AFFI

So your the guy who put my Talon 2 together. I really like the new products Rigging Innovations are putting out these days. That Talon 3 is beautiful.

It has been wonderful to see the fond memories so many have of our fallen brother. Conway was such a great friend to the newcomers just off student status; he would always make them feel welcomed, jump with them, get them on organized loads with others and lend a hand in gaining confidence and much needed skills to help them along the way to becoming good skydivers. It still hasn’t totally sunk into my head that he is gone – guess it will just take some time to adjust. His memorial dive to spread his ashes will help bring closure. Miss you Conman!

I have been planning for an early retirement, and I haven’t been saving…

A snowflake of a fluffy piece of frozen water that makes unique shapes - or - The cat on the Simpsons...

Might. I love my Stiletto, has a huge slider on it and the openings are super sweet but no wind landings are a little quick sometimes… Something to think about…

So you had 2 parachutes out? Glad everything worked out and you enjoyed enough to make the second jump! Rock on! Are you jumping in the USA? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Romancin'? Oh yeah, she did the laundry last night.

Good news, maybe… I got fitted for an orthopedic back brace. There were different types most of which were very constricting to movement – the one I have has two flat rods down the back that are not metal (some type of carbon composite) and slightly flexible, they both run on either side of the area where I had some bone loss in my vertebrates providing significant support to the weakened area. There are two side straps that buckle in the front in a fashion that is easily adjustable and provides even support around the back. This particular brace will hopefully provide the support I need to skydive without worry. I am really trying to find a way to continue to skydive where I can make more than just a few jumps annually, maybe this will work. Wee shall see this weekend…

If you have Adobe Primere you can apply a Brichtness/Contrast or Gamma video filter and make your adjustments there. If you do not, how big is the file size? If you can send me the file I can adjust it for you and send it back. PM me if you need some assistance... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

www.skydivespaceland.com

You are looking for advice concerning a Real Time Burner or one for a computer?

Then I should be feeling GREAT, I love pilates! Had a couple of em last night and in fact, I told the bartender to put in an extra shot of Vodka and everything. But really, thanks for the encouraging words, hopefully I will fall short of 4 years, but right now the most strenuous activity I can partake in is taking a dump, and even that is pushing it (get it? pushing?). Ummmm, I think that is the morphine talking…

PD reserve - tried and true. Why settle for anything else when getting laid again is on the line?

Nono, go to Wal-Mart! It's cheaper, bigger and I own stock in it...

what a great idea! I remember when I went from the student harness to my first used rig - what a difference! Then years later when I finally got my first custom made fit, like night and day...

You can convert the AVI to other formats using Microsoft Encoder 9 - it is a free download... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I understand so completely! It is difficult to relate unless you are standing in these shoes eh? Life will get better, we just have to adjust and take what we are blessed with.

Everyone is correct about not having to let go totally - the lifestyle change from being very active to an inactive lifestyle is a difficult transition for me as I am only accustomed to being quite active in life. It will take time to adjust... Seeing a different Neuro-Surgeon the second week in August. I doubt there will be a magic filled week that changes everything but maybe he will be able to get me out of the extreme pain I have been experiencing – another surgery is inevitable at this point but maybe I will be able to skydive afterwards without being afraid. Ya’ll are great friends indeed – I am so lucky!

No shit in my cornflakes - I was just applauding your honesty...

Correctly means it opens? Whatch me pack and it is far from "textbook" but I have not packed a malfunction yet.

Do you know Photoshop? If so what version are you using?

So it take a bit of time - you will get faster, just keep at it. You will discover that the canopy will open even if it goes in the bas a little sloppy.

As a result of the back surgery there was substantial bone loss leaving a section of the soft tissue beneath without protection of the surrounding vertebrae. I have healed up pretty nicely, but at deployment time I have found that the comfort is gone – one hard opening can easily snap my spinal column. Frankly, I am scared. Just thinking about it I miss it.... It’s not worth it anymore, and I thought I would skydive for the rest of my life or my body no longer allowed me to. My body will no longer allow me to, at least to do it in the capacity to make 500+ jumps annually, more in digits of ones, maybe tens and that is to push the non-skydiving days as far as I can stand it and get the occasional stress relieving jump every now and again. When I think about it I am so lucky to have that, not to mention the most wonderful wife, family and friends supporting me. I still find myself at the DZ every weekend just to be around it, maybe do a little ground training. I don’t understand why, but I am finding it to be doing me more harm than good – I need to separate myself from it because I am not handling it well – being there. The hardest part was letting go of the door the first time, now it is letting go of the rest of it, letting go of the most incredible activity and people. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

At least someone is honest about being a lazy-shit that wants everhthing handed to them on a silver platter! Too lazy to perform a simple search, too lazy to work to pay enough money for a good package and certainly too lazy to learn... This is not a personal attack, simply emphasizing the points you made in your post. My advice? Do a search. Save money for a good package. Tackle the learning curves yourself... Doing things for yourself will provide a sense of accomplishment, try it and you might find it is worth the trouble...

Easy solution - downwind every landing...