peregrinerose

Wow... my cabana boy has all 11 qualifications. And like you, the Steelers are pretty damn important to me... the only reason I met mine is because he had a Steelers shirt on

Was it actually a brake fire? Or was that brake not stowed properly to begin with? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Are you giving her an antibiotic? Antibiotics won't do anything for a fungus... fungi are not bacteria Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I had a student just like you on Sunday... I taught the first jump course as well as made the Category A skydive with him. He was extremely well prepared after reading the Cat A portion of the SIM, had great questions, absorbed everything I taught very quickly since he already had a basic familiarity with the terminology. He was a dream student and made a beautiful skydive. Like you, he understood that the information that he read was to supplement his training and re-enforce it, not replace it. Not a bad call on waiting til spring. I started AFF fairly late in the season 3 years ago as a student, and it took freaking FOREVER (at least it seemed like it to me!) to make those first few jumps just due to winds/weather. Good luck with your training!!!! It's beautiful up in that part of NY, I'd love to jump up there sometime... must be nice skydiving

Wow, you're still defending your post? You advised someone with 0 or few jumps on how to deal with a tree landing. The mature thing to do would be to understand that your response was not appropriate for the audience that you were speaking to, was not from the SIM, and is not how students need to be taught. Take it as a learning experience and grow as a skydiver as a result of it. Humility is a tough trait to come by, but an important one in this sport sometimes. Been in your shoes plenty of times myself. If you as an individual want to try to climb down your reserve lines, you go right ahead, but please don't be telling students to do that. People have died trying to get themselves out of a tree. The SIMs were written to try to prevent the same mistakes/fatalities from happening. If I'm in a tree, my little ass is staying there until someone comes to get me. See, I trust the people I jump with and my home Dropzones... I know that if someone's missing from the load, help will be on the way... it may not be as quick as I want them to get there, but they will find me. Like I tell students when I'm teaching first jump courses... stay in the tree... we'll come to get you, it may not be instantly, but we will get you. We want you to be alive to hear our chuckles and pay your beer fine, not hung or broken. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I agree with that, especially about Dublin. Two of us have basic 1st aid training and were 20 ft from where they landed... we ran over to help, it was obvious they were both well beyond our training level, so we turned and walked away. We really tried to get some of the gawkers that rushed out to clear the area too as we were on our way back, but we could only do so much. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Whoever decided to stuff a bigass olive with both a jalapeno and a garlic clove is even more of a god Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Have a great one Jennifer!!!! Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I agree, borrowing against it isn't the wisest move in the world, but in a real financial bind, it's nice to have the option. I also wouldn't depend on it as a retirement fund, it's not meant for that either.... we both have IRAs as our primary retirement fund. With your example with the term policy, at the end of the term, I have nothing to show for it other than the $35K from the additional investment. With whole life, at the end of X years, I can cash out the policy if I so desire, hopefully more than $35K. There are pros and cons to both routes, every person is different and needs to figure out what works best for them and their long term goals as well as present financial situation. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Just get a term life insurance policy then... if you do a short term, and low amount, it won't cost you much. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I've read that book 3 times, and each time learned something new out of it as I was at a different place in my jumping each time. I plan to continue to read it once a year. I also took his canopy course this year, and learned so much from him. Brian made me a better skydiver... not just with the logistics of canopy flight, but helped me gain the confidence that I lacked in myself. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I agree with calling around, but also read the fine print. Make sure you are comparing identical plan types and what you will get out of it. I don't like throwing money away, that's why I went with whole life. If I decide in 20 years that I no longer need life insurance, the money I have paid into it has accumulated, grown, collected interest, and I can cash out my policy.... I get all my money back, basically. If I'm disabled and can't pay the premiums but want to keep the life insurance, mine will pay for itself as long as there's money in the account. If I want to take out a loan using my life insurance as collateral, I can do that too. I pay more than $90/year, but I get a lot of benefits for that extra money too. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Depends on what you want... term life? Whole life? Universal? Term is cheapest, but only covers you for X number of years. Whole/Universal are more expensive, but cover you your whole life, you can also borrow against your own policy or cash it out later if you desire to do so. I don't completely understand the difference between whole and universal. On my whole life plan, I am 33, just started it, covered for $100,000, and pay $140/ month. It would have been $40 less if I wasn't a jumper per month. Mine's through state farm. My husband's is $20/month more than mine, he's a year older. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

www.king5.com Has video with additional information, including names of 3 of the jumpers on board. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

That was the best response on this entire thread. Thank you for putting into words what I wanted to say but couldn't find the phrasing for. Jen (5 time Locks of Love donor) Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Yep, never stop learning... watch more experienced instructors, ask their input, watch what teaching styles and mannerisms work best with what kind of students, and HAVE FUN! If you are having a ball (and not letting your own nervousness of working with real students show), your students will relax more, have more fun, perform better, and learn more quickly. I'm sure that some of the more experienced instructors than I am can give you even more words of advice (and probably better ones) though

I did 4. My first of the weekend was #600 for me

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

It looks great both ways. Besides, hair to me is a harvestable crop. Grow it, 'harvest it', donate it, repeat. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I would love to have a swing too We don't have kids to explain it too. But it did suck the one day my 12 year old neighbor girl decided to use my bathroom... with my egg vibrator freshlly cleaned sitting beside the sink. Of course she asked what it was. She didn't entirely believe me when I told her it was a dog toy Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

You have one of those drawers too, eh? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Sky's the Limit in East Stroudsburg, PA might still be open during the week, and would probably be beautiful with the leaves turning colors now too. Gettysburg is nice to visit this time of year. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

6-10 is the best for me too if I'm just fun jumping... that is a steady pace of dirt dive, jump, debrief, pack, socialize, repeat. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

When you do your practice flares, make sure your arms are straight, not bent at all and you are grabbing your crotch. Hold the flare for 2 solid seconds before slowly letting up on it. Imagine coming in to land as you are doing it. Repeat it several times. Then when you land, do exactly the same thing... straight arms, hold the flare until the canopy is coming down and both your feet are solidly on the ground. I liked Scott's course, but actually got much more out of Brian Germain's... Brian spends a lot more time focusing on the psych end of landing and canopy flight, and that made much more of a difference to me... learning how to truly feel and fly a canopy rather than just seeing a canopy as a necessary part of landing. Plus his course was 2 days to Scott's one. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

You didn't answer my question earlier, do you practice your flares up high? If not, do it! Learn the stall point of the canopy, practice flaring the entire length of your arm. Flying the Pilot may actually make you lazier at flaring, not improving it... at least on the canopies I've flown/compared, I got full flare on the Pilot at much less arm extention (about 3/4) than the other canopies (Sabre2, Spectre of varying sizes). Have you taken a canopy control course? Watched video of your own landings? Done lots and lots of practice up high with different ways to fly your canopy? It sounds like you need to be more aggressive in learning to fly a canopy and land it consistently. A canopy course may be the best way to do that. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda