Being Cool on the DZ

[zipplewrath 1]

I found Jarno Cordia's article Being COOL on the Dropzone on the home page to be an interesting read. I jumped back and forth between agreeing and laughing a bit. I guess mostly because it all sounded so familar.

I was trained on T-10's. We were suppose to do X (20?) number of jumps on a T-10 before moving on the a "church window" PC. In there somewhere I did a jump on a piglet. You couldn't make a jump on one of the "hot squares" until you had 100 jumps. You can imagine the reaction from many of us when they started putting first jump students out on 9 cells, much less having "square" reserves as well.

My first jumps, up to and including 10 second delays were done without an altimeter. You weren't suppose to use one right away. You were suppose to learn to judge altitude without one. They were back up devices. "What if it broke? What would you do?" Do they even allow students to make jumps without altimeters these days, much less an audible?

In the early days of sport skydiving, there was a strong military influence and they developed "licenses" with written skill tests and demonstrations including water landings, night jumps, spotting requirements, accuracy requirements, etc. Over time arguments ensued about why one should have to do a night jump prior to being able to have a C or D license. Many complained about licenses at all as "merely a way for USPA to make some money". Others swore by it and encouraged USPA to develop a whole series of "awards" for various skills called eagle and double eagle etc. Jokes abounded about "double turkeys" and "double pigeons" because the thought was it was just another money making enterprise for USPA. Others advocated the SCR and SCS as measures for advancement.

There have been arguments for years about the progression or lack thereof of students. It used to be common for the progression to go from student, through the 4 licenses, then various jumpmaster levels and ultimately many folks became riggers. In there somewhere, as the various skills became professional, many skipped them. I never became a JM, nor coach or TM or anything else. Didn't try to become a rigger either. But I packed my own main long after the tradition of the packer came around. There were arguments about that too.

Low jumps, VRW, CRW, night jumps, swooping, spotting, packing, huge formations, etc. Each generation seems to have to get lectured from the previous about how they aren't progressing "correctly". God knows I've given a few of those lectures myself. Probably if I differ with the article in any significant way, it is that I don't think the previous generation has any special skill at judging when you're ready to try something new. The license process was intended to make you prove you were ready. But predominately we took the "Your butt, your decision" approach. The flip side is that it is valuable to break down whatever it is that you want to do into specific skills and make sure you have SOME fundamentals prior to taking a dive off the deep end.

[Carrapeta 0]

Coming from someone with almost NO experience. . .(me)

WORD!

If your gonna be dumb ya gotta be tough.

Your mom goes HandHeld

[jsreznor 0]

I gave it a 4/10.

It told me nothing of how to be cool on the DZ.

[Nutz 0]

Yeah, all my crap matches, does that make me cool?

We need to know!!!

"Don't! Get! Eliminated!"

[Ryno118 0]

I started skydiving to be cool! But in the 25 jumps I have done so far, not one of them made me look cool. Maybe I should save up my money and buy a BMW and some shades? then I will look cool. Yeah!!!

Live hard, Live fast, Die broke.
D.S. 118118

[mr_music11 0]

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I gave it a 3/10.

It told me nothing of how to be cool on the DZ.

+1

Although I dont need anybody to tell me "how" to be "cool". Good article tho.. just not appropriatly titled.

If flying is piloting a plane.. then swimming is driving a boat. I know why birds sing.. I skydive.

[JohnRich 4]

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I started skydiving to be cool! But in the 25 jumps I have done so far, not one of them made me look cool. Maybe I should save up my money and buy a BMW and some shades? then I will look cool. Yeah!!!

And the BMW would be cheaper in the long run.

[wmw999 2,167]

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And the BMW would be cheaper in the long run

Good thing I'm not into expensive cars

Wendy W.

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)

[knic 0]

- Knic

[fincher 0]

the title was misleading. The article wasnt nearly as gay as I expected it would be. However, that picture of goober boy used to tease the article was totally gay. why does he have his goggles on? and its really dark for those goggles. And why is he making a mathematical sign with his hand. It looks like he is saying his head is greater than the sky. Or whatever is to the left. I guess his head is pretty big if he thinks he looks cool wearing his goggles on the ground and signing math

anyway.....super gay pic

i'll huff and I'll puff and I'll burn your packing tent down

[Baksteen 84]

Excellent article - couldn't agree with Jarno more.

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Yeah, all my crap matches, does that make me cool?

No it doesn't.
Matching gear would be a different story.

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[pirana 0]

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I started skydiving to be cool! But in the 25 jumps I have done so far, not one of them made me look cool. Maybe I should save up my money and buy a BMW and some shades? then I will look cool. Yeah!!!

As difficult as it is to get a handle on cool (getting a good handle on anything automatically makes it uncool), a BMW is definitely not it. A BMW is the ultimate upper-middle wannabee ride; extremely bourgeoise, the absolute opposite of cool.

Utilitarian (fulfilling basic functional needs) or highly exotic are both acceptable. The stuff in between, the $40K to $150K "sports" cars are for those that want to put on a show and portray some image or another but can't afford the real thing.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[Krip 2]

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Quote

I started skydiving to be cool! But in the 25 jumps I have done so far, not one of them made me look cool. Maybe I should save up my money and buy a BMW and some shades? then I will look cool. Yeah!!!

As difficult as it is to get a handle on cool (getting a good handle on anything automatically makes it uncool), a BMW is definitely not it. A BMW is the ultimate upper-middle wannabee ride; extremely bourgeoise, the absolute opposite of cool.

Utilitarian (fulfilling basic functional needs) or highly exotic are both acceptable. The stuff in between, the $40K to $150K "sports" cars are for those that want to put on a show and portray some image or another but can't afford the real thing.

So a 1966 VW bus is still

One Jump Wonder

[Ryno118 0]

My BMW comment was meant to be ironic. I in no way think someone with expensive material possessions is cool. To me, someone who advertises their material possessions in a bid to look cool always does the opposite. It tells me they are insecure, shallow, boring and unimaginative. I also never got into skydiving to look/be cool. Although I was telling the truth about not looking cool so far My AFF level 7 being a prime example. But nevertheless I have had so much fun along the way and thats more important to me than what other people think.

Live hard, Live fast, Die broke.
D.S. 118118

[kingbunky 3]

so what about people who drive a bmw because it is a well-built, well-engineered, reliable, fun to drive and efficient car, and don't give a flying fuck if it impresses people or not?

yes, i'm talking about me and my '06 325i.

and my gear matches too.

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[Ryno118 0]

Paint it pink and i'll belive ya

Live hard, Live fast, Die broke.
D.S. 118118

[JohnDeere 0]

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so what about people who drive a bmw because it is a well-built, well-engineered, reliable, fun to drive and efficient car, and don't give a flying fuck if it impresses people or not?

yes, i'm talking about me and my '06 325i.

and my gear matches too.

+1 I guess to piranas standards im a wannabe since my wife drives a navigator.....I thought i was getting it for the room, comfort, and safety.....little did i know im just a wannabe

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[sparkie 0]

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My BMW comment was meant to be ironic. I in no way think someone with expensive material possessions is cool. To me, someone who advertises their material possessions in a bid to look cool always does the opposite. It tells me they are insecure, shallow, boring and unimaginative. I also never got into skydiving to look/be cool. Although I was telling the truth about not looking cool so far My AFF level 7 being a prime example. But nevertheless I have had so much fun along the way and thats more important to me than what other people think.

look, it's really easy. Just buy the smallest rig out there, put the smallest velo in it and then just act as if you're jumping it. Walk into the hanger with the gear on and the main out, time it so that you could have been on the last load. Let it be packed then put it on and act as if you're going on the next load...find a quiet place, get the main out again and do it all over.

Do that until you have enough jumps on your actual rig/ main and then start actually using the small rig. That way you will be cool from only a few jumps!

Make sure you get the cool gizmo's like swoop pants, shades, beepers etc etc. Some teva's maybe but i think those are 2006 and out of style now.

hth ;P

[gearless_chris 1]

I still wear my Teva's, unless it's too cold to be cool. I like your plan. I don't think it would work at my 182 dz, but maybe at the big one.

"If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane.

My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole.

[kingbunky 3]

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Paint it pink and i'll belive ya

paint it? that would be expensive.

nope, no bluetooth headset, but the lease is up on the bimmer and i've ordered a new mini clubman with integrated bluetooth, does that count?

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[Ryno118 0]

the Mini cancels out the Bluetooth so your ok

Live hard, Live fast, Die broke.
D.S. 118118

[pirana 0]

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[So a 1966 VW bus is still

Just about as fucking cool as it gets. Outdone only by something totally nondescript; something like a 4-door midsize, faded but not rusted, and so ubiquitous you can't even tell the make from more than 100' away.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[pirana 0]

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My BMW comment was meant to be ironic. I in no way think someone with expensive material possessions is cool. To me, someone who advertises their material possessions in a bid to look cool always does the opposite. It tells me they are insecure, shallow, boring and unimaginative.

I know. I just like to fun around on the topic of class distinctions and how uptight so many people are about them.

And you are spot on. There is a reason the uppermost crust of society is called Top, Out of Sight. They take great pains to not be noticed by the masses while the wannabees below them think that if they can just accumulate a little more shit and show it off they can break thru the ceiling. Poor misguided creatures don't understand that the group they are trying to join finds them the most vulgar of all the social classes.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[pirana 0]

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so what about people who drive a bmw because it is a well-built, well-engineered, reliable, fun to drive and efficient car, and don't give a flying fuck if it impresses people or not?

yes, i'm talking about me and my '06 325i.

and my gear matches too.

They are incredibly, terribly, horribly overpriced. Strictly from a utility perspective of course.

From a performance perspective, they are still overpriced. There are simply too many cars that cost considerably less and deliver the same or better performance.

Humans being basically emotional creatures though, and allowing for differences in taste, I forgive and understand the need.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[pirana 0]

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+1 I guess to piranas standards im a wannabe since my wife drives a navigator.....I thought i was getting it for the room, comfort, and safety.....little did i know im just a wannabe

Depends on how frequently you use it's full utility. If you frequently use at least half it's capacity, cramming it full of people and/or stuff then it is functional related to your physical needs. If it mostly tools around with one or 2 people in it - then it is a showpiece satifying your emotional needs; most likely related to social status.

We all want to be something. What that is can usually be ascertained by what we do with what we have - not by how much we have.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley