Jessica

Maybe, but I think the tradeoff is pretty good. Instead of floating way above the action, with a weight belt a floaty newbie might actually have a chance to participate in the skydive and learn things. I can't tell you how many skydives I watched from way above when I first started. I have a weight belt. It's a Leadbelly. I like it a lot. But I don't tend to wear it anymore, because I've learned to have a nice range without it (yay tunnel camp!). But I don't know if I could have learned the range without having worn it. Does that make any sense?

There's a 182 DZ in Beeville, just north of Corpus. I haven't been there yet, but I'm somehow on their e-mail list, and it seems like a great, comically over-enthusiastic group. For turbine, I jump at Skydive San Marcos. Really great otter DZ. Open Friday-Sunday. It's cool.

"Teen Wolf Too!" is on right now. It's important that we have televisions in the newsroom in case of breaking stories. Or Michael J. Fox movies. My friend Jeff called me "Tyrana-whore-us Rex" the other day. I laughed really hard. My job is BORING. BORING BORING BORING. Anyone in a temperate climate need an editor? I can PM you salary reqs. Oh no, Mike just turned into a werewolf during the big basketball game!!! How embarassing! Like getting an erection in front of the whole class! The 80s were a beautiful, beautiful time. Taking nominations for new screen name.

No. I might when you give me a beer, though. Aww, why come Wingi? Taking nominations for new screen name.

Can't be much of a party without me. She said petulantly. Sulking. In the corner. Taking nominations for new screen name.

Well that's very true! I'm glad you're not mocking me. I'm sure you would only mock self-important dorks, one of which I am CERTAINLY not. CERTAINLY NOT. *adding Spazz to s-list* Taking nominations for new screen name.

You ARE mocking me! Taking nominations for new screen name.

And fuck you too, sweetheart! Someone tell me how to get past the firewall and I'd be happy to join you, even sober. Taking nominations for new screen name.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God! Someone finally understands my PAIN! Unless...you're mocking me. You wouldn't do that would you? I mean, I really trust you. It would hurt my feelings a LOT to be mocked. Actually, I'm relieved. When I saw my name on a post I thought you were going to tell me to knock it the hell off with the PhreeZone snugglebunnies. Taking nominations for new screen name.

I would like to inform the world at large that at 5'5" I am above average height for an American woman, and just because PhreeZone is a freakish and abnormal height does not mean he should make fun of mine, even if it does make him feel better. I'd agree with Dove, but it's really been a while. Taking nominations for new screen name.

Awww, my pookie pie is such a ROMANTIC!! Taking nominations for new screen name.

Yep, me too! When I was a kid I'd hyperventilate and cry if I ever found myself in a treehouse or something. Taking nominations for new screen name.

Well, in my case, it's because I'm extremely sexually unappealing. Taking nominations for new screen name.

Can't help it...*crying with laughter* That's something skydivers tell whuffos. Go beat the hell out of whoever told you that. Taking nominations for new screen name.

If he's at Rantoul, I will. I'll even try to stay relatively sober. This is interesting. Everyone knows I'm not interested in being a badass canopy pilot. Lord, I'd be happy to stand them up consistantly. My last jump this weekend confused me even more re: this issue. Under my lightly loaded PD 170, I turned into the (pretty mild) wind, and lost almost all my forward movement. That dropped me straight into a mesquite tree field. BAD. Might not have happened under a canopy with better penetration. I landed crosswind to avoid a fence, and PLFed pretty hard. Hopped right back up, totally unhurt. GOOD. Might not have happened under a quicker canopy. So I'm pretty confused. Taking nominations for new screen name.

"...with tunnels slated for construction in Southern California, New Jersey, Chicago and Texas."

There's no "easy" way to tell someone you don't like 'em like that. Sorry. Why does she think you're going to prom together? Have you engaged in prom discussions with her? Is there someone else you'd rather go with? If so, just ask her and your problem is neatly solved. You don't want to go to prom at all? Then just say, I'm not going to the prom. No insterest. Find someone else, have a nice day! Don't tell her she's smelly. And in that same vein -- don't take relationship advice from Clay. Beyond that, just don't encourage her. You don't need to break up with someone you're not dating. Taking nominations for new screen name.

How lazy! Humps:jumps:beer First number's how many times you got laid. Second is how many jumps you made. Third is how many cases you owe for skydiving firsts. Taking nominations for new screen name.

Yep!

They say to get a 150. Pretty much everyone says to get a 150. I'm just trying to gather information to make the best decision, and also bringing up this bold statement in Parachutist that a .9:1 loading is unsafe under a smaller canopy. Taking nominations for new screen name.

This is a really good lesson, and I think one of the hardest for skydivers to learn. Buncha aggressive personalities. Even little ole low-jump-numbers me can't help but feel a wash of indignation when someone offers me unsolicited advice. Sometimes it's helpful, sometimes it's testosterone. But I always try to tamp down my ego and listen. Anyway, thanks for posting that Zennie, and best wishes to that poor guy at Perris. Taking nominations for new screen name.

I bet you a dollar it is.

:2:0 Got one jump in on Friday, nice sitfly attempt. I'm really starting to get the hang of this, methinks. Funeral on Saturday. Today, had fun jump, fucked-up landing. I was going to work on my sit some more, but a couple of guys asked me to do a three-way (hahah it cracks me up to say that ) so I said sho! Anyway, they let me swoop onto them and that went OK except I got so nervous about crashing that I veered off twice, then the jump was pretty fun after that...we went through some nice industrial haze, and I dumped at 3.5. Great spot, I thought, and trucked toward the dropzone. La la, no big deal, then I turned into the wind...and stopped. Just stopped. The wind was not high, btw. Gusting to around 15. Guess it picked just then to gust. Stupid lightly loaded F-111 canopy. So I was going to land shy of the DZ, ok. Shy of the runway, OK. The problem is there are NO FREAKING OUTs just on the other side of the runway at SSM. I was looking at a big field of those horrible, short, weedy, thorny mesquite trees, damn it. OK, I think I can probably clear the field, I thought...then realized there was a barbed-wire fence that was going to be way too close. Fuck that. Had to crab a little, found a clear spot far from the fence, landed there. Not in a tree. Whee! And my main didn't hit the tree either! Whee! But my lines did. All of them. Tangled up in that thorny mess. FUCK. So I ended up cutting it away, untangling it, and getting the wadded canopy and my delicate hide over the barbed-wire fence without hurting either. I lost my cutaway pillow, though. Plumb dropped it out there. So I bought a new one. Bugger. Then I had to leave for work! I'm here now. EDIT: I'm jumping my own packjobs these days! (Thanks Phree! ) And they're getting better and better. The one I jumped today was just nice and snively. I got to watch the end cells inflate. Anyhow, I'm just really damn happy about that. Taking nominations for new screen name.

Do a search under my username!! (Was that whorish? I'm very jumpy these days.) Taking nominations for new screen name.

(cross-posted in Talkback) Sorry bout the formatting. PRESS RELEASE - May 4, 2002 SKYVENTURE ACQUIRES TUNNELCAMP.COM; ALAN METNI BECOMES SKYVENTURE CEO; FIRM BEGINS $7.65 MILLION EXPANSION INCLUDING ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA AND NEW JERSEY. Today, SkyVenture announced its acquisition of TunnelCamp.com and the construction of SkyVenture Arizona. Alan Metni, former Arizona Airspeed member and owner of TunnelCamp.com, will join SkyVenture as its Chief Executive Officer. SkyVenture also made public its immediate expansion into new markets with tunnels slated for construction in Southern California, New Jersey, Chicago and Texas. SkyVenture recently begun franchise operations in Malaysia and is building a tunnel in the UK for its military. The company has the capacity and financial ability to build multiple units simultaneously. SkyVenture Arizona - a second generation Vertical Wind Tunnel located just outside Phoenix - will be less than 20 minutes drive from Sky Harbor Airport and 45 minutes from Skydive Arizona. Site selection, financing and design are complete and the company has begun fabrication of the enormous steel superstructure and components. SkyVenture Arizona will reportedly be faster, smoother and quieter than previous SkyVenture tunnels and superior to any other known design. SkyVenture Arizona will produce 45% more horsepower than its Florida predecessor and will be optimized for the sport skydiving and military markets (as part of the expansion plan, the Florida tunnel will also undergo substantial upgrades). SkyVenture has filed for additional patents on many of the improvements. Bill Kitchen is the inventor of the SkyVenture Vertical Wind Tunnel and the majority owner of SkyVenture. Kitchen built SkyVenture Florida as a working prototype in 1997. Its unique design employs multiple ducted fans situated above the air column to provide a flying experience almost identical to freefall. The device has not only proved the concept but has been operating profitably for the last three years. Recently, teams and individuals of all skill levels have flooded SkyVenture with business. As a result, SkyVenture Florida is now running over-capacity, often booked weeks or months in advance. The upsurge in demand has prompted the large expansion program announced by the company today. The company recently completed the engineering and plans for a recirculating tunnel to be used in colder climates. Alan Metni is a former member and manager of the United States National Formation Skydiving Team, Arizona Airspeed, and the owner of TunnelCamp.com. TunnelCamp.com has both benefited from and contributed to SkyVenture's success. TunnelCamp.com has trained more than 350 skydivers of all experience levels at SkyVenture. Its popular training camps are generally sold out 45 to 60 days in advance. TunnelCamp.com has flown more than 900 hours at SkyVenture and is reportedly the largest single civilian purchaser of tunneltime in the world. TunnelCamp.com plans to offer training camps at SkyVenture Arizona and SkyVenture California in the latter part of 2002. For further information, please contact Bill Kitchen (bill@skyfun.com) or Alan Metni (alanmetni@pobox.com, 480-283-2603). Taking nominations for new screen name.