Dagny

So sorry to hear that, man. I really don't like hitting animals, either, but at least you and Lynn are safe and uninjured. At least your vehicle wasn't totalled in the incident. Now get up in the air, already!!! (gonna be a) Doctor's orders! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Yet another reason FL to move to FL! Of course, you Yankee folk could stay in the frozen tundra of the North...more sky for me! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I'm upset, too...just found out the skyvan is MIA from Sebastian because it's getting some maintenance at cross keys. DAMN it!!! I was really looking forward to jumping it, but at least we've got the twotter! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Bloody Florida traffic!!!! Everyone kept sitting on their brakes for who-knows-what reason and I ended up missing the sunset load here in Sebastian!! Growly-hiss. It's all good, though, the zoo bar is busy, pizza has been ordered, Beck's is being ingested, and the weather is perfect. Nothing like a little dose of the DZ to make life good again... Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Now it's been some time since I've been in a relationship...and I know you claim personal reasons for not wanting to visit her, but I've got to wonder why? (rhetorical...not necessary for you to answer) It seems that in a relationship of only three months you and she would want to be together as often as possible. Your decision to stand your ground and stay home instead makes me think that you are losing interest in her and/or the relationship for some reason? Perhaps she is sensing your reluctance to spend time with her despite her efforts and feels she is losing you. She may be resorting to manipulation as an attempt to keep you from slipping away. I'm just thinking that the fear of the relationship breaking up would be enough to make her try a new method of keeping the you both together...even if it isn't a good choice of technique. I could be totally off base here, but I think that if she were to sense a growing distance occuring between you two that she might become manipulative in an attempt to avoid a break-up. Kind of a "if he's close to me, he will want me and love me and never leave me" thing. Just a thought... Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I learned very quickly to shut the hell up about skydiving because no one wanted to hear it but the people I jump with. So now, if someone asks, I answer their questions but I try not to elaborate too much because it bores my whuffo friends. I will say this, though, about skydiving. I felt like I found "my people" when I walked onto a dz. No one called me crazy for the sports I enjoy or my interests. In fact, a lot of people share the same interests. It's nice to be somewhere and not have someone trying to diagnose me as a "thrill seeking personality", but just accepting me for who I am. I'm learning that just because my whuffo friends think they need to "fix" me and save me from myself (skydiving), doesn't mean I'm broken. One suggestion, though...don't try to convert your friends. Don't change for them...and don't change them for you. It's about acceptance, isn't it? Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Loose, unrestrained kids is one of my biggest pet peeves. I worked a single car motor vehicle accident that was serious enough to warrant emergency transport for all the passengers. The challenge was figuring out how to load 2 adults and 7 ()children into 2 ambulances. Of course, all the kids had been squeezed into the back of the vehicle...and of course, unrestrained. Luckily, they were okay...but they're not always and nothing pisses me off more than having to code a kid who should have lived a long life but won't because the parent didn't take responsibility. I will say this about Florida drivers...they amaze me on a regular basis. Selfish, inconsiderate, dangerous drivers out there. Always stay a step ahead... Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Forgive me if I'm misinterpreting what you've stated, but it seems that you assumed I walked onto a busy packing mat and requested a packer teach me. Then you seem to insinuate that I feel the cost, in this case $50, was unjustified and that I should have been taught for free. Here is the issue. I've been working on getting my A requirements fulfilled recently and packing was one that needed to be met. From the beginning, I was told that packing would be taught after I completed AFF by one of the packers for $50. I was never told there were other options available to me. It wasn't until a boogie that I was informed that others could teach me how to pack for little to no out of pocket expense. Packing at my home DZ is only taught on weekdays which are typically slower. The packer who taught me missed packing a few rigs for the first hour or two and then continued to pack for money while I practiced what I was learning. So, the mat wasn't especially busy that day and he didn't have to refrain from making money just to teach me. I like to think of myself as considerate and would never try to keep someone from making a living just because it's hard for me to come up with extra cash. In fact, I was offered coach jumps from my AFF instructor for the cost of his jump ticket only. I never bothered him for the coach jumps when tandems were in the house and, in the end, I paid full cost for the coach jumps because I felt better doing that. Perhaps the biggest issue I have here is that no other options were presented to me and, had I not recently picked up a job, I would have had great difficulty obtaining my A. Progression in this sport, at least in the States, is dependent on getting the A license. Otherwise, one had best be content doing solos. I was not content with that. I just feel that in making student progression more difficult, either through scheduling or financing, fewer AFF students will remain skydivers long-term. Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Don't cut away! Don't want to get lost at a new DZ! Oh, and Stacy, you and Skymama have the nicest tents. I'm still suffering from tent envy! Seriously, though, I'm really looking forward to getting out there! This should be a tame weekend, right? Right? Bueller?

Props to you! Sober and posting a full frontal shot...that takes cajones! (bowing repeatedly...I'm not worth, I'm not worthy!) Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Since I just studied Yersinia, thought I'd mention a few things about it... Y. pestis is an agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague. Bubonic plague has a suddent onset with low grade fever, slurred speech, and abdominal pain. Lymph nodes become inflamed and a general bacteremia occurs. Septicemia can lead to death. Transmission is via rat fleas and ingestion of infected animals. Pneumonic plague, the more likely choice of biotoxin for your scenario, is spread rapidly and causes nearly 100% mortality. Symptoms are generalized pain and headache, nausea, respiratory difficulty, fever, and cough with blood-tinged sputum. Death occurs from suffocation. Transmission is person to person and therefore can be spread very rapidly. Nasty stuff, yersinia. Have fun with the scenario! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I was triage for a mass casualty scenario in 1998. The setup was a plane that struck a federal office building. Looking back, post 9/11, makes me realize that people thought of the possibility, but really dropped the ball when the incident came to pass. I mean, the best way to handle a MCI, in my opinion, is to prevent it. But, then....that's not really the nature of EMS. EMS just cleans up the mess. Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

What a waste of 30 minutes! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I'm already saving money for the Thanksgiving weekend! Party on, Stacy! Can't wait to check out Zhills... Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Assilem Nnam OMG! It says Assilem. See that's why I go by Missy....err....YssiM! (much better!) Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Well, now that I'm sober, I'm not as brave (stupid? ) as I was on Monday night! That's okay...feel free to post some of your drunk and loving it pictures here! We're all friends here, you can share, too! I'll be at the DZ this weekend and drinking (my favorite!) margaritas!! Alas...as I will most likely be camping, I will not have computer access. I think the only people who should be afraid this weekend are the locals in Sebastian! If I can make it to Eloy, you've got a deal, WrongWay!

No man was licked and claimed by me last night! But, the selection wasn't so good. I still like the idea, though... Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Chocolate martinis...GOOD. Digital camera with self-timer function...BAD. Well, clearly (as I so succinctly photographed as evidence), I had a great time last night! Note to self---> When handing keys over to DD, make sure to include the camera, too! These are the best! Technically, a dessert drink. I don't mind indulging in them, though, since I consider chocolate to be one of the four food groups! Yes, Mike, the edit function is gone. Serves me right for drunk posting! Now to let this one slide into the oblivion of page 4 and beyond... Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I'll be there this weekend! I should be able to finish up with my A, too, hopefully. Can I start making offering to the gods of wind and rain now? See you on the packing mat! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Hehehe! Feeling a little frisky tonight...so maybe this will answer your question! SFW, promise! Nothing like a night of good drinking, rocking music, great friends, lots of dancing, and the drunk post. I even think I drunk dialed at least once tonight! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I know you did!!! And you are freakin' awesome for offering that! I wish I had taken you up on it while I was grounded due to the winds because on a medical student's salary (hehehe, what salary?) $50 is hard money to come by. You should have seen the cost of the coach jumps. Two coach jumps, rental gear, three jumps, and a packing class cost me about $300. As a waitress, that's....hmmm.... at least two weeks of work. It's all good, though...just another step to bring me closer to my A. When I'm a grown-up skydiver with a coach rating, I am going to help newbies get their A without depleting their checking accounts. I mean, a newbie has to start considering buying gear, right?! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I "learned" how to pack last Friday. Here I am thinking, how hard can it be? And it's not that it's so difficult, just that I couldn't really remember what I needed to do next. I packed my own rig, though, after being taught for a mere $50 () and jumped my first pack job successfully. I'm thinking this packing business is going to take a lot of repetition to really sink in. Oh, yes, and sweat...lots of sweat...and don't let me forget the cussing! Hard to teach...hard to learn. It's like nothing we've ever done before, but the effort to teach is always appreciated! Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Michele, I hope no one has ever done this to you. I would hope that if you had questions to ask that no one would respond by calling you "dense". Or Me. I mean, we are jumping out of airplanes into air and hurtling ourselves at significant speeds towards the large rock we call Earth. Questions before we go are the key to keeping us alive and unbroken. I, personally, think it is the responsibility of advanced jumpers to keep the youngest jumpers well informed and educated. The ony way this sport will advance and grow is through the continued interest of the incoming jumpers. When I worked as a paramedic, I felt a responsibility to educate incoming medics on procedure and technique. This made them better, more skilled, comprehensive medics. If skydivers don't take the same interest and place the same effort in the fledgling jumpers, who will? Not that I particularly like Hillary Clinton, but when she said it takes a village to raise a child, I had to agree. People are community based and oriented and everyone needs to take some responsibility in teaching the "babes" how to walk before they fly. If someone were to be really crappy to me when I asked questions about skydiving, my first inclination would be to stop asking questions. I hope that wouldn't occur and that the new jumpers would feel safe learning at the DZ from the skygods. An unasked question or unlearned lesson can lead to death, can't it? Basically, I'd like to appeal to all the advanced jumpers at all the dropzones to take a newbie jumper under your wing and mentor them as they advance in the field. Don't forget the newbies...we're learning and easily influenced by all the exciting stuff we see (ie...swooping, downsizing). Keep our minds on solid ground so our bodies won't have to be...thanks. Missy Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

Can't comprehend your post...seriously. Don't know if it's the alcohol or just the post, but QUE? Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. -Salvador Dali

I just want to say that four chocolate martinis (2 for 1, oh, yea!) and a guinness later makes Missy a happy skychick. Scratch that...I'm just feeling good right now and I want to say that I think all you dz.commers are damn cool and I love this website and I think I'm addicted to skydiving. Okay, now scratch that...I am addicted to skydiving.