Skydiving has ruined my life...

[dj_smokie 0]

I hope this doesn't come off as bitching, as much as asking for the advice of people who might have experienced the same thing.

Simply put, skydiving has changed my life forever. I LOVE this sport. It's all I can think about 24/7. I dream of jumping every night. I would do unspeakable things to be able to jump everyday. I'm still a student and beginner in this sport, so I'm hoping it's just a temporary obsession.

I've always been a level headed person -- able to reason, think things through to find the most logical answer, and to plan for a successful future even if it took years of schooling, training, and hard work. It was downright painful to get to where I am today(reasonably successful)...

After I made my first jump, I was ABSOLUTELY in love with the sport. Colors seemed brighter, food tasted better, and I could put up with the daily bullshit at work because...I was going skydiving again -- nothing could upset me.

One day, as I sat in my piece of shit cubicle, I nearly had a mental breakdown. WTF am I doing here working a white collar job that gives me no inherent satisfaction just so I can make money? Human beings were not meant to live like this! And I began to feel really depressed that I wasn't somewhere warm skydiving. All of a sudden, everything became mute, boring, and unfulfilling.

Since then, I've had a complete shift in my life paradigm. I want to quit my well paying job. I want to move to somewhere warm and work part times jobs so that I can jump all the time. I want to do what makes me happy NOW. This scares me, because i recognize that this is irrational thinking.

So here are my questions for anyone who has felt like this before.

1) Does this obsession pass?
2) Has anyone left a secure and well paying job they hated to pursue their true passion in life? And if so, what were the negative repercussions?
3) Who actually LOVES their current job?

Thanks.

[CSpenceFLY 1]

The answers to #2 are Yes and No money.

[MarkTL 0]

I felt same way after my first jump couldnt stop thinking until my next jump but I learned really quick that you need money for this sport and working that crummy job got you the jumps at the end of the weekend

Live life with no regrets

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

Well, the obsession never really goes away, but it lessens to managable levels. At least it did for me.

And I am one of the lucky ones who loves my job. Really. Not everyday, and probably not this coming week with the snowstorms coming across. And the bad economy has hurt some.

But I usually look forward to taking off each week for parts far away. I only wish it was somewhere warmer this week.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[SuFantasma 0]

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The answers to #2 are Yes and No money.

Answer to #2 is YES: CSpenseFly has done all of it ...

Y yo, pa' vivir con miedo, prefiero morir sonriendo, con el recuerdo vivo".
- Ruben Blades, "Adan Garcia"

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Never quit my job but I did neglect a lot in 9 yrs.

[grannyinthesky 0]

I can understand what you're feeling since I've been there. My first jump did the same to me. i am fortunate though, I like my job and it lets me have time to jump most days, at least during most of the good weather season. I teach at a community college and by teaching extra classes and summers, I was able to jump almost 200 times in just a little over a year. Like one of the other posters said, you need the good paying job to be able to afford this sport.

I hope the passion for life that skydiving ignited in me never disappears.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[FallloutboyDAoC 0]

I would never call having a dream and wanting to pursue it irrational thinking

Working a job you hate just to get rich and own a lot of crap you dont need is irrational thinking imo.

I'd rather go after my dreams and fail miserably then "play it safe" and work a job i hate just to get by, retire and then die.

[Tuna-Salad 0]

Been right there with you and still am for the most part. I too once worked in a cube for a shitty company and hated my job.. had the same thoughts as you.. mostly when I would get the chance to actually walk outside and see the sky. I would say "ffs I'm stuck in this shit hole and could be jumping"
The problem was I started uh.. "getting sick" a lot and missing days.
Now I just whore myself out to the highest bidder.

Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night.

[hookitt 0]

Skydiving can be all consuming. The affects of skydiving and other high risk activities are what keep people with low mao levels (google it) feeling "normal".

A couple things, there's a holiday coming up, do you want to jump more but can't due to money and time? Do you hang out with people that just don't get it? ... (that's not a bad thing either by the way).

If the weather is crappy, it compounds the effects. Mild depression... you get the idea.

A large portion of people feel exactly how you do. Some now how to put that feeling to words and deal with it logically and figure out how to be happy, or tough it out until they can do something else that makes the happy.

People blow relationships, jobs, friendships... all for an activity that in the long run will become just that... something to do.

"a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing
"

Are you singing? I'll post the rest in a minute.

So, I won't offer suggestions but people certainly have their own inner crisis's and sometimes listen to them more than they should. Skydiving is cool and all but it ain't all that. It may give you ideas that you don't like what you're doing, and if it does... what are you going to change it? Where are you going to start?

1) Does this obsession pass?
- Yes ... but it may take time... LOTS of it causing number 2

2) Has anyone left a secure and well paying job they hated to pursue their true passion in life? And if so, what were the negative repercussions?

Of course people have. Unless there is a source of income that makes itself ... it may just be an opportunity to figure out a better way to find income keeping skydiving as a hobby... don't forget to do other hobbies you may have had.

3) Who actually LOVES their current job?

I know few people that love their job. I don't love mine, it's ok. I like my old job but it's not ready to have me back.

So... here's the poem.
---

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hillfor the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

~Maya Angelou

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[JohnMitchell 14]

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1) Does this obsession pass?
2) Has anyone left a secure and well paying job they hated to pursue their true passion in life? And if so, what were the negative repercussions?
3) Who actually LOVES their current job?

1) It did for me, but some members of my family would say differently.

2) I never did. I keep it a weekend, occasional week or two boogie thing. I've seen a lot of peeps burnout from going full time. I'm in for the long run.

3) Yep, it's not as good as skydiving, but being an Air Traffic Controller pays really well and can be some sketchy fun sometimes.

[PhreeZone 15]

Damn Tim.. that's deep.
I'm one of those people that love their cubical based existence. I have a job that only goes up and its fun... frustrating and stressful but fun. They are going to have to fire me to get me to leave

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[SuFantasma 0]

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Never quit my job but I did neglect a lot in 9 yrs.

Yeah Spence, but you never neglected being yourself, and for that , my hat off to you !

Y yo, pa' vivir con miedo, prefiero morir sonriendo, con el recuerdo vivo".
- Ruben Blades, "Adan Garcia"

[The_Don 0]

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Never quit my job but I did neglect a lot in 9 yrs.

Yeah Spence, but you never neglected being yourself, and for that , my hat off to you !

Great post. !!

I am NOT being loud.
I'm being enthusiastic!

[SuFantasma 0]

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Never quit my job but I did neglect a lot in 9 yrs.

Yeah Spence, but you never neglected being yourself, and for that , my hat off to you !

Great post. !!

Integrity needs no rules, Spence is the poster boy for Integrity .... I am sure the community can vouch for him and the community is a better place because he has given to us a goal to aim at.

Y yo, pa' vivir con miedo, prefiero morir sonriendo, con el recuerdo vivo".
- Ruben Blades, "Adan Garcia"

[sinjin 0]

i was bit very heavily as you were two years ago. i considered the very same things you consider. I have done 800 jumps in two years keeping my good paying job and jumping every minute of my off time. i still dream it, live it and think about it every day. and wait till the base bug bites you next. but here are the downsides to leaving your job and doing the trailer thing as the dz. no health insurance. no money. no money to jump. no money to eat. your are living the skydiving dream and you are happy. stay in your cube job and monday to friday you are dying (watch videos to help with the pain). but the weekend are alive and you have money to jump, buy gear, and get your ratings.. after a couple of years and a few hundred jumps if you are still gung ho,, i would say then give it up the cube job and be a full time instructor living in the dz trailer. when the first kiss gleam has worn off and you know exactly what you are getting into. in my humble opinion you can get there faster working a cube job with money than giving it up and moving to the dz and packing.

dont let life pass you by

[happythoughts 0]

You've just realized that you're not dead.

There are people who sit at home and watch other people
living on their favorite tv shows. They're mostly dead, they
just keep moving.

DEAD PERSON: I'm not dead!
CART MASTER: 'Ere. He says he's not dead!
CUSTOMER: Yes, he is.
DEAD PERSON: I'm not!
CART MASTER: He isn't?
CUSTOMER: Well, he will be soon. He's very ill.
DEAD PERSON: I'm getting better!
CUSTOMER: No, you're not. You'll be stone dead in a moment.
CART MASTER: Oh, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
DEAD PERSON: I don't want to go on the cart!
CUSTOMER: Oh, don't be such a baby.
CART MASTER: I can't take him.
DEAD PERSON: I feel fine!

[RALFFERS 0]

You mean, like this guy?... (Pay attention starting from 2:25.)

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[SimpleJack 0]

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After I made my first jump, I was ABSOLUTELY in love with the sport. Colors seemed brighter, food tasted better, and I could put up with the daily bullshit at work because...I was going skydiving again --

Hate to disappoint you dude.
The rush of skydiving doesn't last much beyond 40 jumps.
Keep your boring day job so you can finance the next big hobby that comes along in your life.

[jephprospect 0]

I can definitely relate. I look at the classifieds for gear everyday even though I won't be in a position to buy a rig till February. I dream about jumping about 2 to 3 times a week. I never think about quitting my job because then how would I jump? It actually makes me a better employee because when everyone is bitching and crying about things I am just nodding my head and smiling thinking" I'm going skydiving this weekend" and my job thinks I am "flexible", "has a good attitude", "works well under pressure" "easily motivated". At the end of the day skydiving has not ruined my life it has enhanced it and made my job, family, friends, and life a lot more meaningful. But who knows, I am only 40 jumps deep so maybe it all goes downhill from here

[airdvr 197]

I feel the need to chime in here and forgive me if I sound preachy.

After spending more than half my life in and around this sport I can tell you that I have many regrets about the other things I didn't do in my life so that I could jump.

You need to find some balance. Don't forgo the other important things...job...family...non-jumping friends. I've seen too many older jumpers who have nothing but skydiving in their lives and it can be a lonely existance.

I know you're enthralled. I remember learning and it was the best time of my life. Adventure every weekend. People who can relate to you. A comraderie you'll not find anywhere else. What more could you ask for?

Keep the things you have now and add skydiving to the mix. Don't neglect the other fun things or people you know. Don't throw your family under the bus because they think you've lost your mind. Understand that what you are feeling right now will pass as you get more jumps under your belt.

Or not...quit your job, blow off your old friends for the new ones you'll make. Become a DZ bum. But if you do this, do it all the way and understand the consequences. I'm in no position to tell you how to live your life.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[gonzalesna 0]

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After I made my first jump, I was ABSOLUTELY in love with the sport. Colors seemed brighter, food tasted better, and I could put up with the daily bullshit at work because...I was going skydiving again --

Hate to disappoint you dude.
The rush of skydiving doesn't last much beyond 40 jumps.
Keep your boring day job so you can finance the next big hobby that comes along in your life.

I disagree. I think it depends on the individual. Maybe the sheer rush of just jumping out diminishes some, but that also depends on your frequency of jumping. I don't get to jump very often and not at all right now. In fact, I'm looking forward to heading back to the states just for the jumping. For me, that first jump after a long break always gives me a set of butterflies, but I guess it should, since that's when your safety habits aren't as fresh in your mind. I noticed that although the thrill of the actual jump diminished some, I gained some thrill back from the types of jumps I was doing. Maybe it was the first large group, the first dock freeflying, maybe it was my SCR, maybe it was the jump aircraft.

Oddly enough, I'm afraid of heights. (I'm sure I'm not the only one here.) I distinctly remember jumping during Skyfest in Houston in '07. We were doing an SCR attempt. (I can't remember if it was the 1st attempt or the 2nd which flew as planned) but I was in the Skyvan from Eloy which had about a 1 1/2 section of plexiglass that could be flipped open for air at the door of the plane. (Skyvan's a rear exit aircraft if you don't know) I was at the very back seat and straddling the opening. The plexiglass was closed, but I remember leaving my belt on till 5K because the sheer thought of me being able to fall between the space in between the door and the hull was there. I knew the plexiglass would be strong enough to stop me, but it felt like my first tandem. That was my scariest and probably most thrilling jump till recently at Chicks Rock when I did a helicopter jump. It's a totally different feeling and I loved it. I wanted more. (Out of $ for jumps though)

I know I'm rambling on a bit, but I guess my point is that every person's experience is different. Fears seem to amplify the rush and new achievements put you in one of the best moods. I'll be jumping for the rest of my life.

I actually plan on retiring from the military and moving to the dropzone to become an instructor. Maybe that'll change in 15 years when I can retire. Who knows. All I know is that I'm over 160 jumps in, and I still crave that leap out of the aircraft. (I need to update my numbers.)

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.

[wrespess 0]

it's pretty much like any other hobby. Different people take it to different levels.

When i was 18 i dropped out of college and moved to Kauai. I spent 1.5 of my life doing nothing but surfing.

I realized there was more i wanted out of life so i moved on, but there were a lot of people out there that were content doing it for the rest of their lives. (and there's nothing wrong with that)


Airdvr hit the nail on the head. There are tradeoffs in life and you have decide what your priorites are.

For me, the last thing i want to do is be broke at a Dz trying to get 4 pack jobs together to pay for a jump.


My grandfather jumped well into his seventies and is a great freeflyer and i plan to do the same. That gives me 40-50 years of more skydiving and I want more out of life than being 80 and saying that i got 50,000 jumps.

If the job sucks get a new one but remeber this. If you're living in a tent at DZ and wake up each day like a crack head but looking for pack jobs for that next jump instead of a rock, you're going to miss out alot on what life has to offer. (not saying you will, but they are out there)

[Icon134 0]

I'm just going to hit the questions... a lot have already given their answers but...

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1) Does this obsession pass?

I would say that for most it does... and it probably has for me... in the summer I find that I skydive most weekends but I don't have any problem missing a weekend to hang out with my extended family or do something non skydiving related with my fiancee (who is also a skydiver)

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2) Has anyone left a secure and well paying job they hated to pursue their true passion in life? And if so, what were the negative repercussions?

I'm sure there are people who have... I have not... and don't wish too... last year I was able to more or less offset the cost of most of my skydives with money made shooting tandem and AFF videos (although I used my discressionary income for other things such as new cameras and lenses because I also enjoy photography by itself... not just in the sky... http://www.scottgunstills.com

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3) Who actually LOVES their current job?

I wouldn't go so far to say I LOVE my current job sometimes it isn't much fun but other times its not so bad (this morning I more or less got paid to play dodge ball for an hour... for Physical Fittness training...)

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Thanks man