2fat2fly 0 #1 September 13, 2003 I'm coming up on the second anniversary of my first skydive at the end of November. I now have 43 jumps.......that's right 43, I haven't been injured, I didn't have big problems in AFF (I repeated two levels once apiece). It's just that between weather and work I haven't had time. I'm very frustrated and trying to decide if I should continue. I enjoy skydiving and the family of skydivers but I don't see anything changing soon. It sucks to have been at it for this long of a time period and still have as few flying skills as I do. Even people with similar or fewer jumps have much better skills because their last 5 jumps were yesterday and mine are spread out back to June. Has anyone else had this slow of a start? OH, beautiful day today and I'm at work. Tommorrow looks like rain. I'll stop whining now but I could use some advice. Thanks guys/ShaneI am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blahr 0 #2 September 13, 2003 I've been in it for 14 years and have 57 jumps. I've been out of it for 8 years. This means that those 57 jumps took 6 years to complete. I was never current and learned at a very slow pace because of this. It was very frustrating and I was very poor and had no transportation of my own. Money and frustration eventually caused to to pack it in. Forever I thought. Until just a few months ago when I decided to make a comeback. I have more money now and can put in the time I need to actually become good. I empathize with your plight, but this is just too damn cool to give up on it. Have patience and you will be rewarded. Cheers, Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #3 September 13, 2003 I've been jumping for 13 1/2 years and haven't hit 1000 jumps yet. I've done at least one skydive every calendar year since I started; my "biggest" year ever I didn't even do 200 jumps. Will I ever be a world class skydiver? Nope. Do I have fun every time I jump? Yup. Don't give it up. Jump as often as you can afford to. Enjoy every skydive. It's not about how good you are, it's about how much fun you're having. As long as you're having fun when you do get to jump, it's all good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowwhite 0 #4 September 13, 2003 QuoteI've been jumping for 13 1/2 years and haven't hit 1000 jumps yet. I've done at least one skydive every calendar year since I started; my "biggest" year ever I didn't even do 200 jumps. Will I ever be a world class skydiver? Nope. Do I have fun every time I jump? Yup. Don't give it up. Jump as often as you can afford to. Enjoy every skydive. It's not about how good you are, it's about how much fun you're having. As long as you're having fun when you do get to jump, it's all good. I got the opportunity to talk to my idol, Lew Sanborn, and he was commenting on the fact that for as many years as he has been jumping, he has remarkably FEW jumps. But he made comments similar to the Bytchs above. Every jump was important, and they were all fun. He also made the comment that even tho the accuracy meets are named for him, there are far more "accurate" jumpers than he considers himself to be. So I guess the real question here is "are you having a good time?" if the answer is yes, why would you do anything differently?skydiveTaylorville.org freefallbeth@yahoo.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #5 September 13, 2003 In the words of Wnston Churchill: Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. There's really no need for you to worry about being able to keep up with other skydivers. Sure, it's disheartening to see people excel past you while you're still plugging around. But, who cares? You like skydiving, keep doing it if it makes you happy.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CDRINF 1 #6 September 14, 2003 I just got my USPA 15 year certificate and I have only 753 jumps. My high total for one year is 103 and low is 22. Work (Army), grad school, and family have all combined to make my jumping on again, off again. Yet, I just participated in a 60 way attempt (we had one missing grip) and got to jump in Thailand last year at a boogie with a lot of the big names in skydiving. Don't get discouraged. Focus on quality, not numbers. CDR Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot90 0 #7 September 14, 2003 Quote I enjoy skydiving and the family of skydivers but I don't see anything changing soon. I had less than 100 jumps in the 1st 2 years. Did I suck in air skills, yep. Did I have fun You bet! I still only do about 100 a year and have fun ever time I jump. I have seen people come in to the sport and pass me up and a couple are aff'ers now. I seen them come and go. Have fun at your level. look for ways of getting jump money. I used to drive up and down I-95 looking for cars broke down. That's how I paid for aff. If you want it bad enough you'll find a way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dterrick 0 #8 September 14, 2003 LISTEN TO LISA AND ANDREA, OUR OMNIPOTENT GREENIES! Shane, I went through skybirthday #2 at the beginning of the month on 160 jumps in a 6 month seasonal DZ. We've experienced similar thought patterns and I do now believe it is normal. Sophmore jinx? My personal problem is that I could spend every dollar I have and more (indeed I have at times) and somewhere the love of going broke over the sport hit me as silly. That in its self was silly. I did well over 100 jumps in my first full season and with only weeks to go I'm not yet at 50 this year. That hurts and the only 'real' reason I've not been jumping that much is financial. I agree with you that my skyfamily is waaaay cooler and tighter than even my real family and I would not trade that for anything. It's so powerful that I'm now prepared to do freestyle/freefly stuff with a 20 year old Racer and a reserve as a main with our (only) resident 72 year old freeflyer. It's been a breath of fresh air to get out ofthe mindet that "I need to do 4 way" or "I need to get license 'X'" or .... you get the idea. When I go jump it is now for the pure fun of it and I now MAKE my own fun. So long as you can go to DZ without thinking about the $'s you are going to spend you have NO reason to think about quitting. Weather is unpredictable but you get to spend down time with cool skydivers. Work is demanding but that means more money to skydive right? If you get screwed by Ma Nature when you have money, just make sure you save it and earmark it for skydiving. If it gets that bad, turn it into a winter holiday. -Dave PS: I got 15 s/l jumps in my first season before the DZ closed. THAT winter was pure hell. Next season I had to start from scratch. OK, I remortgaged the house to finance the season and the gear but this season has felt a lot like you describe. Just do whatever it takes and be true to yourself. KNOW that even after you have a B license and have done 4 and 8 ways there are STILL things to do in the air that can make you smile like it was your first jump!! Just be Curious. Now smile, dammit and go skydive !! Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fasterfaller 0 #9 September 14, 2003 Life is what you make of it . If you want to jump more do what it takes to make it happen . If your work hours are the problem change them or find one that fits your life . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
