lifewithoutanet

I do now. Just look for me in the sky. I'll be the telltale SIT-CORK, SIT-CORK. Actually, rumor has it that you climb, or so a little bird told me. I'd been meaning to PM you about that. My gear is collecting dust and I desperately need to get out to the rocks, some rocks, anywhere. Maybe I'll see you at Perris this weekend. Cheers, -C.

My avatar is one half Colorado flag, one half California flag. I'm an Army brat. Both parents in the Army. Grew up all over. Never really felt at "Home" until Boulder, CO when I moved there 3 years ago. Then, 3 months ago, my company offered me a new gig in California. "More money, live by the beach." It made sense. I can't really complain about CA, but I do miss CO. Especially Boulder. She will always be my home. So, I am--as one of my little brothers now calls me--for the meantime, a Colofornian. -C.

One of the unintended consequences of having precision and non-lethal weapons and speaking of precision strikes is that folks somehow think we can hit ONLY the individuals intended. But, if we do only that, somehow it becomes assassination. Just look at what Isreal faces when they specifically target leaders of known and admitted terrorist organizations. I won't argue with a lot of what was in that thread for the context in which it was written and for the fear that my point will be lost in an argument, but one thing I can point out is that our troops do not deliberately target civilians with suicide bombs in malls, cafes or on buses. Nor do they target them for their cooperation with other forces. On the contrary, that's all I seem to be hearing from the other side when I turn on the news these days. We have spent so much energy telling people that we can wage war where only the guilty are injured that we HAVE NOW GIVEN AWAY the ability to instill fear in a populace, so that they no longer hold their own folks in check. I am not saying this is right. I am not saying that the world should fear the wrath of the US. Do not mistake my point. I'm not saying we are in Iraq for all of the right reasons. However, I'm not certain that if we hadn't done anything, and years from now Hussein had carried out another attack on his own people or further destabalized the region, that there wouldn't be countless cries of "Why didn't you do anything?! He'd used chemical weapons against his own people before. He'd used them against Iran, too. What more were you waiting for?!" I'd love to go on, for the sake of intellectual conversation, not argument, but I've got a flight to catch in the morning (a shame I'll be landing in the plane), so I'm done for now. -C.

Yeah, I guess I knew that from the thread. Was more of a joke in closing. Like most of my jokes, not too funny. -C.

Thanks. Both look like interesting reading. Clicks: The New Iraq Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds I just picked up Ghost Wars by Steve Coll. Barely into it, but so far, a pretty good read. Covers US activity in Afghanistan from the end of the Carter Administration to Sept 10th. -C.

I'd be PISSED. It's not that I think I'm too young to die, nor that I have unfinished business or anything. It's just that I LOVE MY LIFE. Hard to imagine life....errrr....without it. -C.

Maybe I missed it somewhere in this thread or another, but what is it you do? Other than hate what you do for who you do it now for, that is. Surely between all of us we can find something for you. Hell, even I have friends in Atlanta. -C.

"Firsts" and the beer that follows, regardless of whether I'm buying or taking advantage of some other poor bastard. My dogs. Sunset loads. Days off. Things that make me nostalgic; past loves, old friends, whatever. -C.

My, my. What an interesting thread. Wish I'd been able to leverage some of my employer's time and participated from work today. How to be smooth or not so smooth? VSG, you bring up a good point... "If you want to get to know a girl...you have to actually talk with her." I can be stand-offish and keep to myself one moment and then just as easily switch to outgoing and talkative the next. Sometimes just being friendly and talking with a girl has been misinterpretted as driven by other motives (okay, and once or twice rightly so) and therefore backfired when I wasn't even trying to pick her up in the first place. But, then again, I've never dated a girl I didn't introduce myself to. So, what do we have to lose? SkyMonkey13, you take a different approach than most of us, but you certainly beat those of us that take no approach at all. Rosa, you're sweet to not have filed a restraining order. Be bold, -C.

Congrats to you! I remember the first time I jumped my own pack. We were sorting out exit order and someone asked me where I was pulling: "5K" "Huh?" (I'd been progressively pulling lower, it caught them by surprise.) "First pack job," someone else said. They all had a good laugh and then someone said: "Beer. No, seriously, man. Beer." -C.

To add on to everything that everyone else has said already, Tim kicks ass. I was last out on a load a couple weekends ago...FAAAAAR out at the end of jumprun. Tried my damnedest to make it back, but there was no way I'd make it across the runway above the deck. I'd resigned myself to a long walk back when I saw that little red truck. Hmmm...first off-DZ landing. I guess that [as yet unpaid] case of beer will be going to Tim. As for the motorcyclist...what everyone else said. Probably good that the guy didn't get hurt; as was said earlier, the DZ doesn't need problems. Still, a night in the Perris not-so-Hilton woulda served those guys well. -C.

It would appear he and I have something in common. -C.

Noted. If I don't find any other climbing partners, I now know how to motivate you. -C.

I haven't climbed since I left Colorado, nearly 3 months ago. My gear sits in a corner, packed in a haul-bag, no doubt envious of the use my rig is getting. I won't go so far as to try and drag anyone here away from the DZ on a weekend [yet], but are there any climbers in this forum that would be up for a little bouldering and know of some good spots in or around the Orange County area? I'm trying to stay outside and avoid the climbing gyms. So, any climbers out there up for some evening bouldering? -C.

0:7:1 Shoulda been more jumps, but I didn't go back today. -C.

I did a search on "deploy" and "deployment" on Skydivingmovies.com, but didn't find what I think you're looking for. Your best bet is probably going to be from BASE footage. Just don't know if it matters that it's a BASE rig instead of a skydiving rig (given that you're looking for lines unstowing off the bag, it probably will matter). You just gave me a good excuse to go through some movies since I'm not jumping today, so if I find something appropriate, I'll PM you w/ a link to a server of mine. -C.

I've had these, too, only I don't remember the landing, only that it wasn't under canopy. In mine, I've cutaway, but the reserve hasn't opened in time. As I walk into the hangar, people look up from packing and ask, "What happened?" "Reserve didn't open on time." "Huh. Want on sunset load?" Bizarre. Errr...'glad' to know I'm not the only one who's had these? -C. edit: damn typo

Well, that's two more skydives than most people have! Way to go! You've got the intent, you're on your way. You didn't just check an item off your list of 'things-to-do'...you're a skydiver. And yes, skydiving is full of amazing people. Keep at it. Jump as often as you can, whenever you can afford it...and even if you can't. Listen to your instructors. Be safe. Blue skies, -C.

I don't know, man... First (and only) set of golf clubs I've ever owned were seriously F'd up. Something about the craftsmanship that consistently makes my drives inconsistent. Lousy clubs. -C.

7 jumps. First-4 way. That could've gone better, as following the exit, it was only a 3-way and a short one at that. Still, it was fun. Otherwise, worked on my sit (getting much better), had a great time under canopy, lurked another 4-way at the end of the day. Nothing overly spectacular, just a really, really good day. Hope everyone else had as good a time as I did. -C.

Ah...daughters. God's revenge on men for being men. -C.

Thank you much. -C.

Do EVERYTHING possible (short of turning too low, edit: or 'flying above it'...the dust at the 'top' is not the top of the dust devil) to get upwind of it. Running from it could still potentially put you in its path. I've been told it's best to try and work your way around and land upwind of it. Edit: Also, start w/ this thread: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=131291#131291 Better information is surely to follow. -C.

Damn. I just searched www.imax.com for a listing, but couldn't find it. Anyone in SoCal know if it's playing anywhere around here? -C.

Sounds like a bunch of spectators to me. And there you have it. -C.