whuffo concerns

[Cayce 0]

Okay, here goes. I'm a new student, just out of AFF and about to start my solo and coach jumps on the way to an A license.

I started jumping with my wife, actually it was her idea, she decided it wasn’t for her so she stopped around AFF 4, yet I’ve continued and plan to keep doing it, all with her understanding and approval.

Yet I’m finding it hard to explain to my whuffo friends. They seriously think I’m nuts for all the reasons you’ve heard before. Three of my co-workers have sent me Christian oriented links on e-mail after I expressed some of my feelings and excitement about jumping. It’s almost like they think I have a death with or no faith or somehow it offends them. I’ve only experienced this in terms of surfing where most people think that a surfer is just doing a self indulgence by surfing and that some how offends the rest of the world. The difference being that the whuffos don’t think surfers are trying to kill them selves…

So what’s the deal? Do I just have to stop talking about my weekend activities with my co-workers and non-jumping friends? Is this a separation phase that others have gone through? It’s just a little un-nerving that the thing that turns me on the most is something that none of my friends/co-workers can relate to. Anyone else gone through this and have some advise for me?

[nate_1979 9]

Why would God want for you not to live life to it's fullest? That's how I look at it.. .And Skydiving has changed my life in many good ways...

FGF #???
I miss the sky...
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

[bigway 4]

you should stop talking to your co-workers about your skydiving, they will never understand, they will never know what you are talking about anyway. Or maybe they are jelous that they do not have the freedom you do. You are to enjoy skydiving, and if your mates at work are not for you enjoying it, screw them, just log onto dz.com on your breaks and get amped up for the weekend.
dont even bother trying to tell them that skydiving is one of the safest adventure activities their is.
Good luck, welcome to the world and just laugh at your co-workers for having such boring lives. They want to send you stuff about religion, well if their is a god, he would be frowning on them for being so anal.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Andrewwhyte 1]

You just need new friends. We'll be your friends.

[hoym 0]

I will VERY RARELY talk to wuffos about skydiving and then only if they bring it up first and even then I keep it short. Every now and then a co-worker will ask, "Jump this weekend?" And I'll say something like, "Yea, made 5 on Saturday." Never much more than that and only if they ask first. They know I do it. But I guess co-workers realize that it's something I don't talk much about. Now if they express a sincere interest in trying it, I'll tell them all they want to know and more. And, I'll go way out of my way to help them experience it but that doesn't happen much. The last co-worker that asked about jumping, I paid for his first jump course. He liked it but he works part time and is still a student and funds didn't let him continue.

[teason 0]

Tell 'em if god didn't want us to skydive he would've given us wings!

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[bigway 4]

i got wings!
Cut in laterals as well

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Jib 0]

They'll probably never relate to skydiving.
My best friend say "dude, your nuts" with a laugh, because it's something he could never do.
We used to surf years ago, but never thought there was anything offensive about surfing.
Once they found out where I was going for the weekend, my office stopped asking questions. After a while, people realize that there is a reason you are wearing a parachute and since it seemed to work a few times, they don't think you have a death wish. At that point, they'll probably label you an adrenaline junkie.
But remember, your true friends will be your friends. The rest are people that danced across your life when paths crossed.

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[dropzonefool 0]

HI Cayce,

It is always hard to explain to wuffo's about skydiving. They ask why would you jump out of a good plane? the most common skydiver response is " the door was open", Ha, ha!

But really, they will never get it! Be glad your in the sport, and try not to look down upon your co-workers for their ignorance.
I have tried to tell whuffo's that scuba diving and snow skiing are ranked more dangerous than skydiving, but to them swimming in the deep blue, or skiing down a snow covered mountain is more beautiful picture to mind. Then there is always the question " What if the chute don't open?" question.
You have begun a journey, you have started something that is bigger than you, your wife, and all your friends. What you do with it is up to you, but keep this in mind. Hopefully you will never regret and never forget all the fond memories you have, and all those to come, all the new friends you have made. I personally want to be a very old man in a nursing home somewhere, and be able to state this is what I have accomplished in my life.

Any ways good luck and welcome to (our) world. Kinda gives you a new perspective on life, uh?( skydiving does)
As far as your co workers, stop mentioning you jump to them, and don't sweaty the petty stuff, pet the sweaty stuff!
Blue skies
J

[NWFlyer 2]

I'm brand new to the sport as well. I've been lucky in that no one besides my father has tried to talk me out of doing it (and that was after two pretty bad jumps in a row). We've agreed to disagree on this particular issue, and he tries to understand why I'm drawn to it and why I keep doing it even though it's not easy (of course I've had to explain that if it were easy I probably wouldn't be quite as drawn to it - the fact that it is challenging and scary and I know there is always going to be something new to learn is part of what draws me to it.).

But I can also start to see a growing divide between me and my non-skydiver friends, and from everything I've read on here, it's probably just the tip of the iceberg. I can see it changing me fundamentally. I grow more and more excited about it by the day and want to talk about it all the time and I'm sure I'm becoming a little tedious and they certainly can't quite relate. So I try to dial it down a notch, but I can see the amount of time and energy I put into the sport becoming an issue at some point. Will just have to keep an eye on that. I'm also trying to make some stronger connections with the folks out at the DZ, and that's happening the more time I spend out there. I figure they'll get it :)

"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

[bigway 4]

You say that you are already seeing a growing divide amngst your friends.

I dont see why that has to happen. Before i got into jumping me and my mates had loads of things in common hence why we were friends. We still have loads of things in common and we are still mates. You cant let skydiving change who your mates are or you are not being a very good friend.
I have never heard of giving up your mates or growing aprt from your good friends over a sport.
Skydiving maybe alot of things but if you give up your friends for it who is going to be there for you if you have to stop jumping or can not jump again? Friends are important and so is family, now if you give them up for skydiving you will be the one who loses out in the long run.
Take it easy with the skydiving talk because when people are new to the sport you can sometimes come off sounding like you are better or cooler than your non-jumping mates. Just be sensible and keep your friends close. Good luck in your future jumping and it sounds like you love it but remember where you come from and the the people that love you.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[NWFlyer 2]

Bigway - thanks for the feedback. Maybe that came across a bit stronger than I intended - I'm not really worried that this will tear us apart, and I'm absolutely working to keep my non-skydiver friends close. I have no intention of losing them because I'm doing something new. I think right now I'm just noticing how all-consuming it is to me and I do have to always remember that it's NOT that all-consuming to them and make sure I don't completely bore them.

It's like when someone you know starts dating someone new and they're in that period where if you say "I like breakfast cereal" they say "Oh, you know likes breakfast cereal, too!" or "I'm going to the drugstore" and it's " went to the drugstore this week, too." Tedious but they usually get over it and settle into a routine.

The other thing that goes way beyond this forum but is worth mentioning is that I've gone through a hell of a lot of changes and major life events over the past two years and still have the same wonderful, supportive group of friends and the same great relationship with my family. Staying strong through that has sometimes required some really open communication and occasionally redefining the relationship. This is just another of those changes and I'm confident it'll all work out well.

"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

[popsjumper 2]

I dunno...that evil little brat in me says to have fun with it and give them a "my God..I almost killed myself last weekend" spiel.....well WTH, since they are not going to EVER understand your passion and since they obviously find a need to push their beliefs (religious or otherwise) off on you, I say have fun with it and egg them on a little...

but that's just me....

above all, separate in your mind what you want/like for YOURSELF, from what OTHERS would want/like for you.

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

[bigway 4]

Well i wish you all the best, you seem to have your head screwed on. we all go through the same beggining with skydiving. It is a very overwhelming thing sport for us and whuffo's both at the beggining. We are full on, cant get enough, nervous, think we are "cool", and all the rest. Well i did anyway It settles down though. I never bothered talking much to my friends about it because it is hard for them to explain, i mean they had to get their head around jumping out of a plane before they could think about understanding tracking dives and 4-way. The one question i always got when i started was "have you done that snowboard surfing yet?" I mean i have done 20 jumps at that stage, that is what made me realise that talking to them about my jumping just is not going to be that interesting for them.
Though i was lucky as my mate and I ssigned up for a 200 jump course togethor so we learnt AFF and did the rest of the jumps togethor. So we could kind of sit there and have a laugh with each other, or get pissed of with each other.
It is a fantastic sport with many aspects to it, we learn alot oabout ourselves and how to handle some pretty intense situation. I remember when my mates use to ask me what my 'pin' around my neck was and if i shaped it?, how do you explain that to them? Though when a foreign country at a beach and you see someone else wearing one, bang there you go instant conversation. Good luck with everything, and get your mates to do a jump. I am in the uk at the moment and my mum dad, brother and sister are all going for a tandem today back in new zealand as a christmas present from me, kind of cool cause for me it is the best xmas present in the world knowing that they are goin to jump.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Dumpster 0]

After I got over the initial psychosis that you go through when you start jumping, I don't talk about it much to whuffos anymore either. I just recently cracked a couple bones in my left ankle on a landing, and they ask me if I plan to jump again after I heal. WHen I tell them "Yes" I get some real stupid looks and comments.

Screw 'em!

Easy Does It

[Reginald 0]

LOL! I used to try and explain to my coworkers how safe it really is (at least relative to what the average whuffo thinks) and that I’m not some crazed lunatic with a death wish. Then I just gave up talking about it at all even if I was asked, I’d just say, “Yea I had fun this weekend.”

After about a year, one of the more comely secretaries in my office mentioned that some of the ladies in the office were kind of turned on by the “Danger Guy” thing. Hmmm… I rethought my strategy about discussing skydiving at the office.

When people ask me if I jumped this weekend, I tell them “Yes!” and then I play it up, “No shit there I was, I thought I was gonna die…!”

Give the people what they want…especially f there are attractive young ladies!!!

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[Tink1717 2]

Yeah, you should give up on your whuffo friends. They don't get it. They never will. Just keep putting pictures of you jumping up and talk only to those who ask. you'll get a lot less whuffo bullshit that way.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[repeter 0]

i agree.. just give up your whuffo friends.. hell.. i lost pretty much all my whuffo friends after i started jumping.. dont miss em a bit..

and if they are pissing you off.. just tell him there is no god and they'll prolly go ape shit..

[AMax 0]

Quote

After about a year, one of the more comely secretaries in my office mentioned that some of the ladies in the office were kind of turned on by the “Danger Guy” thing. Hmmm… I rethought my strategy about discussing skydiving at the office.


Give the people what they want…especially f there are attractive young ladies!!!

LOL Ron ... I know several ladies who were kinda turned on this thing. The problem is that their interest goes down when they realize that you are not particularly interested in partying late in town on Friday nights and spend too much time at DZ jumping out of planes instead of entertaining them on weekends ...
I worried about you when saw a couple of people out on sunset load. Did you get in? (j/k)

[AMax 0]

Cayce,
If you seriously get into jumping, there is a good chance that you will eventually stop talking about it to whuffos. There is huge gap between those who made at least one jump and those who have never done it. This gap will be getting bigger as you make more and more jumps. Most of us probably felt like heroes after a few first skydives and most of us tried to tell the whole world about it. The whole world however is only interested in how high you go, how fast you fall and what happens if you parachute does not open. Just imaging answering the same damn questions over and over again.

[calledisrael 0]

my pastor preached about skydiving a few weeks ago and showed her tandem video. she has a whole bunch of people stirred up about how *christian* it is to be radical and fearless... i can send you the mp3 link if you want :)

life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
(helen keller)

[dippymoo 0]

when i started most of my friends and particularly family thought i was nuts but they'll come round! my big brother was very verbal in his negative 'you're crazy in the head' remarks however...
after 6 yrs in the sport my bro was coming to visit me for my wedding in southern cal and without any prompting from me said that while he was here he wanted to do a jump so i asked tandem or AFF to which he replied if he was going to do it he had to do it 'properly'
so thats how i got to take me brother on his first skydive! he's now well on his way to his license and hooked!
if you're comitted and people start to realise its not just a phase its what you do for fun cos its what you want to do then they'll start to come round and accept and hopefully eventually embrace it!
good luck!

[Cayce 0]

Hey, thanks to everyone for the positive and supportive feedback. I can see that I’ll probably stop talking about it to my non jumping friends and co-workers at least I’ll just gloss over the specifics and say I jumped and had a good time when asked. Otherwise it just brings up all kinds of questions and concerns that they can’t relate to and they really don’t see why I’m so jazzed about some of the stuff that happens.

Like today, it was the ultimate day in jumping so far. My first post AFF solo, followed by four more jumps. On one load I was the last one in the plane being a belly flyer and pulling at 4.5k. So I did a running dive out of the door. How f---ing cool is that to have ran and dived out of an air plane door! I just don’t see explaining that one to the co-workers…

I don’t think I’ll be going for the ‘danger guy’ thing at work. I happen to work with my wife, who has done four jumps with me, so I don’t think it would go over well with her, LOL.

I think you’re all just right that I need new friends…
See you at the DZ.

[Brodes 0]

I love telling my workmates that 'I just had a quiet one.." when asked about my weekends

[LiveLifeGoJump 0]

No one skydives just to be a hero in the eyes of their mates/workmates, it does not work. They just think you're nuts. It is unliklely that you will change what they think so don't bother.

If they ask first I will talk about skydiving to them but now I keep it short because most of them are not realy interested. If they go on about it to much I reply 'Don't knock what you haven't tried'. Try telling them that a skydiver WITH a death wish usually only jump once then their wish is fulfilled, those with a wish to 'LIVE' come back again & again.

As for dangerous, there are a number of people at my place of work who are (or were) 'into football' (UK) and have bad knees or are always getting injured one way or another yet they say that football is not dangerous.

Quote

Is this a separation phase that others have gone through? It’s just a little un-nerving that the thing that turns me on the most is something that none of my friends/co-workers can relate to. Anyone else gone through this and have some advise for me?

Probably all skydivers have.

Get out, Land on a green bit. If you get the pull somewhere in between it would help.