0
skyglider

Something's happening...

Recommended Posts

Quote

...don't think BASE is there yet.



I think it is clearly there. However, my perceptions are scewed. I'm very interested in BASE and therefore when I catch a glimpse of something pertaining to BASE I notice it.

I don't know if the rest of the masses do the same. It's clear the extreme sports following is rather large, but I'm not sure most people consider BASE a sport. The usual response I hear is "CRAZY". That's not always the best impression to leave an audience with from a marketing perspective.

Sometimes when I have friends over or go to my favorite pub for a beer I'll through in one of my skydiving/BASE videos and people are almost always enthralled. I was checking into a hotel yesterday and the bell hop saw my camera and asked if I had any footage. I pulled it out, turned it on, and the next thing I knew there were four people looking over my shoulder. So I believe the demand is there, but now the question is what to do with it; if anything.

There are people I see that I think are doing it wrong, ones that I think are doing it right, ones I think aren't doing anything, and ones I think don't want anything done. But what activities in your life do we not have these judgements about?

I'm not interested in making money from skydiving or BASE jumping. If someone asked me to jump off or out of something so they could get some footage for a commercial, and they would pay me to do it, I pretty sure I'd say yes. I don't run around with my latest video trying to get people to accept it or buy it, but that's just because I'm not interested in that, nothing more - nothing less. I also have no issues with people who are interested in that.

Some go a little overboard, but I'd bet that they go overboard with many things in their lives. It's just part of their personality. Who am I to judge them?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>>I have a huge poster of a BASE jump above the couches where tandem passengers fill out the waivers. <<

"Don't BASE jump at the Drop Zone . . ."

Another tried and true BASE saying going by the wayside?

NickD :)BASE 194

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Another fantasitic post Ian. I can not add anything to what you just said. My work here is done. B|

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote


This is not true. Not being a jumper would make it more likely that someone would have a skewed view of BASE. Their views would be more formed by what they saw on TV or in videos, and less by what's really going on in the BASE world.




I can vouch for that....Look at Kenyon in Continuum...he looks like a very good base jumper but whats up with the line twists at every object in Europe....Thats some scary stuff...:S

Not saying anything bad about Kenyon, He is awsome on film and inspires me to do what he is doing sometime in the near future...but thats my opinion..and i have never done a base jump so there you go skyglider...it s a outside opinion...;)


In the end...the universe has a way of working itself out.... "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I am quite disgusted at what I have read.

It appears that while I've been away enjoying the aftermath of my lobotomy that the BASE community has turned tail away from the renegade path of the bunch I once knew and loved and turned into a collection of 8th grade essay writers.

I hope I'm misreading the vibe and that the reason your half-assed attempts at reactive diatribe are so absolutely, utterly and, quite honestly, intolerably dull is because you are hopelessly, uncontrollably, completely and happily stoned on high grade smack.

I've recently had time to reflect on this, our (and that's a selective "our" I'm using. You know if you're not included. You know because you don't feel BASE. You don't feel it cus you ain't done it. You're full of shit and you know it. There's a word for you. It's troll. You lurk and catch the lingo and then, in between bouts of squeezing adolescent acne from above the line of your dark, almost pubic unibrow you find amusement in unloading mid-term quality intellectual assertions in the hope that the high-end laptop that your dismally inadequate parents bought you as a surrogate for a first sexual experience will bring you a step closer to genuine human interaction. Who knows...you may even meet a real chick on line and get to slap nasties some time before you lose sight of that pathetic attempt to grow a reproductive organ which, to this day you could swear looks like Billy Joel munching his way out of a ripe pumpkin. When you piss, you still get your pubes wet. Shouldn't it have cleared them by now? It's not like they're really long it's just that without looking at a picture of Rosey O'Donnell it seems to point more sideways than outwards!!!) sacred and hallowed art and it's exponents. My conclusion was a happy one. You're all nuts. It's that simple.

Now, imagine a world where that condition is considered virtuous. Oh sorry. I forgot. You already are. You think this is rad and hip and EXTREME and groovy and swell and fuck me...what is life like on your planet?

When everyone else thinks differently YOU are the freak. That's not a good thing. You need to be locked up before you hurt someone. I heard of a guy who once trod on a cactus and got it stuck on his shoe. It didn't hurt him but it stuck in and in a attempt to remove it he tried to kick it off and flipped it up into his face where it pierced his lower lip. The cactus was about 2 feet long so he ran around the desert like a bipedal pachyderm (that's a two footed elephant you ignorant cunt) wailing and pissing and whining and generally looking pretty odd. There's no moral behind that. It's just a cool story that I like to tell people.

Anyway...If you take a serious look at BASE jumpers (real BASE jumpers) they are not about jumping off things. Things can be jumped off of without a parachute and you can do it much closer to home than TF and Moab. They are about human experiences. They are the ones among the population that truely value the feeling that being really alive and conscious brings. They have figured out their smack / coke / MDMA / Rosey O'Donnell pictures and (other than smack / coke / Rosey going ass to ass with Oprah Winfrey) their values are extremely pure and well defined in their own minds. Perhaps not clearly articulated in words but felt internally with laser precision.

There has always been much bull around BASE. There always will be. High fatality rate activities will promote consumer items as well as athletes sporting reefer (remember poor Jeff Emig?). I know we like it. I know you'd like to like it (but you've never tried it. You want it like Gary Coleman would like to rub chicken fat into the buttocks of the Reverend Jessie Jackson while he systematically licks the residues of Renne Zelweger's tractions from Donald Trumps hair) I know it must seem cool. It just isn't. It's spiritual, personal and frankly kinda odd. It's just falling off stuff. It don't make any more sense than that.

Are you feelin' me? Of course not...you're a twat.

I know I replied to Tree's post but this isn't directed at him. I may be high and have had part of my brain removed to allow me to continue to function in this limited incarcerated society but I'm not so stupid to as to insult a man who is 11' 4" and has to deal with the pain of emasculation with each passing day.

In summary, this is getting boring. When the entertainment is gone there's nothing more than Bloggin going on here. Computer geekedness.
If you wanna learn then ask questions. Technical questions. Knowing how a market will react to this phenomenon will not stop your asshole exiting your cranium when you get it wrong. There's little pride when things get elemental.

Be a man. Wise up. 'Fess up or fuck off.

I will now log in as Tom Aiello and delete this post.
$kin.

Prizes to anyone who gets to read my posts before Mr Aiello's son, Tom deletes them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Skinflicka,

I've searched for a bit, but I completely miss the sarcasm, the bitterness and the joke that your usual posts contain. Please, just to humour us, write another post with a snappy one-liner. Otherwise some of us might begin to think you're occasionally making sense. ;)

And it scares the hell out of me...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Damn that was a good post Skin!!!



Just reading along and then oh gee, whats this load of crap asserted as if its true.
Quote


I think that the divide is this:

Those who see themselves as "professionals" feel that they have to make money in the sport, and so they have to commercialize it to whatever extent.

Those who make their money in other ways (the folks Jimmy refers to as "hobbyists") view BASE as a much larger, and potentially more spiritual, experience. To them, commercialization of any extent smacks of prostituting the experience for short term gain.

I think that each of these groups probably sees themselves as the "real" BASE jumpers, and the others as "not committed" enough, or some such.


No. What a ridiculous thing to say. BASE jumpers who make a living in the sport of BASE do so because they love it that much. There is no divide there.
If there is a divide, surely it is between people who think like that and those who dont.

And then once in a while you get someone who hasnt even BASE jumped posting his opinion in every thread about how things should be in BASE.

Sometimes you just wanna puke.
Have Fun, Don't Die!
Johnny Utah
My Website
email:[email protected]

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Now that is how you write an 8th grade essay.

:PMichael

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
My reality is very small, but this is where I was coming from as lame as it may be -
The only reason I started posting on this forum is truly because I miss my best friend who is no longer around to talk with about something that he was always so passionate about which in turn became a passion of mine through his enthusiasm, love, and dedication to the sport. Over the last three years my connection to the BASE world was through him and those people that he jumped with on a regular basis. His experience with BASE spanned a decade - lots of stories, lots of dreams, lots of losses, lots of lawsuits, lots of characters, lots of sites, lots of blood, lots of friends, lots of beer, lots of laughter, and lots of love. In my heart of hearts I didn’t want to say that I never BASE jumped because to me it made me feel even more disconnected. I know that the sport still has a big part of my heart even without him here to share it. I guess I wanted to connect with the BASE community – the people that we used to talk about – to get some laughs and learn new things and to find out anything new about BASE. I wanted to read about the latest and greatest in the BASE world. I can’t talk about a lot of things about BASE, but the things I did talk about I thought were okay to put out there. My level of experience begins and ends with ground crew. I’ve never done a BASE jump. I know that my experience with BASE is unlike all of yours. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I don’t understand the heart of a BASE jumper, because I did.

Ian and Tree, I apologize for the ridiculous ending of my last point. Of course anyone named Tree isn’t going to be short and as much crap as you guys give people you would likely have to have a lot of experience behind you.

All in all, I wasn’t trying to piss anyone off, I was just trying to say something close to - if live your dream and you put your heart, mind, and soul into something that you love – there will always be a reward – whether or not it’s finding peace at the exit point or finding a way to make a living – just so you find happiness doing what you love - to believe in big things because big things are possible.

Skinflica – I first stopped reading your post when you called me a troll – I went back and read more until you called me an ignorant cunt – and just now I did go back to it one last time to finish what you had to say. My reply to your post it that I would never want to be a man especially when guys can be as cruel as you. You could have stopped reading what I wrote after the first sentence.

Although fun at first, I can see how ignorant I was to reach out in the way that I did. I'm a bit tired and a bit embarassed, so goodnight.

To those of you that sent me kind PM's and replies - your words made this worth it. It reminded me like I was with old friends again.

This still holds true in what I wish for all of you….Stay safe and stay inspired.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Ah shit. Now you're making me feel bad.

None of that post was supposed to be focused on any individual. It was an attack at the caricature of the lurking troll.

Please don't take my posts (too) seriously unless I mean it (hee hee).

Skyglider, please accept my sincere apology as I grovel on bended-knee with genuine humility in front of my peers. The burdon of that post was not intended to be shouldered by you alone. The name-calling is de rigeur for my work but had I realized the deflating effect it would have on you I would certainly have refrained. Had I been smart enough to realize you were a lady before my drunken rantings took over I would certainly not have afforded my scribblings the opportunity to associate you or any other lady with the 'C' word ('cept O'Donnell).
I feel wretched. I deserve to be taken asside and have my nether regions fettled with a blunt instrument.

Sorry.
$kin.

Prizes to anyone who gets to read my posts before Mr Aiello's son, Tom deletes them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
skyglider,
Just so you know, my post was not directed at you at all. I read Skins post as being directed at the general state of affair around here lately.

Also, I had no problem with your original post.
Have Fun, Don't Die!
Johnny Utah
My Website
email:[email protected]

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
*** "I deserve to be taken asside and have my nether regions fettled with a blunt instrument. "

Which I will gladly help you with for the emasculation bit. >:( :S :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

*** "I deserve to be taken asside and have my nether regions fettled with a blunt instrument. "

Which I will gladly help you with for the emasculation bit. >:( :S :P



So you're going to reward him?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It's not because of a BASE tragedy that my best friend isn't here with me. To me it doesn’t change the fact that he’s not here. I wasn’t sure if it mattered, but I didn’t want anyone to misunderstand. I did not intend to bring up anything personal on this forum. I actually was pretty excited thinking about BASE jumping. It’s been on my mind a lot lately for some reason – probably the nice weather.

Thank you for all of your kind words. Thank you for sharing your perspective on what I was thinking about. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the variety of posts on this thread and seeing how many talented BASE jumpers responded. It was very interesting - every post shedding a new light. It helped pass some time too which is cool and I learned more about BASE.

Great falls and soft landings….and to all…a goodnight...


*edited for spelling*

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
For what it is worth, there are many Base jumpers that don't even come near the board....
Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Please know that I see the ignorance in my original post. I shouldn't have talked about the public exposure of a such a personal experience that you hold so dear to your heart, especially when exposure would take away what you love most about the sport. There are a lot of things out there that people don't know about and really don't need to know - secret societies and such - just because something's incredible and magical - it doesn't necessarily mean that the world should be included and if they were it would be a "good thing". I do understand that. At the time of my first post, I was planning my trip to So Cal this summer where I'll be staying with a girlfriend who lives at the ranch of a well known movie producer. Although he's mostly into underwater shots, I bet he'd love seeing some footage of BASE....dreaming again. :S I have yet to meet him.

It won't happen again. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
There's alot of love in this forum :ph34r:

The only thing worse than a cold toilet seat is a warm toilet seat.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Did you do a search for the key word: "love" and this popped up? /no pun intented/ ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Did you do a search for the key word: "love" and this popped up? /no pun intented/ ;)



No - just giving Skin some grief for showing that he may actually have a soft side

No-one does sarcasm like the BASE Zone

The only thing worse than a cold toilet seat is a warm toilet seat.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Did you do a search for the key word: "love" and this popped up? /no pun intented/ ;)



OK, so i'm in major "I don't wanna study, let's procrastinate mode"

The BASE Zone has 1.735% of all DZ.com posts but only 1.271% of all the references to "love". So, in an objective sense, there may not be that much "love" in the BASE Zone after all.

The only thing worse than a cold toilet seat is a warm toilet seat.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

No - just giving Skin some grief for showing
that he may actually have a soft side



Nope, not him. It was just a ploy to get a free whipping. ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
0