peregrinerose

LOL!!! Now THAT is hilarious Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I wanted to be a vet. Was told I couldn't do it, was too stupid, etc (which is insane, always had straight As). I was dumb and believed it. Went to optometry school instead (another dumb move, it's just as tough as vet school to get in). However, I ended up loving what I do very much. My secondary job is packing at the DZ, also enjoy that, so get the best of all worlds. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Thank you for sharing that, and with everyone else, hope you can post a couple of pictures here! Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I've been the one borrowing rigs as I demoed a few canopies while deciding on what to buy. The plan was definitely 'you damage it, it's yours'. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

There's no reason not to do a tandem, it is your skydiving career, do what makes you most comfortable and safe. Although I did a tandem a couple weeks ago, for a friend who was going from Vector to Strong tandem gear, he already had something like 300 tandems behind him. After 130 jumps with my own canopy on my back, that tandem was probably the scariest thing I have done in a really long time, on the ground or in the sky!! Being in a plane without my own canopy on my back was bizarre Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I'm not an instructor, but pack, so get to eavesdrop on all the student training. My favorites are "make sure the boys are corralled" and "Arch like you're a six year old boy peeing through a chain link fence without using his hands" That second one is definitely the best line I've heard with any student. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Ohhh, me too. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Our rigger told me to fold stabilizers outward from the center, folding them in can cause line burn (I had been doing it as you described). Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

That was freaking hilarious. Need to send to my husband

I was wondering if someone else was going to comment on that, it peaked my curiosity. My cousins had a dog that they named Valcore, because they couldn't spell, apparently Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I like that toy thing. 2 of my dogs won't play with toys, but my greyhound loves it, so it will be easy to teach him. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

There are some 'professional jumpers' at my DZ that refuse to jump unless someone else is paying their ticket, even for things like night jumps. No matter what ratings I get, I'll do my best not to be like that. I pack to make extra money at the DZ, my husband also packs. It's very lucrative, and we always make at least the first and last loads of the day. Some weekends are slow enough that we can do 5-10 jumps in a weekend each, others we are busting our asses so much we're too tired to get on that last load of the day knowing it means 2 more rigs to pack. But honestly, I love doing it. This winter I'm working on getting my rigger's ticket because I love to know how things work and fix problems. Eventually I'll do the coach course (probably next year), eventually AFF. I love teaching and there are enough other instructors at the DZ that I won't be eliminating fun jumps for work jumps. My husband wants to be a TM. And it better not be for the women Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

All three of my dogs were rescues. One was an abused adult (2 when I adopted him), one is a greyhound who based on his behavior probably had less than kind treatment. The other was a young puppy, so not a problem there. I agree with the others, reward the good and instead of telling the dog what not to do, teach them commands of what to do instead. "Come Here" instead of no when running away, "Off" instead of no when they jump on the furnature, "Sit" when they are jumping on people, "Settle" when the get a bit overboard in the playing. Teach them the opposites too, "On" if you want them on the couch. "Up" if you want them to stand up for kisses, "Go" for get away from me and have fun, etc. That way they also learn there's a time and place for everything. Make sure you are alpha. My dogs all wait for permission from me to eat. They have their eating order based on their heirarchy. They wait for permission to leave the crate, or to leave the house when they go outside. They are definitely not beaten, but they also know who's boss. If yours has alpha issues (my first one did), there are some tricks to modify that. Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Ocular migraines are a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning you have to rule out all of the scary things that can cause similar effects before calling it an ocular migraine (high blood pressure, diabetes, carotid artery disease, blood clotting disorders, certain medications, neurological disease, etc.) An ocular migraine in general is when the blood vessels constrict for a while, cutting off the blood supply to the retina. Retina doesn't get enough oxygen, so starts sending wacko signals to the brain. Peripheral vision is affected first, so that's typically where the sparklies or heat waves or whatever show up (just like hypoxia at high altitudes. Usually after 20 minutes or so, the body figures out what the heck it's doing wrong, and the blood vessels re dilate. If this happens in the retina, everything goes back to normal, no pain. If the same thing happens in the brain, that's when the whopper of a headache sets in. It can be from stress, vascular disease, bizarre allergy issues (not like seasonal allergies, but to a specific preservative or food type), etc. The important thing is to have all the testing done by your family doc to make sure that it really is just an ocular migraine and nothing more serious. Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I don't know about the scan rate thing, but you do blink less on a computer or doing any other form of concentrated near work. It dries your eyes out, lots of ways to help, but varies by person, so can't give specifics here, sorry. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

That's so sad that you lost a good friend over this I'm in the same situation. My kid brother is a born again Catholic and follows the dogma to the letter. He criticizes me for using birth control, for getting divorced even though the guy would hit me, etc. I talk to him at the most once every few months now as a result. He won't let my husband and I get to know our new nephew because he does not believe his son should be exposed to our more pagan type belief system. It's so sad that religion may help so many people find peace as individuals, but in some cases tears apart frienships and families. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I said I would CONSIDER it, not necessarily DO it Depends on who she is running against. If it's another George W., I'd vote for just about anyone instead. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I find Geena Davis irritating as an actress, so couldn't make it past 5 minutes of the show. I never in a million years thought I would say this, but I would actually entertain the idea of Hilary for president. Not saying I'd vote for her, but I at least wouldn't veto it without further consideration. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

And there's not a single thread over there with the phrase "Killing Kittens" in it. I think I like DZ.com better Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I agree with everyone else that said 'dog' But if you have to get a cat, get a rescue. There are so many that need good homes. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

He's so cute!!!!! It's wonderful that you're thinking about taking in a Katrina orphan. All of our pets are adoptees too (3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 2 rabbits), and you can just tell they appreciate it. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Could you consider doing it part time on weekends and then decide from there if you want to quit your job for more permanent skydiving related work? I have the same jump numbers as you, and would guess you'd probably need a lot more than 130ish jumps before any DZ would seriously consider you as a tandem videographer. Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Stats bore people, so I don't use those at all (plus I'd be pulling numbers out of my ass since I don't know them anyway ). I tell them shit happens, but I take every precaution (reserve, AAD, extremely conservative when it comes to canopy and chosing whether or not to even make a jump based on weather, etc). I tell them jumping is definitely not for everyone, either they get it or they don't and there's nothing wrong with it either way. Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Have you thought about getting a new container and reserve but a used main? That way you aren't blowing a crapload of money on a new main that you will end up selling in a couple hundred jumps as you learn more about your canopy? I didn't believe my rigger and instructors that buying my used Sabre would last me about 100ish jumps and I'd want to buy something else/possibly downsize. But now, at 130 jumps, I just bought a new Spectre (after taking advantage of demoing a few other canopies)... after learning more about jumping and having a better idea of my long term goals, the Spectre made sense for me, plus I downsized (from a hair under a 1:1 ratio to just a shade above 1:1, so not a huge change, especially given my 20 lb weight loss since buying the original canopy). Talk with your instructors. At 20 jumps I thought I had a clue about what I wanted from a canopy. I was wrong, I didn't have a clue at all. Probably in another few hundred jumps I'll look back and say I didn't have a clue at 130 jumps either Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Given some of the interesting student landings, it is really safe to go in the buff for a first jump? I imagine that losing a large quantity of skin on a first jump would be a bit of a deterrent for a future jump. Just curious as to how that is handled. Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda