FlyingRhenquest

I don't think we're going to see what we saw in that video on a regular basis. That guy was an instructor and probably had countless hours of tunnel time. At the same time, I feel that some tunnel time might be beneficial before going into AFF. There's a lot to keep track of on your first jump already. If you're already comfortable in the air on your belly, at least part of that environment might seem less overwhelming. I put my sister and niece through 7 minutes each in the tunnel before taking them on a tandem jump. They said they thought it have been a lot more scary on the tandem if they hadn't gotten in the tunnel time. Sure air skills are only part of skydiving, and there are a lot of things you don't have to worry about in the tunnel that you do in the sky (Like that big ol' Planet coming up to say "hi" at 120mph...) But the more comfortable you feel with flying, the more attention you'll have to pay to those other things. They're quite a workout too. I just did 15 minutes in one for back flying, and I think I'm probably going to be sore tomorrow. If it were just a bit closer and a bit less expensive I'd hit it a couple times a week just for the exercise! I can't really complain though, since my dropzone is a 10 minute drive from here. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I stumbled across this video while trawling teh youtubes. I've seen many a skydiving video, but very few that made me laugh like this. Dude's instructors must have loved him! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BCMLpOFh9Y I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

If you or the other person involved grew up in a household where arguments and strife were common, at some level you'll think that's what a relationship is supposed to be and try to start an argument. It really doesn't have to be that way. Also if you're young you might still find drama to be entertaining. Another decade or so and it'll just be tiresome. You should know who the instigator is. If not, pay more attention and see if you can spot the early warning signs. Maybe then you can shut it down before it gets started. You could always just agree with everything, too, in the interest of keeping the peace. Kind of like this: http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/154975/buca-di-faggoncini I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

It sounds to me like you're in nominally better shape than I am, and I don't have a problem. Skydiving's not a huge workout, but I've found it to be a good motivator to eat healthier and exercise more. You're tall, but I don't think that should stop you. Unless you have a medical condition you should be concerned about, I'd say stop worrying and go jump out of an airplane already! 'course if you're worried about body control et al, you could find a wind tunnel somewhere and put in some time. It's great training for flying and not a bad workout either. Alas, kind of pricey to do regularly, but still a good way to learn how to fly. Especially in the winter. I've got another 15 minutes scheduled on Saturday to learn how to fly on my back (And it's supposed to be nice this weekend, so I'll probably come back north and do some skydives, too.) Can you get an A license in the time it takes to do a vacation? It took me a couple of months, but I was mostly just doing a few jumps on the weekend. If you set up camp at a dropzone that's open all week and did several jumps a day, you might be able to manage it. That'd be pricey, but maybe it's possible. Also check to see if the dropzone you select offers a canopy course; maybe you can get that in as part of the 25 jumps you need to get to your A license. The sooner you learn to fly your canopy well, the more ahead-of-the-game you'll be. It's a seasonal sport in a lot of the USA. My DZ flies all year, but if we were much further north it'd be a problem and I'd have to take a vacation in Florida or Arizona a couple of times in the winter to stay current. I might want to do that anyway, though I have some gear now that should keep me warm enough to jump in any weather that they'll fly in. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

Pff at 130 you should be Mr. Floaty Pants! Have your instructors complained about your fall rate at all? I fall like a bat out of hell. I'd regularly fall at 170 during my training. Lately I seem to average 140 for straight belly and around 125 if I'm tracking. We've had a couple light guys who fall in the high 90's! The instructors were threatening to put us together so he'd learn to fall faster and I'd learn to fall slower! Did you only jump the 200 once? Maybe there was something else going on for that jump. I wouldn't expect such a small change downward to have such a big effect. It could be something funky with that particular canopy, too. Whenever you jump a new one, it's a good idea to try some practice flares while you're above your cutaway decision altitude. That'll give you an idea of what it'll do on landing. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I usually do a 'thing' at Thanksgiving, it started out as orphan friends who didn't have anywhere else to go, usually 3-4 people, me and my room mate. A while back it was actually a bunch of guys doing contract work from overseas, so we had a guy from India, a guy from Sweden, a guy from Germany, and a lady from Korea. A couple of them hadn't experienced Thanksgiving before. I think we had 9 people last year. Any more than that and I'd have to rent bigger digs to do my cooking and serving in! This year, one of my orphan friends is having a baby and spending thanksgiving with his new wife's family. A couple of his friends who've been here the past couple years might show up. My room mate has invited a couple people, too. I tell 'em I'll do turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes. If they want anything else, they have to bring it themselves. I do an awesome turkey -- It's Alton Brown's "Good Eats" recipe. The trick is to brine it overnight and use a probe thermometer while you roast it. That way you can pull it at exactly the right temperature, and the brine makes it juicy and delicious. I was thinking of trying to obtain a wild turkey this year, but that's not the kind of thing I think I want to spring on Thanksgiving guests. I might do it a couple weeks later, or for the Christmas holiday. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I've sat on both sides of the table, so I know what they're looking for. I can also spot interviewers who aren't sure what they're looking for, and there are a lot of those. But that's another topic. I could see citing formation jumps as proof of teamwork skills. Especially if there's video evidence or the formation was a record attempt. And especially if you led and planned them. Other thing is if you're a boring individual and don't stand out much, your name might not come up at the end of the day. Being tagged as "The guy who skydives" isn't necessarily bad if it has them talking about you. You're already standing out from the crowd at that point. Just make sure it isn't all you talk about, or you'll slip back into the "mediocre" category pretty quickly. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

Have you moved down at all from where you started? My guys suggested that I work my way down to at least 1.0 (Don't forget to factor gear into your weight at exit) as I felt comfortable. They started me out on a 300. I moved down to a 280 and didn't notice a huge difference. I moved down to a 260 about a month ago. Once I get to a 240, that'll be right about 1.0 with gear and everything, and that's where I plan to stay for at least a couple of years. Maybe longer. If you get comfortable at wingloadings more appropriate to your weight, you'd be increasing your rental gear selection, too. If you don't find the one you're currently jumping, you can move to one of the lower wingloadings that you're using right now. You still know how to fly them, so they remain an option. If you haven't done one yet, I highly recommend a canopy course as soon as time and money allow. You'll learn a lot about how to fly your canopy and it might help you decide what you want to do for your own gear. Or you could just wait until you have your gear and then do a canopy course with it. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I usually pay with plastic so I never notice this; they just put a hold on your credit card. If you usually sit pretty close to the limit, this is potentially a problem. I pay it off every month as much as possible, so I don't even notice it. A little paranoia goes a long way when travelling internationally. I suggest looking into a money belt or similar device and keep the bulk of your money and passport there when it's not in use. I'd carry the wallet with about $100 of cash and kept the bulk of my travel funds in my money belt. Never had a problem overseas. Had a jacket stolen from a hotel in St. Augustine once. Obviously don't ever flash your cash stash. Which brings me to point 2, heh. Don't leave anything you mind losing in your hotel room. Or in the luggage you check on the plane. I don't expect that you'll have any trouble, but it's best to try to mitigate the consequences of any that finds you. Have a safe trip! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

Heh, honestly, if dude wants to jump .75 for the next couple years, why argue with them? Everyone is different, and maybe they just like the long canopy ride or something. I'm in a similar situation -- I might move down around 1.0 before I buy my gear, but I'm pretty happy flying at .85 and could easily see doing that for several years. I'd just be happy they're not going straight to a Velo 76! It might not even be that difficult to find someone who's 5'5, weighs 210 pounds and would be interested in buying the rig second handed when the time comes to downsize. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

There's no reason that shouldn't work. You want a rig that will fit you, and that's the best way to insure you get what you want with it. I'm actually planning to do the same thing, get a new rig and see if I can find a couple of used 240s to put in it. Don't forget to include an AAD in your cost estimate. You might be able to find a used one of those as well, just make sure it's working and has been serviced recently. You can always have a rigger check it out before you buy it. If they don't want to ship to your rigger at your home DZ, find a different buyer. Same thing goes for canopies. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CD0QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uspa.org%2FAboutSkydiving%2FSkydivingSafety%2Ftabid%2F526%2FDefault.aspx&ei=naqiUNmrNoPOyAG4v4CoCQ&usg=AFQjCNHs8zTvsr46xz2dyvpbmXV6O1poTw&sig2=Ccy704Ii_nLVZkYzSRsS6g&cad=rja Edit: Hmm last link didn't work so well for some reason. This one seems to. USPA skydiving safety table. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

It IS an unnecessary risk. If you're going to do it, you should consider the stuff other posters have mentioned. Also make sure your life insurance covers it if you die while skydiving and that your health insurance covers it if you're injured while skydiving. You should also put some thought into how much of your son's life you'd miss if something happened. Personally I'm comfortable with the additional risk, but I really don't have any responsibilities at all compared to you. If you decide against it now, it's not like that has to be the final answer, either. It could change when your son's a bit older. Or maybe you decide to go for it, start wind tunneling with the family when he's 8 or 9 and jump together when he's old enough. I'm pretty sure skydiving with your kid is instant qualification for being a "cool" parent. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I'm pretty sure the swoopers at the home DZ work their front risers. From what I can tell from their videos, they dive on the front risers, then pull out of the dive on the back risers. It's not really a technique I'd like to try without some coaching, though, and I want to be a lot more comfortable with my canopy before going all crazy like that. Maybe in a couple-three hundred jumps. "Front riser dive above 2500 feet" is listed on the A license, but mentions it can be waived and no one ever asked me to do one. I'll ask the instructor, next time I do a canopy class (Probably in the Spring.) I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I wouldn't want to speak for the home DZ, but I would _guess_ that they'd prohibit it for liability concerns. Friend of mine has a D license and instructor certifications but they wouldn't let him do coaching jumps with me unless he was an employee there. And although taking work away from their coaches may be a concern, I really do think that it's more an issue of liability and risk for them. Some of their neighbors already hate them plenty without bad press to fan the flames. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

yeah, but his recipe isn't for what you and i think of when someone says "green chile". There is nary a hatch chile in sight in this recipe. not to say it isn't good, i'm sure it is, but this seems more like texas-style chili that happens to use green things rather than true new mexican green chile stew. I also have about 20 lbs or roasted green in my freezer right now...used to be more but we ate a lot already :P It's along the lines of the best green chili I've found in Colorado. I'm not sure if it's truly "authentic," but it's what I think of when I think of green chili. Well, good green chili anyway. Not the insipid green paste they use at a couple of the local "southwestern" restaurants around here. Don't let the addition of tomatoes fool you, this does actually come out green! I originally tried it without them but it doesn't come out tangy enough unless you add them. I also make a red chili with red and black beans that is more like what I'd consider Texas-style chili to be. I prefer the green chili lately, considerately avoiding the two-bean chili for the sake of my fellow skydivers! I left a couple of containers of my green chili off at Mile Hi today, though I didn't hang around for very long. The weather decided it wanted to suck. I actually have another batch in the crock pot right now! It's not a bad deal, either -- for about $20 worth of groceries, I'll have green chili all week! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

Mmm probably the poblano. The hispanic grocery on the corner just says "roasted chiles" so I kind of have to guess. The chiles are long and not terribly spicy (More or less at the same level as Jalepinos.) If you like it hot you'll probably mix up the chiles anyway (Ghost pepper green chile, anyone? :-) I like to be able to taste my chile so I keep it relatively mild, though a taste of this would still send my room mate screaming from the room. It barely registers on my pain threshold. Occasionally you'll find a "death" jalepino that seems as hot as a habanero. They keep you on your toes! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

It's supposed to snow tomorrow, so I'm making a big pot of green chili! It's still three hours 'til it's done, but the house is already starting to smell like it. Ooh it's gonna be a good 'un! I reckon if I can get my car out of the driveway tomorrow, I'll take some over to the dropzone. I like to say my green chili is the best in the state. That may or may not be true. I certainly haven't found any better. Want a taste? Well unless you jump out of my dropzone, you'll have to make your own. Here's how! I have a big ol' crock pot, 6 quarts. If yours is smaller, you'll probably want to scale down a bit. If you don't have one, go get one! Or use a dutch oven. Or just some other sort of pot, shit I don't care, it's YOUR green chili! You'll need: * A couple pounds of pork butt. * About half a pound of bacon. * 4 Jalepino Peppers * 6 Serrano peppers (The long green ones they make chili rellinos out of.) * 1 can of diced tomatoes * An Onion * Garlic, how much is up to you. I used 4 cloves in this one. * 2 limes * A couple tablespoons of corn starch * A pound of Tomatillos (They're the green tomatoey looking things that are not tomatoes.) * 1 quart of chicken stock * Cumin. I like to grind the seeds, but you can use powder. To taste. I like a fair bit of cumin (Like a couple tablespoons) but use less if you want to. Or more. * Salt to taste Ok, so you're going to need to roast those peppers. If you have a gas stove, you can do this over a gas burner. You can also put them on a sheet pan under the broiler. In either case, leave them there until the skin turns black and bubbly. Then put them in a paper bag for a few minutes and the skin should just peel right off. Try to get as many of the seeds out as you can. While those are roasting, cut your pork butt into small cubes, and your bacon into strips between 1/2 and 1 inch long. Salt the pork butt and brown it (Or not, if you're feeling lazy.) Chop up the onion and peppers. Smash the garlic to get it out of its skin, then dice it up. Remove the tomatillos from their leafy wrappers if they're not already, and then quarter them. Cut the limes in half and squeeze them for their juice (Right into the crock pot is fine.) Discard the squeezed limes once you've got all the juice. Use some cold water with the corn starch to make a slurry. This should be slightly thinner than a paste or pancake batter, but not by much. Now, and this next part is very technical and important; chuck all of it into the crock pot. Set it on high and go away for 4 hours. If you use a dutch oven or some other pot, set it as low as you can to just maintain a simmer. Now, if you did it right you'll be rewarded with a tangy, spicy, smoky chili that is exactly the correct thickness to be enjoyed on, well, damn near anything. Breakfast burritos are my personal favorite. A bowl of the stuff on its own is very nice, too. Enjoy! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I was pretty sure I'd like it, so I went straight to AFF. That worked fine for me. The cost was about the same between an AFF jump and a tandem, and the way I saw it, if I decided I didn't like skydiving I could just not come back. 50 jumps later I rode the plane up with my sister and niece for their tandem jumps. They seem to enjoy them. It's a little too much being strapped to a dude for my liking, though. So I think it's mostly just a matter of personal preference and you really can't go wrong. If you want to do a tandem, do a tandem. If you think you should just go on to AFF, go on to AFF. Either way, it's going to be fun! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I intend to, but if I were much further north it'd be much more of a pain in the ass. Even in the middle of winter we get enough nice days here to make it possible. Whether those nice days fall on days when the Dropzone is flying (They seem to be down to 3 days a week at the moment) remains to be seen. I could also take some PTO around December and visit somewhere warm for some jumping. My parents don't live too far from Deland A mid-winter skydiving vacation to somewhere warm sounds pretty damn nice to me! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

Yuh huh. You know, folks from 'Bama would be entirely comfortable (Other than the occasional snow) in parts of Colorado. Get away from the longhairs in Boulder, and you have a fairly conservative, gun-lovin', states-rights-lovin', small town, pickup-trick-drivin', football-lovin'... Ok Rednecks. They're rednecks. Move to Greeley out on the plains or Rollins. Snow gets asshole deep on a camel in Rollins in the winter, though. So you'll need a pickup trick with four-wheel drive if you move there. It gets more lib'ral the closer you move to Boulder, but Longmont's a decent mix of small town with a big-ass-dropzone 10 minutes from anywhere in town. There are a couple of residential areas so close you could wander out of your house in your bunny slippers and bathrobe and have some coffee with the riggers. There's one other thing about Colorado that my sister noticed IMMEDIATELY after living in Alabama for 20 years and then coming to visit, but I reckon I might just leave that as a surprise. And the mary jane? Already legal here! Hah! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I still can't do it; it'd fuck my security clearance up. That would make Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones very unhappy. Plus the side effects on my particular physiology are... undesirable. So even if I didn't have to worry about Mr. Smith's feelings, I still wouldn't do it. I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

Well lactose intolerance is an easy one! Just go get a large Coldstone Creamery milk shake and then see if you feel like you got knifed in the stomach like 6-8 hours later. Did I mention I'm not a doctor? The fast food joint shakes won't work. Those are "dairy-like product," which my research shows to be largely space-aged polymers. Heh heh heh I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

70 degrees today and the DZ's not flying. We're expecting to see some snow by Saturday, when they ARE flying again! We'll probably be in this pattern all winter, too! I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

I am not a doctor, but you could have several things going on there. The ones I hear about a lot that never seem to get tested are thyroid and heart valve problems. I'm also seeing a lot of stuff just pinned to vitamin deficiency. D and some B vitamins being most common, maybe iron too. A lot of the problems I've had over the years can actually be traced back to lactose intolerance. I can handle milk under a certain level, so I wasn't having the symptoms all the time. But when I went over that limit, I'd suffer severe stomach pains and diarrhea. I thought I was getting a lot of food poisoning from somewhere or that something horribly wrong was going on with my stomach. Some of the stuff you're seeing might be coincidental, too. Have you talked to anyone about the dizziness and fainting? I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?