Catch of the Day

This mermaid has been MIA for the past couple of weeks. With the holidays right around the corner, it's been a mad rush to get all of my shopping, and gifts done. To add to the chaos, I've been sick this week too. Sadly, we had to postpone the Christmas Party for Mermaids of the Great Salt Lake this week, because of my illness. Colds+Me=Sad Mermaid. But the good news is that lots of wonderful things are happening behind the scenes. I won't release everything here, because I believe in surprises! But I can say that SeaQueen Janelle and I have been working on a fin-tastic project that we will launch very soon. I won't tell you what, but I will tell you I've already had several people ask for one to be created. The other clue that I will give you is that we have also created a selkie-like story to go with this project. That's all I will say about it until we have the final pieces ready to launch. So keep your ears open and your fins crossed!

In other news, I have been teaching my little brother how to swim in a monofin. Correction. I spent 10 minutes showing him a dolphin kick, and then watched him take off like a rocket. I think that swimming (and mermaids) runs in the family blood. My late father was a swim coach and swimmer. He could hold his breath for over 3 minutes and sink to the bottom of the pool. Anyway, clearly my little brother is a merman. That kid picked up swimming like you wouldn't believe. I've taken him 3 times, and he can move just as well as I could after dozens of hours of practice. I'm excited, because he will be able to keep up with me when we get an underwater camera to do pictures and video. Hopefully that will happen very soon.

We've been heading to the pool the past few weeks during the afternoon. Normally, I do my swimming in the evening so I'm not used to the new crowd that was at the pool. Of course, it was mostly seniors, and a handful of moms with young children. I was honestly surprised at how many older women were just as excited (if not more excited) than the children were! I had dozens of ladies ask me about my tail, how it works, how long I've practiced in it, etc. Several of them would approach me and exclaim: "I can't believe I'm swimming with a real mermaid!" They were absolutely darling.

I also ran into a darling little boy, we'll call him Squirt for all intents and purposes. This little guy was about 5 years old, and was diving into the deep end. I was impressed, because I don't see young children that often swimming in 9 feet of water. But there he was. Here's how our conversation went:

Squirt: Dad, is that a real mermaid? I don't know if she's real. I think she's not a real mermaid.

MerQueen Lei Loni: You don't think I'm a real mermaid? I sure am the real thing! Would you like to feel my tail?

*Squirt touches tail and turns to dad*

Squirt: Yup. She's real.

What was cute was how matter-of-fact he was about the entire situation. It almost didn't phase him that I was. He was excited after the fact, and swam around with me, but in that moment, it was more of a scientific discovery, rather than meeting a mythical creature. 

I was also able to meet several darling little girls on another afternoon adventure. These girls were playing with mermaid dolls, and were so darling and sheepish around me. They would wave and show me their dolls. One exclaimed, "She looks just like you!" and another said, "You're so pretty!" before darting off. They hung around me for quite awhile. One of the girls tried to lift my tail and could barely do so. "It's so heavy!" she exclaimed. 

I'm looking forward to getting over this cold soon. My fins haven't touched the water in about 4 days, and I'm itching to swim again! Hopefully I will be well enough by  Tuesday night to go again! I'm off to go nurse this cold some more. I'd send mermaid kisses, but they would likely be contaminated with cold germs! 

Meeting a Ray

My husband and I were able to visit the aquarium yesterday evening. A few times a year they have days that are free admission, so we decided to take advantage of that, donate a little to their new building, and enjoy a lovely mermaid date at the aquarium. First off, I have to say that I'm hoping they let me come a volunteer as my mermaid self. That would be a dream come true. I felt like a five-year-old meeting all of her fishy-friends for a play date. My husband thought it was a little bizarre. Not that I was acting like a five-year-old, he's used to that part of me, but because the fish behaved strangely. He joked that they must know that I'm a real mermaid, and that I must be one at heart, because every time I put my hand up to the tank, or came close, the fish came to investigate me. I didn't think anything of it at the time, mostly because I was having too much fun playing with them, and watching them swim. But Hubby noticed that they didn't really behave that way with the other patrons there. I felt like Madison, from Splash, bouncing around the aquarium, amazed at all the beautiful aquatic things. I felt right at home there....minus the hoards of people.

 
Some cute Lionfish that came to say hello!


Yours Truly, with legs, hanging out with an octopus. Look, I actually have toes sometimes!


One darling little guy in particular captured my heart. He was a darling little Bat Ray in the petting pool. Of course, this mermaid, HAD to go play with the sharks, rays, starfish, and anemone's that lived in that pool! They had a couple of baby sharks, and a tiger shark. It was neat because a lot of the fish actually felt like my tail. Who knew that silicone so closely mimicked their skin? Anyway, back to my new friend. So this darling little ray swam up to me. Right to me. And as he was swimming he did a cute little flip for me. He hovered in the water just a few inches above the surface (the pool was about 2 feet deep), and waited for me. I got to pet his little "wings" and he then crawled the side of the pool up to me, and put his little "nose" above the water to greet me. He swam around my hand a little and let me pet him again before I went to check out the other exhibits. Hubby thought the behavior was a little strange. Sure most of the fish were used to humans, but they swam around the pool, and didn't really go to anyone in particular. Most people had to quickly touch them before they swam away. But this little guy seemed to like me. I decided that I wanted to come back to see him one last time (and to test a theory, I thought that maybe it was just a fluke). I stood in a different spot across the pool. The moment my hand hit the water, the darling little thing came right to me, AGAIN! This time he flipped, and quickly surfaced to greet me. Of course, I had to pet him. And then he went back under the water and hung out for a bit to let me play with him. When I lifted my hand from the pool, he swam away. I watched for a few more minutes, and he spend his time, like the other fish, swimming around the pool, not paying attention to anyone in particular. Hubby mentioned at dinner after, that he wouldn't have believed that experience happened, except for the fact that he saw it himself. Unfortunately, the area was too dark to capture any good pictures, and they don't like flash photography, so we didn't get any of him. I'm hoping to go back and sneak a picture really soon. And of course, see my new friend again! In honor of the entire situation, Hubby bought me a stuffed Sting Ray. Although it's a little different (and bigger!) it's the same family, and looks about the same. Now I get to snuggle my ray friend all night long. I named him Guppy.

My new friend Guppy. Isn't he cute?

Swimming Into Place

I just met with an old friend for dinner. I didn't realize that we hadn't seen each other for over a year, until we started talking. Of course, knowing me, I couldn't keep my mouth shut about being a mermaid. She knows, and she follows the blog and Facebook pages, but I still couldn't shut up about it. The good news? She's so excited that I'm going to take her out swimming on Saturday. It was nice to reminisce and catch up, and it made me realize how much I missed while I was working at my marketing job. And then I realized that I was neglecting my blog.

Life has been amazing these past weeks that I haven't had to work at that life insurance company. I spend my days doing mermaid things, catching up with family and friends, and just being me. I know I did the right thing, because the universe responded with so many positive reinforcements. And I wanted to spend just a few lines and remind everyone that reads this that money doesn't buy happiness. Sure, it buys lovely silicone tails, but ultimately, it doesn't make you happy. I am reminded of a quote that I remember reading off a blog about a year ago. I'm paraphrasing of course, but it went something like, "if you are ever trapped between the crossroads of safety and your dream, choose the dream, mermaids don't believe in regret." So I took a jump and quit my job, and the universe responded......

Shortly after I quit, I had several people step up to the plate (including my husband) and offer to help. Janelle has been a fin-tastic support system. Harley has been working more hours, and even my little brother who shares the apartment with me paid rent early so I could spend the rest of the month unemployed so I could catch up. So this is me publicly thanking them. And to all of you for your love and support. Couldn't do it without you.

I also wanted to give a shout out to Micah Moore. We just did an interview and wonderful photo shoot with her last Thursday. I was able to take her to lunch (okay, she took me, but only because we fought over the bill. I full intended on buying HER lunch). It was such an amazing experience. And she is an AMAZING mermaid. She is incredibly beautiful and talented. I can't wait to see how the pictures and interview turn out. It was so much fun to do the photos with her, and she was very conscientious of how hard it is to maneuver and pose in 3 feet of water with a tail. I felt like a real mermaid during her photo shoot, which was amazing. I was never uncomfortable or frustrated. Want more Micah? Follow her on Facebook and please check out her blogs, I've attached some of the links below:

http://themermaidstudio.com/

http://themermaidstudio.tumblr.com/

http://365mermaid.tumblr.com/

 

I will post more pictures and blog soon! Until then, Mermaid Kisses to everyone! 

 

 

Happy Mer-thday and Upcoming Changes!

Last week I turned 127 (or at least that's what I'll tell the kids!). My mer-friends were so wonderful and threw a little bash for me on Saturday. Followed with swimming, lots of swimming! I even got a plastic dinglehopper to brush my hair in the pool with. It matches my tail. I had a couple of darling little girls tell me happy birthday at the pool. One of my mer-sisters ratted me out! But I wanted to tell everyone thank you for all the wonderful birthday wishes that you sent me, and for all the lovely presents from my mer-sisters! And especially to Janelle, who put a ton of work into the party, and made me the most gorgeous mermaid pot and blanket.
 


You may have noticed that I mentioned "mer-sisters" in the above paragraph. That's because we have been making new and big changes! We officially have two additional mermaids swimming with us now: Mermaid Koral and Mermaid Dottie. They are delightful girls, and we are so happy to have them as a part of our team. Now when you hire me on, you will have the option of bringing other mermaids to the event as well.

We will also be changing the blog and will add a webpage as well. These may not happen for the next few months, but they are on their way so keep your eyes peeled and fins crossed! In the meanwhile, I may be posting a little less frequently (a couple of times a week, like I have been). But I will be posting, so make sure to follow me and check out the blog every so often!

Volunteering at the Road Home

Volunteering at the Road Home on Friday was truly an eye opener. We all may complain (myself included!) about our jobs, homes, car, finances, family, etc, but I don't think anyone really realizes how blessed they actually are (myself included!). The people at this shelter literally have no where else to go. Over 200 people are sleeping on closely grouped together cots in a large room. The stuff in/on/around their cots is all they have right now. They share space, public bathrooms, and even eat at these cots. It's better than being out in the cold, but it is still a difficult living situation, even though the Road Home does their best to make the place as comfortable and home-like as they can. I was so sad to see all these children, running around barefoot on the cold concrete. What almost brought me to tears was to see the desperation in the eyes of some of the children there.

So many wonderful volunteers came and made this event possible. They also donated their time and money to provide candies and gifts for the kids. I would like to give a special shout out to Calvin who not only donated his time, but he also created beautiful boxes of handmade chocolates and other assorted candies to give out to the kids, along with seashells that were provided by him and Thalassa. We were able to talk to the kids and let them see our tails and hang out with the pirates. Along with Mermaid Janelle and myself, we also had Mermaid Koral, Thalassa, Mermaid Dottie, and Mermaid Jessica visit us along with Captain Jack Sparrow, Calvin (who dressed as a pirate/mercenary), and a couple of extra pirates that came along for the ride. We also had my fabulous little brother who helped me with my mobility (more on that later) and with pictures.

 Although I have my mermaid mobile *ahem wheelchair* to help me move (and apparently I'm fairly decent at it, according to everyone there) we found out the hard way that the shelter is not very wheelchair friendly. And we had again...the same problem at pirate fest. We wheeled up to the shelter and realized there were at least 6 steps to actually get into the building. Uh oh. My new tail is very difficult to put on dry and takes me approximately 10-15 minutes to do so, so changing was out of the question. I offered to scoot up the stairs, but the lovely helpers at the shelter, and my little brother insisted they could do it. Meanwhile, my stomach is turning knots, and my face has gone white. They intend on taking me up the stairs in my heavy tail AND WHEELCHAIR. I bet that the entire package (and this might tell you how much I weigh! Eeep!) was close to 300 pounds. We've established in previous posts that I AM NOT a skinny mer. That's kind of my trademark. At any rate, I was terrified. But up the steps I went with these guys, and they didn't drop me. That being said, I nearly peed my tail in fright.


It was a truly magical experience to watch the children's eyes light up after they saw us. Dozens of kids lined up to meet us and talk to us. They swarmed us as we made our way through the shelter to the playroom. They were so excited. At the event we let the kids come in and collect little presents from us. I brought little cellophane bags filled with pet fish, pirate gold, mermaid tears, and stickers. Janelle had candy. And Calvin had brought the above mentioned boxes of chocolates and candies. What was wonderful was to see the children's faces light up at having these treats brought to them. You could tell that even though they were small trinkets, they meant a lot to the kids. The kids squealed at my new tail. Because it feels so realistic, some of them were even a little grossed out. They loved spraying me with the spray bottle. Some of them were terrified that I would die if they didn't keep my tail wet. It was terribly cute. One little girl wouldn't leave the play room, and was so sweet. She kept asking questions and giving us hugs. The kids were delightful. Almost all of them were very well behaved, and so polite. I was very impressed. They asked when we would come back to see them. They didn't want us to leave. And to be absolutely honest, I didn't want to leave them either.

The other people at the Road Home, especially Alicia, helped immensely with the entire thing. They were wonderful to work with and so helpful. We had rooms to change in, strong men to help lift us (especially me up the stairs! Eep!), and people to help us manage all the kids. I was very luck to have this amazing group of people to help with the event, and I sincerely hope to work with them again.

Even a little over a week after the event, I still feel sparkly. It was such a blessing to meet those kids and to be able to share this experience. We were asked to do another event in the future, and I hope that we can visit them again very soon. It's an experience I will never forget! 


 

Happy Halloween and my Mermaid Creations LLC Review

Happy Halloween! If you haven't guessed, I'm dressing up as a mermaid this year. Complete with silicone tail from Jesse at Mermaid Creations LLC. I wanted to post my review, and tomorrow, I will tell you all about my mermaid Halloween adventures at Joe's Crab Shack!

Here it is! The promised review for my silicone Mermaid Creations tail!

The communication process first. Jesse is FABULOUS to work with. He responds to emails quickly, and he is very friendly. He was also extremely helpful too. I felt like I was working with a friend. He is amazing at listening to my concerns, helping me with the design (I gave him an idea, and he flew with it and made something incredible), working with me on getting the proper measurements, etc. Even after I received the tail he send me text messages and emails to make sure I received it, that it fits, and for pictures.  Not once have I felt uncomfortable contacting him, and he has always addressed my concerns, even if I thought they were silly. Even after I had received it and swam in it, he's been great at helping me with my concerns about carrying it, putting it on, making repairs for the future, etc. He also emails you a care sheet, and gives you instructions on the easiest way to put on the tail. I honestly cannot rave enough about how wonderful he is to work with. Shipping was easy. This time, since I needed the tail quickly, Jesse shipped it via Greyhound Express which got to me in 2 days. I had to pick it up, but that was no problem. Actually, I preferred doing it this way because I felt I had more control over it (and that it passed through fewer hands, instead of going through UPS or FedEx or something). Jesse was great about telling me when he shipped it, where to pick it up, and even went as far as to tell me where the station was here that I needed to get it from.

As a comparison (and I know not everyone will agree with me here) Jesse completed my tail in under 8 weeks. He communicated with me the entire time, giving me pictures and updates and Facebook posts, he was extremely responsive when I emailed him, and the final product is amazing. Furthermore after receiving the product he still contacts me and is helping me get used to putting it on, wearing it, repairs, etc. I don't feel like I got a product and was left in the dark. He's been a great friend through the entire process. UNLIKE what I hear about many tail makers that take up to twice as long for a product only half as professional for twice the price. With a purchase this big, there's no reason for a tail maker not to make you a priority  and I felt like Jesse valued my opinion and my business by treating me so well. I do not believe I would have received this level of service, friendship, and professionalism from any other tail maker out there. Oh, and did I mention that his tails are amazingly gorgeous?! Please see Exhibit A.

Exhibit A




The tail itself is incredible. It weighs in at about 35 lbs, so it's quite heavy. The entire thing is pure Dragonskin Silicone. so it suctions to your legs well. It feels like a second skin on. My monofin is a cut Finis Competitor which is very powerful in the water. The entire tail feels as real as it looks, and it truly does make you feel like a real mermaid. Once in the tail, it feels so real and natural. It's comfortable for me to wear for hours in the water and out of the water. Even at work! Please see exhibit B.

Exhibit B



The tail looks amazing. And people have commented on how real it feels. The various shades of purple glisten in the light, and in some lights the tail is black, and in others it glimmers purple. It's really an amazing paint job. The back of the tail has the seam on it, and fins to hide the heels. The seam is almost unnoticeable  It looks more like a scar rather than a seam it's blended very well into the surrounding scales.The fins on the heels are incredible. They stand up on their own in and out of the water. They do make it a little more difficult to put on the tail, and I'm a little worried that they will degrade fairly fast because the weight of the tail while sitting is always on them, but they are beautiful, and have been very sturdy so far.





This tail is a beast. It's very sturdy. I've only had it for about a week, however, I have put it through some tests. It did well at work, and I had to flop my feet around quite a bit around my desk. In the pool, I do have to stand to get it on, and the heels have held up nicely. I haven't ever been to worried about the damaging the tail, not like I am with my fabric ones. This one can take quite a beating, even though I don't plan on abusing it. The best part is, Jesse has been great on giving me instructions on caring for the tail, as well as telling me what materials I need to purchase to reinforce it and repair it if/when I need to. And on top of all that, he has a warranty on the tail as well, so if I needed to I could always pay to ship it back to him for repairs.





It's the most amazing thing I have ever worn. It's versatile, comfortable, beautiful, and completely real. People can't believe their eyes when they see it. I would give Mermaid Creations LLC an A++ rating. Want your own? Please visit his website www.mermaidcreations-inc.com and like is Facebook page: www.facebook.com/mermaidcreationsbymermanjesse

Mermaid Story

I wanted to post this story that I wrote for a friend. He asked me to write a story about his pirate character meeting a mermaid. It's a little long, and could use some editing but I wanted everyone to have a read. Enjoy!

     It was a warm autumn evening when I spotted her. I was standing at the docks, waiting to board the ship. Out in the distance I saw it; a bright green tail, glittering across the red-orange sunset. At first, I thought it was a large sea creature. But there was something about the fluke that didn't match anything I have seen before. It almost resembled the fluke of a dolphin or whale, but it was too small, and it glittered. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. As the tail went below the surface of the ocean, I realized that I could make out the faint shadow of what looked like a human body. I was shocked when I saw that the body and the tail were attached. As a sailor, I've heard rumors of mermaids, but I have never had the privilege of seeing one. But there she was, clear as day. She had beautiful flowing red hair, and she was covered in shells. Her eyes sparkled, and she had pale willowy skin that glistened with drops of water, as if she were covered in tiny jewels. She swam to the shore and perched up on a rock. I approached her carefully, as she looked like she would dart back under the waves at any moment. I realized that she dared come to shore because her fin was tangled in fishing net. She looked like she was in pain as the net was tight against her skin and tail. There were places that I could see the rope burns and she looked like she was bleeding. When I realized that she was hurt, I rushed to the shore to help her. I stumbled over the rocks, banging up my own knee in the process. When she heard me stumble, she darted back between the waves. I could see her head pop back up out of curiosity, so I hollered, “I’m here to help! Please, let me help you!” As she hesitantly swam back toward me I realized that every time she moved her tail it was excruciating. I ran to the shallows and lifted her out of the water. She seemed resistant at first, but she was in so much pain she didn't fight much. I set her gently down on the beach and took out my knife to cut her loose. She let out a sigh as I freed her from the net. I tore off my sleeve and went to the ocean water so I could wash the wounds. As the water hit her fin and skin, the wounds healed instantly. She seemed grateful for my help, and as a thank you cut off a lock of her red hair to give to me. She told me that if I ever need her help, all I had to do was drop a single strand back into the ocean, wish for her, and she would return. Then, just as quickly as she came, she disappeared underneath the waves.

     I thought of her every day for months while away at sea. I wanted to use the hair, but I was too afraid. I would pull the soft red lock out of the leather pouch I carried it in around my neck. I would pull a single strand away. There was something in me that wanted to see her again, yet I knew that it would be heartbreaking when she had to return to the depths. So just as quickly, I would put it back. Being in the ocean helped me feel closer to her, but it also filled me with a yearning I could barely contain. With each passing day I was falling for a mermaid I had only met once. I refused any other female companionship. I found legs to be foreign, and wished only for my mermaid to come, but she never did. And I was always too fearful of the pain of her leaving to ask her to come again.

     A year passed, and I found myself at the same docks that I had met her before. I walked to the beach and stared out into the sunset. I stood there for hours and before I realized it, the sky had turned from red to violet. Glittering stars dotted the horizon, and they reminded me of the water droplets glistening on her arms. It hit me at that moment. I didn't even know her name. I knew nothing about this mysterious creature. But all the same I was irrevocably in love with her.

     Standing on the beach that night I felt a cool breeze. The tide was coming in, and before long I found myself almost waist deep in the drink. I knew the tide was rising. I knew that I should start to head back to land, but I couldn't  This was the closest I would ever be to her, maybe for the rest of my life. So I stood, watching the tide get higher and higher. The waves began to crash over me, drenching me from head to toe. As one came over my head and pulled me in its undertow, I realized that I had lost my leather pouch with her hair. Frantic, I dove beneath the surface, my eyes filling with water and sand. But it was too late. The pouch had drifted off to sea, taking with it my only memory of her. I swam back to the rocks and lamented my loss under the moonlight. Out of nowhere came the sound of the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. Someone, out in the darkness, was singing. Her singing tinkled across the night sky, clear and bright as the stars. I couldn't understand the language it was in; the words were foreign to my ears. I focused in the direction of the sound, and as my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could make the faint shape of a woman’s figure against the light. My heart pounded, could it be her?

     She dove beneath the waves, and as she did the sound disappeared. I searched frantically. Could it really be her? I nearly fell off the rocks when I felt a cold hand touch my ankle.

     “I was wondering when you would come back.” She said with a smile.

     My heart was racing. Here she is. I was convinced I would never see her again, but there she was stretched out before me on the rocks; that familiar green tail glittering under the light of the moon. I could see her red hair shimmering above the waves, covering patches of her perfectly pale skin.

     “You’re here. You’re really here. I-I-I thought I’d never see you again.”  I stuttered.

     “Of course I’m here. You called didn't you?” She replied. “You did drop my hair in the water, see?” She held up the leather pouch for me. “But you didn't need to drop the entire lock!” Her laughter filled the silence.

     “I thought that it was lost. The ocean reclaimed it when a wave pulled me under.”

     “Well, don’t lose it again.” She replied, plopping the pouch into my hands.

     We spent the next several hours talking. I was finally able to learn that her name was Thalassa, and that she lived deep beneath the ocean’s surface. Like any human, she had a family, she had friends, and there is even an entire underwater kingdom, much like we have here. I learned that she loved to sing and travel to exotic places to learn their songs. I also learned that she wanted to spend time out of the water, on land, but she was afraid to because no mermaid has ever returned home that went on land for more than a few hours. She said there were rumors of them going to the surface, and being captured studied, put on display, and eventually killed. Despite these rumors, she yearned to be on the land. She wanted to know what it was like to dance, ride a horse, and walk along the beach. She wanted to see the buildings that they saw from the waters up close. She wondered what it felt like to wear beautiful gowns and shoes. She wanted to stand on top of a building, and feel the wind underneath her. She told me all of these wishes. And with longing in her voice asked, “Will you take me? I need someone to protect me so I can go and experience all of these wonderful things. In return I can show you the greatest treasures beneath the sea. I can make you wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.”

     “I don’t need your money. But I would love to spend the time with you. I would love to let you experience life out of the water. Yes. Of course I will take you. It would be my honor and pleasure.” I was ecstatic. This was the opportunity I had dreamed of. This was my chance to make her fall in love with me, my chance to win her heart. I vowed that I would protect her. I vowed to show her the wonders of the walking world. “I just have one question. How will you grow legs?” I asked.

     “Mermaids can make a single wish if they retrieve a pearl from a clam in the deepest parts of the ocean. If we wish upon this pearl our wish will come true for as long as it remains close to my body. If I lose the pearl, or if it gets destroyed, I will also lose that wish. Today, I will swim to those depths to retrieve my pearl, and wish to have legs as long as I have the pearl on my person. That way, I can go back to my home in the ocean when it’s time.” She replied. When the sun started to creep up over the eastern horizon she gasped. “I have to go. They will notice that I've been away too long. Meet me here tomorrow night?”

     “I will be here. And I will watch for you. Please, be careful.” I feared that the journey she was about to make would be too treacherous. I have never seen the bottom of the ocean myself, and I could only imagine what dangers would lurk there. As she dove beneath the waves, I felt my heart sink. It was heavier this time. Heavy with the burden of knowing I could never see her again. The following day went by in a haze. Each minute seemed like an hour. It felt like a lifetime had passed before I was back watching the sunset over the ocean.

     An hour went by, then two. The sun disappeared beneath the surface of the ocean, and the moon began to rise. I waited anxiously for her return. There was no fin, no singing, and no sign of her. I feared that she had perished while trying to retrieve her pearl. Just as I was about to lose hope and walk away I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. It was her. I nearly fell over with joy, knowing that she was finally here. I noticed her legs, which in so many ways were just as beautiful as her tail. Her dress was white and fell to her knees. It looked like canvas from an old sail. The fabric was coarse, and she had silver rings dotting the bottom from where the ropes would have been suspended. Around her neck on a silver chain was a single pearl. Her hair was plaited down her back. She looked like a goddess. I noticed a tiny tremble in her legs. She looked as if she wasn't going to be able to hold her own weight up.

     “Can you walk?” I asked.

     “Barely. It took me a half an hour just to walk from the docks to here.” The distance to the docks was a mere 30 feet, and I could tell that she was nervous about walking again. I picked her up, and she was light. It was almost like carrying a child. I carried her clear to my home in town. I had already prepared a room for her the day before. I made sure everything was perfect. As I set her down on her soft bed she immediately buried her face in the pillow.

     “It’s so soft!” she exclaimed.

      I laughed and told her to rest. It had been a long day for both of us.

     “Please don’t leave me here, I’m still a little frightened.” She said sheepishly. So I helped her beneath the covers, and she quickly fell asleep. I waited by her side for a few hours before falling asleep in the chair next to her.

     We both awoke late the following morning. There was a rush to get proper clothing for her before we could go out on the town. Of course, I thought she looked beautiful regardless of what she wore, but questions would be asked if I took a girl around the town in a short canvas dress. I quickly had a seamstress visit my home to fit her and get her proper clothing. It was easy to make dresses for her as she had such a tiny frame. I instructed the woman to use her finest fabrics and design a dress fit for an ocean princess. When she arrived later that day the dress was perfect. It was long and flowing with a petticoat underneath, and it was the color of the ocean on a stormy day. She had even dotted the dress with pearls along the sleeves and neckline. It was perfect. 

     I took her out to the market later that afternoon. She darted from cart to cart amazed at all the wonderful things that there were. She couldn't get over the food. I laughed as she tried almost everything in sight. She couldn't get over the taste of fruit. I ended up walking home with a basket so heavy with goods from the market, the handle nearly broke off. She returned home exhausted, and smiling. There was nothing in the world I wouldn't do for another one of her smiles. She reached up to kiss me, and as her cool lips met mine, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with happiness. I had been waiting over a year for just this. I lifted her in my arms and held her close until we both fell asleep on the parlor sofa.

     It’s been over a month since Thalassa first came ashore. We spend every day together like it’s a holiday. Each day brings us new adventure, and every day I love her a little more. She too has expressed her love for me. She returns my love and favors with an endless waterfall of kisses, poetry, and songs. She sometimes will leave for a few hours to return to her ocean home. There is something about the water that she will never be able to give up. And each time she leaves my heart sinks because I fear she may not return. Each hour that passes without her seems like an eternity. And when she returns, I feel happiness so profound I cannot put it into words. As I write this, I am alone. Waiting for her to return home to me, knowing that in moments, I will feel her in my arms once again.

Sunday Swimming

The next few comments may be a little offensive to some. So before I dive into this post, I'm writing a brief disclaimer  First of all, I LOVE children. One of the main reasons that I do what I do is to bring magic back into the lives of children. But that doesn't mean that all the ones I come in contact with are well behaved. So that's what this post will be about, as the last human child I met was an absolute brat. Enough said. Brat with a capital B.

Whenever I come across these kinds of children, I have to act carefully. Regardless of what they say or believe, I'm not about to break character or break the magic, especially since other children are usually present. That being said, I also have to create boundaries. Often to prove their point kids will pull/kick/hit my tail which is not okay for two reasons. First, it's inappropriate for any kid to physically hit me. You wouldn't hit an adult, you wouldn't hit Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, and I'm no different. Even though my tail is "fake" it's not an appropriate course of action. Second, my "costume" is VERY expensive. It's okay for them to touch the fluke, but it's not okay for them to destroy it. Since there are fabric elements, and delicate sequins and shells attached, if a child hits/pulls/kicks the tail they can cause damage that will need to be repaired, and that's not okay.Especially since their parents have no intentions on replacing the tail or paying for repairs. I have gotten very good at putting on my kind, but stern, "teacher voice". I tell the kids that it is NOT okay for them to do that, that it hurts me, that my tail is part of my body, etc. And then usually I swim away and refuse to pay them any more attention until they behave. Sometimes that scares them into being good, and sometimes they leave me alone. Either way its a win-win, and I never break character.

Often, kids will follow me around the pool. Sometimes it's extremely frustrating because the parent(s) are nowhere to be found. There was a sign in the locker room that said, "Please monitor your children at all times. Lifeguards are not babysitters." I think the sign should have read, "Please monitor your children at all times. Mermaids are not lifeguards." That's how it feels most of the time I am at the pool. These kids are often not monitored by their guardians, which leads to the problems above with the hitting/kicking/pulling of my tail.

On Sunday I went to the pool with Koral. We ran into one little girl in particular that was a spoiled brat. She would demand that we do tricks, show her how our tails worked, etc. She would then claim that we weren't real, pull on our tails (she pulled a couple of sequins off mine), and demand things out of us. Meanwhile telling us we are liars, and she was going to tell her mom. (Like her mother grounding us is really a concern.) Her threats were, "Show me a trick, or I will be sassy" or "I'm going to tell my mom you wouldn't do tricks for me". I said, "If you can't be nice, I'm not going to show you a trick. I only do tricks for nice children." What I was THINKING was, "Look you little shit, I'm not here for your entertainment right now. Where in the hell are your parents? If you pull on my tail one more time, I'm going to take it off and smack you with it."

Once we decided to get out of the pool we couldn't remove our tails poolside, because the above mentioned Brat wouldn't leave us alone. (Seriously, where in the hell is her mother?!) So we decided to prove our point, that we would scoot into the locker room, and remove our tails behind the shower curtain and walls. What a sight for sore eyes! Here are two mermaids, army crawling and butt scooting from the shallow water into the locker room that's about 20 feet away. We're slipping on the tiles, wrestling with our bags and towels, while trying to open the locker room door. Out of water, mermaids are the most ungraceful floppy things in the world. At least we made it, and the Brat left us alone to change and shower in peace.

Silicone Tail

As most of you know, I have silicone tail in the works by Merman Jesse of Mermaid Creations Inc. Every few weeks he has been updating me on the status of my tail. I wanted to give him a shout out here on my blog and let everyone know just how amazing he is as an artist. He has been incredibly easy to work with, and he is extremely talented when it comes to tail making. Go like his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/mermaidcreationsbymermanjesse and check out his website: www.mermaidcreations-inc.com. He has the highest quality silicone tails at the best price. On top of that, he's an incredible artist. I gave him a design idea, and he ran with it and has created something truly amazing. I can hardly wait to debut the tail!

Here are some pictures of my tail in progress:


This is the cast of the fluke, along with the monofin. He's covered it in a thick canvas cover to protect the silicone from the fiberglass monofin. The monofin that is in this tail is a Finis Competitor.


Here's the silicone that has been poured in the mold.


Starting to come together!


Side view of the fin and scales.


It's mostly assembled. Looks like we're just waiting for some paint!


I'm hoping that very soon I will be able to update with the finished tail! Thanks Jesse, you are AMAZING!

Conversations with Children

One adorable little girl asked me one day, "Have you ever met a water dragon before?"
"Um.....no, I don't think I have met one before." I replied.
"Really? Because they love mermaids."
"But I'm just a regular mermaid, I'm not royalty or anything. I bet that water dragons only hang out with royal mermaids."
"No, water dragons are very nice, they like all kinds of mermaids." By this point, the little girl was starting to get suspicious of me "not being real". So I had to find a better reason for why I hadn't met a water dragon before.
"The must like warm waters, and I grew up where it's cold, just off the coast of Seattle by Puget Sound. I bet the waters where I'm from are too cold for the dragons to live comfortably." I said.
"No, they like all kinds of water, and have thick skin so the cold wouldn't bother them."
"Well I'm going to have to search one out when I get home! I'd love to meet a water dragon."
"With as old as you are, I'm surprised you haven't run into one. They are all over the oceans." She said bluntly. I should preface this by the conversation I had with her and other children on my age. I'm 126 in case anyone is curious, and I will be 127 next month.
"I'm surprised too! Maybe I've never been in the right place at the right time!"
"Maybe. I guess that water dragons don't like being up too far north though. That's getting too close to ice dragon territory. Ice dragons can swim too, and they like the water.......ooohhh! I bet you've seen an ice dragon!" At this point, my only option was so smile and say that I had seen one, but didn't know what it was at the time. She proceeded to tell me what an ice dragon looks like and I proceeded to tell her that must have been what I saw that very strange day.

I talk with kids and work with them at ever single event that I do. Even on practice swims at the local rec center I always have a few kids that want to interact with me briefly. I'm pretty prepared for most of the questions that I get. But that little girl (excuse the pun) blew me out of the water. The water dragon question was the pinnacle of that conversation. She also asked me about which king ruled the waters where I was from (Triton? Poseidon? Sobek? Delphin? Nehalennia?). Which surprised me that a 10-year-old knew so much about mythology. (By the way, it's Triton that rules where I am from.)

The one tip that I have for any beginning mermaid, whether you are going professional or just doing it for recreation is: keep your story straight! Make certain you know where your from, where you sleep, who your pets are, what you eat, etc. Another great tip is to tell kids that you are a mammal. Especially if you perform in a swimming pool. They are going to want to know why you can't hold your breath indefinitely. I always tell kids that I'm a mammal, no gills (I even let them see the back of my neck). I sleep in a secret cave off the coast of Seattle. I also tell them that I wear goggles in the pool because there is a special film over my eyes that allows me to see in salt or freshwater, but the chlorine will eat away that film and make it so I can't swim in the ocean anymore. Whatever your short coming is as a mermaid (short breath hold, goggles, kids seeing a spandex tail, etc) make it a strength by having a good story to go with it. Kids want to believe you are real, and even though they may see something they can't explain (why does the mermaid have seams on her legs?) if you have a story the magic won't be ruined. My best cover up? Kids asking me why they see me taking my tail on and off. Of course, it's because I'm like a selkie, and can remove my skin. At events I've even gone so far as making a large production of how I promised I wouldn't show them what the transformation looked like because it's quite gruesome.

The only reason I have decided to be a professional mermaid is so that I can share this gift with children. Even still, I try to keep my rates low enough that it's affordable to many people. And I pride myself on doing lots of volunteer work and meet and greet events. I think it's so important to remind kids to use their imagination and to not let it go (even as an adult). Being able to bring sparkle back into the lives of children is why I love doing what I do.

Pirate Festival

I've been meaning to write about the Pirate Festival last month for awhile now. That was the craziest-most-exhausting-best-weekend ever. I'm about a month past the event, and I'm still catching up! Luckily, my fabulous mertender-husband and I are getting over the plethora of mosquito bites we collected on the trip. We counted 20 on me and 34 on him. The poor thing got eaten alive! Since it was a festival we walked away with some pirate and mermaid souvenirs: pirate hats, jewelry, booty, 50+ mosquito bites, and sunburns. But the trip was so wonderful. And I can hardly wait for Ren Faire and the Pirate Festival next year. I now know to apply more bug spray and sunscreen!

The festival was amazing. It was wonderful to be able to meet some of the other local mermaids in the area. And I made so many wonderful new friends and connections. I was shocked at how many people were so willing to help us mermaids. I was toted around in a handcart, lifted onto a horse, brought food and water and snacks. I truly felt like a goddess. The people there were so kind and helpful! What shocked me was the fact that so many guys were willing to lift and carry me......and that's where the fun began.

It's amazing how people don't listen to you when you say, "I'm heavy! Be careful! Don't hurt yourself!". I think I said that at least a million times, and yet these guys would pick me up. One handsome pirate decided to carry me off the handcart about 10 yards to where my booth was set up. I warned him that I was a heavy mermaid, and that he should probably team lift me, but he picked me up anyway. I felt so badly because I knew I was a little too heavy! The ground was uneven and he stumbled and down we went! He was kind enough to take the fall for me though, and drop me softly to the ground. And neither of us were seriously hurt (although I hope his back is okay!). The rest of the trip I was terrified of being dropped. Every time I warned these guys that I'm much heavier than I look, and every time they looked at me like I was crazy! But they were fabulously dedicated to helping me out.

Mermaid Transportation.


I wanted to attach some pictures of the mermaid meet and greet booth. Thalassa spent most of the day with us, and it was wonderful to be able to meet and play with her all day! I can hardly wait to do it again.

Mermaids and pirates. I think Jack is about to eat Janelle......


Sittin' Pretty!


My favorite pirate at the event was Kenn. I've unofficially adopted him as little brother. He was incredibly helpful, and kind. He even lifted me up onto a horse for some pictures (with the help of my husband too). The adventure of putting a mermaid on a horse was epic. First I had to stand (in my tail) and feed the horse so he knew I was a friend. They were a little spooked by the fact that I had no legs, and didn't know what to think about me. They are also sloppy eaters. And most of the feed that I gave them ended up on my tail.....which they proceeded to lick off of me. Have you ever had a horse lick food off your tail? It tickles. Then we had to grab a barrel to lift me on to. I had to hop in my fin on the barrel (with Kenn's help) and then be lifted up onto the horse by both guys. What you can't see in the pictures is that there is someone behind the horse spotting me should I fall over backward...which I almost did. It was a lot of work, but we got a few great pictures!

Meet Kenn....a fabulous pirate in my mermaid tiara.


The only reason that mermaids haven't taken over the world? Land transportation and horses.

Exhibit A: Attempting to put a mermaid on a horse. Terrifying? Yes!



Exhibit B: Riding off into the sunset!




Okay, I know this post is getting to be an epic, so I will impart one more story of the festival and let your eyes rest!

Since the Pirate Festival took place at Willard Bay we were able to perform in the bay and swim. Let me start by saying that Willard Bay is DISGUSTING! They transported us to the docks via handcart and truck. The trick was getting us into the drink as the water was shallow and the rocks and boat ramp was extremely slippery. After slipping and sliding and bumping around on the rocks we were able to make it out to the deeper parts to swim. The lake was so filled with algae and heaven knows what that it was virtually impossible to dive and swim under the water. And the visibility was zero. Yes, I opened my eyes in that stuff. Yes, that was probably a very bad idea. It was like opening your eyes in a bowl of salad. Nothing but green and brown. I'm lucky I didn't get an amoeba!! The lack of visibility, and the fact that I was in wild water made the swimming experience slightly terrifying. You don't know where the bottom is, you know that your fin makes you more than 6 feet tall and you can't feel the bottom with the tip of your tail, so you know you're in at least 7 feet of water....and then something brushes against your leg. The only thought going through your head is, "OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH! WHAT WAS THAT! EEEWWWW! A FISH? A BRANCH? A DEAD BODY??!!!???" Meanwhile you are smiling and laughing and beckoning pirates in telling them "Come in! The water's fine! It's wonderful!". All lies. The water was NOT fine. And why is there a random warm spot when the rest of the lake is so cold? Ewww! And then there was posing for photos on the rocks. We found out the hard way that the lake has crawfish....and they bite (or pinch?). The rocks are slippery, we have maybe a foot of water, and creepy crawfish are hiding underneath our perches....angry because we're probably crushing them. And I'm trying to smile for pictures. Smile, OUCH! Smile, Ew! Smile, QUIT BITING ME! Smile, Was that a mosquito or a crawfish? Smile, EEEEKKK something brushed against my leg! Luckily, I was able to hide my disgust and disdain. It took 3 pirates to drag me onto the docks, and when I finally came out of the drink, I smelled of algae and pond. The good news? Algae is great for your skin, so my skin shimmered the rest of the trip. (But my hair smelled of pond.) But for all of the fear and crawfish bites, it was so worth it. There were so many people that came out to watch, and it was wonderful!

I'm sure I've missed a million and one things. The entire festival was so wonderful that I can't really talk about it in one blog post. But, if you want more stories, and/or have questions, feel free to comment and I will respond!

Mermaid Kisses to all, and especially to all those that helped me at the festival, and helped organize the entire thing!

Dreams So Real

The last time I went swimming I had a very unique experience. At the rec center that I have my membership to they require that all kids under the age of 18 leave the pool for a set 10 minutes at the top of every hour for a "bathroom break". Most of the kids just sit at the edge of the pool and wait. The benefit of these 10 minutes is the fact that I get the pool mostly to myself without having to worry about kids jumping on me. This time, I was swimming with a new mer-friend, Koral. About 15 kids lined up on the edge of the pool to watch us dive. I was exhausted, as we had already been swimming for a little over an hour, but I didn't want to disappoint the kids, so I put on a show. We were diving and swimming and flipping our tails. The kids were cheering and laughing like we were performers at Sea World. All except for one little girl. It was her response to being able to see a real mermaid that shocked and saddened me. It was a terrible reminder that so many children grow up too quickly. Too many people forget that fantasy, magic, and make believe are important, and healthy. She insisted that we weren't "real mermaids". And began to threaten us when we continued to tell her that we were real. Provided, these were threats of a 9 year-old. Threats of, "I'll tell my mom you're lying" and "I know a cop, and he'll arrest you for lying". I got to the point that I just laughed it off and swam away. Because yes, I'm sure some police officer is going to take the time to reprimand a performer for telling you she's real, or that your mother is going to ground me. What I said to the little girl was, "I'm sorry that you don't believe me, but I am a real mermaid, if I wasn't I wouldn't be able to swim in this tail!" What I was thinking was, "Look you little shit, you're ruining the magic for everyone else, I don't care what you believe, but quit ruining it for the other kids." But I did feel bad for poor Koral, being fairly new to the swimming part of mermaiding, was a little upset by how rude this girl was. More upset by the fact that she insisted on making her friends not believe either. The sad thing? I get kids like this all the time. Sure, I get more kids that see me as a mythical creature, but for ever 10 that believe, I get 1-2 that insist on ruining the magic for everyone else.

It's interesting, because I get the question, "Are you a real mermaid?" almost every time I go to the pool. My answer is ALWAYS YES. I remember once a kid asking me why I would lie to people about being a mermaid. And I thought this was an interesting point. When you go to Disneyland and meet Cinderella, no one asks her if she's real, because she is. There's Cinderella, blue ball gown and all, standing right in front of you. Real as day. A mermaid performer isn't any different. Yes, I am a real mermaid. Why? Because I'm a mermaid in my heart, I believe I am a mermaid, I perform as a mermaid. Therefore I am a mermaid. If you think about it though, what does a mermaid have? A tail, and the ability to swim in it. The lore varies on whether or not they live in the ocean or lakes, can breathe underwater or not, can change into a human or not, eat people or not, etc. But all mermaids have one thing in common. A tail of some kind (or an incredible swimming ability) and a love of the water. I have both. Therefore I am a mermaid. But this thought process can be applied to every dream that you have. You are what you dream. I don't care if you're a princess, a mermaid, or a unicorn you can be whatever you dream. Dreams are real. Dreams come true. I'm living proof. So the next time some brat child comes up to me and insists that I'm not real (or the next time ANYONE comes up to you and insists that your dreams aren't possible) just remember that if you can dream it, you can DO IT. Go ahead. Ask me if I'm a real mermaid. Because I am. 

FAT Mermaid!

I wanted to write about my feelings about being fat. And no, I'm not putting myself down. I know that I am a beautiful, confident, sparkling mermaid. But there has been a lot of talk on Facebook and Mernetwork lately about people being put down for their weight. First, I want to make sure everyone understands that the size of your pants has NOTHING to do with how beautiful you are, regardless of what the media, or anyone else says. Everyone is beautiful and unique. Period. Second, I want to start this by telling everyone that I have struggled with my weight for years. I'm not here to tell you how to live your life, but I'm here to tell you about my experiences. Finally, I will tell you that I am a happy size 16. I don't care how you look at that number, and don't even bother to tell me that I need to change my body, because I'm happy and confident with who I am. And you aren't going to change that.  What I look like, how I eat, what I choose to do with my time, is none of your business. So please don't tell me what I can and cannot eat or how often I should exercise. It's my body and my life, and I will do with it as I please. If I want to eat cheeseburgers for breakfast and be a size 30, that's MY BUSINESS, NOT YOURS. I'm here to tell everyone that life is about loving yourself. Life is about living. And that everyone, I don't care who you are or what you look like, is BEAUTIFUL!

And I should probably warn that this will be long. I am very passionate about this subject, and I'm not about to hold it in. Read as much or as little as you'd like. But I hope that you all can take something out of this post.

I live by several mottos. The first is: "you choose to be offended". The reality is that you decide how you feel about what others say or think about you. They don't control your life, you do. And by becoming offended or hurt by a nasty comment only gives THEM control over YOU. And no one controls this mermaid but herself. Sure, I've had my fair share of stings, but I don't let them bother me. If someone else doesn't like the way you look, who cares!? Their negative comments aren't necessarily about you. What's likely happening is that they lack self-confidence and are jealous because you are gorgeous and confident and don't give a shit about what anybody else thinks. Chances are they are putting you down so they can feel better about themselves. How do I know this? BECAUSE I WAS THAT GIRL! There was a time in my life when I was thin and always criticizing myself...and then I realized that I was jealous of all these gorgeous girls that weren't afraid to be who they are. So I let that jealousy go. I started to build myself up in a positive manner, and I realized that I was the one that was wrong. And my life and perspective has completely changed.

That leads me to my second belief. "It's none of your business what other people think about you". It sounds a little harsh, but it's true. On that same note, as long as you're not hurting anyone, it's nobody's business what you choose to do with your life, or how you feel about yourself, or what you look like. But ultimately, who cares what other people think? Spend your life doing what you love, and what makes you happy, not about worrying about what some stranger thinks about you. You'll probably never encounter them again in your life anyway.

My late father used to always say, "You have to be crazy in order to fight with a crazy person." So I don't bother arguing with people that just want to put me down. There's no reason to fight with them. Seriously. If they don't think you are unique and beautiful, than they are crazy, because you are. I don't care what the media/health freaks/doctors/magazines/pant size says.

Finally, remember that "you have to live with yourself everyday, so why not love yourself?" Truly though, there's no reason to hate yourself or put yourself down. Sure, you can always better yourself. If you want to be thinner or healthier by all means do so, but DON'T do it with the mindset of "this doesn't taste as good as thin feels" or "if I lose a few more pounds, then I will be pretty". Because that's all a bunch of baloney. Put yourself first. Love yourself. You have to see yourself and live with yourself and interact with yourself EVERYDAY there's no going around that fact. So while you are at it? Learn to love yourself. One of my favorite quotes is from RuPaul, and he says, "If you can't learn to love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else!". And it's true. Think about the person you love the most, you can't really love them as much as they deserve to be loved until you learn to love yourself first. I promise, that learning to love yourself with be the affair of a lifetime.

I hope that my words have angered and inspired you. I hope that you can read this and change your perspective on yourself and on your life. I will say it one more time. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Laguna Beach

I wanted to start with one of my most memorable experiences. I went with a friend to Laguna Beach to do some real mermaiding at the ocean and capture some pictures. I had expected it to be sandy and hot, but what I hadn't expected were the riptides. I might have to remind everyone that I am a land bound mermaid, so my experience has been in lakes, swimming pools, dry events, and that until that day, I had never been in the ocean with my tail. In the middle of a beach with hundreds of people, I tugged on my silver tail and posed for pictures. I tangled myself in washed up kelp as the cold ocean water washed over me. People asked for pictures and many people had pulled out cell phones to capture the mermaid. And then the tide rose. I found myself sitting in about a foot of water. As the waves rolled in I realized that they were pulling me out deeper with each riptide that came in. The sand literally washed away from underneath me. I panicked a little when I couldn't pull myself up. Normally I can army crawl several feet, but with the weight of the water, sand, and riptides, I wasn't strong enough. So here is a mermaid being wiped out with each wave that came in. And might I remind you, the water was only a foot deep! I decided that I had to get the fin off in order to walk to safety as the riptides were to dangerous to deal with. I'm struggling with the rubber ankle straps while being pulled out into the ocean. I can't get them off fast enough, and the fabric of the tail is making things more difficult. Once my feet were free, the ocean started to pull on the fin, and I almost lost the tail. Knowing that monofin can cost about $100, I was determined to save it. I clung to the fabric for dear life, watching in horror as the entire tail stretched to about 9 feet. Who knew spandex had so much stretch! Meanwhile, I'm still being tossed around. At some point, I'm on my belly, hanging on to the tail, and the tide pulled my swim top off. This was not a nip slip. This was the whole thing. I realized that I had three choices: save my life, save my dignity, save my tail. In this situation, a normal person would have acted in the manner I just listed. I mean, no rubber monofin is worth your life right? But in the heat of the moment, I focused on saving my tail while pulling up my suit, while being rolled and pulled back out to sea. This was in front of hundreds of people, who moments earlier were snapping pictures of the graceful mermaid. Luckily, I was able to get back on my sea legs and walk up to shore. I was covered in sand, my tail was destroyed (the monofin was okay though), and my pride was shot. That tail has never been the same, and I had to retire the skin. At least I got some good pictures out of it. Graceful mermaid? Not so much.

Introduction

Being a professional mermaid is a truly magical experience. There is an amazing transformation every time I put on my tail. I lose all sense of being human, and the water becomes my home. There is something wonderful about sharing magic with both children and adults, and reminding people that dreams do come true. I have put over 200 hours into swimming and entertaining and practicing, and they were all well spent. But with all the practice and magic and beauty, there's A LOT, about being a mermaid that is not glamorous. And that's what I've created this blog for. Sure I will blog about the adventures and the glamour and I will write about all the amazing things that happen when I'm a mermaid, but I also want people to see what happens behind the scenes. What being a real mermaid is REALLY like, because it's not all sparkles and beauty. I will dive into the details of what goes on in my head during underwater and dry performances, the hilarity of being trapped in a tail and at the mercy of your mertender (the person that comes with a mermaid to assist her at events), working with children and the delightful things they say, tail cramps, beach bums, and everything in between.