PLFXpert 0 #26 June 29, 2001 Speaking of whuffos.....This guy said to me the other day after asking if I was a good skydiver, "How do you get good skydiving anyways? I mean how hard is it, you just jump out and pull your cord. Woo-hooo. Doesn't sound hard to me."Geese! I didn't even bother explaining the 100s of things you can do in between jumping out and pulling your cord. I just smiled, looked at him and said, "Whuffo."He was all "Huh?" and I walked away. Much love and blue skies,Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DZBone 0 #27 June 29, 2001 The one I always hate is when the say "it's not flying, its falling!"Oh, thanks for clearing that up for me, I was sooo confused about that, but your genius insight has set me straight!Grrrrrrrrrr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADRNALN 0 #28 June 29, 2001 That is such a sweet reply! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #29 June 29, 2001 Yeah...people ask me "what tricks can you do". I ask what they mean and they ask if I'm sky surfing or free flying yet (they don't call it free flying, but ask if I can fall sitting down, etc.) I tell them no, I'm still learning to belly fly stable. Their response is usually something like, "how hard is that, you're just falling."I just resort to my usual retort to any kind of criticism about skydiving from a whuffo. "How about coming with me this weekend?"Then I get,"My wife would kill me""I can't afford it""I'm busy"or the ever popular..."Yeah that would be great" and then they disappear until the following week when they proceed to ask me all about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RemiAndKaren 0 #30 June 29, 2001 LOL... QuoteThen I get,"My wife would kill me""I can't afford it""I'm busy"or the ever popular..."Yeah that would be great" and then they disappear until the following week when they proceed to ask me all about it.Some people at work convinced me to organize a Tandem outing for them (I was relucntant coz I knew how it usually finishes)... I had about 12 people going " wow.. cool... just tell me when and how"Then the crunch came, i.e. signing up, and all of the suddden: "well, I'm saving for a trailer/trip/college/my cat's funeral and its happens to be the same weekend I'm having a party/wedding/my chest hair waxed"You name it, they said it.... only 2 guys from a different department signed up... good for them, and the other's loss....Exactly what I expected... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicagoskydiver 0 #31 June 29, 2001 No, she is way beyond being convertible. I go to six flags with my daughter and without her because she won't even get on a roller coaster. We are kind of opposite that way....I'm a thrill seeker and novelty seeker and she's risk averse. The good news is we've come to an understanding about the skydiving. Even though she will never understand it because her mind is so closed to it, she at least tolerates that I do it because she knows it's what makes me happy. Plus I took out a life insurance policy which would cover a skydiving fatality. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #32 June 29, 2001 At least you agree to disagree and took care of her....good man. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #33 June 29, 2001 My wife is afraid of roller coasters too. she wont go on a ferris wheel even. we were on our honeymoon in london and paris and she wouldnt go on the millenium wheel out there. The thing is huge and all the carriages are totaly contained but she is too chicken. But here is the screwed up part. My wife has two gigantic horses that are taller than me at there shoulders (I am about 6'1" and they still have another 4 inches on me). she takes these 1800 pound beasts and jumps them over 5 and 6 plus foot tall fences at ridiculous speeds. and she says I am the one with the dangerous sport. Right now she is on a cross country course jumping stone and brick fences and all sorts of other things. GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....frustrating when she is giving me a hard time last night when I told her I bought my rig.marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pyke 0 #34 June 29, 2001 You might try pointing this out to her next time she wonders why you have to jump out of airplanes - while she is out jumping her horses...Ask her if the names Christopher Reeves and Nicholas Haas mean anything to her. When she says no, I have heard of one...point out to her that the first one was jumping x-country horses and will never walk, get an erection, or be able to breathe properly again because of it. The second name is personal to me because he was sitting on a horse after a polo match and was talking to someone on the ground. All of a sudden, and for whatever reason, he blacked out and fell off his horse. He hit his head on the ground and had to learn how to do EVERYTHING all over again. Eat, cut his food, tie his shoes, etc.How is this going to convince her of anything...well, while you may one day die (god forbid) in this sport...chances are it will be a quick and relatively painless one. If you break something in this sport...chances are it will only be your legs or back, and hopefully not enough to paralyse you from the neck down or cause you such a handicap that you are dependent for the rest of your life.Then ask who is in the safer sport!!And if she still doesn't get it....tell her never to drive around the x-country track in the middle of the day, on a clear road...I have personally met a man who was doing this exact thing...at the same time that a horse threw its rider on the course, jumped over the fence and ran out in front of the car...only to go through the windshield and crush the drivers skull against the headrest...causing him to be a vegetable from that point forward. That ought to shut her up...or at least make it a morbid enough mood for both of you that you venture off the topic on to brighter things!!!!!Kahurangi e Mahearangi,PykeNZPF A - 2584 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #35 June 29, 2001 Thats what I dont get....she understands all of that but insists that since her head is only 10 to 11 feet off the ground and mine is 13500' off the ground that I am more dangerous....stupid frustrating spouses...thats all it is...grrrrrrrrr.......marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DZBone 0 #36 June 29, 2001 Marc,Have you read an old book called Breathe, Little Boy, Breathe? It was written by an ER MD, intern I think, describing his impressions and experiences.Anyway, he makes the point that after seeing all the things that can happen to people, every day objects become sinister and frightening. Kitchen knives, stoves, power tools, bathtubs, electricity, everything.You must see the same thing in your line of work. I remember picking up a guy one time that had torn the tip of his nose off while hammering. He caught it in the claw end while swinging. Who would have guessed?So what's the difference between 10 feet and 13kft?Carl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #37 June 29, 2001 Yeah I have read that book before. I have been a street medic for 5 years and a flight medic now for 4. I have seen everything. I try to tell her she just dont get it.and I dont know the difference between 10 and 13500 they will kill ya the same way if you arent carefull.I just got back from jumping. made two jumps and now I feel so much better!!! life is good once again.marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #38 June 29, 2001 You just jumped...I am jealous. I wasn't driving 2 hours one way for one jump today so I've played on the computer all day, but my time draws near as I actually have a date.... with a skydiver. Life is good again here too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeekStreak 0 #39 June 29, 2001 QuoteI actually have a date.... with a skydiverYou have a date with a skydiver? Do tell.... 1111,GeekStreak Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #40 June 29, 2001 It was a shock to me too!! He is just off AFF and not jumping much but we all get together and hang out once a week just to get our "fix" of at least talking about it. He showed up 2 weeks ago and I introduced myself and well...here we are. It was kinda funny in a way as I really don't date much so we'll see. Last guy I dated was 12 years younger so this will be interesting. I'll give you the free for all when I get back...and no, there will be no sex involved on the first date so get that out of your minds. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #41 June 29, 2001 yep DeLand is 20 minutes at the most from my front door. so total of about 40 minutes at the most from time I leave hear till I board the otter or skyvan and do some jumping...pretty cool eh?marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #42 June 29, 2001 I'm green with envy here...I'm coming down in Aug to jump with everyone. Maybe before then if a friend of mine comes for the canopy classes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #43 June 29, 2001 I'll be waiting to jump with ya, if ya can keep up...marcps I tend to fall a tad fast..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #44 June 29, 2001 OK...all I'm outta here. Think my date will recognize me in a dress after seeing me at the DZ???? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeekStreak 0 #45 June 30, 2001 QuoteThink my date will recognize me in a dress after seeing me at the DZ????OMG!! You must really like this guy. You probably shaved your legs too, eh??!! 1111,GeekStreak Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #46 July 2, 2001 ALWAYS shave the legs...even on the weekend at the DZ. The dress comment was just because I don't wear nice stuff to the DZ. Yes, he recognized me. I'll give you all the details of my weekend today...later since it is 2:30 a.m. on Monday and I'm just getting in from the DZ. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #47 July 2, 2001 Must of been a good weekend for ya then, eh mouth?marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #48 July 2, 2001 Life is good right now....I jumped my a$$ off today and pulled some pretty good stuff out of my bag of tricks. Enjoyed Sat at the DZ in the rain with all my friends and even jumped twice (once in the rain...yuck), went on a date Friday night. What more could a girl ask for??? OK, sex but heck 3 outta 4 ain't bad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
