I'd never have guessed YOU are a skydiver!

[Evelyn 0]

Has anyone ever said to you when they found out you are a skydiver "I would never have guessed that YOU were a skydiver". WTF is that supposed to mean? What kind of preconceived notions do people have of skydivers? This was said to me by a whuffo aquaintance who I barely know. Since she doesn't know me I'm assuming she thought I don't look like a skydiver. ?????

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

[dbattman 0]

Hey, I still get 'I would have never guessed you for a paranoid schizoid psycopath', but we DO look just like everyone else.

OK, pu the beer down and go to sleep.

[lawrocket 3]

Yeah, I used to get it all the time where I worked. I was wayyy too geeky for them to think.

I got the same disbelieving comments about playing lead guitar in a band.

I took it as a compliment.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[atsaubrey 0]

Just wait til my fat ass walks around your DZ!

"GOT LEAD?"

[quade 4]

It means that most people watch movies and TV and get their opinions of who might be associated with skydiving from those sources.

Most whuffos think most skydivers fit somewhere between Hell's Angels and circus folk.

While there -may- be -some- truth to that, clearly that's not the entire story.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Nightingale 0]

I get the "but...you're a GIRL!" a lot when people find out.

[JamesNahikian 0]

I would bet that like five people outside of this sport even possess a remote inkling I jump from stuff, an activity I've loved and participated in for more than a decade. Most other people are simply aware I dislike golf and don't race yachts nearly as much as I used to. Low key works for me.

D. James Nahikian
CHICAGO

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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Has anyone ever said to you when they found out you are a skydiver "I would never have guessed that YOU were a skydiver".

Yes, it happens all the time. People are totally SHOCKED that I love to jump. Oddly enough, women can be the most offensive with their stereotypes and preconceived notions. Men and women both often comment on my small size and my very girly-girl appearance. However, it's nice when the ladies are intrigued and seem to sometimes become inspired to try something new. The men look at me with respect and curiousity, and they even seem turned on by the whole thing. Lately, though, I've begun to notice the tiniest bit of intimidation in their eyes...

Edit: I agree that it's best to be low-key about the whole thing, but people keep asking me about my ankle. It's quite embarrassing to wear a cast...I feel like a fool!

[bch7773 0]

I've gotten that a few times... its because movies paint skydivers as a bunch of crazy, wild, drug-using troublemakers.

just watch point break or cutaway.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[MarkM 0]

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its because movies paint skydivers as a bunch of crazy, wild, drug-using troublemakers.

Yeah, and we all know skydivers aren't anything like that. Heck, the WFFC is also the annual church social, square dance and bingo competition.

[Squeak 17]

YUP
I also get
"You don't look like the sort of person who has tattoos"

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?

[slug 1]

Hi Vanillaskygirl

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I agree that it's best to be low-key about the whole thing, but people keep asking me about my ankle. It's quite embarrassing to wear a cast...I feel like a fool!

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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Just wait til my fat ass walks around your DZ!

Yeah, what he said...

"What're you lookin' at?? You never seen a fat mother of 3 jump out of an airplane?? Stick around...I'll do it again for ya. "

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Evelyn 0]

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Has anyone ever said to you when they found out you are a skydiver "I would never have guessed that YOU were a skydiver".

Quote

Yes, it happens all the time. People are totally SHOCKED that I love to jump. Oddly enough, women can be the most offensive with their stereotypes and preconceived notions.

I guess I'm just not used to dealing with stereotypes. If I was I would think that the older country club set would be the least interested in skydiving, yet all of our friends at our country club are very interested in and supportive of my skydiving. Every week they ask me about my skydiving and want to know all the details. They are so intrigued by my skydiving that they have gotten a group together to go do tandem jumps next month. I'm so excited for them, and of course I will be on the plane with them.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

• Quote

[quade 4]

On the other hand I know a skydiver that is a . . .

Rocket scientist
Astronaut
A wife, mother and world gold medalist skysurfer
A neuro surgeon
At least one lawyer
Numerous SEALs and ex-SEALs (ok, that's kind of expected, but they aren't "crazy" -- quite the opposite usually)
Ex-chief mechanic for an airline (that seems like a pretty responsible job)
Real estate agent
Lamb Chop (well actually the lady that now performs Lamb Chop)

I guess what I'm saying is that skydiving, while it does attract some crazies, also is made up of some fairly responsible and some fairly boring people as well.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Evelyn 0]

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I guess what I'm saying is that skydiving, while it does attract some crazies, also is made up of some fairly responsible and some fairly boring people as well.

Although I haven't been in the sport very long, that is my observation, that most of the people who skydive are just regular people who have found something they love to do.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

[Lainey 0]

I hear that all the time from my friends, i'm afraid of heights - amongst other things so they just can't believe I jump from planes now. Hell I can't even believe I jump from planes now Some people think i'm too girly to do it as well, I'm not even that girly at all, I do get slightly annoyed that my nails have all now broken but that's about the extent of it.
.

And you shed not a single tear for the things that you didn't need
'Cause you knew you were finally free - Death Cab For Cutie

[Evelyn 0]

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I would bet that like five people outside of this sport even possess a remote inkling I jump from stuff, an activity I've loved and participated in for more than a decade. Most other people are simply aware I dislike golf and don't race yachts nearly as much as I used to. Low key works for me.

Unfortunately I can't be low key because I have a spouse who is so proud of my skydiving that he often introduces me to new friends as "this is my wife Evelyn, she jumps out of planes".

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

[Girlfalldown 0]

Damn. When people find out I'm a skydiver they usually say "yeah that sounds like something you'd do". I wonder what that means.

--------------

(Do not, I repeat DO NOT, take my posts seriously.)

[champu 1]

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skydiving, while it does attract some crazies, also is made up of some fairly responsible and some fairly boring people as well.

I figure I'm at least in the top 10 "most boring skydivers" if not top 5.

[hookitt 1]

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I get the "but...you're a GIRL!" a lot when people find out.

Yeah... me too! It's rather odd

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[skydiverkaz 0]

It's funny, some people just see it as "one those phases" that I'll grow out of, even though it's a 5 year long phase! Others, they just see it as totally typical of the crazy thing i do, kinda the natural progression from the abseilling, rock climbing, kayaking that you could not stop me doing as a teenager! And others just look at the fact that I wear skirts and pink and then give me the whole "but you're a girl"!

If you're gona skate on thin ice, you might as well dance

[Zenister 0]

no, it never seems to suprise anyone that knows me...

it is very very cool on the occasions i've been able to remark to a loud mouth asshole going on about how he used to jump, that both the women he was trying to hit on have several hunderd jumps more than me.... that moment, is just priceless..

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[skygirlpc 0]

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one that gets this! Every new person that I meet is shocked that I jump. I've been told that is because I'm so "mild mannered" and conservative. I enjoy being unpredictable!

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller

[Brains 2]

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On the other hand I know a skydiver that is a . . .

Rocket scientist
Astronaut
A wife, mother and world gold medalist skysurfer
A neuro surgeon
At least one lawyer
Numerous SEALs and ex-SEALs (ok, that's kind of expected, but they aren't "crazy" -- quite the opposite usually)
Ex-chief mechanic for an airline (that seems like a pretty responsible job)
Real estate agent
Lamb Chop (well actually the lady that now performs Lamb Chop)

I guess what I'm saying is that skydiving, while it does attract some crazies, also is made up of some fairly responsible and some fairly boring people as well.

I love that about this sport, at our DZ, you could add:
head of the CDC for the state of TX
Asst. District Attorney
Anesthesiologist (sp?)
Numerous business owners
Strippers

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.