peregrinerose

Where is "Neither"? IPAs, Stouts, now THOSE are real beers. Particularly if from a microbrew. KBS from Founders is the best. Aged in bourbon oak barrels. I think I need a drink now.... Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Achromatopsia is actually a pretty easy one to work around. That is more than enough vision to see a canopy overhead, larger landmarks on the ground (some DZs are better than others in this regard), probably enough for a larger print altimeter, assuming that he has already been fitted with contact lenses (if not, he definitely should be, as that works wonders with the associated nystagmus). Heck, in some states, he would be legal to drive with bioptic telescopes (do a google search on bioptic driving). As low vision goes, achromatopsia allows for great vision and really good function. I speak as a low vision doctor, rehab specialist, but lived for 10 years with a man with achromatopsia (my ex husband, who is the reason that I got into low vision to begin with). If you ever have questions, please feel free to PM me here. I would feel very comfortable taking him up for an AFF jump. He really wouldn't need much other than an audible altimeter at the most to compensate for his vision. He could easily see hand signals, etc. Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Just because YOU can't understand how a sight impaired person can do something, doesn't mean it can't be done. I am a low vision rehab optometrist and AFF instructor. I have taught an AFF FJC for a legally blind student (Retinitis Pigmentosa, extremely limited visual fields). He did a great job. What is your son's diagnosis? Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I would not want to have to teach a FJC with just pen/paper as communication. That would take freaking forever. That's why I asked about lip reading. A sign interpreter would also work, but that's not particularly helpful in the plane. I have a lot of deaf and deaf/blind patients, so it's not like I'm unfamiliar with working with folks with all kinds of sensory disorders and different compensatory skills. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Does the student read lips? That is a huge variable. How much hearing, if any, is there? Is there a concurrent vision impairment? (There are a lot of deaf/blind linkages). My expertise is vision loss, and I have taught a legally blind skydiver (retinitis pigmentosa) to skydive. If the student can read lips, shoot me a PM and I"ll put the student in touch with an AFF instructor I know in VA. Jen Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Any Herd jumpers would likely know Jeff, so thought I would post here. He died of natural causes and was found yesterday morning. Blue Skies, Jeff. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

FYI- that was all a joke, yet the truth for many male instructors as how to get their attention. If it is, then the student should work with someone else. Before you blame the instructors remember in some cases it's a shared blame. I've seen many female students hunting for something and using skydiving as a method to get it. On the flip side, even as a fairly gnomish looking girl that is happily married and doesn't cheat, I knew damn well that male instructors would spend more time with me than my male student counterparts, and I took advantage of it to learn every bloody thing that I could from every person willing to teach me. If my gender made it easier to get attention/time from instructors, fine... I used it. As an instructor, I spend the same amount of time with all students, but do tend to keep an eye on low time female jumpers more, just to make sure they are not getting in over their heads with that shiny new A license and horny male fun jumpers. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

We are there to help, so please ask! Advocate for yourself. Best time to do quizzes, etc... when we are weathered out from jumping, at the end of the day over beer. Best way to thank us... simply say thank you. You'd be surprised how few students ever do. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Ya'll can add to the list: Skydivingchad Peregrinerose Our new puppy, Wookie... 6 months old and well over 80 lbs

Spouse... he's the one who took wedding vows with me, not my best friend. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

At least one other couple also has a skydiving proposal, so clearly not all that original However, I did vote for you, as the letter idea was great, and your picture was infinitely better than the other one. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Have him donate everything to toys to tots, explaining very clearly that his lack of respect for gifts and the people who gave him those gifts means that they should instead go to people who are more appreciative. He gets to watch everyone else open their stuff on Christmas, with his already gone and donated. He's 8. Not getting gifts for one year will not be the end of the world. He will get the message loud and clear. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I hope that you all realize that using name calling tactics like calling her a 'dimwit' and a 'bitch' in a forum that is fairly easily accessed by the general public really paints skydivers as a whole in a terrible light. Argue with her stance, her fanatacism, her logic, etc, but name-calling only makes those using those terms look really juvenile. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Is it really necessary to call her a bitch just because you disagree with her and her arguements? I find that unfair and inappropriate. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Gorgeous box. Get her the computer, she already has jewelry to fill up the box most likely. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

How many jumps did the vid guy have? Possible that he was so fixated on getting the video that he didn't respond appropriately when the front guy hit the brakes? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Both. Most of my house is tile with small throw rugs/sections of carpet. Hmmmm. We have 3 large dogs, 4 cats, and a rabbit downstairs. I sweep at least once, usually twice a day. Today I spent 3 hours hand scrubbing the tile. If the Roomba saves me even a couple of hours of work a week I'd be delighted. Might be worth looking into. Thanks for the info. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I don't think that he disputes your experience. Only that the temporary cessation of respiration and heartbeat does not mean that one is dead (note the word 'temporary' in the sentance. Death is the permanent cessation thereof. Oh... and your title about made my eyes cross trying to figure out what on earth you were talking about. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Does the pet Roomba work on a tile floor, or just carpet? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

My 11th jump. My first off of AFF, my first solo, didn't have to do a bloody thing in freefall except not die. I started jumping for the wrong reasons (to impress my husband, a jumper), but kept with it for all of the right ones. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

There's nothing wrong with a Racer. My first rig was a 1992 Racer, it served me well for proabably 500 jumps. The Falcon, if it needs a new line set, isn't worth much, so plan on just buying a ZP or hybrid main... better to do that than sink $250 or so into a line set. Nothing wrong with a Raven II reserve... assuming it passes a RIGGER's inspection (not some buddy... rigging loft experience or nto... take it to a rigger). Does it have an AAD? Personally, I'd pay probably $300-400 on it, donate the main for some good cause or hang on to it to practice patches or something on if you're interested in getting a riggers' ticket. Buy an AAD and a different main (again, assuming everything passes a rigger's inspection), jump the shit out of it for a few hundred jumps, and by then you'll know what you want out of a container and can upgrade to something else. FYI, I sold my 1992 Racer with a 170 Spectre (300 jumps), Cypres (2 years left on it), and PDR 160 for $1600. a couple of years ago. Most of the value was in the main and reserve. My husband's racer, same specs as mine but with a Sabre 1 with about 600 jumps went for $1200. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I have some popcorn here to share with you Wendy Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Since this is for a newspaper article, I'm pretty sure that grammar does matter, so is very topical to discuss. I would not want my opinions as a skydiver to be written by someone with a clearly remedial grasp of the language, as a poorly written article would then reflect very poorly on me. Congrats on the A licence. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I am fully in favor of great danes, so that was an easy vote

So what's the point of having a pet if they are not part of the family? I never understood that mindset. I bought a house with only 3 bedrooms as being carpeted, the pet zone as tile, and the upstairs (2 cats only occasionally) as hard wood, specifically so that we could have pets, no smell, and do both pet care and entertaining very well. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda