dida

i find it nearly impossible to stick to a "diet" with a name or clearly mapped out menus or instructions. what always has worked best for me is to make a point of only eating when i'm truly hungry, make good choices when i do decide i'm hungry, and cut back on the beer (ooohh!!!! that's the hardest part!!!). avoid added sugars and don't eat too late at night. stay as physically active as you can - even if it's not a total workout regimen - just to keep your metabolism up. i didn't even try when i lost the last five pounds i lost. i stepped on the scale one day and said, "well, that can't be right..." but it was! p.s. this is not typical for me. i have to be SOOOO careful what i eat - i can gain weight just from watching pizza hut commercials. spiral out...keep going...

i fully respect that he doesn't deliver what you're looking for in a film of this sort, but i personally feel that there is a great deal of value in something that will make people think - if they would open their minds enough to consider the information being presented them. i think the best educated people are those who have considered myriad viewpoints on any topic and are able to make decisions and conclusions of their own. if i want someone to preach to me, i'll go to church. spiral out...keep going...

actually, canada has an incredibly diverse ethnic mix AND a higher percentage of people on welfare than does the US. spiral out...keep going...

i thought it was brilliant. and i have a real problem with everyone posting here who has such an opinion on it and hasn't even seen it! Michael Moore preached nothing in this documentary. he raised questions, he posed possible answers, but in the end declared nothing. he stated facts bringing to light the corrupt and manipulative nature of the us government and the media (which was no secret to begin with). i, for one, am so glad he made this documentary. and i, for one, wish americans could open up their eyes enough to see that this country is just as fucked up as any other - and it's only getting worse. amazingly enough, of all the people MM interviewed in this film, i thought the most intelligent thoughts came from Marilyn Manson. spiral out...keep going...

BEER!!!!!!!!

EVERYWHERE!!!! seriously, though...my boyfriend and i are embarking on a massive roadtrip - out to california and then heading east until we reach florida. we don't have any set itinerary or schedule; we'll probably head to the bay area first, check out the drop zones there, stick around until we think we're ready to move on, and head out. arrive at the next location and repeat. i was planning on writing a post in a couple of weeks to give a shout out to all you CA based jumpers, to get advice on where to jump, what to do and see, and the likelihood of getting short term jobs in the area. your thoughts? spiral out...keep going...

try this: bismarck, north dakota! brrrrr!!!!!! i left north dakota and relocated to the balmy haven of minneapolis . i'm living in new york for only four more weeks and then i'm off to SUNNY CALIFORNIA!!! after a lifetime of shivering and frostbitten winters, you can bet your sweet ass i'm looking forward to this! spiral out...keep going...

although packing lessons aren't offered at my dz, we have a rigger right down the road who offers them for free. i spent a rainy afternoon at his place, learning how to pack, and he signed off right away for my A license. in return, i just give him my business. i'm also fortunate to have a number of very helpful packers at my dz, always offering tips and hints and asking nothing in return... but i usually throw them a few $$$ anyway. spiral out...keep going...

also, if visible, check for indicators such as: which direction the leaves on the trees are blowing, where the ripples are on bodies of water, if there is any visible smoke traveling in a particular direction... if the leaves on the trees aren't moving, then a downwind landing probably won't hurt too badly... spiral out...keep going...

was that at skydive twin cities? do they jump year-round? spiral out...keep going...

i LOVE telling people i'm a skydiver...but then, i've always loved being able to shock and amaze people. if they tell me i'm crazy, i say, "yeah...your point is..."? but most people are intrigued by it. of course, they ask all the stupid questions (can you breathe up there???....no, genius, we grow gills for 60 seconds), but i figure if 500 people think i'm a freak, and one person is inspired by my free spirit, i've done something right. spiral out...keep going...

he's really a terrible influence, isn't he??? spiral out...keep going...

just wait until you try a belly jump after your internal clock is set to sitflying! you swear you've been in freefall forever, you look at your alti and you're still at 8,000! one time the internal clock almost got me into trouble... i'm used to getting 14,000, but one time due to cloud cover, we only got 10,500. let me tell you, we were at deployment altitude and i was SO not expecting to already be there! (for the record, i ended up pulling low and landing off. no real harm done, but a lesson learned!) spiral out...keep going...

some buddies and i were discussing these incidences one day at the dz. we decided the acronym, SHAGG, listed in the SIM should be changed to SHRAGG: Shoes Helmet Rig Alti Goggles Gloves spiral out...keep going...

i'll make it easier for ya...at some point this winter i'll be coming through NV. i'll let you know when as soon as i know! spiral out...keep going...