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 *~

My Dream Fins: Color & Inspiration Collage

This is a mish-mash of themes, imagery and color that will serve as the basis for my Viking inspired mermaid tail. It will hopefully be done in silicone by one of my two favorite tail makers; Finfolk Productions or Merbella Studios. I'd also like to create a first 'draft' in neoprene over the chilly holidays using my Mahina monofin,  water-appropriate paint and other gilding in the above color pallet. I want to make this tail design mine as soon as possible!

Using one of the fun little online make-your-own mermaid doll games, I designed something that is close to how I want the colors and spotted pattern arranged on the tail itself. It's not the exact tail or fin shapes I want, but it's a good reference point. As you can see, it's inspired by fish of the related Norwegian salmon and rainbow trout family, complete with their cute freckles which I've always loved. The Norwegian salmon theme is played up in the platinum silvery colors and hints of gold.

 

Hehe...and I kind of want this phone case.

Taking The Plunge

A 1933 issue of life magazine

Ever since I saw the movie Splash, the obsession with the sea, its amazing creatures and those mythical goddesses has never faded. My very first mermaid tail was made for me by mom when I was 6 or 7, right after I saw the movie Splash. We literally left the theater and went straight to the fabric store. The last tail I had was at about age 10, and neither of these were made for the water.
I had always planned on making one I could swim in, but life gets in the way as it so often does.
After many years, I'm finally embarking on the adventure of becoming a mermaid.
Below is a quote and a link from an an amazing article on today's growing number of mermaids, and the history behind it all:
thenewinquiry.com - "Neither Fish Nor Flesh"

"...all these mermaids reappearing may signal a shift not only for women but for gender roles generally. Slipping on a tail, and the mythic identity that comes with it, is sacred, powerful. It evokes the freedom of being beyond gender, for a moment, while at the same time tapping into a primal female power so rarely expressed. The undercurrent of the mermaid’s power, suppressed by Disney and other cultural forces, is returning, in all its ferocious, primal energy of transformation."

Currently residing in California for about 6 years, I grew up in Seattle near the water and spent a lot of time in and around the ocean. I have a connection with the sea that is unwavering, and was almost born on a sailboat while my mother was at the wheel. I had learned how to swim before I could walk, and while I don't get to swim as much as I'd like these days, I find myself yearning for the waves. Even a calm lake, a slow river... a cool blue swimming pool even makes me want to jump in.

This blog will document my journey and challenges of making a basic swimmable tail, strengthening, breath practice and exercise to be a strong swimmer again. Hair/skin/eye health will also be documented when swimming regularly, and my findings on how to combat any adverse effects of swimming with my eyes open underwater. Out of all this, the eyes will probably be my biggest challenge. I can always start off in goggles.
Last but not least, I will eventually acquire a more realistic silicone tail made by renowned tail-makers; Finfolk Productions. My goal for that is Spring of 2015.

What exactly will I do with my dream fins and this journey?
I plan to start this as a hobby, hitting conventions, swim gatherings and other gatherings of fellow mermaids. But I'd also like to do event entertainment & appearances and build a name for myself in the mermaid world. I'd love to participate in things such as festivals, side shows, modeling and representing the growing mermaid effort to help conserve ocean wildlife and habitat. Even the occasional children's party or event. My options are only as limited as I choose them to be.
xoxo