Michele

Dunno, ff or RW...still simply falling... Slow down, although I've heard I'm not too hard to keep up with anymore since I've learned how to "flatten out" (I'm the only one I've heard of who had to be taught to "de-arch"...but that's not to say I don't need to slow down...) and I'm no lightweight. I jump a Spectre 210... How fast do I want to fly the suit? Or how soon do I want it? Don't udnerstand that question, sorry... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Hi, Mama, and thanks again... Yes I have. Problem is, I've narrowed it to between these two, and can't make a choice. Merlin's good, but not what I am looking for, undisciplined as I am at this moment...I want something I can use for whatever I choose, both now and later. I don't forsee a near-future where I will be sooooo good as to need a perfect suit, just a good, general all around one for now. With re-inforced bottom and knees.... Thanks again, and looking forward to reading all your opinions. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

So the time is rapidly approaching that I will need to make a decision...and have, at this time, narrowed it to the above options. Because I am not simply an airweenie but a jumpsuit weenie, I need your advice... Please tell me which, and why, you prefer one to the other. And make a recommendation for me...keeping in mind that I am not a lightweight, have yet to intentionally freefly, and still crash more often then tippy-toe my landings... Thanks, guys! (And a special thanks to both 'Mama and Jonno5, who've provided me with suits (which don't fit, but they didn't know that)...) Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Many and heartfelt, Jack. Daily. And when you talk to him next, tell him I say "THANK YOU" from the bottom of my heart. Much love to you, his mom, and his family. Let me know if I can help in any way. hugs to you- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I have to stop sitting around...maybe I should stand up or something... Maybe I should sit back down. I mean, Bill, what would you consider a connection? What would you consider proof? And in what form? From what source? Please answer. I am really curious. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Have a ball, Wingi... Me? I'll be waiting to hear on an offer I submitted today for a first time buyer. He was sooooooo freaked his hand was shaking when he started signing the contract...poor guy! I will, however, hopefully be partaking of the glorious blue skies Monday. You have serious fun tomorrow, Dave! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Thanks, Freefalle...from my limited understanding of the situation, and admittedly limited understanding of police protocol, I had thought there was something more to the situation than just "hey, let's check out the DZ for illegal drugs today" says one u/c to another... I appreciate yours, Sarges, and all the other folks in the know chiming in. It's helpful to understanding the situation completely, and while we still don't know the outcome, it likely wasn't something uninstigated... I still wonder if that DZ has a Farmer McNasty, though...or if it's being hardassed by anyone else for another reason... Thanks, all! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

As it's the UN doing this, I am not sure how sure we are has anything to do with it...(that just confused me all to heck!! LOL). Silly is taking troops away from where they will be needed, according to a ceasefire agreement made 12 years ago. Silly is not enforcing that agreement 'til now. Silly is believing the bully Sadam... But I only came here to share the breaking news...not to get all involved as I'm leaving for the office...sigh... Have a good one, Richard... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Breaking as we speak...Reuters is reporting that the UN is pulling it's troops off the Kuwaiti/Iraq border. Stationed there since 1991's ceasefire acting as a tripwire of sorts, the UN troops are being removed because of the impending action. (Per MSNBC talking heads...) (Edit: Clarification...the removal is of the civilian staff, 230 in number, and are being moved to Kuwait city; more will be removed in days to come. There are 775 Bangladeshi units staying in place...) Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Just got mine with this afternoon's mail... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Happy Birthday, and may you have many, many more...and enjoy the cake Anne made for you! Hugs! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Mcguffee, that's what I thought. I asked a friend who is an officer about the policies/protocol here (Burbank), and his response was the same. "U/C narcotics don't generally wander around, hoping to smell it in the air" was his comment... I think that someone may have called and complained, and the U/C might have decided that the boogie equalled more of a chance to catch someone drunk and disorderly, under the influence, or selling. As these are low level misdemeanors, and not felonies, I am still curious as to what was said to this department to instigate their presence. Just me being curious... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Question for you law enforcement folk... It is my understanding that undercover narcotics officers don't randomly select a place to "hang out". In your opinion, not knowing the department's regulations and protocol on this particular event, would they have picked the DZ randomly, or would there have needed to have been some sort of "complaint" filed and investigation undertaken which would have created this incident? And for jumpers at this DZ regularly, my question is, was there a known problem with drugs prior to the officers' presence? And do you all have a Farmer McNasty hanging around, or any sort of airport dispute? Just curious as to the origination of the officers being there. They had the right to be there, working u/c, no doubt. Just curious as to any preceding events there which may have led to their presence. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Curious as to what "ect." includes... As a person who had a cutaway early on, my "decision tree" consisted of... Huh, that doesn't look right. Huh, where's my other brake line? And did they forget the slider? Huh, do end cells go that far in? Huh, why am I spinning around like this? Huh, can I land this canopy flying like this? Since the answer to the last question was a resounding no, I grabbed and pulled. Then freaked out when I was under the reserve... Not flaming, simply curious. Do you (and other instructors) teach that if it isn't flying "right", something's wrong, rather than just "looking" right? And is this even teachable to someone who's only been under canopy say, never or once? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Jan's got a great idea... How about this: Drop off the kids, spend one afternoon with them to make sure they're settled. Go to Kapowsin and hook up with gorgeous Dave whatshisname. Jump for a day, and hang around that night. Talk Jan into going with you, and get her behind in the air. Then rent a car, and drive the coast down to Narcimunds. Hook up with him for some jumps, and make him cook you one of those feasts he's always bragging about. Then, head on south to Northern CA, and hook up with Chop Chop, Deuce, Sebazz, Lummy, Cornholio, Jams, and many other dz.com denizens for about 4 days at the area dz. Exhausted, drop the car off at the airport, and fly back to WA...cruise the San Juan Islands, hit the waterfront in Seattle, and cross back up into Vancouver. Jump there and visit Frank/Iflyme, and the other Vancouverians (???) and jump one more day there...and then back to catch the kids, and go home and rest.... That's something I'd do - tour the west coast.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I'm the only realtor I know who can use the tag line "when my clients say jump, I don't ask how high..." in my area, at least... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

With a friend like you, pragmatic, sensible, wise beyond her years...I figured as much! But I still vote for the Quaker parrot...small, subdued, carefully detailed, in the small of her back or somewhere easily clothed... Me? No, I haven't got a tattoo, just pierced ears... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I like flyingbird...but maybe she should get one of those Quaker parrots in light blue instead. That would be interesting. But I'd also say mention to your friend that having a hard time isn't solved by getting a tat...and tats shouldn't be gotten on a whim. but I'll bet she already knew all that! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

What a great post, and a great site...I've bookmarked it, and will make sure it goes around later tonight. Thanks for that!! Ciels (and smiles) Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I agree, and would like to add this... And it doesn't mean someone who deosn't agree with you and holds a differing opinion is wrong. It simply means they have a different opinion. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Isn't that the workable definition of "diplomacy"? (And isn't that what Saddam is doing, too?) Made me grin...thanks! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Hi, Bill. Don't have a ton of time right now... But this link intimates that what you have been saying about the terrorism act recently passed {the Patriot Act} was what the ACLU was saying about Clinton's 1995 omnibus action. http://archive.aclu.org/news/n1024952.html That being said, I have recently read that the KLA was connected to OBL, and that Clinton's insertion (unilateral, I might add) of 20,000 troops in Bosnia to support the KLA had a great deal in "encouraging" OBL that the US was not aware of the depth that the AQ was working, operating, and planning at...however, I will say that the site where I read that is, in my opinion, not the most "unbiased" source around. I will look further when I have time, for confirmation of this. I do not claim to be disspassionate about the murder of 3,000 of my fellow citizens, nor disspassionate about those several hundred citizens from 80 other countries who were brutally killed in the 9/11 attacks. Nor do I claim dispassion about my feelings toward a man who admittedly sends funds to suicide bombers, uses chemical weapons on his own citizens, and is willing to order the rape of children in front of their parents. And I do not claim the egoism that I, Michele, must know all the intel gathered to make up my mind. History has shown this man to support terrorism; it has demonstrated that he has the hatred of America; and that he has allowed, in the past, to have terrorists trained in his country. It is my opinion that Saddam poses a great threat...maybe not to me, here in Burbank, but to the world in general. I am not so selfish to believe that my life is the only one which counts. And just as a point of clarification, I did not use the word Iraq in the post you're quoting... That is your opinion. I hold a different one. And I do respect you as a person with a different opinion. And I am tickled pink that we are able to have this discourse here, publicly...there are many people who cannot talk publicly about their opinions in countries where having a dissenting opinion means certain death. Have a great day, Bill... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Bill, irrespective of your personal opinion of GWB, it is totally unfair to claim he "didn't do such a good job protecting us from 9/11"...he had been in office less than 9 months. The warning shot came on Clinton's watch, with the first WTC bombing, remember? And then there was the Embassy bombings, the USS Cole, and so forth...all of which Clinton generally ignored, or at least managed to keep the proverbial door open to the bad guys. Clinton took great steps to dismantle the military, as well, thus also leaving us open...and, Clinton did very little in response to these attacks, with the exception of a missle attack at one point. Laying 9/11 on anyone other than the Al Queda with the support of various nations for training, tolerance and finance is beneath you, Bill...it really is. And I dread - yes, dread - going to war in 10 days...lots of people are going to die, and I hate that...but there is a point where you must take action to protect yourself, and if those in the know - those with the intel (which we, the general public, do not have, nor should we have) make the decisions that now is the right time, then so be it. I will say my prayers, and send out all the vibes for everyone, hoping that this war is short, minimizes the loss of life, and that it has the desired outcome. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I knew when I wrote that post there was something wrong with the visual on it...that's what you get when I get so tired...my bad...sorry, all! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

You're leaving for good? But you'll stop in sometimes, right? I mean, it's in your blood, isn't it? Wherever your journies take you, be safe and happy...and jump a lot! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~