Lindsey

Maybe coming up at a really small dz makes a difference, but my skydiving buddies are some of my closest friends. Of course, I've made 99% of my jumps with the same 5 or 6 people...and we've become pretty close. Idon't know how it'd be at larger dz's where priorities are different. My skydiving buddies are also my biking buddies. If I recall from another thread, though, (and maybe I'm remembering wrong) we aren't people that you'd really care to ride with because we're not "real" riders or something like that??? Maybe I'm mistaken...that was a while ago. Everybody doesn't fit in everywhere. I hope that as you reflect on how you're feeling right now, you'll realize that skydivers are people.....regular ol' folks getting on with their regular ol' lives for the most part. It sounds like you really are in a funk. I hope it gets better. I wonder if, maybe because of your experience with bikers, you maybe have had expectations about jumpers that just weren't realistic. Maybe if your expectations changed then you'd be able to see the good in these folks again. I've seen a lot more good in jumpers than bad....but again, I think that's people in general.... Peace~ linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

Damn....and here I am with nothing to complain about. Guess that's why I stuck with Christmas. Did your woman on the rag win the wrestling match???? lol. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

THAT is a darlin' little one. Congrats! linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

Ripple and Friend of the Devil are two. I'm sure there are more. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

I always thought that was a poor way to handle what is supposed to be a symbol of eternal life and rebirth. Yeah....we went synthetic a few years ago. I miss the uniqueness of each year's tree though. A live tree's a great alternative if you can keep it alive. Whenever I've tried to keep one alive, it's dried up right there in my living room :( (This might really turn into a divisive thread if we're not careful....and cheerful. ) linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

What ever happened to having babies in the Spring!? Tell the critter Happy Birthday!

Merry Christmas to y'all too! And may you have better luck with your live tree than I had with mine. No green thumbs here. Peace~ linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

I usually make homemade egg nog. Not making it this year, though, because my family's not going to be here :( I do make homemade Irish Cream for my friends though. Made a bunch up today. Much MUCH better than anything you'll buy.... Merry, merry, merry.... linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

Lying about being the victim of any crime is wrong. You're the only one talking about that issue though....different topic. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

probably more than 1 linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

I think you're absolutely right about that....and I don't think anyone has argued against that point so far. What I have a problem with is the sentiment that I'll copy again.... Since it's a quote by the original poster, it (to me anyway) changes my perception of his original post. and you know that for a fact in every case do you? some decent bloke who has been chatting a girl up in a nightclub all night, they both have a snog and a grope... they agree to go back to her/his house, both are drunk... they start heavy petty on the bed, get naked and at the very last moment she says no.. he carries on and she cries rape... thats about power is it? i think those circumstances are purely about sex I agree completely that women are responsible for the situations they put themselves in and for the consequences of their actions. If you don't want bad things to happen to you, then staying out of certain situations makes a good outcome more likely. As far as going home with men goes....I'd say you'd better know the guy pretty well. It might surprise you who could turn out to be someone willing to hurt you. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

It'd be less conspicuous if you just put it in a gear bag. But if you want to draw attention to yourself, then just throw it over your shoulder! linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

yeah....I thought the same thing until I read this post: and you know that for a fact in every case do you? some decent bloke who has been chatting a girl up in a nightclub all night, they both have a snog and a grope... they agree to go back to her/his house, both are drunk... they start heavy petty on the bed, get naked and at the very last moment she says no.. he carries on and she cries rape... thats about power is it? i think those circumstances are purely about sex sums up his ideas pretty well to me. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

In these situations, you'd be wise to set the limits yourself, rather than relying on theirs. -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

we're getting a little sidelined on the point i'm trying to make. I'm 100% agreed that all rape is wrong, But what i'm trying to say is that its also wrong for a woman to do certain things and expect her "no" to then be taken seriously every time. I'm talking about the real world here, in real situations I don't think we are getting sidetracked. Your point is understood. Some of us just disagree with you. I expect for my b/f to stop when I say to stop. Likewise I'll respect his wishes when he says to stop also. That's my expectation in real world situations.... -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

yep.... I can see a guy being pissed, and not wanting to pursue a relationship with a person who would lead him on like that, but to think it's okay to go ahead and have his way with her is frightening. Perhaps she's comfortable with some nekkid play and thinks that he is too. Is there no point at which she's able to say no? Her responsibility for what happens is in being with a person who has the capacity to rape her.... I think the "special" hat idea is a good one. -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

they start heavy petty on the bed, get naked and at the very last moment she says no.. he carries on and she cries rape... thats about power is it? i think those circumstances are purely about sex That's not just "crying" rape, that IS rape. It IS about power, and the guy who "carries on" is a rapist, and no different than the fella who lurks in the shadows waiting for a victim. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

There was a little boy...... whose loose tooth, after a whole day of twisting and pulling, would not come out. "The Tooth Fairy HAS to come tonight! It's only 2 days until Christmas!" -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

Still trying to understand the consequences of being partly responsible. For me, the consequences of having responsibility for what happens to me are that I have some control over whether or not I'm going to be a victim. Why do we give each other advice on how to stay safe? I hope it's because we realize that we have some responsibility to keep ourselves out of bad situations. That in no way, in my mind, mitigates the guilt of a person who rapes someone. The rapist is the one who has broken the law....not the victim of rape, no matter what she was wearing or where she was. Being aware that there are bad people in the world and taking steps to avoid them is smart. Not avoiding them is not smart....but it in no way makes a bad person less bad. Just makes me less smart linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

Would you be afraid to walk down 9th Street (or whatever comparable avenue in your city) at night in a short skirt and fuck-me pumps???? I would....because I would be afraid of what would happen to me. If I chose to do it anyway and were raped, then the rapist would be the one guilty of rape....not me. I'd be the victim of rape....something that I'd rather not be. by making a choice to put myself in harm's way, then I'd be partially responsible for what heppened to me. I wouldn't be "wrong" in any legal or moral sense, but I would've done something stupid. Something bad would've happened to me that wouldn't have happened if I'd have made different choices. If we can't accept responsibility for what might happen to us if we put ourselves in bad situations then we really have no control over what happens to us at all. I've done some stupid things, and some bad things have happened as a result. I'd much rather be a person who has learned how to stay out of such situations than to be someone who is oblivious to the possible consequences of my actions. So yeah....a woman can be partly responsible for a rape, though guilty of nothing. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

The only person responsible for a rape is the rapist. That's true. But there are definitely places I stay away from and situations I keep myself out of because I know that it'd be stupid to assume that nothing will happen to me because I'm doing nothing wrong.... linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

Yeah....I like black people too. I think they're nice. LOLOL :) linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

I chose my canopy for the canopy, and the colors came with it! I buy used.... :) linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

Many families of victims have asked prosecutors not to seek the death penalty, mainly because if the accused gets life in prison, the legal drama ends there, or typically after one or two appeals. With the death penalty, they go through hearing after hearing and appeal after appeal and never really get the chance to move on until decades later. Of course I'm aware of that. I doubt that any of us thinks that ALL families of people murdered want to see the murderer put to death. My thought is that so many people say that revenge has no place in the legal system. I don't really see that revenge is a good word for the purpose that execution of a murderer may serve for others. I don't see why their benefit is of no consequence when making decisions about carrying out a sentence (or sentencing a person in the first place). I've had a close friend murdered, along with her husband, child, in-laws, neices and nephews. Their killer was executed. I was indifferent, but interested, in his execution. I don't know what purpose it served for Renata's mother either, but knowing her I don't think she would feel the need for revenge....but she might be glad that he's not lingering in a prison somewhere while her daughter and grandson are dead because of him. linz -- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail