peregrinerose

LOL!!!!!! Damn, it has nothing to do with the faith in the tandem instructor.... 3 of mine were with my husband and there's no one I could ever possibly trust more. It's about having 100s of jumps behind you, then having to get in a jump plane, intending to jump, with no parachute on your own back!

$450 is insane. I had one, couldn't use it since I just ordered a container a week before I got the cert, sold it here for $100. The buyer saved a lot more than that, I made a little, everyone's happy. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I differ. Mine are piano wire and the handy man's secret weapon... Duct tape!! Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I don't think it's possible for any group as a whole to be a victim.... being a victim is the individuals' story. And there are shitloads of victims on both sides in any war. And a lot of cruelty on both sides in any war. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

That's a new one to me, too. Most of the time the doc isn't even the one that calls in the Rx, it's someone on staff after the doc approves it. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I'm not sure where in my post I insinuated that that was all that he did. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I never thought I'd say this, but I can actually see where LMWB is coming from. WWII vets who have done heroic things die every day and we don't have thank you threads to all of them. Tibbetts doesn't deserve either the blame or the credit for dropping the bomb, he did as he was told to do as any soldier should in a war. He is neither more nor less heroic than any other soldier that did what he was told in WWII (or any other war for that matter). It isn't a matter of loyalty to the US to have empathy for the thousands of civilians who died a brutal death as a result of the Enola Gay and her bomb. It's inhuman not to have some degree of sympathy for the fact that so many who had nothing to do with Japan's politics were killed. Yes, it probably saved as many or more lives than it took to drop the bomb, it was probably the right call, but doesn't mean it should be an easy one or that the death of civilians should be celebrated. It's sad to me when any WWII vet dies, all the untold stories that go with them. At least Tibbetts story got to be told, it's the anonymous vets that take their heroism to the grave that I mourn for.... the loss of the history along with the person. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I don't think age has anything to do with it. There was an 80 year old in my first jump course that did great. Every weekend I jump with 60-80 year old regulars at the DZ. Have fun, and welcome to the sky!! Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Me too if at all possible. Not all alti's read alike, so I prefer to make theirs the one that counts for the debriefs. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Anybody at Chambersburg can testify that the only thing that makes me shut up is to strap me into a tandem harness. It scares the living crap out of me to do a tandem.... and I've done probably 10 now as a licensed jumper (to help others get their ratings or cross train). Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Congratulations! Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I wasn't commenting on you specifically, since I don't know you, just in general I totally agree about skydiving making me a happier person, I'm much more amiable and laid back because of it. People all show emotion differently... some are more 'in your face' about it than others (regardless of emotion... happy, sad, etc). It's just a matter of degree. Some people look completely flat-line no matter what is going on inside them, others are overly theatrical. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I'm probably happy 95% of the time too. There's no such thing as 'too happy', but there is such a thing as overly perky... The person who's constantly bubbling over with perkiness to the point of irritating can be described as 'too happy' I guess. The one who never shuts up, constantly tells everyone else to be happy, often coming across as superficial and getting in other people's faces with it. It's all in the presentation, I think. What you feel inside and what you show outside are two different things and affect other people in different ways. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I get the same kind of questions when I'm packing. I tell the student I just pack 'em, not take tandems, they are welcome to ask their instructor tandem specific questions and while they're waiting, they are welcome to watch me pack. It doesn't matter that I usually know the answer to their question (my husband's a TI). Every instructor would probably answer the questions a little differently and it's up to the instructor jumping with the student to educate them and make them feel comfortable. It's not my job to interfere with that instructor/student relationship. I'll sometimes chat with tandem students, as they are waiting to meet instructors just to make them feel welcome at the DZ, but I never joke around with them while the instructor is working with them, gearing them up, or going through hook up procedures in the plane. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Maybe he wasn't all that 'heroic' in war... perhaps his personality or nature is one of violence. Maybe war appealed to him for that facet of it, and with no outlet for the vengeful side of his personality after leaving the service, it came out in other illegal means. Not all people who perform exemplary in the service do so for altruistic or heroic motivations, a small fraction probably just enjoy killing or hurting others. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Twice he tried to hire someone else to carry out his dirty work and seems unapologetic for it... there's no reason he can't do the same thing again. He should have behaved as a role model, not a criminal. Just because someone does good deeds doesn't mean they are exempt from punishment for bad ones. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

'Legal blindness' is a term used more for legal things, like social security disability, disability insurance, lawsuits, qualifications for benefits, etc. From a day to day, non-legal stance it's pretty meaningless. Outside of that setting, low vision (which includes legal blindness, but also is broader, for people not legally blind, but still with reduced vision) or visually impaired is more common. My MS degree is in low vision rehabilitation. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Legally blind (at least in the US) is 20/200 or worse vision in the better seeing eye with best possible correction or a visual field of less than 20 degrees in the eye with the greater visual field. Something like 90% of 'legally blind' people are functionally visual. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I second that exactly. Blue Skies Beezy Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Have him switch to pull up cords. After a couple of weekends, the callouses will be so thick, it won't shred his hand any more. I've been a packer for 3 years, and find the power tools too cumbersome. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I used to go hiking alone in fairly remote areas, and that's about the only time I'd carry. There are rabid animals in our neck of the woods and they have been occasionally known to go after hikers. I don't carry any more, only because I don't hike much any more. But I still enjoy shooting. It's fun to go blast a few holes in a target, great stress breaker. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Dave's class is great. If you need a place to stay when you take the course, let me know. We open our house to one person a year for free food/lodging during the course since we're right down the street. Just to echo Terry's post below mine, buy used stuff. Ebay is good, but if you want a good machine, call Dave, he refurbishes them and sells them and would probably be able to help you out... VA isn't that far of a drive

My sewing machine (and I'm a very very very beginning rigger) is a Singer 31-15 that I picked up out of the classifieds for $100. It works for most sewing projects I've done so far. When I need anything else, I drive a mile to Dave DeWolf's loft and he lets me use anything of his that I want to My first sewing project was making shot bags. There are step by step instructions on Dave's web site. http://www.paraloft.com/rt_shotbags.htm It was easy to do as a first sewing project, and I've used them for every repack I've done since. Second project was a little keeper for my protrack, so I could stick it in my Protec helmet and it had some degree of cover. My mistake was making it a green bag... which I lost in the grass once. Fortunately found it again, but time to make a new one in a higher contrast color! I haven't done a lot of sewing, but each project I have done gets more complicated (and more fun!). Like everyone else said, come up with your own ideas and patters, you'll learn more that way. Trial and error can be frustrating, but you'll learn quick to laugh at yourself

I disagree with that.... in general, the people who are complaing about external influences raising their children are the very ones that are letting those external influences raise their children and not talking to and raising their kids directly.... not saying that's you specifically, just what I've seen overall. People are quick to blame everyone but themselves for their kids bad behavior or other issues. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I agree with that.... so talk with your kids about what they see in ads. Kid's aren't stupid. They can learn what's real, what's appropriate, and what's just an advertiser trying to get them to spend money.... give them a chance, use it as a tool to educate them on an age appropriate level. It'll make them smarter consumers as adults. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda