jkbernstein

Simon - I'm a little calmer now than when you told me about this last night. You did a great job saving your own life, and that of your student. I am so thankful that you're okay; it would really, really suck if you were dead. Since (as you know) I'm not a TI, I'm not very familiar with the rig you were jumping. There was recently a thread in this forum titled "sigma deployments" - this sounds like they are discussing the same issue. Take a look at it... May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

I have a tiny little pinhead, and I LOVE both of my Bonehead helmets. I've got an openface Guner (I don't think they make them anymore) and a fullface Mamba. Boneheads, unlike most other manufacturers, actually have different size shells, not just more or less padding. Also, the whole bake-to-fit system works really well, and gives you a great custom fit. May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

Corey - Waaaaaay smaller than CPI. You'll see...

BEER! It's not that the landing area at Danielson is so small that makes it a real challenge. It's the fact that it's so small AND it's surrounded by trees AND there are no outs AND it's on a hill. Oh yeah, AND the fact that, because it's surrounded by trees and a funky shape, the wind direction on upper part of the field can be 90 degrees off from the wind direction on the lower part of the field. Dougie's right: once you've mastered landing at Danielson, anywhere else will seem like cake. You should come with us to CPI or Jumptown!

Yes, HH posted in your thread. And it's very clear from this second thread that you didn't hear a word he said - nor anything anyone else said for that matter. It's not just your canopy choice that's gonna kill you; it's your attitude. I just hope that you don't take anyone else with you when you go.

This is not an intent to hijack, just a cool little tangential anecdote: One of the dz's where I jump shares the airport with a helicopter flight school. Recently, there was a tandem cutaway. I tried to keep my eyes on both the freebag and the main, but ended up diverting my attention - and breaking into a sprint - toward just the main when I realized it was headed for the runway. It landed just shy of the tarmac (whew). As I was gathering it up, a helicopter flew over and hovered near me. I looked up; the instructor was holding the free bag and pilot chute! I gave him a big grin and a thumbs-up. He flew back to the landing area and dropped the stuff off at manifest. Very cool. Okay, sorry for the tangent - as you were... BTW, Dougie, after all you spent getting a jumpsuit that matches your rig, don't you think you ought to stick with the same color scheme? I think you should get a bright purple D-bag, and a green pilot chute. May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

Family Guy. Quagmire's bus. May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for posting this!!! I've been wanting to either post something or PM him because that thing just creeps me the fuck out every time I see it (which is a lot), but I felt weird about it since I don't know him. And now he's changed it and I feel SO much better. Thank you, livendive...

You're right: it wasn't a big deal that day - the other jumper who hadn't yet landed and I were paying attention and were far enough out that we could still change our patterns - but it could've been. I appreciate that you noticed that, and that you're asking this question.

"Sure am glad I didn't sleep at my place last night..." How very fortunate! So, didja have a fun night? May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

I just wanna know how many people read that thread title and immediately thought, "tickling a midget up a tree!" (Family Guy reference, for anyone who doesn't know it.)

Not exactly a meeting, but just yesterday, I was in the office with one of the staff I supervise and my supervisor. We were talking about trainings, and how much I hate them. My supervisor said, "Then you're gonna hate me, because I have to send you to an all-day First Aid/CPR training to renew your certification." I groaned and started complaining. The staff person (who is male) said, "But those trainings are fun, 'cause you get to blow a dummy!" As my supervisor and I became hysterical, he realized what he said, and corrected himself, "I mean blow INTO a dummy!" (which really wasn't much better). Just then my cell phone rang; it was an ex-boyfriend of mine. I wanted SO BADLY to say, "And here's a dummy I've blown now!" But in addition to the trouble I would've gotten into, I was laughing to hard to say anything.

You're right: amazing doesn't begin to describe it. The words that come to my mind are transcendent and numinous. I've never met Shannon (or Bob) either, but, like so many of us, I felt like I knew her from her posts. Reading the threads about her death was heartbreaking. Hearing about Bob's experience is healing. Thank you so much, Bob, for sharing your journey.

The back of my car! I have a Subaru wagon. I keep the back seat folded down; I have two thermarests, a pillow, and two thick, comfy quilts spread out. It's my cozy little nest. I originally made it so I could sleep at the dz, but it's become my travelling second home. I've slept in it all over the place. I also made screens to go in all the windows, so I don't suffocate when I sleep in there during the summer. And yes, it's big enough to sleep two comfortably.

I lurk big time - an post on occasion.

BWAAAHHHHHAAAAAHHHAAAAHHHAAAA!!!! Yup, it was TOTALLY payback for the video. AND all the "No, you CAN'T pie me" comments. The look on your face - underneath the whipped cream, I mean - was absolutely priceless. I must say - you were a good sport about it. We love you, Nicky! May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

Yes, they are TOTALLY weaseling! However, just because THEY say we can't pie them, doesn't mean we can't. As a matter of fact, I was thinking about making some preparations before our little meeting this Saturday, just in case certain people show up....

A BEERS INJECTS INS A few S's too many, but still... May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

Very well said. Thanks, Kelly, for doing this. I agree: We all mourn the loss of a member of the skydiving community. By making his tandem jump, Reed became one of us. I'm sure that the perceived lack of caring that his family may have felt was really people not knowing what to do in the face of overwhelming grief. I wish their experience had been different. Heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. I wish you peace. -Jess

Here's how I'm going to respond to her article, and all the other negative publicity this awful incident has generated: I'm gonna head down to Crosskeys and jump my ass off this weekend. And I'm going to get as many people as I can to come with me. And when I'm done jumping, I'm going to take off my shoes, grab some beer, and raise a toast (or two... or ten) in honor of PJ. So there.

PJ rocked. Smart as hell, funny as fuck, and a heart the size of a small country. In most of my visits to Xkeys, I spent more time waiting for the weather to clear than jumping; PJ's goofy grin and lighting-fast jokes made chilling in the hangar as much fun as skydiving. My heart goes out to the Xkeys family. Condolences to his wife, and to everyone who loved him. BSBD, PJ. You will be profoundly missed. -Jess

Thanks! I had all sorts of witty answers to other questions I thought Peter was gonna ask, but he kinda took me by surprise with his question about what you say when you leave the plane; I couldn't really think of anything clever. I'm still working on what to have Carl say. I came up with a limerick, but the people I've told it to were underwhelmed: On our quiz show, Jess did so well, see, That she got to have Carl Kassell (me), Record my voice With her message of choice. That's the prize on Wait, Wait... (and then the phone beeps) Anyone got anything funnier, and maybe jumping-related? May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

I am a total NPR geek. Not only am I addicted - I was on it! I was a contestant on "Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me" two weeks ago. I got all three questions right, and now I get to have Carl Kassell's voice on my answering machine. (I'm still trying to figure out what to have him say.) It was the highlight of my year! _____________________________________________ May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...

I'm generally a dz.com lurker; I'm not usually motivated enough to actually post anything. I've certainly spent enough time on this website, though, to know who GirlFallDown was. Even with the little I knew of her - impressions from her quick, funny and compassionate posts - the news of her death threw me for a loop. Skydiving is a small community, and we are all always moved by the loss of one of our own. But the reaction to Shannon's death is something else entirely. If the number of people affected by a person's death is any indication of that person's effect on the world, clearly Shannon was someone who made a difference. Reading post after post, the number of people who loved and cherished this woman is truly awesome. She may have left too early, but she still left one hell of a mark. Those who love her should be proud of her legacy. I send out love and wishes of peace to my fellow jumpers who are suffering her loss. Blue skies, Shannon.

Weather anywhere in New England is pretty consistently "partly cloudy," but any of those three DZs will put planes up if there are people willing to jump 'em. I've jumped at all three; they're all great DZs with awesome people. Don't try to pick one - try them all out. Hit a different one each weekend! _____________________________________________ May the (relative) wind take your troubles away...