Pammi

Doh! That's funny :) LOL! Pammi

Hey Whiskeychick - No, I took care of it and all...they said that it just happens sometimes. Some people just don't heal as well as others and some piercers suggested that perhaps it wasn't pierced properly - deep enough. It actually wasn't bothering me at all and was going well I thought, but eventually there was only a tiny bit of skin over the ring..it just kinda grew outwards *shrug* When I got it re-done, the second one was deeper this time, but then it didn't heal for me...was always icky looking. I just got tired of it and took it out...as gross as it looked infected it certainly wasn't a turn on for anyone! LOL! As to the issue of piercing and tats, or not, honestly the main reason I do these things is the same reason I put on makeup or wear earrings. It's just another expression of me. Two of my tats were symbolic, one is just simply pretty. The navel ring was because I think they are neat looking and the tongue ring is because I've always thought they were interesting and sexy on guys. Besides, I was bored . I've really gotten to the point for the first time in my life where I'm comfortable with my body and who I am, it's really a great feeling, and I don't take it too seriously. I am working out regularly for the first time, getting a bit of a tan cuz I'm normally a ghost, eatting very healthy and feel better then I have in a long time. I get a kick out of wearing a pretty, girly dress to work, fixing my hair and knowing I have this silly tongue ring that most don't know of :) It's life...it's fun! I'll never be little miss tiny thing Alley McBeal type or a cutesy kinda girl...but that's just me...that takes too much work :) I'd rather have fun and get strong looking arms, a nice healthy tan and spend my efforts learning to fly! The decorations you add to your body are just for you...whatever YOU like and find sexy cuz you'll be the one living with it :) If it makes you happy...do it! (Oh and Skreamer...I clanged my tongue ring on my tooth for the first time last night...OUCH! Like I said...eatting has been an experience with this thing! I'll learn :) I was told to get an acrylic ball when it heals a bit more...that it isn't so bad if you accidentally bite it. We'll see.) Pammi

ROFL! I meant to post to this earlier Froggie, but forgot! I get behind on the weekends since I'm never near a puter. I was cracking up when I read this tho...that's great that your mom has such a sense of humor about it! My mom is great too...very funny...but I think mom would flip out if she had to live with me at the DZ all the time :) I'm so lucky Merrick's mom doesn't mind letting the kids hang out with her while we sit out at the DZ all day...it wouldn't be possible without her for us to have done all of this! Pammi

Think this might've been a jump pilot and some skydivers? LOL! Sounds like something they might do! (Got this with some other "Darwin Awards") Three Brazilian men were flying in a light aircraft at low altitude when another plane approached. It appears that they decided to moon the occupants of the other plane, but lost control of their own aircraft and crashed. They were all found dead in the wreckage with their pants around their ankles. Pammi

Oh no Carrie...I was referring to my navel ring...my tats healed very easily too. They are much less of a pain in the a$$ then piercings in my opinion :) Pammi

I hear ya Skymama. I have two kids, a 9 year-old girl and 5 year-old boy, and it seems like as summer comes on they keep having things come up for the weekend, and holidays are really hard! Like last weekend we drove down Friday night to the DZ (an hour or so) so we could jump Saturday, then drove back home in the afternoon so my son could test for his orange belt for Thai Kwan Do, then back to the DZ to try another jump before the sun was down. LOL! It gets crazy sometimes! I'm still trying to figure out how to go to the 4th of July boogie and do fireworks with the kids too. :) We always get it worked out tho! It takes some work when you have kids, but we definately have a full, busy life! Pammi

Yeah...they take a while....ask an experienced piercer for sure, but it's one of the longer healing piercings. They have some info on that link above in the faqs about healing times, care and so forth that you can look at. I think belly rings are incredibly sexy and most men say so also...but I'm just not very patient :) I also wear hose to work a lot which irritates, but you can roll them down or cut a piece out of the top to accomadate too My tongue ring is doing very well actually. Eatting has been an experience! LOL! It's healing very nicely tho and swelling is really starting to go down. :) Pammi

Good job Froggie!! You got me excited all over again reading your story! It's so awesome when you start feeling that fun that everyone talks about and it stops being so much work and worry, but more fun and excitement! You kicked ass girl...I'm proud of you! These guys (like Merrick) who are naturals I just watch in awe...I don't know how they do it so easily, but I *admire* those, like me and you, who have to work for every bit of skill they get because it takes determination, patience and courage to keep trying! Woohoo!!! Pammi

I actually broke both of Skreamer's tattoo rules..LOL! I have three tats and another I really really want, but am not ready to spend the money for, that will go on my lower back. I also had a navel ring and just a word of warning..it takes FOREVER to heal. To some people, it's fairly easy I guess, but for me and a few friends of mine they took a lot of work getting them healed. You have to take very good care of them, keep all waistbands away from it, soak it with sea salt, blah blah...I got the first one healed in the normal 9 months or so, but then my body rejected it and it came out. So I got it redone because I really really wanted one and it stayed infected so I finally took it out. *sigh* I considered trying one more time when I went down and got my tongue pierced last Friday, but decided I don't have the time to take care of it so prob'ly won't try again. Definately not trying to tell you not to get one...they are incredible and there is some awesome jewelry for piercings here. Just wanted to warn you that it can be a pain, but if you have the time and want to do it, go for it! Pammi

Hey there JKA! Welcome back girl! We've missed your crazy self lately! Pammi

Skreamer- Hadn't heard that one! Thanks for the tip! Pammi

This is great Mike! It was actually how I was taught, and the gentleman who showed me actually has several times went out and messed with his rig, then had me check him over just to see if I'd catch it. It was great practice!! A couple of things...he also suggested checking your handles (cutaway and reserve) in the air while under canopy, even try doing it in freefall just so you can see what it feels like before you may have to do it. Also, and even bigger deal, he suggested we check the risers very well while under canopy. The cables that run up into the risers especially as he had a friend whom had barely landed when one of them slipped out and one side of his risers came undone from his harness! If it'd happened in the air, it could've been bad. Another jumper at our DZ also apparently had something go wrong with the ring (sorry, can't remember the name..French ring or something?)holding the lines to the risers and they were barely still hooked in! I'm definately going to try to remember to check them every time, unless as he pointed out, you're at a huge boogie with a lot of traffic you should be watching for...then I'll try to at least glance over them when I'm clear. Another thing/question....he suggested always checking the alti on the ground, and NEVER changing it once in the air because they can be a little off from each other and you should KNOW it was right if you zero'd it on the ground. Just some ideas :) Pammi

It really was a great weekend! Spring is definately here...was so beautifully warm all weekend. I love getting to break out the shorts again and feeling the sun warm and bright on my skin. I only got one jump this weekend myself because of nasty winds, but it was a very relaxing weekend around the DZ, a little slow which was nice cuz it was mostly us regulars. A couple of guys even did a Mr. Bill. It was awesome! I wish I coulda been in the air to see it! I also did perfectly on my one jump...finally! It went beautifully and everything just seems to be falling into place now! It was a blast and I was pumped up all day! Either one of my 'tata's' grew and made me stop spinning 'cuz of em being uneven or maybe the tongue ring distracted me enough to not care.. lol! I wish I could go down and do that last jump I need, then start my solo's next weekend...but have 'relative work'. ARGH! Horrible timing...but oh well! Friends, sun and skydives! Pammi

ROFL! I see that :) Maybe now you can help me come up with something more original then "Pammi". It's rather boring I think :) Just used it cuz someone told me once it was one of my 'nicer personalities'. LOL! Pammi

Wow...I'm so lucky I don't have to choose! (or go without long enough to forget...of either!) Pammi

That's aweful Tee! I'm so glad you weren't more severely injured! I hope you find your 'silver lining' and have a speedy recovery! Pammi

That's aweful Tee! I'm so glad you weren't more severely injured! I hope you find your 'silver lining' and have a speedy recovery! Pammi

Ah that sucks Lisa I'm sorry to hear he got hurt! Definately check into some programs tho...as a former state worker, I know they have a lot of assistance to offer single parents in particular with no/too expensive insurance available to them ... particularly for kids. There are usually several 'levels' also...even people with moderate income can get help because they want kids to have insurance. They also will go back 3 months (at least in Kansas) on doctor bills from when you actually get approved. Give it a shot! Pammi

Hi there Head! (what a peculiar nick...trying to figure out the implications/meaning still)

LOL Grogs! Well I was telling her how my daughter really wants to be a singer and I'm trying to explain to her as nicely as possible that some people aren't destined to be professionals at the things they love to do (poor girl has her mamma's voice and wants to be the next Brittney), and how I probably will never get to be a professional skydiver...Mom had the nerve to start laughing at me...hard! "You're telling me!" she says. Hmph! LOL! Then she told me she's taking out extra insurance after I tell her how I funnelled the exit last weekend and the instructor ended up hanging from my chest strap it looked like on the video. LOL. Poor guy...he has his hands full with me :) It's so much fun tho! Hehehe Pammi

ROFL! You haven't told them!? That's funny :) I can't help it...I'm not very good at keeping things I'm excited about to myself...Christmas is really hard for me! LOL! I'd explode if I couldn't talk about it! Pammi

I just get off the phone with Mom and now she's gone from hating me skydiving to cracking jokes about how bad I suck at it. LOL! Biatch! LOL! She's lucky I love her so much! She better watch it or I'm gonna throw her out on a tandem, I don't care if she does hate flying! She won't be in the plane long! Muahahaha! Blues! Pammi

That's awesome! Let us know how it goes! I hope she falls in love with it like we all did so you can continue jumping together :) Pammi

Okay Sky, it's killing me I have to ask...what does your signature mean? Is it something out of a movie or something of your own perhaps? Just curious :) Pammi

Actually, no, I don't go to rec.skydiving because I've heard of all the hatefulness that goes on there and I thought we'd all talked about that before here? That we weren't going to let the threads get to that here? Absolutely.....everyone is entitled to their own opinion...but stating your opinion and harrassing someone over a name is totally different. Opinions are that...just a statement of how you feel about something, not a DEMAND to do something. And obviously I would back Merrick up...why would I marry a man whose beliefs were different then mine? Maturity and kindness are sexy :) (Even tho I still haven't been able to convince him of why beer is just so damn good!) Preserving the 'gang' Pammi