Apollinaire

I have a control freak friend (who is clueless that she's a cf) who goes on and on about how she "manages" her email so that it doesn't "manage" her. Then, she'll email and ask me to go to lunch during a certain week. I respond back to say cool, when and where. Then it is like the freakin' desert. Nothing, nada. Two months go by and she does the same thing again. This has happened more than once. This last time she emailed me in November to go have lunch again. I'm considering answering her email sometime this month. Maybe. If I feel like it. Yes, to answer your q, it drives me insane! I'm so prompt about stuff like that and write ty notes, etc. The rest of the world just doesn't operate on my plan and I try to adapt though.

I just got fed up with Sprint and their ridiculously bad customer service and shopped around and went with Verizon. When I went into Sprint they actually triaged the customers, put my name on a list on a big plasma and then made me wait forever while about ten employees chatted and me and the one other customer twiddled our thumbs. Then they said it was going to cost $60+ to fix the screen on my phone that was 5 years old. So I went to figuring and asked the dude how long the phones are supposed to last anyway and he said 3 years. My brain kicked in then and I asked him why I'd want to do that if I could walk out of there, take my phone number with me, get more minutes than the 350 minutes my husband and I shared all this time, and not have to ever enter their store again? I think he blinked a few times. I shopped Cingular and Verizon and they have EXACTLY the same minute plans. Verizon had better deals on phones and the guy there actually seemed happy to be helping me. Cingular phones were more expensive and not as cool. I also had to call in to ask how to get to the new vm system's tutorial and they were ultra helpful on the phone at Verizon too.

If someone lands out of the set pattern and it was no accident, what should happen to that person? I recently saw this and because I have no experience didn't know exactly what should happen next. I could see that the person who set the pattern was upset but didn't quite understand what the consequences would be for the person who did it.

See, that's nice because your kids get to feel like they are helping someone too! Cool way to instill the giving spirit!

Yeah, one time my husband and I gave Christmas gifts to each of the teenagers staying at the teen shelter in our town. We had shared Thanksgiving with them where he sat with the boys and I sat with the girls. The girls kept talking about some pear scented stuff somebody had that they all liked so we got them all a bottle and a teen magazine and then for the guys we got them all cool shirts. We wrapped them up individually and delivered them at Christmas. I think they really liked getting them. We of course checked first with the shelter leaders to make sure it was okay to give this stuff to them. The funny/not so funny thing is that when I went to deliver them I was in a wicked hurry on my way to dinner with my Mom. So, I peeled into the driveway of the house going a million miles an hour and ran up to the door. I guess I alarmed quite a few of the already skiddish kids there by doing that but thank goodness I guess that this apparently crazed lunatic came laden with gifts. It took me awhile to figure out the stunned looks when I hit the door. Whoops! Moral of that story is always remember to drive up slowly to shelters to avoid freaking the guests out! Also, during Katrina relief in my town, I went to Target and asked for help from an associate to get the very best deals on stuff there so I could get more items. I could barely believe how she was able to ferret out all these pants, cool pants, for like $5 and bags of socks for $3. Everytime I picked up something I thought was good but also cheap she would say, "No, I think there were some cheaper over here," and then pull out some incredible bargain. Since she is there every day she really knew how to find the deals they had. She also signed me up for their dang credit card and I saved some percentage off the total purchase. She was really helpful and I was able to get a bunch of stuff for the money I had to give. Hope you find something that you inspires you and leaves you feeling like you changed a moment for someone into something nice!

I suppose if you go around saying, "I'm German and, you know, we didn't support the war in Iraq," then maybe you would have a problem with some people. However, others would get you a beer for saying that. Why not just go and have fun and leave the politics and angst behind? I think people will welcome you anywhere unless you make an effort to set yourself apart.

Uh, on my second tandem jump someone was holding onto my harness as we exited the plane. Okay, was that bad? They just said the guy wanted to practice his camera work (I didn't pay for a video) and that he would hold onto my harness while we jumped out. I didn't care but also didn't have a clue if that was bad or not. Was it? He flew on his back below me videotaping after he let go. Seemed okay but what do I know? Nothing!

I was more scared the second time because I knew I would actually do it. The first time I didn't think I was really going to jump until that first hop 'n popper jumped out. THEN I started to get really scared. Up till then it was all just a joke. Second time around, I was scared on the way down to the dz but the ride up to altitude was actually fine. Once I jumped I started to zone out and then decided to be really present and just have fun and that's exactly what happened. I could hear everything, see everything and was just soooo much more aware of everything than I had been the first time around. Enjoy it! :)

Yeah! Good for you! I'll put your job search in my thoughts even though I don't know you. Good vibes can't hurt! Good luck with everything!

Man, I used to work with recruiters alot and the truth is they don't always tell the truth. They may be getting the brush off from the company and tell you something like what that one told you to keep you in their pool of candidates so they don't lose a commission. Or, and I've heard this one over and over, they tell you how you are great great great for a job and then all the sudden they start telling you how your experience, etc. just doesn't measure up to the other candidates being presented, etc. That one they use when THEY have another candidate they are more certain is a done deal and they would rather put that person in front of the company than you. That one sucks because I've actually seen people get jobs where they persisted even though the recruiter said such a thing. Most people wouldn't and would lose out on a job opp. I say from experience, sneak sneak sneak and find all the open doors at the company you are interested in. Network from within. The recruiter is a SALES person and gets paid a commission. They are not your friends but the good ones will make you believe they are. Look out for #1-- now go get that dang job!

I don't think it is trashy at all but don't understand this beverage concept at the salons. I go to a pricey joint to get my hair cut and love the atmosphere there because it is so pretty and tranquil. But I am always confused as to why they offer me a beverage when half the time they are pushing my head this way or that and I couldn't drink it even if I wanted to. It's kinda like a chatty and inquisitive dentist. Makes no sense to me. But hey, if your people are asking for it they must be much more capable at drinking while their chin is resting on their chest than I am so make 'em happy!

I'd be happy to pick someone up after work on Friday and drive them anywhere I could get to and still get back to work on Monday driving as many hours as I can stay awake. I live in the Mid-Tennessee area and will go wherever to get someone where they need to go. Wish I had more time off to give but I'm new at my job. Let me know if you need a ride somewhere. I'm also available on the weekend to help carry stuff down if anyone needs that kind of help.

I build museums for a living. Currently working on one about turkeys. Yep, that's right, turkeys. It's a living and it is also a fun one.

Gubbio is in the central part but worth the trip. Romantic medieval city with good food. The whole country is bellisimo! Have fun! I love to visit but would never live there. Took me a whole day to mail a package there once and I decided it would be the end of me if I stayed there. Still the people are SOOO nice and friendly and everything is beautiful, good.

I was there 8 years ago and you didn't have to pay but maybe it is different now. I defer. That kinda sucks if you do though...

Foot path is free. I didn't think it was all that expensive there because I was doing the Europe on $50 a day thing and having a blast. It's all kinda relative and up to you from what I recall.

I've been to the Cinque Terre and it is beautiful! The water is the bluest, clearest water anywhere and the small towns are all so wonderfully relaxing you'll want to stay, eat, snorkel and just do nothing for the rest of your life. If you do venture on the foot path, WEAR HIKING SHOES!!!! I didn't and fell alot and was pissed/scared to death on much of it. It is a strenuous path and frankly because it is n't in sue-happy US it is kinda freakin' dangerous. Much of it is on cliffs. Be careful but also enjoy walking past the gates to secret vineyards and beautiful flowers. Take shoes for the beach as it is rocky! And enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! edited to say: I'm not a big hiker so they were strenuous for me. I see others here not necessarily feeling the same way. Let us know what you thought!

Yeah, that's something I've been considering too about finding a home dz because I'm coming to the realization that buying into this whole sport is like buying into a new family. And this is a family I actually get to pick so why not pick the one that suits my personality best. At the moment (I say NOW because I seem to be undergoing rapid change lately) I'm not terribly competitive in life so a true boo-yah kinda joint would probably freak me out a little. Hillbilly joints wouldn't necessarily get me so that's probably not a great idea either. Although the thought of jumping hillbillies does kinda give me a giggle cause I can barely believe those exist but I'll take your word for it. I like to party a little but gotta admit I like to go to sleep earlier than most and rise early so a hard core party place would find me their play toy after I pass out I'm sure and start writing things on my face,etc., I imagine. I'm pretty mellow for the most part and will, completely sober, sing a round of kumbayah (sp?) from time to time. I'm married so a place that embraces that would be good. Geez, I feel like I'm writing a personal ad. I guess I need to just get my butt off the couch and head out to the DZs closeby. Good advice! Thanks! BTW, I'm a chick married to a `cool dude. I guess my name made people think I'm a dude. I got it from the author of the quote I saw in the Mental Training for Skydiving and Life book I've been reading. The one that goes, "Come to the edge. We can't we're afraid. Come to the edge. We can't we'll fall. Come to the edge. And they came to the edge. And he pushed them. And they flew." by Guillaume Apollinaire. I love, love, love that quote because that is truly how I felt the first time I jumped. Beautiful! Thanks again for the advice!

All such good points! Thanks to all for your advice!!! So much to consider. Thank God for this forum to learn, learn, learn from the wisdom and insight of others!

Dang, if y'all keep helping me I will finally ask the question I need to ask! You are right, right, right! Those are all q's for which I'll be searching for the answers! Thanks so much for taking the time to write! There is a wind tunnel pretty close to which I am going to make a visit. I did it when I was just a kid in high school and it was a blast. This time I'm going to try it with the coaching. Thanks again so much!

Yes, I am looking for the safest DZ, one that people really respect and look up to. I figured it was a loaded q because everyone would prefer their own obviously. But I know there must be really well-respected ones too that might not be people's own dzs for reasons like distance but they would recommend them for their training/jump standards. I'll also edit the message to include PM in case somebody wants to give me their opinion privately. Thanks y'all!

N/A

As a newb, I read alot here about boogies here and there and how folks should watch out for people from OTHER DZs that might not have been trained as well on the finer points of safety. So, that got me to thinking about which DZ iyho has the strictest safety standards and training? I'm in the Southeast and going for AFF but would go anywhere in the contiguous US to do it at the "best" place. I'm not looking for dirt on the bad ones as I can figure that part out. I'm just looking for the one's you respect alot. Loaded question? Anybody want to weigh in? PM me if that's more comfortable for you. Thanks!

I actually have to go to Marietta today for biz so I'm going to check it out! I can barely wait! My evening ended up being filled with dinner and too much vino with a bunch of cool people so it all worked out. But today I'm completely on my own and am going to need something to do here that is productive so looking for that place sounds like the ticket! Thanks again!

'kay, the smoothie part of the name sounds suspicious but I'll give it a whirl! You may have just saved my evening!! Thanks!