Well, this is what bookmarks are good for. And today the bookmarks tell me I must inform you about Mermen and a hilarious, catchy, warm-your-heart fundraising calendar being sold in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Here's a picture of Newfoundland and Labrador (abbreviated as NL), in case you're "from away" (as they say in that province, meaning "someone who doesn't live there"):
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Newfound and Labrador is outlined in red. |
Okay, if I were to do this post the way it deserves to be done, it would take a lot of work. So I'm going to be lazy and just put in a link and a picture, because I am pooped. My apologies.
The link to an article on the Mermen and their fundraiser: HERE
And a picture to whet your appetite for more:
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Can you even stand how much fun that is?? (picture courtesy of The Daily Mail from the link above) |
By the way, in case you're as pooped as I am and don't want to follow the link, the money raised from sales of the calendar is going to Spirit Horse NL, a project that uses horses to help young people, adults, families and other groups enhance their mental health and learn new skills.
The world is full of wonderful people, innit?
Have a good weekend, all!
Question: Would YOU dress up in a mermaid/merman costume for a good cause? Have you ever done anything outrageous (even slightly) for a good cause of any kind? Spill the beans, people!
Brilliant initiative for a wonderful cause. Smiling all over my face. Thank you - and them.
ReplyDeleteAnd sending, as always, oceans of good wishes and hopes that your back woes can be settled quickly and easily.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, EC!
DeleteAnd thank you. Hugs, dear friend.
See that's what happens when I click on a link on the Mail's website I start reading all the trashy side bar activities of celebs and learn that Justin Bieber is going out with Selena Gomaz again. I blame you! Ha. And no I wouldn't dress as a merman, too cold. :D
ReplyDeleteBut they're such a cute couple!! lol
DeleteActually I didn't notice it was a UK source; I just picked the one with the best pictures and for some reason I thought it was a Newfoundland paper :)
I've always thought Newfoundland was way up high on the west coast. Every time I see it on a map I'm surprised.
ReplyDeleteHah! In the winter I bet a lot of N'ers would love to live on the west coast . . . they might get a tad less snow and ice :)
DeleteI have never done anything outrageous for a good cause but I have given hundreds of hours of my time to Oxfam. It seems to me that the NL calendar is rather sexist - portraying bare-chested men as mere sex objects. To redress the balance perhaps you can organise a Nova Scotia mermaid calendar next year.
ReplyDeleteBut merMAIDs are so predictable, YP! One thing I love about this initiative is that there is nothing on display - or even hinted at - that you wouldn't see on a warm day on a farm or fishing boat. It's just pure fun.
DeleteAnd volunteering time or money gets the job done every bit as well as dressing up as a merman.
DeleteHi! Great point and I'd love to comment!
DeleteFirst - I'm Hasan Hai, founder of the NL Beard and Moustache Club and creator of our MerB'ys 2018 calendar.
Our club is open to men or women (anyone who appreciates facial hair), however the idea was to throw some stereotypes of masculinity out the window in a fun, engaging way. "real men" are able to be cute, whimsical, show emotion and be vulnerable.
I respectfully disagree that there is anything about this calendar which is sexist, as there is no discrimination involved.
Many of the MerModels in the calendar have their own struggles with body image and mental health - this calendar has been a wonderful experience for them to build their confidence, push through barriers which would otherwise be impossible to overcome, and make a ton of new friends.
The BEST part, is that we're raising boat-loads of money for a wonderful charity, and general awareness to mental health in general.
If the Nova Scotia folk want to do a calendar, they can visit us here in Newfoundland ;)
Hi Hasan,
DeleteMay I begin by saying how gobsmacked I am that you left a comment here - I'd have done a better job on the post had I known you would see it. I've been recovering from a back injury that makes it hard to sit for very long.
Second, I love every part of your initiative - the giving aspect, the good humour the men have shown, the originality, the costumes, the settings - everything! I hope that much, at least, came across in the post.
As for Yorkshire Pudding's comment, what you wouldn't (couldn't) know unless you came here regularly is that he was making a tongue-in-cheek comment. I think I can speak on his behalf and say he'd be one of the first in line to support this endeavor and the men who are doing it. We are used to his humour here, which is why I didn't even address it.
Thank you - and all the other people involved - for taking on this project. You have 100% support from me and - if you look at the other comments - from the readers who visit here too. Much luck to all of you :)
Jenny
Thank you for your defence of my tongue-in-cheek comment Jenny. Of course I applaud the NL merman initiative in which Hasan has played a key role. The initiative is in no way sexist. However, I would still like to see some bare-chested Nova Scotian mermaids in various poses! Obviously, my interest is purely connected with charity fundraising!
DeleteOBVIOUSLY :)
DeleteHow I long for my very own merman. I've never done anything outrageous for a good cause. I stick to giving away money.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Neither have I, Janie. And I'm not sure I would. I'll stick with other ways to give, like you do :)
DeleteI would do many things for a good cause, but probably would not choose to be dress as a mermaid. However, last week I went to a daylong (which went into night) outdoor band competition that my grandson was a participant. It was freezing! A few seats over from us was a young woman dressed up in a full mermaid blanket-bodysuit (pajamas?). She looked quite comfortable but I did wonder about her ability to climb down the bleachers.
ReplyDeleteYes, I wonder how that would work ... maybe there's a zipper somewhere to open up the tail fin to walk.
DeleteIt's good, silly fun. I've never been approached....
ReplyDeleteMe neither. And you're right, it is just good, silly fun. Maybe outrageous was too strong a word for me to use! I like that it is clean fun.
DeleteI'd sure dress up for a good cause but I wouldn't expose. I'm not that brave. I loved the movie Calendar Girls and wish I had the courage they did.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Linda, about dressing up but not exposing. Or even suggesting, actually. I think it takes more creativity to come up with something like this that is just fun, not suggestive.
DeleteNothing outrageous here. Just regular volunteer work. Love that Mermen story though!
ReplyDeleteWhere would we be without "regular" volunteers? Ideas like Mermen come along once in a very long while!
DeleteI would absolutely dress up as a Mermaid. What I might not do is a dance competition, which is what we have around here, but I do buy a ticket. I just ordered a copy of the calendar. I love it. It appeals to every quirky little funny bone in my body.
ReplyDeleteYay, Chicken!! I wasn't plugging it, just thought it was a good story, but if it has helped the fundraising that's icing on the cake! Thank you. It's such a great idea, isn't it?
DeleteHope all of your appointments went well. I read about the Mermen and I think it's awesome. I wrote a book about all of my public humiliations so dressing up as a Mermen would be no problem. Take care, jenny_o.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Mr. S! It's such a great idea and a worthy cause.
DeleteLet's see, there's a band out here who call themselves the Mermen, but I don't know if they're any good or not, there's the Jimi Hendrix song that mentions a merman, but it seems way to cold for me to pull off, even without the snow that it looks like that poor guy is lying in.
ReplyDeleteI participated in the production of a few benefit shows when I was younger, but nothing special lately, unless you count helping Briana volunteer at Fix Our Ferals right after Kitters went missing...
-Doug in Oakland
That counts in my books, Doug :)
DeleteThat does look like a chilly place to lie down without a parka on, doesn't it?
I would dress up and have as an Elvira look alike...I think that merman has a heart to do his bit on snow! I hope your foot improves.
ReplyDeleteI so agree! And thank you.
DeleteAnd I had to look up Elvira - wow!
DeleteHAHAHA! This really tickled my funny bone. Mermen...what fun! And for such a great cause, too. Love it.
ReplyDeleteHeartwarming in every way!
DeleteI have never done anything remotely interesting in the name of a good cause but I would be happy to do something like this!
ReplyDeleteI like the merman, it's a fun idea
I like it, too, and I think a lot of people do - the story has gone international in a short time. Kudos to these guys!
DeleteThat picture makes me feel VERY cold.
ReplyDeleteI dated a guy in college who was a "Newfie" (a term he used quite proudly). He didn't have a big beard like that,though. :)
Not too many people had beards like that even, what, ten years ago? - impressive, isn't it?! And yes, Newfies are proud to be called that. I would be too, if I lived there. I can't make any false claims, though ~
DeleteThose guys are adorable! No matter what shape or size a guy is, a great sense of humour is his most appealing feature. (And a beard is just icing on the cake.) Kudos to them for making fun for a good cause!
ReplyDeleteIf there's any foolishness to be done, I'm usually up for it. I did the ALS Ice Bucket challenge, and I'd definitely do a silly fundraising calendar if anybody asked me... but that hasn't happened yet. Maybe there's such a thing as being TOO foolish for a good cause...? ;-)
I fully agree about the sense of humour, Diane. And somehow it does not surprise me that you'd embrace "silly" for a good cause!
DeleteHow sweet to wear such interesting clothes for great cause !
ReplyDeleteI was since beginning little weird for people around as since childhood i started to serve elderly people in my small village which was striking for all but i followed my heart and did for them their little chores which were big for them due to be in such helpless age.
later in my life in my life i did help of others by going against the wave without thinking that what will other think of me .
once i helped an old lady to pick up her heavy stuff and dropped it to her home which was quite for from mine ,than i was young and it was not good for me to walk away from my home as far according to the tradition here for young ladies than .old woman was suffering with sudden chest pain near the edge of market and no one was paying attention .
i am totally agree with the idea of taking an x ray Jenny ,i really think you should take this pain serious as it is taking so long to go my dear friend!
please take great care .
lots of love and hugs
As your experience shows, what is "outrageous" for a good cause can depend on what the norms are in any particular culture, baili. You were stepping outside of the usual behavior to help others; it does not surprise me, because you have a huge heart!
DeleteThank you for your good wishes, my friend!