JaapSuter 0 #1 December 31, 2005 I made my first post to these forums in November of 2004. A little over a year later we are about to enter 2006 and here I am; writing post number thousand. With an average of two and a half posts per day, it' a sad and depressing statistic. Nonetheless one that I want to commemorate with this special post. So for everybody's enjoyment, here's my list of advice to future and fellow BASE forum post-whores that occasionally make a jump as well... Write Better If you want to improve your odds of surviving your BASE career, I urge you to improve your writing. English is my second language so I can't claim to posses any writing skills in it. However, my efforts to write well have been a great advantage on every BASE jump. Those that write better than I do will agree. Many others will mock me and remain skeptical. A select few will give it a shot and buy Strunk and White's Elements of Style. One of you is going to approach me within the next few years and tell me that Strunk and White saved your life. I can't explain why in a Hunter S. Thompson kind of way, but I'm dead serious. Read More, Write Less In a twist of the famous "Jump More, Post Less" and the similar "Listen More, Talk Less", I recommend reading more in the coming year. If writing improves your jumping than reading improves conversations at the edge, with your inner voice as well as your peers. If you've ever wondered how leaping over the edge makes the world a better place, I suggest picking up a few books. Our sport is not always as selfish as we think. I won't make any specific book recommendations, but feel free to PM me if you need a list. Jump Around Sleeping around is generally frowned upon. Jumping around, however, is something I can't recommend highly enough. You'll learn more from jumping with different people than you'll ever learn from a single extremely experienced jumper. So leave your local scene and go travel. Call your neighbours and huck their objects. You may not have the money to tour the world but you should be able to visit all scenes in an eight hour radius. Not only will you become a better and safer jumper, you'll also make friends and live adventures you can't even begin to imagine. I'm adamant to having grandchildren some day so I can tell tem what a crazy fucker their grandfather used to be. Obviously BASE will be popular and safe by then, but I'll be talking about the good old days when the sport was still romantic. Maybe I'll pursuade them to pick up shark fucking, which will be the big thing by then. Open a new Object Stop jump-whoring your existing objects and put some effort into scouting and exploring. Take the risks. Get up in the middle of the night and check out the security and street patterns of a great B, A or O. Make a jump plan, discuss it with other jumpers and then go huck it. If you've never opened up an object before; if feels like twenty best BASE jumps rolled together in a single orgasm. Actually, that still doesn't come close to how it feels to safely land and get away from something that nobody has ever jumped before. BASE is not just about taking your parachutes from fixed objects. It's about going where no man has gone before. While the sport had more pioneers twenty years ago than it has today, you can still be the Neil Armstrong in your city by opening up something fresh and exciting. It'll be one small step for the BASE community, but a giant leap for you. Roll the Dice Stop playing it safe. Don't sweat the small stuff and pay attention to the big stuff. You can microreef the crap out of your canopy and only jump in zero winds, but inevitably you're going to get that offheading and you'd better be ready. If you want to be safe jumper; make sure you attach a bridle between your canopy and the pilot chute. Beyond that, make sure that every now and then you do a jump that scares the living crap out of you. There's always some dice rolling in every jump so you might as well be honest about it. Retire Early and Be Realistic Quit the sport before you hurt yourself or your friends. There are more things in life that are equally if not more beautiful than BASE jumping than there are things that suck more. So don't hesitate to leave. Quit forever or take a break. Just because you're not jumping doesn't mean you lost the spirit... Of course if you proudly proclaim to retire forever, make sure you actually really do so; unlike that dumb fuck that said he was going to stop posting and then actually didn't. Ignore Jaap Fuck, I can't even belief you read this far. I should probably mention that I only have 78 jumps, and have no right to give an sort of advice. I do like to brag -like I'm going to do right now- that I have fifteen objects, five of which I opened myself, but nonetheless I'm really just a pathetic loser that ought to spend more time jumping, instead of sounding like he knows what he's talking about. Because I don't. Never have, never will... Well, that about sums it up. It's pissing rain here and there's an 14 mph wind coming from the east. I'm about to head out and make my end-of-year jump, followed by plenty of beers. I've got better plans for new year's eve already. Happy new year to you all. I hope we'll make many safe and enjoyable jumps from new and old objects. Let's try and avoid the number 2006 from appearing on the BASE fatality list. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Calvin19 0 #2 December 31, 2005 hell Yeah Jaap. Open up everything. Commited to the Core. Be well buddy, we will jump together sometime. hopefully soon, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Calvin19 0 #3 December 31, 2005 "but I'll be talking about the good old days when the sport was still romantic." BASE is picking up speed. I havent figured out yet Jaap, if we are the last of a generation, or the first of the next. I think i would be Ok with either. "Sleeping around is generally frowned upon." ?***** Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sean621 0 #4 December 31, 2005 Or in a nutshell...go hard or go home.....http://www.extreme-on-demand.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #5 December 31, 2005 QuoteIt's pissing rain here and there's an 14 mph wind coming from the east. I'm about to head out and make my end-of-year jump, followed by plenty of beers. It wasn't that wet nor was the wind that bad. In fact the wind made standing up the landing rather easy. So in summary, I'm glad I got to share (possibly) my last jump of the year with two other cool peeps. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaapSuter 0 #6 December 31, 2005 QuoteIt wasn't that wet... Not that wet? I nearly drowned while gearing up in that bicycle lane that looked like a river... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #7 December 31, 2005 Stand the next time you're gearing up. It makes a world of difference.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaapSuter 0 #8 December 31, 2005 QuoteStand the next time you're gearing up. It makes a world of difference. Can't; gotta duck behind a 3 feet tall concrete divider to hide from passing cars. And that's all I have to say about that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
georgyporgy 0 #9 December 31, 2005 That was my first Canadian and lowest jump! Thanks Jaap and Steve for introducing me to Vancouver. That was a wicked jump, wet dirty ass landing. Jaap, your a wuss for complaining about this rain. You know I'm the one with big balls that controls my C.G. You better get your ass back in town before Steve and I open up your hotty for you New Year's Resolution; get my local A pronto. the ground IS the limit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leroydb 0 #10 January 1, 2006 I would like to add this to my info file. BTW, I am glad you came out of "posting" retirement.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
