JerseyShawn

My favorite: When life gives you lemons make lemonade, then take that lemonade and spit it back into the face of the person who gave you the lemons until they give you the oranges you asked for in the first place. -Phil Hartman

Dr. Jack Kervorkian dies at the age of 83. http://news.discovery.com/human/jack-kevorkian-assisted-suicide-110603.html#mkcpgn=fbid1 Hats off to Jack for sticking up and fighting for what he believes(d) in. A man way ahead of his time. Hopefully if I one day have a terminal disease, I can be laid to rest, free from pain in a respectful, painless manner. Of the environment I choose to be set free in, for me outside in the wilderness smelling the trees, watching the clouds go by and listening to the song birds surrounded by my loved ones. No one around for miles. Instead of putting a bullet in my head and disrespecting my body to end the pain. Would you let a doctor assist you to your death? Or do you find it immoral?

QuoteI'm not a current I, but if I'm out there I'd be happy to stand in the landing area and talk about what's going on with youQuote This is why I love this sport. Complete strangers that will help you learn and look out for you. Thanks for the offer! I shouldn't be too hard to find, tall, red hair. Red facial hair to match. Ill be more of a regular face there come August, after my side projects aside from regular work are done. My girlfriend supports me camping there for two weekends a month (easier on my gas tank). Can't wait to jump and learn more than my average 4 jumps a month or less. I should have all the parts of my rig ready for Keith to put together by then too. No more rentals=more jumps

Thanks, even though I feel like a rat. Never told on anyone my whole life. Its for the best though. Maybe my friend will realize he owes me a beer one day, when I tell him I got some people to look after him at the time.

Whats the limit you deem safe between a steady wind and the gusts for newer jumpers? For instance tomorrow its 7mph winds with 14mph gusts. 7mph difference. If the two numbers are closer, within 3-4 Ill head up to the DZ. 7mph enough to collapse a canopy? Whats your personal limits too?

You keep stressing anxiety (which is normal). Ive had bad anxiety problems since a kid. Im super hyper most of the time, mind races from the second I wake up, then the panic attack. I can't sit still ever, even when I sleep I toss and turn, wake up screaming/yelling/punching (I sleep on the couch, my girl sleeps in the bed). I know how you feel with the anxiety, it can consume you. Exercise is key for a remedy. Try exercising a bit before you jump (30 minutes after exercise your body releases endorphines which have a calming effect), and drink plenty of water. I found in my life when I exercise my anxiety levels are way lower, and Im actually able to relax afterwards. Sometimes before I get to my DZ I go for a jog, it helps me not to get too worked up. Even in between jumps I find I have to calm myself sometimes and Ill do some push ups in the parking lot, expelling the energy. Just an idea. Try a mini jog for 15 minutes and see how you feel a half hour later, Ill bet a bit relaxed. Too much energy fuels anxiety. So does caffeine and sugar, eliminate those the day of your jump. That's my story and Im sticking with it.

One thing that helped me through the anxiety of AFF was to jump during the week verses the weekend. I hated the feeling of how busy everything was during the weekends, packed planes is what got my anxiety up (which I used to hate, now I like resting on someone). I just found it easier to focus when it wasn't so busy. Plus some days we got to go over the dive numerous times waiting for enough people to get the plane up, and time to bullshit. My best AFF was on the c182, just my instructor and I when there were no other jumpers to take the PAC up. Good luck, glad you're hanging in there!

Thanks for the clarification billvon. So, the conversation went well. The DZO calls bullshit on the 22 mph winds. He said it was no more than 8-10 mph tops that day. He knows my friend and watched his landing across the road and powerlines, just cleared them He said his pattern was set up wrong from the start. My friend didn't tell me that he got a talk from the DZO about it. The DZO is putting him back on radio because its the second time he's landed out. Props for that. The DZO didn't know about his canopy choices, so he said he will personally hand him the appropriate size student rig when he jumps again. Manifest has his name and aware to seek the DZO so he can have a safety talk with him before he jumps. School him on proper tracking, downsizing, and NOT trying to freefly yet and the dangers of trying it when others on the load don't know that you're free flying. He's going to contact other DZs in the area in case he tries to jump there. In all he said they'll pay extra attention to my friend and steer him right. The DZO was really appreciative of me calling and thanked me for trying to make things right for everyone. If my friend still pulls reckless behavior, his name will be posted. And hell know that the next phone call. I wont stand for actions that jepordize saftey in anything I do. Fun follows safety first. That's why I posted about my friend, embarrassing as it is.

Wasn't asking anyone else to solve the situation. Just asking advise what I can do. Via the suggestions, hence the phone call i made yesterday to the DZ. Sorry I have other things going on in life besides DZ.com to post the status of my actions. Again, sorry. The DZO left a message with his cell number. Ill call him back during lunch and post how he handles it.

Thanks, its a good read. Maybe that will show him its respected to do the right thing. Ill show him some of the canopy threads also. Maybe he'll see Im not just being a hard ass on him. Thanks.

I have no intentions of posting or PMing anyone where my friend jumps, not what the post was about. The DZO isn't the problem. My friend is the problem. My friend got to jump in the 22mph winds because he made a point not telling anyone his jump numbers or skill level. So he basically snuck on the jump like an asshole instead of grounding himself. Just like people that pencil in their reserve repack date, some are devious and get away with it. I was just asking how I can get through to him not to be an idiot about his decisions. Im just worried about his shitty decisions, that's all.

Situation: I have a friend who jumps in a neighboring state, sub 15 jumps mind you. I talked to him today, he got a jump in. He jumped in 22 mph winds and said no one stopped him from jumping in those winds (I know too high of winds for a newer jumper). A couple of his landings were off the DZ (and the 22mph jump, where he just made it across the road), so his pattern with correlation of wind conditions were not accounted for. His last jump he was on a 210 (his only jump on a 210), today he jumped a 190. Next jump he's talking about jumping a 170. He's 175 lbs plus gear. The last two jumps he tried a head down and a sit position, both didn't work out for him being he had no instruction and shouldn't be trying that shit for a long time. I asked what the fuck are doing dude? He "thinks" he knows. I tried explaining to him that you'll land in different conditions under canopy just about every jump. And that you should land into the wind, downwind, crosswind, half brake pattern landings, rear riser landing, ect. before you should downsize and ASK an instructor if he/she thinks you're ready. He thinks he can regulate and discipline himself, obviously not. And him trying head down and sits is really worrying me too. He likes tracking but doesn't even know to track 90 degrees to the jump run, I had to explain why you have to. Looking for the spot under canopy during final, the spot that doesn't move where you'll land, he didn't even know about. So since AFF he has sought no instruction of how things work. I understand staying in the sport I will meet a lot of great people and lose some at the same time, I expect it. How do I keep my friend out of the incidence thread when talking to him wont curb his behavior? At the rate he's going I have an aweful feeling he's going to be the first I know to go in. Sucks, I feel powerless when my harsh words with him do nothing. I explained that you aren't paying people to baby sit you, its up to you to you to keep yourself and others safe by regulating yourself and staying within your skill level. And that grounding yourself due to weather conditions is a skill that goes with the sport. I may not know that much myself about skydiving, but I know my skill limits and how to properly obtain new ones. Just wish others wernt so ignorant.

You should of trailed him and taken plaster casts of his footprints. Until then, I don't believe this encounter with a Shah in his natural habitat really occurred. How about some stool samples?

The dumbest thing you did was the nicest thing I've seen you post about a women, putting her ahead of yourself.

Remember I had a thread regarding attempting to escape from my condo...now you know why. I sadly live in what call old lady land. The place started off as a retirement community until they could not sell all the units at which point they opened up to the general public. A great place if you are retired, married or married with kids. The worst place to be if you are single and not turned on by older ladies or other. I would give half of my blood to get out of here or engineering but according to my accountant I am stuck, I will be serving 5-10 years in this horrible place due to old ladies dying and their kids selling the property below the market rate. Thus the depression and the stress....... Shawn *yawns* The old people didn't choose you to live there, you chose to live there. Yawn, yawn.

You jump at Davis? Supposed to be 5 mph breeze on Saturday. I'll be continuing to enjoy pain meds as I strive to keep my leg elevated. Might get to go for a picnic on Monday. I know, you're jealous. My life FTW. Ya, Davis. I usually use accuweather as Krisanne posted. For the most part the day of forecast winds are usually right, from what I find so far. Hope you get out to that picnic, and your leg feels better

Since its going to be too windy to jump Im going to ride my mountain bike to Santa Cruz from San Francisco and battle the wind on my bike along the coast. Camp the beach overnight. Should be relaxing. Im going to the Felton Remembers Parade and Covered Bridge Festival while Im there. Buy a few beers for our service boys and girls, shake some hands and such. What are you peeps doing with your bad ass selves for this long weekend?

Shah, its called chivalery when someone does nice for a lady. Try it, your "your lower than me" attitude towards women will get you nowhere, obviously you know this by now....... To the OP, What's 17 inches long and blue all over? Crib death. I know, not that funny.

+1 on the yogurt. Im pale and pasty. Sun is my enemy.

If you like climbing you can still get your freefall on, sort of. Go rapping aussie style. Tie in to the back of your harness (harness with d-ring in the back). Harness, figure 8, static line/rope, gloves, and a good equalized anchor, your good to go. You stop by putting your line between your legs. Just get some good instruction, proper anchoring techniques before you throw youself off a cliff. There's no prusik knot like rappelling ass first. You let go of the rope, you fall. Really fucks with the life span of your $600 rope too. Have fun climbing, the sky will wait for you. http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=QvG-QZ1SOO4

Being new to skydiving I think it would be worth holding monthly canopy courses for new students to learn as soon as possible what their wings can/cant do. Canopy flight seems to be not touched upon that much during training, and is statistically more dangerous than freefall. For me, Im really eager for the up coming course at my DZ, but that's not until August Having some training earlier than later would make me a safer flyer for myself and others. Edit: Big name or not, more canopy courses.

I met a 59 year old guy a few months back at the local skate park. He could thrash the cement pool better than I could and better than most other locals. Mad respect. You're as old as you let yourself be. Doesn't matter what age you are doing anything, just as long YOU are having fun doing it.

I always listen to old school feel good skate punk on the way to and fro the DZ. Puts me in good spirits and it makes me feel like a kid again. Shit like: http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=423yERMFcrE http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=2L2ICZmBReU http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=5HtUnubXAO4

Landing yourself isn't bad your first time. I stood it up and walked out of it, because Im awesome. Most students I watch land do just as well too their first time, because they're awesome. Some fall, you may or may not. Learn to PLF from your instructors. I was nervous about my pattern to land in the proper area, it went fine. My instructor asked me to swing my legs on radio just so he knew I could here him while under canopy. They'll let you know when to turn if you get into a bad spot and tell you when to flare. Always look around every way you can under canopy to see where others are flying their canopy, steer clear of them. Even yell to others close by so they see you. Have fun being awesome!