Michele

SDgregory, there's two things I can tell you I was grateful for. 1. That I don't usually freefall for 2.5 minutes at a time. 2. That I didn't have to think about flaring or landing a canopy. You will be sore...but you will be amazed at your progress. I had such a good time, even though actual "flying" time was low. I really had my body feeling the positions much more, and more thoroughly, then ever before, and I think I will be a safer jumper because of just that one tunnel time. And I'm not stopping at one.... My apprehension was unwarranted, and I had a most fun time. I kept cracking up, and just laughing out loud while I was still in the tunnel...and Pat and Christy had a good time, too. Glad to hear some folks are thinking about doing this more seriously because of my write-up. Sharing experiences is what this place is all about. I still can't believe that I didn't backslide whatsoever. Like taking your car to the mechanic's with that weird noise, and then it doesn't do it while he's listening. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Jeezley crow, Kev. How absolutely shitty. How fun would it be if the BS she's accused you of was when you were out of town...because then you not only have her dead to rights as the whole thing being false, but the cops/courts now have lots of time and $$ invested in this, and they don't like being played...and it would be sooooooo much easier to nail her on false reporting, et cetera, with that kind of alibi. Shit, Lis, make it a Long Island Ice Tea, as many as he can drink. Kev, the offer is there should you make it this out way. You're in my prayers, Kev. I am really sorry you're dealing with this. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Sorry. Lisa's correct. I forgot that part. Sorry. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Or, the way I do it, is to: 1. copy the website address 2. open a reply page 3. write this: 6. Enter title name 7. put this in: . The end product will look like this: [*url http://w;jhkbgijebk;jbkbjab]The best Pix Ever![/url] (without the asterisk) It will show up as a clicky link, with only the title showing. Hope that helps...and you're not stupid. Computers frustrate me, too.

Why not clicky link it? If you're not sure how to do that, it's really easy. The FAQ's explain it far better than I ever could. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Not related to skydiving. #1 is Esse, one of my cats. I just love this photo of her. It's what I see when I wake up. #2 is a rose from my garden, in my garden. I thought this came out very nicely. Enjoy! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Done. Actually, done on a regular basis. The only time I'll give advice to a tandem is when they're my friend doing it - "wear something warm/cool, wear tennies, eat a light breakfast, and I'll see ya there!" kinda thing. After that, it's utterly up to you instructors. As for the hugs, everyone who knows me knows that's how I greet peeps - hugs and kisses. So when'm I gonna get to greet you, Keith? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I've both cut and fought something longer than it should have been fought. I've learned tons about myself from both experiences. And I've ridden a "mal" much longer than I would've last spring, and handled it without cutting (knot in the brake line discovered on a clear and pull at sunset. Decided to not cut, and relearned how my canopy was flying that day, that moment, with that issue...)...and brought it in safely and confidently. I look at it as a learning curve. While there was no doubt I had to cut the first time, I should've cut the second time, but didn't understand enough about the canopy to realize how fast I was losing altitude and wasn't checking it as often as I should've been. When I finally cleared "ludicrous line twists", I was way under my hard deck. So from the first to the second, I recognized how to identify the seriousness of the mal (even if it is minor, shit happens). From the second to the third, I learned alti awareness, have a plan, stick with the plan, and make your decisions based on you, the moment, and your skill level. As to pride, I think it's far more a ground attitude than it is an air attitude. More along the lines of "I have more jumps than you, I know what I'm doing, push off" when someone is talking to someone else. I think it's developed on the ground, and may tinge the discisions in the air, but mostly it's noticed on the ground. I've other thoughts, but I'll watch and see how the conversation goes before I add them. Very interesting originating post. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Very decorative? If you decorate in mid-60's urbana. Talented? Someone else can make that call. Not very self confident? Right on the money. Extremely courageous if necessary? True dat. needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings? True dat too. very choosy? Depends on what I'm choosing. often lonely? Right on the moolah again. great animosity? Just ask my enemies. great artistic nature? Crayons are my friend. good organizer? Oh. Big bad wrong. I'm generally a mess. tends to lean toward philosophy? depends on the mood...but mostly yes. reliable in any situation? Yep. takes partnership seriously? Sure 'nough, no doubt. Not too bad assessment, as these things go. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I don't care if it's 'shopped or not, it's very very funny. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, just following you, Mr. Accomplished Tunnel Flyer...LOL! Thanks for being there with me - you rock! (So does Rosa, who showed up to laugh at me, and RJF, for the same reason....LOL!!!) Ow. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Yeah, seems so.... Good thing I don't consider it a hobby.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Wow. Thanks for your opinion about my safety. By the way, what I choose to ensure my safety with isn't really a concern of yours, unless you decide to come skulking into my house in the dead of night. Are you planning that? And do you really consider my safety a productive hobby? Oh, and I have a "freakin' " life, thanks very much. Hope you do, as well. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I just did.... LOL. Ow. Man, it was good. But man, I hurt!!!!!!! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

So there I am, getting ready, Pat McGowan the coach. Nice guy, really good at explaining what he wants (fun) and what he expects (effort, not perfection). Cool, as long as we're not looking for perfect, I'll be fine. He asks me what I want to work on, and I explain I haven't any idea. We discuss recent comments made from other jumpers about me - such as backsliding and fall rate control - and we decide that we will start at the beginning...body position, relaxed but not lazy, and forward and back movement. That's all. He asks me what my fastest and slowest speeds have been on my belly, and I tell him 104 - 146, as far as I know. He looks at me, and I can tell he doesn't quite believe me about the 146. That's all right, no problem, I'm here to work on fall rate. First session: Enter with no wind, and lay on the grate. Let the wind blow me to the right body position. My job is to stay on the grate, no matter what else. Hold a heading, but stay floored. And then I feel the beginnings of the wind. Gentle, at first, and then soon, not quite so gentle. And then my legs start floating back, and my arms lift, and I am gently arching....and soon, not quite so gently arching, but pushing it hard...pelvis to the grate, I can feel the center-line. I am steady, no side movements at all, and I can feel the point of contact - the center - at my pubic bone. My hands are dancing in front of my face, and Pat rotates my shoulder, trying to see if I have resistence, or if I can get back to neutral with no difficulty. Fine. And then I am lifted and turned and pointed to the door by Christy, and I get my hands on the sides of the door, and try to swing through...and land on my face, half in and out. Pat comes out, and is laughing. He says "wonderful body position, absolutely perfect!! You really are flexible!" And we set up for the next session. This time, it will be the same, but I will enter with wind, and stay glued again to the bottom. He will be looking to see pressure on my legs, no movement front, back, up, down. Just position and "rest". Fine, I can do this.... HA! Enter into the tunnel, and flop around like a fish. Poor Christy, she's trying to get me pointed in the right direction, and my body isn't helping. But eventually, we get pointed, I have eye contact with the wall...and again, arch. Arch. ARCH! And I am more aware of my legs - what they are doing, how far back they are, what the toes are up to...point them, get them extended without extending my legs....and again, my hands are dancing in front of my face. Pat grabs my arm again, and wriggles my shoulder around, trying to get me to relax. So I start twisting my hands around, snaking them back and forth, and watching the wind take them. Like a child exploring the wind out of the car window, I am playing in the slipstream, exploring the positions of my hands, and how they cup and release the wind...I am fascinated. And I am grinning. And there is Sparky, standing there, waving. So I wave back, and stick out my tongue. My legs are fine - the left one catches my burble and flops a bit, so I get it back into the air without thinking much...and I am steady. And Christy lifts me up and out, and I crash onto the floor. I had a lightbulb moment - and I feel like I'm starting to understand what all the body parts are doing, and why when one thing happens, another thing needs to happen to remain balanced on that center-line, and that center point. I grin at Pat, and we get to debriefing and setting up the next session. Forward and back movements. All right, I can do this! I am having so much fun!! And I can already feel the burning in my bottom and my shoulders. Sparky is inside, and is playing around, dancing on invisible strings, playing Simon Says with Christy. She points, Michael goes. She dodges him, points again. Sparky makes this look so darned easy...he's circling the glass bowl, darting here and there, like a goldfish in his orange suit. And I'm the bottom feeder. And now, again, I dive into the tunnel, and get turned around (thankfully, with less difficulty). I sink to the bottom like a gently descending rock, bounce off the net, and can feel Christy and Pat grab. I get the signal to move forward, and I do...strong. Those two are holding me back from plowing into the wall. And again, and again, and once more. I am going slow, trying to feel the pressure, trying to find the balance point. And I think I feel it on the last one. And now back...arms forward, knees in, bottom slightly raised (because of the knees), and even though I think I'm moving slow, the coaches scramble to catch me...I've squirted from their grasp like an oiled eel. I feel them lose their grip, and come back to neutral, and try to align myself to the focus point on the wall. And I realize I am laughing out loud and grinning. And again, out the door, although this time I do better and end up on my feet. But I'm tired, and I stumble to the bench. I ask Pat if he's having fun, and he's grinning. "You will NEVER need the kind of strength you have, Michele, ever ever," he says. "I bet you track well!" And on to the next thing. I am burning now, my shoulders hurting, my bottom achey. My hamstrings are fine, my back is fine, but my calves hurt, too. And I think my hair is hurting. My hands are hurting, as well. But I'm grinning, so it's all good. This time, we will try to "swim" I am to relax. Independent body movement, while holding the center point. Pat enters into the tunnel first, and demonstrates. I dive into the tunnel, back to the grate, find the focus point. And the wind is blowing, my helmet is lifting, and I try to swim with my arms, and go sliding back. I open and close my legs, and don't move at all. I can independently move my legs, but when I move my arms, things happen. O.K., so that needs some work. And I lay there, watching my hands dance in front of me, and turn my head left, and then right, and no body turns at all, and I am finally able to move the shoulders and arms without sliding around, and that goal was accomplished. Barely. But I don't understand why...this one I couldn't feel, couldn't determine between why I would slide one time, and not others. And up, out, and crash into the wall. Someone's watching, and she's kind of surprised that I plowed into the wall - she flinchs back. I smile, and sit down. Whatever. "Wow!" shouts Pat. "I've never been in there with the wind that high while I was standing!" I'm not sure that's a compliment, but I'll take it that way. I'm having fun, and Pat's having fun, and I hurt so much and am sooooo tired. And it's all good. We talk, he explains I'm lifting my chest when I was swimming, and thus the backslide. I tell him I wasn't aware of it, and he says "So what? You're learning." I feel better about it then, no doubt. This time, I am to actually fly. No higher than Pat's chest, but fly. I am doubtful I will even make it to his chest, but I'll try. And dive into the tunnel, still not doing well at that. And lay down again onto the grate. And then breathe, relax, and lift about an inch. And stay balanced, centerpoint stretched through, head up, hands dancing. And then the wind gets stronger, and I grin, and pop up above Pat's head and start turning. The tape shows me countering instinctively by laying my leg over, but I have no recall of that. But I'm back to my heading, and all is well...and then I tense up, and fall back to the grate. And I am moving forward, into the wall. And push back and adjust my legs. And then I relax, and pop back up. And Pat runs 'round the side and gets in front of me, and because I am trying to get the leg pressure right, I move forward into him, and slide down his belly. And I am laughing - that was a bit embarrassing, if you catch my - ah - "drift"... But I did get some actual flight in, and now I am so tired I can't hold any position longer than 10 seconds, and so I am bouncing around, back and forth, and turning a bit. And now it's time to get out, and I get my hands correct, and pull myself through, and can't stand - my bottom is hurting and my legs are thrumming, and I stumble over to the bench and look at Pat. He's grinning. "You did really well!!" he says, eyes sparkling. "Really well! Now, this time..." and all I can think is "we're done, I'm done, I've got nothing left, it's all gone, I'll just lay on the grate, I am whipped, it's all gooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeee. O.K., I'll try...." as Pat is explaining what he wants this time....and then we realize that I'm done, the last one was the final session, and I breathe a sigh - a gasp, perhaps - of relief. And we go out, and get changed - Pat in his skivvies so I had to pinch his bottom - and then we go watch the video and I get some homework and some serious discussion about goals and technique, and I explain I'm not looking to be the world's best by summer, I am just wanting to be safe and stay in control. Now, that's an accomplishable goal. Am I sore as heck today? Um.....yes. I took a Bextra last night, and another one this morning. I don't think I ever knew I had some of the muscles that are hurting... Was I humbled? No, as I have nothing to be proud about with my jumping, there was no humbling. I knew I was bad... Was tunnel time fun? Oh, most assuredly. Was tunnel time worth it? Oh, invaluable. Would I recommend it? Without any reservation. I've learned a ton, and my body learned a ton, and I think this will be a regular thing for me, when I can afford it. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Ow. Ow. More tomorrow, when I can raise my arms...and my bottom stops cramping. Ow. Ow. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Did I miss something? you coming here? Boy, love, I can help you make that decision... I've got tunnel time I'm running out to, but pm me the details, and we can talk. Over all, buying anything is generally better than renting, especially if you're moving into a higher salary and a higher cost of living area. lemme know how I can help - and sorry for missing your earlier thread.... Ciels- michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

That's definitely a point. From what I understand, there have been steps taken to outfit that particular department (LAPD). But the issue remains, the bad guys have the weapons. I would also say that the gunstore did not have fully automatic weapons - they were banned for public sale, which means they couldn't stock them. So even though the cops managed to get some serious firepower, it wasn't matched to the bad guys in the least. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Interesting side note to this shootout. I wasn't very far away - maybe about 1/4 of a mile, certainly not more than 1/3 of one. Scary as all hell, especially once the bad guy left and started walking around the neighborhood (the one I was in.). I was in a situation wherein I did not have a weapon. I was surrounded by mentally disabled adults in an adult day care center. All that's superfluous, though. What's interesting is that the local LAPD guys were outgunned. Badly. Serious situation, they didn't have the firepower to take these guys down. So a few squad cars showed up at a local gunstore, and took what they needed...including shotguns, bullets, and various guns. The bad guys had the weaponry. The local cops didn't. That's a sad state of affairs, don't you think? The bad guys had the illegal weapons...I wonder where they got them??? The ban already in place didn't do squat. Just didn't do squat. I remember wishing I had my weapon. I could at least try to protect the 30 childlike adults if the bad guy came down the block and into our facility...but no, I can't carry concealed. I'm a law abiding citizen, and so didn't have a gun. Yes, we were right in the middle of the perimeter. Yes, it was significantly dangerous. And I didn't have any way to protect my group. At all. Because I abide by the laws. Bad bad day. Very bad day. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Take the weekend off, go jump, relax. On Monday, talk to the folks at the center and find out the appeals process. Start working on it immediately. Explain what steps you've taken since the DUI's to address the issue, and demonstrate that you no longer have issues with alcohol. Further, explain to them that you haven't even been pulled over for anything in (XX) years. Ask them for assistence to move through the appeals process as quickly as possible. You've gone too far, you've worked too hard, and you've done so much to let this go without a bit of a fight. We're with you, my friend. Kris gave you the appropriate weapons, Lawrocket has made some suggestions, and I've been through the appeals processes for municipalities. Tons of resources here. Use them. Look at it this way - there is absolutely nothing to lose in fighting this, and absolutely everything to gain. Hugs to you. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I've seen some of the ads, and have heard the talking heads' opinions. I don't see an issue with using the footage that they used in the ads. It's not as if Bush wasn't president at the time, and it's not as if it wasn't a huge turning point in this country. I don't see it as a tactical error at all. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

LOL, true. But then, that's typical. Never a straight answer from him. Oh well. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Quade, I was answering Skydiveexxl's question: I tried to give him an honest answer. I've (re)discovered the reason I don't tend to participate on a personal level in weapons threads. My skin isn't thick enough. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Neither in this thread nor anywhere else on this site have I ever stated what I own, the caliber, or the magazine load (of if, indeed, there is a magazine). Agreed. I'm not going to have an Uzi sitting there. Rest assured, what I have now is adequate for my needs. But - and Jim stated it perfectly - it's not Assault Weapons that are the only ones affected. It's the size of the mag, and the number of bullets I can have without needing to drop and re-load which would, in the case of close quarters, be a significant issue. I am not as well versed in the specifics as some are on this thread. Why I felt the need to post is beyond me, especially if someone says that my own personal protection needs as I've assessed them isn't really topical. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Hi, Skydivexxl. Edit/deleted my answer. I have sent it to you via pm. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~