Dirtsucks

Wow, bytch of the sky (sorry, just always wanted to say that), that’s pretty heavy. Don’t think I could do that. I’ve been on the fence about the whole death penalty thing. Sometimes I hear absolutely horrible stories, about unthinkable things one human being has done to another, and it is totally beyond my comprehension how somebody could do that to another human being. And I believe that he/she can’t possibly have any reason to waste our oxygen and other resources any longer. But other times I believe that nobody has the right to take somebody else’s life, no exceptions. Capital punishment is one of those things I don’t like to think about, because I just don’t know what is really right. Guess this is going beyond the original point, but just wanted to add that. Josh

There she is!! And she’s a psychic too – she knew I’ve had waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy to much to drink!! Aww geez, sorry, I’m such a dork when I’m drunk (or a drunk when I’m dork, not really sure now, you figure it out ) Cool to associate a face with the words though! Yep, drunk again Woooohooo!!, your crazy ass friend, Josh

So, my underwear problems and supreme intelligence really ARE related. I’ve always suspected… While this answers some questions, it raises many more. Excuse me, I have some more research to tend to, along with some more rum & cokes. Josh

Hey Anthony, you’re going to love it! That sensory overload thing is pretty intense. Just some advice – make sure you’re goggles are tight!

From my local weatherdude: After the heaviest rain moves out of the metro area overnight, winds are expected to gust strongly on Thursday as showers continue through the day. Grote said that the amount of rain that has fallen has changed expected flood crest levels throughout the state. With more rain in the forecast for the Twin Cities, crest date predictions in the metro area have been revised: The Minnesota River in Mankato is expected to crest April 19 at 10 to 11 feet above flood level. In Henderson, the river is expected to crest April 19 at 9.5 feet above flood stage. In Jordan, the crest is expected on April 20 at 17 feet above flood stage. In Shakopee, the Minnesota River crest is expected April 21 at 17 feet above flood stage. In Savage, the river's crest is also predicted for April 21 at 16 to 17 feet above flood stage. The Mississippi River is expected to crest in Anoka on April 18 at 1 to 2 feet above flood stage. The river is expected to crest in Minneapolis on April 18 as well, also at 1 to 2 feet above flood stage. In St. Paul, the Mississippi River is expected to crest April 21 at 9 to 10 feet above flood stage. The sun is expected to finally make an appearance on Friday as highs continue to in the mid-50s, but overnight lows push down into the mid-30s. There is more rain possible both Saturday and Sunday. I live in the middle of flood central. 'Nuff said. I'm pissed

Truth is cool. My lobster is cool.

$89,0000!?!? Holy shit!! Might as well just bend over right now with my pants down and stay that way for the rest of my life!! Sorry for being graphic, but I think you get my point! And Kel, believe it or not, I actually did just what you said. Well, right now there’s just a pile of paper on my desk (all soaked in beer), but right after I’m done typing this I’ll put it back together and stick it up! Umn…don’t think I got a frame, but I got some of that 3M poster goo stuff. Guess that’ll have to do! (BTW that stuff DOES NOT come off of your walls, piece of shit! Good bye damage deposit!) And Head, you’re right “fuck all of them!! (ain’t no censorship while I’m around! Freedom rules!) they don’t get it, so why bother? Aww hell, it’s all cool, really. I got kind of excited about actually jumping very soon, and to rip that chance up wasn’t easy, but please don’t get me wrong for one second, I haven’t given up one shred of my determination to make it happen, it’s only a matter of time. And when my time finally comes, I hope you are all ready to jump with my crazy ass!! Damn it, guess I’m done typing now, so now I gotta sort through all this paper on my desk. Blue Skies (and I mean it!) - Josh

P.S. Just shredded that check, so I guess my point is now moot. Heee Heeee, showed Household Bank how it was, didn’t I? Josh

Hey Fruce, ya don't pull punches do ya? Good, I thank you for that. The replies I have gotten so far have really grabbed me by the hair, pulled, and successfully removed my cranium from my anal cavity. You’re all right, what was I thinking? Shit, when I get money to jump again, I’m going to be instantly broke again after buying all the beers I owe all of you!! It’s all cool, though, I look forward to it! Thanks, Josh

Hee heeee!! Ya play guitar huh? Me too. Well, actually I just make alot of noise. But browsing through all my Musician's Friend catalogs has been mighty tempting. God damn them Les Pauls are purty! But my cheap ass Strat copy will have to do for now. I really want to jump but you're both right, I just gotta be patient. I'll get up there, and then i'm gonna jump my ass off! Thanks a million, Josh

couldn’t have said it better myself. HAPPINESS>WEALTH!. 90% of the population? I (sadly) think that that’s being very conservative. Thanks Zennie - Josh

I got a tough one here. Anybody that doesn’t know me, I haven’t jumped in almost two years, and it’s killing me. It’s all about money, and I’ve been desperately saving every little bit I can, just to jump. But I’ve gotten practically nowhere. I don’t have anyone to blame but myself, because my state of being financially fucked is because of my irresponsibility with credit cards. I’ve been doing really good with budgeting, and getting everything paid off and although I’ve come along way, I still got a long way to go till I can even think about actually jumping. But I got something in the mail today. A check for me, from my last maxed out card, if I fill out this check for at least $500 dollars, for anything I want (skydiving, duh!), my credit line will increase by a grand. This won’t buy me the whole AFF package, but it will buy me a few jumps, which, at this point, I am absolutely desperate for. I’m trying to be realistic, I know that by jumping I will be totally screwing my self even more than I already have. I’ve got a lot to think about, trying to keep my head above water, so to speak, but right now, even with all my money problems, all I can think about is just tasting flight for a little bit. I’ve really gotten down to the bare bones of my life in this post – money and jumping. I don’t need anybody feeling sorry for me, I sure as hell don’t, I’m just asking for some unbiased, honest opinions. Should I rip up this check, throw it in the trash, and just be patient for yet another boring summer and excruciatingly long winter, or should I say fuck it all and finally experience what I’ve been dreaming about for so long now. This is such a bitch. Thanks, Josh

Hey Carrie. We’re pretty different in respect to our relationship to our parents, among other things, but I wanted to reply to a few things you said. You said that “money isn't everything to me like it is to him and I just want to be happy.” I didn’t’ realize how much I needed to hear that until now. Recently a good friend of mine and myself were having a conversation, and she was giving me advice about choosing a career, she said “nobody likes their job”, and went on about what I “should” do to basically “make the big money”. Because she was someone I respected, I tried to take in her advice, but my mind just wouldn’t accept it. I think that in that respect you and I think very much alike. All I want is to make my life something that I can take a step back and look at and think “Wow, I am so cool!”, lots of money or not. Money talks these days, you’re status is judged by the job you have, the car you drive, the house you live in, etc. I don’t know you, so I’m taking a chance here, but I think that you are one of those special people that sees through all that BS and lives your life as you want to, regardless of what others opinions may be. And that is something that I can respect. You also said that some people may find you to be cocky. I think those people are just jealous, because they most likely live boring, mundane, ORDINARY, lives. You’re not cocky, you’re just proud of what you have accomplished, and you deserve to feel proud. One last point, you said you don’t open up like you did very much, why not? I have several times, reluctantly at first, but always with huge amounts of support and understanding from everybody here. It’s truly been a lifesaver to me. You got something in your head that’s bothering you, skydiving related or not? Here’s the place to let it out. We’ll listen. Josh

Hey Mandi (sorry, can’t type your nick without laughing! just kidding ) Haven’t been here too long myself, but I can tell you that you haven’t broken any rules, cause I don’t think there are any! Actually, I kind of lurked around awhile, just because I haven’t jumped in a long time, so I kind of felt like it wasn’t my place to post here. Boy was I wrong – it’s the best thing I ever did. The responses I’ve gotten have all been so helpful. And just FYI, it doesn’t matter what you post, it will turn into something sexual

Nicorette – works for me!! Stop smoking aid my ass, gimmie that nicotine!! I’ll quit someday, no really, I will! Anyway, hope you have a blast and a half! Josh Edited by Dirtsucks on 4/10/01 06:56 PM.

Kind of weird ain’t it? I’t been almost two years since my last jump, and still every flag I look at is nothing more than a windsock. Could I jump now? Anyway, sounds like you had an awesome weekend. My only experience with watersports of any kind was on a tube behind my uncle’s boat (I should add, my CRAZY ASS uncle’s boat). Don’t try this at home, but if you do, tie those swim trunks real good, they come off real easy otherwise. Josh

That was the coolest story! I remember riding the Cessna to altitude and just staring out the window at the huge towering cumulus and thinking how awesome it would be to go play out there around the clouds. I really loved what you said about conveying the experience to others. Even with my limited experience I’ve always wished I could put into words what I felt, but you just can’t. There has been so many things I’ve wanted to do, and you just added another to my list. Thanks! Josh

Hey, thanks everybody. I really appreciate it. It’s really easy for me to forget why I need to try so hard to make my life meaningful to ME and not everybody else. Just need a little reminder now and then I guess. Keep jumping everybody (like I need to tell you that!) Josh

When I decided to make my first jump, a couple years ago, I naturally told everybody about it. I was just so excited, and after I made my first, of course I told everybody about that, too. I thought “Man, I’ve really done something awesome!!” So I told people about it, and got the typical whuffo response. You know, “you’re crazy”,”why”, all that BS. At first it actually felt good, knowing that I’ve felt something that they’ll never know. But now, looking back on it, I lost that feeling. If you do anything in you’re life that is a huge accomplishment, people that are close to you will support you, tell you “good for you!” and stuff like that. But if you do something as “stupid” as throw yourself out of a plane, those same people won’t give a shit. Since then, skydiving has been in my head almost constantly, to the point of obsession. And I had become depressed because of it. I knew that I WANTED to do it, but I’ve never done anything out of the ordinary in my life, and that desire seemed out of place. I didn’t understand it. How could such a normal person like myself want to do something like that? I’ve listened so many times to people giving me the same old generic advice – “go to school, get a career, get married, buy a house, start a family, …be a whuffo” The sad truth is, I started to believe it. I certainly don’t mean to say that those things are not important, they definitely are, at least to me. What I mean to say is that those things are not all life has to offer. There’s so much to do, so much to experience. But I started to forget about that. And the dream of flying I had started to fade, and eventually, died out completely. I had such a feeling of emptiness, like I’d lost a part of myself, but I still dismissed it. I thought that it was time to stop being ridiculous and start being realistic. I’m not like that, I’m not the kind of person who does crazy things like jump out airplanes, or dive underwater just to look at some ship that sank before I was born, or to hang from the side of a cliff by my fingers, hundreds of feet up, for no reason other than just to do it. Thanks to a good friend (you know who you are, thank you), the feelings I once had have returned. I have a new respect for all of you who don’t limit yourselves to any standard of society. Who have given the finger to being ordinary, normal. If there’s anybody out there who has taken skydiving for granted, whether you want to admit it or not, I just want to say “DON’T!” I look up to you all. A short while back, I would have said “sorry about the long post”, but not now. I refuse to feel guilty about expressing how I feel. I can’t wait to skydive again, and when I do, all the threaders here are going to have some seriously long posts to read. Friend to everybody out there who is, or dreams of, being extraordinary - Josh

Hey Junky! Glad ya didn’t get scared off with all the shit ya took. If I was in your place, I probably would have ran away with my tail between my legs. There’s a lot of cool people here though. And, if you want, you can steal my nick anytime !! I really had a very meaningful story behind my name, but I was drunk, and now I don’t remember what it was. Now it’s just stupid. When will I learn? See ya! Josh

I knew somebody that had something like 130 military jumps. He said that after he got out, he tried out recreational jumping and said he didn't like it. I wasn't sure what to think, I didn't know how you could have that many jumps and NOT like doing it. Anybody that's done both, what are the differences? What exactly does a military jumper have to do? Josh

Haaaaaaaaaaa!!! Just got home and started reading this post, and I started trying to think up clever names, then I got to Tracy's post. I don't mean to laugh, but I thought is was hilarious! All for the better, though - I suck at picking good nicknames, look at mine. I think of the damndest things when I get drunk.

Who da man? Who da man? Whoo Hooo! Do I get beer out of this?

I hate to be the first one reply to this, since I've never seen a real accident and it's not really by place. But since I'm here I'd like to share something that happened while leaving the DZ after my first jump. Me and a friend of mine were just pulling out onto the street after doing level 1 AFF and I happened to look in the rear view mirror and I saw, for just a split second, a crumpled up parachute disappear out of sight. I said, out loud "ohh shit!" and slammed on the brakes and whipped the car around on the road. My friend didn't know what was going on and was like, what the hell are you doing!?! I floored it towards where I saw the parachute and told her what I saw. There was already a truck from the DZ driving around with a guy in the back looking around towards the field where I saw the chute go down. I asked him, "did somebody just go down?" And he said, no, he landed under reserve and what I saw was his main floating down. I didn't know anybetter, being new and all, but I remember feeling horrified at the thought that I had just seen someone die. It really shook me up for I while. But to answer your question, how did I react (condidering that fact that I thought it was real), my answer is really friggin fast! After finding out that it was really nothing I felt kind of dumb, but I don't regret throwing my car around to find the guy (who was actually just a cutaway main)at all. Josh

Hey, I got this rig I made myself. It was designed by this guy named Da Vinci. I can’t get anybody to jump it. Wanna try it?