vonSanta

Hmm, I stay around. I talk if I got something to say, drink beer. After having done the latter I always have something to say. Women skydivers are basically skydivers with tits. No reason to fear 'em more than males - unless you fear titties. Be Nice (tm) and true to whoever you are and whatever happens will happen, unless it didn't happen in which case it could have happened but didn't, but that doe....never mind. I am outta beer anyway. I'm quite ignorant about both genders (despite belonging to the male one) so maybe you shouldn't listen to me. Then again, I could be right. Seriously though, I think it takes guts to be yourself. To honestly be yourself, that is. Whatever you are, some people will approve, some will disapprove. This is true regardless of whether you are yourself or trying to be someone people would like. You're most likely better at being yourself and some people won't like you either way, so why not go with what ya know? Am a pretty introverted person myself. Skydivers in general are so easy to talk to. Want to talk to the girl at the bar? Ask her 'hey have you ever [insert skydiving thing here]' and there's yer conversation starter. The skydiving girls/women I've hung around have been sorta assertive so if they don't want yer company, they'll let you know. Skydiving chicks rock. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Lots of people from my club were in Russia this summer (cannot recall the name of the DZ they went to). 15 minutes calls, always. If there was gonna be more waiting than that, they ordered up another An-28 or a Mi-8. The DZ was run extremely professionally according to those from my club and although few spoke English communication was possible in various ways (including learning the Russian phrase '15 minute call'

Well put VanillaSkyGirl. had the King Of Fear for visit when I started out. Every time I left my apartment I would feel as if everything I looked at I was seeing for the last time. Every fibre in my body was telling me not to jump. I learned then to focus on anything other than the fear itself would help. Went through the exit, the jump 1000 times to beat the fear. Instead came performance anxiety, but that was better by far. I'm often nervous in the plane - this weekend wasn't too bad though. It's just amazing how one can 'move on' from the fear though. At jump 15 I thought I'd never get rid of the 'King Of Fear'. Now he visits from time to time, but more often it's his cousin Mr Nervousness who pays a visit and leave as soon as I leave the plane :). Only got 44 jumps, so hopinh it'll get even better with time. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Yeah, but where do you go to slay monsters and raise corpses and whatnot? They won't let me in at neither the democrat convention nor the republican one. Mebbe that's why DII became so popular. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Yeah, we're all bad arses brawlers here in Denmark, so you don't wanna mess with us. We used to kill French people for fun (and profit) until those bloody Christians 'civilized' us. Bah. Hven't been in a fight in a bar for years. For reasons well stated here :) Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Throw it up on a website and link to it. If ya don't have one, PM me and I'll have it put up on my webspace :) Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

11:29. Beer, friends are over. Music and skydiving videos (waiting for one to download). Aaah yes. Skydiving tomorrow. Life is good

Coolest. Children pics. Ever.

Skydivers get midlife crisis? Scary thought. What'd you do to feel young? Surf active volcanoes? Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Congrats

Ah, thought this was semi-normal

have you looked at yer altimeter when someone asked 'what time is it?'

Good advice Ron, will heed it. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Michele wrote: As to does jumping help me, yes, I believe it does. Does it "cure" me? No. So I am not sure about the seratonin/dopamine aspect of the discussion, because if it did, then I would think I'd be "cured" as long as I stayed jumping. Ah, I have a depression problem too. Every three years or so I'll get one for no apparent reason. This year is one of 'em. Skydiving fixes me right up. Unfortunately, the effect wears off in a day and then (for me) it gets even worse. Everything is more bland and boring and tedious than before. After three more days, it gets back to normal. If I could skydive every other day, I'd stay happy. Maybe I should see if I could get skydiving accepted as 'depression treatment' . Saturday soon. Bliss! Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

KerMor wrote Contrary to many believes, long repetitive shallow dives are way more dangerous than quick deep dive Hm well, this would depend on how you define 'dangerous', no? In a short, deep dive you'll risk reaching the M-value of the fast loading compartments at high PP, which is the spinal chord etc. Bubble formation here is not a good thing at all as type II DCS is harder to treat than type I. Type II DCS lead to all kinds of neurological problems, bubbles in heart/lungs; type I is typically pain, fatigue and possible nitrogen bubbles in heart/lungs (very roughly speaking) On shallower long, repetitive dives, the PP is lower but the time spent at pressure greater - which would mean that you risk loading the slow compartments - joints, bones and so on. The slow compartments ongas and offgas at a slower rate, so while time on the surface might be enough to partially clear the fast compartments, it might not be good enough for the slow ones. In this respect it is more dangerous. On the other hand, I'd rather take a hit from type I than type II. Overstaying two minutes at 140 feet is a lot more dangerous than overstaying 2 minutes at 50. There's just a smaller margin of error on deep dives with regards to DCS. This is the explanation I got from a technical diver anyhow. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

I'm a bum. Already climbed the career ladder as high as I can get (got my own cardboard box), wage sucks, but you get to drink lots and sleep at odd places. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

I'd have to have open fractures and walk to the doc on the stumps of my bones before he'd give me anything. He's cool though. Have had problems with knees since an accident in my teens and when I asked whether it be safe to skydive he was 'Oh yeah, don't be a sissy" Pain is just weakness leaving the body. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Know a girl who got a compression injury on her spine when she landed hard on her butt. A shame, since it was (and is) a very pretty butt indeed. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

It is possible that it was enough. I didn't think so and made a call on the fly so to speak (no pun intended). The guy behind me had no view of the freeflier though. It could be that I was too conservative, but the issue is that I got a boot to my arse, which I didn't like too much. With 'similar sentiment' raised by two others, I mean as in 'you're a newbie, he got 8 years of experience'. They weren't on the load. I've been told I am too timid at the DZ. I try to stay outta the way and I fully understand that I know next to nothing, and am aware of my position at the lower end of the hierarchy. I won't push my view and will back away well before anyone is offended in skydiving related discussions. "I don't think so" was the best response I had at the time, because it was my opinion (and still is) that there wasn't that much horisontal separation, with that freeflier going head down on exit and all. At the same time, I'm also responsible for my own safety, and that of others. I want to remain humble and don't mind the developing reputation I have of being an introverted non confrontational person, yet when it comes to safety, I feel I have to voice my worries. So there's a conflict there that I haven't worked out how to solve, other than to be soft spoken and suggestive, rather than loud and very assertive. I guess the conversation can be read as me being brusque. Was more inquisitive than irritated at the time though. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Hm, I wonder how a newbie can make a point to an experienced skydiver? For example, on ym last skydive I was sitting there, waiting to dive outta the C-182. Another freeflier had just exited and I wasn't happy with the separation after 5-6 seconds, so I waited. Felt a boot push on my arse and rather than being pushed out and tumble, I let go, keeping an eye out for the freeflier below me. I knew who was behind me so when I'd landed I walked over and talked to him. Me: hey man, why'd ya do that?" Him: you were taking too much time, didn't want to land out. Get out earlier next time" Me: Wasn't happy with the separation. Hm: It was more than enough. Me: No, don't think so. Him: "I got 8 years experience, you telling me you know more than me? At this point two other more experienced skydivers chimed in with similar sentiments, so I just let it go, after saying 'you could always do another flyby'. The worst bit is that I got out of that conversation with a black eye and there'll probably be talk about 'that new guy who thinks he knows everything' or somesuch (or maybe I am just paranoid). What to do? Only got 36 jumps, so I have very little authority in the eyes of other more experienced jumpers. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

This thread is gonna be sooo much bigger than the other one. The question is; is it by definition going to get ugly? I may be ugly, but I make up for it by having a lame sense of humor. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

When Animals Attack. Although to be fair, it seems as if the puny humans always lose the 'run like hell' contest. If that ain't a sport, I dunno what is. A bikini contest is also a sport in my book. If they say golf is a sport, then I can call bikini watching...hmmm...this has potential. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

Swedish, Danish and English fluently. Can get by in German, at least when I am drunk

Hm, one thing I've experienced with large canopies (280's for instace) is that when a small guy like me (145lbs) is hanging in 'em, you get tossed around a lot by turbulence. I also dislike not being able to 'trust' it in 360s. I've had a 280 do a sharp diving right turn after I gently pulled down full on the left toggle. Naturally I just released the input, but it spooked me. The Sabre 190 I tried out was much more friendly and I felt a good deal more confident in it. Crisp response, great flare, not so much buffeting and less susceptible to turbulence. Turned it all I could and couldn't induce the 'wrong turn nose dive' thing I experience on PD-280's from time to time. 280's I don't even dare to turn more than one 360 turn at a time. Of course I am just a dumb newbie with only 36 jumps. This is just my personal experience, and a 190 is still loaded quite lightly for a chap my weight and size. I just feel more confident when the canopy does what I ask of it, instead of the other way around

Very well written and thought out billvon - spells it out good with clear distinctions. I'd argue that the amount of control a good skydiver has in the air separates him or her from a rock that falls purely ballistically. A tracking dive can cover a great deal more distance - controlled - than can a rock thrown out of a plane. Whether to call it flying or controlled falling is indeed the question. Webster's revised unabridged dictionary (1913) have a few definitions which suggest that one can call it flight: 2. To move through the air or before the wind; esp., to pass or be driven rapidly through the air by any impulse. The impulse being the combination of gravity and the manipulation of relative wind? Maybe stretching it. OTOH, this can be said about a rock too; impulse being just gravity. Wordnet then: n : an instance of traveling by air; "flying was still an exciting adventure for him" [syn: flight] Not much help there - by this definition a rock would be 'flying' as much as a skydiver. The same goes for most of the other definitions I've seen. I gather it is, as you say, just a matter of semantics. The good bit is that those of us who wish to call it flight can do so and use the semantics bit as a (weak) defense Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst