Mermaid Aela and MerNetwork featured on Yahoo News [March 3, 2012]

[Spindrift]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/woman-pursues-dream-becoming-mermaid-joining-hundreds-worldwide-184722597.html

Found it on a news sharing site - not sure if anyone has posted it here yet.

Congrats!

[AniaR]

we're all proud of her, but sadly trolls have been running rampant in the comments section, so be sure to drop in and let those people know how great Aela is, as well as being a mermaid ;)

[thelocalmermaid]

love that use of "trolls!" seriously, Aela is progressing so fast! congrats to her! they're just jealous because she has such a cool job! :P

[malinghi]

I just looked at the comments expecting something really mean, but the most negative ones there were basically just people who thought mermaiding is funny or a bit eccentric. A lot of the people said that it was good that she was doing what she loves, or that it might be fun to indulge in a fantasy as your career. Relative to some of the really nasty stuff out there, those comments were pretty flattering.

Also, I though it was a pretty fair, well written article that didn't depict the community as being for crazy people. Also, congrats to Aela! That's some good press!

[AniaR]

oh theres a lot worse, they just keep get voted down by me, hahaha

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Yeah, I had to scroll down pretty far in the comments to find any of the nasty, snarky ones.

[malinghi]

ha, good job Raina. I should have known there was no way the internet was suddenly being somewhat tolerant and respectful.

[AniaR]

well on mine they seem to always be on the top. :/ not sure why

[Odette]

neat! yay!!! very good job.mermaid Aela is a natural on camera. :)

[lasserine]

She does a great job on camera.

[Mermaid Jewel]

The nasty, snarky ones are being pushed down by people rebuking them. Though from what I understand, the rude ones were mostly about her weight and the fact she quit her job to mermaid.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Heh, I liked the person who said "Good Cod! What the halibut is this all about?" and then continued to say that (s)he knows someone who mermaids and who is a very nice person, and that (s)he's sure Aela is, too.

[-Annwyn-]

I just saw this thread! Oh thanks everyone for your support! :) There's only so many times one can get called a 'fat whale' before it gets old. So I'm using their ammunition and I'm going to make a 'making Aela' series, with the help of a weight loss company who has agreed to help me get in shape. :)

I'm making a blog at www.blogspot.com/aelamermaid (http://www.blogspot.com/aelamermaid)
and I'm now on twitter @mermaidaela (http://www.twitter.com/mermaidaela)

[Mermaid Jewel]

Heh, I liked the person who said "Good Cod! What the halibut is this all about?" and then continued to say that (s)he knows someone who mermaids and who is a very nice person, and that (s)he's sure Aela is, too.
I loved this one too! Haha

Congrats Aela and I'm sure that'll be a great journey :)

[Mermaid Sirena]

This is wonderful! You're really making a splash all over the place beautiful :)

[AniaR]

Love you girl, you take their stupidness and use it to be stronger. Like I said on FB you could be a saint handing out free money and food and jerks on the internet would find a way to insult you! Just take it all in stride!

[Nate Walis]

I just saw this thread! Oh thanks everyone for your support! :) There's only so many times one can get called a 'fat whale' before it gets old. So I'm using their ammunition and I'm going to make a 'making Aela' series, with the help of a weight loss company who has agreed to help me get in shape. :)

Don't loose too much, it would be a shame if there were no mermaids out there slightly larger than the average.

I have to say as well that you seem to be able to move under the water with the same amount of grace as thinner mermaids out there, and there's something of the feel of Rennaisance models when you see a mermaid with a fuller figure, in combination with a tail it works!

[-Annwyn-]

.

I have to say as well that you seem to be able to move under the water with the same amount of grace as thinner mermaids out there, and there's something of the feel of Rennaisance models when you see a mermaid with a fuller figure, in combination with a tail it works!

Thanks Nate! Unfortunately not everyone is as artistically minded in that sense, and no matter what weight, shape or colour I am, there are always going to be knuckle-dragging neanderthals with barely two brain cells to rub together to generate enough power to type a grammatically incoherent response, such as "huurr duuur ur fat whale manateeeee" People get hostile, angry, when they are confused, or jealous or bitter. It's human nature.

Fortunately for me I am made of awesome, and I know and you know it wouldn't hurt to get just a little bit more in shape. I don't plan on being skinny, but I do cut a mean figure when I'm trimmer. >:)

[neonmermaid]

Aela, you looked gorgeous! And you had the perfect "bubbly" mermaid attitude. Proud of you!!! <3

[Mermaid Sirena]

For you :)
2014

[SireniaSolaris]

Sirena, I wish that post had a 'like' button XD

Aela, you're beautiful and congrats! This is super inspirational :)