Dirtsucks

You know your a skydiver when you're a 23 year old single guy at a college serority (visiting, not living! I wish!)and you willingly leave to go check the forum. I really have a problem don't I?

I was just wondering what other skydivers like to listen to. I personally am into rock. I know that’s pretty vague, but I’m pretty vague myself. If you can get inside my head please tell me what you see, I’d love to know what’s in there! But really, I love a lot of newer stuff, Linkin Park, Korn, Manson, and that kind of stuff, and also a lot of 80’s (hair band) stuff. Def Leppard is still right next to God as far as I’m concerned. I should mention that the song I always associate with skydiving is She’s so High by Tal Bachman (probably didn’t spell that right) because I heard it a million times while waiting to do AFF in Baldwin, MN (seemed an appropriatate song watching a cute girl under canopy). So what is everybody else into?

I'm on skydive Hutchinson's website at this very moment figuring out my money (or lack there of) on my computer. But I DON'T CARE!! I BE JUMPIN DAMN IT! I BE JUMPIN! F IT ALL!! F IT ALL TO HELL!!!! (Please don't call the the authorities, I'm actually quite sane. In fact, most of the voices in my head agree with me.

Thanks mommy! I know it’s weird but I just need to hear it from somebody else. And you want me to be first in line by 5 minute call? I’d hate to be the sorry ass that tries to get in front of me! But seriously, though, I’m trying desperately, (read: considering bank robbery) to get the funds to get through AFF. I’ve reached the level of being pathetic to admit that I need help to make this happen, but make no mistake, I haven’t given up hope for one millisecond. I will jump, that’s totally a given as far as I’m concerned, the hard part is wondering how long I’ll have to wait. But I’ll be here with you all as long as it takes. Blue Skies!!

It’s been almost two years since I’ve seen the world from the perspective that all you cool people see it from. I want to jump again more than anything in life. Yet I sit here browsing the forum on the sidelines, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes in front of my computer. I know in my head that the answer to all my problems (too numerous too mention outside of a 1000 page book) is to stand in that door once again and say “F**k it, see ya world!” and just go, but why don’t I do it? (I don’t mean the f..k it thing in a suicidal way, I totally intend to pull, the canopy ride is half the fun!) I’ve been struggling with that question for so long it’s become intolerable. I’ve talked to friends, I’ve talked to my parents, I’ve even talked to co-workers that I hardly know, and when I mention that skydiving is what I really want to do, they totally dismiss it. They don’t say I’m crazy, they just totally dismiss it is random babbling, what the hell is wrong with them?!?! That’s why I’m here. I’ve been reading the forum for almost a month and a half, and it’s been a great relief to me. Finally some people who know why people jump out of perfectly good airplanes (the door was open, what the hell else are you going to do, just sit there and look at it?) I don’t want to be just one of those people who just sit on the side and just observe what everybody else is doing. You guys rule! (I mean guys and girls!) Anyway, if anybody is feeling really hot headed about anything and needs to vent, I sure could use a major (major, major, major) kick in the ass to get me moving toward the nearest DZ (Hutchinson, MN, way out in dem dar boondocks!)

I never thought I’d tell anybody this, but I guess it can’t hurt. On what would have been my last jump in the summer of 99, I rode the plane back down for no reason other than because I was absolutely terrified to jump. I’ve always told people that I stopped jumping because of financial reasons, which isn’t entirely untrue, but being aboard the jump plane when it landed is what really did it. It was my third level 4 AFF, the one where you have to do turns, and on the previous tries I just couldn’t get it. I totally froze and couldn’t get myself to drop my shoulder. I don’t really know what happened but it just kept getting worse and worse. All the confidence I once had was gone and despite doing tons of dirt diving and visualizations of the jump I just didn’t think I’d ever be able to get it. When I was sitting in the plane and it became time to open the door and go I just freaked and told my JM I couldn’t do it. He tried to talk me in to going but it was already to late for me, I was done with it. He told everybody that some clouds where in the way and we couldn’t jump, but I’m sure everybody knew the truth. I was totally devastated. All I wanted to do was jump and fly around the sky, but it seemed hopeless. And by the way, this happened on my birthday – worst birthday of my life. I don’t want to end on a sour note though. I’ve thought about skydiving every single day since and I am absolutely 100% determined to get through it and get licensed. When spring comes around here in Minnesota it’s do or die!

I agree. I haven’t been registered for very long, so I haven’t posted very much, but I’ve been following all the threads for a while and I’m totally addicted to the forum. I made it through AFF level 3, but that was 2 summers ago and I’ve been wanting (desperately) to jump again ever since. Something always comes up (read: broke again), but I’ve learned a lot from everybody here, not to mention laughed my ass off more times than I can count! I really miss being up in the sky, but at least all you guys help me remember what I’m working my ass off for. I will jump again! GIVE ME ALTITUDE OR GIVE ME DEATH! Thanks!

1. Really 2. Friggin' 3. Drunk

Oops, that’s what I meant. FAR’s always screw with my head. I did find it pretty funny when I went to get my second class medical when I couldn’t even see the chart without my glasses. After I put my glasses on I had to squint really hard and bend foreword to read it – I must have looked pretty ridiculous, but I got my medical anyways.

Just pulled this out of the 2000 FAR/AIM (2001 is probably the same) – 3rd class requires 20/40, 2nd and 3rd class requires 20/20 distant vision and 20/40 near.

I gave up flying for skydiving, so I guess that answers the question pretty well. I would love to return to flying planes, however I can’t even seem to save up enough my to restart my AFF (I made it to level 4 two summers ago). I’m determined to jump this spring, however, whatever it takes. I think choosing which one is better is really personal preference. Sure, flying is way more practical - you can only do a cross country skydive wearing a bird man suit in a hurricane, but I started flying just for fun, and only after spending about 5 grand did a I discover that jumping from airplanes is even more fun than flying them, at least for me!

BTW, I know that Skydive Hutchinson, about an hour and a half west of me is open year round. I’ve always wondered how it’s possible to jump out of a plane in winter without instantly freezing solid, considering the 120 mph wind chill. Anybody know, how they do it? My JM told me of a story about a guy jumping in the winter in a red jumpsuit around Christmas and getting stuck on the roof of somebody’s house, right next to their chimney. I don’t know if it was really true but I would have loved to see the look on the face of the person who found him!

I should have seen the beer thing coming! And Freaksis, 300 miles?!?! I’ll never bitch about driving an hour to get to Baldwin, WI (my closest DZ) again.! But I’d still do it if I had to. Ya got to have your priorities right? I’d really love to move down south and jump all year, but it would be just too hard to leave my friends and family behind (whuffo’s or not). I definitely think a vacation is in order though!

Why the hell not? This is my first post ever on DZ.com. I’ve been on the forum for several weeks now and love checking it out after work and seeing what’s new. I made 7 aff jumps 2 summers ago and have been desperately wanting to continue and become an official skydiver, and it’s driving me insane. I hate being broke, damn it! It doesn’t really matter right now with like 80 feet of snow on the ground (I’m in Minnesota) but if I don’t jump as soon as it’s warm I’m going to commit myself to the looney bin. Anyway, it’s been great reading all the great skydiving stories you all have, it’s made my life at 0 AGL slightly more tolerable. My friends all think I’m crazy so it’s good to find people to I can relate to. Blue skies, and green grass (sorry, I haven’t seen it in almost half a year).