adagen

Unless the rules have changed, it is only the first jump that can't be done in the UK

Nausea can be caused by your brain not being able to predict the direction of the next movement. That's why some people are motion sick as car passengers but not as drivers. On a roller coaster at least you get some visual clues

Speaking as someone with a lot of tunnel hours before my first jump, I had quite a few worries re other aspects than freefall. Was (rightly) convinced that I had a lot of learning to do that I wouldn't have learned in the tunnel. Have you really analysed your anxiety? Or gone through it with someone to help you look outside the tramlines you're stuck on? It's possible to get stuck in a vicious circle if you can't find a way to control anxiety. One technique is, every time the anxiety creeps up on you in everyday life, to make yourself think of a jump you enjoyed. It's training your brain to do something other than be anxious, training yourself out of the habit of anxiety. If you're telling yourself you've lost a safety net of an instructor, does anything stop you from arranging a few more coached jumps? And specifically with someone you can make aware of your anxiety problems? If you decide a break from jumping is what you need, why avoid the DZ? If you go there from time to time it's a familiar place so that's one less barrier to returning. And it gives you the opportunity to get to know people and learn from them, especially if you're prepared to lend a hand when one's needed. (Don't jump now for unrelated reasons, but hope these thoughts provide something useful)

Requirements and usability are not fashionable these days. Why bother checking who needs what. People who are really bothered will let us know and if we feel like it we'll include it in the next, paid for, upgrade. [/sarcasm]

You can't change what's happening, you can change how you think about it. Trite but true. Step back and think what you absolutely must do. Then think about what you enjoy (or have enjoyed) doing. Draw up a program that gives time for both. Follow the program and concentrate on the bit you're doing at the time. Use a timer and try not to be diverted till it rings. Then move to the next item on the program - it's valid to have 'go for a coffee / beer' as a program item. Aim is to focus on what you're doing, not on how you compare to others, or what others think. Won't work all the time but will create some impetus in life which will increase over time. Nearly everyone copes to a greater or lesser extent, you're very unlikely to be the exception. Also useful to access counselling services - just vocalising what you feel to another person often helps improve the perspective. (Speaking as someone battling a trauma-induced autoimmune disease which totally sucks out my energy and concentration, but determined that at some point I'm going to get back to real life. The above are the techniques I use to cope at the most basic level and to try and keep moving back to normality.)

Roberta Mancino does skydive photoshoots in fashion outfits and high heels, haven't seen her do any in a windtunnel. I have a pic of me in a full skirt and a spinal corset as an 'I'll be back' pic in a windtunnel, but zero windspeed

It's more than tradition, it's for ease of visualisation. The period has the unique function of separation sentences but it's small and, in handwriting, easily smudged out. The capital has multiple functions, but it's a lot more visible than the period. The combination gives a much more visible signal that a new sentence is starting.

Have you tried /ncr at the end of the google url you want? Anne

You hurt something, the muscles round it contract to protect it and you start using your body differently. Then that hurts and you start using another part of your body differently - builds up into a worsening spiral of problems. Painkillers mask the problem which sometimes helps you get proper movement back but not always. A good sports physio can look at what you are doing and tell you what you need to do to correct it. Then all you need to do is stick with what the sports physio tells you to do and eventually you'll either resolve the root cause of the problem, or identify that it's a problem needing surgery. Find yourself a good sports physio. Anne

It helped me to focus on the tasks I had to do rather than the idea of jumping from a plane. That was a pretty detailed breakdown including what would be happening, the instructions I was going to get, and what I was supposed to do in response. I went through all this on the ground, then again about 7 - 8000 feet when my stomach started to churn again, and I focused very strongly on it as I headed for the door. That was AFF with dive exits, but it could be useful in your situation. Anne

Does it have a memory card as well as a sim card? If these are not damaged you may well be able to put them in a new phone with your data intact. Or take them out and read them on a laptop and retrieve / backup the information there. One warning from my experience. A few years ago, transferring from a windows phone to an android one, android screwed up all the date info in my contacts list. Don't know if you might encounter the same problem if you try backing up memory card contacts onto windows outlook, they may (should!) have resolved that bug by now. Anne

Do you not have video playback of your sessions and go through them with your coach? I usually found that seeing what I was doing made it easier to understand what was causing the problem. Anne

This does vary by country and legal system. English law has the concept of a verbal contract, though obviously that isn't as easy to prove as a written contract. Evidence might be advertising / website info, evidence from others who have heard discussions, or who have dealt with similar incidents in the past. Also, UK (and I think EU) law has the concept of 'fit for purpose' or 'merchantable quality', which might be relevant. Also, if the DZ is knowingly renting out packed kit to inexperienced jumpers and that kit is in a condition where a knowledgeable jumper would not consider it fit to use, then health and safety legislation may apply. IANAL so I'm not giving advice to the OP, just pointing out that contract law does vary by country and that other legislation may be relevant. Particularly the health and safety aspect since, if the kit really is as bad as described, the next inexperienced jumper with a mal might not be so lucky. Anne

Not so sure it works well. So far I've heard of at least 2 polling stations (Bromley, Linslade) with incomplete voter lists, and that's just through direct contacts. Also, the postal ballot is open to abuse and AFAIK they haven't ironed that out. Anne

And there are large areas of rural England where GPS just goes quiet, not to mention the other areas where GPS takes you to a dead end and tells you to turn around. Best solution is still the paper one. Best use of technology is to print up a paper map to a scale you can glance at while driving on windy roads.