ILUVCHUTERS

Not so - you can be a long-term skydiver and not be totally obsessed with it. My husband and I both see this as a hobby. One we love, and one we hope to do for years to come, but it's still a hobby. There are other things to life, and balance is important. He's been at it over 20 years, me, 5.

YAY so glad you found your kitty!! It's heartbreaking when they go missing like that. She's beautiful, BTW

I was looking for that option too :) I did two before my first IAD and I do recerts every year with a couple of our tandem masters. They're great fun! I have gone with the instructor who did my first tandem every year since. Love it! It's like celebrating my "anniversary"

My first balloon jump I just climbed onto the basket, held hands with my husband, and fell backwards. The coolest feeling and visual ever!! Enjoy. Balloon jumps ROCK

Who gives a shit what people think? Seriously - getting yourself riled up because "whuffos" don't understand you - is a waste of energy. You don't want to come across that attitude? Stop talking about it to "whuffos". The only time I bring it up is when someone asks me a question, then I answer the question as best I can trying to be clear about answering their question without being condescending or "braggy". Jump more, bitch less

Yup, using safari. I tried that and no dice, but I just got a bluetooth keyboard, and it worked when i just entered my login info and then hit "enter" LOL thanks for the advice, though! It happens every so often on another forum i frequent, i use mercury or chrome for that one and for some reason it didn't occur to my pretty brain to try that with dz.com

Not directed at the OP, but to add to this thread: I can't access from my Ipad - it's logged me out for some reason, and when I try to log back in, the "log in" button is inactive - as in, I press it and nothing happens. So I can't log back in... So strange!

I have also had one of those. About 1,500 feet or so once I was under two parachutes. Thankfully, nice, stable bi-plane and I had just taught FJC that day, so was quite current in two-out procedures. Talk about going the extra mile for a teaching moment though...

That's what I was thinking, too!!

I can't wait to watch this video. I don't stow my slider (Pilot 168 very lightly loaded) but I've been thinking about it. This will give me a lot of good things to think about. Thank you,

Curious: for those who wear goggles, do you leave them on until you land? The post up-thread about getting sand in your eyes at 100ft. got me thinking - if I'm wearing a full face I open the visor under canopy, and if I'm wearing goggles I pull them down. Am I unusual in this?

I can email you the information on the Invasion and put you in touch with the organizer, too. PM me if you'd like.

Your writing style is very similar to your speaking style. I knew it was you the moment I read your post

SHH!! Why you gotta be tellin' my secrets?

You should recognize it - it's written in your log book enough times, and said Exalted and Revered Beagle has been petted by you on more than one occasion!! I thought I "recognized" you! Now I'm absolutely sure your coaches and instructors (well, at least this one) aren't disappointed in you

I'm pretty sure none of your coaches are disappointed in you. We all started at the beginning, and all have our own difficulties and challenges. You don't give up, and you keep trying, and that's something to be proud of. And I have a feeling you're probably not nearly as bad as you think you are. We are often our own worst critics. I do understand wanting to be safe, this isn't competitive knitting, after all Be kind to yourself. Tunnel and the Invasion will be invaluble tools in your progression. WRT tunnel, don't just go in alone, book an actual coach to go with you. Money well spent.

I'm really sorry for the loss of your furry friend.

I'm sorry. Please don't feel guilty. It sounds like you did everything you could for him his entire life, you loved him, and you never ever gave up on him. That's not something to feel guilty about. Dogs have a special way of working themselves into your hearts and lives. They leave us too soon, but the presence they create while they're here is irreplaceable.

Although my first jump was a tandem so this poll doesn't really apply to me, I wanted to answer anyway I do some of our TI's recurrency jumps with them every year, including my "first". It's a fun way to start the year, and I get a kick out of it. I voted boobies though. That's the right answer, isn't it?

This applies to almost every woman I know

I guess you have to decide whether it's worth it for you. It takes about 45 min- 1 hour to get to our DZ, and we're out there pretty much every weekend. Days off are "days at the DZ" for the most part, although we are trying to balance it out with other stuff :) Many of our jumpers come from further than that, I know of one who is there every weekend who drives 4-5 hours, and many who drive 3 hours one way. Up here in Canada, our season is quite short, too. We make up for it by going south in the winter when we can, or finding other fun ways to keep occupied during the cold winter months DZs are fewer and further between here as well, so many of us travel far to skydive. You and only you can make the decision as to whether it's worth it or not. Packing, etc. those will get faster in time, which will allow you to get more jumps in a day if that's what you want. And possibly you'll meet someone with whom you can carpool if you don't like the train, although it sounds like a sweet ride to me! You can get up earlier and just nap all the way there and you're there in no time! And use the downtime - rain, wind etc. to learn things you can only learn on the ground.

Congratulations, and happy Opening Weekend!! Major Dad and I will come for a visit as soon as we are able

The best thing this show is good for is the CSI Miami Drinking Game. If you google it, there's a few variations out there, I Like to take them and put them all together - warning: don't play this game if you need to be at all functional the next day - or two...

I'm such a dork I actually had to try that. Awesome!

That's really cute :) I got stuff for all our pets, toys for the cats and some catnip, and bones/cookies/stuffed toys for the dogs. It all goes in their stockings.