Snowbird

(((HUGS))) I know that feeling well. February 11 2000. I miss him all the time, and sometimes I think I see him but its always someone wearing the same kind of shirt, or with a ball-cap tilted the same way his always was, or the same walk. I often wonder what he'd think of me skydiving. I still bawl when something reminds me of him too much, but as my 4-year-old niece said, 'Crying is good!' Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

I had my cards read this last July, a few months after I started jumping. She knew nothing about me, we'd never met. She puts 2 cards on the table and the first thing she tells me is, 'You've recently discovered a taste for danger, and it's getting stronger.' A few minutes and 3 cards later she stops abruptly, looks up at me, and says, 'Does your husband know you don't want children?' A month earlier, we'd made the decision to not have kids. That sort of set the pace. I was stunned by the entire thing. She kept calling me 'sweetie', but when the topic turned to my father, who had died a year earlier, she suddenly started calling me 'kid', which was my dad's pet name for me. She also told me that 'my element' is air

Sweeet shot. One day I will get up north to see that myself. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Very cool! Rainbow canopies are so purty

You might have seen this before, but your post made me think of it. Good luck! How to give your cat a pill. 1) Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow. 2) Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process. 3) Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. 4) Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right fore-finger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten. 5) Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden. 6) Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously. 7) Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later. 8) Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw. 9) Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap. 10) Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band. 11) Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus jab. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom. 12) Ring fire brigade to retrieve the f------ cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap. 13) Tie the little bastard's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down. 14) Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table. 15) Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters. How To Give A Dog A Pill: 1) Wrap it in bacon!! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Not my old, secure but extremely ugly Samsonite! I was told recently that Canadian airlines are prohibiting cypress in carry-on. Anyone able to confirm that? Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

I'm actually really interested in hearing some suggestions. I'm too new to the sport to know many life-stories. Anyone? Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Yeah, mine's a lot like that. Lots of extended family that I don't see often, but still keep in touch with. Especially the aunts and uncles, and cousins close to my age. In my immediate family, the only one I rarely talk with is my older brother. Sadly, we have nothing in common - opposing interests, actually - and don't communicate well. I'd like to change that, but how? I used to feel really bad about it, until I realised that he makes no effort to stay close. I go to visit/call up my mom/sister/brother, but he never makes the return effort. I do miss him; we had a great sibling relationship when I was little. I admire people who do have close knit families. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

So, if they were to make a movie about a real life skydiver or skydiving team, who should it be about, and why? *Think feature film, not biography or documentary. *Someone with a truly remarkable story that would hold an audience of skydivers AND whuffos. *Not only the very best athletes have good stories. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Beautiful. Hardly a cloud in the sky. As warm as it can get for mid November. And I can't jump cause I start my new winter job today. I will bear with it only because this is a temporary job, to help pay for Arizona! Gee, that word puts a smile on my face...say it again, say it again...Arizona! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Our post offices aren't involved. We'd have to courier our applications to the nearest office, and must send our birth certificates with the application. Other ID can be copies, but birth certificates MUST be originals. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

White russians, the perfect winter drink.

Thanks for the input. We're flying Alaskan, and their policy seems to be birth certificate and picture ID are enough. Seems that getting passports isn't an option, though. It will take 3 months to process a passport application. We're leaving in 2, and Christmas is in the middle. And if we send in our application and it doesn't get processed in time, we won't even have our birth certificates. Seems we'll take our chances. I'm gonna be a nervous wreck. Thank goodness for cancellation insurance! positive thoughts... we will make it to Eloy, we will make it to Eloy! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Is this the one you meant? I've printed it out, to add to my information binder. http://www.skydiveaz.com/resource.htm Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

A question for other canucks, specifically for those who travel to the US often. I'm planning on going to Eloy for the Invasion in January, and it was just brought to my attention that 'they' are getting very sticky about Canadians crossing the border without a passport. I haven't been to the US in years, and a birth certificate/marriage license was more than enough then. I don't have a passport and it could take up to 3 months to get one. The Invasion is in 2. So the question... what are the experiences with passing customs without a passport? Am I asking for trouble? I don't want to miss Eloy, but I'm worried about committing the money and then not being allowed into the US because I don't have a passport. And yes, I've tried calling the passport office. It is staffed by machines. No wonder they are 80,000 applications behind. Does anyone know where to find real, reliable information? Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

'I'm not running I'm not hiding I'm not reaching I'm just resting in the arms of the great wide open Gonna pull my soul in And I'm almost home.' Mary Chapin Carpenter, Almost Home or 'You know the dream is like a river Ever changing as it flows And the dreamer's just a vessel That must follow where it goes... And I will sail my vessel Til the river runs dry Like a bird upon the wind These waters are my sky I'll never reach my destination If I never try so I will sail my vessel Til the river runs dry.' Garth Brooks, The River Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

58. Two days ago! It was great fun to be at another dz, see how they do things, meet new people. Good learning experience, too. Having to land in a new place made me recognise some bad habits I had already formed, and can now fix before they get too ingrained. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Random thoughts about this... *When I first started jumping this spring, being offered a drink was part of the social acceptance of the group. To me it didn't mean, 'Stay and get drunk,' it meant, 'You're welcome to stay and hang out.' Sometimes I accepted, sometimes not. I don't drink much. Regardless, I never got flack. *I've also been offered pot, and my firm but polite, 'No I don't smoke' is all it takes. *If I want to stay after the beer light is on, but don't want to drink, I bring along something different but non-alcoholic to drink or munch on. It serves the same end as a beer, by setting the tone for unwinding and relaxing. *If someone gets very pushy, I respond by confronting them with the unwelcome pressure they're applying. 'Are you trying to pressure me into drinking/smoking when I've made it clear I'm not interested?' or 'Are you trying to make me feel guilty for not doing what you want me to?' I haven't had to use that at the dropzone, but I had some friends awhile back who kept 'encouraging' me to smoke pot. After I confronted them, they stopped, and all was well. *Offer no apologies for your choices. If they think you might be persuaded, they'll keep trying. Be firm and unapologetic. It's really none of their business. *Stick around, and have fun! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Unconventional Considerate Shy but learning to speak my mind Creative Stubborn Somethings most people don't know about me... -I like to fill out consumer polls, so I can mess with statistics. I never fit the normal profiles. -I hate coffee and beer. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Did that yesterday. The local dz closed 3 weeks ago. I needed air so bad, I just had to drive to the nearest open dz. Great weather, too. Y'know, I used to like winter. Snow, snow, snow! Now, I either need to learn to ski, or go south for awhile. Oh yeah, I am going south for awhile! Arizona! Woohoo! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

4:3:2 4 couples that looked through our house this weedend. Surely one of them wants to buy it! Please! 3 wonderful jumps. The local dz is closed so I drove to Kamloops (beer #1 owed for first visit to another dropzone) The day was gorgeous! Did one solo, and two real two-way, non training coach jumps.(beer #2) Actually turned 5 points. Good excercise in proximity control. Also learned that it's one thing to have accurate landings at ones home dz. Quite another at a new place. Thank goodness for large landing areas. Now I feel like the season is over. I'm at a nice even 60 jumps, a nice even 23 minutes of freefall, and today I'm buying tickets to Arizona for the Invasion. I'm a happy camper. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

His profile says Chicago. I went with that. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Thank you kallend. You just restored my ebbing respect for Americans. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

You forgot the j/k behind that question. Yeah, that's what happened. You're not serious. No way. You'd never make that statement on an international site, unless you were joking. We respect your Veterans, you respect ours, like my grandpa. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

I'm saving myself for 'mr. right'