Namowal

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Posts posted by Namowal

  1. Quote

    Love the 'toon! You do a great job of describing the emotions one goes through on a 1st jump. I 2nd the motion to submit your work to "Blue Skies" or "Parachutist" for publication. They'll probably want a short version of a cartoon, like the three or four panel versions in our newspapers. Good luck, and I hope to see more of your work!



    Thanks. I'm flattered that so many of you suggested I try to get my stuff published. :$
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  2. Quote

    I apologize to you. I did not mean to offend you 'Chicken of the Sky', I guess I just assumed that you were a guy, since the majority of the people in this sport are guys. None of that matters though, you have a lot of talent, and I for one, would really like to see you profit from it, while letting the rest of us get a good chuckle out of your cartoon. I seriously hope that I did not offend you, and if I did, then I truly am sorry about that. I hope you make the decision to take your art further, and entertain the masses. :)


    No worries. I wasn't offended. :)
    It really isn't clear from the cartoon that I'm female. Thanks for your encouragement.
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  5. Quote

    Cute cartoons, Namowal. Hey, I literally almost peed my pants on my first jump. Then, I almost puked when we landed... I walked away on shaky knees muttering "This is sooo not *@#^ing for me..."

    A few months later, I was back for more. If a once-terrified sack like me can finish a license & dig it? You can, too. Just try not to have any Quack Attacks in the plane. You'll piss people off :P.



    I'm defiantly in the "This scares the **** out of me!" category right now, so it's good to hear there's hope.:)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  7. Quote

    I LOVE your cartoon! it's so true and so funny at the same time.

    The really cool part (for me, the sport psychologist anyway) was the self-talk (the other duck). It plays such a vital part of skydiving! The self-talk duck never really goes away; it just gets quieter and at times says different (more positive) things.

    Blue skies!! Are you going to get your A license?



    Thanks!
    As for that A license, I want one, but we'll see if I have the nerve to go through with it. :$
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  8. Quote

    Very cute and imaginative! B|


    Thanks, Skymama

    Quote

    Pretty talented there. You caught my thots exactly when I started. Of course that was only 10 jumps ago.B|



    Thanks, Jockeyshifter63,
    It's nice to hear that I'm not alone with those thoughts. I was wondering if I'd get replies like "What kind of nut are you? You have no business being anywhere near a drop zone."
    Of course, the day is young... :)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  9. Quote

    Haha..that was great! And your other ones are pretty cool too.

    I'll be hanging off a wing strut here in a couple days for my first ever jump. Your whole Curious Namowal, Cautious Namowal has been playing in my head also, haha.



    Thanks, Peanut Gallery.
    I could have filled a phone book with the bickering of my curious and cautious sides. Glad to know I'm not the only one who did (and does) this!

    p.s. Have fun on your jump!
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  11. Thanks for all the info!
    Quote

    Are you a visual learner?
    Are you a tactile learner?
    Are you an auditory learner?
    Are you a kinesthetic learner?

    Do you learn better from books?
    Do you learn better from looking at maps and diagrams?
    Do you learn better from watching videos?
    Do you learn better while listening?

    The best schools combine several of these methods - at every stage in the learning process to try to "catch" all the different learning styles.
    Once a student has "grasped" the theory, then they walk students through a series of ground rehearsals before then can rehearse perfectly - without coaching - before they attempt the skill in the air.

    No single method is "best" for learning how to skydive, rather different methods work best a teaching different skills at different stages of the learning process.

    For example, you already know that tandem is the best way to get through the "sensory overload" of anyone's first skydive.

    Ground launching is a good method for learning the basics of how to steer a parachute.

    Then static-line (or Instructor-Assisted Deployment) is that best way to learn the basics of steering a parachute around the landing pattern.

    Wind tunnels are the best place to learn the basics of freefall stability and turns.

    Accelerated Freefall Instructors have the best methods for teaching you how to open your own parachute.

    Etc.

    The bottom line is that the best skydiving schools use a variety of different methods.

    Etc.


    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  12. Quote

    Check out the wind tunnel in Perris.


    I've heard about it. Sounds like a good idea.
    There's a tunnel near where I live (iFly Hollywood) that I've spent a little time in. (I wanted to see how stable I was in the tube before I tried it out in the sky.) Any advantage to using the Perris one? I suppose one might argue that my local one is "only" a tourist attraction and "serious" would-be students use the one in Perris. [:/] Or are the "staying-stable-and-moving-around-in-a-tunnel" skills pretty much the same?

    (edited for clarity)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  13. Quote

    Quote

    No, but posting questions here rather than asking your instructors may....



    Very true, ALWAYS listen to your instructors over anything you read on these forums.


    Sounds reasonable to me. To do otherwise would be like taking medical advice from the internet over what your doctor told you.
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  14. Quote

    Skydive Elsinore and Skydive Perris are within spitting distance of each other; there's even two different skydiving schools at Perris. Go check 'em both out, plus Elsinore, and see which one feels best for you.



    I did my second tandem at Elsinore. I really liked it. That's where the "I wanna learn to do this on my own" bug bit. Haven't been to Perris (yet) :)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  15. Quote

    You could also consider going the staticline route. Less to learn for each jump, it goes at a slower pace. And repeating a jump is quite cheap compared to AFF.


    Good point. My closest drop zone doesn't offer static line, but there's ones further away that do. Maybe it's worth the drive.
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  16. Quote

    As a current AFF student I'll say that skydiving is one of the laziest sports to learn, doesn't require much physical exertion, if anything the more relaxed you are the better.

    It's really more about being mentally relaxed and calm, which can be difficult when trying to remember all the steps you're supposed to do while falling at 120+ miles towards the earth.

    But I've found it's getting easier and less stressful with each successive successful jump.

    Again RELAX, that's the biggest piece to the puzzle for me.

    *oh yeah and mentally visualize each jump OVER AND OVER to help calm yourself.


    Thanks, Charlie5. I'll do that.
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  17. Great list of tips.

    Quote

    Thanks!

    Quote

    -Ask a lot of questions.
    -Listen to the answers.
    -Ask more questions if you still don't understand.
    -Get a copy of the Skydivers Information Manual (SIM) and read it.
    -Read it again.:D
    -Read and review any other materials your DZ gives you.
    -Poke around these forums if you want, but don't try to learn to skydive on the internet (unless you're reading the SIM online).
    -Write down questions you have and bring them to your instructors next time you're at the DZ.
    -Spend time at the DZ when the instructors aren't crazy busy if you can (weather holds, weekdays, after hours) and ask more questions.
    -Take it all one jump at a time (this can be especially helpful with the SIM - you can focus on the dive flow and learning objectives for the next area so you don't get totally overwhelmed with new information).
    -Practice. All the practice on the ground is free. Do it as many times as you need to in order to lock it in.
    -If you're not connecting with a particular instructor, give them a chance - ask them to explain something differently, or see if you can reflect it back and ask "Am I getting that right?" Sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right communication style. And if all that doesn't work, it's okay to say "Can I try working with someone else?"
    -Visualize. Run through the complete dive flow in your mind a bunch of times before you actually do it. Run through it with your instructor(s) before the jump, several times if needed. Ask questions if you don't understand a step.
    -Relax. Many people in this sport are "naturals" then there's those of us who have to work really hard just to achieve mediocrity (like me!). It took me 37 jumps to get my A license, and at 800+ I only now feel mildly competent.


    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  18. I've also poked around these message boards and read stuff about poor AFF students- ones who "didn't get it" ones who made dangerous mistakes, even ones who were politely told to pursue another hobby.
    This concerns me because I'd like to take AFF classes but I'm a slowish learner at anything physical. I'm not lazy, reckless or stupid, but every skill I've learned (walking, swimming, catching a ball, driving, riding a bike, yoga, SCUBA etc..) took me a bit longer than average. There was some struggling, then the "Ah ha! That's how it's done!" moment.
    Will this put me in "problem student" territory?
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  19. When asked about how they got started in skydiving, typical (perhaps stereotypical?) answers seem to be "Oh, I always wanted to do that" or "I've been jumping off stuff since I could climb."
    I'm curious about the exceptions.
    Did any of you grow up thinking "I could never jump out of a plane," only to end up doing exactly that, years later, when you learned more about the sport?
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  20. Quote

    any newbie will tell you

    skydiving is composed of the greatest and most giving people on earth

    you can leave $10,000 in cash lying around at the DZ and it won't be touched - ever

    we're a super close family from all over and you crash in anyone's camper without asking

    it makes you more attractive

    it gives you superman-like reflexes

    it gives you 6 pack abs

    it makes you a better driver

    you smell better

    your parents are proud of you more than the others




    And here I thought that voodoo only applied to Burning Man ;)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  21. From I've read (I'm quite the noob here) it seems that this sport demands keen awareness as to what's going on in the moment (altitude, body position, avoiding collisions, wind direction, steering, landing on target, flaring, when to cut away etc..).
    Do you find that this awareness and focus spills over into non-skydiving activities? For example, do you feel you're more likely to spot potential danger on the road or even walking down the street (I hear muggers prefer surprising preoccupied victims?) Just curious.

    p.s. I couldn't find this through the search but if it's been covered before, a link would be appreciated. Thanks!
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  25. I'm considering starting AFF courses, and am trying to learn as much as I can in the meantime. I'm concerned about being able to make and hold a good arch. I know what one looks like , but replicating it is another matter. I can picture myself in the sky doing what I think is a good arch, only to start spinning around like crazy because a limb was actually too high (or low, or apart etc).
    Any way I can practice a well-balanced arch on the ground? Or should I book time in a wind tunnel to get up to speed?
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.