Zennie

We've talked a bit about this kind of stuff Tiff & IMHO what you're saying is both true and not true. Your mindset is very similar to what mine was when Liz & I first split off... "My problems are my fault." "If only I was better, if only I did more, if only I was more attractive, (s)he might love me." "(S)he is the victim, all of my problems are my own doing." Guilt is a very powerful emotion... more powerful than love in some ways. Some of us are consumed by it (because some of us also have a conscience we can't ignore). We assume responsibility for everything because we believe that if we didn't make mistakes X, Y & Z, none of these problems would have surfaced. After all, that's what (s)he is telling us, right? Wrong. You're blaming yourself for so many things that aren't your doing. You're hating yourself for qualities you don't have. You believe you can change, and that by changing things will get better. The problem is, no matter what you do, no matter what you say, no matter how much you change, that won't be good enough for certain people. They will always find something else that you're doing wrong. You'll find yourself constantly trying to change to make them happy, because you live under the illusion that by making someone else happy, you will be happy too. That's the curse of a giving person. Unfortunately, all that sort of behavior does is make you more and more miserable as you sacrifice more and more of your identity to make someone else happy. You're molding yourself into someone else's image, not your own. I went into a severe depression (that I'm still recovering from) and nearly lost myself trying to do the very same sort of thing. If you want to be happy, be what YOU want to be. Follow the goals in life that YOU set for yourself, not what others set for you. Follow your conscience. It will never steer you wrong. But don't confuse guilt with your conscience, because sometimes they are very different things... particularly when someone else has control of your guilt, not yourself. So what I'm trying to say it is that some of the problem does lie with you because you are incorrectly analyzing yourself... that you are allowing others to control your destiny. But your problems don't lie with you for a much bigger and more important reason... anyone that truly loves you... YOU ... will accept you for who you are and encourage you to pursue your dreams. I made this mistake once, I won't make it again. And if that means I'm single the rest of my life, so be it. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Others have had a similar problem. I believe you're supposed to use steel shot, which weighs less. This is another thing which should be documented better. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Not tellin'. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Agreed. I've always been partial to brunettes. Especially brunettes with blue eyes... GOD that kills me every time! - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I just bought two to play around with as well. I'll be taking them out this weekend so I'll let everyone know how things go. One thing about the documentation that I found a bit disappointing was no info regarding optimal tail widths/lengths (though it sounds form reading here that maybe 7" is a good starting point). Assuming the thing falls straight for me I may try different shot weights & tail lengths/widths to come up with a fallrate/performance chart of sorts. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I read both as well. I think Blinc is just alittle slower right now since it's the off-season for many BASE jumpers. Around here, you have more activity because of skydiver curiosity. Just my $0.02 - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Problem with the way your question is phrased is that it's sort of akin to asking "What's a good shower-water temperature?" If you clarify your question a little, I'm sure many folks here can give you a helpful answer. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I'll nominate 460 for the team as well. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

This is a really good summation of the therapeutic process. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I don't know Dave personally, and I wasn't there during the conversation so I don't have context or body language to key off of, but there may be another explanation. It could be that meds made a dramatic difference for him so he wants other people who he might perceive as needing them to reap the benefits of them as well. I don't mean that in a "get high" sort of sense... you can't get high off of antidepressants (at least not the ones I take) ... but in the sense of "I don't want my friends or family to suffer like I have". Take that thought process and couple it with a general tendency for people to project their own qualities onto others and you can see why he might say something like that. He may see you behaving a certain way, or say certain things, and interpret them from his point of view rather than yours. For example, you may say "I'm feeling bummed." In your mind, that's just kind an under the weather sort of feeling. In his mind, "bummed" may take on a completely different meaning. In any event, Dave isn't a physician and can't prescribe drugs, so even if he does recommend them, nobody is going to be able to go on them (legally) without first being properly diagnosed by a physician. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Part of the problem, and disagreement, stems from differing points of view over what mental illness actually is. There are those, myself being one of them, who believe that mental illness (true mental illness) is a biochemical condition... no different than diabetes... except that the organ is the brain and the manifestation of the condition is in one's thoughts and behaviors. Being a biochemical condition, it is as treatable through medication as anyof the "traditional" illnesses that we think nothing of taking medication for. And just like any other illness, there are very specific criteria for making a diagnosis. These criteria are laid out in the DSM-IV. For depression, these criteria are as follows: When I went through my episode with the divorce, I had all 9 symptoms sustained for several weeks. I knew something was seriously wrong. Everyone around me knew something was seriously wrong. Antidepressants and intensive therapy made a tremendous difference. I'm reaching a bit of a turning point now where my mood has stabilized to the point that I'm trying to wean myself off of the antidepressants. Nobody that I know of likes having to be on meds. Just as with other medical conditions, some illnesses are episodic. Others are permanent. It's very easy to be on the outside and say that physicians are relying too much upon drugs to treat mental illness... *real* mental illness. The implication of this statement, of course, is that the person relying on the drugs is "weak"... they aren't strong enough to deal with what everybody else has to deal with and are using the drugs as a crutch. Well, unless you know that person intimately, you really don't know what they are going through internally. Some people can put on a good public face but are literally being eaten alive internally. I know a couple of people who comitted suicide, and I had absolutely no idea observing them externally that they were feeling that way. Unless you have suffered from depression youself, you have absolutely no concept of what that person is going through. Do you know what it's like feel like there is no hope for the future? Do you know what it's like to not be able to sleep, or eat, for weeks on end? Do you know what it's like to feel completely, totally worthless? Do you know what it's like to want to die just to make the pain go away? I mean really want to die? I do. And I can tell you two things: 1. Depression is very real. And it strikes the strong and weak alike. 2. Medication *does* make a difference. In my case it very well may have saved my life. And perhaps more and more people are being diagnosed with depression and other illnesses because: 1. People are starting to accept that mental illess is a treatable disease; and 2. Our society is so dysfunctional that the end result is more screwed-up people. All this said, I have gone close to 4 days now without being on antidepressants and my mood has remained pretty stable and upbeat. I've tried several times before and couldn't go more than a day. So maybe I'm getting over the hump. I'm sure Justin saw this post coming a mile away. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I'm with Quade. Mary Ann! - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Well, today it would be "Getting work done." - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I could probably get my Mastur-BASE without a whole lot of trouble. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I ALMOST went for the "die peacefully" option but then thought "You know, there is a better way...." Wouldn't want to be the other person involved, however, can you imagine how freaky it would be to have your partner cash in during The Act? 'Course it would be good for bragging rights... "I'm so good I killed the last one that was with me!" - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Close. I say let them jump the rigs they sabotaged... sans reserve. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I was browsing that site a bit. I noticed that they also make excursions to a legal bridge in the Western US that we BASE jumpers frequent. Anybody ever been out there when the bungy jumpers were there as well? If so, were there good vibes between the two groups? - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Aren't there Boink (sp?) BASE numbers out there? - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

The very first "jumpy" type thing I ever did was a bungy jump from the platform operated by AJ Hackett in Las Vegas. About 175 feet IIRC. It was by far the most terrifying thing I've ever done. I want to do it again now that I've also done skydiving and BASE just to see if it truly is that frighteneing or if it was mainly because I hadn't jumped off of or out of anything before. The only other time I've been literally weak in the knees (I never thought you could actually feel that way) was right before I climbed over the rail on my first antenna jump. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I personally don't mind my name being mentioned, but I also completely understand why many prefer to maintain a lower profile. I've been pretty open about the fact that I BASE jump... even at work. My personal thinking is that I'll know up front who does & doesn't have a problem with it. Plus, since my co-workers know that I BASE jump, and that I might get injured or busted, it becomes far less of an issue if either of those things actually does happen. But I realize I'm pretty lucky in that most people seem to be pretty understanding. About the worst reaction I get is from those who think I have a screw or two loose. But I can see why other folks would need to keep their jumping under wraps. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Heh. Anybody that's been here for any amount of time knows my marital status. My place is more like a dormatory than a house right now... more beer than any other item in the fridge... trash is comprised of 90% beer bottles and pizza boxes... one guy leaving on a date... one guy (your truly) on the downstairs level playing Unreal Tournament on his laptop... one guy upstairs playing Medal of Honor on his bedroom desktop.... Not that I'm complaining or anything. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I think this is the source of the initial confusion. If you view the issue from a site-burning perspective, then it seems sort of silly in several obvious circumstances. If you're viewing it from a safety perspective, the policy makes a lot more sense. Though if I were to take that tact, I wouldn't even provide links to sites. I'd make 'em dig for it. I'm sort of on the fence on the safety angle. Part of me has the "If you're going to be stupid, you better be tough." attitude, but at the same time I don't want our sport being represented in the headlines by someone who gets a screwy idea and pounds in because someone mentiones a locale on one of the boards. And I do have something of a conscience... I don't think I'd sleep too well knowing something I posted resulted in someone's death or serious injury, no matter how stupidly the person using that information acted. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Phil Smith and Kevin Vennell have done the inside of the XXX. And before people get too upset over site-naming, these were done legally several years ago. And I have the video. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

BSBD - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Can someone say "Hop-N-Pops"? - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon