life

[blackfox 0]

ok, so basically im 21, and extremely disillusioned by academics, so im considering droping out of college,

so now that i will finaly be free, i can do what ive always wanted to do: skydive/base

and im ready to start skydive training in dallas soon, but i dont know how im going to aford all this

i dont realy have any desire to work for a living,

how do you guys make money? what kind of jobs do you have that gives you time off to dive?

im a wanderer

[460 0]

scientist

Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

[eUrNiCc 0]

This is probably going to get moved to The Bonfire since it's not specifically BASE related.

Personally, I'm a student about to graduate from college with a Media Production degree. I sold my motorcycle so that I could start skydiving & then got a job at the DZ.
Other people who jump in my area have pretty varied jobs. Construction, Real Estate, Pharmacutical Sales... etc.

Egad, A BASE life defiles a bad age.

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

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how do you guys make money? what kind of jobs do you have that gives you time off to dive?

I thought most BASE jumpers sold crack.

.

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[lifewithoutanet 0]

We build houses, engineer software, reasearch cancer, neutralize chemical and biological weapons, serve in the military, work retail, own businesses, cook (?) sushi, manufacture gear, tend bar, fight fires, save lives...it goes on.

In short, find something you truly want to do and you'll find a way to do it. Our mindsets may be somewhat different from the rest of the general populace, but otherwise you'll find all walks of life in BASE. Don't just look for a shortcut. Nothing in life is free. You have to work for what you want...especially BASE.

-C.

[GreenMachine 0]

I can relate, I almost dropped out of grad school myself, but one of my friends pushed me to hack it out and I am damn glad I did.

First job after grad school I worked as an economic consultant making good money...that combined with driving a used car, not having a cell phone, not having cable, etc. is how I could afford to start skydiving. Keep in mind once you get trained, licensed, and your own gear the cost goes down somewhat.

Here is my advice man, if at all possible finish the degree, even if you don't use it that piece of paper can and usually will open doors or increase your starting wage.

If that is not an option then learn to pack -- several of my friends have gone from 2 tandems to 300+ jumps and their own gear by the sweat of their brow.

Best of luck,
~Tom

[TomAiello 26]

In all seriousness:

Stay in school, go to grad school, and get as highly paid a job as you can stomache. Use all the cash you make from that to jump, and you'll be way beyond where you'd end up by dropping out of school.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[RiggerLee 61]

Stay in Collage. the way things are going at Skydive Dallas you're going to need a fifty thou a year job to afford it.

Lee

Lee
lee@velocitysportswear.com
www.velocitysportswear.com

[dropoutdave 0]

I work offshore and get about 6 months a year off, can't complain at that.

------------------------------------------------------
May Contain Nut traces......

[skymama 37]

How many more hours do you have until you can get your degree?

Regardless, my answer is to just suck it up and finish school.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[turtlespeed 221]

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How many more hours do you have until you can get your degree?

Regardless, my answer is to just suck it up and finish school.

But you are a Mom . . .you have to say that.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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i dont realy have any desire to work for a living

So you'll be doing one of two things:

1) Take up crime as your source of income.

2) Join the welfare ranks since you don't want to work.

Shit dude, none of us want to work. But it is a necessary evil. Even the professional skydivers (who for the most part live a life of poverty) have to work.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[skymama 37]

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But you are a Mom . . .you have to say that.

My daughter is a HS Junior, I need the practice.

I'd love to go back to college life, it was so easy compared to living and getting by in the real world. Kids these days....

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[LargeBoy 0]

sell drugs

if you're smart, you'll get dealing and make some quick cash and then get out. Only the greedy dealers stay in the game long enough to get caught. If you have a target amount that you want to make from dealing, once you've made that, stop dealing for a while. That way, the police won't see your name come up enough times to make them take interest in you.... once you've not dealt for a few months, start selling again and you'll have another few months of dealing in relative safety.

[Tink1717 2]

First, stay in school and finish what you start. You'll need the paper to get ahead in the employment game.

Next, keep your living expenses as low, and as stable, as possible.

And last get as many ratings/certificates (e.g., rigger, coach, tandem) as you can. Make the sport pay for itself.

Good luck.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[blackfox 0]

wow thats a lot of typical "stay in school" replys

come on doesn't anyone want something more than a nine to five

i dont need to make 50 grand.

to complete this class it cost $3298
http://www.skydivedallas.com/uspa_license.htm

[Rainbo 0]

We are all "old farts" but we have learned those lessons in life that at your age have still yet to learn. The only way to earn free time is to have the cash in hand to use the free time. Higher education = higher bucks. That's all there is to it. You could end up like me at 48 still getting my degree. Granted I make OK bucks but it took years of work to get here. Maybe you got an inhereitance coming that could change all that but don't count on it.

Rainbo
TheSpeedTriple - Speed is everything
"Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting."

[Skin 0]

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ok, so basically im 21, and extremely disillusioned by academics, so im considering droping out of college,

so now that i will finaly be free, i can do what ive always wanted to do: skydive/base

and im ready to start skydive training in dallas soon, but i dont know how im going to aford all this

i dont realy have any desire to work for a living.

If you're disillusioned with academics but still want a way to contribute to the nation's brain trust then I have a two for one deal for ya. When you get to Dallas, go to the airport and buy a ticket to Los Angeles. When you leave Texas and land in California you will simultaneously increase the average IQ in both states.



PS I'm a high-school principle if it makes any difference to your decision to base jump.

Kind regards,

$kin
There's only one Tom Aiello...

[blackfox 0]

"The only way to earn free time is to have the cash in hand to use the free time."

see i kinda disagree with that, i think our society has their priorities messed up, we value money too much, we spend our lives in the persuit of accumulation, we fill our big houses full of junk, then before you know it your 50 and havent done anything meaningfull with yor life

i could see myself living in a tent for at least 5 years, spending all my money on living life,

i mean most people spend most their money on rent, it seems like if i could avoid that everything would be golden

[skybytch 273]

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i dont realy have any desire to work for a living,

Me either. That's part of why I just became a college freshman at the age of 40. School is way better than work; I'm going to milk it for as long as I can.

Having held a wide variety of stupid, low paying jobs and also having worked in the skydiving industry I can tell you that if you don't want to work for a living, you really don't want to try to make a living without a college degree nor do you want to try to make a living off of skydiving. Both situations involve work.

I'd suggest finishing school, especially if you're close to getting a degree. Then get a good paying job and save/invest what you don't have to spend for basic living expenses. After a couple of years, quit the good paying job and go enjoy life until the money is gone. Repeat as necessary.

Drug dealing is also an option, but that does involve a level of risk that many of us find unacceptable.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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come on doesn't anyone want something more than a nine to five

Then don't get a 9-5 job. But don't fool yourself into thinking that you'll be able to get through life without working unless you get yourself into (as I said earlier): a life of crime or on the welfare roles. If you want to become a professional skydiver, then that's okay. There are plenty of people around here who can tell you about their experiences. But it is work and jumping will turn into a job (and is often associated with life at or below the poverty line). But you will get to jump a lot which to many is all that counts. But unless you're willing to be a packer or a "I'll do anything at the DZ" type of person, you don't just show up to the DZ and say "I'm here to get paid to skydive, give me money". You've got to spend your own money to build the appropriate skill set before others will pay you to jump.

Oh also, since this thread started in the BASE forms. BASE jumping is not free. You've got the gear cost and travel costs to get to the objects. And if you want to do it right, you've got to do a shit load of skydives first. Sure BASE is more affordable than skydiving, but it sure isn't free.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[blackfox 0]

"You lazy little shit.

If you're disillusioned with academics but still want a way to contribute to the nation's brain trust then I have a two for one deal for ya. When you get to Dallas, go to the airport and buy a ticket to Los Angeles. When you leave Texas and land in California you will simultaneously increase the average IQ in both states.

You dickhead. "


im not lazy im just idealistic,

by the way that was harsh especially for a principal,
i think most people hated their high school principal, so no your opinion is meaningless to me

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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i think our society has their priorities messed up, we value money too much, we spend our lives in the persuit of accumulation, we fill our big houses full of junk, then before you know it your 50 and havent done anything meaningfull with yor life

Hey this is a good attitude and you shouldn't get too many of us arguing with you here. It's all about balance. Skydiving (and BASE) have been a mixed blessing in my life. It's taught me the lessons illustrated above (that there is more to life than the pursuit of the almighty dollar), but it's also taught me that my "all I want to do is jump" attitude can be destructive. I haven't been around this sport all that long, but trust me, it's all about balance.

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by the way that was harsh especially

Agreed, that was rather harsh from Skin and a Greenie (a moderator) may deal with him.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[klapaucius 0]

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"The only way to earn free time is to have the cash in hand to use the free time."

see i kinda disagree with that, i think our society has their priorities messed up, we value money too much, we spend our lives in the persuit of accumulation, we fill our big houses full of junk, then before you know it your 50 and havent done anything meaningfull with yor life

i could see myself living in a tent for at least 5 years, spending all my money on living life,

i mean most people spend most their money on rent, it seems like if i could avoid that everything would be golden

Most probably you will not find meaning in life from skydiving and/or BASE. These (and many other endeavours), as important as they are for the takers, are hobbies, passtimes, activities, vacations etc, Sometimes they are ever consuming, but they come in addition to the meaning-creating aspect of life such as family, children, contribution to society at large etc. Read a few months worth of posts in this forum and you will see that.

Back to school...

[Hawkins121 0]

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ok, so basically im 21, and extremely disillusioned by academics, so im considering droping out of college,

so now that i will finaly be free, i can do what ive always wanted to do: skydive/base

and im ready to start skydive training in dallas soon, but i dont know how im going to aford all this

i dont realy have any desire to work for a living,

how do you guys make money? what kind of jobs do you have that gives you time off to dive?

im a wanderer

Dont be a tool. You dont know how easy you have it as a college student. I have no desire to work either.. But I desire food, shelter and toys... and I dont want to be a criminal.. So work it is.... Grow up. Childhood is over sweetheart.