DottieBear

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Everything posted by DottieBear

  1. DottieBear
    looks awesome!! What are we thinking for the opening now, looks like progress is moving fast! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  2. DottieBear
    that was my thought, too, Reg...I know during AFF I often was on the ground(and still am, actually, as I'm working toward my A) when tandems jump due to the weather. It definitely makes me unhappy, and last monday I almost wanted to do a tandem just so I could jump...but finally, I got to go up on the last load. Woo hoo! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  3. DottieBear
    My mom is actually getting better and better as I progress...when I just started she was SO nervous about it. But as I went through AFF and told her of the time taken to teach proper technique and the concern for the students(ie, times I was grounded due to wind, or when I repeated a level because my turns weren't great), she became much more comfortable with it. She even came to watch me once! I've never tried to sugarcoat that it is extremely dangerous, and that I could get injured. Instead, I honestly explain to her the steps that are taken to AVOID getting in a situation where I could injured...that I read the incident reports and try to learn from them, that I am not doing anything risky, and that I respect and listen to my instructors. She still worries if I don't call her on a day she knows I went to the dz, but over-all, she's gotten much better. My dad....well, I just avoid talking to him about it ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  4. DottieBear
    I'm going to miss most of it :( But I decided I will find a way to get down there on Sunday night to catch the tail end of it, and then maybe I can jump on Monday if anyone is not too hungover! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  5. DottieBear
    The f-word, LOL. I am so bad about that. I am always exclaiming, "I've never done THAT before!" and all my friends look at me and yells at me. LOL. Thankfully, everything is so new, it still ends up being one case a visit :) And I like getting my friends drunk, so I'd probably buy beer even if I didn't have to. ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  6. DottieBear
    It makes me laugh now, because I remember my second tandem, while under canopy I was chatting with the TM(Yonatan
  7. DottieBear
    I am still very much a newbie, but after I finished AFF and realized that this addiction wasn't going to go away, I spent an entire night up reading the fatality and incidents board. I wanted to make sure I WAS aware of the risks and wasn't kidding myself. It was a long and somewhat depressing night of insomnia for me, but didn't change my mind at all. I can't say if it would be "worth it". Even more so than dying, I fear not being able to live a full life. My hobby is sky diving, my career and passion is training horses for show jumping....if I couldn't use my legs, what would I do??? But while both these sports are extremely dangerous, I agree that you can get injured doing anything, anywhere. You can't not do things just because of what might happen. And thats why I don't let the risk stop me from getting on a horse every work day, or climbing out the door on my days off. ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  8. DottieBear
    ooohhh, PJ, which packers have rigger's tickets??? I want a stuff kitten! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  9. DottieBear
    I definitely encourage a tandem first. If you tell the TM you are planning to go on with AFF, they will usually more than happily work with you on altitude awareness and turns during freefall, then show you the basic of canopy control and explain landing patterns. Even tho where I started offered for you to go right into AFF(some place make you do tandems first) I was really glad I didn't. It was so overwhelming to jump unattached as it was....if I hadn't already experienced a little bit of freefall and being under canopy, I think I may have had sensory overload. ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  10. DottieBear
    work is getting the way so I won't be able to make the season opener :( I'm definitely disappointed. But I am going to be at Cross Keys this weekend on Sunday. Gotta start working toward that A license!!! And hopefully bringing my first tandem since I started! I'm so excited to see if I can get someone else addicted :) ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  11. DottieBear
    I definitely agree, it does make you feel more included....which is one of the hardest things when you are starting, I think...so many dzs are like family, when your new, its not always easy to fit in. I remember one time going up with a friend of mine for my level 4 I think, and he forget to do the little shake thing with before, and it definitely increased my nervousness. In fact, I bet I could even blame him for the reason I had to repeat level 4 ;) ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  12. DottieBear
    it was in so long, and thanks for the fish, one of the books in the hitchhikers series. ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  13. DottieBear
    Rob McKenna question answered, now you just don't need the thread ;) ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  14. DottieBear
    hahahaha, I would love to jump over a stable, horses are my day job! If I missed the dz, I could just borrow a horse and ride back ;) Where is this dz??? ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  15. DottieBear
    Wow, look at all us graduates from this weekend! Thats awesome! cheers for us!! You know whats so frustrating is my first two jumps were great landings, standing up, almost exactly where I wanted to be. Then I forgot how to land, LOL. I think I get into looking down instead of the 45 degrees.... going to miss going this weekend, but ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  16. DottieBear
    In my one trip there so far, I learned Cross Keys has a love for Yuengling, but the girls very much appreciated the amstel light I bought. And to second the previous poster, call and ask, or email them, you can get the link on skydivecrosskeys.com. ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  17. DottieBear
    I just passed mine this weekend too!!! Already diod my first solo, too, it was so awesome and so much fun, although I am having a bit of "no, that flare is too high, no that flare is too low" issues on landing without a radio. But I can't wait to keep trying more new stuff...and spending tons of money on beer!! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  18. DottieBear
    For my first solo jump yesterday, I did a dive out the door, then tucked up really tight so I just spun and spun for a while, then just arched out of it. It was so fun!!! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  19. DottieBear
    thanks Pancake! It was such an awesome day, I had so much fun....is that picture posted on the website or anything? I want a copy of it :) ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  20. DottieBear
    So, after jumping all winter in Seb, I'm making my first trip to Cross Keys this sunday. I'll be there early and spend all day trying to get up as many times as I can(only 3 levels to go before I'm done with AFF!!!). Anyone going?? Look for the girl with the long red hair who is probably a lot tanner than anyone else in the northeast, and say hi!!! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  21. DottieBear
    I'm very new to the sport too, and although I'm now up to level 6 and 12 total(5 tandems, a couple repeats) jumps, I still fight this all the time. On the ground, rehearsals of my dive flows are perfect, and in theory, I know exactly what I have to do. But I tensed up in freefall. I finally feel like I am starting to relax and enjoy it now, and not being so worried about doing everything right and being perfect in my form(trying to be perfect was making me stiff, and as such, wobbily). Both myself and my friend, who started AFF with me, have had to do repeats...it DOES get better, I am trying to make myself breath everytime I check my altimeter or do a circle of awareness, I've found that really helps! Good luck, and remember, its supposed to be fun!! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  22. DottieBear
    Ok, I am sorry to somewhat try a highjack here, but I planning on coming down to CK this weekend(Sunday particularly), but the weather is looking less than favorable....have any input on how it might look for a student(picking up on level 6 after starting in Seb this winter) to jump??? ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  23. DottieBear
    Jtown seems to be my next step then! I am hoping to get a few jumps in at CK this weekend and then again the last weekend of April and get off student status(tackling Level 6 next). I have been told by my more experienced buddies to finish up there cause a couple of the instructors I have already jumped with in Seb are up north already. I'm pretty nervous about going to a new dz by myself tho!! So if anyone is going to Jtown in May, let me know so I can go and jump with you! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  24. DottieBear
    So I'm a student, working on finishing up AFF at Cross Keys(started in Sebastian, FL this winter), but now I want to find somewhere closer to me in CT(Avon, outside of Hartford) to stay current!!! Where should I go???? ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights
  25. DottieBear
    Where are you doing your training? I started with the freefall adventures venue in FL, and want to do as much as I can at their two jersey locations, but its just SO far.....I live in Avon, CT in april-oct. I have heard some good things about CPI, but feel weird leaving the ones I started my training with!!! ~Dottie “Everything looks perfect from far away.” Postal Service, Such Great Heights