Unstable

Hey - it just makes the jump more interesting!! As long as people are safe and at least try - it's all good to me. There are a few times I've been disappointed and hesitant to jump with somebody again - but that's been due to jumpers being reckless and or unsafe. I actually got whacked pretty good once when a jumper in our 4-way at WFFC decided to pop into a sit to get down to us....Unsafe and unskilled are different. =========Shaun ==========

Yeah, but even with good financing options, I fear that Mirage has priced themselves above the general skydiving market... =========Shaun ==========

I struggled some to find friendship at the DZ early on. It was really hard at times and frankly I'm surprised that I stuck around. I showed up early every day and went home last - and in the long run - it really payed off. I try to do better to the students at our DZ though - I'll do a lot better once I get my SL-I rating current. =========Shaun ==========

Your jokes arn't very funny. =========Shaun ==========

Help me out here my friend - are you a guy or a gal? Were you concerned that your breastsesses would appear? I don't give a crap honestly - It bugs me sometimes when I think that stuff is happening behind my back - but I'm wrong about 50% of the time on that one. I usually lay down until the desire to find out goes away.

I know this question has been brought up on a number of occasions - but now that some time has passed, I want to revisit it. It doesn't seem to make sense that none of the gear dealers out there offer financing on gear purchases through a partner company, like cap one per say. I think I heard a rumor that Sunshine factory was looking into it a few years back - but nothing materialized. I don't think that you could buy very much these days upwards to $2,000 WITHOUT financing options - and with many large gear dealers and manufacturers, it would seem entirely possible - plus it would allow jumpers to buy safer, more modern gear the same way they would buy, for example, a new MacBook. Is there some reason that this is not an option for skydivers at this time? =========Shaun ==========

In your situation - good decision to Keep the FXC - that is better than nothing.

I think it's more of a solution than a problem. Here is why.... [soap box] For the most part - religion takes bad men and makes them good, and it takes good men and makes them better. I have yet to run into a church or a religious belief that doesn't teach things that will improve your life and or make you a better person! Religion teaches how to have a happier family, how to live healthier, and how to give your life a degree of meaning. Take, for example, Islam. 99.99% off the worlds 1-billion odd Muslims live their lives in accordance to what their God teaches them, which isn't to go around blowing people up or treating their women bad. I've lived in Buddhist-dominated countries, and for the most part, they were good people trying to live good lives in accordance to their beliefs. But then again we see a number of problems - hence the whole 'problem' topic of this thread. IMHO - if people lived their lives in accordance to what they claim to believe, then I doubt the world would have 1/2 as many problems as we are experiencing now. Somebody who claims to be a j-dub and runs around stealing car radios doesn't get a lot of points in my book - neither would a Buddhist man who gets wasted and goes home and beats his family. I have certain religious beliefs - and for better or for worse, people who know me know how I believe and have certain expectations. If I go out to the DZ and after a day of jumping get wasted and wake up Monday afternoon - well, then I'm not doing my part to better the world, now am I? I don't give much respect to those who practice outside of their claimed belief. [/soap box] =========Shaun ==========

Okay - here is a good question for ya.... Which one would you prefer... 1. J-Dubs - you have to spend all day Saturday and most of Sunday proselyting for the rest of your life... 2. Mormons - Two years full time (7 days a week not counting your 1/2 day off) for the guys or 1 and a half for the ladies - all day everyday, but only for your specific amount of time. I would choose the latter - that way you can Skydive when you get back - I think it would be nearly impossible to be a j-dub skydiver. Being a Mormon skydiver is way easier - just don't drink beer and not jump on Sunday. Another joke - So 2 Mormons walk into a bar..... =========Shaun ==========

I LOVE THIS THREAD - brings back a lot of good memories. Anywho, it's getting waaaay too serious. Can we go back to just telling jokes about the J-dubs and the Mormons? SOOO much more entertaining. 1. The first bloodless surgery was performed this week in which a kid who is a Jehovah's Witness got a new liver without a blood transfusion. The parents were so happy, they almost celebrated! - Jan McInnis 2. I learned something the other day. I learned the Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Halloween. I guess they don't like strangers going up to their door and annoying them. - Bruce Clark 3. Two missionaries of the Church of Latter-Day Saints were walking down the street when they ran into two Jehovah's Witnesses coming directly at them from the opposite direction. The elders stopped, and one of the Jehovah's Witnesses said, "We don't move for false witnesses." One of the Mormons said, "We do," and they went around them. 4. King James Version of the Bible: $20 Book of Mormon: $0, by request Copy of the Koran: $30 Rosary: $10 Artificial Lamb's Blood for Pentagram: $5 a gallon The horribly confused and terrified look on the face of the next Jehovah's Witness who you open the door for: Priceless edited for spelling mistakes =========Shaun ==========

Make yourself as busy as possible. Go for a run - run an errand, unpack then pack your rig again - just keep busy.

I watched part of that special tonight - It seemed kinda weird and unsettling - On one hand, Jim Jones exercised total sexual/mental/physical authority over his followers and banned even the slightest forms of personal expression - hell, he banned sex between husbands and wives for Heaven's sake! While I was amazed at the authority he exercised over his people, frankly I'm amazed that his followers let him get away with it. On the documentary it talked about a few people who tried to make a run for it and were tortured by Jim Jones - it made me think about the 'cult' mentality and the poor bastards he led. =========Shaun ==========

At our DZ, First Free fall is $5. Can't beat that incentive. As far as student retention is concerned, I can't think of a better technique than just knowing their names....

Congratulations! What will you do today? We don't have class today at KState because it's MLK day - so today I'm studying all day and lapsing in and out of consciousness. =========Shaun ==========

I've flown a lot of 1-way trips lately - one of which had 4 connections - I didn't have a single search or even a little problem. I think it depends on the TSA's guy's time of month. =========Shaun ==========

DAMN!! You're right!!! Every bride who went had a pink dot on their jackets - and behind every bride was about 4 girls tagging along behind holding all of her stuff!!! =========Shaun ==========

How would you put that on your resume 5 years down the road? =========Shaun ==========

Did you ever watch "Animaniacs? I learned a lot from that cartoon - HELLLLLLOOOO NURSE!! =========Shaun ==========

I've been watching this thread for a while and for some reason it's been eating me - I'll post my general rule for this.... If you think you are too good to be jumping with someone else, then you have lost contact with what this sport is about.. IMHO. =========Shaun ==========

What?? They don't have nurses at Nursing homes?!?? =========Shaun ==========

I worked today all day at the "Manhattan Bridal show" at a photography booth - a great experience, until I realized... "Damn - they are all taken." then I packed up and went home. Any brilliant ideas as to where NOT to try to expand your dating life? =========Shaun ==========

HAHA very funny - okay, lets smurf along now.... =========Shaun ==========

I've lived in a few different places - But I've called this place 'home' for about 23 years. =========Shaun ==========

It depends on the person writing. Shermanator, I don't know if I can imagine you spelling things right - if you wrote like an English major, it would be weird. On the flip side, there are some people, that if they wrote like you do, I would knock them upside the head. =========Shaun ==========

I've jumped a number of times out of a wide-body 182 with a beefy engine and 3-blade prop with 5 people - climbed like a bat outta hell. At our DZ, 4 is the Max - =========Shaun ==========