butcherman70 0 #1 July 25, 2008 I read the thread yesterday about not letting any one but active jumpers on the dz.com forum, and for the first time was a little discourgaged about all this skydiving business. First of all, I'm an absolute newb. I have exactly one tandem jump to my name. I found myself there after wanting to go for 20 years. Unfortunately it always took a back seat to life until my body started failing from rheumatoid arthritis. I'm not one to bitch about it, it's just how it is. So I figured if I'm going to get into it, it'd better be now. And I went. Let me tell you a little something about life changing... I log onto this forum no less than two or three times a day when I can. I enjoy reading the other "newb" experiences and relate them to my own. I read the other forums as they are wealth of information from the person with 5 dives to instructor with ten thousand. I learn something every time I log on. Not to mention there is a sense of community here that I would imagine most other groups of a like mind simply can't comprehend when it comes to sky-diving. Whether you have one jump, or a thousand, it is an entirely personal, completely visceral, and virtually indescribable event to take your body and hurl it from an altitude 3 miles above the earth and live to tell about it. Those of you out there that have thousands, I applaud your dedication and hope to catch you some day. Those with a measly 2 or 3, it doesn't take any less balls than the guy with a 1000. Those on here snooping around and just thinking about it, you're done reading now, get on out there and make it happen. You'll never regret it and your life won't be the same. In the mean time, for me, the newb with one little ole' jump under his belt, this web site keeps me going while I take my little pills and wait for my body to mend so I can get out there and do it again. In my newb opinion, if you need a bunch of zeros behind your name to feel you're part of a bonafide elite, all the zeros in the world won't help you, you never got it in the first place. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danielcroft 2 #2 July 25, 2008 Hi. Should I add a couple of '0's to my jump numbers? Wait until you get to jump your own rig, it's so much better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vskydiver 0 #3 July 25, 2008 I don't think they are actually going to ban new jumpers from posting. That was just one person's post. I wouldn't worry about it. As for you jumping... Way to go! I applaud your courage and determination. I have lupus and so I experience the arthritis as well. I know how it is to try and jump when every joint and muscle in your body hurts and is inflamed. It's well worth the effort on the good days though! You don't feel the pain in freefall! Are you going to make your next jump an AFF jump or are you going to do another tandem? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chubba 0 #4 July 25, 2008 I lurked on this site for 12 months before I even did my first jump... it's just a great forum Make your next one AFF then you will be well and truly hooked. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
