Dropzone Politics

[popsjumper 2]

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yeah, but the real long timers snear at you if you've not dedicated as much of your life to it as they have you not a real skydiver

This is rare for a real old-timer to have that kind of attitude.

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pah !! somebody of 3 years telling me how it is don't they know who i am ?

This is not so rare amongst the generally younger skygod set.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[RhondaLea 4]

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Not surprising. Considering the average age of first jump students, 7 years later puts most of them right at the marriage/kids/career/mortgage threshold.

7 years is also just a good long while in a single hobby. You don't owe a sport your life - supposed to be the other way around.

I know you see it as a hobby, based on a discussion in another thread.

I see it differently.

Skydiving is potentially lethal. I don't know how many of your friends are dead, but most of the time, I feel as if I have more dead ones than live ones.

While death waits for us all, and while many people die in other ways, statistically speaking, skydiving is quite a bit more dangerous than day-to-day living and certainly more dangerous than most other sports. The way I see it, any trip to the dz may be the last trip someone ever makes.

If you're going to engage in activity that might kill you, no matter how clever or smart or talented you are, you owe it to yourself to put your heart and soul into it.

That's how it becomes a lifestyle, not a hobby.

If you're treating it more lightly than that, then it makes sense that you see it the way you do.

rl

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[GTAVercetti 0]

Yup. Skydiving has pretty much become my life. Even when I am not skydiving, I have few friends outside the sport anymore; usually doing something with friends from the DZ. I think I am in it for the long haul.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[kelpdiver 2]

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I know you see it as a hobby, based on a discussion in another thread.

No, you think you know what I think, but lack the relevent experience with me to make any useful conclusions. Instead you make many semantical arguments of lifestyles versus hobbies. Which is silly if the definition of the terms aren't agreed upon.

There are many dangerous sports out there, where you may not return. I participate in several substantially, dabble in others. For me, balance is a key to happiness. Implicit in these discussions about people leaving is that they've 'abandoned' the sport, as if they owe something to it. If something no longer pleases me or a different endeavor is more interesting, I have no reluctance to switch. Live for yourself and your important others. Even without putting yourself in harm's way, cancer could take you out by the new year.

If after 4 years of non participation you still view skydiving as your lifestyle...something seems amiss. Of course, what works for you is fine, I just don't see the viewpoint as 'truth.' Like I said before, I don't see dabbling in the DZ social scene as 'putting your heart and sole' into the sport. It's a recreational choice.

[RhondaLea 4]

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I know you see it as a hobby, based on a discussion in another thread.

No, you think you know what I think, but lack the relevent experience with me to make any useful conclusions. Instead you make many semantical arguments of lifestyles versus hobbies. Which is silly if the definition of the terms aren't agreed upon.

There are many dangerous sports out there, where you may not return. I participate in several substantially, dabble in others. For me, balance is a key to happiness. Implicit in these discussions about people leaving is that they've 'abandoned' the sport, as if they owe something to it. If something no longer pleases me or a different endeavor is more interesting, I have no reluctance to switch. Live for yourself and your important others. Even without putting yourself in harm's way, cancer could take you out by the new year.

If after 4 years of non participation you still view skydiving as your lifestyle...something seems amiss. Of course, what works for you is fine, I just don't see the viewpoint as 'truth.' Like I said before, I don't see dabbling in the DZ social scene as 'putting your heart and sole' into the sport. It's a recreational choice.

There are a lot of erroneous assumptions in this post. There is nothing implicit that someone owes something to skydiving, and there's nothing wrong with leaving a sport that no longer gives you pleasure. But if you participate, you owe it to yourself to participate fully.

My ex-husband was a dabbler--a yuppie with too much money and too much time on his hands, who was always looking for an activity. He had more sports equipment--all in perfect, barely used condition--than anyone I've ever met. After I left him, he followed me to the dz. It was just another activity, one that he'd not thought of before. He didn't last very long.

As for me, I go to the dropzone rarely (even though I live only 3/10ths of a mile away)--as I said, I'm not a skydiver anymore, although I may one day be again if I'm ever convinced I have this thyroid problem under control--and skydiving is no longer my lifestyle, even though I try to stay in touch and up-to-date.

But when I was jumping, it was the center of my life.

rl

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[pincheck 0]

I think kelpdiver has a point here we all try to stike a balance in life. Some people prefer to go home spend time with their family, fair enough thats their choice me. i hang around now but used to go home rather than stay overnight. You can have interests outside skydiving "dont beat me up about this ". We all make our own choices base on individual events in our lives " dabble " was probably the wrong word to use perhaps "particapate" would have been better , as we all particapate in the sport.

Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun

[RhondaLea 4]

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I think kelpdiver has a point here we all try to stike a balance in life. Some people prefer to go home spend time with their family, fair enough thats their choice me. i hang around now but used to go home rather than stay overnight. You can have interests outside skydiving "dont beat me up about this ". We all make our own choices base on individual events in our lives " dabble " was probably the wrong word to use perhaps "particapate" would have been better , as we all particapate in the sport.

I know a lot of skydivers who have other interests.

It seems that the more I explain, the more opaque this becomes.

But sometime after USPA started marketing skydiving to the masses ("Skydiving: Extreme or Mainstream"), something changed in the sport. And I don't happen to think it's all good.

rl

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[pincheck 0]

can you try and explain what that change was. As i am from the Uk so Iam not very familiar with the USPA marketing poilcies. To be honest i can't see this ever being a mainstream sport and student/jumper retention is a bit of a bug bear with me.

Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun

[kelpdiver 2]

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As for me, I go to the dropzone rarely (even though I live only 3/10ths of a mile away)--as I said, I'm not a skydiver anymore, although I may one day be again if I'm ever convinced I have this thyroid problem under control--and skydiving is no longer my lifestyle, even though I try to stay in touch and up-to-date.

My mom has been dealing with the thyroid problems for several years now. It's made mountaineering a bit more challenging, sometimes she doesn't have the energy for the summit climb, but she's still plugging away and will return to Denali this year.

As for the rest - sorry, that's the typical crusty old veteran talk rampant in many sports and other aspects of life about how much better it used to be. One's personal truth is not universal truth.

[RhondaLea 4]

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My mom has been dealing with the thyroid problems for several years now. It's made mountaineering a bit more challenging, sometimes she doesn't have the energy for the summit climb, but she's still plugging away and will return to Denali this year.

Good for her. But remember: someone with a thyroid condition needs to be aware of mental as well as physical issues. Besides changing ones reflexive response time, a thyroid disorder can cause memory impairment as well as affecting ones judgment. Usually this only becomes apparent in retrospect.

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As for the rest - sorry, that's the typical crusty old veteran talk rampant in many sports and other aspects of life about how much better it used to be. One's personal truth is not universal truth.

I don't think it is.

And a major change in attitude is easily demonstrable and documentable over the last 15 years.

rl

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[UntamedDOG 0]

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I can't believe the BULLSHIT that goes on around the DZ regarding who hates who, who screwed who, and who is a better jumper than who.

Are you crazy? I love dropzone politics! I love to hear about who is pissed at this DZ owner or that rigger and so forth. Gossip is what separates man from the beast. I often help the process myself by starting rumors and malign. Call me an old hen, but being a chatterbox has given me such a sense of social fulfillment in skydiving.

To me, skydiving is all about the drama aspect. I like to hear about aircraft maintenance horror stories, who is pencil packing their reserve, and who lied on their Jumpmaster rating application.

Terminological inexactitude. I really don’t care if it’s true. It’s simply a form of entertainment.

UntamedDOG

[artistcalledian 0]

LOL

you're going to get all the regulars frothing at the mouth at that post

you're either not playing their game, or you're playing it too well

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drive it like you stole it and f*ck the police

[kelpdiver 2]

you couldn't carry Untamed's jockstrap.

[artistcalledian 0]

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you couldn't carry Untamed's jockstrap.

did i give you permission to talk?

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drive it like you stole it and f*ck the police

[mjosparky 4]

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you couldn't carry Untamed's jockstrap.

Someone told me he doesn't wear a jockstrap. He wares a pink thong and a nose mitten.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Airman1270 0]

...You're missing out on some excellent - and free - learning opportunities by not being at the dz when the weather sucks. Same goes for post-sunset activities...
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

This is true, but... Count me among the people who jump out of airplanes, but who recently learned they are not really skydivers.

Several reasons, none very hard to understand: In my early years, it was that 3-4 hour drive home that needed to begin shortly after sunset. Later in life, it was a non-jumping wife and young children "demanding" that I assign them some priority.

A number of years ago there was a couple who seemed to be at the DZ every weekend, both days, sunup to beer light. After more than a year I learned that they had young children. Where were they parking the kids every weekend? Pre-teen kids need to be with Mom & Dad regularly! Nothing wrong with fitting the DZ into your life, but if you're trying to fit the kids in during your "spare" time you're not doing your job. I don't care how many logbooks you can fill in a year.

Even though I usually average just a few jumps per month, and don't often stay after hours, I still can't shake this feeling that I really AM a skydiver, and have been one longer than the majority of people I ever share an airplane with.

On those rare occasions when I can camp overnight and make at least three jumps in a weekend, I enjoy every minute of it. I don't often have social contact with other jumpers, and I can't describe that feeling of being surrounded by people who have been there, who understand. However, I don't have to because if you're on this site, you already know what I mean.

Cheers,
Jon

[SkyPsycho 0]

a thyroid disorder can cause memory impairment as well as affecting ones judgment. Usually this only becomes apparent in retrospect.

rl

[RhondaLea 4]

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a thyroid disorder can cause memory impairment as well as affecting ones judgment. Usually this only becomes apparent in retrospect.

rl

thats also called alzheimers hun, and happens in people your age.................

call me......if you can remember the number...

[noluckned 0]

My single worst experience of how political the sport can get came when I was serving as a conscript in the SA airforce, back in 1992. To cut a long rant short, I managed to get a slot on a junior 4-way team(3 paratroopers and me), competing in the Army national championships that year. Traditionalyy the winners of the senior and junior events would be sent to the "Real" civilian nationals. We managed to win the junior event. It was also the first time that a team from my area of the country had won the event, beating the favorites from up north and all sorts of recon brigades.
Unfortunatly that was when politics reared its ugly head, the powers that were felt that it was not "representational"(sic) that a mixed services team be sent to nationals and so only the seniors went that year. This was quite a frigging let-down, to say the least. This is a skydivng related story, but the politics in this case were inter service.
We were also entitled to jackets with military "colours" for this achievement , but we never got them either.
I felt really bad for my teammates, they were professional soldiers and I was just a conscript, it was totally my fault that they missed out on going to the champs and also their "colours"( in yank terms it would be a Letter jacket for sports)
It was a bit of a wake up call for me as to how things work in the real world.

I have also seen waaay to much DZ politics in my long and checkered career, I never ever get involved if I can help it.
And anyone who has ever attended a general meeting of the sports governing body will tell you that things can get really ugly at a National level too.
Check your ego's at the beer line boys.

*Disclaimer*
The views expressed in the above post may or may not be the result of drunkeness or temporary insanity and should only rarely be construed as the views of the poster himself

[cutaway1 3]

I read in an interview with Jack Jeffries, the champion jumper, when asked what was the most important thing about jumping he had learned with all of his experience and years in the sport, he replied, "it is all play, all of it", I think it is crucial that we remember that we do this for fun. Like kids in a sand box, some kids will always kick sand at other kids, generally because, for whatever reason, they are very unhappy individuals, don't let it spoil your day. At out DZ we have some malcontents, that always bad mouth others all the time, they are booring, unimagitive, and generally ignored. It has been said over and over, if you stay in this sport for along time, it is the unique collection of people you meet that keeps you coming back. Skydivers are a different breed and some of the most interesting people I've ever met.
Aloha,
Tim

SCR-21

[udder 0]

most of the guys hanging round at the DZ that are older dont have wives or families. though many have ex-wives... thank god im 19

"In one way or the other, I'm a bad brother. Word to the motherf**ker." Eazy-E

[riggerrob 643]

and its not the guy wearing the World Team t-shirt

[riggerrob 643]

I just spent the last ten days at a small DZ and heard enough politics to last me a lifetime!

My response to most of them was:
"I don't care."
"I am not high enough up the totem pole to change that."

As for the nosey DZO who keeps asking about who is screwing who: "Butt out! You have as much need-to-know about my sex life as I need-to-know about yours."
Since I am never going to crawl into bed with your fat ass, your need-to-know about my sex life = zero!

[airtwardo 7]

I read in an interview with Jack Jeffries, the champion jumper, when asked what was the most important thing about jumping he had learned with all of his experience and years in the sport, he replied, "it is all play, all of it", I think it is crucial that we remember that we do this for fun. Like kids in a sand box, some kids will always kick sand at other kids, generally because, for whatever reason, they are very unhappy individuals, don't let it spoil your day. At out DZ we have some malcontents, that always bad mouth others all the time, they are booring, unimagitive, and generally ignored. It has been said over and over, if you stay in this sport for along time, it is the unique collection of people you meet that keeps you coming back. Skydivers are a different breed and some of the most interesting people I've ever met.
Aloha,
Tim


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Thanks Tim~
..... that about sums it all up!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[riggerrob 643]

The worst gossip occurs when people get stuck at the DZ during windy or wet days.
If you have enough energy to gossip, you have enough energy to give a packing lesson to a junior jumper.
If you don't know enough to teach packing, you have enough energy for a run around the airfield, or a visit to the gym.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to hide behind a sewing machine.