Nataly

After one week, I returned the motorcycle. I'm quite sad to see her go It has really confirmed that I want one, though. I passed my theory test on Friday

OK there's none under your bed, but I think I saw one under your pillow OMG you boys are so mean! Anyway, don't worry D.. You never really see the nasty ones anyway, because they like to hide in places like your shoes. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I squished it

Yeah.. The big hairy ones *do* freak me out a bit, but thankfully they don't live in my neck of the woods

I like spiders - the eat tons of flies & bugs

What a lovely thought to plant in my heat before I hit the hay!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Yep - also a plausible theory! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I have a teeny fruit-fly that keeps flying around my computer screen, but it's too small and too fast for me to catch!! AAAARRRGH!! (Translation: I'm probably spending too much time in front of my computer, right?) "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Happy Thursday to you too!! MUAH!!

Joe was starting to think those pills weren't aspirin at all.. Were those squirrels really playing poker??! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Google it for fuck sake He just said to go fast & try to hurt myself. Obviously!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Ha ha ha!! Ja, det var gott, tack! Och du? Bry: riding going well. Took day off yesterday because of rain - didn't feel it was worth it.. A bit like jumping on a really windy day.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Good morning everyone!! I'm still on vacation, and loving the lazy mornings.. Watching a bit of telly (online - I don't actually have a TV), drinking tea, and thinking I'm gonna hop on the motorcycle soon School on Monday, huh?? I bet you'll find it's a bit easier than you expected it to be.. It's amazing what a bit of life-experience gives you in terms of confidence & street-smarts.. You looking forward to it Bry? Edit: spelling "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Personally, I think a tat is a MUCH bigger commitment than having a bit of fun jumping out of planes. It's such early days.. Do you really want to have such a strong link with a guy you barely know? What if he regrets the tat? What if you end up staying in the sport and not liking each-other very much? IMO, the reason why thank-you beers are great is that it encourages you to socialise and get to know people. It's a great way for newbies to have a relaxed chat with more experienced jumpers & you often learn a few things here and there (obviously, when alcohol is in the mix, take any advice with a pinch of salt). Sounds like what he did was standard AFF training.. He didn't properly "save your life" - you did that yourself by paying attention to what you were taught. I say stick to beer. The guy was doing his job, and you've already paid him for that. Thanking him with a tat is kind of a big deal - thanking him with beer is an appropriately small gesture that will probably be very appreciated. Just my 2 cents.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Kitchen table/counter.. Although the memories do make you smirk when the folks come by for dinner "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

The people I tend to gravitate towards tend to be more mature and/or nicer and/or smarter than me.. You know.. People I admire and look up to. So.. Much as I hate to admit this, *I* am probably the biggest whiner I know.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I'd already posted in another thread but sex on the beach is overrated. Sand just gets in the vagina. Dude.. Use a bigger towel, and go to where the sand is still wet.. *Lovely* "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Wow!! Yay for you

I think there are a lot of reasons for my approach.. The main thing, however. is that when I did my CBT (learner's permit), I found there was too much pressure for me to learn everything straight away because of the other people in the class.. I got frustrated, and when I get frustrated my performance invariably suffers. Was the same with AFF.. I did level 4 (?) like three times in a row, and when I walked away, calmed down, and gained some confidence in the tunnel, I came back and everything from there was a breeze. So I felt that the best way for me to build up my confidence would be to learn, at my own pace, how to ride a manoeuvrable bike. I reckon at the end of the week, I should feel much more at ease and so the lessons and test shouldn't make me feel stressed or scared. At the end of the day, I think that practising will only help me be a better, safer, more aware rider when I *do* take my test. Or.. Maybe I'm just a scared pansy!! Edit to say: I think if this were 10 years ago, I'd be much more horny to get my licence *now*.. But I guess in my "advanced" age, it's less important to rush into these things! (Obviously I've turned into a bit of a pansy!!) "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Sadly this is unavoidable.. Unless of course I just keep to my CBT, which doesn't allow me to ride on motorways, which kind of defeats the purpose.. So yeah.. The new test with all of it's weird and wonderful pylon-avoiding tricks "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Ah ha ha!! Perhaps I should have specified that these were deliberate, controlled manoeuvres!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I'm literally beside myself with joy!!! The last thing I did with the motorcycle yesterday was drop it around a bend :( I felt so upset about it, but I turned in early, read a lot of your comments, got an early night, and set off first thing in the morning. First off, the rental place was really cool about the indicators. They replaced them in about 15 minutes and told me not to worry about it. I then went straight for the lessons I had booked, and this revolutionised the way I control the bike. Well, in short, i learned to *control* it!! The instructor was very calm and patient, showed me how to ride the clutch/use the rear brake & keep off the front brake. SUCH a world of difference. I rode for about 7 hours today. I'm drenched in sweat, exhausted, but really, really happy

Awww - thanks

Hmm.. I don't think it's such a bad thing that no big burly person helped you to even out the damage!!! Thanks everyone for sharing your drop stories - makes me feel just a little less stoopid. Now I have to bring the bike in tomorrow so they can see if they can fix it. Because the cover is gone (on BOTH sides), I'm not sure what they're gonna do.. I know what I would do: confiscate the bike, tell me to piss off, and keep my deposit.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Not sure where you'll be camping, but if it's in Florida, get some ant stuff on the ground under and around your tent. Ask someone at the DZ if they know what to use - heck, some dz's keep the stuff handy just in case.. Red ants are *nasty* and they WILL eat all the food you have in the tent. Note that *you* will also count as food. They will eat through your tent and your sleeping bag to get to you, but the powdered ant-killer shit is very good, so you should be ok