Have you ever met a mermaid?

[Kristen Danielle 2]

Hi! I'm Kristen and I'd like to introduce myself. First, the basics. I enjoy video games (obviously) and some of my favorite series are Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and The Legacy of Kain. I love writing fiction and/or fan-fiction novels, swimming for leisure and for mermaid performance training, shopping, and drawing. I am very traditional and believe that everything should, for the most part, still be done like it was in the 1950s. I live in the southeastern United States where all of the beautiful live oaks grow and the azalea bushes bloom every spring and I've always been a hopeless romantic. I am a huge fan of Garth Brooks and am also a professional artist in the traditional medium of dry pastel and something of a hobbyist at digital art. I will soon be going back to college online at Colorado Christian University and on campus at Southeastern Louisiana University to major in Biblical Studies With Languages and Graphic/Web Design. I'm 32 years old and my birthday is Valentine's Day.

 

Now, you may have noticed that I said "mermaid performance training." What do I mean by that? Well, have you ever been to a large aquarium that had hired a girl to swim around in the tanks wearing a mermaid tail? That's what I am training to do. I have several elaborate mermaid tails and believe it or not, this hobby/occupation requires one to be incredibly strong. Mermaid tails come in different materials, but they all add extra weight to your body while swimming and you must be able to manage that while holding your breath for longer than normal periods. Fabric tails are 100% neoprene and add about 5 pounds. Hybrid tails, which have bodies made of neoprene and fins and flukes made of Dragon Skin silicone, add about 15 pounds. Then, full silicone tails, which are 100% Dragon Skin silicone and incredibly realistic, can add anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds. Mermaids are also usually free-dive, SCUBA, and CPR certified and can hold their breath underwater for up to six minutes. Some photos of my fabric tails and my "Mythic" tail, which is a hybrid, are below! I don't own any full silicone tails yet, but when I do buy one, I am going to have it made to look like Daryl Hannah's tail from "Splash," only it will be red instead of orange.

 

 

The scales on the above tail are made of resin and are iridescent.

 

 

 

Mermaiding is the coolest gig in the world. Why work a 9-5 in retail when you can get paid an absurd amount of money to swim around in a mermaid tail and make little kids' days? ☺️

[LoveInHell]

There are just so many weird things about this and thats all I’m going to say.

[Kristen Danielle 2]

1 minute ago, LoveInHell said:

There are just so many weird things about this and thats all I’m going to say.

There's no need to be rude. It's no different than cosplay or the companies that put on birthday parties with actresses playing the Disney princesses. Kids love Ariel and mermaids.

[LoveInHell]

2 minutes ago, Kristen Danielle said:

There's no need to be rude. It's no different than cosplay or the companies that put on birthday parties with actresses playing the Disney princesses. Kids love Ariel and mermaids.

Oh, no, thats not the weird part. Kids love mermaids. Umm welcome to PSNprofiles~

[Kristen Danielle 2]

Just now, LoveInHell said:

Oh, no, thats not the weird part. Kids love mermaids. Umm welcome to PSNprofiles~

Thank you. What's weird, then?

[Dr_Mayus]

18 minutes ago, Kristen Danielle said:

Thank you. What's weird, then?

I think it is how you threw "mermaid performance training" in with shopping and drawing as if those 3 things are all average activities that obviously go together

 

My much bigger concern is the " I am very traditional and believe that everything should, for the most part, still be done like it was in the 1950s." That is the part I have to step back from. I know a lot of people pine for the good old days...but they were only the good old days if you were "white, straight, male and christian" they were the very bad days if you were basically anything else.

 

Listen, I am "white, male, straight and Christian" and I cringe anytime I hear any of the people I know wish things were the same as they were back then.

 

So I guess I need to hear what the "for the most part" refers to before I say anything else.

Edited June 21, 2020 by Dr_Mayus

[Kristen Danielle 2]

1 minute ago, Dr_Mayus said:

So I guess I need to hear what the "pretty much" refers to before I say anything else.

Oh, don't worry. I refer to the morals of the Bible as what should still be the same. That rules out racism and all of that nonsense because the Bible teaches that each man and woman is created by God in His image and that He shows no favoritism. We are all valuable. I'd have marched with MLK any day of the week. I believe that women should have the right to work and the right to vote and the same rights that men enjoy. I'm just tired of seeing a culture saturated with porn, constant killing, raping, and other lewdness when we should be respecting each other as more than objects of desire or targets of hate and vitriol. Each of us has a heart that can be hurt and we shouldn't be using them to cause others pain. People get away with everything these days and it's sad to see a society that mostly accepts it whereas in the 1950s, acting lewd and disrespectful to others had more consequences than such behavior does today.

[Rally-Vincent---]

8 minutes ago, Kristen Danielle said:

 People get away with everything these days and it's sad to see a society that mostly accepts it whereas in the 1950s, acting lewd and disrespectful to others had more consequences than such behavior does today.

 

Joseph McCarthy made sure there were some "consequences" back in the good ol' days.

[Helyx]

Having been raised Southern Baptist in South Carolina, there were zero mermaids and I feel a bit cheated.

[Kristen Danielle 2]

5 minutes ago, Rally-Vincent--- said:

 

Joseph McCarthy made sure there were some "consequences" back in the good ol' days.

That is not what I meant. Consequences, to me, are losing your good reputation in society through word of mouth simply because being disrespectful to others was less accepted back then. If you acted lewd at an event, you were not invited to the next one. Criminal activity (the legitimate kind with evidence, not the false accusation kind) was rewarded with jail time. Nowadays, we have people who purposefully make false accusations with the intent of ruining someone's life, people who steal and think it's totally okay, people who get away with murder after admitting that they did it to their defense attorney, etc. I think one of the main issues today is 24/7 news coverage. Bad things like murders and burglaries happened in the 50s, but you didn't hear about it constantly. You read about a few things in the weekly newspaper. I think hearing about all the hate and crime in the world 24/7 makes people weary.

 

12 minutes ago, TKdovahkiin said:

Hi Kristen! Welcome to our diverse, beautiful, outspoken, warm, and welcoming gaming community. I see you’ve already met a few of the locals.

 

No, I’ve never met a mermaid, but I did look into becoming one like yourself. It’s so cool. When you basically grow up in a pool, it seems kinda like the next step. 

 

I can also relate to your Biblical studies, which is my major passion. Hope you have a ton of fun in these parts. Thanks for sharing your unique story with us!

Thank you so much for the kind words. I have always loved the Bible, but I recently got more into it and closer to God after experiencing an event which really humbled me and rid me of my pride. I grew up in the pool as well. I never wanted to be a "pretty princess" like most little girls. I wanted to be a mermaid and now, I am.

 

12 minutes ago, Helyx said:

Having been raised Southern Baptist in South Carolina, there were zero mermaids and I feel a bit cheated.

There are mermaids everywhere if you know where to look. haha The community is worldwide!

[Dr_Mayus]

2 hours ago, Kristen Danielle said:

Oh, don't worry. I refer to the morals of the Bible as what should still be the same. That rules out racism and all of that nonsense because the Bible teaches that each man and woman is created by God in His image and that He shows no favoritism. We are all valuable. I'd have marched with MLK any day of the week. I believe that women should have the right to work and the right to vote and the same rights that men enjoy. I'm just tired of seeing a culture saturated with porn, constant killing, raping, and other lewdness when we should be respecting each other as more than objects of desire or targets of hate and vitriol. Each of us has a heart that can be hurt and we shouldn't be using them to cause others pain. People get away with everything these days and it's sad to see a society that mostly accepts it whereas in the 1950s, acting lewd and disrespectful to others had more consequences than such behavior does today.

And that is why i wanted to hear you out before casting judgement ? Enjoy the forums and the people here. 

 

Now that that is out of the way i do have questions. You mention you can hold your breath for 6 minutes. Now that is impressive on its own, but when you work do you have an oxygen tank or do you have to keep coming up for air? Are you swimming with the other fish or are you in a tank by yourself? I have never heard of this before and it intrigues me (as all different and unique things do).

 

[Kristen Danielle 2]

2 minutes ago, Dr_Mayus said:

when you work do you have an oxygen tank or do you have to keep coming up for air? Are you swimming with the other fish or are you in a tank by yourself? I have never heard of this before and it intrigues me (as all different and unique things do).

I am still in training so I'm not anywhere near the six minute mark. I can do about a minute so far, but to answer your question, both are possible in the industry. Some mermaids come up to talk to the children and use that time to get air and others have tubes in various places in the tank that supply oxygen. The mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida perform underwater ballet shows and use the tubes. Swimming with the fish is usually fine. I've seen mermaids swimming with dolphins and sea turtles in the ocean before. They just have to follow the guidelines and laws for endangered species (i.e don't touch them, keep a safe distance, etc). Some aquariums hire mermaids for their regular tanks and some for what are called "tank shows," where they're just in a tank by themselves doing backflips and splashing around with the children.

[Dr_Mayus]

1 hour ago, Kristen Danielle said:

I am still in training so I'm not anywhere near the six minute mark. I can do about a minute so far, but to answer your question, both are possible in the industry. Some mermaids come up to talk to the children and use that time to get air and others have tubes in various places in the tank that supply oxygen. The mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida perform underwater ballet shows and use the tubes. Swimming with the fish is usually fine. I've seen mermaids swimming with dolphins and sea turtles in the ocean before. They just have to follow the guidelines and laws for endangered species (i.e don't touch them, keep a safe distance, etc). Some aquariums hire mermaids for their regular tanks and some for what are called "tank shows," where they're just in a tank by themselves doing backflips and splashing around with the children.

I see ? well very interesting. Good luck with your training, it sounds like a lot of work but if it is something you love that makes it easier.

[Kristen Danielle 2]

1 minute ago, Dr_Mayus said:

I see well very interesting. Good luck with your training, it sounds like a lot of work but if it is something you love that makes it easier.

Thank you so much! It is a great deal of work, but swimming is my absolute favorite thing, so.  

[tsukari_xo]

Hi, welcome! I'm new too. I just wanted to say that I am also a 32 year old who really loves mermaids. I have seen some mermaid performers at the Ren faire, and it was really interesting. I think it'd be fun to do that for a living. I love the movie Splash! I would watch it all the time with my best friend when we were kids. Madison was such a pretty mermaid.

[Kristen Danielle 2]

Just now, tsukari_xo said:

Hi, welcome! I'm new too. I just wanted to say that I am also a 32 year old who really loves mermaids. I have seen some mermaid performers at the Ren faire, and it was really interesting. I think it'd be fun to do that for a living. I love the movie Splash! I would watch it all the time with my best friend when we were kids. Madison was such a pretty mermaid.

She really was. It's super fun, especially when you're just swimming for leisure at the beach or something and a little child runs up and is like "Mommy! A mermaid! A mermaid! Do you know Ariel?!" Soooo cute.

[DaivRules]

Welcome! I'm very curious what @Kristen Danielle thinks about the rumored Splash reboot.

[Kristen Danielle 2]

46 minutes ago, DaivRules said:

Welcome! I'm very curious what @Kristen Danielle thinks about the rumored Splash reboot.

Thank you! I absolutely loathe the idea. lol It's not because they're doing a gender swap, but because I feel that Splash is an 80s classic that is perfect as is. To me, it feels the same as remaking Dirty Dancing without Patrick Swayze would make me feel.

[StressEater]

22 hours ago, Kristen Danielle said:

Hi! I'm Kristen and I'd like to introduce myself. First, the basics. I enjoy video games (obviously) and some of my favorite series are Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and The Legacy of Kain. I love writing fiction and/or fan-fiction novels, swimming for leisure and for mermaid performance training, shopping, and drawing. I am very traditional and believe that everything should, for the most part, still be done like it was in the 1950s. I live in the southeastern United States where all of the beautiful live oaks grow and the azalea bushes bloom every spring and I've always been a hopeless romantic. I am a huge fan of Garth Brooks and am also a professional artist in the traditional medium of dry pastel and something of a hobbyist at digital art. I will soon be going back to college online at Colorado Christian University and on campus at Southeastern Louisiana University to major in Biblical Studies With Languages and Graphic/Web Design. I'm 32 years old and my birthday is Valentine's Day.

 

Now, you may have noticed that I said "mermaid performance training." What do I mean by that? Well, have you ever been to a large aquarium that had hired a girl to swim around in the tanks wearing a mermaid tail? That's what I am training to do. I have several elaborate mermaid tails and believe it or not, this hobby/occupation requires one to be incredibly strong. Mermaid tails come in different materials, but they all add extra weight to your body while swimming and you must be able to manage that while holding your breath for longer than normal periods. Fabric tails are 100% neoprene and add about 5 pounds. Hybrid tails, which have bodies made of neoprene and fins and flukes made of Dragon Skin silicone, add about 15 pounds. Then, full silicone tails, which are 100% Dragon Skin silicone and incredibly realistic, can add anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds. Mermaids are also usually free-dive, SCUBA, and CPR certified and can hold their breath underwater for up to six minutes. Some photos of my fabric tails and my "Mythic" tail, which is a hybrid, are below! I don't own any full silicone tails yet, but when I do buy one, I am going to have it made to look like Daryl Hannah's tail from "Splash," only it will be red instead of orange.

 

Mermaiding is the coolest gig in the world. Why work a 9-5 in retail when you can get paid an absurd amount of money to swim around in a mermaid tail and make little kids' days? 

 

Hey Kristen, welcome to PSN profiles. It is good to have you. Since you enjoy video games, you have come to the right place. This is by far the best website for fellow PlayStation owners. 

 

I have actually seen a few of these mermaid performances. They are very entertaining and clearly takes a lot of talent and conditioning to perform. It is by no means an easy thing to do. The last one I saw was at a Renaissance fair. I had no idea that the tails were so much more. I really enjoyed the information. That movie Splash was great when I saw it. But that was quite a few years back so I am not sure if it holds the test of time. Well, welcome to the site.

[Kristen Danielle 2]

2 hours ago, StressEater said:

 

Hey Kristen, welcome to PSN profiles. It is good to have you. Since you enjoy video games, you have come to the right place. This is by far the best website for fellow PlayStation owners. 

 

I have actually seen a few of these mermaid performances. They are very entertaining and clearly takes a lot of talent and conditioning to perform. It is by no means an easy thing to do. The last one I saw was at a Renaissance fair. I had no idea that the tails were so much more. I really enjoyed the information. That movie Splash was great when I saw it. But that was quite a few years back so I am not sure if it holds the test of time. Well, welcome to the site.

Thank you so much! Yes, mermaiding takes a lot of strength training. Luckily, the tails are weightless in water. The extra weight feels light when you are swimming, but the next day, you really feel what you've been carrying around in your sore muscles. To me, Splash definitely stands the test of time. It was made in the 80s and I still watch it all the time.