![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Zombie Badge
I'm quite taken with this month's Rebel Zombie Apocalypse badge, which says "I'd Survive a Zombie Apocalypse." I'm pretty sure I wouldn't survive a zombie apocalypse, at least not for long (despite the name of my blog), but the badge looks doable.
You must do at least six requirements including at least one from each of four categories. (I am actually a sucker for this type of situation--lots of college majors are designed in a similar way to make sure you get some breadth while also picking out what seems fun.) Here are the ones that look good to me:
Be Prepared
* Start Couch to 5K or walk or run some missions on the ap, "Zombie Run." - This is about getting in better shape. I'm thinking about trying that app, which one of my friends has enjoyed in the past. (But not until after I finish my elections job, so I won't be earning the entire badge in October.)
* Learn about the survival rule of 3. - I'd never heard of this, so sure. It's a rule-of-thumb that states you can survive 3 minutes without oxygen (or in near-freezing water), 3 hours without shelter in horrific weather, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. Someone added 3 months without social contact. Obviously the actual times vary based on the situation and the person, but if you're completely clueless, this will help you prioritize.
Also, it checks out with that scene in Smilla's Sense of Snow where the protogonist finds herself in very cold water and treats this with the urgency it requires.
* a) Research ways to locate and treat water to make it drinkable. - In Girl Scouts we learned about boiling for a while or adding drops of chlorine. I'll do some updated research. For locating, go downhill to get to a creek? More research.
b) Are there any hidden places in your house you can find drinkable water? - Robin shouts, "Toilet tank!" I shout, "Water heater!" Hmm, we also have a rain barrel, and now that we don't have asbestos shingles, well, it could at least be boiled.
Know Your Enemy
* Find out about real-life zombies in the natural world. - There are real-life zombies in the natural world? Cool. A friend pointed to an article about fungi that attack that ants and make them walk to territory with the right temperature and humidity and then bite down on something while they are killed from within. That doesn't quite match my idea of what a zombie is, but you could certainly argue that once attacked, those ants are living dead. I will look up some more things; biology is fascinating.
* Watch a zombie movie. Identify at least 3 stupid things non-protagonists do to get themselves killed. - My favorite is "Zombieland." I think I'll re-watch that to answer the question of this requirement.
I also enjoyed parts of "Shaun of the Dead." And back in college I saw "Night of the Living Dead," whose special effects were already too outdated to be scary or gross, which was fine with me. Some of my friends have also acted in a zombie movie, but they don't recommend it.
Looking it up, I'm reminded I've also seen "Warm Bodies," which might really be my favorite zombie movie, with a likeable zombie protagonist. Also "Dead Alive," which I think was the one where they basically threw buckets of blood from off screen everywhere. And "The Girl with All the Gifts" that taught me how human-centric my thinking is. And the Cuban "Juan of the Dead" which I don't remember well but do remember enjoying. And Tarantino's gory and comedic "Planet Terror." And probably more I've forgotten; horror is not a favorite genre of mine.
* Read a book which features zombies. - I actually did this recently. I can't remember what it was called but it also featured zombie protagonists.
Survive
Robin's first thought was guns! I said, no, this is a British badge. It's axes!
* Try axe-throwing, rifle shooting, or shoot a crossbow. - We're both right. There's an axe-throwing establishment in walking distance of my house. A friend of mine considered this as a birthday activity last year but went with archery instead due to a bunch of us being old with shoulder problems. My shoulders are still fine, though.
* Prepare a meal using long-life or non-perishable foods. - So Twinkies? Heh. The obvious choice for me is taco soup: 3 cans of beans, 2 cans of corn/hominy, 1 can of tomatoes, one of Rotel tomatoes (tomatoes with green peppers), and all their liquids. The original recipe has hamburger, but I already found a package of dried plant-based taco-meat substitute that I'm going to try. I also like to put grated cheddar on top, but a friend did teach me in preparation for a camping trip that Laughing Cow cheese is shelf-stable without refrigeration for quite a while.
I'm hoping to get more ideas from the badge group. These could be handy even in non-zombie times. Especially when the power goes out.
* Build a fire and cook a meal on it. - I've done this in the past and won't do it again for the badge because fires contribute to climate change.
* Learn CPR and learn how to treat cuts, bites, and infected wounds. I've done this before but could certainly renew my CPR certification. And maybe do more research. Currently I'd treat bites like cuts, and I'd see a doctor for an infected wound.
Embrace it!
* Create a zombie-inspired feast. - Looking at zombie party foods, I have to say, gross! But! There are actually fun ways to bring various foods back from the (near) dead. My favorites:
- Banana bread and banana pancakes from old, black bananas.
- French toast and bread pudding from dry, stale bread.
Other people's favorites include wine (spoiled grape juice), kombucha, sauerkraut, and other deliberately spoiled edibles. Hmm, cheese and yogurt (which I like) may count in this category. And sourdough bread? I'll have to do some more brainstorming on this topic to come up with a menu.
* Have a cold pint at your local pub, or a cornetto, and just wait for it all to blow over. - British education time--what's a cornetto? Apparently it's a croissant-shaped broiche-like pastry. From Austria/Hungary and/or Italy. I'm thinking any visit to a bakery could count for this one.
Do check out my link above if you think this sounds fun, I've only shared about half the requirements ("clauses" in British English).
And, as usual, I'm happy to hear (read) your thoughts!
You must do at least six requirements including at least one from each of four categories. (I am actually a sucker for this type of situation--lots of college majors are designed in a similar way to make sure you get some breadth while also picking out what seems fun.) Here are the ones that look good to me:
Be Prepared
* Start Couch to 5K or walk or run some missions on the ap, "Zombie Run." - This is about getting in better shape. I'm thinking about trying that app, which one of my friends has enjoyed in the past. (But not until after I finish my elections job, so I won't be earning the entire badge in October.)
* Learn about the survival rule of 3. - I'd never heard of this, so sure. It's a rule-of-thumb that states you can survive 3 minutes without oxygen (or in near-freezing water), 3 hours without shelter in horrific weather, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. Someone added 3 months without social contact. Obviously the actual times vary based on the situation and the person, but if you're completely clueless, this will help you prioritize.
Also, it checks out with that scene in Smilla's Sense of Snow where the protogonist finds herself in very cold water and treats this with the urgency it requires.
* a) Research ways to locate and treat water to make it drinkable. - In Girl Scouts we learned about boiling for a while or adding drops of chlorine. I'll do some updated research. For locating, go downhill to get to a creek? More research.
b) Are there any hidden places in your house you can find drinkable water? - Robin shouts, "Toilet tank!" I shout, "Water heater!" Hmm, we also have a rain barrel, and now that we don't have asbestos shingles, well, it could at least be boiled.
Know Your Enemy
* Find out about real-life zombies in the natural world. - There are real-life zombies in the natural world? Cool. A friend pointed to an article about fungi that attack that ants and make them walk to territory with the right temperature and humidity and then bite down on something while they are killed from within. That doesn't quite match my idea of what a zombie is, but you could certainly argue that once attacked, those ants are living dead. I will look up some more things; biology is fascinating.
* Watch a zombie movie. Identify at least 3 stupid things non-protagonists do to get themselves killed. - My favorite is "Zombieland." I think I'll re-watch that to answer the question of this requirement.
I also enjoyed parts of "Shaun of the Dead." And back in college I saw "Night of the Living Dead," whose special effects were already too outdated to be scary or gross, which was fine with me. Some of my friends have also acted in a zombie movie, but they don't recommend it.
Looking it up, I'm reminded I've also seen "Warm Bodies," which might really be my favorite zombie movie, with a likeable zombie protagonist. Also "Dead Alive," which I think was the one where they basically threw buckets of blood from off screen everywhere. And "The Girl with All the Gifts" that taught me how human-centric my thinking is. And the Cuban "Juan of the Dead" which I don't remember well but do remember enjoying. And Tarantino's gory and comedic "Planet Terror." And probably more I've forgotten; horror is not a favorite genre of mine.
* Read a book which features zombies. - I actually did this recently. I can't remember what it was called but it also featured zombie protagonists.
Survive
Robin's first thought was guns! I said, no, this is a British badge. It's axes!
* Try axe-throwing, rifle shooting, or shoot a crossbow. - We're both right. There's an axe-throwing establishment in walking distance of my house. A friend of mine considered this as a birthday activity last year but went with archery instead due to a bunch of us being old with shoulder problems. My shoulders are still fine, though.
* Prepare a meal using long-life or non-perishable foods. - So Twinkies? Heh. The obvious choice for me is taco soup: 3 cans of beans, 2 cans of corn/hominy, 1 can of tomatoes, one of Rotel tomatoes (tomatoes with green peppers), and all their liquids. The original recipe has hamburger, but I already found a package of dried plant-based taco-meat substitute that I'm going to try. I also like to put grated cheddar on top, but a friend did teach me in preparation for a camping trip that Laughing Cow cheese is shelf-stable without refrigeration for quite a while.
I'm hoping to get more ideas from the badge group. These could be handy even in non-zombie times. Especially when the power goes out.
* Build a fire and cook a meal on it. - I've done this in the past and won't do it again for the badge because fires contribute to climate change.
* Learn CPR and learn how to treat cuts, bites, and infected wounds. I've done this before but could certainly renew my CPR certification. And maybe do more research. Currently I'd treat bites like cuts, and I'd see a doctor for an infected wound.
Embrace it!
* Create a zombie-inspired feast. - Looking at zombie party foods, I have to say, gross! But! There are actually fun ways to bring various foods back from the (near) dead. My favorites:
- Banana bread and banana pancakes from old, black bananas.
- French toast and bread pudding from dry, stale bread.
Other people's favorites include wine (spoiled grape juice), kombucha, sauerkraut, and other deliberately spoiled edibles. Hmm, cheese and yogurt (which I like) may count in this category. And sourdough bread? I'll have to do some more brainstorming on this topic to come up with a menu.
* Have a cold pint at your local pub, or a cornetto, and just wait for it all to blow over. - British education time--what's a cornetto? Apparently it's a croissant-shaped broiche-like pastry. From Austria/Hungary and/or Italy. I'm thinking any visit to a bakery could count for this one.
Do check out my link above if you think this sounds fun, I've only shared about half the requirements ("clauses" in British English).
And, as usual, I'm happy to hear (read) your thoughts!
no subject
Something else you might try in the Survive category is “make food that is shelf-stable for longer than 3 weeks.” Dried fruit and canned veggies might be simple enough. Make it more challenging: try to make a shelf-stable *protein* item like jerky.
no subject