The Deco Darling With A Golden Tail

About 2 days before attending a local sci-fi fantasy convention, I had the urge to create a new look for my gold tail, and get photos.
So, armed with the scraps from the creation of the tail, I whipped up a 1940s style "sunbathing dress" inspired by ones I'd seen on Esther Williams and Betty Grable.
Lucky for me, the hotel that was hosting the convention had a really pretty pool, and my talented friend and fellow cosplay nerd, Mary Anne Butler had her camera at the ready.
More photos are on the way, but these are the teasers she's sent me so far:

Here's a link to a super quick snippet of video, of yours truly making new friends and inspiring a future mermaid.
 https://www.facebook.com/rj.johnson/videos/10205670893245140/

As you will witness in the clip, roles were reversed; this time the mermaid was tempted into the water from her sunny perch, by the adorable child. I wish the clip was longer, and could have caught the song this little girl was making up while hanging onto my shoulders, as I gave her a ride across the pool. I'm still not sure how I didn't just die from cute overload ;-D

In other news; I've entered a fun little contest with Mermaid Minerals to be Mermaid of the Month of May.
You can cast your vote for me by "Liking" my photo in this Facebook post.
Thanks!! XOXO

A Fork In The Road

The below has pretty much been my theme song for the last year or so.

It sums up how I'm feeling about life, the good and bad (mostly good), the new things, and what I choose to do with the old things. Especially the time given to me on this planet.

I'm currently trying to sort through what makes me happiest in life, and clearing away the clutter keeping me from realizing my dreams. Even if they aren't so crystal clear yet, I can at least see a light at the end of the tunnel.

The hard part is letting go of one I can't speak of yet, that was once a fun hobby for years(!).

I still love to do it, but even this is now at risk of simply being a habit and more difficult to do because of distance and time.

It stresses me out, because I feel the need to keep up with a 'scene', that according to others expectations, I'm supposed to be a part of *at all times*.
I like being part of a community and even a scene, but maybe I need something new?
And I'll say it out loud; mermaiding has given me this possibility.

~ 'Fountain' - Song by Iamamiwhoami ~

"What lies beyond the fringe of the woods?
Dust to dust so we leave for good
When all has gone to blazes I start to run
Until I find places where nobody's gone

No more weight on your conscience
With ease I go back to the start

Surge like a fountain, like tide

And swallow the bleed
Flows like a fountain inside

Gather force from the sea
Riding this giant wave untied
Let it wash me clean

Crawling through deafening cold
Turning head there's no sight of home
Though my body's aching
 we have to push on

For every stride a new line is drawn

Surge like a fountain, like tide

And swallow the bleed
Flows like a fountain inside

Gather force from the sea
Riding this giant wave untied
Let it wash me clean

From watching eyes 
I blindly rove

To guard my stories
 and find new gold

Riding this giant wave untied
Let it wash me clean

What lies beyond the fringe of the woods?

Dust to dust so we leave for good"

~* Freyja The Viking Mermaid playlist on Spotify *~

An Eye-Opening Experience

Friday after work, I had an "OMGODS, YAAY!" moment.
It may be silly to get this excited over the following, but I couldn't help it.
For the first time since I was a little kid, I swam with my eyes open in a pool!
A chlorine pool, and it didn't hurt!! The last time I tried opening my eyes in a swimming pool, after only opening them in clean river water, the trauma from the pain caused me to never open them in swimming pools again. It's been goggles always since.
On a whim I decided to give this one a go, since I'd heard good things about how clean it is, but not stinky with chemicals.
After taking out my contact lenses and donning my glasses to safely make it from locker room to poolside, I shoved my feet into my monofin and dove right in.
After psyching myself up a little, I just stuck my face in the water and slowly opened my eyes, expecting the hellish sensation of chlorine molesting my sensitive eyeballs.
To my surprise there was no stinging, no burning! After so many years of goggles it felt weird to swim forward with them open, but I'll just need to get used to that again ;)

I'll still do some laps in the pool at my gym, but since this pool has a deep end, I may be here more often to do some real swimming and deep diving. Perhaps even organizing mermaid meet-ups if they are ok with a bunch of mermaids frolicking.
The other awesome thing is the hours are great when they aren't closed for swim meets and competitions, which is rare. They are open until 8pm Monday through Thursday, 6pm on Fridays and weekends until 3pm.

Thank you SJSU Aquatic Center, for your crystal clear water, friendly lifeguards, amazing filtration system, low chlorine, non-crowded, Olympic-sized pool with a very deep end. Go Spartans!
San Jose State University Aquatic Center