Michele

Hey, Marc Well, I dunno about its being a CA thing, we're weird here anyway. I do know that Perris Skydiving School has a contract with Skydive U for the requirements. And we are not necessarily informed that there is an option to be had - i.e. some other school, and/or packing classes from a rigger. We are informed that we must have 3 rw lessons and a packing class, and that these are available from Skydive U. Now, I know that there are other ways around it, and so I will be investigating it thoroughly this Sunday. I will likely find a few people to help with the requirements, likely for a much lower cost than described above. But yeah, the way it's presented kinda sucks... ciel bleu- Michele

Well, maybe in the first 500' for now. I wouldn't even go near the door to watch Luigi and the gang do that. They slid out the door on their bellies.... you flirt you..... ciel bleu- Michele

Dove: Well, when you put it that way.....lol...I am doing this thing a little atypically, aren't I? Thanks, guys. You know I appreciate the support. This has been, and continues to be, one hell of an adventure. So much to learn, not just about flying, but about myself. About what we can do if we set our minds to it, what we can challenge, and what we can accomplish. I didn't put in my post that once I landed, and took the alti to Vinnie, he gently chewed me out for a while, and then Dennis not-so-gently chewed out me for a while. That shook my head, let me tell you. Of course, the whole day shook my head. But not for long - I am looking forward to getting in 2 - yes, 2 - jumps on Sunday....hopefully much less eventful than yesterday. (Now, if I can only remember to actually breathe, I'll be fine...) Sis, I figured out why I have been concerned about hop n pops. It has to do with getting stable immediately. This is not something I am really good at, and has been a concern everytime I get on the plane. What if there's an emergency, and I have to get out, get stable, and pull all in like 1 second? So I am trying to concentrate on how to get stable immediately from the plane. Once I can do that easily (or at least regularly), I will schedule some h/p and get that under my belt. Oh, and I got a "happy graduation" cake at my office today from my broker and some co-workers. For whuffo's, they're pretty o.k...but they won't come jumping with me. Yet. Thanks, guys, you are all so excellent! ciel bleu- Michele

Hey, guys. About that packing class....it is offered by Skydive U weekdays only, $80 and cash only. There are other ways around that, though, so I should go investigate those avenues, too. But in the meantime, I think if we get enough people up for it at one time (like, maybe 5 or 8 or so), I might be able to convince Leticia or Ulie that we should get a weekend class - special, just for us, cause we're really good people, and we'd bring them beer...... Should I try? And how many of you are up for it? Let me know, I'll be going out on Sunday, and could ask around then.... ciel bleu- Michele

Many many thanks, HH...you rock, you roll, you gather no moss (what the hell do I mean by that??)... You keep making my life better and better.

Breathing is good. I forgot how to yesterday, but breathing is very good... And you know what? Trust. Trust in yourself, that you know what to do. Trust in your JM's that they know what they're doing. Trust that when they let you go, you will able to deal with it. If you start spinning, do what they tell you to do. They do this all day, every day. Talk to your jm before you go up, and really listen to what they say. Then, dude, go do it... Relax (o.k., this is the other part I don't know about). And then, Aurther, get your butt off the plane and fly. You will be fine, you will do everything you need to do, and everything else is just extra. (Now, if only I could do all these things....

Hi, Albi. Yeah, but I did that. That's part of my gear check. And if it were just a few hundred feet, it wouldn't have bothered me, but more than 1k? It was fine on the ground. Oh, well, such as it goes...... DZ- you're right, I likely would have thrown stale coffee at my broker just to liven things up there. Guess this was a better choice.

I sit there, looking at carpet swatches and paint chips, and files waiting for my attention. My office is stifling, and I look at all these people who think I am crazy, so I decide to prove it to them. It's time to go solo. Of course, I had thought I may decide to go today, so I had a bag with shorts and a t-shirt and my nikes in the car. Fill the water bottle, turn off my pager, and out the doors I go. I get my car, and cruise down to Perris. I notice all the exits, and for the first time it occurs to me that each exit is a way to go home, that each time I pass an exit, I choose to keep going to Perris. There is a great deal of thought I put into that, because I keep trying to get off the freeway, just turn around and go home. I keep signalling right, and moving over, thinking, "I'll just turn around, no-one will know, I can do this another day" but I know that the longer I put my solo off, the harder it will be to actually do it. I put my head onto auto-pilot, turn up the stereo so I can't hear myself think, and make it to Perris by 2:20. Walking through the dz is really odd; very few people, and I am in heels and a skirt/sweater. No-one's at the school, so I decide to sort of hang out, and wait for a bit to see if I can, in fact, reign in these thoughts long enough to get my head out of my....to think clearly. Not working, and now I am hyperventilating. I try to figure out what I am tripping for. It's not like I haven't jumped out of a plane before - this is jump 11, for pete's sake. I have left the plane now four times without someone holding on, I know how to pull the handles, what am I expecting, for christ's sake. So, what - I spin. Well, I know how to correct that. So I tumble on exit - I know about that, too. Hey, maybe the chute won't open....yeah, well, that's the chance I take. My stomach is in knots, my brain in a worse tangle, and I have this shaking thing going on. I change into my cooler clothes, but I have to tie my shoes three times, because I keep shaking and screwing it up. I've been tying my shoes since I was like 4 - this is the stupidest thing I have ever encountered. I haven't had a fear-free moment since I left my office, but I get into the school and get the gear rented and the jump ticket bought. I look at this little thing in my hand, amazed that I could actually buy it, and wondering if I will use it. Before I lose my nerve, I run out the door, leap down the steps because I have to do something, and get out to manifest and hand him my ticket. I tell the guy I am pulling at 4,500, and that it's my first solo. He just kind of looks at me, and says "you'll be fine. Relax". REEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAXXXXXXXXXXX my head screams, so I nod, and agree. Yeah, right. My heart is pounding now, and I still have 40 minutes before I get on the plane. I wonder what a heart attack feels like, and think about how long my heart can beat this hard before I pass out. I can see the beating making my shirt move. I braid my hair, and get my gear all ready. I talk to Vinnie, who's there repacking a reserve on the tandem. We talk, about everything and anything; he knows it's my first solo, and we're just making conversation. ZClubber walks in, blue-eyed and smiling, and takes one look at me and knows that I am lost. But we both know that there is nothing he can do for me. He goes and gets ready, because there's still time for him to get on the plane with me. Laura the regular school packer finally chases me from the hot sanctuary, and makes me go put on my gear. I do a gear check, and then, for the first time, I can't even get the chute on my back. I get my arms all twisted, so I shrug it off and check the handles again. Finally I get all suited up, get the rig on and tight, alti's on my wrist and set at zero, helmet and goggles in my hand. I walk over to Vinnie so he can check my gear, and he asks me "did you forget anything" and I say sure. He says what, and I say I don't know. He turns on my cypress for me, and sends me down to the loading area. I stand in the loading area, breathing hard. Sweat pours down my face, my hands are wet, my hair already looks like I have been in freefall. I have tunnel vision, and I turn my back on the plane. I just can't look. I am so not wanting to get in that plane. I don't want to do this, won't someone come with me? Please? Someone? Anyone? I seriously think about hiring a vid guy, just so someone is in the air with me, but that's cheating. That's putting off the inevitable, that's just not fair. So I reach over and tap Zclubber, hoping he can solve my panic. I can't get my feet to move, I hold onto my hackey, and now it's time to get on board, and we walk over to the plane, I am pulling highest, so I am last out, and first in, and I sit, and buckle in, and try to breathe. Which is nearly impossible. I have the worst dry mouth I have ever experienced, and I think I can still get off, but there are too many people on the plane, I would have to crawl over all of them, and that is worse than having to jump alone. And now it's too late, we're moving, and we're in the air, and Gena across from me reminds me to breathe. And I find that I can't. I am watching my alti, and it seems as if we are getting up there pretty quickly. We're at like 7 now, but I catch a glimpse of Zclubber's alti. His is at less than 6. I grab his hand, and get a good look at it. Yeah, it's different than mine. I look over at Gena's and her's matches Zclubber's. I nudge the guy next to me, and his matches everyone's but mine. I look at him. What do I do? And I think he says "ride it down". I nod, and lean over to Rob the pilot, and Zclubber taps me, and tells me "he said do it now". So I set it according to the other ones, but I am still really concerned. I have no real idea what things look like at certain altitudes. I am really struggling to get air, really trying to not burst into tears, not pee in my pants. I have to do this, I know I have to do this, and I decide to pull really high because who knows what this thing will do in the air. I feel the pressure behind my eyes, I know I am dripping sweat. It's jump run, the light goes green, and so does my face. I watch all these guys get out - so easy, so free, so relaxed... and then Zclubber is at the door, and the pilot tells me he's going to take me around again, so I can take my time getting out. Zclubber waves at me, goes out, and now the plane is huge, and bright, and empty, and it's my turn next, and I can't think, and I want to go home. I look at my alti, and while the plane has not gone higher, it now reads 14,000. Well, that's useless. The little green light goes on again, and I inch over to the door. And I stare at it. And I see my hands reach out, and grab the bar, and then I am lifting myself out, and I look over the top, and I let go. Fuck that hurt, what the hell was that? Ow shit. As my arm whacks the side of the door. O.K., I think, next time I will let go with both hands at the same moment. I am falling, straight down, feet first, and I arch. I am out, I know what to do, I know how to do it, so I get to work. I am not spinning, I am stable, I go ahead and do a few turns, 180's and 360's. Everything goes well, uneventful, easy. I am so proud of myself. I turn so nice, and stop when I want to. I track, then automatically check my alti - it's down near 9, but if it read 14 when I left the plane, that means it's like really 7, I can't do math at this altitude, so I look down. I am dropping right over the landing area, it's great, I have no idea about altitude because this thing has really lost all trustworthiness, so I decide to pull. There's a hesitation, hello, where are you, c'mon, long enough for me to really wonder for the first time if it is going to open.....and there it goes. And my arm really hurts. The canopy ride is fun, but I can't tell how high I am. My alti has decided to find Jesus now, and is much lower than I am. I see Zclubber in the air far below me, and my alti is reading 800 feet and I know I am way higher than that. I am on my own, no real clue, but I know I can't see people yet. I decide to play it safe, and circle in place, spiral a little, and now I think to get into the wind and just land safely, no matter where I am. I do, and it is not a perfect landing, really overshoot the student area, and I flare a little early, and get one foot on the ground then the other knee, but I am down in one piece and it's all good. When do I start having fun? When will the damned fear go away, or at least slow down? I know how much fun it can be, I have felt it overwhelm me and take charge, that joy, that freedom. It was not present today, and I wonder when, or even if, it will ever come. Maybe next time. Which is probably Sunday. Ciel bleu- Michele

Sin - Don't forget to name as defendants the following: -The ambulance personnel, for driving too slow/fast, and causing you additional pain... -The hospital for delaying your transfer for so long; -The managed care people for delaying your transfer for so long; -Albi and I for not getting there immediately; -Albi and I for laughing (intentional infliction of emotional distress)... -The school for letting you off radio; -Perris DZ for not having a totally soft landing space... I could go on and on..... Just get better, and come out to jump; we already miss you. ciel bleu- Michele

You're gonna kick duckass when you jump - you'll be fine, you'll fly like a duck, and hopefully swoop the duckpond....or at least land like the mallard you are!!! So, get out there and fly, duckie, fly. ciel bleu- Michele

How excellent for you!!!! Congratulations, and the only way to make those claws not hurt is .... altitude!! And let us know how it goes. ciel bleu- Michele

Some were done by Clint Clawson, some were done by Koji, and some were done by Mike. Notice how Ed is wearing flood pants and is bent nearly in half? Those were from my release jump (level 4). (The one with me and Vinnie and a pretty blue chute? Well, that was after I came in from my mal. I don't remember having this photo done, but I am smiling...guess it's the actor's daughter in me...or it was because it was Clint taking the photo...) ciel bleu- Michele

Well, I might just be able to be there, too, as I hope and pray to have gotten my "A" by then....so count me in....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And yeah, we should set the girl record, and take another shot at the dz.com integrated record, as well...... ciel bleu- Michele

I'm chubby, so my flying abilities are not as good as those long, lean men....I fall faster, which means I will have less time to locate the free bag... But even if I could locate the bag, I am a girly-girl, and am timid under canopy, so while I *may* see the freebag, I certainly can't follow it anywhere. I could point and yell.... But I smoke, so obviously my shouting abilities are limited...can't get enough air into my lungs so you can hear me from 2,000, while screaming "it's going that way"... And I'm a woman, so I can't handle my emotions, and anything like actually having to do something constructive under canopy will turn me into a bowl of jello, so even if I knew it was an intentional cut away, I would be freaking out... Of course, I am top heavy, so I can't land for crap...so look 180 from where I land, and you *might* find the freebag.....but I get the golf cart... Because I can't walk 150 yards over the fields, as I might hurt myself, twist an ankle, or break a nail... (Lara, does that about cover it?) hopeless....I know..... Michele

Viking! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (And I will get you back, just wait...) And yes, I saw the

oh well. Sigh. Such as it goes. Some other time, perhaps!!!! Thanks for trying. ciel bleu- Michele

This I know about.....COFFEE!!!! have fun - Ciel bleu- Michele

Now that is a story one is not likely to hear often.....and did they sell the tape? Glad to hear you're gonna be o.k., though. Thank God you didn't hit your head! ciel bleu- Michele

Hey, GMan - I was so pleased to meet you on Saturday with all the other guys - I guess we met after your solo? I mean, you weren't that nervous when we talked, so I am assuming you had already jumped. Hey, know what? I chickened out of doing my solo on Sunday. I was tired, I was extremely hung over, but I was also a weenie and chickened out, too. Kudos to you for jumping. Ciel bleu- Michele

That was really hard to look at before my first cup of coffee - oy! Although it did wake me up pretty quickly! Thanks, Sangiro! Ciel bleu- Michele

Edited by michele on 7/30/01 09:38 PM.

I must still be hung over from the weekend. I missed it: where's the joke? The whole thing sounds pretty real to me, even down to identifying "that stinky guy". And April, you didn't ever answer Carl's question: would you say it to their face?

Hey, Sin!!!! You're home (well, kinda), but I have no way to get in touch other than these boards....hope all is well, and let me know what I can help you with. And I can't wait to see you back at the dz - everyone at the school says HI, and Vinnie was trying to get in touch with you. ciel bleu- Michele

WHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Yay for you, Viking, I am so pleased for you, and proud of you! I knew you'd do fine, and you did. Hey, everyone, Viking takes some intense pix (I'm saying that without seeing if he can make me look good....which is an impossible task...) and should he ever appear over your shoulder at a dropzone, take advantage of that. (Viking, I want one of those sky/cloud photos). I really want to say thanks for showing up on Saturday - and thanks for not drinking too much (like I did), so you could do your level 3 on Sunday - and pass it (get cleared off radio, fly around the sky, what better can you ask for?) (And Shark, it was 9 and a 1/2 cases, not 10+; and we got cleaned out!). Ciel bleu- and CONGRATULATIONS! Michele

Hi, all. Albi and/or DZbone and/or Shark will have more details - it happened to Nick, Albi's friend, who jumped on my graduation load. From what I understand (although I was not with them), Nick's cypres fired at 4'000. The cypres was on before boarding the plane, was and had been working fine. Thank God they intended to pull at 3, or else it would have been a tragedy. I think Shark noticed something odd just prior, but I could be wrong (I was drinking more than I am used to that night while the conversation was going on). Thank God Nick was o.k. It was a wild, wooley weekend at Perris. Sunday saw at least two reserve rides, an intentional cutaway, and a monster dust devil which, in the words of Lisa at the school, "the biggest damn dust devil I'd ever seen, and it was hungry for canopies". As of Saturday, they are not sure what happened to the cypres. There was talk about sending it to the factory, but I don't know anything else. Albi? DZ? Shark? Can you give better/further details? ciel bleu- Michele