Chards

Difficult as it is, try and take it as it comes. You maybe ok to jump in a few months/years. Yes, that's gutting, but if jumping before you're ready will do you more damage, then it's worth it. Time is a remarkably good healer, for lots of things. And the sky will always be there. Although nowhere near as bad as yours, I had ear problems earlier this year and had to take a while out. A couple of times, I went to the DZ, but couldn't be 100% confident that my ears would be ok, so I didn't jump. Eventually (looong time), I realised that I was ready and it felt right. It was like an intuitive gut feeling that my ears were ok. I still get the occasional fussiness of hearing, the crackling and popping (especially on the ride up), I still have to equalise and I have days when I think 'no way'. Take it as it comes, listen to your doctor, trust your intuition and I hope that you'll be back eventually. Good luck for the future, honey.

Well, my goals for last year ran a little like this... 1) Do AFF in Seville and *finally* get my A....CHECK 2) CH1/CH2....CHECK (well, CH1 and a briefings for CH2) 3) Get my B....ER, NOPE. 4) Get me one of those parachute things....NOPE So one and a half...not great, but I did at least qualify. For 2007? 1. Not die, basically. Nor break myself, other people or expensive things. 2. Stay current. 3. Get my FS1. 4. Get my B (one day) 5. Master the art of packing without swearing or having a grump (I can dream) 6. Have even more fun. Much love to all xxx ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

I used to tie my Dad's big hankies to my Sindies and throw them out of the upstairs window...bit obsessed by the idea of parachuting and flying, I guess I had always wanted to give it a go, but in the way you want to go into space - you'd love to, but figure it probably won't happen. Then I met my now bf, who skydives. When I said 'Wow! I'd love to do that!', he said 'Get on with it, then'. What can you say back to that? I did the only sensible thing! ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Erm...year and a half? Started on RAPS, did quite a few, got onto freefall....then went travelling. Came back, saved up and decided to do AFF. Next jump will be my last consol and I've finished CH1, so I can go straight to the little red book of joy. AFF was one of the best things I've ever done.

It's got two bench seats that you straddle. Ahh...I did my first freefalls from a G92...*nostalgia* They're awesome aircraft

Thanks guys. ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Apologies for dredging this thread up again (but hey, it's better than irritating the re-post police ) I am about to go for my first job as a primary (elementary) school teacher. Do I include skydiving on my personal statement? I was edging towards no...but I have been on the executive of the uni club for a year...and that looks good, right? Don't want to miss out on the chance to talk about a position I've held - but neither do I want to seem 'reckless' in what is a highly responsible and often a very 'safe' profession. Thoughts? p.s. Although the instructors won't help with this one, I will ask a headteacher. Just wanted your thoughts. ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Alternately, there is also the option of bringing the canopy to a complete stop and then, if the winds are high enough, being blown backwards to land heavily on your back...seen that one happen The guy in question got up unharmed and walked away, but I doubt he'll be doing any more 50ft flares on breezy days... ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Well, other than to stay SAFE, healthy and to not break vital things (self, others, expensive equipment etc)... 1) Do AFF in Seville and *finally* get my A. 2) CH1/CH2 3) Get my B 4) Get me one of those parachute things. I think that'll do for now ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

13 days is not much of a layoff really, as long as you are comfortable with your drills - I had a few weeks between one jump and another. Although every DZ is different (I've not jumped at Langar), they will most probably just give you a standard refresh and get you to practise your EPs. Have a good one

I was 21. I still am

You wouldn't believe how much I get this when I met new people. It's normally the second time that they have seen me and I know exactly what's coming when they say 'You know who you look like...?' Yes If people are feeling nice, it's Christina Ricci. If not, then it's Wednesday Addams. Oh well. I guess it could be worse ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

D'oh! Oh well, please vote anyway, if everyone took the above attitude, we'd never change a thing. Come on people - go flaunt your hard-won right to walk into a polling booth. Even if you do write 'none of the above, you're all a bunch of b*****ds'. In no way a personal attack, I'm sure you will vote. And no, I can't get Blair either...is there a trick to it? ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

LMAO! How deeply satisfying. I've just wasted 20mins on that. Damn you. ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

An awful lot of this sounds familiar, but they are younger, so there's much more chaos. Or at least, it seems that way. Heave self into classroom for 8am, scrabble round sorting out resources and worksheets. Greet kids, take register, deal with lunch money, news of dead hamsters and tall tales. Teach numeracy. Attempt to interest 30 eight year olds in division etc. Crowd control during investigations. Say things like 'sit on your bottom', 'stop picking your nose' and 'if it's not yours, then don't fiddle with it'. Repeat ad infinitum throughout the day. Teach literacy. Enthuse children with a love of adverbs. Collapse in staffroom, have lunch. Deal with scraped knees and wobbly teeth. Throw rest of lunch in bin. Teach afternoon subjects with as much energy as can be mustered, whilst trying to control 30 overheated children. Shoo them out of the door at 3.30, then plan, mark, assess, plan, mark, assess etc etc. Fall into bed at 11. Repeat. ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Marmite on toast!

It's very unfair that it's generally considered gross for a woman to be hairy, yet it's fine for a man. Underarm hair is just rank anyway, regardless of whether it is sprouting out of the pit of a male or a female And it traps sweat and gets icky in the heat. The nastiest thing is visible drops of sweat on underarm hair in the summer. Ugh... *shudders* Sorry, I shouldn't have written that last bit. Feeling a bit queasy now. ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

You make a good point here - I'm a primary (elementary) school teacher and this is a useful tool in learning. By doing this, you can teach children to examine the underlying reasons for the way that things are (which helps provide solutions to the never-ending 'why?'), develop a deeper understanding and evaluate them, appreciating the fact that when things have changed, it is for a reason. 'What would it have been like to live through the Holocaust as a Jew? How would you have felt?' The feminist issue is a strange one - while girls are treated as equal to boys in many things today, both boys and girls pick up ideas of gender-stereotyping from a very young age, from their treatment (unconsciously) by the adults around them, at home, in school and through all forms of media. Girls should be taught, not that they are better than boys, or that they are lucky to be where they are, but that they have the potential to be whatever they want to in life, to achieve as much as they possibly can. That with the right equipment, instruction and/or practice - they can do anything (although, yes, they will be better at some things than others

Wicked wicked boy! ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Yeah, me too. It was an ok programme, in a candy-floss kind of way. The bit about the rib bones was interesting though, I didn't know just how flexible they were. And how much punishment a human body can actually take. Freefall, my arse. But lets face it - if it hadn't been sensationalised as much as it was, your average Joe wouldn't have bothered with it. ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Hehe, I'm still there! I got off the rope last week after 8 S/L and 8 D/Ps. Hurray! Freefall at last! It'll take me forever, but I'll get there. Eventually. ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Hehe, I remember you! I think we might had a drunken conversation... lol. I was Catwoman, although I forgot my ears... ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Nah, I'm at Warwick. Hope to see you around! ********************************* "I have done that," says my memory. "I cannot have done that," says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. - Nietzsche

Predominantely at Hinton, but I'm hoping to explore. I was at Peterlee for the BCPA thing a couple of weeks ago, you're a cool lot