Guest post by DJ Mermaid: How I came up with DJ Mermaid as a pen name

Here she is, DJ Mermaid, with her first guest post.

Everyone knows the rule: Only post on the Internet if you won’t have it bite you back later. That includes your personal information for some people.

I am one of them.

This is because I did a StoryCorps interview that went on NPR and then I wrote a post for the Easter Seals national blog. Those go alllllllll over the country and take comments, and I worry about negative comments and social media backstabbing.

So I wanted a pen name.

DJ Mermaid and family doing their best Mary Poppins.

I happen to love mermaids and music (preferably Taylor Swift and Julie Andrews). Now let me give you a little back story on why I like these two things.

The whole mermaid obsession started when I was about two — roughly. I was at my grandparent’s house and I was watching The Little Mermaid with my young aunt. Of course I immediately fell in love with Ariel, the youngest mermaid princess of King Triton. I loved her because at the time I couldn’t really walk and she couldn’t really walk on land either. This made this my favorite movie up until I was six and saw The Sound of Music (more on that later).

About DJs: A DJ is someone who plays music and has a deep passion for the artist/band they like. This is me because I love parties, music, and the pops style.
I got into Taylor Swift when I was about 7-1/2. My friend Emily loved her music and I decided to give it a listen.

I listened to the song “Love Story,” a modern take on Romeo & Juliet. I read the play after I listened to the song. I decided I like her music a lot.

I went to Taylor Swift’s 1989 album World Tour at Soldier Field last summer. I had a lot of fun. While Taylor Swift was singing, two teenage girls sitting in front of me moved out of their seats so I could see Taylor (and her chic outfits!) super-clearly.

My parents and I were up past midnight that night. I was belting out the songs and my dad was just drinking beer and margaritas.

Julie Andrews is probably the best classical singer of all time. I loved her in her role as Maria, the nun from the Salzburg Abbey in The Sound of Music. When I was in kindergarten, my whole family dressed as the Mary Poppins cast because I loved the movie so much and because my favorite actress was in it. (I loved her and her role in both of the movies mentioned!) I was Jane Banks. I wore braids and a Victorian dress.

Well, that’s the end of my post, folks! Bye.

-DJ Mermaid