pchapman 278 #326 May 31, 2012 Quote Quote "The turkeys are falling like sacks of wet cement. Oh the humanity." That scene never gets old. The show is out there on public torrents, just in case someone "misplaced their personal VHS copies".... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gonzalesna 0 #327 June 6, 2012 Keep your groups small... 2-3 people and get the more experienced person to be the base. Less fun for that person, but forces you to fly your body. A really fun one to do... no grips, just open palms. can be done with as many people as you want. (Although smaller groups are easier.) The docks are open palm on top of someone else's open hand. This forces you to fly your body the entire time and keeps you from relaxing too much or over stressing and using someone else to aid your stability. (Imagine your hand flat on a table, with someone else's hand flat on top of yours... that's the dock. Flat palm on a leg for a leg dock... etc.) Give that a try and see how that helps. It often times even throws off skilled jumpers sometimes. Some people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #328 June 19, 2012 Here's my latest report. I'm not learning as fast as some of my peers, but I'm learning. Skydiving Duck: Jump Runt My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #329 June 19, 2012 QuoteHere's my latest report. I'm not learning as fast as some of my peers, but I'm learning. Skydiving Duck: Jump Runt It is not a race to learn. Some people may learn faster than you. Some people may learn slower than you. As long as you are safe and enjoying yourself that is what is important. This is a great, fun hobby, don't let self-criticism take away the pure unadulterated joy. (trust me, I am self-critical too). Also, you are almost to your B license, that's great!"What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,377 #330 June 19, 2012 In the just so you know department -- standup landings are overrated. Walk-away landings are not. You have your priorities on straight. And yeah, continuing to jump a bigger canopy just means that you have more brain cells left to focus on the rest of the jump, rather than being scared of what your canopy is going to do to you this time Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #331 June 19, 2012 Quote Here's my latest report. I'm not learning as fast as some of my peers, but I'm learning. Don't be embarrassed by that in the least. You've done 48 jumps on your own so far and lived; that's kick-ass! On every jump, you should be so proud of yourself for exiting a plane 2 miles up and landing safely at the dropzone. It's an impressive feat in itself! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #332 June 20, 2012 Hey, thanks for all the kind words :) Quote It is not a race to learn. Some people may learn faster than you. Some people may learn slower than you. As long as you are safe and enjoying yourself that is what is important. This is a great, fun hobby, don't let self-criticism take away the pure unadulterated joy. (trust me, I am self-critical too). Good points. Thanks. Quote Also, you are almost to your B license, that's great! Holy Smoke in a Twisted Stack... ...how did that happen? Quote And yeah, continuing to jump a bigger canopy just means that you have more brain cells left to focus on the rest of the jump, rather than being scared of what your canopy is going to do to you this time. I plan do downsize eventually, but I'm in no hurry. I don't see myself getting anything real small and speedy. I'd rather have something bigger that I can control than some crazy little canopy that gets me into trouble. Quote Don't be embarrassed by that in the least. You've done 48 jumps on your own so far and lived; that's kick-ass! On every jump, you should be so proud of yourself for exiting a plane 2 miles up and landing safely at the dropzone. It's an impressive feat in itself! It's funny that way. On the DZ I'm nothing special (skill wise, though everyone is nice to me). In everyday world I'm Person With the Exciting (or Crazy) Hobby. Different worlds. Ah well, at least I'm having fun.My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr.Bill 0 #333 June 20, 2012 Most people don’t perfect ANY new skill with less than one hour of practice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BobMoore 0 #334 June 20, 2012 Quote It's funny that way. On the DZ I'm nothing special (skill wise, though everyone is nice to me). In everyday world I'm Person With the Exciting (or Crazy) Hobby. Different worlds. Ah well, at least I'm having fun. You will soon notice that on the DZ what you do in the other world has absolutely no importance. I have jumped with trauma surgeons, Marine Lt. Colonels, several PhDs, an astronaut (!), and lots of waitresses & bartenders. All that gets pushed aside when you put your rig on. Everybody's equal. In the everyday world skydiving is so outside the realm of normalcy that I don't doubt that your friends and co-workers gossip about you around the water fountain and look at you with a certain amount of excitement and wonder. Soak it up. Enjoy your fame."For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #335 June 20, 2012 And have a word to the person who whistled past you after you had already opened. They need to be a bit more aware of what is going on around them, and to get their own tracking right. They came from above, and the low person has right of way. You did nothing wrong. Even if you don´t think so, you are learning and gaining more experience every time you jump. As do every skydiver, no matter how many jumps they have. Learning never stops.My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #336 June 20, 2012 Quote You will soon notice that on the DZ what you do in the other world has absolutely no importance. I have jumped with trauma surgeons, Marine Lt. Colonels, several PhDs, an astronaut (!), and lots of waitresses & bartenders. All that gets pushed aside when you put your rig on. Everybody's equal. It is interesting how diverse the crowd is, and how involvement in the sport seems to trump other differences. Quote And have a word to the person who whistled past you after you had already opened. They need to be a bit more aware of what is going on around them, and to get their own tracking right. I'm not sure who it was, but in a weird way he did me a favor. It was a "Look what can happen when you don't watch where you're going!" moment- an extra incentive to pay attention when I'm tracking, so I don't become that guy.My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #337 June 20, 2012 Quote I'm not sure who it was, but in a weird way he did me a favor. It was a "Look what can happen when you don't watch where you're going!" moment- an extra incentive to pay attention when I'm tracking, so I don't become that guy. Too bad you couldn't figure out who it was. They screwed up and could use a little coaching-and-counseling, as we call it in the FAA.Very true about lessons learned. As you track, don't stare at the horizon. No one has ever hit the horizon. Look mostly down and in front, where you're going, to look for hazards below. With a little practice you'll be amazed at how your awareness will expand. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #338 June 20, 2012 Quote Here's my latest report. I'm not learning as fast as some of my peers, but I'm learning. Skydiving Duck: Jump Runt Phunny pics, I liked them! And the message you convey: Kepp on learning / jumping! Good duck! And... wow! Can it be you read my online skydiving logbook and put all my mishaps into a cartoon? I started at age 41 and always took comfort in the following sentence: Learning curve - due to age - is flatter, but that's counteracted by - age-related - higher number in jumps. Means: Ya gonna do it and next year you'll report about your latest 4-way adventures, I'm sure! As for the open knees (to avoid the term "legs spread too wide" ) an instructor gave my a nice tip: Once you're stable, "clap" your feet two or three times, will help you get your legs more narrow to each other.The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutumbo 0 #339 June 20, 2012 Quote Here's my latest report. I'm not learning as fast as some of my peers, but I'm learning. Skydiving Duck: Jump Runt Thanatos340(on landing rounds)-- Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #340 June 22, 2012 Quote And... wow! Can it be you read my online skydiving logbook and put all my mishaps into a cartoon? I started at age 41 and always took comfort in the following sentence: Learning curve - due to age - is flatter, but that's counteracted by - age-related - higher number in jumps. Means: Ya gonna do it and next year you'll report about your latest 4-way adventures, I'm sure! Thanks. Looking forward where I can do four way stuff. Or should I say, do four way stuff correctly. Right now even keeping level with a single person is a challenge. Quote As for the open knees (to avoid the term "legs spread too wide" ) an instructor gave my a nice tip: Once you're stable, "clap" your feet two or three times, will help you get your legs more narrow to each other. I sometimes forget the toe taps. I think what happens is I find myself stable and assume there's no problem. It's not until I see a photo or video that I realize there's a problem.My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #341 June 22, 2012 Quote Quote Here's my latest report. I'm not learning as fast as some of my peers, but I'm learning. Skydiving Duck: Jump Runt Thanks!My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #342 July 5, 2012 Here's the latest. I'm not progressing as fast as I'd like (boo freaking hoo) , but I am learning... Over Fifty Not-so-NiftyMy blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Don 0 #343 July 5, 2012 Good job!! Stay safe to jump another day!!! I am NOT being loud. I'm being enthusiastic! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hcsvader 1 #344 July 5, 2012 , Quote but I am learning Glad to see you've got the beer rules sorted Have you seen my pants? it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream >:) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quack 0 #345 July 5, 2012 Quote Here's the latest. I'm not progressing as fast as I'd like (boo freaking hoo) , but I am learning... Over Fifty Not-so-Nifty Don't worry about the (purported) name-calling. If you end up with a duck nickname all will turn out well! Like you, I did not progress as fast as I thought I should (who did?), but then ended up doing some really fantastic things. quack quack. But you have to understand, mental illness is like cholesterol. There is the good kind and the bad. Without the good kind- less flavor to life. - Serge A. Storms Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #346 July 5, 2012 Nice cartoon. I laughed much about the "when kids start yelling 'beer'" Good decision. Better stay down if the winds are high and/or gusty/weird... The sky will be there for you the other day but you can only jump if you are not injured And if it is any comfort to you - I also progressed much more slowly than I wanted to, due to a number of reasons (#1 of which is I started skydiving at the age of 40 ) As long as you are safe and have fun all is well. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #347 July 5, 2012 Quote Good job!! Stay safe to jump another day!!! It can be tough to scratch- I'm sabotaging the planned jump, I'm passing up a chance to "get my money's worth" on rental gear, the inner critic saying "Ah, you're just chickening out!" etc... ...but as you said, better to scratch then to get hurt. Quote Glad to see you've got the beer rules sorted Some five-year-olds at the DZ seem to have them sorted too. Quote Don't worry about the (purported) name-calling. If you end up with a duck nickname all will turn out well! Smile Name calling? People are calling me names? I figured between my sloppy jumping and, as a amateur, taking up pages of Parachutist that I'd get on some people's nerves. Boo freaking hoo. Quote Like you, I did not progress as fast as I thought I should (who did?), but then ended up doing some really fantastic things. Now you're talking! Quote And if it is any comfort to you - I also progressed much more slowly than I wanted to, due to a number of reasons (#1 of which is I started skydiving at the age of 40 I've heard the same thing from other people who started at my age. I wonder if it's a physical thing, a mental thing, or both?My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UliToo 0 #348 July 5, 2012 Quote I'm not progressing as fast as I'd like (boo freaking hoo) , but I am learning... Like you, I did not progress as fast as I thought I should I also progressed much more slowly than I wanted to I've heard the same thing from other people who started at my age. I wonder if it's a physical thing, a mental thing, or both? Wow.....I fit right in here! Slowly progressing here too, though getting there. Your duck is helping a lot. It's probably a combination of both, physical and mental. Mental, as in - we're old enough to know we're not invincible anymore, like so many younger peeps tend to think, and therefore a little more cautious. Dunno.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #349 July 6, 2012 Quote I've heard the same thing from other people who started at my age. I wonder if it's a physical thing, a mental thing, or both? I think it's both. The older^Twiser you get the more you think, think again and again and then re-think what you do and why and when and how... I noticed, however, that I progressed better after I started exercising regularly at a fitness gym. After 40 - at least the average person like me - got to do a lot of exercising to retain (or even build up) their muscles Another aspect of course is what I call the "threshold effect". Once you have made a certain number of jumps, almost out of the blue you are able to do that exit, move, transition you've been working on so long. After a couple of hundred jumps your body doesn't need to pay attention to that many different factors (because it does it automatically due to repetition etc) and thus has more open channels for other / new things to learn The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #350 July 6, 2012 Quote Quote I've heard the same thing from other people who started at my age. I wonder if it's a physical thing, a mental thing, or both? I think it's both. The older^Twiser you get the more you think, think again and again and then re-think what you do and why and when and how... I noticed, however, that I progressed better after I started exercising regularly at a fitness gym. After 40 - at least the average person like me - got to do a lot of exercising to retain (or even build up) their muscles Good points! Quote Another aspect of course is what I call the "threshold effect". Once you have made a certain number of jumps, almost out of the blue you are able to do that exit, move, transition you've been working on so long. After a couple of hundred jumps your body doesn't need to pay attention to that many different factors (because it does it automatically due to repetition etc) and thus has more open channels for other / new things to learn That would make sense. I'm looking forward to the day I get more of the basics on autopilot. My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
