novacaine

I normally jump wearing good ol' Chuck Taylor's for Converse. High top shoe that is light wieght... The only downside of the shoes are the laces that are supplied as there is enough lace to do for pairs of shoes with!

So I wrote an email to my local MP the other day and this is the email I got back. I really don't know what to make of it. "Thank you for your email. We value and appreciate you taking the time to write your concerns to our office. As harming the skydiving industry will yield no positive outcome, the Government is making a great effort to balance the safety of Canadians with the wellbeing of the activity. Your comments will be passed on. As always, it encouraging to hear from Calgary West constituents. Keep up the good work. Sincerely Evan Prowse Assistant to Rob Anders MP "

Hey thanks for al those that answered my question! It is nice to be able to get help understanding that in which I do not know. Though, the new question that comes into my mind is what else can we as a skydiving group do? I signed the petition from the link that was post above. Yet, is there anything else that I (we) can do, other then letting CSPA deal with this? As I really don't think that my MP would a) have the slightest idea what in the world I was talking about. And b) really care about protecting the sport, as there has been a lot of bad press in past years where I live, about skydiving. Does anyone else out there feel the same as I do? Or is there an other option that I am missing? Thanks!!

Could some of you help this newbie at? I am trying to understand the full issue here. From my understanding TC has not released the draft to the Public, therefore how is it that CSPA is advising its members to act act against this NPA? Will this NPA truly change the sport for the worst? If I understand it correctly, in the US, the FAA regulates the AC used in the sport. So why is this a bad thing that TC is regulating our AC here? Secondly, how is it that the USPA can be a self regulated and CSPA can not be? (Is this strictly due to the membership enrollment?) I am not arguing about the possible change in regulation, but how can I learn more of the issues. I just want to make my own informed decision before trying to take action myself! Thanks!

What Phree said. There's such HUGE demand and such little supply of 190 canopies and reserve (basically new student gear) that sellers have no need to find buyers, the buyers come to them as soon as the gear is available. Be a little more proactive in searching or buy new. Good luck either way ! PS I have been trying to buy a Spectre 190 for a freind for last 3 months - saw a total of 3 - and all went before I could get to them. CRAZY :) This is what happened to me. I have been looking for a used Spectre 190 for about 5 months now. Finally gave up looking and decided to buy new. Now it is just a waiting game! To the OP, I can see the frustration of trying to buy used. Though, I would suggest buying use were you can and purchase the item your looking for new. It might cost a little extra, but sometimes it is the only thing that us 'newbies' can do to get into the sport! Good luck in your search!

I agree with you completely here. Yet the College isn't offering the course until the end of April. So I personally feel it is better to learn something and show this woman that I am interested to communicate with her in a manner that is comfortable for her. Though I have signed up for the classes! Its just something to alow me more time with this woman, without giving her the feeling that I am not interested in not learn ASL!

Two Cannibals are eating a clown. The first cannibal turns to the second canibal and says "Does this taste FUNNY!"

I started out getting familar with the alphabet, as I have found that fingerspelling is extremely important. ie peoples names, street names, is all done in fingerspelling. Once I got do the alphabet with my eyes closed and spell my name and the womans name flawlessly, I then went and started lesson one. It has been fun trying to learn but so far worth it!! just my 2 cents!

Sweet Thanks for doing that! I think I understand how that is done!

I myself enjoy Artazuri, that is when it is in stock. Its a Spanish Wine with grenache grapes.

Sorry I don't know how to make the clicky thing happen :(

Yeah I have been teaching myself ASL to communicate with a hot woman that I recently met. I have been using two sources of info. the first is a website that I have been using, as it has video for most of the ASL words. Which has been helping me www.kisa.ca/asl.html[url] The second source of Info is a book entitled: Learning American Sign Language by Tom L. Humphries (ISBN 0205275532) purchased from Indigo Books. So far it has helped in the communication process with this woman and I! Good luck DSE!

Well at the age of 7 my older brother thought it be funny to show me who was the boss. He ran me over with a riding lawnmower...2 months in the hospital and several surgeries. And to this day, my parents question us why we're not close

* Get my A license * Do some cave diving in Florida * Visit the Andrea Doria * Summit Mount Logan (Highest mountian in Canada) * Purchase a house * Climb the Nose of El Capitan * Be the first to push the sump of Weymer Cave using scuba * Do a Base Jump

The funny thing to this is all my siblings in my family are left handed AND blue eyed, No wonder my family was so disfunctional!!

The company I work for has a policy were we don't work if it is -15C or colder. As our air compressors and air tools don't like to work in that type of weather. Secondly, it is cruel to be framing houses in that type of weather. Especially in some of the newer areas of the city, as there is nothing around to block the wind. Thirdly, when I posted my first response to your post, that was the current temp from the weather channel. But in all fairness, it is bloody cold where I live too. Here in Calgary, AB Canada, it sure doesn't look like it is warming up any time soon.

Damn right its cold. Sitting at 3F/-16C with the wind chill its -11F/-24C. I haven't worked all week and suffering a major case of cabin fever.

PERFECT analogy! I like it and this IS a very positive thought process! Hey thanks for the replies everyone. Some great advise and some...well... interesting stories that kind of had me turning white while reading. I will try and get to know the pilots this season, as I kind of advoid them last year. (Mainly cus I didn't want to know how fucked in the head they were, since they are jumpers as well. and we all know how jumpser are). But I will try and get to know them as mentioned.

Deep breaths . . . and more skydiving . . . Personally I don't like the takeoffs much - but there is a different reason for that. God I hate take offs. As I have flash backs of when I was 15 flying with a family friend. Not enough speed on takeoff and ended up ditching the plane 300 yards of the end pf the runaway. Minor scratches, but a life time of horror.

Dude, where is the Red Bull option? Great mix with vodka!!

So there is a post in the General Skydiving Forum about peoples fear of skydiving. And it started to make me wonder of my own fear. Yet I am curious to see if people out there, have the same fear as I do. I have a fear of flying in an AC. I will usually opt to spend the extra time to drive then board a flight. And if I do happen to fly I usually need some druggs to help me cope with the fear. Yet, at the DZ I am the guy that is all sweaty and shaking at the boarding area. During the flight I have my eyes closed and can not dare look out the windows (which is hard since it is a C182). I am never relaxed, until I hear "Door" and the fresh wind blowing. It is this moment that I can start to relax and have fun. Knowing that I will be leaving the plane!! Does any one else on here not like to fly or is it just me?! And any suggestions on how I can improve on this fear? Thanks!

Blind date! He showed up expecting the girl to be blind, not deaf. yea, thats a let-down, now that she's seen his ugly face.. I had an ex gf that told me the perfect woman is one that was blind and deaf. Well I am half way there!!

Well you could do what a guy in another thread did, and just use one of the chairs in the bar!

Hey thankd for the laugh and advice! I considered it a bad blid date lastnight, as it wasn't what I was expecting. More so frustrated with my buddy for not shaing the fact that she is deaf. Yet, the more I thought about it the more I have come to the realization that if he had told me, I probably wouldn't have gone. Though, having gone one a date with a deaf woman, really places a whole new meaning on the term "Do I need to spell it out for you?!!" It is my worry that I will not be able to learn ASL quick enough for her if we persue this relationship. I gess it is a matter of taking it day by day! Thanks everyone!!

A buddy of mine set me up on a blind date this evening. Little did he tell his wife and him were not able to make it for dinner and drinks. (But he told me to bing a notepad and a pen??) So I make it down to the pub (thinking I'd see my buddy) and after a ten minute wait, this hot woman walks over to me and writes on a pad of paper if I was her date for the evening. I reply that I am and waiting for my buddy and his wife. She writes that they aren't able to make it. We sit down at a table and I try and make small talk with her. And she has the nerve to sit there and write in this book that she is carrying. It isn't until the third note that I clue in she is deaf! Now I realize the importane of the pad and pen!! It was a little awkward to write my thoughts down on the paper as I am not the greatest speller in the world. So it is a bit awkward for me at first, but 5 hours later it is not a big deal! Yet, extremely different, as I have never had a blind date like this!! We leave the pub, each going in our own direction. On the way home my buddy calls me and says that the evening was a hit from the womans end. Yet, now here I am a little perplexed, as I had an enjoyable evening, a good "conversation" and some good laughs. Yet, just my luck, a woman I kind of click with and I can't really communicate except by writing. Sidenote: I am left hand and can't figure out ASL using my right hand for the life of me so attempting to learn sign language might be out. So to make me feel better, I would like to hear other peoples Blind date horror stories!