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OK, this has been bugging me all night since I started thinking about it. We know this to be a truth: Don't track up jump run. We know this to be a truth, also: At breakoff, turn 90 degrees and track away, slow down, look for objects in your way/above/ etc, wave off, pull. I heard on the plane the other day, "and try not to track up the jump run." Well, what if my 90 degrees (give or take a degree or two) happens to be, based on my position at break off, up jump run? Four members in my group, all tracking off at 90 degrees equals a full circle - someone (or two) is going to be relatively close to jump run, right? Two people will be tracking correctly away from jump run (the 12 and the 6 on the clock face, for instance) but the 3 and the 9 will be tracking close if not on jump run. First thought? Keep my eyes open, but continue my 90 degree track away because the danger you see (your group on your jump) is greater than the danger you don't see (other jumpers on the same load, not in your group.) Second thought? If I'm directly up the jump run, alter my trajectory by a few degrees. But then, that could put me at greater danger of someone in my group. So I post here. There's probably a most basic of answers that I'm not thinking of because I'm tired. I'd love to hear thoughts. I did a little search on Drop Zone, but nothing came through with that title in the first page, so I got lazy and typed this out. :) Thanks! _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Of course, talk to a coach, but what works for ME (and may or may not work for you) is to breathe, and on the exhale, relax your body, and visualize what you're doing, since you can't look at it. Visualize the pilot chute going out into the airstream, catching air, and lifting the D-Bag off your back, and your legs coming forward as the canopy starts to inflate. The deep breath is key. Good luck! Again, though, talk to a coach, teacher, etc. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Sarte said "The perfect breast fits graciously in the hand, with no overlap. Anything more is wasteful." He probably said some other things, too, but that's what I remember most about him.

First wine I ever "appreciated" (as opposed to drinking because it was there) was a Australian Coonwara Shiraz, Penfolds Bin 128. Taught me to "understand" wine. Still don't understand much about it, but I know that that wine is and always will be one of my favorites. :) _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

I could deal with a huge home-cooked meal, yessiree!! At midnight, I'm doing this, it's called the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run, and it's a blast. Four miles, non-scored (so we don't run it for time.) We run it to spend the first two miles on our cell phones going "Ha (gasp) ppy (gasp) new year!! You'll never (gasp) guess where (gasp) I'm (oh, man, I feel like I'm gonna barf up the champagne...) calling (gasp,) from!! It's so much fun - Everyone's either partially drunk, totally over-fed, etc., and we're all trying to just finish without puking or falling down. Plus, you start the New Year slightly caloric-negative. :) (Until, of course, you go to any of the hundreds of all-night diners in New York City at 1:30am, but that's neither here nor there.) I ran it in a tux back in 2001. My dry-cleaner didn't understand what I'd done when I brought this smelly tuxedo (that he couldn't fix - I had to toss it) to him. He was like, "what you do? what you do? you get sick in tuxedo? why damp? tuxedo not supposed to be damp!" It was really, really funny. January 1, I'm thinking about doing the Polar Bear Swim again - but it's not that cold out this New Year's Day, so it may or may not be worth it. I've done it twice - once it was 22 degrees outside, and water temps were about 31. That was sick. The next time, it was about 45 degrees outside, and water temps were about 38, which I believe hurt more, because it took longer to go numb. Nothing - not even falling from the plane the first time, takes your breath away as hard as jumping into that water. I mean, it's like truly being socked in the stomach. You have to fight to start breathing again. On the plus side, though, any type of hangover you have, from small to massive, is 100%, totally, completely, and finitely GONE by the time you get out of the water. I don't suggest (for the guys) wearing anything skintight. George Costanza has NOTHING on the guys who do this. Bulky swim-trunks - most definitely. Happy New Year to all my DZ friends! :) :)

Plus, you took a KICK-ASS PHOTO. It's that one I'm looking at over and over when I think about how much work I need to get to "adaquate" in my RW skills. Because in that 1/125th of a second, I looked like I knew what I was doing!! :) _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

My apologies if my sarcasm didn't come through. Definitely sarcasm. Most travelers are WAY too stupid. It's not worth it. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

No, totally agree - Laura was awesome. Just figured if there was a skills camp coming up or anything over the next few months, maybe I'd take a few days off and attend. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Thanks, Z-Hills guys, for hosting a New Yorker for a few days. Sorry I had to leave early. I'm sitting in the airport now, in a REALLY shitty mood - not because I totally fucked up a four-way on my last dive... But because I finally made some good friends, and they were all in one place, and my piddly ass had to leave to deal with the real world tomorrow morning back in NYC. I'm not happy. But I had a great time, and met some wonderful new people. I'm excited to see them again. And happen to be wondering where one would go if they wanted to take some RW skills classes so they wouldn't, you know... um... SUCK DONKEY ASS. Any ideas? Either way - fun nonetheless - what a blast. Wow. -Peter, at the airport, SO TOTALLY going to wear my rig onto the plane and be like, "what? Oh, they didn't give you one? Bummer." _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

So I sit at Tampa Airport, and can't even get into the pub, because the free wi-fi here has been blacklisted by the ORBS list that runs the java chat. Sigh. On the plus side, had four SPECTACULAR jumps today at Z-hills, met SmilingPhoenix, LauraS, SkyMonkeyOne (and petted his cat) and a bunch of other very cool DZ'ers. Also landed in a farm, ate a spectacular grilled cheese, and decided that if I ever form an RW team, it's going to be called Team ADD, and we'll arrive on the "short plane." All in all, a spectacular, spectacular day. And I get to do it again tomorrow! Go me!! Of course, I have to leave before the heli and high-altitude jumps on Friday. Feh. Oh well. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Not for nothing, but it was thanks to Titanic that I was able to start my first company. 4th Paragraph: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050118/asp/jobs/story_3993917.asp Or here: (search on titanic) http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,10874,00.html (The Standard article is off by a LOT of money, though...) So I'm a BIG fan of Titanic. VERY, VERY, VERY Big. Not $urprisingly $o. :) _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

You're coming to Z-Hills? _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

That's insane. Was it a rehab facility? Because it if it was, it's covered by insurance, and that's why it was expensive. Otherwise, no way in hell. $79 a month, New York Sports Club. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Simon Peter Gruber was killed by John McClean when the warehouse where he was hiding $600,000,000 of stolen gold was found by McClean and the FBI. Details here: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0112864/ _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

The first load was fun to watch. From that, we've been sitting here, waiting for the rain to end. Then it did. Then the winds started. Then I went to Wal-Mart. But that's ok - People here ROCK. :) It's fun. :) _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Why do you think I'm not at Eloy? I mean, DUH! _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

I don't blame the employees. The majority of them are hard working, and are doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. I blame the TSA as a whole. Inefficient. totally out of touch with today's traveler. I'll say it again - 9/11 made the chances of a hijacking nil. No passenger will ever again let a hijacker take control of the plane. We'll kill them as they attempt it. The best safety device on the plane? The other passengers. Not bringing on a bottle of water? Please. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Or, as Elphie says in the show - "This is my sister, Nessarose: She's tragically beautiful. I'm beautifully tragic." There's a REASON I have "DEFY GRAVITY" stiched into my rig, you know... :) _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Walking through security. Put the gear bag on the conveyor, followed by my laptop bag, followed by my laptop. Following is the exchange: I walk through security, and wait. "What's that? Tom, come take a look at this on the screen. Are those wires?" Me: "Sir, it's a Cypres, it's a lifesaving device, you're looking at a Spor..." Them: "Sir, please allow us to do our job." Me: "But I have a card that explains..." "Sir, step away, we're going to have to rerun this bag." Me: "OK, go ahead. I then notice my gear bag has slid down the conveyor and I reach for it, as they rerun my LAPTOP bag. The culprit? A new digital camera I bought last week in Hong Kong. Parachute? Went right through, no questions whatsoever. 2 inch digital camera? Release the hounds. Merry merry.

OK, everyone - for Kelly... Ready? On Three... One... Two... Three... "awwwww..." _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Leaving to go to the airport now. Where I will sit around. Why? Because Tampa is reporting tornado touchdowns. Oh, goodie. Merry Christmas. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Guess he's not feelin' good anymore... RIP, JB... Postscript: Anyone remember that song "James Brown is Dead" by LA Style? 1993, I think. _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Way to not log on for a day and a half, I am. Thanks so much, Remster. :) Very excited. I'm still on as CEO for the next six months until we get a "real" management team in place. Then we'll see what happens. In the meantime, though, it's nice to see some smart people think that my idea is cool, rather than just me. :) Packin gup now - heading down to Z-hills. Everyone have a great holiday!!! -Peter _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

A colleague who I work with occasionally gave me a shot glass with the word "GEEK" on it. That's the best thing I got. I gave myself a few hours out of the office this afternoon to run around and do some quick last minute gift shopping and enjoy myself. I'm a relatively decent boss. :) _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

Why did she give it to you if she took you to a spa? Wouldn't one of the spa attendants give it to you? _______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."