SkyIsLove83

Okay, I will do myself the favor of just deleting my retarded post. Eh, whatever.

Okay good. Verified - stupid question. Back to work I go.

Sparing myself.

Just to add one more thing...the campers and 'alleged' bonfires - they are nowhere NEAR anyone. Left around 2am and I walked to my car and could barely hear anyone. I drove down the driveway and couldn't even SEE anything anymore. This lady is full of crap. Best time I ever had though....ahhhh, I miss it.

This is my DZ and I overheard some talk about this crap when I was there. It's so ridiculous. The place is great, the people are absolutely amazing. They made me, the newbie girl, so comfortable there. And as far as the bonfire mention - I can neither confirm nor deny the prescense of bonfires. Seriously - people need to get a damn life. And I agree with everyones statement about giving her a tandem and see what she says after that. Ugh. So frustrating!

http://wfmz.img.entriq.net/htm/PopUpPlayer-v3.htm?articleID=1268070 This is from my local news station. The DZ isn't the one I go to but they are close to each other.

Maybe. In either case, I love it. I don't feel nervous and I guess that makes me believe more that I really have what it takes (okay, minus the funds) to do this. =)

I've had more time than in the past to read some posts around here. I know everyone is different but I am just curious to hear others' stories. I've seen a lot of people, even some with thousands of jumps, say they still get that anxiety when the door opens. Now, I am not even what I would consider a 'skydiver' - only did it 4 times. 3 tandems and 1 for my AFF 1. However, I do not get that anxiety. Not on the plane going up and not when they open the door. When the door opens, I get this huge smile on my face and LOVE the way it looks when people are disappearing from my sight and falling. I felt almost silly Sunday when they opened the door and I shouted, "Woohoo!! - Let's go!" Like I said, everyone is different so I am sure there are a few like me and a few people who will always feel their stomach turn when it comes time to open up the door. I just would like to hear your reactions and what goes through your mind. How do YOU feel when the door opens?

Better to master it now and benefit from that later. Good luck with the rest of your AFF. =)

Welcome! Good luck on the rest of your AFF. Kind of funny that your girlfriend is okay with it. Has she ever been skydiving? Most peoples initial reaction would be that its even more dangerous. Good for you though!

Good for you for going full speed into what you love. I am a bit jealous. Had to take some time off because of finances (left my fiance and had to get an apartment). I have a child so I can't just sell all my things and skydive. I would if I could. You definitely explained in great words what all of us new skydivers are feeling and have felt. Good luck to you on the rest of your AFF and glad to have you here. I look forward to reading your posts. =)

I loved this. Suggest you make it your sig line! And this: which neatly paraphrases Leonardo Da Vinci: "For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Sounds like you've got it bad - hope you find a way to achieve your dream.

Chris - I was invited to the BBQ there next weekend actually. I already made plans but you know where I would be if I didn't. Great fun, lots of beer! Thanks again for the encouraging words!

Jennifer - I actually stumbled across one of your posts the other day and I said to myself, "no shit, look at her! I started AFF before she did and she got me beat by a long shot! Good for her!" I will get back up there without a doubt. I said to a couple people at the DZ yesterday, if I didn't have a kid, I would've sold everything I had and put everything into skydiving and I know I would have. In the meantime, I will stick around here. I don't think my feelings will go away anytime soon. It is like crack (not that I've ever been on crack) but it is certainly an addiction. Good luck to you Jennifer and I know I am proud of you!!!

Thanks J. I wish I could get going full speed ahead right now but it's just not in the cards. But, it will happen. It was great to be in the air again. It felt like forever since I've been up there but its only been a couple months. Even if I can't do AFF again next year, I will definitely be doing a tandem or two. Thanks!!!

So, here is my story if you didn't already know. Did my first tandem back in April. Loved it. Did another tandem pretty much right away. Decided to do AFF. Did the ground course, did my level 1 jump - was told to repeat (Ha, didn't pull. Damn thing - just couldnt get it in time). Had all the mind in the world to do this - unexpectedly had to move because I left my fiance so no more money. Well - been upset here and there that I can't do my AFF and probably won't be anytime soon. Sitting out yesterday morning thinking, "Damn, look at that sky. I really should be jumping." So, I decided to go and do another tandem, just because. I finally got to enjoy it. My 2nd tandem he let me take the toggles and stuff but I still didn't really have any clue what skydiving was about. So, going through AFF and learning and being able to jump with my own parachute strapped to me was pretty intense. I did great besides the not pulling in time. So, I looked at this tandem as a total learning experience. I wanted to focus on my breathing (which I can do because its tandem), I wanted to actually pull the damn thing (which I am proud to say, I DID!) and wanted to work on altitude awareness. I wore an altimeter - he didn't. It was great! I loved it! It gave me the confidence I lost after failing level 1 and lets me know that when its possible for me to get back into this, I got what it takes. Skydiving is truly the only passion I have really found and it kills me everyday that I can't do it as much as I want to. I said it time and time again - this sport has not seen the last of me. And...it was also great going to the DZ and getting hugs and encouraging words from everyone. I felt great even knowing people remembered me. The one guy who was flying a wing suit the day I did my AFF 1 was talking to me and replayed my whole jump as if it was yesterday. What a great sport, great people and just a wonderful way of life that I know will always be there for me as soon as I am ready. Skydivers are the greatest group of people and I am sure a majority of other fellow inexperienced skydivers would agree with me. Thank you all!

Well, how'd it go? Please don't let one repeat make you think it's a sign this sport isn't for you... hell, I've had to repeat levels - and so have MANY others who now have thousands of jumps! Do a search - you'll be surprised to see it's more of a norm then those who sailed through on first try! So, the suspense is killing me... Sorry it took me so long to get back on here. I've had some personal troubles and have had to put skydiving on hold. I am not happy about it at all but this sport has not seen the last of me.

Ha! Love it! Yes, I did in fact need a beer and I got about 4, so it ended up being a good night. I am still conflicted a little and some part of me wants to give in but I don't think I will. If I fail again...then I think I will take that as a sign. I am going again Saturday...if Level 1 would go right, probably do Level 2 right away. We will see how it goes. Thanks for all the encouraging words guys, I needed it for sure.

Well, level 1 didn't go horrible but it wasn't great either. Class was LONG. My instructor had to jump quite a few times so we got interrupted a lot but I was okay with that. It gave me time to take everything in and practice myself. So, time for the jump. Go up in the plane, get all ready to go. Go over exactly what I am supposed to do (which was fine). Then it came my turn to exit. Took position at the door, checked in, checked out...checked out again....I was frickin scared...froze for like 10 seconds probably, I don't know why. Anyway, so after I checked out, AGAIN, I exited. The exit was good. Arch was good. Freefalling, I was pretty calm. I did my circle of awareness, when I looked at my instructor on my right, he gave me a sign to straighten my legs a bit. Tried...must not have been good. I keep seeing "legs out" and I guess I just wasn't concentrating enough. By the time I had realized I needed to check my alimeter, we were already at 6,000. Instead of "legs out" I was seeing "Deploy". Went to grab for my pilot chute and my hand must have touched my cutaway line because he thought that's what I went for. Well, I couldn't get to the chute in time so my instructor had to pull for me. Automatic fail. Dammit. So, I need to repeat level 1. I got really down after that, of course. I was kind of beating myself up a bit. However...after talking to everyone and hearing some stories, I started feeling a bit better. I didn't panic..that's a great thing. Arms and legs werent flying all around or anything, so I kept my cool at least. I just need to practice and try again. I ended up hanging out afterwards and had a little gathering, gave me a chance to talk to a lot of people, some with more experience than I will ever get a chance to have and some just beginning too. It made me feel a lot better and that I can't give up. I didn't get home until 3am (can you tell I had A LOT of fun) and I actually still haven't slept much. Quite a few people thought it was awesome that I stuck around, hung out, especially since I failed level 1. I don't know how I am even functioning without sleep! Everytime I lay down in bed I have, "Drop Zone," "Holding Area," "Circle of Awareness," "Check Altimeter," "Practice pulls," "Check Altimeter," etc, etc running through my mind and I have my canopy ride stuck in my mind too. Cannot sleep!!! Oh, canopy went pretty well. It took my instructor on the radio to tell me where to look to find where I needed to go but once I did, with his wonderful help, I got on the ground safely, landing was good, control was pretty good. Man - as soon as I saw that parachute open and looking great, I felt great. Like I said, I was quite disappointed in myself for my freefall but I will DEFINITELY not make those same mistakes next time. Plan on repeating on Saturday and hopefully pass to Level 2...maybe the same day if I have time. If you read through all this, thanks! I know I tend to babble.

That's high on my list too.

-My daughter's skin. -Many men's colognes. I realized I have way too many. Those are my 2 most favorite though.

Thanks Jennifer. I added you as a friend because I read some of your posts and saw you are new and as obsessed as I am.

Thank you. I was looking all over that damn page. Even did the FAQ's and how to add it. Didn't think to look in the upper left corner. Haha. Thanks again. I will definitely post after my first AFF. I won't be back online until Monday but this is the first place I will come to.

One question...how the hell do I get my pic to display under my name?

Hello, my name is Lauren and I, too, am obsessed with skydiving. My first jump (tandem) was April 5th, 2009. I absolutely loved it. Didn't consider AFF though because I have a 5 year old, didn't think I had the time, nor the money. Well, I thought, one more tandem, then I may make it a yearly thing. Well, that 2nd tandem (May 31st, yes, 1 week ago) turned into, "I don't care, I am using my savings, take AFF and becoming a skydiver." So, here I am. Start AFF tomorrow morning, 8am. I read through a lot of the posts on this site and I now have a place to come to where people understand me. I talk to my fiance, my friends, relatives. They think its totally awesome...but just don't get it. So, I am anxiously awaiting the day I can attend a boogie, the day I can just go on over to the DZ and jump a few times, stop at the bar for a beer on the way home. My head is completely in the sky and I have totally fallen in love. The only thing I love more than the sky, is my daughter. I already have her lined up to go on her 18th birthday, haha! Nice to meet you all and look forward to making some great friends here.