Meux

get the laser hair removal treatment. That shit won't come back. Take 2 advil before you go though

Congrats to the last of the single digits. For me, five down, forty five to go. Maybe I could make the first one thousand.

Royd, Glad to hear you're ok. There is talk of a canopy course being offered in October at Palatka. If you can't wait til then, it's a short drive to Deland and Scott Millers course. You wild man, slow down. Looking forward to jumping with you again. Another option at Deland is to contact Performance Designs to demo jump reserves. They will put a reserve chute on for you to jump. I did this a few weeks ago and found it to be time and money well spent. You and I are about the same size, my reserve is one size up from yours. On the ground I was thinking that my reserve is too small. (just checked my logbook, I went down to Deland the week after you and I jumped at Palatka on July 9) My solution so far has been to think more about preventing malfunctions and just being mentally ready for that smaller chute if I go silver again. Looking forward to jumping with you again. Cheers, MH

Ziglar On Selling by Zig Ziglar

My observation is that while skydiving numbers are down from previous times, the sport is getting better. Look at what has happened in the last year. A new record at Lake Wales involving CRW. The new record from Thailand with 400 people jumping from 25,000'. People are now talking of putting 500 together!! Outrageous!! There was a new head down record of some crazy number like 63 or something. Every time I go to the wind tunnel I see people doing amazing things. Recently I had the chance to jump from a plane made for skydiving, the PAC 750. That is pretty cool, Somebody feels strongly enough about the future of this sport to develop and sell a plane like that. From where I see it, this sport will keep me engaged for many years before I get bored with it and move on. I wanted to return to WFFC but didn't mainly because that ultra rich girl I'm looking to marry hasn't found me to fund me yet. I'm saving my dollars to do other jumping that is more significant to my skydiving goals. I'd love to do SkyFest, WFFC, all the POPS events, etc. etc. There just aren't days and dollars enough. As your attorney, I advise you to drink heavily. (Fear and Loathing) It's all good. Looking forward to jumping with all ya'll. At a boogie or not. MH

In a couple years maybe a Doctor will pay her 20,000 to take it off with either a laser or surgery, to demonstrate the efffectiveness of his technique. Meanwhile, that is ate up with stooopid.

Congratulations!!

Thanks for pointing that out. I just love the cleverness involved. I did think that cashtration is an excellent description of divorce. Cheers, MH

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are the 2005 winners: 1. Cashtration (n): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. 2. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. 3. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly. 4. Bozone (n): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future. 5. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid. 6. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high. 7. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it. 8. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late. 9. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness. 10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease (This one got extra credit.) 11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is, like, sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's, like, a serious bummer. 12. Decafalon (n): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. 13. Glibido: All talk and no action. 14. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. 15. Arachnoleptic fit (n): The frantic dance you perform just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web. 16. Beelzebug (n): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out. 17. Caterpallor (n): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating. 18. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

Jump planes are like women. The one I'm with now is the most beautiful, sweet, and wonderful thing I've ever encountered in my life. I love jumping from the Beaver, its loud and slow, but sturdy. The 185 is not so loud, but fun because it seems the pilot is within talking distance. Caravan, good, fun, Porter, crowded, fast, flexible PAC, nice in every regard. I love'm all. Can't wait to jump an AN-2 and a bunch of the others listed. I voted for the PAC, even though the door is a little small. MH

My mom took me to a one of their concerts when I was a wee little tyke in Lancaster CA. Great post, thanks MH

Yes, at the bottom of that article are links to several other articles. Just reading through those articles and doing some of that stuff on your own is practically an essential skills class all by itself. MH

What ever the number doesn't matter. Right now it seems that unless you are at Deland or one of the DZs that Scott travels to, you're out of luck. As a stop gap, have some course of instruction offered by somebody that teaches a little more than the average student gets through AFF. Have an experienced person on the ground with a video camera who will monitor the jump, pattern, and landing and will spend the time talking about what went right, and what could be done better. I think there is an attitude in skydiving that unless you have a large number of jumps you can't be credible. It really depends on the individual and their approach to learning and having some teaching skills. How many pilots built their experience by teaching? I believe we could do the same thing in skydiving. Have a low jump person (100-300) take a course, maybe from Scott directly and be the local canopy dude. I'm talking essential skills. When I watch these swooper guys, they have skills thay I probably won't ever have. So in that area I'll never have anything to contribute. For the kid just coming off AFF I really believe I can help him reach 100 jumps without going to the ER. Again, just a thought. Brian has a new article on the home page. There is already a complete canopy course available right on these pages from Bill Von, Steve Blincoe, Brian and another guy whose name I can't remember right now. Downsizing, stalls, the whole works. Great stuff. Heck, just printing those out and handing them to the kid just off AFF would be a great start. Peace Out Yo

This is what worked for me. My instructors told me from the first jump course to RELAX! Of course I didn't. All this new stuff, falling through the air over a 120 mph, etc. I was in sensory overload, not a place I can easily relax in. Here is my advice. Make about 50 jumps. If you haven't relaxed yet, make 50 more. At some point, you will reach the place where you've seen it, done it and are familiar enough will it that you can RELAX. Then something really funny happens, it gets very easy. All that stuff you struggled with, all that stuff your instructors make look so darn easy, suddenly it gets easy for you too. At that point, hurry out and do 50 more skydives, and start on learning freeflying or relative work or landing your canopy, or packing your canopy. Mercy, there is so much to learn. It really does take a while to figure this stuff out. But at some point you will have a firm enough grasp on it that you can relax. I am not an instructor so be careful taking advice from a guy like me. Good Luck and have fun. MH

At the dropzones where I jump it seems the instructors do two things; Tandoms and AFF. Once the first jump certificate is handed over or AFF 7 is signed off, BYE BYE. This might sound really crazy, what if coaches were the ones who taught canopy skills? At least the very basic stuff. Scott's course is great, but it ain't rocket science. A coach with 100 jumps and the course of instruction could teach the next level of canopy flying after AFF. I've only taken his essential skills course. I've not done the advanced course. Just a thought. MH

I wouldn't disagree with the price tag, but consider buying a Harley to ride around on the weekend. Holy Shit, you can buy a pretty nice rig and bunch of jumps for that much money. If you're a fisherman and need a boat, trailor, a truck to pull it with and all the tackle, same thing, man, that would buy a bunch of jumps. My theory is related to the social side of it. It's hard to break into skydiving. Once you're in a group, it's easier to make friends. It's such a small community that anyone who jumps is a candidate for friendship. Not sure where I'm going with this, but I don't think it's the money completely. When you get back from an awesome skydive, who can you tell about it? The kids at work don't want to hear about it, if they haven't jumped, they have no idea what you're talking about. The other night I was at dinner with my girlfriend. The girl at the next table was telling her beau about her tandom jump. She was excited, he was about to face plant in his soup. He could not have cared less. I wanted to slide over and ask her if she was coming back for AFF. Probably would've been punched from him and kicked by my girlie. Cheers, MH

Just a couple questions. I took Scott's course about a year ago and agree with everything folks are saying here. Is Scott the only guy to offer this kind of instruction? Why doesn't every student coming off AFF-7 go right into AFF 8- 15 which would be learning to fly the canopy? Why doesn't every DZ have an official canopy expert? It seems like there is plenty of interest in it. Just a thought, glad to have guys like Scott and Brian around. Cheers, MH P.S. Yesterday I went to PD and borrowed a demo reserve and jumped it. I did all the stuff that Scott has ya do, stalls, hard turns, flat turns, etc. Just to get to know my reserve a little bit better, in case I ever have to land it in someones back yard. Very cool program offered by PD. Highly recommended.

I didn't reply to the original thread, but I'm having a pretty good year. Survived a goofy two out cut-away in January on rented gear. That got me super motivated to buy my own gear which I did in March. Since then I've jumped that rig over 60 times. Had tons of really fun jumps. Part of the gear thing included a jump suit, helmet, and audible altimeter. Additionally, I've spent over an hour in the wind tunnel and generally, have had a great time. Can't wait for the second half of the year. Accident Free- Make good decisions Have Fun Make New Friends Keep Challenging myself in skill development Stay just a little scared. Don't interfere with having fun, but just enough to keep it safe. Cheers, MH

Ouch Very Ouch

Flying an F-16

For example, tonight for those living in Central Florida; The International Space Station will be flying overhead at 2224 until 2227. The Space Shuttle will fly overhead at 2215 until 2217. Google heavens-above.com Register yourself put in your location select which satellite you are interested in find the clicky thingy for ground track go outside at the appointed hour and marvel at how cool these things look when they fly over your house. Clear Skies

heavens-above.com The next couple nights are going to be awesome for many people. STS 121 chasing the ISS across the sky. I hope you're in the right spot and have clear skies.

WIsh you'd been there, it was fun. Not quite as cool as if it had been at Titusville, but we could still see it. Cheers, MH

It cost me a case of beer, but it was well worth it. The guys at Skydive Deland did a great job of organizing it and keeping up with the countdown. The pilot (Brent) really did a great job of getting us in exact position at the exact moment. Looking out the right side I could see the glow of the engines when the green light came on. We exited, stabilized and turned to watch it climb through some low clouds. It was very cool to be in free fall watching the shuttle climb. The skydive was mostly geeking the camera, but it was fun. God Speed STS 121, come home safe. Cheers, MH

When I win the lottery I'm building a wind tunnel in my back yard. Screw the pool thing.