a single town or settlement anywhere nearby, so I just went right back to work the next day with a big swollen eye. And that next day, while I was looking around in the moist limestone crevices behind this short little waterfall, a big old salamander went scurrying towards me. I got all excited, but didn’t have peripheral vision, so I hit my head on the limestone and now had a nice cut over the same swollen eye. (It wasn’t malice or even aggression; the hornet was just curious and got a little anxious when I blinked. It was an accident.)

This experience convinced me of the Sheer Power of hornets.

Anyway, yes: Hornets and wasps are great! Bald-faced hornets might often be docile and friendly towards humans. But of course, I believe all life as value and so I respect a living thing regardless of if it’s aggressive or dangerous or “angry.”

[miggydiaz]

I was tagged by @thugheadjones. Thanks, dear! 1. what is the color of your hairbrush? White, with a gray handle that has since been dyed purple due to my hair

2. name a food you never eat: I hated broccoli as a kid, so I tried it recently as an adult... it still tastes like what dirty socks smell like so I’ll pass, thanks.

3. are you typically too warm or too cold? Too cold -- I am a hoodie in the summer kind of person.

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? Eating a breakfast so late that it crossed over from brunch to lunch.

5. what’s your favorite candy bar? Uh... I’m not really a candy *bar* person. I like sour candy more, but I guess if I had to choose, something dark chocolate. Just not a Mounds because I hate coconut.

6. have you ever been to a professional sports game? A couple of baseball games. Both of them the Tigers won! (this is unusual, as the Tigers typically suck)

7. what is the last thing you said out loud?  “How do I get this stupid thing to go away?” It was a sign-in banner on my word document for OneDrive.

8. what is your favorite ice cream? Orange Sherbet, or uh, coffee/chocolate chip cookie dough. It really depends on my mood.

9. what was the last thing you had to drink? Coffee

10. do you like your wallet? Yeah! It’s this bat wing clutch one from Blackcraft Cult. Plenty of card space, the license spot isn’t a pain in the ass... it’s a good one. 30 bucks well spent.

11. what is the last thing you ate? Waffles.

12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend? Nope. I basically refitted my wardrobe this year though.

13. what’s the last sporting event you watched? Uh... oh, a Michigan/Ohio State football game two years ago? Michigan lost, just like they have the last million years. I gave up on football after that.

14. what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Just a normal butter popcorn. Or I like popcorn covered in toffee.

15. who is the last person you sent a text message to? @starryeyedagony. It was a link to the Johnny Lawrence himbo video.

16. ever been camping? Once! It was fun, I’d do it again.

17. do you take vitamins? ... I know I should, but no.

18. do you regularly attend a place of worship? Not even a little bit. Not even at all.

19. do you have a tan? HAHAHAHAHAHA. Ha. Ha. No. Never.

20. do you prefer Chinese or pizza? Two years ago, I probably would’ve said pizza. Now I’m all about Chinese.

21. do you drink your soda through a straw? In restaurants? You guys remember restaurants? But no. I actually prefer canned soda.

22. what color socks do you usually wear? black. 90% of my sock drawer is black.

23. do you ever drive above the speed limit? I haven’t drove in years, but when I did... yes.

24. what terrifies you? Bees and all of their horrible cousins. Bumble, honey (I know they are good, I don’t kill them, I just run away) wasp, hornet, yellow jacket... basically, if it is black and yellow and flying then I am GONE.

25. look to your left, what do you see?  My bookcase, reminding me that I should be finishing up this critical analysis of formulaic violence against women in pop culture, but YA KNOW.

26. what chore do you hate most? Cleaning the tub is up there, but I do dishes more often, so I hate that one the most.

27. what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? The old Foster’s beer commercials.

28. what’s your favorite soda? I like pomegranate italian sodas the best. Mainstream wise? Probably Squirt or Sprite.

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Plague means I don’t go inside anymore, but it used to depend on whether or not the drive-thru line was too long.

30. what’s your favorite number? 13. Yes I am an overgrown edgelord. I was also supposed to be born on the 13th though, so there is that.

31. who’s the last person you talked to? @starryeyedagony over our brunch/lunch

32. favorite meat? Probably chicken these days. Unless I’m eating chinese because my go to dish anymore is mongolian beef.

33. last song you listened to? Uh, Come Little Children while watching Hocus Pocus. But I’ve had this Wear a Mask parody of Be Our Guest stuck in my head all day (thanks for reminding me that I have to start Season 2 of TLK though!).

34. last book you read? Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler. I’m finishing up Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation by Carolyn Cocoa

35. favorite day of the week? The day I don’t have to worry about this election bullshit anymore (I am keeping that answer because this election cycle has me so drained, can it just be November 3rd already?)

36. can you say the alphabet backwards? Yep. I can sing it backwards too.

37. how do you like your coffee? Hot, in my favorite mug with my initial on it, with some vanilla or hazelnut flavored almond milk.

38. favorite pair of shoes? My purple-black glittery converse.

39. time you normally get up? Somewhere between 9 and 11 depending on whether it’s a week day or a weekend day.

40. what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Sunsets for sure (because I’m awake to appreciate them)

41. how many blankets are on your bed? I have one fuzzy blanket, one knit blanket, two down comforters, and a quilted velvet coverlet. So, 5 altogether.

42. describe your kitchen plates? white. Corelle. Google tells me the pattern is called South Beach. It has teal dots along the rim.  

43. describe your kitchen at the moment: Cluttered. There isn’t enough counter space in the world for all of my kitchen appliances. Probably warm since @starryeyedagony is making pork mole right now.

44. do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? I can’t really drink anymore (thanks heart condition!) but it used to be whiskey, neat, or in a whiskey sour. Or a glass of pinot grigio.

45. do you play cards? I’m decent at poker/black jack, but card games like Uno and Phase 10 are a different story.

46. what color is your car? I don’t own one. My roommate’s car is maroon? A dark red.

47. can you change a tire? I haven’t in probably 10 years, but yes.

48. your favorite state or province? To be quite honest with you, if it wasn’t for the people, I would love my home state of Michigan. I don’t live there anymore, but even though Detroit gets a bad rap, I miss my home <3 But outside of that, Minnesota was really pretty, and I actually like Florida (again, minus the people). Probably Florida since I’ve been there more than Minnesota. 

49. favorite job you’ve had? I used to work in this movie/video game/music resale shop that I loved. All of my coworkers were cool, we always had fun at work... aside from that though, I loved working holiday retail at Williams-Sonoma when ours was still open, and I actually really liked my most recent job at the university. I’m hoping I can go back (laid off... THANKS COVID) once they’re allowed to hire again.

If you want to, I’m tagging @starryeyedagony, @magicknightblue, @poloniumicecream, @magnetic-rose, and uh, anyone else who wants to do this.

[rubixa-seraph]

11 Questions About Me

Tagged by @gentle-outlaw

Sorry this took me a while to get to! Mobile sucks!

1. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the 3rd line on that page? 

Kurt nodded.

- Halo; Ghosts of Onyx

I’m totally not done reading this book because I keep playing video games instead.

2. What is your happiest memory and why?

I am... having a very hard time answering this question. It’s not that I haven’t felt happy before, but there is nothing that I can remember so pointedly to be the “happiest.” I am generally happiest when I have good food that I want, so it might as well be any time I am eating food that typically comes out a bit expensive. It’s not good because it’s expensive; it’s expensive because I’m poor.

3. Do you have any OC's (for fanfiction or totally original)? If so, describe them or if you have more than one, describe your favorite one!

[[MORE]]

I do and I can’t just describe one without the other. Through some manner of world building and RP and various factors, one character became two...

Roy King and Evan King are effectively a set of twin characters, though originally one was a “copy” of another. I stick them into a lot of fan content for fun but they do have their own standalone little world bubble I’ve built where they have an original setting.

Roy is the elder brother, typically stern, demanding, and somewhat testy. He is very closed off and trusts very few with his emotions, and in any given new relationship being established, he expects the other party to prove themselves to him, first, before he will extend his goodwill in kind. He takes loyalty very seriously, thus he is picky about who he will trust; and if you deliberately backstab him, you’ll be sorry. Across different settings, Roy is often represented with the motif of bugs, especially that of bees/hornets/wasps and also the scorpion. Sweet and giving of what he has when he trusts you, and a downright bastard when angered or agitated... and depending on the setting setting he’s in, he chooses lethality as a means to deal with traitors. In his original setting, he is a fae war-king of a fictional fae court that is a fae imagining of honey-bee fae. The war-king part is that he is the strongest offense and defense of the Hive, and the Queen is the only one that holds sway over him.

Evan King is the younger twin. Instead of being more withdrawn, he wears most of his emotions and his heart on his sleeve. He’s a bit of a romantic, and it shows. He’s also one to walk away from most troubles instead of contesting against them, but he can still get snarky and profess his dislike before crossing any lines. Many a time he has to focus on preventing Roy from actually trying to follow through on a threat or a fight. Across different settings, Evan is often represented with motifs of birds, especially that of the legendary Phoenix. Bright, somewhat elusive, resilient and positive after conflict even if it still had hurt him, and focuses a lot on healing others, especially his brother. He’s also a bit of a daring troublemaker and a kleptomaniac (with boundaries.) In his original setting, he’s an avian “god” (patron) whose two major traits are treasure-collecting and a perchance to adopt stray youths. Bring him “offerings” or gifts (even actions of goodwill) and he leaves no debt unpaid to you. He is good with children, if not a bit coddling.

4. Who is your all time favorite fictional character and why?

It’s hard to think back on this but I would say Roy Mustang from FMA. It’s a bit hard to describe but the hero worship is strong. Though never explicitly explained in the manga itself, he stood out among his peers, not just from skill alone, which he had gained through blood and sweat both, but also that he certainly did not look to be of the same race as the majority of Amestrians you see. As someone who is Asian growing up in America, this character meant a lot to me just for the nature of him existing in the position that he had, with the burdens that he had; and the perseverance was something that I hung on to.

5. What do you find yourself thinking about the most?

How tired I always am and how I’m always in need of looking for a distraction. Also I want tea and cake and pastries and yummy food... I grew up a bit wealthy before my family fell apart so I catch myself often missing the luxuries that I had. I know it makes me sound terrible but look... I miss it, okay? It was a part of my life growing up but then all the lies my family fed me came crumbling down and that wasn’t my fault...

6. Look out your nearest window and describe what you see!

It’s still super early in the morning. It’s cloudy today. I see the back parking lot of the gas station across from my apartment. Cars are going to and fro for the morning commute to work, and there is a garbage collection truck pulling in near the dumpster.

7. What makes you feel nostalgic?

Piano music. A long time ago I was a pianist; concert level. I performed on stage, small and local as they were. But my family didn’t want me to actually pursue music. What a waste of my talents...

8. You have two hours left on earth, how do you spend them?

Eat good food. Okay, I might have stress eating issues...

9. What's your favorite sound?

I could have so many different answers to this but the sound that really gets me grinning on the inside is that low-toned whistle someone does when they are impressed at something cool or awesome. The context matters; something interesting has to have happened for that sound to be pleasant for me. (Thinking back to “Hellsing Ultimate” when Alucard fought Luke Valentine.)

10. What was the first fandom you were involved in?

I guess it was digimon.

I can’t say I truly had a great time being there and I’m glad I have stepped away from it now.

11. Describe your idea of a perfect day!

On a good day I would wax poetic but... I’m very very tired today.

I want a warm cup of milk tea and a lazy day in bed while playing my favorite MMO and listening to a podcast of a guy with a good narrative voice read classic short stories. Which is exactly what I’m going to do today after a good nap. :)

I tag: @apurplemoth @squeakybat

Questions:

1. Favorite art technique that you do, or favorite thing(s)/part(s) to draw.

2. A skill you would like to learn?

3. Anything you like to study the most at your leisure?

4. Favorite childhood picture book?

5. Every been on a plane or ship/boat?

6. If you could be something not-human, be it animal or mythical creature, what would you envision yourself being?

7. Favorite constellation?

8. Preferred toppings on a pizza? (I won’t judge; I do white sauce with sausage, mushrooms, and pineapples OR cranberries, so...)

9. A song that comes to mind this very moment, on whim.

10. Preferred fashion for yourself?

11. A character you really like at the moment, and maybe why?

[deputyash]

Introducing...Deputy Dovie Ash!

I’m finally posting some actual stuff about my OC. I decided to post after seeing @edensgay post some stuff about theirs. Ya’ll should go check out their OC too!

Now, without further ado, here is some stuff about my girl!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Here’s a picture of her.

Her name is Dove Marie Ash, but her nickname is Dovie.

She’s 5’ 8” in height.

She has medium beige skin because of her mixed ethnicity. She has Mexican heritage from her mom’s side.

She was born on September 13, 1991. 

Her zodiac sign is Virgo.

She was born in the Texas in a small town north of San Antonio.

Before transferring to Hope County, she worked for a sheriff’s department in TX.

After a couple of years there, she was yearning for something new, a change of scenery. Her family and friends had many different opinions about it, but ultimately she made the decision.

An uncle of hers told her about a friend who worked in Hope County, Montana. That friend was Earl Whitehorse. He told her about an opening for a Junior Deputy.

Dovie has an array of interests and hobbies. She likes sketching, drawing, and even some photography.

She also loves plants and animals and knows a lot about them. She can identify a number of them and can tell the difference between many toxic and nontoxic plants. She’s very outdoor savvy.

Believe it or not, she also has a deep down love for fashion. Despite growing up in a rural area and loving the outdoors, she also loves wearing high heels and dresses. But ever since she joined the departments, she hasn’t had much of a reason to dress up.

Dovie has a good relationship with her family. Her parents still live in Texas. She has an older brother, Matt. He is a few years older than her and works in Dallas as a judge. (He’s 35 yrs old)

She’s an independent lady. She’s only ever had one boyfriend. They were happy, but they later both agreed to end it after he had to move away to New York for a job. It was mutually agreed. Now, she mostly focuses on her own life and career.

But sometimes she wishes she could have someone to stand by her side and have someone to keep her company.

Once in the midst of the cult, she still keeps her independence. She mostly works with her animals friends. Especially Peaches.

She prefers stealth when possible, but sometimes she accidentally triggers alarms and guards without meaning to...

Even though her name is Dove, she is a terrible airplane pilot. She can work with helicopters, but planes? She’s terrible at it.

She loves to laugh. And to pull pranks. (She especially loves making John angry)

Also, she has an immense fear of wasps, hornets, and their other relatives. (Honeybees are cool in her book though. Haha) She will literally take the time to go compeletely around an area even if there’s just a tiny wasp nest.

[deidrafaye]

Task 12: Muse Booster

Name: Deidra Faye LaReaux

Height: 5′0″

Age: 29

Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland

Hair (Color, Length, Style): Deidra’s hair is golden blonde, she typically keeps it long to about her shoulder blades but occasionally will cut it to just past shoulder length; she tends to keep it curly or wavy, but otherwise doesn’t have a preferred style .

Race/Nationality: Metahuman; Irish and French

Regional Influences: Irish, French, and to a lesser extent West Coast United States.

Accent (Voice, Style of Speech,  Slang, Signature Words/Phrases): Irish brogue, the angrier or more excited she gets the heavier her accent becomes; she is prone to switching between English, Gaelic, and even sometimes French when holding a conversation -- particularly whenever she’s fired up.

Religion: Catholic

Marital Status: Unmarried, currently in a relationship

Scars/Other Notable Physical Attributes: Deidra has a few tattoos: three simple arrow-heads behind her right ear, the Celtic symbol for strength at the base of her neck, and “Watch the queen conquer” written in her own elegant script down her left side.

Handicaps (Physical, Emotional, Mental): She is mildly OCD, but not to the point of crippling...  If you want to count functioning Alcoholism, then yeah definitely.

Athletic? Inactive? Overall Health? Deidra eats well and takes care of her body to keep it at a peak level of fitness and strength, although some might say her normalized drinking (read: alcoholism) would cancel out her healthy efforts.

Style of Dress: Business chic/casual, business professional, feminine.  When she is not at work she opts for business casual or a step below.  She can also often be found in workout gear, especially around the Rebel base.

Favorite Colors: Blush, rose gold, gold, gray, lavender and other purple hues.

How does she feel about her appearance? Deidra is very confident about her appearance, and she knows how best to present herself and show herself off when she wants to.  She knows her appearance is just as important as her knowledge and skill in the corporate world, and in the regular world too.

Any siblings? None, she is an only child.

Relationship with parents: She loves her parents, but currently has a rather tense relationship with her father due to a difference in values and opinions on how the family company should be run and who they should be partnered with.

Memories about childhood: Dee had a happy, innocent and perhaps even sheltered childhood given her family’s wealth and influence.  Her fondest memories are of playing with her cousins during the holidays and other trips home to Ireland.  Her favorite memories are of when her powers finally manifested and her mother taught her how to control and create with them.

Educational background (Street smart?  Book smart?): Deidra graduated with degrees in business marketing and management, and is pretty self-taught (with Alice’s and Bridgette’s help) in computer programming.  She is fairly evenly skilled in terms of book smarts and street smarts.

Work Experience: She is the CMO of LaReaux Industries and heir of the position of CEO when her father retires (if he ever decides to).

Where does she live now?  Describe home (Emotional atmosphere & physical): She has three main places of residence; her high-rise penthouse apartment in Wolfhurst, her room in the new Rebel base, and had been staying at Kaden’s off and on while he was out of town; since his return she has been staying with him much more frequently.  Her homes reflect her expensive and opulent tastes (she’s even given Kaden’s apartment a little of her touch).

Neat or messy: Generally neat; she doesn’t mind a little disorder every now and then, so long as it’s taken care of and organized soon.

Sexuality: Heteroromantic, heterosexual

Morals: Deidra is fairly lawful good, and believes herself to have high morals and standards -- they’re much highers than her father’s, at least.  She knows things aren’t just black and white, but always tries to do what she believes to be the right thing.

Activities: Yoga, running, kickboxing, Jujutsu and other mixed martial arts, shopping, drinking.

Friends?  Pets? No pets, although she constantly has die-hard puppy fever.  Her best friends are Alice, Kara, Daniel and Manny (even though he doesn’t remember), as well as Finn, Charlie, and Natalia.

Enemies?  Why? She sees C.A.R.M.A. as a necessary enemy, if only because the organization does strive to protect everyone from rogue Metahumans, even though she doesn’t agree with everything they do.  The Nephilim are a concern to her too, because they stand for everything she and her friends and everyone who is pro-Meta are trying to put an end to.

Basic Nature: Dee at first tends to come across as either abrasive or stuck-up (and almost always chilly and intimidating) but she warms to people relatively quickly depending on her initial impressions, which aren’t often wrong.  Most quickly realize that she is a very maternal and ‘bossy’ woman with a short temper and quick tongue.

Personality Traits: Ambitious, bitchy, blunt, compassionate, cool under pressure, diplomatic, intelligent, intuitive, kind-hearted, maternal, observant, outgoing, passionate, quick-tempered, quick-thinking, sarcastic, self-less, strategic, stubborn, witty.

Strongest/Weakest Traits: Her strongest traits would likely be her kind, compassionate heart, her intuition (motherly or otherwise), her natural inclination to lead and take charge, and her passion with which she devotes herself to people and to interests.  Her weakest traits are her sheer stubbornness, her fiery temper and quick mouth, and her tendency to be self-sacrificing and of always putting others before herself even when she shouldn’t.

What does she fear? Deidra is terribly afraid of wasps, primarily because she is allergic to them.  She is also afraid of failing, especially of failing those that mean the most to her.  She most fears turning into her father though, of becoming a manipulative, ruthless person with flawed morals like he is.

What is she proud of? Deidra is most proud of what she has accomplished without the influence of her family name or without having to name-drop her father.  She likes knowing that she isn’t completely dependent on daddy’s money and power and can take care of herself just fine.

Outlook on life: She tries to be optimistic for the sake of her friends and the other Rebels (especially the younger, newer ones), but she naturally gravitates toward realism and even pessimism when she’s in a particularly bad mood.  Most of the time she channels her negativity into motivation to do better.

Ambitions: Deidra really does want to take over the family company, and wants to do good by it.  She also wants to see Alice, Kara, Daniel and Finn, Manny, and all of the other Rebels and their friends and family happy and able to live normal lives.

Politics: Deidra’s political views are a mix of conservative and progressive.  She is mostly opportunistic and progressive with company and business matters.  Her opinions on healthcare, immigration, and education are more conservative.  She’s conflicted when it comes to Metahuman rights, even though she is one herself.

How does she see herself? Deidra sees herself as a good person, although she frequently worries and feels like she isn’t enough or isn’t doing enough for those who are important to her.  She’s always trying to do better and to be better than she thinks that people thinks of her.

How are they seen by others? A tiny blonde bombshell with a bad temper and a foul mouth, a tiny blonde bombshell who could kick your ass in her 5-inch heels and not break a sweat (or nail, or heel, etc.)...  Most of the Rebels, and especially her closest friends, see her as The Mom Figure or Mama Bear and freely call her as much to her face.

Do I (the writer) like her?  Why or why not?  I really like Deidra, both when writer her and as a person too.  She is a mess of paradoxes and is okay with that, is confident in herself and with who she is, and she really cares about and is willing to do anything for those who matter to her.

Most important thing about her: She puts others before herself, and isn’t as selfish as she thinks she is.

Present Problem: If her father decides that ousting his own daughter as a Metahuman to C.A.R.M.A. will benefit himself and LaReaux Industries more than keeping her under his protection...  Well, she doesn’t want to think about what might happen.  There is also the fact that she is dating a C.A.R.M.A. agent...

How will it get worse: If her Metahuman status is outed in any way for whatever reason, she could not only be in serious trouble but so could Kaden, and she couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to him because of her.

Her goals? Turn her family’s company away from her father’s twisted gray morals and run it with integrity, settle down and maybe start a family.  Most of all she wants to see her friends happy though, as impossible as it might seem.

What traits will help/hurt her in achieving this goal? Her maternal instincts, determination, wit, and business management skills will definitely be of help to her.

What makes her different from similar characters? I think what makes Deidra different from the typical blonde, popular chick, queen bee, snobbish and selfish heiress, cheerleader bitch type is that she isn’t a shallow, selfish person, is an all-around smart and successful woman, and most importantly doesn’t put down others just for her gain.  She genuinely cares about the people she loves and is willing to put her life on the line for them.  She is also a far cry from the damsel-in-distress type that some may be foolish enough to see her as.

Why will people remember her vividly?  People will either remember Deidra as the ultra-privileged princess who always cared about and put others before herself, or as the bitchy functioning alcoholic with the temper of a hornet’s nest.  Both are just as likely.

[sbienergy-blog1]

I'm A Beginner Camper - What Do I Need To Know?

Spending time in the great outdoors can be made more enjoyable wherever you camp, if you prepare ahead of time. Keep reading to get some advice on making your trip much more enjoyable. You will be thankful for this information. Ask family or friends who are camping with you for their input on your camping location. Think about where it is you want to go. The United States offers so many choices that choosing one can be hard! If it makes things simpler, list your personal preferences and then have the family choose from them. Ensure that your tent is large enough for all of the potential occupants. This makes it possible for everyone to sleep comfortably, and it also allows for room to move about and exit the tent if nature calls.

Check the weather updates for the camping site that you choose to go to. You can find the average weather during a season for almost any location online. When you have accurate weather information, the right clothing and equipment can be included in your supplies. Pack a bandanna or handkerchief. These can be used for several things, like drying your hands or holding a hot pot. It has a multitude of uses and should be an essential part of your camping gear. Purchase some pillows that are made for camping prior to going on your trip. If you bring a standard pillow for the bedroom, they become sticky and hot when the weather is humid. These pillows will also retain water from the air during humid conditions, so they can mildew. Camping pillows, on the other hand, possess a protective coating that prevents that from happening. Find all of your equipment and start packing well in advance of your trip. It would be a shame to arrive at your campsite only to realize you have forgotten some important items, like food and water. Double check all your supplies to make sure they are accounted for and in working condition. Do this before you leave. If you are camping in uncharted territory, make sure that you understand potential dangers lurking there. Some examples of dangers are flash floods or poisonous spiders. There are natural hazards associated with every camping area. Talk to your children about the dangers of camping before heading out on your trip. It's easy to look at photos online of harmful plants like poison ivy so that they are aware that they should not touch them when they're camping. If your campsite is known for wildlife, be extremely careful with food. You must wrap everything up tight, store it away from your tent and do not take certain types of food with you. Doing this means you cut down on your possibilities of an animal attack. You should always have some duct tape along on any camping adventure. There are multiple uses to put it to when camping, just like at home. It can repair an air mattress should it get a hole. It can also seal rips in tarps, a sleeping bag, or the tent. If you are going on a long hike, you can put it on the sensitive parts of your feet for blister prevention. You can even use it to bandage up injuries. Though camping may be about roughing it in the wilderness, being prepared is a necessity. Bring creature comforts like a sleeping bag, extra blankets and even an air mattress. This is useful for nights where the temperature gets too cold or as extra padding when sleeping on hard ground.

Be mindful of your camp location choice. You should avoid pitching your tent near breeding areas for insects or nests of wasps, bees and hornets. When near vegetation, long sleeves shirts and long pants will keep insects from getting on your skin. A strong bug spray is also something you want on hand, especially if the vegetation is very thick. Every camper should possess a basic utility knife. Utility knives are among the most versatile pieces of equipment in a camper's arsenal so make sure you Pack an extra one in your bag just in case you lose the one you carry around. Learn how to use a map or a compass before going camping. Even if you know what your campsite is like, you may still get lost because a lot of areas look similar around where you are. This skill can potentially save your life. When going camping, always remember to take waterproof matches with you when you're creating a survival kit. Keep them stored in an air and water tight container. A regular match can be made waterproof by dipping it in nail polish or paraffin. You can also make a caddy for them out of a 35mm film container or a medicine bottle made out of plastic. If you are tenting, it is important that you seal any of the seams in your tent. Tubes of sealer are readily available at the sporting good shop. By sealing the seams on your tent, you will keep out rainwater and any small critter that might want to join your tenting party. Use the appropriate sleeping bag for the current season. During summer, lighter bags are the rule, allowing you to maintain your cool. When it's cold, you need to have a sleeping bag that will handle sub zero temperatures. When you're away camping, what cooking methods are you planning on using? Knowing how you will prepare your food is essential for a smooth camping trip. Cooking over an open fire requires different supplies than cooking on a grill. Most people like to cook on a flame, but this can be really hard without preparation. Instead of buying an expensive tarp, you can use a shower curtain you planned to discard. It could also be used as a base for a cooking or washing area, where you can easily control all the run-off. Whenever you replace a shower curtain, simply launder the old one, and stow it away with your camping gear for your next outdoor adventure. Camping is a great activity for everyone. When you use the information here, you are able to plan a trip that anyone can enjoy, even those who dislike nature. Get outdoors and explore the many beautiful sights that Mother Nature provides.