Alright my fishes! That's all she wrote for 2021!

After an epic photoshoot with Mermaid Zelda and a peaceful (though I did manage to hurt myself AGAIN) swim with Mermaid Bjossa, I am finally feeling a little more in the mood for Fishmas!

How did I hurt myself? I actually cut the footage right before it happens but I loop my arms around and cracked the front of my ribcage in a weird way. I'm fine but it's a little sore/stiff.

I'm happy to report that I am finally figuring out those figure-8 flips and that I'm gaining a little power in my back flips too! The opening shot of the swimming footage is at 100% normal playback speed and I feel like I got that NYOOM as a certain Nerdmaid would say.

Overall I am feeling good about where we have left things for this year! 💖

I don't know about you, but I have thoroughly been enjoying my mermaid experience on and offline over the last little while!

​Swimming in leggings with my friends, doing tricks, practicing new moves, it's been a blast!

I have taken all of the pressure off of myself and have finally been able to focus back in on what actually matters to me when it comes to mermaiding: creating mermaid magic through my shop, my mermaid experience underwater, and time spent with my mer friends. 💖

Arm placement seems to be a large part of my issue and why I seem to "stall" when I get to the arc of my flip. I can also see, after reviewing the footage WAY TOO MANY TIMES HAHA, that I'm missing a kick between my two turns. So! The next time I hit the pool, I will try that out since I hadn't noticed it last time I went. This is honestly why it can be very beneficial to film yourself, even if you never share the footage.

We were also tinkering with a few back flips and at the tail-end of the video (pun totally intended) Bjossa actually does a really epic vertical infinity flip!

​Now it's something I really want to try!

I've been really enjoying swimming lately in my rash guard and leggings with a monofin (in this case the Finis Foil - an EXCELLENT practice fin that I highly recommend for its inconspicuous shape and size).

Lately I've really been focusing in on the experience and technique as I feel like my more mermaid look is pretty much where I want it to be.

I've also started working on a new tail for 2022 and as I anticipate this tail being a little bit heavier than the tails I'm used to, I want to work on strength, stamina, and overall mobility in and out of the water.

Something interesting to observe in this video is the different fins in motion and each of our unique swimming styles. From the large, flowy Fantasea 3 fin, to the smaller Finis Foil, and of course the Linden fin (a more traditional style monofin for mermaiding), each have their own vibes and benefits.

I love the Foil because it gives me everything I need without drawing a TON of attention from pool staff and onlookers. It basically just looks like to flippers attached together with ample room between your ankles to give you proper foot/leg alignment. It's also very lightweight and comfortable and fits a wide range of sizes.