Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.02.2017, Síða 64

Body Hair
By NANNA DÍS ÁRNADÓTTIR
Nanna, I started dating this girl who
doesn’t like body hair. I don’t really
have a preference one way or the other
but I can’t really be bothered to shave.
It’s cold and dark and I’m just too lazy.
- Vanilla Gorilla
Hey Vanilla Gorilla, It’s dangerous to set
precedents for romantic partners. They’ll
come to expect you can uphold certain stan-
dards. I think we both know that chances
are, if you’re too lazy to shave while the re-
lationship is new then time will not stoke
the flames of effort. If anything you will
become more heinous as time passes. So
best just quit while you’re ahead. - Nanna
Nanna, Shit has really hit the fan across
the pond in the United States with the
inauguration of Trump. Do you know
someone whose couch I can sleep on, or
a comfy cave I can live in? Please help, - D
Sorry D, I’m afraid you have to stay in
America and actually be an instrument of
change. If you promise to harass your con-
gressional reps and senators, use your vote
for good in local as well as national elec-
tions, rally around Standing Rock, speak
up for Muslims, walk alongside BLM activ-
ists, fight for women and LGBTQ rights,
then I will personally find a couch for you
to sleep in on during a well-deserved holi-
day break in Iceland. Swearsies. - Nanna
Hey Nanna, I recently decided to stop
drinking and have realised that every-
thing revolves around drinking. Every so-
cial occasion, every hangout, everything.
My friends also seem really stressed out
by my sobriety when we’re out. Like my
not drinking is suspicious somehow.
What should I do? - Sober Sigga
Sigga, Welcome to low-key adulthood,
where you are allowed to stop caring what
other people think about your life choices.
Before you lies a land of Netflix marathons,
semi-responsible pet ownership, occasional
veganism, hobby gardening and book read-
ing. Chill out and show your friends good
sobriety can be. - Nanna
WEEKLY NANNA: gpv.is/nanna
Do you want to ask Nanna a question? Go ahead, but continue at your
peril. Shoot her an email on nanna.arnadottir(at)gmail.com or tweet her
using @NannaArnadottir
DON'T ASK NANNA ABOUT
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 02 — 2017
62
It is rather common for seafarers to catch
sight of both mermen and mermaids, and
perhaps hafstrambis, as they raise their
head and shoulders above the ocean and
gaze for a moment at the vessel before div-
ing back into the sea. Mermen are by far the
most common of these sightings. All these
sea creatures portend a storm, tempest or
heavy seas, or loss of life in or by the sea.
A merman going up on dry land of
his own accord carries the same por-
tent. However, it is said that they are
sometimes forced to go up on land while
fleeing their enemies in the sea. In such
cases, it is considered a great transgres-
sion and bad luck to harass them. They
will sometimes flee from heavy waves
onto quiet inlets or sand beaches, pref-
erably in hard-to-reach places far from
the dwellings of men. They will then
rest there until they believe it safe to
go back into the sea. In fact, they pre-
fer being on land to being in the sea or
fresh water, although it was said that it
is usually their curiosity, importunity
and ferocity that makes them come on
land. While on land, they would most
often rest against a beach rock or stand
up against a pillar or cliff, leaning on
their elbow and with their paw resting
against their cheek. Fierce mermen of-
ten try to drive men into the sea. Many
have had to fight them with bludgeons.
Some are also said to be cannibals. […] It
is of no use to fire a gun at them except
with silver buttons, as they shake off
bullets and shells as if they were dust.
Mermen most often come on land dur-
ing the night. They avoid crowds, large
ships, sharp noises and prolonged clat-
ter. […] Once in a while they would, for a
lark, break into people’s dwellings dur-
ing the night and steal some item with
which they would amuse themselves.
Sigfús Sigfússon, Íslenzkar þjóðsögur og
sagnir V, p. 125.
MONSTER OF THE MONTH
SMJÖRFLUGA
Hafmaður
Merman
"Monster of the Month" is a spin off of 'The
Museum of Hidden Beings', by artist Arngrímur
Sigurðsson. He delved into Iceland´s mytho-
logical history, taking creature encounters
from across the centuries and bringing them
to life through painting in an act of creative
cryptozoology. Find the book at bookstores, or
order it online at arngrimur.com.
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