Snowbird

We could hear the satisfaction behind the words about your ex, Michele. hehehe A bit of revenge anyway. Congrats! It's altogether too cool! Now take a deep breath, breathe in, breathe out... Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Aaaaawwww! Look at that hair! What a sweetie! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Don't know about this. I jump at a small dz, and have met many of the regular jumpers. They know I'm new, but not that I'm still on student progression. I've been asked on loads and had coach jumps offered, and have to turn them down for now. When I show up just to hang, not jump (read broke) they urge me to manifest, and never seem to mind my endless questions or my snooping while they pack. No one is excluded or made to feel unwelcome during the day, or after the beer light is on. I've spent my life as an outsider, never one of the 'gang', and have developed a good nose for cliques. I tend to ignore them and do as I please with whomever I please, but I don't feel that happening at the dz. I really hope time doesn't prove me wrong. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Oh yeah, you have it right. I've already decided that I will not get drawn into that scene. I'm still new to the dz and legitimately don't have the scoop on the dirt, but I'm sure it will start soon. If I had any interest in dirt, backstabbing, and politics, I'd run for city council Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Your cup is always half full, isn't it? Having fun reading this thread. Happily, I can't add to the stories. YET! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow That will take awhile to heal. I crashed and burned on rollerblades two summers ago, got a bruise that big but not as bad, and it took almost two months to go away and not hurt when I sat down. owowowowowowowowowowow Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

My favourites are numerous and changing as I read new stuff. The most recent favourite is 'Prodigal Summer' by Barbara Kingsolver. Others are the Harry Potter series the Pern series by Anne McCaffery (except the last book, it sucked) Contact by Carl Sagan Where the Red Fern Grows everything by Margaret Atwood, Farley Mowat, Jean Auel, and Stephen Donaldson. I'll have to check out some of the others mentioned. Always looking for good reading material! (Although these days all I read are my PIM's) Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Ooohhh. AAAaaahhhh. I like #11 best. We didn't get fireworks this year. Cheap politicians. Thanks for the shots to help make up for it! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Seedy, get used to it! It comes back after every jump, even the not-so-pretty ones! After my first freefall last month (I'm doing IAD student progression, so it was only 3 seconds!) I grinned for three days straight! Why do I skydive? Because when I'm skydiving I feel more like me than anything else I've ever done has. No masks, no illusions, no acts, no preconceptions. Just me, and that is a freedom I've never felt before. And I hunger for the feeling of getting out of the plane. I've tasted this amazing intoxicating mix of danger and freedom and the pureness of living right now; I can't image living without feeling that again and again and again. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

and there it was! My CSPA membership came through! Yay! I'm #10045. Ironic, all my life I've hated the idea of being 'just another number' and now I'm thrilled to have this one. Sorry to make a fairly pointless post, I'm just too thrilled right now, had to pass it on...

Obsession begins Dreams turn to reality Let go, be reborn. Flying in the wind The sky sings a melody You have heard the song. Nylon stars float down Gently received, smiles echoed By friendly faces. ** Enough haiku must go to sleep! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Late at night at work Or sleeping in a bed Dream of skydiving! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

The haiku begins Idyll fingers, sharp wit To occupy time Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

You mean more hooked than I aleady am? I'm going to print out your post, stick it in my logbook. Thanks! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Damn good thing the jumping is so good, cause the brooding part sucks! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Steve, LMAO at those pics! We've had the railing off of our balcony for the last few days, repairing it, and I would've given anything for a huge cushion down below to practice my door dives! Even thought about borrowing a high jump bag from a school... So tempting! Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Whoohoo! We're at exactly the same point! I hadn't thought about doing something neat for my first solo jump. Hmmm What to do, what to do... not that there's a lot of options with such limited experience. I wonder how long before different/funky exits are allowed? Course, anything and everything will be awesome. Just being solo guarantees that it'll be great. No matter what, just 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

I'm doing house work. The jump plane just went over, teasing me with its drone. They are up there, having fun, me I'm at home with too much to do and not enough $ to jump right now and the sky is blue with puffy white clouds and I wanna go jump out of a plane! Seriously, I'm beginning to worry. Obsessed is one thing, but some days I feel positively bonkers. I'm beginning to resent everything that keeps me away from the dz and out of the sky. My only sanity is this place and studying my PIM's. Oh, and pilotdave's FTP site. I don't want to be patient, knowing that soon I'll have my own gear and I'll be jumping my ass off. I don't want to wait, I want it now! (/end pout) 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 just at the point of buying my first gear, a Falcon 175 that I'll load at .9, which from my reading here and elsewhere should suit me fine for a good while. BUT when asking around at the dz the advise I got ranged from getting a 200 to 150. 150! From a very experienced instructor. I just nodded and thought 'not a chance!' To give him the benefit of the doubt, he didn't ask what I weigh so he may have judged that too low. I have to admit, though, I did consider the fact that I might get bored quickly with a big canopy. But the more I read, the more I realise how much more there is to flying a canopy than just 'coming down', and I plan to learn to fly what I've got really well before worrying about downsizing. I'd rather be jumping something big until I'm 70, than jumping something small until I'm 32! (30 now...) So Lisa, rant on! As a student coming here for the community/information/support, rants like yours have given me tonnes of info to base my choices on. From a sales side, I understand the frustration. Some customers simply don't want to hear what you have to say. They've made up their minds, and close you out. I believe in karma - your choice to let them go elsewhere when you sincerely believe they are making a big mistake will pay off in the long run.

I love your FTP site! Everytime I need a skydiving boost (daily) I go there. My thanks also to everyone who has uploaded stuff. Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

Woohoo Indyz! I'm green with envy!

Oh yeah, did that! I did my first five IAD jumps last fall, then waited six months through the winter before returning. I was buzzed and excited and so nervous that my stomach felt like lead. Actually, my entire body went into full blown rebellion. I went down on Friday to set everything up, and just hung around to recapture that dropzone feeling. On Saturday I asked for my favourite jumpmaster, who gave me the most confidence. All the senior jumpers were very supportive and I just let myself be carried along on their determination and energy. I remember that when we turned onto jumprun, I told my jm, 'If I don't go on my own, push me! I want this!' He just laughed and made me breath. And the jump was awesome, just like I remembered it, and now I'm utterly obsessed! From all the stories I've heard from senior jumpers, it's totally normal to have these nerves and anxiety. Here's a thought; do you know anyone well enough at your dz to e-mail or call them? While you're at home and feeling determined, call them and tell them exactly what you said here, and ask them to kick your butt if you don't manifest! Add beer as an incentive if necessary

Damn! I'm quickly discovering that those are the moments/'little incidents' I want to live for!

Meunkel, I actually meant 'sate', not satiate. I just like to say satiate, but the meaning is a little off for what I meant.

Thank you Steve! I can't read enough jump stories to satiate myself. Very well written. Hope you got 100%