Austin is home to the weird and wonderful, and that includes occupations. Thumbtack, an online platform that links people with service professionals, combed through a variety of jobs in Austin to find the five most unusual.

And unusual they are. Despite being a landlocked city, Austin has quite a few professional mermaids. Thumbtack estimates that there are about 1,000 folks around town who work in the mermaid industry by crafting — and performing with — mermaid tails. Austin also boasts laser show entertainers that specialize in dazzling light shows for big celebrations or private events. Your next party idea? Combining the two into a laser mermaid spectacle.

Due to Austin's high temps and year-round sunny weather, we also have a number of landscapers who specialize in xeriscaping. Xeriscapers utilize succulents, drought-resistant plants, rocks, and other accents that reduce water use. The result is a minimalist yard that is friendly on the environment and easy to maintain.

In the same vein are aeration experts, who bore small holes into the ground to let water and other nutrients get closer to plant roots. Between these pros and the xeriscapers, lawns all across Austin are in great shape for summer.

And finally, we have Austin's qigong instructors. These virtuosos teach other Austinites the art of qigong, a form of Chinese martial arts that relies on deliberate breathing and movement, similar to tai chi.

While some weirder than others, all five professions add something unique to Austin's colorful culture.