Namowal

Thanks, Lisa & Squeak.
Ironically, not long after I was "stamped" another instructor took me aside and said I didn't deserve it-
-after 25 jumps, why didn't I know how and were to land?

( I was further than usual from the landing area when the canopy opened. I chose to land off when it looked like I wouldn't make it back to the correct area safely. )

But other instructors were okay with my choice.

Thanks everyone!Sorry it's been so long since I've updated the web version:
Weather, work, and other stuff have kept me grounded for the last few weeks.

Quote

Quote

You too? I especially enjoy Texas history and history of the Western U.S.


Chuck

yo mean northern Mexico?

My cousin works there. I've been told he's gotten some of the other workers piqued at him for telling visitors both sides of the story.

(edited to clarify & add more information, fix formatting errors)

Wow, thanks for all the responses!
I also appreciate the suggestions to keep health and nutrition in mind.

Quote

So Jen,
There's been some nice weather, lately. Any news? Is the duck gonna have an A stamped on its belly in the next blog installment?

Well, I was planning to give it a go last Saturday but a family member was having big health problems so I chose to postpone.
Maybe next Saturday will be "A" day.

I've been cutting back on food expenses to fund my skydiving hobby, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Any recommendations on cheap eats (in addition to ramen, peanut butter and mac 'n' cheese?)

Quote

missing obligatory "Boobies" option.

Looks like double Ds to me.

Quote

If you moved in next to an existing airport and looked forward to it.

That too. When I see a plane take off (or come in for a landing) I'm suddenly an enthusiastic 5 year old.

I'm old enough to remember:

Push button light switches.

"Normal" light switches that snap loudly when used (some of these are still around)

8 track tapes

Drive in Movies

Phonographs (including those with 78 and 16 rpm options)

Drive up bank transactions that involved sending stuff through the a pneumatic tube

Watching test a television test pattern in the wee hours of the morning as a kid, waiting for the station to sign in and show cartoons.

Honorable mention: Watching skydivers on television and thinking "Why on earth would anyone do that!?"

Quote

First time I've seen this. Excellent, original material. Made me roar, and I don't roar easily. Can't wait to see "(Lost) Prairie Home Duck" :-D Keep up the good work!
.

Thanks!

Quote

You don't look quite as exuberant in the picture as you did in the drawing. Wink

That's nothing. In a similar photo I look like I've been stung by a bee. . Not sure what was on my mind. "Oh noes! If I pull the red handle I'll drop a whole foot!"

Quote

Keep at it, it will come. There's no shame in taking a couple more that 25 to get your "A." Which is a very good thing in my case. Angelic

Agreed. I'd rather do the check dive 20 times till I get it right than to be awarded an "A" before I'm safe enough to jump with others.

Quote

And as always, thanks for the continued saga. These are great.

I kinda like how your altimeter (in the cartoon) is now turquoise.

Thanks! (My alti is turquoise in real life too!)

Quote

Maybe he can take them for a tandem?

I'll chip in five bucks for the effort. Who knows? Maybe she'll convert to the blue side.

Heh heh

Quote

I already know

You have insider information!

Quote

Love the picture of you in the hanging harness. Although, I don't think I've ever seen anyone having that good of a time during a cut away though....SlySlySly

I think the fact that said "cutaway" was only two feet about the ground made it more entertaining.

I attempted my graduation dive. But did I pass? Inquiring minds want to know!

Quote

Quote

Years before I was "Skydiving Duck" I was, briefly, SCUBA Duck. It wasn't pretty.

Sorry you had such a bad experience! It helps finding good instructors and doing some boat diving. This costs money, but like good scuba equipment, the extra money you pay makes the experience so much better!

The instructor actually was a decent guy- I just don't think he realized I was truly stuck at first. The classes included both the beach dive (yech) and a boat dive. The boat dive was much more fun.

Quote

Back in the day, there would be no fewer than 6 threads going at the same time about the boogie. You people are slacking.

There's a boogie called "I am ashamed of you people?"

Years before I was "Skydiving Duck" I was, briefly, SCUBA Duck. It wasn't pretty.

Quote

The airport has been there longer than most of the houses built next to it. You should blame the developers and real estate industry, as well as the idiots who bought those houses without doing the research on airport noise.

They can suck it for all I care.

Moving in next to an airport and then complaining about the noise makes about as much sense as having a picnic on train tracks and complaining that the train crashed the party.

Right handed.
That being said, I'm remarkably bad at telling the difference between left and right. I still have to stop and think okay, which hand do I write with..

Quote

Have you been eating less? Moving more? Those could be simple explanations to the weight loss. If the answers are no, then maybe you should pay a visit to your doctor to talk to him or her about it.

I've been eating a little less and getting a little more exercise, but I still might see a doctor anyway. I don't have a scale, but I noticed my clothes weren't as tight.

When I started the post yesterday, I was wearing a new pair of jeans I'd ordered to replace an older pair (same brand, same size). For the first time, I was alarmed- the damn pants were so loose they were almost falling off. What was going on?
Then this morning I compared the waistline to the old jeans and leaned that the new ones had a waistline about three inches longer than the old ones. So while I'm shrinking, pants sizes seem to be growing.

Quote

all the money goes to skydiving which makes you only be able to buy ramen noodles, and you can only eat those so long!

Well, you make a good point there!

Thanks for the responses. I made the mistake(?) of googling "unexpected weight loss" and was returned a list of scary diseases associated with it.
Then I remembered that I didn't start losing weight until I started skydiving, so that might have something to do with it.

I've been learning to skydive for about six months now, and I'm also about ten pounds lighter. At first I attributed the situation to nerves- for my first dozen or so jumps I was too nervous to eat much the day of the jump. Heck, even a day or so after the early jumps I had trouble eating.
Nowadays I'm less nervous and eat more normally, but I haven't regained the weight. Not sure if I'm burning more calories by hauling a parachute over my shoulder a few times a week or if I should see a doctor to make sure nothing's wrong.
Has this happened to anyone else?

Quote

Quote

Actually that image took a long time to draw, with the perspective and me trying to get it to look something like the actual drop zone and beyond.

It's very close to the actual impression one gets when flying their canopy.

BTW: If you get hold of Skydive University's "Basic Canopy Flight" video, watch it - they show (in a very descriptive manner how you can find out where you are going to land. ("Find the spot that doesn't move (neither up nor down)") This is also a valuable tool, especially when you find yourself a little off the DZ. This topic might also be dealt with in other videos, but I can imagine your DZ has a copy of the one I mentioned.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look for it.

Quote

P.S.: Never mind the stealth steering lines, I was just being nitpickerish

No worries!

Quote

Your strips are awesome. We've needed something like this for a long time.

Thanks, Tink1717.

Quote

And one thing: You forgot the steering lines in pic #5.

Why, those are invisible "stealth" steering lines, of course.

Quote

There is always a critic. Sheeesh!

Might I add that I redrew the hands several times because I didn't like how they looked. Yet I left out the toggles. Tsk tsk.

Quote

BTW, enjoyed it as usual.

Thanks!

Quote

Nice, as always
I liked pic #3 most, too funny.

Thanks. I almost left it out because I thought it might be misinterpreted as me being treated rudely (which wasn't the case at all- they were very nice about it) but I figured it was so cartoony that people would guess that I was joking.

Quote

2 tips I would give to students here - I don't know your DZ so take this with caution and just consider it ideas to talk about with your instructors...:

I like when advice here comes with the "check with your instructors" reminder. Always a good idea. I'll check with them.

Quote

And one thing: You forgot the steering lines in pic #5.

Why, those are invisible "stealth" steering lines, of course.

Actually that image took a long time to draw, with the perspective and me trying to get it to look something like the actual drop zone and beyond. Funny with all the attention to detail that I'd still forget a detail. I suppose I should have drawn the altimeter too. D'oh!