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FliegendeWolf

Still Grounded (kinda long)

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[sigh]...I was really hoping this would be my bust-out year for jumping. If you have a look at my numbers to your left, you'll see that I haven't jumped squat in two years. Since I now own my gear and am not paying for AFF and coaching and what not, I hoped my numbers would go up.

But, boy, when it rains it pours. After dealing with this issue, I am still no closer to having gear back (the second rigger is now sending it back to Paraflite for inspection...god knows when it will come back). I can rent gear, but I almost always work weekends and the weather has not cooperated. Today, the weather is beautiful, so I called the dz to get recurrent for the season, and they said there are no instructors available today. I swear, I'm getting so frustrated with being stuck on the ground, and am wondering whether it's meant to be.

Quite a few years ago, I was into the drug scene, but had never taken LSD. Although acid was readily available, any time I thought I might like to try it, the supply would dry up and I couldn't get any. When the urge passed and I didn't feel like trying it, it would again become available. This happened so much that I eventually I decided that there was a reason why my attempts at taking LSD kept getting thwarted, and decided that that's a good enough reason not to try it.

In other words, what's meant to happen will happen, and there's no sense fighting some things.

Well, I'm beginning to get to that point in my frustration with not being able to jump yet this year that I'm wondering if the same thing is happening here. Am I really not meant to jump anymore? Is there a reason why these obstacles keep popping up? Should I stop fighting it?
A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

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get another rig, go to another dropzone, go in another country... try everything, there is certainly a reason, and you have to find how to get through and jump again.
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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Yes, stop fighting it and go with the flow................... Relax and just let it happen, your gear'll come home, the weather will lift, and there'll be a instructor to help you get current again. If your Karma is good and you don't need to atone for some really bad misdeeds (gear theft, murder, selling drugs to/molesting school children, ect...) then you shouldn't worry.

Look FliegendeWolf, if skydiving is truly in your heart, a passion, then do what you have to do to live the dream. Take the weekend off, travel to another DZ; with good weather and plenty of instructors, rent gear if you have to, GET CURRENT AND STAY CURRENT!

To a hardcore, diehard skydiver this is too is considered going with the flow;)
just remember sometimes you have to "Make it Happen", going with the flow can put you on the rocks, pick up the paddle and row like hell!!!!!!

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

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Quote

Am I really not meant to jump anymore?



Only you in your heart know this answer. Hopefully from a community point of view, the answer is no. But where ever your life takes you, make the most of each and every day.

Quote

Is there a reason why these obstacles keep popping up?



It's called life and we all have obstacles to overcome. Be pro-active with your life and your dreams. If something is meant to be, it'll happen. But often our dreams need to be chased. They don't always come to us without a little effort.

Good luck ... and I hope to run into you at a boogie one day. ;)


Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

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Weather's sucked so far this year in the northeast anyway. Summer's on its way, and there's plenty of jumping left to be done. I've done 36 jumps so far this year, with almost half being done in florida in january. If the weather had cooperated just a little bit more, I probably could have tripled that number.

So get your reserve back or buy a new one, and get back out there. You'll remember why you liked it so much.

Dave

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Man, I can totally feel your frustrations.....but I also envy you in a way....(hear me out first)....

At this point I would kill to be in your shoes, with 29 jumps, and owning my own gear. I have 2 tandems, and 2 Cat A's, under my belt. Did my first Cat A last year and was ready to continue training, then BAM! Other financial situations arise that must be dealt with. Cool, accepted it and said next spring it's on!!! So I just did another Cat A last month,and had most of my training cashola saved up...then WHAM!!! Again something else comes up. I've had an oppurtunity to train to be a packer @ the local DZ(hopefully they don't think I'm a shmuck) but my work schedule/travel has prevented me from being there consistantly as of late (another WHAM!!!). But through it all, I still day dream about jumping, and FINALLY achieving my goal of getting certified and becoming the best skydiver that I'm capable of becoming.

So don't sweat it buddy.....we all have challenges, it's just how we each deal with them to accomplish what we want. You'll get your gear back, and get into the air.......Just press on, and it's gonna work out for ya and you'll be in the air. Sh*t, one day I'll be there too, and hope to see you around somewhere to jump together!!!

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1/ Badmington is a good/safe option
2/ I'll race you to 30
3/ Move to SoCal / FLA
4/ Hang in there, it's worth it I am sure. Hell, better having riggers getting you frustrated with a reserve that may not be air worthy than... Fill in the blanks!

"Better safe than forty"

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

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Same thing... It seemed ages between jumps and every weekend hanging out at the DZ even though it was unjumpable... then it all came together and whammo... I got 7 jumps in a weekend. It will work. S**t does happen in this sport - take a mate of mine, took 3 weeks holiday to CA, first day out there took time in the tunnel, got nerve damage and couldn't jump. After spending a gazillion USD on getting out there, accomoadation, tunnel camp, etc. Sometimes you just gotta grit your teeth.

Good luck!
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Well, the reserve is officially totaled. Paraflite ran a porosity test which ran up too high, and decided it needed to be relined. In their opinion, it was not worth putting the money into the reline for that canopy. I'm of that opinion, too.

So, if you find yourself with one too many reserve canopies in the 190 sq ft range, gimme a holler.
A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

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So I got home from work today and there was a voicemail...Paraflite called to tell me that they made a mistake, and that the lemon reserve was in fact somebody else's, and that mine came in today, he looked it over, and determined that it's in perfectly good condition!

WHOOOO-FUCKING-HOOOOOOOO!

:):):):S:):)
A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

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Hey.. everyone's human. People make mistakes. Even the company that manufactures your reserve canopy....

Eeewwwhhhwwwwhhh (shiver shiver) ;)

Seriously though. Look at the bright side... your not the one who actually needs to have their reserve canopy relined.... now that's a scary thought!

--------------------------------------------------
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

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