PLFXpert

In related news: An experienced canopy pilot died on Friday at Skydive Deland after performing a hook turn gone wrong. The man, Bungee, still had his right toggle in his hand where he lay on the ground. He bounced 3 times before coming to a rest somewhere in between the peas and the taxiway. He died on impact. No one quite understands why this experienced canopy pilot still had his toggle pulled all the way down.

I believe in God and it is b/c of my faith in him that I have no fears and will try anything. I believe God will take you when he wants and not before then so until then I am going to live life and never be afraid to do anything that most would have fear about. I'm not saying not to have common sense though. I just have faith and have said a short prayer for myself and everyone else on my load every time I ride to altitude. I respect others beliefs though as well. My mom is agnostic and my father is faithless as well. Everyone has their own beliefs that get them through the day

Hey crew, I know there were quite a few Florida locals on here who mentioned they go sometimes to Deland. I will be jumping there this Saturday so if you can, come out and let's meet up! I'd be stoked to meet all of you

Head, I know of a couple girls that rock. One is a good friend from Skydive Daytona. Her name is Kaz Sheiky and she is a camera-flyer, freeflyer, you name it. She can swoop *very* well. Also, there is a girl whom I don't know personally but have seen in Deland and my b/f tells me she is a pioneer swooper and is well-known for it. I'm sorry but I do not remember her name. Just know that she jumps in Deland. As for me, I'm not even close but I hope to be soon. Maybe by next year? (summer after this coming one.) My b/f is an awesome swooper, camera-flyer, freeflyer, RW, ext. ext. so I'm trying to suck up as much of his skills as possible. Freeflying has come naturally but I seem to be canopy-impaired at this point

Joe, a lot are in Deland but quite a few have moved North. Right now Kaz is staying w/ Mark Smith up in Jax Beach (down the street from where BZ lives.) and T has already moved to The Ranch. Mike Myers has been video'ing in Sebastian and living in his van while Rob has pretty much moved to Sebastian now and is living in the Skydiving.com motorcoach. It is NICE! Mike will be heading north soon as well, though and so will Kaz but they've split up unfortunately. Billy Weber is in Palatka and Bobby and Tara are taking a break from skydiving and finishing pilot school (bobby) and regular school (tara). Freddie and Jerry (our pilot) are in Clewiston. The rest of the crew: Joy, Mike and Blossom, Patrick, Jeff Guy, Perry, Kellie, Mark Smith, and whoever else I've forgot are in Deland. That is also where BZ and I will be mostly I think. We'll be between there and Palatka. I hope to see you soon, Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

Very cool! Vladi is working now in Deland but Lyle is still in Sebastian. I met him through my b/f of course since they regular speak about canopy comps, ext. and he gave my b/f his first birdman a while back. He is truly one of the coolest persons I have ever met. He regualarly organized at Skydive Daytona and him and Vladi experimented w/ different training techniques all the time in Daytona as well. I love them both very much (but especially Lyle) and respect them tremendously as skydivers. Skydiving is such a small (and awesome) world! Much love and blue skies, Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

SkySlut, are you speaking of Lyle Presse? If so, you will love him. He is a great guy and someone I consider a great friend. Him and Vladi understand the art of canopy flying better than anyone I've ever met. He is *very* great at explaining it and he does so as if canopy piloting were a religion

Of course she does

Joe, BZ will probably only check in once or twice a week so I just wanted to let you know that he'd be happy to do some video for you in Palatka. Actually, they have offered to staff him there as the video-guy so we might be there every so often since he'll be getting paid to jump that way. But definitely, let one of us know and we'll meet you there. Much love and blue skies, Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

ha...ha....HA! How many times do I have to tell you, I knew what I meant, I just didn't say it right! Since BZ doesn't ever talk or brag about himself, I'll do it for him

AWWWWWWWW, look who turned his computer *on* (among other things.) Saturday we SKYDIVE ALL DAY! There's nothing better than getting a little action with your hunny 12,000 feet up in the air..........I'm talking about freeflying, what were you thinking????? He he he. I love you, baby! Much love and blue skies, Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

Dude man, that's deep

Hey Joe, I miss ya like mad! The old SDDB crew looks forward to seeing you jumping again soon! Much love and blue skies, Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

Yes you are lucky, Merrik.

He he he....the weather man in the area where my b/f lives we watch in the mornings before we head to the DZ (despite what it says, we always go anyways just in case) well, he predicted a beautiful sunny day so we were stoked. By the time we'd gotton to the DZ (around 10 a.m) it was royally overcast ALL DAY. We saw him in the grocery store later that evening and we passed by him as my b/f said "beautiful, sunny day today, huh?"....it was funny

Yes, FFF, I'd like to know too. I hope whatever it is (about skydiving) it is temporary. As for work, I refer to that conversation I just posted about my Dad and Billy Weber a lot when I find people who are about to be trapped in the world my father lives in. He is stressed out ALL THE TIME, he has so many things (motorcycles, motorcoach, nice house, cool cars) but never has time to play with them. He says it will all be worth it when he retires and I only hope for his sake that he has any energy left when he does to do those things. Again, I must reiterate, DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY. For me, that is skydiving and traveling and trying new adventerous things. I'd take a job any day that pays mediocre but allows me time and such to do just that. I am finishing school purely to do one thing in my life that puts a smile on my fathers face. Me personally, I believe knowledge is important but I think you learn so much more from living life and getting in there hands-on then reading any book and taking a test. I NEVER go to class and still I ace those damn exams. I feel like I've been in school for 3 years now since HS and I haven't learned a thing. But at least I'll be out at 22 and can beging the real journey I've always sought. I wish you guys all the same

Wow, this is exactly the same except in place of your *good friend* is my father. I repeatedly tell him that I WANT to be happy with my job and want to feel like whatever I do, I'm making a difference. I think he finally understood when he asked me the other day about my past AFF skydiving instructor, Billy Weber, he said, "How old is Billy Weber? [I said around 45] And what does he do? Where does he live? [I said, he is a full-time skydiivng instructor and lives in a small house in gainesville] What kind of car does he drive? [I said, an old one] And when you're 45 will you be happy if that's all you have in your life? [I said, yes, b/c billy weber is doing what he loves everyday and getting paid for it. He is making a difference in every student's life he teaches and he doesn't need anything else to give him that satisfaction. He gets to travel around the world doing what he loves and gets paid to do it b/c he is an awesome skydiver. I want to travel too and even if when I come home, there's not much there, at least I got to do all the things I wanted to and at least when I have to go back to work I will actually look forward to it] Okay then, but finish college just in case it's not all you think it's cracked up to be." That was the first time he'd ever not tried to argue his way out of me thinking that way. I think he finally got it. Go with what it is you want to do. If opportunity knocks, go for it b/c you have your whole life to get back to what you were doing before that opportunity came

You're welcome, Mandi

Thank you for the *compliment* Viking

I couldn't have said it better Froggie. That is exactly how I feel about my tats (and in 60 years, maybe we'll both be there as 80 year olds together

That is EXACTLY why I do not want any. I am great with kids when I tutor them or teach them swimming but I'd have no idea how to raise one. Not to mention I wouldn't have a clue how to handle the responsibility. IMHO, the world is overpopulated and the last thing it needs is for me or people like me who have grown up as I have to be having kids and screwing them up. I love kids but I also grew up an only child whose Dad (parents divorced) was always traveling and whose secretary would pick me up from school if I was sick. He gave me a debit card (for groceries only) when I was 14 b/c he was not home long enough to go. He does care, don't get me wrong, but only about school. He came from a rough childhood and made himself a wealthy man and wants me to do the same only money isn't everything to me like it is to him and I just want to be happy. My mom and I are *friends* and always have been. I love her dearly but she didn't want me and didn't know how to raise me so she was happy after the divorce that she would just have to deal with me on the weekends. I'm okay with that b/c it allowed her to not get too stressed and still have a good relationship with me. I grew up with the house to myself, was the life of the party in HS since all the parties were at my house with no parents there and would have no idea how to sacrifice the things I want to do in my life (traveling, skydiving, ext) for a child. I'm okay with that and have always known I didn't want kids even though I love playing with other's kids very much. I look forward to my best friend since kindergarten (and really my only true friend my whole life) when she has kids b/c she is like a sister to me and really wants a family and deemed me their "fun *aunt* carrie." I like that and look forward to being that. Oh my gosh, I can't believe I actually just said all that. You should know I RARELY talk about anything personal. All that said though, no worries. I'm not looking at all for sympathy or pity. I would not be who I am today, or maybe not even a skydiver without all that. And tons of others have it a helluva lot worse! I'm glad I grew up w/out the influences of my family b/c they are all close-minded buisness folk and I am open-minded, peace-loving, love to volunteer and talk to a variety of people. I might not have been that way had they had anything to do with it. My mom's side of the family are literally geniouses and my grandmother said (a mathematical genious who figured it out mathematically somehow, who knows?) that she believes I was put here by God for some awesome purpose to really make a difference in certain people's lives who need me. I choose to believe that as well b/c it is a nice thing to believe. I am a strong girl and am used to dealing with people's judgementality. A lot of times people may take my strong-will and opinionated self to be cocky and well, that's okay with me. I know I'm not and as I said once before, I'd rather them think that then me have to explain myself all the time to people. Anyways....sorry this is so long. In a weird way it feels cool to say it though

He cut off his own head??????? Oh my gosh. I've never heard anything like that before. That is NUTS! It's too gorry for me to think about. Yuck.

I was hired for my swim coaching job before I began skydiving and when I started and began spending all my spare time (and paychecks) jumping, I mentioned it to my boss and he's stoked about it. I've found that all the parents of the kids I teach are also very interested and most tell their kids what I do and are not scared to tell them their teacher jumps from planes. One little girl in particular (my favorite, I wonder why

He he he....yea, it doesn't suck bad at all

My parents don't give a shit. As long as I stay in school, my Dad could careless what I do. He's not stoked about it but he's given up on trying to mold me to his standards. My family is far from close so I'm not sure if anyone else knows. Nobody talks to each other so if they do know, they dont' give a shit either....ha ha ha. Much love and blue skies, Carrie [url]www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/[url]