2012: A Big Year

It's nearly the end of 2012 (or to some of my non-US readers, it's already 2013). This year has been a big one for me! Take a look:


This year:
*I started Thalassa Mermaid and thalassamermaid.com
*I swam at the Utah Pirate Fest and met a lot of new friends!
*I found a new mertender
*I improved my swimming technique
*Thanks to my wonderful fans, I fundraised enough money for a new silicone tail
*I volunteered at The Road Home
*I entertained at The Living Planet Aquarium
*I founded The Black Thorn Court, of which the Black Thorn Mermaids are a part (more on this later)
*I found 61 (to date) new wonderful fans on Facebook

In 2013, I hope to:
*Set up regular visits to The Living Planet Aquarium
*Set up regular volunteer hours with Primary Children's Hospital (once my silicone tail arrives)
*Keep old friends and make lots of new ones
*Entertain at both the Utah Renaissance Festival and Fantasy Faire, and Utah Pirate Fest
*Improve my flipping technique
*Improve my underwater photography technique

Thank you to everyone who made this a truly memorable year! A few people I owe a special shout-out to (this list is NOT all-inclusive, since it would go on for MILES):
*Gawain Falke, for being my wonderful mertender (and to his dad, he knows why)
*Mermaid Lei Loni, without whom I wouldn't have met many of the mers I know today
*Mermaid Janelle, for helping me through The Road Home with her fantastic beadlets and for being such a good sport
*Mermaid Dottie, for being my first mermaid friend (and her husband and little squirt for showing me what's possible in a mer-family)
*Mermaid Koral, for being so much fun and getting along as well as supporting me through my anxieties these past few months
*Stevi of Fish Butts for making my first tail
*Raven of Merbellas for making my silicone tail and being so patient with my requests and questions
*The Black Thorn Court for supporting the crazy mermaid
*The Living Planet Aquarium for helping us get set up with them
*My family and friends who have seen me along the way with this crazy dream, and haven't told too many people how insane I am. ;-)
*My cool facebook friends
*Mernetwork, without which I wouldn't be a mermaid today
*Raina the Halifax Mermaid, who is my mer-inspiration in tail and out. Keep swimming!