FREE SILICONE TAIL TO THE WINNER! (April Fools!)

[Mermaid Isabel]

HI MERFOLKS!

I'm planning to become a professional mertailor but I' going to try a few times the making of a tail before starting selling them.
I'm going to give away 3 silicone tail to the first 3 person that comment this thread telling the story of when they started mermaiding, ecc. I'M GOING TO CHOOSE THE WINNERS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE WITH THE MOST INTERESTING STORY!!!!! the tails are going to be orange with H2O style with the mesurements of the three winners!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MermaidMichelle]

Well, this is a catchy beginning! Being something of a fish-person, I'll bite! :mermaid kiss:

Mermaiding was always a forbidden dream to me, due to my being a hermaphrodite erroneously brought up as a male. Nevertheless, I always felt a strong attraction to the water, which is why I worked for nine years as a lifeguard. When I first read about mermaids as a child, though, was when I realized that that was what I truly was/wanted to be in this world (as opposed to human, perhaps....)

Like the original Little Mermaid written of by Hans Christian Anderson, however, my concern was for my immortal soul. Being considered a transperson, I am associated with the LGBT community who are generally considered to be at odds with Christians. In recent years I have had mysterious dreams, scoured the Scriptures for answers that could save us all, and that is when strange things began to happen.

I have never revealed this on here until now, so rest assured that 1) I'm not crazy, and 2) this all actually happened. The last man I kissed won 21.4 million dollars in the lottery ~7 months later, the last man with whom I was in a serious relationship turned out to be (apparently, I'm only about 75% sure of this) a prince, and I have had atmokinetic experiences in which I ask for a weather phenomenon to occur and it has occurred (I even have some videos of it)!

[Mermaid Wesley]

I'm not sure I trust this but what's the damage it could do right?
I got into Mermaiding well..... We could start with when I was five and I was cast as Ariel in the school play. And how every Halloween until I was in middle school I wanted to go as Ariel but didn't understand why they didn't make any costumes where you couldn't see your feet. So I would perch on the edge of the armchair in the living room with a towel over my legs while watching my VHS of The Little Mermaid . A classmate's mom was a children's author and he wrote a story about me turning in to a mermaid! I still have the book. All of the stories are based on my kindergarten class, but mines the best. ;) skip forward a few (many) years through swim teams, playing mermaids with my sister, and lots of beach days and I stumble across swimmable tails while I'm in my dorm room (avoiding my homework). I was so excited. It was like my whole life had been telling me to be a mermaid but I didn't think I could! I looked at the prices and was sad. No way was I going to spend so much on a tail. I'm a broke college student. Then I found mer network! So many people make their own tails here! I was so excited and started planning my tail right away. I told my roommate and she was excited too! We put our heads together at 1am and came up with my first tail design. This design was scrapped, then I came up with another! And then I didn't like it anymore. I bought a monofin but by the time it arrived I was burned out on the idea. It seemed too abstract and distant. Finally, though, I was in the local Jo-Anne fabric store and I bought some green spandex on impulse. I hadn't used a sewing machine in years and it took me 3 days to get it I work but I did and I sewed my first spandex tail! I've only been able to swim in it once due to winter, but hopefully this summer will be full of Mermaiding! Thanks for reading my story. :)


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[Mermaid Fenicia]

Ive got into mermaiding 20 years ago. After my operation (20 years ago) Ive made my first fabric tail with the leftovers from my first Belle-dress. That tail was without a monofin nor duofins as I didn't know about using them in a tail. To keep the fluke in shape I used metal (wedding-)boning. I couldn't swim in it, but it was nice for pics.
About 5 years ago I met mermaid Kitty from the Netherlands, she teached me about the proper way to swim as a mermaid with a monofin. Just before I went on the meet with her I made my first swimmeble tail in cheap fabric. Now I've got about 6 of those cheap fabric tails, most of them are cosplays.
Now I'm saving (almost 3 years) for a real full silicon tail, but as I'm disabled and not allowed to work, it's very hard to save money.

[Incendium]

**trigger warning; read with caution.**

I actually first heard about mermaiding when I was in a psychiatric ward.

I had two roommates; a fellow schizophrenic and a girl on suicide watch. The suicidal girl, whose name I won't mention for privacy reasons (I'll call her E.), noticed me doodling mermaids in crayon (we weren't allowed pencils/pens/anything we could hurt ourselves with) while we were in the Day Room. She shyly approached me and asked me why I was committed. I told her I was schizophrenic and had a bad episode, one in which I sliced both my arms open and threatened to stab my best friend in the throat. I confided in her I was extremely embarrassed and didn't think I was so bad… and that I was glad to be receiving help. We started talking and eventually she said "So, you like mermaids?" and gestured toward my drawing. I told her I've always had a passion for the sea and have loved mermaids and swimming since I was young. I also told her I'd often hear lovely whispering voices in my head that could be none another than sirens (of course I knew they weren't actual sirens, my mind was just playing tricks on me).

That is when E. told me she used to be into mermaiding. Curious, I asked her what she meant, and E. told me all about the world of mermaiding.

I was absolutely enthralled. For the rest of our Day Room hour we drew mermaid tails and chatted about designs and sea creatures we could base our tails off of and where we'd love to go swim. And that night, after our room had been locked, we made mermaid tails out of our blankets and laid on the the floor and pretended to be captured by pirates. :p

That was the first time either of us had smiled, or even felt like normal people, in such a long time… Because how to you befriend a bipolar schizophrenic? A girl who hears and sees things that aren't there and can't control her rapid mood cycles? How do you get close to someone in a constant state of depression so low she prefers death? We'd been isolated for so long, and suddenly we had a common interest we were passionate about!

It was certainly the start of something beautiful and new. I made an incredible friend and learned all about mermaiding. :)
We stayed up laughing half the night. :D

[CowgirlMermaid]

I always wanted to be a mermaid. It started when I saw H2O just add water.
My parents got me 2 dvds for my 11th birthday.Ever since that day I've been obsessed with mermaids.
I've tried to save up for a tail a dozen times, but never got the chance to actually make or buy one.
My first 'mermaid' experiance was when I swam with a pair of flippers, usually teaching myself the dolphinkick.
a few years later, I saw a demo of a monovinclub at my local pool. I asked them if I could try one on and they said okay.
My mom thought I would drown, but I didn't. I swam with it like I had been swimming with my whole life.
A few months later I bought my first monovin from my coach, a competitor monovin for €180,-
And then I found Mernetwork and got really excited, learning about new mermaidstuff and tips and tricks for when I could finally be a mermaid to!

I watched all three 'Little Mermaid' movies on youtube when I was like 15 years old and I've seen every barbie mermaid movie.
I'm busy with writing a unique, new, refreshing mermaid series for youtube, and the only thing I'm missing is a tail....
My dreams tail actually is a H2O like tail! I've always loved the realistic look of the fluke of those tails

[Deepsea merman]

Well, my story started when I was 5/6 years. I have a picture of that unforgettable moment. I found a guy (with probably 12 or 13) on the beach with blue silicone taila (the tail was quite beautiful) and had a fluke like splash. Then, after about half an hour but the same boy appeared with a different tail, and he had claimed to be a merman, then how could change the color of the tail! Hahahahah he gave the excuse that his tail had an hour for each color. Since that day I was in love with mermaids and all that surrounds them. I went to 7 years operated the appendix, and when I woke up, my grandmother gave me a very simple (no monofin) tail made of fabric, but I grew up, the tail does not serve me :Thumbdown: .Now haven't no tail some time (I'm 13, I have no tail for 5 years!).I'm hoping that I might get that tail
thanks for the opportunity

[Winged Mermaid]

Hope this isn't an april fools joke! Also, just fyi "Mertailor" is a specific tailmaker, it's not used to describe tailmakers ;)

[PearlieMae]

In 1983, I saw an ad in the Village Voice magazine advertising the first Coney Island Mermaid Parade.

I made this:

19750

There were more people IN the parade than watching it!


I don't need a silicone, tail. I just wanted to share. :rollover:

[Deepsea merman]

In 1983, I saw an ad in the Village Voice magazine advertising the first Coney Island Mermaid Parade.

I made this:

19750

There were more people IN the parade than watching it!


I don't need a silicone, tail. I just wanted to share. :rollover:

This tail is so...so...so... beautiful and georgeous

[Mermaid Isabel]

Hello, hello, hello! I'm so glad that so many people answered! I'll enjoy a lot reading your stories! I love to hear about the origins of your passion!






I'm sorry but it seems that today i got some big fish! I love you guys but I have to admit that this was a joke for april fools' day! Thank you a lot for answering and I love sharing stories!

SO I GUESS THAT NOW IT IS MY TURN:
My name is Isabel, I'm 17 and I come from Italy.
My passion for mermaiding started many years ago when I first watched "The little mermaid".
Since I was a little kid I always felt a connection with the sea and living near the beach helped me to develop this passion for the water. I've always been attracted to diving and mermaids were always in my dreams. When I first watched the show H2O I started questioning myself and I wondered if other people thought about crafting their own mermaid tails. a few years went by and surfing on you tube I bumped into a video of a girl with a mermaid tail: at that moment I literally fell off the chair! I realized that my dream of becoming a mermaid (or at least look like one) could finally become real! I started looking on the internet in search of other people like this girl and in that way i found the mernetwork community, I was so eccited! HOWEVER I've never been able to make my own tail i tried to learn the tailmaking technics by the members of the forum. I got my own monofin but sadly it broke last summer :'( . This year I'm looking forward to be able to build my own tail when I'll have enough money to afford it. My plan is to build my own monofin.

I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE NOT MAD AT ME BECAUSE OF THE PRANK; I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT ANYONE, JUST HAVE A LITTLE FUN AND HEAR YOUR STORIES.

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[Morticia Mermaid]

Seriously, it's not cool to pray in peoples dreams and get their hopes up. I feel this was a horrible trick.

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[Morticia Mermaid]

If you wanted to hear their stories, just ask.

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[AniaR]

Womp womp April fools!!! Lol

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[Morticia Mermaid]

I hate this holiday. Couple years ago I quit a job because I got a better job, managers thought I was joking. I put in my two weeks and left, they said I left without notice even thought i reminded them daily. And it now shows that on my employment record

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[PearlieMae]

:gah: YOU TOTALLY GOT ME! HAHAHA! I didn't fall for anything ALL DAY until this one!

And I'm sorry that people can't admit they were fooled...sour grapes! This was a good prank!

[Mermaid Isabel]

Seriously, it's not cool to pray in peoples dreams and get their hopes up. I feel this was a horrible trick.

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I didn't play with their dreams. This is just a tradition. I didn't mean to hurt anyone and i read that many people who submitted an answer we wondering if this was a prank or not. Today it's the first of april and almost everything is allowed, unless you hurt someone

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[Mermaid Isabel]

:gah: YOU TOTALLY GOT ME! HAHAHA! I didn't fall for anything ALL DAY until this one!

And I'm sorry that people can't admit they were fooled...sour grapes! This was a good prank!

Ahahah that's cool! My father got me this morning when I woke up. He said that the school called us because they were going to cancel prom! I almost fainted!

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[Morticia Mermaid]

Please don't call me a sour grape. I now can't find work because that suite had screwed me over. Every job application I put in that calls them tells I left without notice. I have been burned enough by this stupid holiday. And honestly, I was going to tell my sorry, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. Tired if being screwed over

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[Morticia Mermaid]

Store*

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[PearlieMae]

I wasn't calling YOU a sour grape. Evidently, you aren't familiar with the term. And if you aren't getting hired because people checking your references are disqualifying you because a former employer thought you were pulling a prank, then I doubt those are companies you want to work for anyway.

I hope you find a job at a place you like, but to get all bent out of shape because you fell for an April Fools joke, well, that is the definition of sour grapes.

[Anahita]

Seriously, it's not cool to pray in peoples dreams and get their hopes up. I feel this was a horrible trick.

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I'm sorry, I do have to say, she didn't "prey* on people's dreams". That's a very melodramatic statement. She supposedly offered a free silicone tail, that's all.

Preying on someone's dreams would be like Adam Martyn, or Fishbutts, or MermaidsRUs, or the whole Kanti incident, where people took money from those hoping to get a mermaid tail and either take the money and run, or take the money and deliver a seriously sub-par tail. THAT is preying on someone's dreams.

Pretending to give away a tail for free, it cost you a bit of embarrassment for falling for it, that's all. Which honestly, maybe it's a cultural thing for me that I feel like the embarrassment about it isn't that big, but I think it's a very good illustration that maybe everyone in the community needs to learn from.

SO MANY are so incredibly hopeful of getting a silicone tail for free/cheap/etc. that there's a lot of blind trust out there. People are so desperate for a chance at one, that they fall for things way more easily than would seem reasonable. And unfortunately, it's not always a "free" tail they fall for, but something that costs them hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. I noticed it right away joining this site (that plus another, only slightly related thing that's not really worth mentioning).

So as harsh as this sounds, this was a good prank. No one lost money, and it really showed an aspect of our community we all need to be more careful about so we're not victimized in the future by someone who wasn't just intending to play a little Poisson d'Avril joke.

[Mermaid Isabel]

I wasn't calling YOU a sour grape. Evidently, you aren't familiar with the term. And if you aren't getting hired because people checking your references are disqualifying you because a former employer thought you were pulling a prank, then I doubt those are companies you want to work for anyway.

I hope you find a job at a place you like, but to get all bent out of shape because you fell for an April Fools joke, well, that is the definition of sour grapes.

Thanks pearliamae!

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[Morticia Mermaid]

So you guys are saying that getting peoples hopes up about getting their dream tail, then turning around and saying it was just a joke isn't cruel? I must live on a completely different planet then :/

Can't tell you how many people I have known and talked to who got their hopes up like that only to get knocked down, so they give up. The way I was raised, it is cruel to use someone's dream as a joke for entertainment.

[AniaR]

Its April fools. It sucks. But it is one day a year. Best to shrug it off and move on.

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[AniaR]

Being pranked on April fools is diff than genuinely being scammed or taken advantage of. People understand it is just a day.

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[Morticia Mermaid]

I guess my idea of a prank is different from everyone elses.

[malinghi]

While I appreciate your holiday spirt, personally I agree that this isn't a very good prank. There are two major problems- First, Morticia has a good point, that this sort of thing can really get people's hopes up and then crush them. Second, for a prank to be funny you have to make someone believe something unbelievable. Tricking someone into believing something plausible isn't that funny.

[AniaR]

well then mernetwork should decide if they're going to allow future april fools pranks or not, cuz honestly it's so damn subjective as pretty much EVERY april fools prank is it's unfair to call someone out if there's been no previous guideline. For instance, there have been many april fools PSAs about topics people shouldn't prank about and a good half of them I don't see what the problem is and a good half I agree.

e.g. my best friend has 4 kids. Last year she pranked she was pregnant again. everyone flipped because she already has 4 and had a good laugh at the end. this year I saw a PSA that pranking you're pregnant is insensitive to people who may have miscarried in the past year.

Point being: everyone will be offended by anything. I think any person could be offended by any prank, and april fools is meant to be the day you get to be a little shit and get away with it. it's the INTERNET and we need to stop taking it so seriously as a whole. I get that people are annoyed, but seriously, it's just April Fools it's the whole darn point of the day. It's as absurd to me as getting mad at someone for drinking on st pattys day because someone in your family is an alcoholic, or getting mad at people for posting lovey dovey things on valentines day because you're single.

So make a rule or don't if we're going to flip out this much over an appropriately timed prank. (the only time in which they're appropriate I might add) because really, it's so very objective (as you can see by the responses here alone) it's pretty freaking unfair to dump on someone for taking part.

[AniaR]

Current April fools jokes people can be offended by:

http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/01/april-fools-day-2014-a-round-up-of-the-best-jokes-so-far-4684779/

someone can take offence at the mere thought or joke of replacing the queen on a coin because feminism vs misogyny we should never ever joke about usurping a woman

some people may take actual scottish independence seriously and think the joke is a way to undermine it

joking about peacekeeping plans= poor form considering a war may happen with russia

why joke about something so serious as an election?

animal rights mad about the dog joke

along with the lamb issue because even though it's so clearly a joke and not real, animal rights and stuff

not even touching the kim jong one

making light of the serious issue of fracking!

etc etc etc

my point is, it's april fools, at worst you're going to be annoyed. No one's life is in danger. no one was taken advantage of. and nobody was stolen from etc. you can take any prank and turn it into some big offensive thing when you start super-analysing it and comparing it to situations that aren't at all in the same context. YOU DONT HAVE TO LIKE THE PRANK but that doesnt mean you should rag on the user of judge them for pulling one.

[AniaR]

the onion= tricking people into believing plausible things on the daily!

[Mer-Crazy]

To be fair, it's not April fools where I live anymore. We're about 16 hours ahead of the USA, so any April fools that go up have the potential to confuse those in different time-zones.

[Anahita]

I agree, this was an appropriately timed prank, and this is what the "holiday" (if this day even qualifies as a holiday in the West) is about.


april fools is meant to be the day you get to be a little shit and get away with it. it's the INTERNET and we need to stop taking it so seriously as a whole.

Yep.

Does anyone remember that Willy Wonka meme about the internet? This is kind of making me think about it, now. :P

19761

Oh, and by the way, I'm not trying to be mean or callous to anyone. I'm sure without my tone of voice being apparent it might come off that way in my posts on this thread. I'm just trying to say that, really, being upset by this is just... silly. There's way worse actual things that have gone on regarding silicone tails here, things that we have been and should be legitimately upset about. In the scheme of things, this prank is nothing.

[AniaR]

It was posted way early in the day. The more I think about it the more I think it is each persons responsibility to use discretion with everything they see and hear on April Fools day. You can't approach it like it is someone just doing it on an average day. Its not.

My friend rob announced he was finally signed to a music label. Something he's been trying for for years. Also happens to be the mutual dream of several of my friends. But it was a joke and we laugh.

If you wanna be mad about inappropriate jokes I suggest rape jokes. They're never appropriate.

But I think this prank was regarded with caution from the start however people even said it couldn't hurt and participated anyway. To me it pokes fun at how eager people are for free tails we believe anything and embrace anyone even someone with zero history. If you wanna be mad be mad about that. That symptom of our community is alarming.

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[AniaR]

And I think Mortician summed it up. Just not her idea of a prank. They're all subjective to everyone.

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[AniaR]

Ugh stupid phone
Morticia lol not mortician

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[Mer-Crazy]

Very well said Raina and Morticia. It doesn't really bother me either way, I guessed it was a joke. Just felt like throwing in my 2-cents.

[malinghi]

well then mernetwork should decide if they're going to allow future april fools pranks or not, cuz honestly it's so damn subjective as pretty much EVERY april fools prank is it's unfair to call someone out if there's been no previous guideline.

Just to clarify, when I said I didn't think it was that funny, that was just my opinion and doesn't represent official forum policy or anything. I would never consider regulating jokes in a million years. Anyway, I'm not saying its offensive or wrong or anything. I appreciate the effort since a lot of people don't even try to do any pranks on April Fools. I just didn't care for it myself.

[MermaidMichelle]

Though I was the first respondant and also the first to be suspicious (as you can see), I can sympathize with Morticia; it's a little counter-productive to have a day of the year when we just assume by default that we cannot trust anything anyone says. Nevertheless, as Raina pointed out, Mermaid Isabel has zero history and is only 17, so the chances of her being ready to start distributing professional silicone tails were low at best (though I'm sure she could be a fine "mertailor" someday soon if she wishes).

Now as for me, I'm mildly annoyed that I don't have the chance to nobly/graciously withdraw from the competition so that the prize tail would go to someone more needing of one.... j/k :mermaid kiss:

[MermaidMichelle]

Oh, and as an aside, I found Incendium's story to be especially poignant. I nominate her as one of the winners of this fake contest! ;)

Incendium, thank you for being a friend; I would pretend to be captured by pirates with you anytime! :mermaid kiss:

[Trident True]

Hmmmm, things seem to be a little out of hand. first off I don't think it was a nice prank at all, actually a complete wast of time if you ask me. what has made me a little angry is the fact that there are members here that have told some very PERSONAL things about themselves and their lives which in this case WOULDN'T of been Broadcasted to the rest of us here if it wasn't for this thread. like many people say. YOU CAN'T put the Jennie back in the bottle. all mods can do now is delete this thread, IMO.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

What about that poor schizo who just poured their heart out? Have you no shame?

[Kishiko]

Guys come on it's a joke. No one forced the people who "entered" to share personal details. You should always be skeptical of supposed "free tails". I saw this thread when it first went up but I didn't post because I knew it was some kind of hoax. It's actually quite funny because everyone is so desperate, and I'm not un including myself, to get a free tail that they'll believe anything! This should just be a lesson to us to not believe everything you see online, especially on April fools, especially from a new member. :)

[Nicky-Katz]

I didn't see the thread yesterday (in fact, I've just seen it now), and I must say I'm pretty happy about it. I'll explain later why. Anyway, something like this is not worth fighting each other. Yes, some people will laugh at the most cruel jokes and pranks, while others simply do not get them. There's just no patent on a joke that everybody will like equally. So everyone has a point. And, please, do not fight.

Now about why I hate April Fool's Day. I was mobbed in school (yepp, not a seldom thing - kids are cruel). And therefore I was the most desired target for pranks on April's Fool. And those pranks have never been harmless. I can't remember what they were, as my memory refuses to bring such unpleasant things up again, but I can clearly remember the feeling of being helplessly on the mercy of my classmates. And I'm still getting this feeling of helplessness each time someone pulls a prank on me.

My point is: one can never know how their target will feel. Despite the most harmless intentions pranks can hurt a lot.

[emma11]

It's seems to me like this was a "good" prank. She didn't say I'll give you a tail and then run. She reminded people WHY they got into mermaiding in the first place, why we love what we do, and how it has changed our lives.

Even if people are disappointed they aren't getting a free tail, at least they were reminded how being a part of this community changed them for the better.


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[Incendium]

Ahaha, thank you MermaidMichelle! ;) Honestly, I just wanted to share my story. :p
AND WOO. CAPTURED-BY-PIRATE BUDDIES. :dance:

[PearlieMae]

well then mernetwork should decide if they're going to allow future april fools pranks or not, cuz honestly it's so damn subjective as pretty much EVERY april fools prank is it's unfair to call someone out if there's been no previous guideline. For instance, there have been many april fools PSAs about topics people shouldn't prank about and a good half of them I don't see what the problem is and a good half I agree.

e.g. my best friend has 4 kids. Last year she pranked she was pregnant again. everyone flipped because she already has 4 and had a good laugh at the end. this year I saw a PSA that pranking you're pregnant is insensitive to people who may have miscarried in the past year.

Point being: everyone will be offended by anything. I think any person could be offended by any prank, and april fools is meant to be the day you get to be a little shit and get away with it. it's the INTERNET and we need to stop taking it so seriously as a whole. I get that people are annoyed, but seriously, it's just April Fools it's the whole darn point of the day. It's as absurd to me as getting mad at someone for drinking on st pattys day because someone in your family is an alcoholic, or getting mad at people for posting lovey dovey things on valentines day because you're single.

So make a rule or don't if we're going to flip out this much over an appropriately timed prank. (the only time in which they're appropriate I might add) because really, it's so very objective (as you can see by the responses here alone) it's pretty freaking unfair to dump on someone for taking part.

:clap:

[AniaR]

Are we seriously going to keep going on and on about how offended we are over an April fools joke and keep guilting the new user her wrote it? Get. Over. It. April fools is over. You have a whole year before you have to deal with it again.

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[AniaR]

When you go on and on about stuff like this it undermines actual serious issues. Sorry folks but not everything is the end of the world. If you choose to be offended that is your issue. And it most certainly is a choice. :/ I'm actually really disappointed that people can't seem to separate it and are projecting their issues on the poster. Tumblr much?

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[AniaR]

Like seriously it's not their issue you had a bad April fools so omg they're so insensitive. -_- over reacting to the extreme in my opinion. If people got this vocal about actual terrible behavior in our community wed sure have a different one!!!

/endrant

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[Ariel-Starfish]

Well said Raina!

[AniaR]

I just don't think not liking April fools is a good enough reason for a bunch of people to gang up on a newish member for participating in it. Its seriously unfair to project your own issues onto someone who hasn't done anything wrong. No one is forcing anyone to like it or participate. But don't go all woe is me because you fell for a prank on the one day it is allowed or because you don't like the idea.

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[Nicky-Katz]

I just don't think not liking April fools is a good enough reason for a bunch of people to gang up on a newish member for participating in it. Its seriously unfair to project your own issues onto someone who hasn't done anything wrong. No one is forcing anyone to like it or participate. But don't go all woe is me because you fell for a prank on the one day it is allowed or because you don't like the idea.

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Agreed. It might be just an internet phenomenon: someone promised a tail for a story. No actual tails, but true stories. In any case, it is simply not fair to stamp Isabel being cruel just 'cause there's no stupid tail. It doesn't matter. What matters is... we all are half fish.

The shared stories are great. I'll try to ease the situation up a bit by sharing mine, since I wanted to do that anyway sometime. It's nothing special, but...
Last October I signed up for a swimming course for university students, who already can swim in one style to learn more. I wanted to learn freestyle swimming... and ended up mermaiding :D About a month later I saw a video of Melissa on YouTube. And she became my inspiration. In concern for the oceans and creatures inhabiting them I grabbed a pair of flippers and stayed in the pool every time for another hour or so after the swimming course. I slipped into the shallow non-swimmer pool and swam round and round. I tied my feet together with shallow a piece of fabric holding my flippers together, got some blisters, but there was something kept me going. The course was on late evening, so on some days I was just to tired to stand up, jump on my bike and go to the pool, but then I thought of how good swimming in "my little fish tank" made me feel and there I was all warmed up through training and happily splashing my "tail". I got my monofin a month later or so which was a little adventure on it's own and now I'm doing things I've never could have imagined to do: I'm joining the local lifeguards and am going to take a course to get official lifeguard status. I'd also like to take part in events for kids... It's like a dream of having a dream coming true.

Anyway, I'm happy to not have fallen for a prank, but thankful for the opportunity to share my story. Thank you, Isabel.

[deepblue]

April Fool's Day, man I hate the stupid day. So many bad jokes, and simple or elaborate lies masquerading as funny, with only rare instances of actual funny happening. "Oh you have no sense of humor!" Actually, I do. Which is why I find most of the day just not funny.

I wish all the stories had gone into another thread... just did a search and I couldn't find just one that basically was all this without the false pretense.

I would have liked to have seen the question asked on its own. Most of us tell the story of how we found mermaiding in our intros, or here and there. One thread about it would be nice, but without the false pretense.

And yes, be it a day where it's more accepted or not, with or without judgement of the OP, it's false pretense. That's a description, here, not an accusation.


ETA- I gotta agree though, this was a bad idea. On this forum, where tails are the big deal they are, using this for a prank was not the best idea. Whatever day it was, I hate to see people's dreams used for this kind of thing.

[AniaR]

Used for what exactly?? She gained nothing! Why take ourselves so seriously. And people talk about their dreams all over the forum. How about a separate thread for how much people hate April fools.

If your dream can't handle a joke post on April fools I shutter to think of how it'll stand up to actual things. :/

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[PearlieMae]

Oh for f***'s sake. :headwall::surrender::gah: Criminy! It's just the bloody internet.

It's April 2nd. No jokes, no one getting all butt-hurt for nothing. Some thought it was funny, some didn't.

LET'S MOVE ALONG PEOPLE. NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

[deepblue]

Used for what, exactly? Used for an April Fool's Joke, obviously.

I don't think it's a matter of if someone's dream can stand up to it or not- that assumes a lot more than what is being said.

Yes, the Internet is full of pranks, the world is. You can defend the prank all you want with protestations of people being too sensitive, or easily hurt, or whatever. Those of us who think it was a bad idea will also say so. And people can learn from it and take what they want to from it. Hopefully, we won't see this kind of prank again. I don't think the original poster meant to hurt anyone, or cause a row, but it did.


But yeah, eta- I agree with Pearlie, at this point, I'm done anyway.

[Winged Mermaid]

Seeing as it's now April 2nd, I'm locking this thread.