Michele

I did say something to teh effect of "at least, that's how it's supposed to work". LOL! And I suspect that had whatever info been obtained and surfaced, your defense counsel would've fought it mightily. But that's all conjecture, isn't it? Glad it didn't happen to you. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Um, some legal eagle please correct me here, but I was under the impression that if there is no exigent circumstance, probable cause or existing warrant, then obtaining info illegally creates something called a "poisoned tree", and anything stemming from that illegal info is considered "fruit of the poisoned tree", which is NOT admissible in court, and which tends to get lots of incriminating evidence tossed out... Using your example, if there is a known child molester in the neighborhood, and a child turns up missing, there is probable cause to petition a court and obtain a warrant, which would then allow a specific and named search of his premesis, etc. Now, that's not the way it always happens, but that's the way it's supposed to work, I think. I don't claim to have read the entire Patriot Act or ensuing bills presented and/or passed, but I don't think that they abrogate the Constitution's guarantees. I believe there still must be a warrant obtained, or exigent circumstances must exist. The debate then moves, I think, towards what is an exigent circumstance? I think we as a country are experiencing true exigent circumstances - we have been attacked, and other AQ attacks off our immediate soil have occurred, and the danger is still very real and present. Thus some of our personal Constitutional rights are a little less (something - I am not sure of the right word) than the overall safety and wellbeing of our country. And lastly, some of our past tightening of personal liberties during war have been restored. It is, to me, a false argument that we put the Japanese in internment camps - as soon as the threat was ameliorated, the Japanese were no longer confined. I'm not saying that was right, it's just an example used from a previous post. Sure, damage was done - permanent damage which is not recompensed by any amount of money - but the freedom was restored when the threat was no longer present. Just my take...time to head to the office and the market...hope all have great thanksgivings! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Here's todays whacky real estate adventure...just cause I'm bored... I manage a property that rents are $2500 per month, in Toluca Lake. 5:08 am, on my feet, from a dead sleep. Earthquake? No, wind howling and the fig tree outside my bedroom window tapping, rapping, scratching the glass. Go into the office early, and I have a message already. The tenant Sascha is calling, sleepfogged voice apparent. "Michele, your landscaper came to the house overnight and cut down a tree and left it in front of the house. We can't use the front door, and the window rattled a lot. Or maybe it was an earthquake. I can't describe it, it's really weird. It's all over the front. There's a tree down, it must have been an earthquake...you have to come look. It's killed the lights on the walkway. We've got 40 people coming for Thanksgiving, can you deal with this right away? And the pool's not heating right, either." Click. WTF? OK, as far as I know, the landscaper (Ignacio is a gardener...!!!) doesn't work in the middle of the night, doesn't come to the house Monday or Tuesday, doesn't cut trees, any of the trees in the front would need a chainsaw anyway. Geesh, what is she talking about. Mental images of gremlin Ignacio and his children taking out frustration on the poor eucalyptus trees, adn then sneaking into the back to destroy the pool heater...I blow off the office meeting, get into my car, and drive over, still picturing a tree stump where the ecalyptus had been... The wind which woke me at 5:08 (ungodly time, that) has indeed made it's presence felt at the house...there are branches everywhere, missing the dining room window by maybe 4 inches. There are two main branches, and yes, it's blocking the door. Damn. I drop my canopy off to Vinnie for the riser swap (thanks again, Dave), and truck back to the office. My priority today now is finding someone with a chainsaw to get this tree trimmed and the branches off the lawn. I make a bunch of calls - and of course everyone is already busy and booked. One guy said he'd bring out a crew for $600. Wha????? Shit, for that, I'll buy an ax and start alleviating my frustrations, load up the Jetta, and give the wood to a cold family or something! Finally I reach this guy, Steve. He answers the phone with "This is the Urban Lumberjack Steve. What can I cut for you today?" I swear, this is ludicrous. Before he's willing to give me a price, he wants to see the "debris field". What debris field? It's a suburban front lawn, not a war zone - fine, I'll meet you there at 4:45. 10 minutes. Grab the keys, out the door, and go. I'm there, and this gigantic horrible florescent orange dually pulls up, towing what looks like a little house, with - I kid you not - a smiling, axe toting Paul Bunyon painted on the side, and "Urban Lumberjack Steve" as a caption underneath. I am not sure I want to get out of the car. Climbing out of the car, all I can see is a red flannel shirt and tons of head and facial hair. It's grizzly Adams. I can't help it, and I start to giggle. He surveys the "debris field", gives me a lecture about eucalyptus trees being known as self trimming, gives me a step by step lesson on the trifurcation of the crotch of the tree and how it actually fell. Tells me "You know, trees feel things. I mean, for the amount of trees that fall in a city, someone being crushed underneath one, or a car getting squashed, is pretty rare. I've been around trees all my life, and they plan it so no-one gets hurt often. If I were a tree, I'd plan it to take people out. It'll cost you 185 leaves." For what - you to take out people? Leaves? Do you mean dollars? Translator please!!!!!!!! And then he pulls out a chainsaw. It's dark, and the man is telling me how trees feel things, and now he's going to play with a power tool. I am so out of there... I give him my card, and tell him to bill me at the office, I've left my checkbook at home. I get in my car, and for all I know, he's been cutting wood ever since. I haven't heard from the tenant, so I'll drive by in the morning to see the rest of the damage. That whole episode was something right out of a cartoon. Or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I'm still not sure which. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I'm glad that the cops found him and have arrested his ass. I would expand to Lisa's comment though: instead of days, how about years? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Years of eating once a day, with a snack in midafternoon, has destroyed my metabolism. I have the energy and metabolism of, say, a desert tortoise. I wasn't going to contribute to this thread, nor was I even going to click into it. Because it sounded like a bit of a club - people want to lose 5, 10 pounds. Good deal! I want to lose 40. And no-one told me we had a diet club forming. I know I need to eat more/better, but I literally get revulsed if I know I've already eaten today, and can't do more than nibble on some crackers or carrots. I do drink a lot of milk (1%), though. Sunday's dinner was a Lean Cuisine, and a can of green beans. A handful of crackers. That's it. Yesterday's food? 2 cups romaine, 1/2 chicken breast, tomatoes, kidney beans, and vinegar dressing. 16 oz. milk. 6 low fat ritz crackers. About 12 cups of coffee, though. Non-fat creamer. I do, when I remember, take a multivitamin. I figure my daily caloric intake is +/- 900-1000 per day. What gets me is this is a typical day. Sometimes, it's a bit more. Sometimes, if I'm really down on myself, I don't eat at all. If I'm out to lunch or dinner, I get about 1/2 way done, and am finished. Portions at restaurants are far too big for me, so it often comes home...and then it's 50/50 whether it gets eaten or not. The only time that has changed for me in the last 1.5 years in when I'm jumping. I have had lunch and dinner (both!) (or breakfast and dinner) several times. I've been known to get something, and then share it with others. Holidays are different, too, because for example, I have three thanksgivings this year, and at least 2 Christmas Dinners to go to. So. Can anyone explain to me why I am not rail thin? I am generally pretty active - no, I don't run, but I walk (I suppose I need to do it more often), and am generally strong under the flab. I am not desk bound, and comments from co-workers are "you're never at your desk" (cause I'm always bouncing around.) Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Um, being perfect! Like the rest of us. When I watch the video of the jumps I failed, I noticed I had this halfhearted smile on my face. Kinda like this: I had my lips compressed, and you could see the frustration writ large throughout my body.... On the jumps I passed, I looked like this: I was grinning so hard that my face wasn't flapping around... I dunno why it works, but it does..."relax" never did it for me, and by jump #4 they stopped telling me that. I suppose that had something to do with me bursting into tears when Ed said that... What's also bizarre is that if you grin like a fool, even if you don't believe it, even if you don't mean it, it works. I also recall, when someone told me I was gonna have a hard time with a particular jump, I told him "nope, not me! I'll be fine"...even though I didn't think I would pass. Guess what? I passed. So smile. Have confidence. Have fun. Play. I mean, you're flying for goodness sake! How amazing is that??? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

We lost two jumpers this weekend in Lake Wales. Their names are Paul Desira and Michael Bailey. Accident details are on the Incidents forum as they are forthcoming. To the both of you, I wish you godspeed, and long flights. Sail into eternity, glorious blue skies and great cloud canyons to enjoy. Teach the angels to fly!!!!!!!!!!!! To the family and friends, please know you are in my prayers, and that you have many blessed memories to get you through the darker days. The sun will shine, and you will hear their laughter in the wind. Blue skies eternal, Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Well, I don't know the story to disbelieve it. How about putting it up, so I can make my own assessment? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Oh, do tell..... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Rawk on! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Hi, Skylark. Y'know, I don't think it's as uncommon as you may think. Seems to me you are battling something incredibly instinctive - the fear of falling, coupled with a fear of death. Someone explained it to me as the brain's way of staying alive, which makes sense to me. Then the question posed to me was do I remain instinctively protective of myself, or do I jump? I had a cutaway early - and as a result, have had intense battles with myself about being able to get onto the plane, let alone out of the plane. I think a lot of people go through what you are going through - I did (and, if I'm to be totally honest, still do, although it's less and less). I have made a choice, though - the choice carries consequences, as all choices do. It's up to you to decide if you want to push through the fear and see if it diminishes later, or to stay on the ground. There is no shame in making the decision to stay on the ground, btw. If you choose that, more power to you - you will always have tasted the rarified air, and participated in a unique experience. And that's a treasure to cherish. It's your decision to make. But an observation I have is you wouldn't be posting on a skydiving forum unless you really wanted to stay skybound.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I want to go to Eloy. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

HI! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Fortunately, I haven't cried recently. I hope the not crying part stays that way for a while. Or at least I make sure I have enough tissue. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

He's still stuck there? What happened? FBI decide to run another search? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

From Emergency E-Mail network: (Sorry about the caps - I'm not retyping it all...me's lazy!) Burbank is very windy right now, lots of leaves blowing around, and I've had to dodge trashcans already...and it's not even close to "peaking" yet, so they say. Hey - I just figured it out! HH got into town yesterday, and is making his presence known! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Tumor between the eyecup and eyeball...removed but it had crushed the tear duct, so the Dr. stuck a tube in it while I healed. I've never had the ability to blow anything out my eyes...hotsauce, smoke, milk or otherwise. And I'm not going to try. It's just the most bizarre feeling. It's icky. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Know what? I suspect there are things which are not supposed to go in your mouth and come out your eyes...milk being one of them. I think that career choice is not an option. OTOH, it's getting serious around here financially, so perhaps I should look into it. As to it being uncomfortable, it doesn't hurt, exactly. It tickles is a better way to describe it, but it also feels fundamentally wrong. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Ever since they took the tube out of my eye, whenever I blow my nose, air (and yes, it's just air!) comes out of the corner of my eye. My Dr, in response to a panicky call, reassures me this is fine...but it's the strangest sensation - and it tickles! Just thought I'd share...

Are you referring to a specific event here, BV...care to elaborate, or would that be inappropriate? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Simple solution, Ivan...don't click the attachments, and don't do anything that will get the Canopy Nazis after you (I love the CN's!!!!). Many people are visual learners...and this is a great lesson. I'm just sorry I didn't get any photos of the black bloody bruises which lasted for months from my crash to demonstrate that FLARING at the right time is a good idea. As to you, Deucy, glad you hopped away from it. And most especially glad you're willing to share the story so that others can learn... But will you be able to jump on Friday? That's the question... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

*If* I get there, I am hoping to get to jump 60. I know, it's not a "zero number", but it's a biggie for me. I started this year at jump #26. I am at jump 43 right now. I made 60 jumps a goal earlier this year, so I'd like to reach it. If I make it, that means I would've been able to do 34 jumps from March to December, and it would mean something to me... We'll see... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Congratulations, Mama! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

0:0:0 None. Zilch. Zip. Zero. Nada... But the kitty's doing well...even getting back her old attitude...mixed it up with Charlotte over breakfast. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Not having injured myself where I had to take time off (frantically knocking wood), I would make the following suggestions but leavened with the appropriate measure of salt: 1. Make sure the winds are what you want. 2. Try to go on a light load, so you don't have lots of canopies to deal with. 3. Watch several loads - watch the winds, see if they're changeable. 4. Land in a safe area (not where everyone else is aiming for) 5. Prepare to be nervous, but don't let it run the flight. 6. Assuming you'll have to get recurrent, talk to your instructor about landing. 7. Take your time, the sky will wait for you. No need to rush it if everything is not to your liking. 8. If the students are grounded and the old jumpers are sitting out, you do the same (my best most favorite rule...). 9. Buy beer for later. Have a ball! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~