Hanging up the rig...

[airtwardo 6]

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I find it interesting that several of us "original" dz.commers are having the qualitative vs. quantitative introspection. My renewal is sitting on the desk. I had to take time off from any "I" activities due to an injury while skydiving three years go. That became the beginning of the assessment phase. I surrendered all my ratings two years ago because I lapsed on currency. Over time, I reflected that it had become more work and frustration with little appreciation.

I can't blame the USPA. It's kinda like divorce, you can blame the other party, but it was good times and bad times and sometimes we just need to part ways for awhile and it may wind up permanent. Doesn't mean either party was right or wrong, it just means the social debit scale is outweighing the social credit scale.

I've got till the end of the month, so until then I'll try to focus on the good times and see if I can come up with some new goals and see if skydiving winds up on the list.

Shut up and jump!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[riggerrob 558]

I hear you sister!

I have not jumped in the last four months.
I missed most of the summer in British Columbia.
Now that the rainy season is upon us, I wonder what I missed.
Certainly not the long hours!
Certainly not finding out that all the pizza was eaten while I was elbow-deep in a reserve!
Certainly not DZ politics!
Certainly not other instructors offering to punch me out! The sad thing is that most of their arguments were with standards written by CSPA, or Transport Canada or the FAA or Ted Strong, twenty-some-odd years and ago! Standards that I am powerless to change. Nor do I want to change those standards.

I attended faaaaaar too many funerals in September of 1992! The sad thing is that Transport Canada has learned nothing from bloody lessons pounded into Americans 18 years ago and seat-belts - in Canadian jump-planes - are still woefully behind the times.
I am tired of "sucking p" m,y courage every time I climb aboard a jump plane, knowing the risk that I will repeat injuries suffered 3 August 2008.
Sure I "machoed" my way back into shape for one more season of jumping, but my heart is no longer in the game.
I am just going through the motions.

[Amazon 7]

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I hear you sister!

I have not jumped in the last four months.
I missed most of the summer in British Columbia.
Now that the rainy season is upon us, I wonder what I missed.
Certainly not the long hours!
Certainly not finding out that all the pizza was eaten while I was elbow-deep in a reserve!
Certainly not DZ politics!
Certainly not other instructors offering to punch me out! The sad thing is that most of their arguments were with standards written by CSPA, or Transport Canada or the FAA or Ted Strong, twenty-some-odd years and ago! Standards that I am powerless to change. Nor do I want to change those standards.

I attended faaaaaar too many funerals in September of 1992! The sad thing is that Transport Canada has learned nothing from bloody lessons pounded into Americans 18 years ago and seat-belts - in Canadian jump-planes - are still woefully behind the times.
I am tired of "sucking p" m,y courage every time I climb aboard a jump plane, knowing the risk that I will repeat injuries suffered 3 August 2008.
Sure I "machoed" my way back into shape for one more season of jumping, but my heart is no longer in the game.
I am just going through the motions.

We had a summer????

[ManagingPrime 0]

Can someone copy and paste the original reasons listed (site is blocked on my CPU). I'm kind of suprised that the OP is leaving. I was only a few jumps in and I was being forwarded to the OP RE aads.

I'm curious to know the reasons listed.

[Amazon 7]

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Can someone copy and paste the original reasons listed (site is blocked on my CPU). I'm kind of suprised that the OP is leaving. I was only a few jumps in and I was being forwarded to the OP RE aads.

I'm curious to know the reasons listed.

Copied from Lisa's blog

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Why I Don't Want to Skydive Anymore
Any one or two of these things I could live with and keep skydiving. But when I add them all up, it equals I'm about done.



1. I think that the way skydiving is being marketed is wrong. Tandem jumps (aka amusement park rides) are more about DZ's, ride operators (aka "instructors") and camera fliers making money and racking up jump numbers than they are about truly turning people on to becoming skydivers. DZ's have been telling people it's safe for a long time, and now even USPA says it's true. They are wrong and they should know better than to open the doors for lawsuits by advertising it in this manner.

I have to be a USPA member to skydive; I have an issue with providing financial support to this sort of sport promotion. (Yes, I know I could skydive at Lodi without USPA membership, but I have issues with things that happen there; not going to support that operation with my business).



2. The skydiving community is unable to police itself. USPA, the organization tasked with policing the sport, is ineffectual at best and dangerously behind the times at worst. They refuse to adequately address the area that is injuring and killing more skydivers than any other - canopy control education and limits on what canopies jumpers can fly. The few BOD members who have tried to address this issue have had less than impressive results, and they've moved on to other things.

There is no SOP to punish those who blatantly ignore the BSR's (not to mention the FAR's); enforcement is spotty and inconsistent, thus making the "rules" something that can be and are ignored by many skydivers.

Again, I have to be a USPA member to skydive; I have an issue providing financial support to an organization that isn't fulfilling it's most basic function.



3. It hurts. One or two jumps means a few days of back pain and a few weeks of neck/shoulder pain. Which I can deal with; the reward of jumping is usually worth the aches and pains.



4. Since I can't physically do a whole lot of jumping, when I do jump I want to jump with Keith. But people won't leave him alone at the dz. If by some miracle someone else doesn't think they need to jump with him, we can't even put our gear down after jumping before somebody wants something from him. This isn't going to change; it would happen at any local dz. It irritates me. Part of the fun of jumping for me is talking about the jump afterwards - more than "yay that was fun." Especially when it was a fun jump with my significant other. Not getting to do that... well, why bother jumping in the first place?

And yes, I know this is selfish of me. Too bad. Skydiving is the most selfish thing a person can do, why can't I be selfish about jumping with the most important person in my life?



5. I'm tired of the know it alls with mad skillz. Tired of them giving bad advice, tired of watching them do stupid shit when they were warned not to, tired of watching the aftermath when they finally fuck it up good, tired of hearing about all of the above. I'm tired of those who encourage the dumbasses by selling them gear that is beyond their ability to safely fly (by safely, I mean not endangering MY ass). I'm tired of USPA not doing anything about it.



6. I'm tired of meaningless deaths. My list of dead friends is too long already. There's nothing more I can learn from the death of a friend skydiving; there aren't any new mistakes in skydiving, there's only us forgetting or ignoring the lessons we should have already learned...

Tags: life, skydiving

[ManagingPrime 0]

Fucking swoopers.

[skyrider 0]

Sorry, I got down that list time and time again, and all I come up with is somone that is scared , and wants an excuse to quit..

No problem, Quit, move on with your life, why make a "display" out of moving on?

It reminds me of the "I am leaving this board forever " threads! (hoping people beg them to stay)

If you are no longer enjoying skydiving, Move on, why try to make everyone still doing it look bad?

edited to fix 300 typo's , and probably missed many...

It is no longer your thing...No big deal...

[Amazon 7]

Pssst... I was just copying Lisa's Blog... for someone who could not access her blog due to issues on his server.

I will still be around to annoy you

[skyrider 0]

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Pssst... I was just copying Lisa's Blog... for someone who could not access her blog due to issues on his server.

I will still be around to annoy you

Pssssst, I was talking to Lisa, I ignore you for the most part...

Either she doesn;t really want to quit, or she wants everyone to say, "it's OK" ..

So I am throwing in my "It's OK" but, why blog/post trying to make the sport look bad?...simply quit and walk away! (or get a job in manifest)

[Amazon 7]

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Pssst... I was just copying Lisa's Blog... for someone who could not access her blog due to issues on his server.

I will still be around to annoy you

Pssssst, I was talking to Lisa, I ignore you for the most part...

Either she doesn;t really want to quit, or she wants everyone to say, "it's OK" ..

So I am throwing in my "It's OK" but, why blog/post trying to make the sport look bad?...simply quit and walk away! (or get a job in manifest)

Uh huh

[NWFlyer 2]

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Fucking swoopers.

If *that's* what you got out of that post ... I have a place you should go.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[skyrider 0]

Maybe HUGE ego's should be added to that list of reasons to quit!

[ManagingPrime 0]

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Maybe HUGE ego's should be added to that list of reasons to quit!

They were...."Mad Skillz".

[skyrider 0]

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Maybe HUGE ego's should be added to that list of reasons to quit!

They were...."Mad Skillz".

True dat....But I was reffering to someone that "thought" it was all about them, when instead, I am talking to the OP!

[ManagingPrime 0]

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Fucking swoopers.

If *that's* what you got out of that post ... I have a place you should go.

No fair. I can't open the link. In any case, I hope the OP takes the advice of Ray and others and keeps a rig around...noobs like myself need as many experienced jumpers around as possible....we don't all have mad skillz.

[Amazon 7]

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Fucking swoopers.

If *that's* what you got out of that post ... I have a place you should go.

No fair. I can't open the link. In any case, I hope the OP takes the advice of Ray and others and keeps a rig around...noobs like myself need as many experienced jumpers around as possible....we don't all have mad skillz.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


There are plenty of old fuckers around too that think they got em... but are lacking in any real skillz let alone mad ones.

[skyrider 0]

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Fucking swoopers.

If *that's* what you got out of that post ... I have a place you should go.

No fair. I can't open the link. In any case, I hope the OP takes the advice of Ray and others and keeps a rig around...noobs like myself need as many experienced jumpers around as possible....we don't all have mad skillz.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


There are plenty of old fuckers around too that think they got em... but are lacking in any real skillz let alone mad ones.

Are you a 24 hour a day bummer?

I hope the OP finds something in life that replaces that freefall smile....so far for me, , only my son comes close!

[Amazon 7]

Just for yall

[skyrider 0]

Now that I see the post...you left out the ego maniacs that make skydiving not as fun as it can be!

[skyrider 0]

One thing to keep in mind, if it wasnt; for skydiving, you'd never meet people like Dan BC, Troy Widgery, Tom Falzone , Malory Tarcher Hood, Grim, Annie Hilowell,(sp?) Nick DG , Jim Wallace, The list goes on for hours......stopping jumping, is no reason to stop the skydiver experience................

[skybytch 259]

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No problem, Quit, move on with your life, why make a "display" out of moving on?

I have quit. I am moving on with my life. I thought I'd let those few folks who give a shit about me know what was up, so they wouldn't wonder why I'm not around anymore. I listed my reasons because people have asked. If what I wrote makes skydiving look bad... grow a skin and get the fuck over it. I'm entitled to my opinion on the sport that I've put 20 years of my life into. If you don't like that, fuck you.

You are right. I've only been posting here for ten years. I'm basically a nobody around here. As you noted, I posted this thread solely to make a display and feed my tremendous ego.

Have a nice day.

[Remster 24]

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. As you noted, I posted this thread solely to make a display and feed my tremendous ego.

Typical Bytch!


You'll always be welcomed here (well, as far as be opened to insults and jabs by us assholes); at least for those who call you a friend.

Remster

[Shell666 0]

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No problem, Quit, move on with your life, why make a "display" out of moving on?

I have quit. I am moving on with my life. I thought I'd let those few folks who give a shit about me know what was up, so they wouldn't wonder why I'm not around anymore. I listed my reasons because people have asked. If what I wrote makes skydiving look bad... grow a skin and get the fuck over it. I'm entitled to my opinion on the sport that I've put 20 years of my life into. If you don't like that, fuck you.

You are right. I've only been posting here for ten years. I'm basically a nobody around here. As you noted, I posted this thread solely to make a display and feed my tremendous ego.

Have a nice day.

DAMN GIRL!!!! Why you quitting!!!! Where's that post where Skyrider quotes some names in the sport!!!

You should stick around until you know all those "folks" that he mentions
-----
One thing to keep in mind, if it wasnt; for skydiving, you'd never meet people like Dan BC, Troy Widgery, Tom Falzone , Malory Tarcher Hood, Grim, Annie Hilowell,(sp?) Nick DG , Jim Wallace, The list goes on for hours......stopping jumping, is no reason to stop the skydiver experience................



.Bytch .... how many of those do you know ...

I'm guessing one or two ...

'Shell

[popsjumper 2]

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Pssst... I was just copying Lisa's Blog... for someone who could not access her blog due to issues on his server.

I will still be around to annoy you

Pssssst, I was talking to Lisa, I ignore you for the most part...

Here's a crazy thought...address your comments to the person you are actually talking to!
Oh wait...that takes mad skillz.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Opie 0]

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No problem, Quit, move on with your life, why make a "display" out of moving on?

I have quit. I am moving on with my life. I thought I'd let those few folks who give a shit about me know what was up, so they wouldn't wonder why I'm not around anymore. I listed my reasons because people have asked. If what I wrote makes skydiving look bad... grow a skin and get the fuck over it. I'm entitled to my opinion on the sport that I've put 20 years of my life into. If you don't like that, fuck you.

You are right. I've only been posting here for ten years. I'm basically a nobody around here. As you noted, I posted this thread solely to make a display and feed my tremendous ego.

Have a nice day.

I knew when this Lisa girl scored and 8.8% here http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=114225;#114225 she was a good one

Thanks for the update!