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<editorsnote> Hi, I'm Jen Friel, and we here at TNTML examine the lives of nerds outside of the basements and into the social media, and dating world.  We have over 75 peeps that write about their life in real time. (Real nerds, real time, real deal.) Sit back, relax, and enjoy some of the stories!! </editorsnote>

 

 

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Entries in jen squard (181)

Thursday
Jan132011

#KnowledgeBomb - Pyrrhopyge papius Caterpillar

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

I’m not going to lie, this has to be my favorite species of caterpillar.  At least top five.  When I was doing my research in Ecuador (best time ever), this is the little bugger I chose to write my main paper on.  And here is why: they are GORGEOUS.

After studying them a bit, I totally realized I had made a great choice.  These little bundles of adorable aren’t only super pretty to look at, but they have some sweet survival skills that warrant some props.

Here is a picture of a baby.  Like, baby baby.  Caterpillars go through five instars, or stages, before metamorphosis.  Aren’t they cute as babies?  They aren’t the tiniest things ever, but pretty small, less than an inch long.  They have big hard helmet heads, and super bright orange bands going around their deep maroon bodies.  Those super long white hairs are a defense against biters like birds and bigger bugs.  Bright colors and strange appendages in the jungle generally equal toxic (unless you are a sneaky copy cat, which totally happens).

Here’s the thing that blows my mind: that awesome color is thought to be directly related to the latex that flows through the leaves of the plant it eats, Vismia.  The latex is  dark maroon or orange, depending on the plant, and that is the plant’s defense - obviously ineffective against this tough little nugget.  But I’m pretty sure it does make these little dudes toxic to predators.

One of the most awesomesauce things about them is the way they shelter themselves.  Caterpillars have a bunch of different ways of hiding and sheltering themselves, and this dood builds himself a little hut.  He eats away a part of a leaf, flips it over, and glues it down on top of him.  Perfect hiding place!  

They get pretty big as they go through their life stages, and I would guess (this is totally from memory) that they are about 4 inches when they pupate.  OMG, pupating!  Yes!  That is when the caterpillar gets all weird, and their body turns into that strange chrysalis thing.  Usually it is ugly - like a dull brown to blend in - but not this guy!  He stays fabulous even when going through one of the most strenuous and taxing changes that occur in the animal planet.  Look at that color!  Um, so yeah, they become far less spectacular as grown-ups, which is usually the case.  The most gorgeous caterpillars often make the ugliest moths.  So enjoy, these are all photos I took while I was falling in love with them!

 

Want to suggest an animal for a knowledge bomb? Hit me up on Twitter or Facebook!

Thursday
Jan132011

#ProjectThreeSixFive: Day 13

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

I had some grand plans for today's photos and they didn't at all work.  Like at all.  So I'll have to try again tomorrow.  Anywhoozle, here is Rascal, the baby loving cat!

 

Thursday
Jan132011

#AmazeBalls: My Official Bio

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

Dudes!  I finally got a bio up, and it was written by the amazing and awesome and amazing and incredibly and amazing Pablo (TNTML's amazeballs intern).  LOVE it. It is so so sooo great, and Pablo did a fantastic job making me look like a stud muffin instead of a bran muffin.

Thank you so so SO much, Pablo, I really do appreciate it more than I can ever explain to you.  And next time you want some cookies or some such yumminess, let me know and I'll send it your way! 

 

Checky check it out for yourself here: JenSquard's Awesomesauce Bio

Shoot Pablo a tweet and let him know how amazing you think he is! @TaoBliss

Wednesday
Jan122011

#Randombling: @JenSquard

 

#TalkNerdyToMeLover’s @JenSquard

Randombling: A 5 minute long unedited random stream of consciousness produced by a nerd for nerds.

#nowplaying: Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

Man, oh man, I guess it is just a Jen thing, but I’m in the sexual frustration boat now, too.  Dang.  See, married sex is an entirely different beast than regular sex.  You are with the same person forever, and things just change, I guess.

Before we were married, sex was exciting and taboo, which I’m sure helped make it awesomer, and there wasn’t a lack of mental stimulation.  Now, he works all day and I hang with the kids, and when he gets home from work I seize my opportunity to do my own work.  We just don’t get alone time very often, and when we do it’s like he just has no idea what to do with me.  I don’t think it should be up to me all the time, but apparently it is.  No, not okay.  Brian just has a hard time understanding the mental stimulation thing.  He knows that I can just look at him and he is turned on.  But it’s not like that for ladyfaces, we need someone to grope at the brain, then the boob.  Get it?

BRAIN, then boob.  BRAIN THEN BOOB!!!

I’m over it.  The thing about being married for a while is you stop getting asked or cajoled or...I can’t think of the word....sweet talked? into sex, it just becomes an expectation.  It’s no longer earned, it’s guilted.  I definitely don’t ever ever ever EVER want to have sex because I am obligated or because I feel bad.  No, that’s so not kosher.  Um, cause guess what?  I want to enjoy it, too.  The end.

Meh, I need a SpiritHood to hide under.  Lame.

Wednesday
Jan122011

#WIN: Find Your Inner Animal

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

Our friends over at @SpiritHoods tweeted this out today:

Of course I tried it, I'm an animal nerd to the max, and I totes magotes already know what my spirit animals are. They ask you some awesome questions - l like your hair style, the size of your heart, and the places you like to live.  Look what they came up with for me (I was totally totally honest, not even a little bit of cheating in there, and I honestly had no idea what they would come up with.  

Dude, not even joking, hippos are my #1 spirit animal.  I LOVE hippos, and totally totally relate to them.  They look slow and awkward on land, but it is misleading - they are actually pretty fast.  They are soooo amazingly graceful and beautiful underwater, like ballerinas.  And they are insanely aggressive and territorial when needed.  Literally, the hippo kills way more people along the Nile River every year than crocodiles and snakes combined.  No joke.  


*sigh*  Aaaah, hippos, you and me, we are practically the same.  Except I have nice teeth and yours are super scary.  Take the quiz and see what they come up with for you!  Post it on Facebook or Twitter, and let me know if it’s a good fit!

http://www.worldwildlife.org/inner-animal/inner-animal.html

Twitter.com/JenSquard
Facebook.com/jenswedhinphotography