AniaR
04-06-2015, 05:12 PM
its one word document page long! YOUVE BEEN WARNED.
TOO LONG FOR YOU TO READ? HERE'S THE SHORT: Being a mermaid is awesome. I made retrospective slideshows to remind myself how awesome. HOWS ABOUT YOU MAKE ONE TOO.
The Long version:
I made retrospective slideshows today of my girls and I. It blows my mind to see the progress weve all made. This is mine with some old horrible blonde hair photos included. Lol. I have so many photos documenting my journey I only picked some of my favs because otherwise mine would be 10 minutes long. You can see the ones I made of my girls in the comments to this.
I rarely stop to actually LOOK at how far I have come on this journey. I reflect on it a lot for media interviews or for helping other mermaids but I dont take the time to go through the old photos and videos and when I do man it surprises me sometimes.
I am so happy Ive had the chance to work with the different groups I have and combine my love for educating and my love for mermaids into this dream job. I founded an online magazine with Mermaid Sirena a while back where we just wrote up everything we could about how to be a mermaid (Tail Flip) and I have been posting stuff like that on all the forums and anywhere on the internet I could. As soon as I learned something I wanted it to be public knowledge so as many people as possible could experience this life.
I started out with bookings for childrens carnivals, teaching at world Oceans day, fundraisers for sick kids both independently and through the local childrens hospitals. Things that meant and still mean a lot to me. (we still do all those gigs too!) I experimented with modelling for both photographers and Dr Sketchy groups. I enjoyed small appearances on music videos, TV, and short films. Ive loved our time giving back to the Make a Wish foundation (they sent me to Disney when I was a kid!) Ive enjoyed giving in person and online workshops about mermaiding but also about how we can think outside of the educational box at universities, high schools, and conventions. Ive worked for hotels and local conventions, more festivals than I can shake a stick at (I think weve almost hit them all now!), summer camps, museums, parades (including pride which was amazing), the girls empowerment workshop, fairs, libraries, stores, wildlife charities, kids charities, weddings it makes my head spin! Thats not even the birthday parties.
Ive published the two books and Ive got all these videos and vlogs but I still feel like they barely capture the tip of the iceberg for what this whole mermaid thing does for me. I bet my girls feel the same. I look through these photos and I remember so many specific moments! The 13 year odl who gave me a smooch in front of a whole audience, the little girl who spent her entire party collecting shells for me, the mom who told me how her kid became obsessed with picking up plastic after doing one of our workshops, and the handful of kids with illness weve been blessed to know as they continue fighting, growing up, and in some cases being cured.
I think what sticks with me most are the priceless reactions. Expecting a pool party only to find a mermaid, showing up to summer camp and watching a mermaid swim in from the ocean, flipping my tail up next to a boat of tourists Sometimes I cant even believe my life since I became a mermaid. I live and breathe it. Its why I get so passionate about different things good and bad in the community. It has so much potential for so much good!
In the craziness of business, of tail making and selling, of social networking and working on an image I think we all forget to just take a step back and be amazed at this world we literally all created. And sometimes we forget to be proud of ourselves too. I want to internet high five people sometimes through the screen.
I am so happy I get to share this journey with my mermazing mermaids. Heres to more slideshows filled with new happy memories and experiences!
I encourage you all to make one, share it here, and reflect on your mermaid journey!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMLrsWG75bk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnxWtAw-43g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK8q0yr5OOU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtiK54douKA
TOO LONG FOR YOU TO READ? HERE'S THE SHORT: Being a mermaid is awesome. I made retrospective slideshows to remind myself how awesome. HOWS ABOUT YOU MAKE ONE TOO.
The Long version:
I made retrospective slideshows today of my girls and I. It blows my mind to see the progress weve all made. This is mine with some old horrible blonde hair photos included. Lol. I have so many photos documenting my journey I only picked some of my favs because otherwise mine would be 10 minutes long. You can see the ones I made of my girls in the comments to this.
I rarely stop to actually LOOK at how far I have come on this journey. I reflect on it a lot for media interviews or for helping other mermaids but I dont take the time to go through the old photos and videos and when I do man it surprises me sometimes.
I am so happy Ive had the chance to work with the different groups I have and combine my love for educating and my love for mermaids into this dream job. I founded an online magazine with Mermaid Sirena a while back where we just wrote up everything we could about how to be a mermaid (Tail Flip) and I have been posting stuff like that on all the forums and anywhere on the internet I could. As soon as I learned something I wanted it to be public knowledge so as many people as possible could experience this life.
I started out with bookings for childrens carnivals, teaching at world Oceans day, fundraisers for sick kids both independently and through the local childrens hospitals. Things that meant and still mean a lot to me. (we still do all those gigs too!) I experimented with modelling for both photographers and Dr Sketchy groups. I enjoyed small appearances on music videos, TV, and short films. Ive loved our time giving back to the Make a Wish foundation (they sent me to Disney when I was a kid!) Ive enjoyed giving in person and online workshops about mermaiding but also about how we can think outside of the educational box at universities, high schools, and conventions. Ive worked for hotels and local conventions, more festivals than I can shake a stick at (I think weve almost hit them all now!), summer camps, museums, parades (including pride which was amazing), the girls empowerment workshop, fairs, libraries, stores, wildlife charities, kids charities, weddings it makes my head spin! Thats not even the birthday parties.
Ive published the two books and Ive got all these videos and vlogs but I still feel like they barely capture the tip of the iceberg for what this whole mermaid thing does for me. I bet my girls feel the same. I look through these photos and I remember so many specific moments! The 13 year odl who gave me a smooch in front of a whole audience, the little girl who spent her entire party collecting shells for me, the mom who told me how her kid became obsessed with picking up plastic after doing one of our workshops, and the handful of kids with illness weve been blessed to know as they continue fighting, growing up, and in some cases being cured.
I think what sticks with me most are the priceless reactions. Expecting a pool party only to find a mermaid, showing up to summer camp and watching a mermaid swim in from the ocean, flipping my tail up next to a boat of tourists Sometimes I cant even believe my life since I became a mermaid. I live and breathe it. Its why I get so passionate about different things good and bad in the community. It has so much potential for so much good!
In the craziness of business, of tail making and selling, of social networking and working on an image I think we all forget to just take a step back and be amazed at this world we literally all created. And sometimes we forget to be proud of ourselves too. I want to internet high five people sometimes through the screen.
I am so happy I get to share this journey with my mermazing mermaids. Heres to more slideshows filled with new happy memories and experiences!
I encourage you all to make one, share it here, and reflect on your mermaid journey!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMLrsWG75bk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnxWtAw-43g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK8q0yr5OOU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtiK54douKA