Baksteen

Do you WANT to downsize? I mean, if you feel comfortable under the 150 but are leery of the 135 why downsize? Demoing is the answer. Ask your rigger whether he has both sizes of canopy available and demo the 150 first. If you like it, stick with it. Also ask the rigger why he specifically reccommends the Nitron for you. What are his own experiences flying the canopy? How many jumps has he put on it? Just my noob advice

That is very true, Gia.. But keep in mind they are trying to show interest in something that you like to do - and to which they can't relate in any way whatsoever, lacking the correct frame of reference. Be patient and answer their questions as long they are genuine. The asshats - change the subject as quickly as possible, or bash them if you feel like it

My GF doesn't like the bourgois feeling about Valentine's day, nor the commercialism that surrounds it. So to be on the safe side, I'm treating her to a nice home-cooked dinner by candle light...the day before.

My co-worker Anne: Not funny so much as sweet

But you're not certain? "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

No. Whenever I see a (group of) buskers I think, "ah, no..not again!" I hunch my shoulders, get irritated and prepare to rush by as quickly as possible. I refuse to make eye contact because of what your average busker DOES to a perfectly fine piece of music. I'd be expecting yet another clueless person (I refuse to use the term musician) playing recognisable sequences of notes (in the best case almost but never exactly quite as the composer originally intended) on a cheap, badly tuned, poorly maintained piece of crap of an instrument. This goes doubly for the violin, I'm just not a big fan of the violin when it's solo. Additionally, the violin is hard to play and even in the best of circumstances hard to play well. My opinion might change if a busker is exceptionally good. This has happened exactly once. I groaned as this guy with a guitar came walking into the metro. Usually buskers play exactly long enough for their kid to make a round with a paper cup and then immediately and abruptly stop playing before heading to the next car. This guy however got into the car, played a few pieces, sang or played the harmonica all the while accompanying himself on his guitar, with his eyes closed and with a big grin on his face he leaned slightly backwards into the music, moving in place on the rythm of the music. My irritated frown slowly relaxed and I smiled and sat back to listen - this guy was not only a musician, as proven by the fact that he actually kept playing past several stops completely ignoring those who entered or exited the metro in the mean time - he was actually good! Only after perhaps five or so songs did he finish and only then did he make a round with a paper cup. I only gave him two euros, but it was the first time I gave a busker money since I was a kid. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

I voted "it depends" as the best answer, but I currently don't have one. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

..and skiing. Seeing the trauma helicopter land not fifty meters in front of me this vacation got me thinking. Several aquaintences of mine have told me that they "didn't like" skiing/snowboarding, "it just wasn't their thing". It turned out that none of these people had taken actual lessons, all of them had this friend who was a good skier/snowboarder and who would oh, I don't know, take them down the slope. Even worse are the people who simply start experimenting all by themselves without any prior experience at all. These people simply strap on skis or usually a snowboard (and usually such people are English, German or Dutch) go to the top of the slope and "go back to the valley". It has little to do with the sport they hallucinate they are performing. Skiing and snowboarding. "Everyone" does it. Everyone knows it's fun. You see it on TV a lot. It looks easy, what's the worst that can happen? If you fall you'd fall in snow. Snow is soft, right? So people apres-ski until the small hours, eat breakfast (optional) and get back on the skis. Ten, eleven o clock they decide that a hair of the dog is the best hangover cure and they stop at a conveniently situated restaurant halfway down a random slope to have a few beers, or strong liquor even. After a few more slopes they decide to have a few more to bolster their courage before trying the black piste. Remember, we're talking about drinking at altitudes where skydivers would normally yell "door" - Making curves/turns goes automatically at some point, it's the straight lines that are challenging. Four o clock the restaurants high up close and everyone goes back to the valley all at once, zipping and zooming left, right past each other. Now consider what you're actually doing. You're strapping one or two planks to your feet and proceed to descend a mountain. Speeds of 50 KPH are easily achieved even by beginners. The fact that "everyone does it" doesn't make skiing and snowboarding any less an extreme sport...Sometimes it is just like a melee on the slopes. You can trust no one who's out there with you. The yellow helicopter is seen/heard so often that you don't even pause to look anymore if it's flying by. It's a miracle that you don't see or hear the trauma helicopter even more often. I did take lessons when i started out. Next season I'm taking some more to learn advanced techniques. I don't drink alcohol when I still want to ski that day. Skiing is fun - too much fun to spend half the holidays in hospital, not enough fun to miss out on skydiving for the following five, six months. Just stating the facts as I see them. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

I am sooo sooo sorry for you In the words of my dear old dad as I was once diligently inspecting the the toilet bowl at close range: If you can't take it, don't drink it. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

See my ear to ear grin below: "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

I'm positive that if I look hard enough, i will find a box containing most if not all of my milk teeth somewhere at my parents place. Second, I nearly managed to kill myself on my A-licence checkout, almost colliding full speed with a fence. Throwing my legs out in front of me I just barely cleared the fence, having to start flaring while directly above it. I had a perfect tippety toe landing, but from the moment I started to plane out I heard the barbed wire ring and shake behind me. Further inspection revealed a bit of fabric from the jumpsuit I was wearing had caught one of the wire tips. I have pasted this bit of fabric onto my A-licence as a reminder never to get complacent again... "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

You missed "abuse" and "open a can of whoopass"

Fixed it for ya "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

the horse? Oh my god! You killed Horsey! Yew Bastard! "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

So is the one of Terry Sciavo.. No, if it were me and if there were no realistic chance of me recovering with my mind and/or body intact - put me out of my misery. Life as a quadriplegic.. I don't know. Without the coma I'd just ahve to cope, I guess.. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

hum it with me "....don't drink, don't cuss, what do you do...?" Take up bowling? For you aren't hanging out with skydivers anymore, that much is certain. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

"De Aanslag" (The Assault; pure Dutch glory) "Showgirls" (One critic said, the writer tried to sell the plot to several directors but was turned away. Verhoeven gambled - and lost. And waddaya mean Shindler's list? I loved that! "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

I have never gotten around to obtaining a driver's licence, but I could if I wanted to as I'm seizure free for the required period (I forgot how long that period is). Small vehicles only, as long as I take medication. For large vehicles the demands are five years seizure free without medication. The large vehicle demand stuck in my head since that is the same demand the Dutch Diving Association has adopted to clear one for scuba diving. A pilot's certificate I can't get for any vehicle including gliders as long as i take depakin since "mind influencing medication" (literally translated) are banned, no exceptions. For skydiving such regulations never have been written up. I can and have, but that is not the point of this thread. I know I can and am allowed to skydive and will continue to do so. As far as USPA is concerned the clearances i have obtained are even sufficient to let me skydive in the US, as an official was kind enough to inform me upon my request. What I sought to accomplish with this thread was a more general discussion, not an analysis of my specific case (see OP in this thread).

Most of that story (including my triggers) is found here You're right, flickering light, stress, sounds, disappointment, lack of oxygen, heat, cold, humidity - all of these can trigger seizures. But every epilepsy case is unique and none of the above are realistic risk factors for me. My epilepsy is not the main factor (though an important one) for my choice to jump an AAD. I just figure, if this device can significantly improve my chances for survival, why give Darwin a chance? The same goes for docile canopies and conservative WLs. No, the point of this thread is the following: If the Neurologist, the KNVvL, my home DZ-staff and (also quite important) myself all think I can skydive without additional risk, why would I (or, more accurately persons like me) need to keep advertising the fact that I/they have epilepsy, except for educational purposes? You don't expect someone who is virtually blind without their lenses to make a 'spectacle' out of themselves on every RW-jump by them proclaiming they can't see a thing without their lenses, do you? Where do your (the "normal" jumper) rights stop and mine begin? I might be a freak - but not as a result of my epilepsy. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

To keep the original thread in Disabilities from drifting I opted to crosspost it to here, as it's a safety issue that is addressed. ----- in reply to While I see your point I'd like to discuss this matter further. When exactly is such a choice necessary? Where is the line between safety issue and privacy? Of course, I have chosen to "out" my epilepsy on a public forum and those who are inquisitive enough should have no difficulty in determining my real name. But should I identify myself every single time I am about to jump with someone new as "Hi, I'm Dennis and I have epilepsy. I have been seizure free since 2002 but I still take medication for it, namely 1000 mg of depakin a day without which the epilepsy will eventually return. I took my meds this morning though, so do you want to jump with me?" This example is obviously taken to an absurd extreme, but do you get my point? It's a real pain in the backside to have to explain/educate people about epilepsy every single time, while in my personal case it isn't even any of their business as I'm convinced that whatever risk I might prove to other skydivers has got nothing to do with my epilepsy. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Looks like "Fabio" did his homework.. very convincing. It'd completely fool me, had I not been warned on here never to rely on Western Union for payment... "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Already did happen to me.. Around jump 60 while I still was jumping student gear manifest decided to move me forward one or more loads. So I got a three minute call while the plane was already landing and still had to find an overall, rig, altimeter, helmet and goggle, don the gear, find an instructor to pincheck me AND hobble the 200-300 meters to the take off point on an almost-healed ankle. In the stress I misrouted my cheststrap. Thank god for pin-checks and thank you for saving my life, JohanW.... "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Fixed it

We play in the same orchestra. She plays the tenor sax and I play the flute. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Ruh Roh.. Welcome back. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom