More or less finished with this diagram.

Tomorrow I've got to put it in place on the pamphlet and then also make the other diagram 🙃🙂🙃

yeeeeeeeey

In theory though then I can send the whole thing off for final sign-off tomorrow night and then get the print run ordered on Friday and then I still have to make the sign-up sheets and my contacts haven't gotten back to me about the survey questions aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

but at least the deliverable will be done

i want to walk into the ocean and start a new life as a mermaid

Mammalian? Cephalopodic?

CRAB?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I think mammalian, I want the Speed, but I'm not sure.

Sharks are also good for speed but I want to be able to slow down sometimes also, so probs not that.

Wait does "mammalian" just mean the upper body, does it include both fish tails and mammal tails? Or are the different tail types different classes of mermaid?

I assume nothing. Give me creative liberty or give me writers block!

But I totally assumed sufficiently human upper body and mouthparts for popcorn and snarking the movies the township plays in the summer down by the pier

LMAO k we'll just class fish tails and cetacean tails together as "classic."

Though as I say that I remember the twin tail version, which would be "ultra classic," and also is a strong contender ngl

Hmmmm the reminder of Koi... but you specified ocean.

Ooh, perhaps something that can shift between the two. A salmon or a nice eel.

Sturgeons can do it repeatedly though so that might be a better choice.

And they've got bitchin' looks.

Classic silver color, chance to grow extra heckin lorge, snazzy 'stache. There're reasons to like Sturgeon, yes

We've got greens and whites at the aquarium and both colors are also very good, though I like the contrast on the greens. I... don't think a sturgeon mermaid would come with the barbells but I could be wrong.

I don't want 'em, at least.

Fair enough

Or just build them in as extra stiff/sensative hair somewhere more convenient, like behind the ears along the usual hairline

Well it depends on what you mean by convenient, then, because for actual practical purposes, barbells behind the ears is basically the least convenient.

Why?

For the same reason that tongues behind your ears are deeply inconvenient.

Fish barbels basically taste, it lets them find food in murky water or in sediment (depending on the fish).

tasty whiskers

you're not wrong

this is reminding me of the canon taxonomy of mermaids in the bloody hell universe, which is that they evolved at least two separate times

i'm gonna throw out crab centaur