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junk

Have you had to sacrifice personally or professionally to pursue skydiving?

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I wasn't sure which section to stick this in, so I went with general discussions. I'm working on a documentary series that's looking for people that have become engaged in a single pursuit at the expense of their personal or professional life, and I'm personally hoping to get a skydiving story in there.

I'm looking for a few people I can interview to present to the production. Obviously there's a compensation package for people who are selected to participate in the doc, but in order to get this through I need some good stories. Who's in?

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junk

I wasn't sure which section to stick this in, so I went with general discussions. I'm working on a documentary series that's looking for people that have become engaged in a single pursuit at the expense of their personal or professional life, and I'm personally hoping to get a skydiving story in there.

I'm looking for a few people I can interview to present to the production. Obviously there's a compensation package for people who are selected to participate in the doc, but in order to get this through I need some good stories. Who's in?



Are you kidding me!?!? Ask most members of any competition team how much they have spent and sacrificed, you will find most have pretty good jobs, are carrying debt because of team travel, and probably have a manager that wonders why the company keeps them on because of all the requested time off.

I can tell you from personal experience about the debts, divorce, death, and daily grind of being on a comp team. And after over 25 years of competing, I am still at it. At least my kids know where their college tuition went....

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Jump more, post less!

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Nope, you may have to look elsewhere for an expensive hobby. Pretty much free jumps at my DZ. Mattafack, they often offer to pay me to help fill the plane. Not only that, there's so many other jumpers offering me used gear that I'm turning a huge profit at my re-sale shop.

My wife has been so supportive, she's even given up taking her lover to lunch so I can buy new gear! Love that woman.

Don't even get me started on the complimentary tunnel time. I'm so sore...

Now, what did you say about a 'compensation package'?
Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

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Yes.
I've spent the last 12 years dedicated exclusively to flying wingsuits. That career has included multiple world records, homemade suit designs and various oddball hardware experiments, some wins and losses in competition and more hair raising adventures than I could tell in a month.

Although I have not kept an accurate count of the actual amount of money spent, even a rough estimate says I could have had a house and some serious financial security for the price I've paid to be a part of this. Equipment, travel, food, fuel, time... I have spent it without a second thought and if given a chance to do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing. The reward has been an existence spent experiencing a level of mindblowing exultance you cannot put a price on, in the company of the finest high-achieving misfits visionaries competitors adventurers and all-round wonderful crazy people from all over the world.

In my nonskydiving life I am an industrial automation mechanic and amateur machinist. I work in factories maintaining industrial robots and machinery in order to fund all of this. I've turned down a great many opportunities for career advancement because although they would have increased my earnings considerably, they would have interfered with or ended my flying career. I do without TV, (the lack of a cable bill frees up enough money for a few more jumps per month) drive an old vehicle, (no car payment=more jumps) and a great many other things from new clothing to various consumer toys I have no real use for all so that I can afford to continue to do this. I think a lot of people measure their success in and quality of life by the number of expensive consumer toys they own, the price of their house, and the size of their bank account. I measure mine by how much time I spent in the sky and the fact that I am still alive to do it.

At some point I plan to acquire a degree in machining but it is going to have to wait a few more years because school is very time consuming, I have some goals still remaining to accomplish involving extreme evolutions of wingsuit performance capability, and I am NOT done yet. Not even close.
-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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If I could retrieve the fortune I have spent,
Worrying where it came from, not caring where it went,
I could live the heady lifestyle of Playboy magazine,
I would see the worldly sights that still remain unseen.

It must amount to thousands I’ve squandered on the sport,
The mark of any jumper, a balance close to naught,
But if I had it back in one financial lump I’d go south in the winter,
And jump and jump and jump.

- Skies Call

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I'm with fasted on this. Watched footage of a guy jump off a cliff and fly. That did it for me. Gave up all my other hobbies, sold my truck, snowboard gear, golf stuff, all kinds of stuff so that I could dedicate almost all my income to skydiving and BASE. Luckily I have job security or that too probably would have suffered. Marriage has not suffered, yet...

Worth it? ABSOLUTELY. Nothing I have ever done has been more "worth it"

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Really, what I'm looking for are people that have distinct conflicts in their lives regarding their passion; is there someone close to you that wants you to stop jumping? I love your commitment and your obvious expertise, if we can get the final piece of this puzzle I'd love to interview you both.

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Boogers

If I could retrieve the fortune I have spent,
Worrying where it came from, not caring where it went,
I could live the heady lifestyle of Playboy magazine,
I would see the worldly sights that still remain unseen.

It must amount to thousands I’ve squandered on the sport,
The mark of any jumper, a balance close to naught,
But if I had it back in one financial lump I’d go south in the winter,
And jump and jump and jump.

- Skies Call



I love this.

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I get out of bed and she says" where you going?" I say "jumpin". She " stay here with me in bed" Me "nope, weathers good" She wasn't there when I got back X 20.
I was the number two guy at Kohring. They made the back hoes for the Alaska pipeline. Told them I was taking two weeks off to go to the Nationals. They said no. Bye.
I'm sitting at the Nats with Exodus and Birds team. One of the Exodus guys is commenting on how much time and money they spent to just take second place. I asked him if he had $5. He said sure. I then ask Bird if he had $5. "Nope"
U only make 2 jumps: the first one for some weird reason and the last one that you lived through. The rest are just filler.
scr 316

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So each of us comes into this world with nothing and as naked as peeled grape and we leave this world with nothing and the only reason the undertaker puts clothes on your dead @$$ is so that people can gawk at you.:D

Skydiving was a gift from my wife to me that totally surprised the hell out of me then she adds to the surprise by telling me she's going to learn as well. She gave me that gift as she watched me battle cancer and it was a battle to be certain.

Sure, it cost $$$. So that only means I chose to spend the $$$ on skydiving instead of something else. No regrets...I'm having the time of my life. Every jump is light years better than what i'd enjoy at an amusement park and I've made friends and become part of a great community...priceless. Sacrifice? Hardly! I got the better part of the deal.

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Well, in 1981 I graduated Moscow Aviation Technology Institute (it was the USSR equivalent of University). I gave up the carier of a rocketier in favor of skydiving. I became the professional plower of the sky. 30+ years past, I am reading about people of my edge that became successful designers, businesman, generals or politiciants. I am asking myself cound I be one of them? The history does not know any IF or MAYBE. So, I am just some guy with 16000+ jumps head down toward the Mother-Earth.
Blue Sky

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islander

Well, in 1981 I graduated Moscow Aviation Technology Institute (it was the USSR equivalent of University). I gave up the carier of a rocketier in favor of skydiving. I became the professional plower of the sky. 30+ years past, I am reading about people of my edge that became successful designers, businesman, generals or politiciants. I am asking myself cound I be one of them? The history does not know any IF or MAYBE. So, I am just some guy with 16000+ jumps head down toward the Mother-Earth.




My wife & I have that discussion now & then...though we do have successful careers - we also spend inordinate amounts of time and $ on our aviation 'hobbies' and traveling the world.

People we knew well when we were younger, that went the path of 'normalcy'...have million dollar homes and fat investment portfolios.

BUT - the pictures on their walls going down 'memory lane' are boring as vanilla.

We do everyday what many carry around in a bucket 'list' and only dream about...That 'freedom' is priceless as far as I'm concerned!










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

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I've been PMing this guy and it appears he's looking for a Jerry Springer set up. He want to talk to someone that jumps in spite of friends and family's wishes and then talk to them. So if you want to be on TV tearing your shirt off and climbing a stripper pole. PM him.
U only make 2 jumps: the first one for some weird reason and the last one that you lived through. The rest are just filler.
scr 316

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That is definitely an unfair characterization. Yes I'm looking for people who consider jumping their primary passion, and ideally there is someone in your life who can provide a counterpoint, someone who is concerned, so that they can represent the audiences apprehension. Maybe I didn't phrase this properly to Mr. Wallace in PM; but I'm not looking for people to "Tear their shirt off and climb on a stripper pole".

Thanks for shitting on my work though, Jack.

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