VanillaSkyGirl

Yes, all of the responses have been helping me greatly.

It is a BEAUTIFUL formation...a BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING picture!!! The vibe was just awesome on Saturday night... It was nice seeing you, too, Denise, and your awesome, world-record holder boyfriend, too...wooohooo!!!

Initially, I have been taught to keep my eye-contact while turning 360's, and I trusted that. A couple of days ago, I had a tunnel session in which I was coached by a very trusted instructor who told me that I am ready to begin to do my 360s without keeping my eye contact with him. I was told to do the 360 while keeping my head straight ahead of me. As I understand it, I am not to not look/keep eye-contact because it will distort my body alignment slightly while turning. Thus, slowing me down and making my 360 sloppy/erratic. It is said that little things, like this change in my head position while turning quickly, are a natural progression in skills. I was told that way down the line, there may be another level at which I will be able to look a little, again, while turning. Anyway, I was told to trust myself, and I will try my best to integrate this new change into my skydiving skills. I'd like to hear others' experiences when integrating this kind of little change into my skills box. Can someone further explain this no eye-contact 360 and/or give me further thoughts about how to integrate. Also, what is the best way to practice this change besides on creepers, like I was told. Solos? The tunnel? Actual 4-ways? All of the above? Btw, are there any sources online which have more of this type of info. that may be helpful to read? Thank you to everyone in advance!

Hey Darcy, that evening a few weeks ago when you, Kris, James, Steve and I had finished jumping with MJ's camp, I was talking with Billvon. He even briefly sat down in the booth next to me. I asked him if he knew everyone, and he commented that he knew everyone's screen names. I was pretty sure that I quickly introduced him to everyone at the table. Anyway, it sounds like you had a wonderful weekend, Bill

Sounds like you may have figured out another way for me to deal with that psycho bytch that freaked out on me in the DZ bathroom on Saturday night. Man, what an ASSHOLE!!!

Geez...I didn't realize that this was bad etiquette. I didn't think that it mattered what we did with our own posts or avatars, as long as we are not hurting or offending others. I say change it as often as you'd like...who cares.

Hmmm...but I have been jumping there, instead of Elsinore, regularly for the last month or so. I know that people have seen me around. Also, to clarify to everyone (not Airmail

Yes. Forgive me but i don't see how a crazy drunk chic has anything to do with you being attacked from behind by a man. It is not because she was drunk...it was because I was doing something intimate (going to the bathroom) with my pants down around my ankles when suddenly someone began to harass me, sounding like she was going to come charging throught the door, exposing me at a delicate moment. When a woman is attacked, her power is also taken away, her body exposed in a very humiliating way. I felt some similar feelings of being humiliated at the time. i was also enraged and had to control those feelings. After what I have been trying to deal with, lately, I think that I could hurt someone very badly if they tried to fuck with me. I am also afraid of over-reacting to someone just fooling around. This was simply me reacting to the fear of the unknown. In my head, I can get carried away....thinking if this chick hates me...maybe some guy also hates me. Maybe he is a pyscho that will also try to hurt me, like her in a strange moment. I do not trust her and the shady way that she dealt with me. I guess...it's mental baggage that I am still trying to deal with. Sorry to confuse some of you... I am thinking out loud. Edited: Also, both this chick and the Florida attacker were similar in that they were both cowards who chose to attack me from behind or from behind a stall door.

I also thanked you for your opinion. Well, I was thinking about Michele's post about people getting rid of info. that someone could used against them in real life. Your info. is very limited (good idea) on your personal profile, so I thought that perhaps there was something that you were trying to tell me...which I emphasized with the worried face . Also, posting ican be so deceptive without hearing people's voices and tone of voice. I wasn't being "hostile" to you either, Mar, just letting you know my views about your response. It's fine...we can speak in person soon.

Thanks Michele.

OK, thank you Eener for your beautifully written post. You are awesome, girl! Believe it or not, I have been able to find more and more closure when writing about certain things online, but perhaps I shouldn't share my life with the world...lol. Btw, everyone would be shocked at how much I do NOT share about myself online. Thank you, EVERYONE, who has sent me comforting PMs, especially the last few...

What an interesting thing to write, Mar...people that we all know and care about on DZ.com write about all sorts of intimate things without getting shit for it. I understand your point, though. I hope that this doesn't sound harsh as a response, but I find your post quite telling...more of yourself and perhaps your own issues than of me. Thank you, anyway, for the suggestion. It may go over better next time if you do not address someone (me) in third person. You can always tell me what you think to my face. I will be seeing you in a couple of weeks in Perris, Mar. Take care.

Getting spun can be awesome, but because I am so small, I have to deal with every fricken person and their mother wanting to pick me up and do as they please, like I am their personal doll or something. I have even been picked up numerous times by my grippers. Even the tiniest of people can easily toss me around...

When are you coming out to Perris, Ed? Please get your license requirements done, so we can jump together.

Michele, have a happy, happy birthday, my swootie! Be sure to spend time with people whom you love and who love you, too. Perhaps, also get some air time very soon...

I have no idea what this was about. I do NOT normally drink, hang out at the bar, nor dance while at Perris. I was with the group from Elsinore who were in the tunnel and a new, unassuming British friend, who had just been there taking pics of us us in the tunnel. He was the one dancing with me and was shocked when I told him what had happened. The other friends of mine were from Missisippi and/or people from Perris or Elsinore, whom I briefly said "hello" to in passing. There is nothing that has to do with any "guy"...you, and anyone else who knows me, know that I am NOT like that at all. That sounds like a compliment. Thank you...I have had people make remarks about how well I can skydive at such low jump numbers because of the tunnel or whatever. It is often said in a voice that contains a little bit of jealousy, but I am not very good, yet...so I doubt that anyone would actually be "jealous" of my skydiving. Lol.

Of course, that night I already tried to find out if anyone had seen who had walked in after me or walked out of the bathroom right before me. I had a small group of friends who were the only ones who were in the area and could have seen who it was. Sadly, none of them had noticed who had walked in or out...they had been talking and watching people dance in the other direction. I also tried to find her based on her footwear, but there were so many girls in thong sandals...it was hard to figure it out. I only had a quick glance to go by. Also, I asked the wrong girl if she had been the girl theatening me in the bathroom. Then, I realized by her voice and sweet demeanor that it was obviously not her ...she was even willing to help me with this situation and back me up. We did come to a conclusion, based on footwear and personality, as to who it MAY have been, but I took one look at her and decided that she was too drunk to talk to that night. I thought that it could become even more negative/confrontational in that situation. (At the time, I felt that I was having to restrain my anger.) I will be investigating...it may not even be her. The next time that I see her, I will be confronting/talking with her personally to iron out any misunderstandings. Maybe that is what this was. Also, I would never post or talk about who it is if I ever find out. I want to resolve things with her on a personal level.

Thank you, Unstable and Damion, too, for the support. You both have very good advice. The funny thing is that I'm not scared of this girl, in particular. However, I am very afraid (after having it happen) of being attacked from behind...by a man. I know, I know...it doesn't make any sense to be reliving that now. Also, I trust most of the men at the DZ...I just have these crazy anxieties (fear of being helpless) that somehow were released, again. Thankfully, my friends Richard and Melstarr walked me to my car that night. Good, good people...my friends.

Saturday night I was at Perris flying in the tunnel. Our session was over at 11pm and then we debriefed for another 45minutes. We had all forgotten to hand over our tapes (doh!) for recording, so we had to wait as our tapes were dubbed from the original. Most of us went to the Bomb Shelter to wait and get something to drink. We met up with friends...talked, laughed have a drink or two, while we waited. A couple of us even danced for a whileas there was major partying with the Freefly record holders happening! I was dancing with my friends fresh from the tunnel in my warm layers...turtleneck underneath a tee. Whew...after a while of hard-core dancing, I was very hot! My friend Richard and I finally stopped dancing, and I went to the bathroom to take off my turtleneck and leave on the t-shirt. Shortly after I walked into the bathroom and took off my top, another girl came charging in. She started to curse at me. I don't know who it was as I had just begun to use the toilet by them and couldn't stop to open the stall door. It was strange because she was suddenly yelling aggressively at me, asking me, "Bitch, who the f*ck are you, bitch!" Me to her, "Excuse me?". Her to me with anger and provocation in her voice, "You heard me, BITCH! I want to know who the F*CK YOU are, and what the F*CK that YOU are doing at MY dropzone, BITCH! Who the F*CK are you!?!" Me to her, "My name is Rosa. Who are you?" Her to me in the most hateful voice, "I'm your WORST NIGHTMARE, Bitch!" Me to her..." Ok thanks ...good to know." At that point, although I had answered her calmly, almost humorously, I was VERY angry inside. I couldn't see her, but as I was going to the bathroom...I quickly peeked under the stall door to see her flipflop/thong sandals under the door. I hurried to finish and get out of the stall to see who it was who was trying to threaten me through the door. I hurried, but she called me a bitch a couple of more times, letting me know that I shouldn't be at HER dropzone and left. I had remained quiet, trying to process the situation, but I was also trying to hurry to get out of the stall. I wanted to see who this was. I quickly finished (damned alcohol) using the toilet and exited the stall. I missed her completely outside, too. I couldn't tell who had just left, except that she had flip-flops on...like many of the girls. I still have no idea who it was...really. I had already planned to leave at that point (2 am?) anyway as I was exhausted, but I am very annoyed that this happened right before I left. I had done nothing to provoke anyone. My friends said that perhaps she was jealous of me. I don't understand why. I am a new skydiver and have been jumping at Perris or flying in the tunnel as of late, but I am not interrupting anyone's fun in any way. I usually have dinner in the restaurant, not the bar. I usually don't stay and drink or party with the group, but I did that night. However, I was certainly not luring the men away from any of the women if that was what she was worried about. Tonight, I was going to go to Perris at night by myself to meet up with my friends from Mississippi, again, as I could not jump in the day. I never went...as I was not feeling too well. I was not feeling well all weekend, though...nothing new. Yet, I also just realized that suddenly I am nervous again about my safety with the thought of walking to my car at night by myself. I have fears about getting attacked, like in Orlando, racing back. I assume that the bathroom incident triggered something in me that made me feel insecure about not knowing who was being hostile...I couldn't see who it was through the stall door. I am suddenly insecure, again. Is it possible that this girl in the bathroom just kidding or messing with my mind? (She was obviously drunk, but that is no excuse for her blatant hostility towards me.) Am I overreacting to be wondering still who this was, and why couldn't she tell me those things to my face? I am not used to being around this kind of thing...I don't understand... Sigh...

Darn it, Michele...you made me cry, AGAIN! I'm so happy for you and for your brother and his wife. Omg...what a beautiful experience that you were honored to have shared with them. Congratulations to the mother, father and child for the birth of this little bundle of joy! Michele, this story made me cry for a couple of reasons...one of them being that my father is an ob/gyn. This story is the reason that he does what he does. He gets to experience the miracle of life every day. I have so much respect for him. Ob/gyns often get calls from the hospital in the middle of the night and must run out the door five minutes later...no time to relax or go back to sleep the next day. It's on to seeing more patients in the office, perhaps a c-section during lunch..more office visits...hospital rounds...more deliveries, etc. It leaves them constantly emotionally (must be nurturing to patients and keep cool under pressure/stress) and physically drained. I am amazed if my father ever has two minutes to rest. I can't wait to tell him and my mother (former nurse), again tonight, how much I adore and admire the amazing persons that they both are. Anyway, I digress. Sorry, Michele, but your story touched me in many ways that I did not expect. Congratulations, again, to you (Noni), your brother and his wife for the birth of this little bundle of joy! The name Mayah is absolutely beautiful as I am sure that she is. Please post pics...when you can get some. Btw, what a beautifully written story. You really need to write a book, my friend.

I don't know you, Rev, but I have newfound respect for you for doing this. I'll bet that you wil do great because you are doing this for you. The fact that you are already committing to a heavy class load proves it. i wish you the best of luck!

So, I was in Elsinore, yesterday and Perris last night. I was briefly at the Bombshelter where Lew, Mel, Alli, Sunnydee, Amy, Missy, Gillian, Laura, etc. were hanging out. It was so great seeing them! I love my girls.

You guys crack me up...lol.

Sorry Mar, gotta go, but LMAO!!!

Oh no he didn't...