me and the mermaids

really funny banter between everyone at the get together

at some point the conversation turned to mermaids…crab mermaids, the origin of mermaids, the history, etymology, symbolism etc.

I had factoids and anecdotes about all of it. after a while someone asked if i was particularly interested in/passionate about mermaids and i denied it as i broke into another anecdote on how we used to discuss them quite frequently on stream. as i talked i realized, huh, maybe i do have a thing about mermaids.

i mean i did get unreasonably impassioned talking about them and even more so when i was making that video essay about h2o: just add water

i learned that about myself today, im passionate about mermaids! that’s such a strange out of left field thing for a fully grown adult black man to say but it is certainly the case.

i had said to Azalea yesterday when they revealed their passion for this one particular jeweler’s work and their ideal engagement ring

“i’m glad you still want things like this”

“wdym?”

“your experiences didn’t erode your desire for a beautiful life with beautiful things”

Az and I have lived very similar hells, and so now we’re quite good friends.

I always liked that about them, that they are so into cute, beautiful things despite the life they were given, especially all those sanrio animals yknow? i never got the appeal but they love em

i guess for me it’s mermaids

that’s sweet

post script

they used to be really scary to me the way they were described in my country growing up, the way my mom talked about them especially.

it’s nice to no longer be afraid.