CanuckInUSA

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Everything posted by CanuckInUSA

  1. CanuckInUSA
    I wasn't at all aware of the real risks when I was a whuffo. Then in between my tandem and my first AFF jump I found myself reading about some accidents here on DZ.COM and I wondered what I was getting into. But thanks to my training, I built up an "It's not as dangerous as everyone thinks" attitude. However, over the last few months, my attitude has changed once again (based on accidents which happened to others as well as a few close calls of my own) and I've come to a new conclusion. "Skydiving is a dangerous sport. It's risks can be managed, but you can still get messed up really bad on a jump where you did everything you were supposed to do". Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  2. CanuckInUSA
    The same thoughts should be applied to all of us. Yes Erica is thinking of downsizing more aggresively than most of us would recommend (and it's possible that y'all have already changed her mind). But everyone who flies their canopy in an aggresive manner is at risk of messing themselves up. Not just Erica. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  3. CanuckInUSA
    Well I don't know the stats so maybe you're right, or maybe you're not. But I won't argue as I do agree that people are in the wrong sport if they are solely relying on their cypres to save their bacon during low-no pulls. I do know that I have made at least two jumps with my cypres turned off (one time I had it intentionally turned off in the airplane once I remembered I had jumped at a DZ 1400 feet higher earlier in the day, and the other time I just forgot to turn it on for an early morning jump). But as a freeflier I do feel better knowing I have a cypres in case of a mid air collision which disables me for whatever reason come pull time. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  4. CanuckInUSA
    Could it be that you're jumping to conclusions assuming that people jump with a cypres to protect themselves from going low, when in fact maybe they won't jump without a cypres because they are afraid of getting knocked out? To me, these are two radically different uses of the cypres. The first scenario makes you wonder if the person should skydive while the second scenario is more like an insurance policy. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  5. CanuckInUSA
    Financially, the responsible choice is to "be bored and save your money". But sometimes it's more fun to experience the instant grantification "and take the loan" so that you can fly this Saffire now. So I'm not sure which way to vote (yet). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  6. CanuckInUSA
    My streak of jumping every weekend has ended (prior to this weekend I had made at least one jump every weekend since late January). Long live the streak ... But thanks to a volleyball tournament on Saturday and some crappy weather on Sunday. My weekend stats are as follows: 0:0:0 Oh well, the streak was bound the end in three weekends anyway as I need to make a road trip up to Canada in late September or early October. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  7. CanuckInUSA
    Hi Lew I suspect we're not as organized as you with volleyball as we don't really have set positions except that when I rotate to the front row, one of our girls usually acts as the setter, while myself and the other two very tall male teammates concentrate on spiking. It was a fun tournament to do so well in though. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  8. CanuckInUSA
    Congrats dude ... let the learning begin ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  9. CanuckInUSA
    Well I missed a day of jumping because I was playing in a 32-team double elimination volleyball tournament. Now on one hand I'm happy to report that my team did very well today. But on the other hand I am very disappointed. You see, we made the finals winning our first five matches. But once in the finals, we choked and lost both matches to the losers bracket winner. Now being a finalist is cool, but losing leaves me with a huge empty feeling. Oh well, I guess 2nd out of 32 teams isn't bad. Time to take a much needed shower ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  10. CanuckInUSA
    I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  11. CanuckInUSA
    That's what you get for missing last year's Eloy Holiday boogie. But fret not. I made the boogie, and am still very much not wanted either. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  12. CanuckInUSA
    You and your fly swatter are dangerous!!! Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  13. CanuckInUSA
    Working hard sometimes pays off, but procrastination always pays off now. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  14. CanuckInUSA
    Not to worry Stacy, you're in good company here. I haven't exactly been very high on anyone's list either. And to tell you the truth, it's no biggie. After all, this is just another post whore thread anyway. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  15. CanuckInUSA

    High/Low

    CanuckInUSA replied to FreeFlyHol's topic in The Bonfire

    Next to jumping, volleyball is a huge part of who I am and it's my big social night of the week. Now if only I could convince the cuties at volleyball (I play co-ed) that skydiving is worth the risks and that us skydivers aren't as crazy as they think we are. But what can you do? High: Knowing that I'll be playing soon. Low: Being stuck at work with a bunch of workaholics. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  16. CanuckInUSA

    High/Low

    CanuckInUSA replied to FreeFlyHol's topic in The Bonfire

    High: I am physically and financially able to jump this weekend. Low: I will not be jumping on Saturday due to a volleyball tournament. High: Knowing my volleyball team has what it takes to go all the way in the tourney. Low: We've underacheived in the past. High: I've finished my first skydiving movie. Low: I had to dedicated it to the originator of this thread. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  17. CanuckInUSA
    Because she's a freeflier (and am I allowed to say cute) ... I most want to meet Brits17. Okay, I'm just trying to suck up here. I'll go back to my original stance of wanting to meet all of the cool DZ.COMers that I can. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  18. CanuckInUSA
    Knowning each other as our online personalities and knowning each other in person is different for sure. Having met many DZ.COMers (including the HH) at Eloy and Rantoul has help put our little community in perspective here. You may think of someone in a certain light because of the way we interact here, but it's not until you meet them in person that you get a better idea as to their everyday personality and their tendencies. With all that in mind ... I most want to meet (and party when possible) with all the cool DZ.COMers as I can, because you never know which ones you might click with in person. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  19. CanuckInUSA
    I'm trying to concentrate on certain work related issues. But every 10 minutes or so I find myself coming back here. Damm you HH!!! Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  20. CanuckInUSA
    I used to be kind of a flight sim junkie which lead me towards becoming a licensed private pilot (and an aspiring instrument rated pilot). But that was all before I discovered skydiving. So in that time, my actually real-world flying time has gone down to almost zero and my flight simming is pretty much the same. But I am setup at home (nothing like this guy of course) with my MS-FS2002 plus yoke and pedals. And now I see that FS2004 has hit the shelves. But I'm sure to benefit from this new release, I would require a computer upgrade which costs $$$ and that would take away from my expendable jump income. So MS-FS2002 is in no danger of being replaced any time soon. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  21. CanuckInUSA
    There's been some good advice already tabled here. But I'd also like to mention patience. At around 100 jumps I decided that I wanted to swoop (even though when I started in the sport I said I wasn't interested in the risks involved in swooping). Anyway, that was 300 jumps ago and while I do have a decent swoop for an amateur, I am no where near the abilities of the Advanced let alone Pro swoop tour guys and gals. Swooping as an amateur can be done in a few hundred jumps, but swooping at a high caliber (using a pocket rocket canopy) seems to require thousands of jumps. So patience is a virtue in this ever so fun yet dangerous discipline of skydiving. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  22. CanuckInUSA
    I'm here ... representing the Great White North while loitering in CO (well I'm supposed to be working, but what can you do). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  23. CanuckInUSA
    Congrats on your accomplishment. Will we see you in Eloy this December? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  24. CanuckInUSA
    Pond swooping would be a natural for the X-Games. But I know we've debated in the past about the merits of introducing pond swooping to the whuffo world be it at the X-Games or even in the Olympics. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over
  25. CanuckInUSA
    No argument here. The first canopy I bought was a Triathlon. I wanted a Spectre, but the price was right with the Tri. And now I've progressed through to nine cell Sabre2s and sometime in the not too distant future I will start flying a Crossfire2. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over