I have a confession to make.

[Patches]

I love sushi. It is my favorite food. I'll eat pretty much anything that comes
out of the sea cooked or raw. THERE, I said it.

[Ayla of Duluth]

Thats fine :) every mermaid is different.
My confession is that I'm not all that concerned about the ocean or its creatures. All the talk about saving the oceans and stopping over fishing and all that, I just scroll through it. Strange, because I care about the forests and woodland creatures instead. I hate hunters, will never touch a gun, will never touch venison or fowl, etc.
Is this gonna be a confession thread?

[Artisankatie]

Even though I'm currently a mascot for a conservation organisation, I'm not that interested in the campaign, and in general I'm not particularly interested in most environmental issues (not that I don't care, just no interest - I'll do my part but I'm no activist). My eco-interest lies in renewable energy.
I have something of a controversial view too, as a scientist primarily concerned with geology and planetary science, I've spent a lot of time looking at things going extinct and the earth getting hotter and colder all the time, so I've sort of accepted that I'm nothing in the universe and that this is what happens. That said though, yes, as a species, we have done a lot of damage, but we've only accelerated it (drastically, true), it was always going to happen.

[mermaidqueen85]

Hi! I'm most passionate about the LGBT cause. (Besides, mermaids, of course)

[MermaidSaku]

So do I lol xD

[SilverSiren]

I eat fish and sushi too. I can't give it up, but I DO make a good effort to know where my fish came from and to not eat the ones that are being over fished.

[AniaR]

I don't eat seafood. I wish I could say it was for some noble reason... but I have just never liked a single thing I've tried. I do however LOVE veggi sushi!

[Ayla of Duluth]

I have another confession. I'm not planning to be a mermaid to teach kids about the ocean or environment or recycling and all that. I'm just in it for the fun and the money. I'm doing a nautical event next summer and i just plan on taking pictures with people and making them believe i'm a real mermaid.

[Mer_Adella]

My confession is that I love being a mermaid and I am teaching kids about the ocean (yawn) I was offered a job to where I would teach kids and get free professional pictures in exchange as well as getting paid for my time being there. Which is great. The only thing I care about in the ocean are the ship wrecks, I believe that the ship wrecks should be photographed but REMAIN UNTOUCHED. Thats the only passionate thing I have about the Ocean.

I too want to be a mermaid for the fun, the glory, and the money.

[AniaR]

what money?! lol

[Mermaid Lei Loni]

I have to second Raina on the "what money?" part of the equation. That's my confession, I too often volunteer my skills, and end up spending hundreds of dollars on an event, for no reason. I'm never going to get much more professional without charging people more, I just happen to love what I do a little too much.

And I won't lie, I've spent more time, energy, and money on mermaiding than I have on things that I actually should be spending the time and money on like that Dr's appointment I've been putting off........and those important repairs for my car (but who needs a car when you have a tail, right?!)........and that dental surgery I need.....eep.

[Ayla of Duluth]

well i'm well off because i have my parents to cover the costs of everything, they're glad to help me out. buying my tail, supplies, etc. I've recently teamed up with a jack sparrow impersonator and we will be doing events together. i get tips and all that, so i do make money, albeit not much...

[AniaR]

Not only that but professional mermaids do NOT make money to live, we ALL do other things involving our skills. I teach and work with kids, Linden teaches swimming/diving, Hannah does photography, modelling, and art, Melissa works at Sea World.... lol Weeki Wachi is a part time job, and while Medusasirena does mermaid stuff she also helps run that bar and all the events. Rates are different across the board (I'd never get away with charging something like what melissa charges- but then again she doesn't do many birthdays) People have debt, bills... there's no money in being a mermaid. lol Tail making? Now that's another ball-field. Mertailor has frequently said he'd give up tail making for the public except the money is so good. But even in tail making I think it takes a WHILE to get built up.

[SilverSiren]

I have to second Raina on the "what money?" part of the equation. That's my confession, I too often volunteer my skills, and end up spending hundreds of dollars on an event, for no reason. I'm never going to get much more professional without charging people more, I just happen to love what I do a little too much.

And I won't lie, I've spent more time, energy, and money on mermaiding than I have on things that I actually should be spending the time and money on like that Dr's appointment I've been putting off........and those important repairs for my car (but who needs a car when you have a tail, right?!)........and that dental surgery I need.....eep.

Yes, those things are VERY important, its always a good idea to take care of yourself... BUT... you wont be on your death bed thinking "gee, I wish I got that dental surgery". lol.:)

[Alveric]

Money? And Mermaids?:lol::crazy:

The Accidental Mermaid has netted me abot $20 a month in royalties so far.
Of course, I'd do it all again for nothing.:)

[Mermaid Annariea]

i love sushi with everything inside my little mermaid heart. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. but i dont usually eat fish otherwise. and really, sushi is a sustainable way to eat seafood because if it isnt caught in a specific way (i think it has to be line caught, actually), then it isnt fit for sushi. its probably the most humane way to eat seafood, really.

also, while i definitely care about the ocean and other environmental problems, im not an activist either. sometimes i tell people about things i find out, but im not signing petitions all day or preaching to people about it or anything. although, i did recently sign a petition to stop the use of live puppies and kittens as shark and crocodile bait. THAT was f****d up. i almost cried, and i couldnt even look at the pictures without feeling furious.

[Mermaid Lei Loni]

Yes, those things are VERY important, its always a good idea to take care of yourself... BUT... you wont be on your death bed thinking "gee, I wish I got that dental surgery". lol.:)

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that thinks that way! :P lol Besides, I'd much rather buy the pretty mermaid trinket than spend money on my stupid teeth. :P

[Patches]

AS THE OP I DEEM THIS AN OFFICIAL CONFESSION THREAD :D

[Patches]

also, while i definitely care about the ocean and other environmental problems, im not an activist either. sometimes i tell people about things i find out, but im not signing petitions all day or preaching to people about it or anything. although, i did recently sign a petition to stop the use of live puppies and kittens as shark and crocodile bait. THAT was f****d up. i almost cried, and i couldnt even look at the pictures without feeling furious.
I saw that, too. Swear to god I'd curb stomp a bitch if I ever caught them doing that. They'd be fucking dead. I honestly can't deal with that kind of stuff. I saw this video of a cat trying to wake his dead friend and I started crying for a good hour... :/

[Patches]

I wish I could say it was for some noble reason...
That made me giggle my gills.... Alright that sounded kinda dumb but I was trying to be mermaid-y. :P

[Blondie]

I love every bit of seafood I can get in my mouth D: SO YUMMY. Maybe I'll do sushi Friday...

[spottedcatfish]

I have a confession to make. I love the ocean and all it's creatures. But I have a fear of waves, and swimming in the surf at the beach. This may be because I am blind as a bat :-) . I just have really bad nearsighted vision, and I don't like wearing contacts in the water, so the waves to me look a hundred feet larger than they actually are! I'm scared that I might get crushed by one. I'd love to one day swim in the ocean and not have this fear... but till then I'm in the shallows. Believe me if you saw the ocean like I see it without good vision, you may get scared too.

[Mizuko]

My confession is I love almost every animal in the ocean... but I have a love/hate relationship with great white sharks. I think they are amazing creatures, yes, but I also know a few people who have been killed, and one who has been attacked, by them. These are local people who I know through the surfing community. And so I can never truly 'like' these sharks. I will always have a fear that one day I will get a call saying my father didn't come back from his surf.

[Mer_Adella]

what money?! lol

what money? lol for doing childrens events with certain photographers I am getting offered 50-60$ an hour so for a 2 hr event i get 100-120$ and thats just me showing up. And I dont mean like kids birthdays. I just mean that my fave photographers are wanting me to be a mermaid at events for kids to teach them about the ocean and help with benefits for kids with cancer. The parents are chipping in to pay for me to give their kids a learning experiece and to give them something to remember. I told them that I would be happy to do the benefits for free but they thought that was unfair. One mother even told me that it would be rude of her not to give me some cash for my time for spending with kids. I do feel bad about it. But i am going to put the money into fabric to make tails for kids (not actual closed tails however) :)

[Ashe]

Im not in this for the money or glory at all... Im in it to bring awareness to the ocean and to teach kids to have dreams! Ayla, you're so lucky to have your mermaid career handed to you by your parents (honestly no offense)! Im turning all jelly xD! I volunteer like you, Lei Loni, and have spent a little too much lol! And i am a sushi addict :) I dont have many of my own confessions though... :)

[Shivice]

Thats fine :) every mermaid is different.
My confession is that I'm not all that concerned about the ocean or its creatures. All the talk about saving the oceans and stopping over fishing and all that, I just scroll through it. Strange, because I care about the forests and woodland creatures instead. I hate hunters, will never touch a gun, will never touch venison or fowl, etc.
Is this gonna be a confession thread?

What about the peple who are poachers in the ocean??

[Ashe]

Exactly what i thought Shivice! Poachers suck. And so do hunters. maybe you should be a forest nymph, Ayla! Lol Jk! :) The forest has always held a special place in my heart too, and i care about it a whole bunch, and you look awesome as a mermaid btw!

[Ayla of Duluth]

Poachers in the ocean don't ry raise any concerns for me. I guess mostly its because I live up in Minnesota and ocean conservation stuff doesn't really reach us as much up here, and I think another part of it is that the ocean just seems so big to me that a few rogue poachers can't do any unrepairable damage.

[Dacora]

I am a huge animal lover, of all the aniamls, but goodness some of them taste amazing. Aslong as the population is stong and they where not killed in a painful way I am ok with it.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[Ashe]

I completely understand, Ayla. Many things about the forests dont reach me where i am either, but they do play a major role in the Earth Cycle :) and Dacora, im the same exact way. As long as its pain free, high in count, and most of all, not wasteful, im ok :) Tried to go Vegie, but lasted a year. Cant go without my bacon! <3

[Dacora]

I completely understand, Ayla. Many things about the forests dont reach me where i am either, but they do play a major role in the Earth Cycle :) and Dacora, im the same exact way. As long as its pain free, high in count, and most of all, not wasteful, im ok :) Tried to go Vegie, but lasted a year. Cant go without my bacon! <3

I attempted to try being a vegetarian, but I have issues with my stomach and I cant handle a lot of food and a lot of the food I can handle is mainly meat. Wastefulness is one of my biggest peeves. My family and I hunt and fish for meat when we can and what we cant eat we give to my dogs, minus the bones and skin. My grandpa used to make blankets out of the deer skins but he cant do it anymore due to old age and not having the tools anymore. He saves the deer horns for making horn chandeliers, it kinda creeps me out though. So either we eat it, something else eats it, becomes decor or biodegrades.
I cant stand going out hunting and finding a carcass with only a few parts missing. Luckily the hunters around here don't do it often. I have seen people get road kill deer and hog if its "fresh" enough.

I'm so sorry if that disturbed anyone....

[Ayla of Duluth]

what money?! lol


I have to second Raina on the "what money?" part of the equation. That's my confession, I too often volunteer my skills, and end up spending hundreds of dollars on an event, for no reason. I'm never going to get much more professional without charging people more, I just happen to love what I do a little too much.

And I won't lie, I've spent more time, energy, and money on mermaiding than I have on things that I actually should be spending the time and money on like that Dr's appointment I've been putting off........and those important repairs for my car (but who needs a car when you have a tail, right?!)........and that dental surgery I need.....eep.


Money? And Mermaids?:lol::crazy:

The Accidental Mermaid has netted me abot $20 a month in royalties so far.
Of course, I'd do it all again for nothing.:)

I guess I'm more fortunate then, in the sense that my parents cover the costs of almost everything in my mermaiding endeavor. They bought my Raven tail, they buy supplies whenever I need them, and provide me with transportation to and from events. So far a 3.5K adventure hasn't cost me a penny. Unless you count the graphic designer who made my logo, but that was only a hundred bucks. I have a feeling I'll be making a decent sum of money.

And yes, I understand that every mermaid out there has some other means of income, as do I. I hardly expected this to make me a living, it was more of an activity to keep me busy between shifts at work.

[Kanti]

Haha sushi is good but I try not to eat anything with tuna due to the whole
blue-fin stuff. Though I don't think they even sell blue-fin outside Japan anymore because that
shit is like GOLD over there.
Still, I like to avoid it anyway xD

You shouldn't be ashamed to like eating something, but you should at least be conscious about
your decisions too! I think eating sushi isn't so bad, but maybe learn what's in it so you don't
abuse anything.

[Sierra Larars]

Pure and simply I am in this for the costume :3 Me and the sea are at odds with each other... I wont go in anymore for fear of something getting me >.> there's a reason we aren't born with fish tails lol I don't have an affinity for sea conservation either but I do find the efforts on the forum admirable as it is a good cause. I'll be honest unless I won the lottery soon and didn't have to worry about surviving day to day I would be more get involved. That's not to say I haven't done environmental work or stuff for good causes before :3 because I definitely have, its just not at the forefront of my mind atm.
That said, I cant even swim! I have a fear of water on my face and I freeze up and stop breathing. Working on overcoming it as I would love to do a shoot in the sea with all those beautiful places :3

[Mermaid Margarete]

I LOVE eating seafood! I actually was a pescatarian for a while and tend to lean more towards that diet when I can... Tho, I can't turn down a good steak >.>

I'm new to this whole mermaid thing, but I don't honestly think I want to do children's parties <.< I'm more of a cat person than a kid person XD

I'm not an activist, either, but I'm not naive.

Another confession? I spend way too much money on costumes T_T but they make me happy!!

[Mermaid Bella]

Wait wait wait wait...... wait.....

Someone is making money? Lol.

Actually I have done children's entertainment before but never as a mermaid for some reason, I've done clown, done puppets, singing, dancing act. in the past I would have said that I don't like children as I am a mid level mysophobic (autocorrect almost made that homophobic... awkward!) so kids were just germ factories for a while there, but as I got older they grew on me, it might have started during a pregnancy scare to think of it, also my best friend has two daughters who are just fantastic... nearly cried when the youngest scratched her butt before lunch but I held it together and made her wash her hands lol.

As for why I'm a mer. I would say love of swimming and dressing up, excitement of doing something that people won't understand but will be fascinated with and ...erm.... ok.so j used to be in the circus.. and I want to start doing that again, so being a mermaid is my way of connecting with the past while having fun in the present. as for the future... I'm looking into being an art teacher :D



Oh also I'm allergic to sea food hahahah not a convincing mermaid....


and I read that someone ia using puppies and kittens as croc bait?????? We just use chicken... or people!!! Are you sure it wasn't a hoax? Don't you guys have animal welfare systems??

[Koral]

Confessions? Oh... I'm in pretty much for the friends of like minds and to have fun. Plus I do like attention and look forward to entertaining the kiddos as a mermaid. For now I'm settling with the pool though! I do care about the oceans but I'm not madly passionate. I do shed tears when I see beached creatures and polluted shores, though.

It'd be nice to make money to fund a new tail faster, but I'm A-OK with volunteering and making friends! :D

[MermanJesse]

My confession is that I am afraid to fly.

What's crazy about it is that I am a pure adrenaline junkie, i.e. roller coasters, human sling shot, stuff like that.

I really want to sky dive, but can't bring myself to get on the plane in the first place.

When roller coasters are concerned, I have driven half way across the country to ride them. I have been on some of the biggest in the US. I have Kings Island 20 minutes from me, Cedar Point 6 hours north of me, Busch Gardens VA 8 hours to the east, etc.

There is one roller coaster that I have counted every single time I have ridden it. It is the Diamondback roller coaster at Kings Island. I ride 20 to 50 times in one day! I am up to 1,035 rides on Diamondback, and I can say that even though it is the same exact ride, the experience is always different.

I went to Chicago earlier this year to ride a new coaster. I planned my day to make sure this coaster was my 100th steel coaster, and at the same time being my 125 coaster, period. My track count at this time is 101 steel, 27 wood.

My all time favorite roller coaster is KUMBA at Busch Gardens Tampa. Here is a pic that I took when I was there this past July:
6821

Then, attached are Diamondback and X Flight.

[Mermaid Margarete]

^ Those look super fun!! I'm so jealous!!! We don't have anything like that in the PNW!

[Ashe]

Wow Jesse, that's awesome! I really dont enjoy roller coasters though, so i guess thats a confession? Yeah, i can take some, but will NEVER do anything as extreme as you! :D

[Koral]

Rollercoasters!!! :D I love all coasters but I would never go on the slingshot ones. No way!

I have another confession. I'm trying to quit smoking once and for all (mostly due to sudden financial difficulties caused by school). :( It's hard.

One more. I hate hate hate hate Animation. As in, classes, not animated films/shows/shorts/etc, and I only went for Animation because my mother "knows what's best" even at 25 years of age. I just changed to Graphic Design today... I told her I was considering changing (which made her mad). I didn't tell her I already did it.

[Ashe]

I hope you are able to reach your goal to quit smoking! I think i can speak for most if not all of us here when i say we're rooting for you! <3 <3 <3 and even though im only 13 i totally understand with the school financial difficulties. in my elementary, so many of my favorite teachers have been cut, they even cut out ART! Which to me is the worst thing to ever hear! (let me ramble for a second thank u :) ) it helped me become the artistic person i am today and if i wasnt artistic, i wouldnt be the really epic animator i've become! (and i hate classes too, i teach myself how to do this stuff, with a touch of help from YouTube lol!) and now theyre gonna cut of music too! really kinda pissed :( Luckily, not that im in middle school, were gonna be keeping the art courses and band for a while, BUT THE LITTLE ONES NEED TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE FINE ARTS EARLYYYYYYYY! Ok, im none now :3 and again, good luck with your quitting! <3 <O''

[Mermaid Lei Loni]

I didn't know you were quitting! :) Let me know if you need help or moral support....or hugs. That's a really hard thing to decide to give up!

And I think you will love graphic design. :) If my boss wasn't so awful at work, I would love my job to pieces....and that's my confession. I really want to deck my boss and then walk out of the office. And I have a great job, with great benefits, and all that.....but I'm so miserable because I have a bad boss. I'm literally one rough day away from quitting. Benefits and paycheck be damned!

[AniaR]

Poachers suck. And so do hunters
Just want to point out they're not the same thing. My dad is a hunter, and he's the whole reason I respect the environment and animals. A huge majority of hunters also support conservation. Hunting is regulated- very much so for most animals and most places. I disagree with sport hunting/trophy hunting. But if my dad didn't hunt deer when I was a kid we'd have eaten very little. We were very poor. But even if someone is hunting and they aren't poor I dont look down on them for it. So long as their hunting is serving a purpose. It's the ridiculous "let's go to africa and shoot a ryno" that bothers me.

My confession?
I couldn't swim til I was a teenager. I'm also randomly scared of horses. No idea why- never had a bad experience. I respect the creatures, I like to watch them, even pet them. But riding them has been terrifying for me, and I get very nervous around them even when I try not to. I KNOW they aren't going to hurt me, it's some weird innate fear.

[Morticia Mermaid]

I hate trophy hunters.... And my confession? I am scared to DEATH of swimming in open water. The thought of swimming in the ocean terrifies me, but I still can't wait to do it. I'm the kind of person who confronts their fears and tries to over come them. Flying in planes combines my 2 worst fears, claustrophobia and heights, but I still do it. Being on a boat where I can't see the shoreline scares the crap out of me, but I still love going whale watching :)

[Mermaid Lei Loni]

But if my dad didn't hunt deer when I was a kid we'd have eaten very little. We were very poor. But even if someone is hunting and they aren't poor I dont look down on them for it. So long as their hunting is serving a purpose.



I grew up the same way Raina! :) Both of my parents hunted every season, and we always ate what we caught. I didn't experience beef or chicken until I was about 12 years old. We always ate deer or elk or pheasant or grouse or whatever we hunted. I even learned to shoot a bow and bugle in an elk as a kid. I agree that hunting just for sport and wasting the meat is wrong, but without hunting, I would have been one hungry kid growing up. :)

[Koral]

I didn't know you were quitting! :) Let me know if you need help or moral support....or hugs. That's a really hard thing to decide to give up!

I just decided that last night when I was looking at my funds. I don't know if I am going to go cold turkey or ween off (which is really REALLY HARD) I could totally use moral support if you can cope with any withdrawl-induced stress I may have that causes me to be a bit testy!


I'm literally one rough day away from quitting. Benefits and paycheck be damned!

If you do that, at least we would both have another activity to do together. Scouting for design jobs! I'll have to settle with what I can get til I take some of the essential classes, though.

Thank you guys for the quit-smoking support. I know it will help me with swimming too, so that is an extra motivator. Sorry to hear about all the teacher cutbacks, Kalani! That's terrible, especially the art teachers being downsized. :( I would be so very upset too. I would take matters into my own hands and take sketchbooks out. Gesture draw people in a cafe, go to the zoo and draw animals, etc. :)

I'll keep with the confessions. I am right there with you Lexia. I'm terrified to dive under the ocean. It's a fear of the unknown.
I'd like to do some scuba diving someday or just do some light freediving in somewhat clearer water so I can get over this intense fear and better learn what's under me. When I was little, I couldn't even swim in the pool without someone swimming with me or at least watching me (in which case I stuck to the shallows). I was afraid of being alone in deep water because I thought the invisible booga-booga was going to come up and get me.
Odd, considering I have always loved to dive down at the bottom of the pool.

[Mermaid Lei Loni]

Of course I'd be there for moral support and withdrawal-induced stress! :) And don't tempt me about job hunting! Oh boy......

Can I confess too that I've been so mad at work today that I have worked on my mermading page, my blog, and everything but work? Just please don't tell my boss! Tee hee!

[Moongazer]

I have a fear of swimming in water where I cannot see the bottom and a fear of massive amounts of seaweed. I don't know why, but I panic in both situations if I try to dive down to far or if I'm surrounded by seaweed.

Watching video's of people swimming in the springs and ultra clear water makes me so happy and sad. I wish I was there with them! The water here is so murky!

[Koral]

I feel like this is our... church of mers, and we have confession booths...

Mers, I have a confession.
I love my boyfriend, and I think he is drop dead gorgeous. But, I can't help but shamelessly admire a young professor at my college who runs the general education branch and teaches many english classes. What's wrong with me?

[Mermaid Arianna]

Nothing is wrong with you! It's perfectly normal to have a crush on someone whislt dating. Just as long as you don't cheat on your boyfriend! :P
I have a confession, I am terrified of swimming in water over 12 feet deep, mostly when I can't see the bottom, and the worst one of all, I went to seaworld last summer with my dad, his girlfriend and my brother, yes my family paid money to watch poor animals dance around in fishbowls!! >.< (I felt so horrible but it was amazing to see them up close, later I saw humpback whales, sea turtles and spinner dolphins in the wild in Hawaii and orcas up in Washington. They were so much more amazing in the wild.) I talked to one of the trainers that the tanks were too small and the whales were going to jump out of the tank one day and they told me that would never happen and that I was being silly. and that the whales were happy.... >.<

[Mermaid Saphira]

yes my family paid money to watch poor animals dance around in fishbowls!! >.< (I felt so horrible but it was amazing to see them up close) I talked to one of the trainers that the tanks were too small and the whales were going to jump out of the tank one day and they told me that would never happen and that I was being silly. and that the whales were happy.... >.<

I know how you feel about the "whales in fish bowls". You were brave to confront someone, but i am sorry that called you "silly" :(

[Koral]

Well, as long as admiring is "normal" and "okay" then I will just sit back and admire, not taking action of course.

It seems a lot of us are afraid of deep, unclear water! Perhaps we all need to experience it at one point and face the fear. :D

I don't think the whales are truly happy. A human can NOT speak for them, just put words in their mouths. I think they accept their fate and get lazy. Yes, lazy. Sad to say, I know. Their dorsals droop from lack of proper swimming. The currents in the ocean help exercise their dorsal, but they only get to swim in circles and perform tricks like.. dogs. :( Their food is given to them, instead of hunting. They are exposed to chemicals and stuff that they don't swim in, in the ocean. If that is "happy" then sure, you are "silly," and not them. (That's sarcasm right there, by the way.)

[Mermaid Margarete]

NOW I feel bad cause I've not only been to Seaworld but also Underwater World while living in Australia (both are located in Queensland, Australia - near Brisbane). Never once did it enter my mind "these poor animals" - tho they only have a few dolphins at that Seaworld (no orcas). I'm honestly not sure how Australia's animal handling rules vary from America's, but I felt like all their specimen had ample space - especially at Underwater World - that place is SO cool.

[spottedcatfish]

Some other confessions: I have a irrational fear of depths, but I am slowly working on that. And also I cannot do a flip in the pool, due to another irrational fear... I hate being disoriented, and getting water up my nose. I plan to work on overcoming these fears and not letting them hold me back.

[Patches]

My confession is that I am afraid to fly.

What's crazy about it is that I am a pure adrenaline junkie, i.e. roller coasters, human sling shot, stuff like that.

I really want to sky dive, but can't bring myself to get on the plane in the first place.

When roller coasters are concerned, I have driven half way across the country to ride them. I have been on some of the biggest in the US. I have Kings Island 20 minutes from me, Cedar Point 6 hours north of me, Busch Gardens VA 8 hours to the east, etc.

There is one roller coaster that I have counted every single time I have ridden it. It is the Diamondback roller coaster at Kings Island. I ride 20 to 50 times in one day! I am up to 1,035 rides on Diamondback, and I can say that even though it is the same exact ride, the experience is always different.

I went to Chicago earlier this year to ride a new coaster. I planned my day to make sure this coaster was my 100th steel coaster, and at the same time being my 125 coaster, period. My track count at this time is 101 steel, 27 wood.

My all time favorite roller coaster is KUMBA at Busch Gardens Tampa. Here is a pic that I took when I was there this past July:
6821

Then, attached are Diamondback and X Flight.

Oh god, nononono.
I'm so afraid of rollercoasters. I'd never be able to get on one.
Some kid offered me 30 dollars in summercamp when I was a kid and I still wouldn't get on it.
One of the reasons I'm afraid of them, besides the terror, is I'm afraid of someone vomiting at the top of the loop and it coming down on my head.
I've seen it happen once. I'm also emitophobic. If someone throws up around me I'll start crying and shaking and having a panic attack.

[Patches]

As far as everyone else's water fears go, I completely understand that. I, too, have a definite fear of water. Well.... maybe its just the sharks I havent quite figured it out yet. But I'm sososos scared of sharks. TERRIFIED. I won't go out farther than my neck in the water usually and I don't like swimming unless there's people. And the water has to be completely clear. I love FL and all but I wish it was like HAWAII clear, then I'd feel better. If the water is thirty feet deep and I can see ALL the way down and see detail then I feel like I'd be fine. It's the fear of the unknown that I have.

[Koral]

... that image of Ariel is AWESOME.

[Elle]

I'm ridiculously scared of snakes. I can't be in the same room as them.
I also eat a lot of meat (from fish through to bambi), and it all tastes really good. Sorry :(

[Sherl]

I love sushi to bits, loved it since I was little XD I am crazy about horses and mermaids but the weird thing is I've never ridden a horse or swam in the ocean. What an embarrassing thing it is :p

[-Annwyn-]

It's not embarrassing at all, Miserere!

[Sherl]

It's not embarrassing at all, Miserere!

Aww thanks, Aela!

[SeaGlass Siren]

ok. so i got a confession.

I LOVE SUSHI TOO. ;__; it is my guilty pleasure.

[Merrow Fair Isle]

I love sushi...loooooooooooove it. A mermaid has got to eat right? A girl cannot survive on kelp alone, and it's not like it's easy to find tofu in the Mid Atlantic. *laughs*

being a Florida girl growing up, my heart was always been with the manatees. I have always felt a strong connection...more than likely because I swam those same springs . My mother was never much of a beach girl. We were camping folks, so while my friends were learnjng to surf I was flipping over rocks looking for crayfish. It's harder to be involved in the manatee movement now that I live in PA. I think as long as you love mermaiding, you have a natural affinity for all things aquatic...and that is a step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned considering that many folks dont appreciate or respect anything anymore.

Now it's after midnight and I want a spicy tuna roll, dagnabbit. * laughs* Thanks guys!

[SeaGlass Siren]

hahaa xD at the moment i'm restricting my diet. (it's iron heavy because my iron levels are at 30 when they should be at 80) so right now i can't be eating ocean friendly fish. ;__; and i have mad cravings too.

[Lotus]

"I hate hunters, will never touch a gun, will never touch venison or fowl, etc."
Here's MY confession, if you can call it that. My husband hunts- pheasant, antelope, elk and deer. I cook and eat whatever he kills. I'm totally fine with this because I know the truth about hunters and hunting. There are only so many tags given out for each animal each year, and you can't legally hunt without one. Hunting does not always yield a kill for each hunter each year. The number of tags that are available depends on the numbers of animals out there and is highly regulated by the department of wildlife. (99%) of hunters are not the macho, bambi killing assholes some people see them as. My husband is a gunsmith, he built the rifle he takes hunting. All the guys he went to gunsmithing school with hunted as well, and they were all of the same mind. Don't take a shot unless you're sure you're it will be effective and not just injure the animal, never kill the ones who are still on the young side, take only what you will eat and use as much of the animal as you can. We always have the meat to eat, we have gloves made from the hide, we sanitize the bones for our dogs. This is the way hunting should be treated. I do think trophy hunting (giraffe, elephant, exotics in general) is totally a macho thing, I'll say that. But I think it's a shame how many people out there are hateful toward something they don't even understand. That goes for all things, not just hunting. So there, I said it. I support hunting.

[SeaGlass Siren]

"I hate hunters, will never touch a gun, will never touch venison or fowl, etc."
Here's MY confession, if you can call it that. My husband hunts- pheasant, antelope, elk and deer. I cook and eat whatever he kills. I'm totally fine with this because I know the truth about hunters and hunting. There are only so many tags given out for each animal each year, and you can't legally hunt without one. Hunting does not always yield a kill for each hunter each year. The number of tags that are available depends on the numbers of animals out there and is highly regulated by the department of wildlife. (99%) of hunters are not the macho, bambi killing assholes some people see them as. My husband is a gunsmith, he built the rifle he takes hunting. All the guys he went to gunsmithing school with hunted as well, and they were all of the same mind. Don't take a shot unless you're sure you're it will be effective and not just injure the animal, never kill the ones who are still on the young side, take only what you will eat and use as much of the animal as you can. We always have the meat to eat, we have gloves made from the hide, we sanitize the bones for our dogs. This is the way hunting should be treated. I do think trophy hunting (giraffe, elephant, exotics in general) is totally a macho thing, I'll say that. But I think it's a shame how many people out there are hateful toward something they don't even understand. That goes for all things, not just hunting. So there, I said it. I support hunting.




I hate trophy hunting. Hunting to eat is one thing, I'm totally fine with that as long as you use all the parts (good on you and your hubby btw). Hunting for sport is another (is it really necessary?).

[Merrow Fair Isle]

my husband and his family all hunt...and eat what they kill. While we may not personally use the hide every year, the gentleman who processes our deer does. Hunting for rapidly replenishing game is necessary. When deer populations are too high it's bad for the animals and humans. Exotic sport hunting however is a whole different game , and one my family chooses not to participate in as they see no value in bragging rights.

[Merrow Fair Isle]

My confession : I love 90's pop music. I try to deny it, vehemently, but I cannot escape the joy that is singing " Bye Bye Bye" while vacuuming my living room, or "Genie in a Bottle" while scrubbibg the tub. It's cool...I own it. Sadly, it seems that I have passed this love of questiinable music choices on to my 5, 4, and 2 year old nieces, as I was informed they were recently singing "I Want It That way" while getting into thier jammies. * hangs head in shame*

[Arella]

I love hunting it gives me something to do with my Dad and I just love to be out with nature all day :) Plus we get something delicious to eat at the end and any responsible hunter wouldn't take a shot unless they were sure they could hit the target in the right spot. Just my thoughts on the subject...

[SeaGlass Siren]

My confession : I love 90's pop music. I try to deny it, vehemently, but I cannot escape the joy that is singing " Bye Bye Bye" while vacuuming my living room, or "Genie in a Bottle" while scrubbibg the tub. It's cool...I own it. Sadly, it seems that I have passed this love of questiinable music choices on to my 5, 4, and 2 year old nieces, as I was informed they were recently singing "I Want It That way" while getting into thier jammies. * hangs head in shame*

I love 90's pop music too.. only the backstreet boys, spice girls, and britney spears though because i'm very picky... (i dont like new britney spears)

ohoh i have another confession. i am not a virgin! (to asian people, this is like.. BIG and BAD. i mean BIGGER and BADDER than Satan taking over the planet.. at least thats how they react anyway)

[Merrow Fair Isle]

I love 90's pop music too.. only the backstreet boys, spice girls, and britney spears though because i'm very picky... (i dont like new britney spears)

ohoh i have another confession. i am not a virgin! (to asian people, this is like.. BIG and BAD. i mean BIGGER and BADDER than Satan taking over the planet.. at least thats how they react anyway)


I love the Spice Girls! I almost chose the forum name " SwimmySpice", but figured it would reveal too much of my geekitude right up front. <3

[SeaGlass Siren]

I love the Spice Girls! I almost chose the forum name " SwimmySpice", but figured it would reveal too much of my geekitude right up front. <3

I sense us breaking out into a spice girls musical number online in the far future!

[Sea Pearl]

I grew up listening to the Spice Girls through the 90's. They were one of my favorite bands and even now I still like listening to their music. Did anyone watch their performance at the London Olympics closing ceremony?

[SeaGlass Siren]

...another confession, i didn't watch the London Olympics ;__;

[Black Akira]

Man o man I love me some fish, hoo!

I love some talapia, flounder, catfish ( slurps my fav ), salmon, shrimp I LOVE SHRIMP!!!

I get the shrimp love form my late Mother and my insane love for fish from her Mom my grandma.

Also crab! yum yum!

[Black Akira]

I love sushi to bits, loved it since I was little XD I am crazy about horses and mermaids but the weird thing is I've never ridden a horse or swam in the ocean. What an embarrassing thing it is :p

Aww don't feel bad remember in Splash Madison literally tore into a lobster, however Daryl Hannah in real life is a vegetarian so.............

[SeaGlass Siren]

Man o man I love me some fish, hoo!

I love some talapia, flounder, catfish ( slurps my fav ), salmon, shrimp I LOVE SHRIMP!!!

I get the shrimp love form my late Mother and my insane love for fish from her Mom my grandma.

Also crab! yum yum!

Mine just happened .__. my mom ate a ton of seafood when she was pregnant with me LOL

[MermaidBrittany]

Aww don't feel bad remember in Splash Madison literally tore into a lobster, however Daryl Hannah in real life is a vegetarian so.............
The lobster was actually stuffed with leek. :P and to this day she cannot eat any leek.

[Mermaid Celissa]

I'm fine with responsible hunters, it's the irresponsible ones I despise. People like trawlers who literally drag the net along the bottom of shallow water, scraping and slicing HUNDREDS of fish at a time. It's ridiculous. I'm not really much of an environmentalist, but I do care.


Mer-confession: I'm really shy about mermaiding. I'll swim in public, in tail, but it's just talking about it that makes me nervous. I feel like people would call me an immature kid. I think it's better to show people what I care about and love to do, instead of just talking. But trust me, if someone asks about mermaiding, I. WILL. RAMBLE. A guy asked me about it while I was drawing Ayla (hint hint!) and I told him all about silicone and latex and monofins, etc. I love explaining my passion, and showing people how amazing it feels to do what I do, instead of just bringing it up.

[SeaGlass Siren]

i've got another confession too. i can't swim properly enough to be swimming in a tail .__.

[Nemefish]

i feel bad for the fish but i cant help it i love sushi too much :S UR NOT ALONE :D

[Patches]

Personally, I would probably hunt something. It just couldn't be a fox or a wolf because I'd cry and there'd be no reason to hunt them since they aren't a good food source. But I'd only hunt for food or if I was going to actually use all of the parts of the animal not just cut off it horns or whatever and leave. I could shoot a deer because I personally find them to be more of a nuisance than anything else. Always crashing into cars and shizz. Lol.

[AnnaAbyss]

Confession 1: I don't have a tail....Yet. There, I said it. But I want one so badly :/
Confession 2: I eat seafood too, but I don't like all of it.
Confession 3: I am scared sh--less of stingrays. Ever since Steve Irwin was killed by one I've been phobic of them!
Confession 4: I'm scared of deep water...
Confession 5: I really dislike PETA!

[SekhmetsSiren]

About a month after I decided to go from eating meat to completely vegan, I went to visit family in Japan.
Long before I had even thought about going vegan, or even vegetarian, I put "Eat real sushi in Japan" on my bucketlist. Admittedly, there are a lot of ridiculous things on said list that will likely never happen, but I keep convincing myself otherwise. So when my aunt took me to a sushi restaurant, I caved. And I'll admit, it was DELICIOUS! I gorged myself on it, though I felt despicable later and didn't allow myself any further concessions.
Realistically, it may very well not have been my one time indulgence that did my poor liver in shortly after I returned to the States, but I was out of work, not to mention decidedly miserable for weeks. My poor aunt got sick around the same time, though, which only furthered my suspicion that the "real sushi from Japan" was actually very bad sushi. I even had a really stupid dream about a fish telling me to be good or else, lol.
Guess who's a very well behaved vegan now, though?

[SeaGlass Siren]

i love my meat too much to become completely vegan ._. not enough will power.

[EnidDarkWater]

I have to second Raina on the "what money?" part of the equation. That's my confession, I too often volunteer my skills, and end up spending hundreds of dollars on an event, for no reason. I'm never going to get much more professional without charging people more, I just happen to love what I do a little too much.

And I won't lie, I've spent more time, energy, and money on mermaiding than I have on things that I actually should be spending the time and money on.

I am very very guilty of this same thing in both mermaiding and especially in the land of working as a fairy. I can't saw I regret anything that I've done as either "character"

My confession is that I am a mermaid who also doesnt like most sea food :P yucks and I've tried alot of things in the world. and the other one is that I go back and forth on wanting to see the marine animal parks and hating the animals are stuck in places like that.