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Kennedy

ME, ME, ME, ME, ME !!! (not you)

By Kennedy, in The Bonfire

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Squeak    17

Squeak
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I have to agree with ChaosKitty that it is more of a human condition than that of skydivers specifically.

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I would rather be known as a dedicated spouse, trusted friend, close relative and a person with character, morals and who is kind to everyone who crosses my path FIRST. If I can be all that AND a skydiver, so be it.



At least, that's the person I'm trying to be.




Dude that's one TALL order to live up too, especially if that's how your would have people perceive you
Good luck :)
I'm happy to float my own boat and not give 2 tosses about what others think of me, by way of pigeon holes:)
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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happythoughts    0

happythoughts
Group identity in skydiving can have a relation to your individual likes/dislikes. People who enjoy CRW or RW, do it because it is interesting to them. Most importantly, it is something that they are doing.

In society in general, I think that the collective sports identity is humorous. There is a guy in our office who is 5'6" and weighs 240 probably and has never played organized football. He owns a leather Bucs jacket. His level of participation in professional football? Spending money.

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ACMESkydiver    0

ACMESkydiver
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In society in general, I think that the collective sports identity is humorous. There is a guy in our office who is 5'6" and weighs 240 probably and has never played organized football. He owns a leather Bucs jacket. His level of participation in professional football? Spending money.



...and that is just the level of participation that pro sports is looking for...:)
We participate in those activities which we are physically capable of, and enjoy those that we aren't as spectators. -As it relates to skydiving, I could have fun watching a swooping competition and would pay admission if need be; but there's no way I could participate myself. :P

It all relates. After all, everyone needs an audience to some degree.
~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

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livendive    8

livendive
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Riddle me this: why do so many skydivers seem to feel the need to put themselves into exclusive groups? What makes us think we are better because we are something someone else is not?

First it's that all non jumpers are whuffos. Then it's freaks of flat flyers are dumb. Then it's jump numbers. Then it's ratings or competitions or records. Then it's little cliques and groups. Then it's exclusive clubs.

Are skydivers so weak that many of us need to define ourselves by who we are not, and who we don't think is like us?



I've got a bunch of those little numbers.
Outlaw #3005 (I wanted a t-shirt)
ABG#1 (Arlo's Big Goober...very exclusive "club", I'm one of three)
TWS#2 (Teva's With Socks...I'm 2 of 2 [Kallend's #1])
ALF#16 (Annoying Little Fuck...tho' I'm really not all that little)

Yep, I'm a regular clique-meister.

Seriously though, I like to consider myself part of the "skydivers who aren't complete idiots" group. Skydiving provides a common interest that is immediately obvious and thus a simple first topic of conversation. Much better than hem-hawing around with a whuffo. I couldn't give a rat's ass whether a person flies on their belly, butt, head, with wings, doees CRW, or anything else. As long as they're not an idiot we can have an entertaining conversation. It might be a bit "lively" if they're a yuppie who wants to count tunnel time towards a license/rating, thinks people who jump Cessna's are hicks who can't really skydive, wants to fuck every student out of as many dollars as they can, and has no idea how to assemble their own gear, but it'll still be entertaining. ;)

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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happythoughts    0

happythoughts
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Could you imagine if we had no way to relax other than participating in the things we enjoy?? That would suck! I love to listen to music...but just because I can't sing or play guitar doesn't mean I can't enjoy and identify with a singer/band. Nothin' wrong with that! I support people who have talents that I don't with my participation in purchasing their albums, or videos, or tickets in their stadiums.



Thank you for an entirely different perspective on it. B| I do the same thing and never really viewed it as that. That is totally correct. :)
I went to see Shania Twain last Friday night live and I can't sing a lick. Not participating does not limit someones enjoyment of some event.

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skymut    0

skymut
[replyDude that's one TALL order to live up too, especially if that's how your would have people perceive you
Good luck :)
I'm happy to float my own boat and not give 2 tosses about what others think of me, by way of pigeon holes:)


Aww, but you misinterpret my squeaky grasshopper. :)
It isn't about me being concerned about how people perceiving me, it's about my self perception and HOW I TREAT OTHER PEOPLE.

From my list:
"dedicated spouse" - to live up to the promises that I made to my wife, you know, the love, honor and cherish, faithful thing.
"trusted friend" - to be a support for my friends, to be someone that they can trust, to be honest but caring, etc
"close relative" - to be the same thing to my family that I hope to be to my friends
"person with character, etc" - to be honest with people, to do what is right, to treat others with respect, etc.
"kind to everyone that crosses my path" - to treat others with kindness and compassion - i.e. 'The Golden Rule - treat others the way that I would like to be treated'.

Those are what I shoot for. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's work - because I don't think it is in human nature to treat others that way. I think human nature is to 'look out for ourselves.'

Matt
A well-informed person is somebody who has the same views and opinions as yours.

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Kennedy    0

Kennedy
Give it time. You'll see it. It really irks we when I see it in groups that are supposed to encourage new participation in the sport.
edit: can a group showing itself that way expect to draw good people?

And just to clarify for everyone, I have no problem with joining groups of like minded people. It's when the "I'm cool because I'm in this group and you don't exist because you're not" mentality comes up that I want to knock em down a peg or two.

To put it another way, it seems to me that a lot of skydivers and the worst stereotypes of frat-rats are very similar. They lose definition of their life outside the group, become nothing but the group, and if you're not in the group then you don't matter. That sort of weak minded shit.
witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

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arlo    0

arlo
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I've got a bunch of those little numbers.
Outlaw #3005 (I wanted a t-shirt)
ABG#1 (Arlo's Big Goober...very exclusive "club", I'm one of three)
TWS#2 (Teva's With Socks...I'm 2 of 2 [Kallend's #1])
ALF#16 (Annoying Little Fuck...tho' I'm really not all that little)



wow. that club is almost 7 years old now. :) scott is still jumping like a madman and i think john hasn't jumped since november. at least you're all accounted for. ;)


arlo

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kallend    2,148

kallend
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Riddle me this: why do so many skydivers seem to feel the need to put themselves into exclusive groups? What makes us think we are better because we are something someone else is not?

First it's that all non jumpers are whuffos. Then it's freaks of flat flyers are dumb. Then it's jump numbers. Then it's ratings or competitions or records. Then it's little cliques and groups. Then it's exclusive clubs.

Are skydivers so weak that many of us need to define ourselves by who we are not, and who we don't think is like us?



I've got a bunch of those little numbers.
Outlaw #3005 (I wanted a t-shirt)
ABG#1 (Arlo's Big Goober...very exclusive "club", I'm one of three)
TWS#2 (Teva's With Socks...I'm 2 of 2 [Kallend's #1])
ALF#16 (Annoying Little Fuck...tho' I'm really not all that little)


Blues,
Dave



Well, I'm ALF#3, nominated by YOU if I recall correctly.

In self defense, the ALF and TWS numbers were not sought, just awarded by someone else.

The only number I sought was my Freak Brother number, and there are 4,000+ of those, so it's inclusive rather than exclusive.

(And TWS just means your feet stink less at the end of the day.)
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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livendive    8

livendive
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I've got a bunch of those little numbers.
Outlaw #3005 (I wanted a t-shirt)
ABG#1 (Arlo's Big Goober...very exclusive "club", I'm one of three)
TWS#2 (Teva's With Socks...I'm 2 of 2 [Kallend's #1])
ALF#16 (Annoying Little Fuck...tho' I'm really not all that little)



wow. that club is almost 7 years old now. :) scott is still jumping like a madman and i think john hasn't jumped since november. at least you're all accounted for. ;)



Did you just stumble on this thread or were you searching the forums to see what we're all saying about you? :ph34r: <~~~not a bad Arlo impression if it had a piece of hay sticking out of it's mouth and was wearing a pair of bib overalls with an obi around the waist.

Hey, did you know my D number is exactly two ahead of John's (just like my ABG number)? I'm sure that's why he quit jumping. heh heh

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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Kennedy    0

Kennedy
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Back off there Carrot Breath!

Kennedy is sensitive and fragile - don't spout off inulting sarcasm at him. He really is MUCH too fragile.:P



I'm fragile? When did that happen? Maybe too many people can't distinguish between a rant and a whine.

Sensitive? Well, ok, but only when stimulated properly.... :)

Where is MLFM anyway...? B|
witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

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livendive    8

livendive
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Well, I'm ALF#3, nominated by YOU if I recall correctly.



I'm quite certain that I was neither the first nor the last to nominate you for that one ;) (We could start a poll in Speaker's Corner if you'd like).

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(And TWS just means your feet stink less at the end of the day.)



Proof positive that being annoying doesn't mean a person is always wrong. :)
Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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kallend    2,148

kallend
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Well, I'm ALF#3, nominated by YOU if I recall correctly.



I'm quite certain that I was neither the first nor the last to nominate you for that one ;) (We could start a poll in Speaker's Corner if you'd like).



January 26, 2000 you wrote:

"John Kallend is REALLY an annoying little fuck."

and that's how I got my number.:P
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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