Why do I have to make "FUN" jumps?

[lopullterri 0]

I always got the same crap at my X- home DZ. I say it's nobody's business what kind of jump I chose to make. I love doing Tandem video. Sharing someone elses first jump is a rush (and sometimes very entertaining). I also love getting that occasional kick-ass photo. THAT is what is fun to me. Just like years ago I thought bigways were fun...then I thought 4-way was fun. I also believe that if I am working for a business not a club, it is not my job to fill your plane even though I am tired from doing video in 90 degree weather and I don't want to pack ONE MORE TIME. For a DZ to expect you to "fun" jump would be like any other business telling you that you have to go bowling with your co-workers after work every day.

~"I am not afraid. I was born to do this"~

[OnYourBack 0]

Luckily my DZO doesn't expect me to fun jump. I think he feels sorry for me sometimes and throws me a free slot when its open. I'm like you, I truly enjoy the work. I'm also one of those people that likes to focus on one thing until I'm a bad ass at it.

[metalslug 36]

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Luckily my DZO doesn't expect me to fun jump. I think he feels sorry for me sometimes and throws me a free slot when its open. I'm like you, I truly enjoy the work. I'm also one of those people that likes to focus on one thing until I'm a bad ass at it.

Do you accept the free slot and go jump it ?
If so, are you then saying that you do like to fun jump but not enough to pay for it ?

I think some people's disappointment with 'work' jumpers could perhaps be compared to their disappointment when comparing amateur and professional sportsmen.
A lot of people play sports on an amateur level and/or watch sports with great enthusiasm. They follow the sport for the love of the game, not the money.
(I'm not suggesting that 'work' skydivers are earning big money, but even making enough to cover your expenses is already a huge financial saving by comparison.)

Many amateur sportsmen admire the professionals and wish they had the skills of a professional, not necessarily for the potential money involved, but for the simple pleasure of being very skilled in a sport they love so much and to share this spirit of enthusiasm with like-minded amateurs and teammates who are all paying the same expenses and making the same small financial sacrifices to stay in the sport.

Imagine their disappointment (perhaps even their contempt) when they read an article that their favourite professional sports-star has quit playing because they were unhappy with their contract for this year. It's a realisation that their talented sports idol is not playing for the love of the game, and that can be sad to see for a lot of people.

[DanglesOZQld 0]

Doesn't bother me if people do or don't do fun jumps but I do them where possible to remind myself WHY I am in the sport. It is not just a job to me and I would never want to think of it in that way. There are skills you can only keep current by fun jumping or at the very least jumping your own gear as well. Here I am lucky in that we are not chucking cameras on our wrist and calling it good video just yet ; we still have the outside camera guys and girls and as I do both can use my own gear on some of these as well. BSBD -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[OnYourBack 0]

"Do you accept the free slot and go jump it ?

I do accept the jump often. It depends on how many jumps I've already made that day.

"If so, are you then saying that you do like to fun jump but not enough to pay for it ?"

This is a part of it. If I finishing working close to sunset and I've already made 7 or 8 jumps, I would rather go spend some time with my wife and son than take the time and spend the money to make one more just for fun. And again I find all jumps to be fun. The sports theory is interesting.

[DanglesOZQld 0]

As staff we get heavily discounted slots in the plane if it is doing tandems and often organise jumps at normal prices for milestones (jump numbers / yrs in sport etc). Jumping onto the beach in the sun who wouldn't!?

We also would jump if it were for free - this usually only happens after we turn up for "work" and find that someone has not turned up etc and offered a slot for our troubles. Ah life is sooo hard here on the coast in Qld Australia ha ha!! BSBD -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[mark135 0]

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After flying the bus all day with that meat hanging in front of you...isn't it nice to jump your own gear once in while

Cuz i have to pack my own gear, I dont have to pack the tandems.

_______________


"It seemed like a good idea at the time"

[skr 1]

>Why does it bother people if someone doesn't make
>"FUN" jumps? Why does it even matter to anyone else?

I've often wondered why people have such strong
opinions about what kind of jumps someone else
is making, so I can't answer you.

But I've also wondered why people act like there
are only two kinds of jumps, fun and something else,
serious maybe.

I think the reason people jump is to feel feelings,
so if you get a thesaurus and list a bunch of different
feelings, and then design dives to experience those
various feelings, you have all kinds of possibilities.

Why limit yourself to fun?

How about excitement, inspiration, mellowness,
gratification at helping a new person, accomplishment,
sharing of vibes, competence, awe, terror, exploration,
and so on?

The possibilities are endless.

Who keeps coming up with these emotionally impoverished,
two category frameworks anyway? Is that a USPA thing?
Should we write our Regional Directors and expand
their minds?

:-) :-)

Sorry for the rant but this artificial limiting of possibilities
has been bugging me for a while now, decades actually.

Skr

[OnYourBack 0]

"Sorry for the rant but this artificial limiting of possibilities has been bugging me for a while now, decades actually."

Please don't be sorry. I feel your words to be very insightful.

"excitement, inspiration, mellowness, gratification at helping a new person, accomplishment, sharing of vibes, competence, awe, terror, exploration"

I have experienced many of these on "serious" jumps, and believe that the experience of these feelings have made me a better rounded person and skydiver.

"gratification at helping a new person, accomplishment, sharing of vibes"

These in particular, are the ones that make me feel that tandems are so much "FUN."