craichead

The people at my DZ have a problem with my hardcore sex acts after hours... They say my screams are way too loud, and I'm constantly reminded that tents aren't soundproof. But AndyMan and I haven't been kicked off the DZ, yet, and we'll probably continue our hardcore sex acts in a trailer instead of a tent next year. _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Don't worry...I'm sure Bravo will repeat the episode a million times over the next week! BTW, who were the other tandem masters? Spill! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Just saw the skydiving segment on the show... So who WERE the lucky tandem masters who took those hunky underwear boys for their skydives?! Oh well, all in all, great exposure for Perris! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Yay! Adam is officially edjoomuhkayted! Although, since you're in Canada, it doesn't really count. _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Ugh...well, I guess I could wear Andy's monkey hat, which can be seen here: http://www.monkeygoods.com/product_info.php/products_id/202 I don't think the fruit basket is a good idea...I wouldn't want to injure myself before my shoulder surgery! Andy could probably pull off the "fruit basket hat" thing since he has a Flat Top Pro and already has great neck muscles developed from camera flying! Too bad he doesn't work at CHS. _Pm P.S. - Yah, Andy said that you ran up to him, gave him a big hug, and said, "Hi Andy!" Then Kennedy followed suit...I'm jealous. __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Uh oh...so what's the "funnest" thing on the agenda? _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

I never really understood how companies come up with "Customer Service Week" themes. The best (or worst?) one that I've seen is from my ex-BF's company: The theme was "C.R.A.P.S.", as in the game. It stood for Customers Really Appreciate Prompt Service. There were paper cutouts shaped and decorated like dice stapled to the bulletin boards, and each person was encouraged to write their name and department on the dice. Sheesh... _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

I work at a certain non-profit museum in Chicago, and this announcement has been posted all over the hallways for the past week. It really reminds me of the scene in Office Space where Bill Lumbergh announces Hawaiian Shirt Day: "Oh, and remember, next Friday is Hawaiian shirt day. So, you know, if you want to go ahead and wear a Hawaiian shirt and jeans..." Post your real-life "Office Space" experience! _Pm Favorite Hat Day Have a favorite hat but never have the chance to wear it? – We have the solution! Is your favorite hat out of straw and it’s past Labor Day? – We have the solution! Want to show your colleagues that there is another side of you? – We have the solution! Been down in the dumps about the changes going on around you? – We have the solution! Can’t wait until Halloween to dress up? – We have the solution! PARTICIPATE IN THE ALL STAFF WEAR YOUR FAVORITE HAT DAY ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2004 ALL DAY There is nothing like a fine hat to put a smile on your face. __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Hey Spud! My dropzone has an annual "boogie" fundraiser in June--Skydiving for MS. There's a registration fee of $20, which includes a t-shirt and dinner on Saturday night. They've raised tons of money by getting local businesses to donate prizes for a raffle. Prizes include gift certificates to restaurants, stores, jump packages, deals on gear (containers, canopies, etc.). One year we auctioned off our DZO--he had to jump a ParaCommander. That was priceless. Here is the event on Chicagoland Skydiving's calendar: http://skydivecsc.com/csc/calendar_detail.asp?n_calid=114 And here is a write up on the Multiple Sclerosis Society web site: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/ILD/event/event_detail.asp?e=456 I'd recommend contacting Dave Perez (the guy who organizes the event every year) to get some ideas. His email is listed in the above article. _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/printedition/chi-0410100012oct10,1,3621743.story Swooping in on a sport that's risky business A form of skydiving provides supercharged thrills but entails certain unenviable situations that can charitably be referred to as . . . chows By Dave Strege Orange County Register October 10, 2004 PERRIS, Calif. -- A chow is something skydivers want to avoid. Yet in the newest discipline of skydiving called swooping, chows are unavoidable. Inevitably, some participants eat it. "That's one of the sales pitches to sponsors," said Jon DeVore, 29, of Lake Forest, Calif. "High speed, high action and you're guaranteed carnage. Every competition." The reason? Skydivers reach speeds of up to 70 m.p.h. as they swoop down on a pond like a dive bomber and level out just before impact. When their timing is off, swoops become oops. Swooping is gaining worldwide popularity among skydiving enthusiasts, and for the first time it will be a part of the National Skydiving Championships of the U.S. Parachute Association. The 2 1/2-week event began last week, and the Canopy Piloting Competition--the official name for swooping--began Friday and will end Tuesday. The swooping events figure to draw the biggest crowds. Other skydiving disciplines fall short in drawing spectators because all the action is in the air out of view. Swooping, on the other hand, is "in your face," says Christopher Irwin, 32, of Huntington Beach, Calif. "It actually brings the adrenaline of skydiving down to the ground level where the spectator can watch it," meet director Scott Smith said. DeVore and Irwin have been swooping since the origin of the sport in the mid-1990s. The first event was on the ski slopes of Snowbird, Utah. Skydivers jumped from helicopters and negotiated down a slalom course through a series of tall gates. Similar events continue to be held, but the sport evolved into having courses on the ground. The Pro Swooping Tour and the Red Bull Wings Tour, held at various sites across the U.S., are ground-based. Using specially designed canopies built for speed and control, skydivers drop in on a pond and level off incredibly fast. They attempt to break the plane of the entry gate at the same time they accelerate so they can make it through all the gates, sometimes while dragging a foot in the water. The entry gate is 10 feet wide but only 5 feet high, and it sits in the middle of a 200-foot-square pond. With such a slim margin for error, no wonder chows are common. Competition is in three events: - A speed event, timed from one gate to another. - A distance event, in which you fly as far as you can once you break the plane of the first gate. - A zone accuracy event, skimming a foot across the water through as many gates as possible and stopping in a designated zone on land. All three start at the entry gate in the pond and finish on land. "It'll save your life," DeVore said of the pond. "We're coming in going about 60 or 70 m.p.h. It's like falling out of a super-fast boat. Would you rather hit ground or skip across water? "You can see how it takes out people that don't know what they're doing." You can also see the sport's potential in the action-sports field. DeVore said he hopes swooping keeps catching on so he and others can become professionals and make a living from it as skateboarders and motocross riders do. It certainly seems like a natural for ESPN and the X Games. Sky surfing--routines performed by a skydiver strapped to a snowboard and videotaped by another skydiver--was once a part of the X Games but was dropped because it lacked audience appeal. Swooping has no such problem. "Everybody likes to go to a good demolition derby," said Irwin, who likened the majority of swooping spectators to those who enjoy car racing for the accidents. "Not to get hurt, but to definitely go into the water a little bit," he added. About 100 will compete in swooping at nationals, and DeVore figures every fifth person is going to chow. "That's the example of the couple-thousand-jump wonders coming to compete but don't quite have it dialed in," he said. The top competitors have jumped 5,000 to 10,000 times. Any less experience and chances are they might end up in the chow line. Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Ahhh, yes...here we go: This is a picture on the old "Right Brain Creations" website: http://www.rightbraincreations.com/0102/examples/hobby/Skydivers.html And someone also suggested this company, but it seems that they're not accepting custom orders: http://www.skydivecreatures.com/ Many other good suggestions can be found in this thread: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=310093#310093 Congratulations and Best Wishes! Marriage rocks! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

This web site (I think this is the right one...the DZ.com search isn't working) used to have a picture of a custom made "skydivers" wedding cake topper. Both the bride and groom had rigs on over their wedding clothes (or were they jumpsuits...?). As I recall, they're pretty expensive, but they look great! http://www.rightbraincreations.com/ _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Exactly. There's a good reason why they've filled the former "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" slot with this show! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

One of my friends has a great term for the fluidity of sexuality: "flexosexual" Thanks for sharing your story.

Yah, haunted with drunk college kids from DePaul! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

I was wondering the same thing...it looks like they're having a happy little tea party up in the sky! Ditto! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Heyyyy...you're hard to invite out for dinner/drinks with the hours you keep! Us old married folks go to bed early! What nights are you free again? _Pm P.S. - Who's Pyria? __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

I dunno, it looks legit to me, considering how he's selling a bunch of other skydiving gear with it (he couldn't have ripped all of it off). Most importantly, he lists the serial numbers of the container, main and reserve--that's not something you'd want to do if you've stolen the gear. _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

LOL! Okay okay...it's a deal. We'll pay...for our dinner and drinks. And you can pay for yours. _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Yeah, on free pizza night at that bar...where was that again?! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Nooo! Do dinner so that AndyMan and I can join in on the fun! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

In the middle of all of that reported lavishness...I love this line: "Woods, who is a follower of Buddhism, had asked for a simple ceremony." Bwahahahaha! That's great. I'm from a Thai Buddhist family, too, and I think Tiger's wedding hardly qualifies as "simple." But I suppose he said that he wanted a simple ceremony, so that meant that the reception could be a huge blowout! _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Oh...in person. Hm, dunno about that besides my DZ's gear store. However, I've heard a really good place to get them online is http://www.metalsunglasses.com/. _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

There is a similar thread here. These threads make me wonder if I should unpack my main and store it unpacked over the winter. My rig has been packed and stored in a locker for 7 months; the main is a (nearly) brand new Sabre2, no jumps. Shoulder injuries suck. _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

Oh...I'll just post the same reply that I posted in this thread: "craic" is the Irish word for fun and good times. It's pronounced "crack." One of my friends used to call me a "crackhead" because I was so weird and fun. Since I'm not weird and fun because I take crack (or any other drug besides booze), I changed it to "craic"head! And no, I'm not Irish. Not anywhere near it, in fact. I'm Thai American--both of my parents are Thai, they came to the US in 1968. I was born in Kansas, raised in Tennessee, I live in Chicago, and I'm married to a Canadian! How messed up is that? _Pm __ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)