screwbag 0 #1 May 23, 2001 it had been a while for me since i last partied with whuffos' and tonite i did so...i was bored out of my mind, nothing to talk about when ya can't talk about skydiving. i couldn't talk about how proud i was of my 1st (yes i bought beer) reserve pack as a rigger in training..i am proud to be a skydiver, and glad i'm no longer one of those "normal" people.....they scare me ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cloud9 0 #2 May 23, 2001 Hey ScrewbagNow lets just hope who ever the luckey soul was that caught your first pack doesn't have to prove you did good. I know it would make you feel great, but hey no one wants a reseve ride. But then again when we need one we want it to be a good one. So I hope all them beers came after!! Of course you know we trust our riggers. Congrats and may you save many;.Bleau Skies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deleted 0 #3 May 23, 2001 Who are the normal people? People, who all their life sit on the ground and see to the sky with open mouth? No-no-no, I don't think so.I think that only skydivers are Really Normal People. How can you see the sky and even don't try to be there? i'm very proud to be a skydiver - the only one way to be "normal people"!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites andygrom 0 #4 May 23, 2001 Who are the normal people? People, who all their life sit on the ground and see to the sky with open mouth? No-no-no, I don't think so. I think that only skydivers are Really Normal People. How can you see the sky and even don't try to be there? i'm very proud to be a skydiver - the only one way to be "normal people"!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Divadiver 0 #5 May 23, 2001 Hey Andy:You and that anonymous person are on the same wave length! Scary, you two think alike!! Is that "normal"??Far from Normal - Divadiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites cyberskydive 0 #6 May 23, 2001 .............crazy..........I'm not crazy!!!! You're all crazy and just trying to steal my magic bag!!!!!!!D.Chisolm C-28534webmaster@sunraydesigns.comhttp://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Divadiver 0 #7 May 23, 2001 Cyber dear, just eat your banana, pay your car insurance bill and calm down! No one ever said normal was fun!! BTW, that magic bag, anything interesting in there? Maybe you could sprinkle a little magic dust so that we could all have a bright, sunny, long holiday weekend? I say let the sun shine, let the skies be blue with light winds!!Divadiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites andygrom 0 #8 May 23, 2001 Divadiver, you know - sometime I fill that two minds in my head. one of them is me, and the other - somebody Anonymous.In this case we think same first time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #9 May 23, 2001 You know what might be fun? Start skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. Have a van waiting and book as fast as we can. I can think of a few pilots who would look the other way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skreamer 1 #10 May 23, 2001 Here's a good one :One of my mates back home, his old man was a real trouble-maker when he was young. For fun he and his mates would sneak onto gholf courses at night and then take a dump in the holes!!! Pretty disgusting, but can you just imagine the look on the preppy yuppie f@ckwits' faces when they retrieve their ball????/s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PalmettoTiger 1 #11 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. At Cross Keys, there's a golf course that has consented to being an "out" area, as long as folks don't land on the greens. One of the videos on Monkey Claw's website has someone swooping onto the golf course. It makes the whole video worth the wait - if you're going to land out, you might as well do it with style!!Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Emma 0 #12 May 23, 2001 Skreamer - that is gross. Ingenious, but gross.Anyway - I was haiving a similar thought myself recently re the 'normal' people.I am having a problem of late - in fact, since last year when I first jumped out of an aeroplane...and it is this; I just find myself glazing over as my whuffo friends talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....AAAARGGHHHH!!!However, when they notice I've glazed over, it only gets worse, because then they ASK me about skydiving, and it goes something like this...SAMPLE CONVERSATION'So, Emma, did you go JUMPING OUT OF AEROPLANES AGAIN at the weekend??!!!' [incredulous sideways glance to other whuffos]'Er..yes...''You are CRRRRAZY!!! How high this time?' [shaking head with bemused and slightly patronising smirk implying my total insanity]'Well, same as last time, 12,000 feet''So....do you actually get to be in FREEFALL?' [raised eyebrows]'Er, well that's kind of what it's about...''Wow! And do you do all that SYNCHRONISED stuff I see them do on TV? Is it just like swimming?''Well, kind of...''And how high do you go up when they open the parachute?''well...you don't actually..''And can you breathe in clouds?'and so on and so on and so on until...I actually end up TELLING THEM what we do and how we do it and how brilliant it all is, and try to force a video on them...and sure enough, they've glazed over themselves in about 1 minute flat.And then I go back to being 'novelty skydiving friend' who is no longer able to converse about anything except a pretty esoteric sport that simultanously fascinates and bores the masses. So I end up being humoured until I can escape.Ahhh...just had to get it off my chest! I don't think there's an answer to this though...you just have to accept you're now a social outcast!emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zennie 0 #13 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers.Actually, you could make a few friends if you caught an errant shot, swooped over by the green and dropped it about 3" from the hole. ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #14 May 23, 2001 On talking about to whoofos about skydiving.Anyone ever get: "Don't you get wet when you fall through a cloud?"And these are business professionals. Or watching video of you swooping in a formation dive: "Wait, you can steer in the air?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Doasfu 0 #15 May 23, 2001 ***talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....***And sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit destroying gameshows untill your pissing it all away in some home, nothing more than an embarrasment to fucked up, selfish brats you've spawned to replace yourself. But why would I want any of that?:)Dan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deleted 0 #16 May 23, 2001 I hate to do this, but reading this thread really irritates me. There is more to life than skydiving. Granted, few things are as exciting as battling gravity (IMO), but you have to understand that some people just don't have any interest in it. Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. I love skydiving just as much as the rest of you, but I do it for myself. Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver. That is a really bad way to go through life. "Whuffos", I find, are usually alot more interesting than most skydivers I know, because they do other things with their time than skydive. They are aware that there is a whole world going on out there. It's so nice to talk to people about other things than skydiving, like world events, everyday stories, and the like.(Although, I do have to agree with a previous post - babies is where I draw the line). If you don't care about your family and friends lives, and more importantly, the things that are important to THEM, then by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. This post is most likely over your head as it is. But, my advice to some of you is: Embrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zennie 0 #17 May 23, 2001 QuoteEmbrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it.Don't post anonymously. I agree with you.It's very easy to get excited about our sport. I can go on and on about it (and watch people's eyes glaze over as I do). There's nothing wrong with enthusiasm. But it is very easy to get one-dimensional.One thing which skydiving has done for me is make me realize that different things make different people happy. For me it's skydiving. For my wife it's music and dancing. Since I've found something that really fulfils me, I've found I have a lot more respect for other people doing things that fulfil them.... even if it's something different from what I'd do.Different strokes. Ya know?------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BenW 0 #18 May 23, 2001 Well said. Whoever you are! Well said.The parachutist formerly known as BenW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Divadiver 0 #19 May 23, 2001 Anonymous:Here, here! 100% with you! I couldn't agree more. Now, I have a question, anyone ever thought of caving? I was told vertical caving is pretty cool (no pun). I'm just a little squeemish about the creatures in the cave!!I have a friend who is interested in learning to ride (drive) a motorcycle (well, me too). She's particularly interested in Harley's (well, me too). Is there any good forums like this one for her to hang out and learn from?Thanks!Divadiver (I quit being "normal" about 2 years ago!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deleted 0 #20 May 23, 2001 I'm not sure why it is taboo to post anonymously, as who I am and where I live have absoultely no bearing on this thread. The only thing thing that is important are my thoughts (which some may choose to argue). I do like your opinion, and agree with your thoughts. Different strokes are what makes this world a paradise, and sometimes a living hell. Without such opposing extremes, we could never find a happy medium.Until I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PalmettoTiger 1 #21 May 23, 2001 The problem is that it becomes very easy for the dumb 'Anonymous' to imitate the smart 'Anonymous.' And since nearly everyone who participates in these discussions gives us a name, posting anonymously gives us the impression that you have something to hide. Whether that's fair or not, that's the way it is.Emma, your rant was priceless! I'm going to have to get that framed or something. I still try and stay conversant with my whuffo friends, but even when I talk about my other two main interests, politics and technology, they tune me out. So it's all the same in the end.I think Anonymous is right about needing to respect your friends' pursuits as well as your own. But it's still tough for me. I definitely prefer the company of skydivers to the company of whuffos.Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #22 May 23, 2001 Quote by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. I'm pretty comfortable with this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Anonymous 0 #23 May 23, 2001 QuoteUntil I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous*ahem* *cough* *cough*Sorry pal, that nick has been taken!Anon"don't imitate, innovate!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Emma 0 #24 May 24, 2001 ANONYMOUS-RE: 'Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. 'True, true...and I agree that the world would be a bit boring if we were all the same....which doesn't contradict what I said. I really find that a lot of my whuffo friends WANT to hear about skydiving because that's what they think about when they see me again. Probably because (selfish or otherwise), I am at the DZ every weekend, weddings and funerals permitting...hence, skydiving is what they ask me about....But my point is, they really get bored of hearing about it pretty quickly, but once they've set me off, that's it. It's a genuine dilemma! You know how obsessive it is, and this is where the possible problem lies.RE: Your comment that you skydive...'Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver.'I find it's kind of the opposite. Whuffos can pigeon-hole skydivers as 'just skydivers', and that's what they want to ask you about, but there seems to be an impasse because you can't explain what it's really like, try as you might.Personally, I don't like telling people I skydive precisely BECAUSE of the ensuing conversation which I, and most of you no doubt, have had 100s of times.Trouble is, it IS an important part of my life, and you do share what's important to you with people you love. Except this is something you can't ever really share. Hence the frustration.I can't retract my comments about DIY and babies though...I didn't like those conversations BEFORE I started skydiving. They seem to symbolise growing up, and I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to do that yet...Scarily, more and more of my friends seem to be doing it and it's DOING MY HEAD IN!Rant #2 over.Emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skreamer 1 #25 May 24, 2001 Emma makes some good points (but stop using difficult words like 'impasse' - head hurts!!!).I'd like to add something as well. In my limited experience it is hardly fair to call skydivers 'one-dimensional'. Yes, skydiving is very important to us, but at the same time it opens our eyes to other challenges and gives us the courage to pursue them. If it wasn't for skydiving there is no way I would have even contemplated trying to run the London marathon. And it is not just physical challenges either, I know some skydivers with really interesting alternative pastimes (for rainy days natch) which they acquired AFTER starting to skydiving. I have just found it opens my mind to so many other paths, paths I hadn't even contemplated venturing down before."Free your mind and your ass will follow."/sPS and the one thing that does REALLY annoy me is when the same whuffo asks me the same damn question every damn Monday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0 Go To Topic Listing
andygrom 0 #4 May 23, 2001 Who are the normal people? People, who all their life sit on the ground and see to the sky with open mouth? No-no-no, I don't think so. I think that only skydivers are Really Normal People. How can you see the sky and even don't try to be there? i'm very proud to be a skydiver - the only one way to be "normal people"!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Divadiver 0 #5 May 23, 2001 Hey Andy:You and that anonymous person are on the same wave length! Scary, you two think alike!! Is that "normal"??Far from Normal - Divadiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites cyberskydive 0 #6 May 23, 2001 .............crazy..........I'm not crazy!!!! You're all crazy and just trying to steal my magic bag!!!!!!!D.Chisolm C-28534webmaster@sunraydesigns.comhttp://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Divadiver 0 #7 May 23, 2001 Cyber dear, just eat your banana, pay your car insurance bill and calm down! No one ever said normal was fun!! BTW, that magic bag, anything interesting in there? Maybe you could sprinkle a little magic dust so that we could all have a bright, sunny, long holiday weekend? I say let the sun shine, let the skies be blue with light winds!!Divadiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites andygrom 0 #8 May 23, 2001 Divadiver, you know - sometime I fill that two minds in my head. one of them is me, and the other - somebody Anonymous.In this case we think same first time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #9 May 23, 2001 You know what might be fun? Start skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. Have a van waiting and book as fast as we can. I can think of a few pilots who would look the other way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skreamer 1 #10 May 23, 2001 Here's a good one :One of my mates back home, his old man was a real trouble-maker when he was young. For fun he and his mates would sneak onto gholf courses at night and then take a dump in the holes!!! Pretty disgusting, but can you just imagine the look on the preppy yuppie f@ckwits' faces when they retrieve their ball????/s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PalmettoTiger 1 #11 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. At Cross Keys, there's a golf course that has consented to being an "out" area, as long as folks don't land on the greens. One of the videos on Monkey Claw's website has someone swooping onto the golf course. It makes the whole video worth the wait - if you're going to land out, you might as well do it with style!!Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Emma 0 #12 May 23, 2001 Skreamer - that is gross. Ingenious, but gross.Anyway - I was haiving a similar thought myself recently re the 'normal' people.I am having a problem of late - in fact, since last year when I first jumped out of an aeroplane...and it is this; I just find myself glazing over as my whuffo friends talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....AAAARGGHHHH!!!However, when they notice I've glazed over, it only gets worse, because then they ASK me about skydiving, and it goes something like this...SAMPLE CONVERSATION'So, Emma, did you go JUMPING OUT OF AEROPLANES AGAIN at the weekend??!!!' [incredulous sideways glance to other whuffos]'Er..yes...''You are CRRRRAZY!!! How high this time?' [shaking head with bemused and slightly patronising smirk implying my total insanity]'Well, same as last time, 12,000 feet''So....do you actually get to be in FREEFALL?' [raised eyebrows]'Er, well that's kind of what it's about...''Wow! And do you do all that SYNCHRONISED stuff I see them do on TV? Is it just like swimming?''Well, kind of...''And how high do you go up when they open the parachute?''well...you don't actually..''And can you breathe in clouds?'and so on and so on and so on until...I actually end up TELLING THEM what we do and how we do it and how brilliant it all is, and try to force a video on them...and sure enough, they've glazed over themselves in about 1 minute flat.And then I go back to being 'novelty skydiving friend' who is no longer able to converse about anything except a pretty esoteric sport that simultanously fascinates and bores the masses. So I end up being humoured until I can escape.Ahhh...just had to get it off my chest! I don't think there's an answer to this though...you just have to accept you're now a social outcast!emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zennie 0 #13 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers.Actually, you could make a few friends if you caught an errant shot, swooped over by the green and dropped it about 3" from the hole. ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #14 May 23, 2001 On talking about to whoofos about skydiving.Anyone ever get: "Don't you get wet when you fall through a cloud?"And these are business professionals. Or watching video of you swooping in a formation dive: "Wait, you can steer in the air?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Doasfu 0 #15 May 23, 2001 ***talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....***And sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit destroying gameshows untill your pissing it all away in some home, nothing more than an embarrasment to fucked up, selfish brats you've spawned to replace yourself. But why would I want any of that?:)Dan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deleted 0 #16 May 23, 2001 I hate to do this, but reading this thread really irritates me. There is more to life than skydiving. Granted, few things are as exciting as battling gravity (IMO), but you have to understand that some people just don't have any interest in it. Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. I love skydiving just as much as the rest of you, but I do it for myself. Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver. That is a really bad way to go through life. "Whuffos", I find, are usually alot more interesting than most skydivers I know, because they do other things with their time than skydive. They are aware that there is a whole world going on out there. It's so nice to talk to people about other things than skydiving, like world events, everyday stories, and the like.(Although, I do have to agree with a previous post - babies is where I draw the line). If you don't care about your family and friends lives, and more importantly, the things that are important to THEM, then by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. This post is most likely over your head as it is. But, my advice to some of you is: Embrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zennie 0 #17 May 23, 2001 QuoteEmbrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it.Don't post anonymously. I agree with you.It's very easy to get excited about our sport. I can go on and on about it (and watch people's eyes glaze over as I do). There's nothing wrong with enthusiasm. But it is very easy to get one-dimensional.One thing which skydiving has done for me is make me realize that different things make different people happy. For me it's skydiving. For my wife it's music and dancing. Since I've found something that really fulfils me, I've found I have a lot more respect for other people doing things that fulfil them.... even if it's something different from what I'd do.Different strokes. Ya know?------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BenW 0 #18 May 23, 2001 Well said. Whoever you are! Well said.The parachutist formerly known as BenW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Divadiver 0 #19 May 23, 2001 Anonymous:Here, here! 100% with you! I couldn't agree more. Now, I have a question, anyone ever thought of caving? I was told vertical caving is pretty cool (no pun). I'm just a little squeemish about the creatures in the cave!!I have a friend who is interested in learning to ride (drive) a motorcycle (well, me too). She's particularly interested in Harley's (well, me too). Is there any good forums like this one for her to hang out and learn from?Thanks!Divadiver (I quit being "normal" about 2 years ago!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deleted 0 #20 May 23, 2001 I'm not sure why it is taboo to post anonymously, as who I am and where I live have absoultely no bearing on this thread. The only thing thing that is important are my thoughts (which some may choose to argue). I do like your opinion, and agree with your thoughts. Different strokes are what makes this world a paradise, and sometimes a living hell. Without such opposing extremes, we could never find a happy medium.Until I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PalmettoTiger 1 #21 May 23, 2001 The problem is that it becomes very easy for the dumb 'Anonymous' to imitate the smart 'Anonymous.' And since nearly everyone who participates in these discussions gives us a name, posting anonymously gives us the impression that you have something to hide. Whether that's fair or not, that's the way it is.Emma, your rant was priceless! I'm going to have to get that framed or something. I still try and stay conversant with my whuffo friends, but even when I talk about my other two main interests, politics and technology, they tune me out. So it's all the same in the end.I think Anonymous is right about needing to respect your friends' pursuits as well as your own. But it's still tough for me. I definitely prefer the company of skydivers to the company of whuffos.Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #22 May 23, 2001 Quote by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. I'm pretty comfortable with this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Anonymous 0 #23 May 23, 2001 QuoteUntil I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous*ahem* *cough* *cough*Sorry pal, that nick has been taken!Anon"don't imitate, innovate!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Emma 0 #24 May 24, 2001 ANONYMOUS-RE: 'Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. 'True, true...and I agree that the world would be a bit boring if we were all the same....which doesn't contradict what I said. I really find that a lot of my whuffo friends WANT to hear about skydiving because that's what they think about when they see me again. Probably because (selfish or otherwise), I am at the DZ every weekend, weddings and funerals permitting...hence, skydiving is what they ask me about....But my point is, they really get bored of hearing about it pretty quickly, but once they've set me off, that's it. It's a genuine dilemma! You know how obsessive it is, and this is where the possible problem lies.RE: Your comment that you skydive...'Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver.'I find it's kind of the opposite. Whuffos can pigeon-hole skydivers as 'just skydivers', and that's what they want to ask you about, but there seems to be an impasse because you can't explain what it's really like, try as you might.Personally, I don't like telling people I skydive precisely BECAUSE of the ensuing conversation which I, and most of you no doubt, have had 100s of times.Trouble is, it IS an important part of my life, and you do share what's important to you with people you love. Except this is something you can't ever really share. Hence the frustration.I can't retract my comments about DIY and babies though...I didn't like those conversations BEFORE I started skydiving. They seem to symbolise growing up, and I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to do that yet...Scarily, more and more of my friends seem to be doing it and it's DOING MY HEAD IN!Rant #2 over.Emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skreamer 1 #25 May 24, 2001 Emma makes some good points (but stop using difficult words like 'impasse' - head hurts!!!).I'd like to add something as well. In my limited experience it is hardly fair to call skydivers 'one-dimensional'. Yes, skydiving is very important to us, but at the same time it opens our eyes to other challenges and gives us the courage to pursue them. If it wasn't for skydiving there is no way I would have even contemplated trying to run the London marathon. And it is not just physical challenges either, I know some skydivers with really interesting alternative pastimes (for rainy days natch) which they acquired AFTER starting to skydiving. I have just found it opens my mind to so many other paths, paths I hadn't even contemplated venturing down before."Free your mind and your ass will follow."/sPS and the one thing that does REALLY annoy me is when the same whuffo asks me the same damn question every damn Monday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0 Go To Topic Listing
Divadiver 0 #5 May 23, 2001 Hey Andy:You and that anonymous person are on the same wave length! Scary, you two think alike!! Is that "normal"??Far from Normal - Divadiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cyberskydive 0 #6 May 23, 2001 .............crazy..........I'm not crazy!!!! You're all crazy and just trying to steal my magic bag!!!!!!!D.Chisolm C-28534webmaster@sunraydesigns.comhttp://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Divadiver 0 #7 May 23, 2001 Cyber dear, just eat your banana, pay your car insurance bill and calm down! No one ever said normal was fun!! BTW, that magic bag, anything interesting in there? Maybe you could sprinkle a little magic dust so that we could all have a bright, sunny, long holiday weekend? I say let the sun shine, let the skies be blue with light winds!!Divadiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andygrom 0 #8 May 23, 2001 Divadiver, you know - sometime I fill that two minds in my head. one of them is me, and the other - somebody Anonymous.In this case we think same first time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #9 May 23, 2001 You know what might be fun? Start skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. Have a van waiting and book as fast as we can. I can think of a few pilots who would look the other way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skreamer 1 #10 May 23, 2001 Here's a good one :One of my mates back home, his old man was a real trouble-maker when he was young. For fun he and his mates would sneak onto gholf courses at night and then take a dump in the holes!!! Pretty disgusting, but can you just imagine the look on the preppy yuppie f@ckwits' faces when they retrieve their ball????/s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PalmettoTiger 1 #11 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. At Cross Keys, there's a golf course that has consented to being an "out" area, as long as folks don't land on the greens. One of the videos on Monkey Claw's website has someone swooping onto the golf course. It makes the whole video worth the wait - if you're going to land out, you might as well do it with style!!Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Emma 0 #12 May 23, 2001 Skreamer - that is gross. Ingenious, but gross.Anyway - I was haiving a similar thought myself recently re the 'normal' people.I am having a problem of late - in fact, since last year when I first jumped out of an aeroplane...and it is this; I just find myself glazing over as my whuffo friends talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....AAAARGGHHHH!!!However, when they notice I've glazed over, it only gets worse, because then they ASK me about skydiving, and it goes something like this...SAMPLE CONVERSATION'So, Emma, did you go JUMPING OUT OF AEROPLANES AGAIN at the weekend??!!!' [incredulous sideways glance to other whuffos]'Er..yes...''You are CRRRRAZY!!! How high this time?' [shaking head with bemused and slightly patronising smirk implying my total insanity]'Well, same as last time, 12,000 feet''So....do you actually get to be in FREEFALL?' [raised eyebrows]'Er, well that's kind of what it's about...''Wow! And do you do all that SYNCHRONISED stuff I see them do on TV? Is it just like swimming?''Well, kind of...''And how high do you go up when they open the parachute?''well...you don't actually..''And can you breathe in clouds?'and so on and so on and so on until...I actually end up TELLING THEM what we do and how we do it and how brilliant it all is, and try to force a video on them...and sure enough, they've glazed over themselves in about 1 minute flat.And then I go back to being 'novelty skydiving friend' who is no longer able to converse about anything except a pretty esoteric sport that simultanously fascinates and bores the masses. So I end up being humoured until I can escape.Ahhh...just had to get it off my chest! I don't think there's an answer to this though...you just have to accept you're now a social outcast!emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zennie 0 #13 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers.Actually, you could make a few friends if you caught an errant shot, swooped over by the green and dropped it about 3" from the hole. ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #14 May 23, 2001 On talking about to whoofos about skydiving.Anyone ever get: "Don't you get wet when you fall through a cloud?"And these are business professionals. Or watching video of you swooping in a formation dive: "Wait, you can steer in the air?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Doasfu 0 #15 May 23, 2001 ***talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....***And sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit destroying gameshows untill your pissing it all away in some home, nothing more than an embarrasment to fucked up, selfish brats you've spawned to replace yourself. But why would I want any of that?:)Dan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deleted 0 #16 May 23, 2001 I hate to do this, but reading this thread really irritates me. There is more to life than skydiving. Granted, few things are as exciting as battling gravity (IMO), but you have to understand that some people just don't have any interest in it. Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. I love skydiving just as much as the rest of you, but I do it for myself. Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver. That is a really bad way to go through life. "Whuffos", I find, are usually alot more interesting than most skydivers I know, because they do other things with their time than skydive. They are aware that there is a whole world going on out there. It's so nice to talk to people about other things than skydiving, like world events, everyday stories, and the like.(Although, I do have to agree with a previous post - babies is where I draw the line). If you don't care about your family and friends lives, and more importantly, the things that are important to THEM, then by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. This post is most likely over your head as it is. But, my advice to some of you is: Embrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zennie 0 #17 May 23, 2001 QuoteEmbrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it.Don't post anonymously. I agree with you.It's very easy to get excited about our sport. I can go on and on about it (and watch people's eyes glaze over as I do). There's nothing wrong with enthusiasm. But it is very easy to get one-dimensional.One thing which skydiving has done for me is make me realize that different things make different people happy. For me it's skydiving. For my wife it's music and dancing. Since I've found something that really fulfils me, I've found I have a lot more respect for other people doing things that fulfil them.... even if it's something different from what I'd do.Different strokes. Ya know?------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BenW 0 #18 May 23, 2001 Well said. Whoever you are! Well said.The parachutist formerly known as BenW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Divadiver 0 #19 May 23, 2001 Anonymous:Here, here! 100% with you! I couldn't agree more. Now, I have a question, anyone ever thought of caving? I was told vertical caving is pretty cool (no pun). I'm just a little squeemish about the creatures in the cave!!I have a friend who is interested in learning to ride (drive) a motorcycle (well, me too). She's particularly interested in Harley's (well, me too). Is there any good forums like this one for her to hang out and learn from?Thanks!Divadiver (I quit being "normal" about 2 years ago!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deleted 0 #20 May 23, 2001 I'm not sure why it is taboo to post anonymously, as who I am and where I live have absoultely no bearing on this thread. The only thing thing that is important are my thoughts (which some may choose to argue). I do like your opinion, and agree with your thoughts. Different strokes are what makes this world a paradise, and sometimes a living hell. Without such opposing extremes, we could never find a happy medium.Until I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PalmettoTiger 1 #21 May 23, 2001 The problem is that it becomes very easy for the dumb 'Anonymous' to imitate the smart 'Anonymous.' And since nearly everyone who participates in these discussions gives us a name, posting anonymously gives us the impression that you have something to hide. Whether that's fair or not, that's the way it is.Emma, your rant was priceless! I'm going to have to get that framed or something. I still try and stay conversant with my whuffo friends, but even when I talk about my other two main interests, politics and technology, they tune me out. So it's all the same in the end.I think Anonymous is right about needing to respect your friends' pursuits as well as your own. But it's still tough for me. I definitely prefer the company of skydivers to the company of whuffos.Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Keys 0 #22 May 23, 2001 Quote by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. I'm pretty comfortable with this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Anonymous 0 #23 May 23, 2001 QuoteUntil I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous*ahem* *cough* *cough*Sorry pal, that nick has been taken!Anon"don't imitate, innovate!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Emma 0 #24 May 24, 2001 ANONYMOUS-RE: 'Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. 'True, true...and I agree that the world would be a bit boring if we were all the same....which doesn't contradict what I said. I really find that a lot of my whuffo friends WANT to hear about skydiving because that's what they think about when they see me again. Probably because (selfish or otherwise), I am at the DZ every weekend, weddings and funerals permitting...hence, skydiving is what they ask me about....But my point is, they really get bored of hearing about it pretty quickly, but once they've set me off, that's it. It's a genuine dilemma! You know how obsessive it is, and this is where the possible problem lies.RE: Your comment that you skydive...'Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver.'I find it's kind of the opposite. Whuffos can pigeon-hole skydivers as 'just skydivers', and that's what they want to ask you about, but there seems to be an impasse because you can't explain what it's really like, try as you might.Personally, I don't like telling people I skydive precisely BECAUSE of the ensuing conversation which I, and most of you no doubt, have had 100s of times.Trouble is, it IS an important part of my life, and you do share what's important to you with people you love. Except this is something you can't ever really share. Hence the frustration.I can't retract my comments about DIY and babies though...I didn't like those conversations BEFORE I started skydiving. They seem to symbolise growing up, and I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to do that yet...Scarily, more and more of my friends seem to be doing it and it's DOING MY HEAD IN!Rant #2 over.Emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skreamer 1 #25 May 24, 2001 Emma makes some good points (but stop using difficult words like 'impasse' - head hurts!!!).I'd like to add something as well. In my limited experience it is hardly fair to call skydivers 'one-dimensional'. Yes, skydiving is very important to us, but at the same time it opens our eyes to other challenges and gives us the courage to pursue them. If it wasn't for skydiving there is no way I would have even contemplated trying to run the London marathon. And it is not just physical challenges either, I know some skydivers with really interesting alternative pastimes (for rainy days natch) which they acquired AFTER starting to skydiving. I have just found it opens my mind to so many other paths, paths I hadn't even contemplated venturing down before."Free your mind and your ass will follow."/sPS and the one thing that does REALLY annoy me is when the same whuffo asks me the same damn question every damn Monday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
Keys 0 #9 May 23, 2001 You know what might be fun? Start skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. Have a van waiting and book as fast as we can. I can think of a few pilots who would look the other way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #10 May 23, 2001 Here's a good one :One of my mates back home, his old man was a real trouble-maker when he was young. For fun he and his mates would sneak onto gholf courses at night and then take a dump in the holes!!! Pretty disgusting, but can you just imagine the look on the preppy yuppie f@ckwits' faces when they retrieve their ball????/s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PalmettoTiger 1 #11 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers. At Cross Keys, there's a golf course that has consented to being an "out" area, as long as folks don't land on the greens. One of the videos on Monkey Claw's website has someone swooping onto the golf course. It makes the whole video worth the wait - if you're going to land out, you might as well do it with style!!Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emma 0 #12 May 23, 2001 Skreamer - that is gross. Ingenious, but gross.Anyway - I was haiving a similar thought myself recently re the 'normal' people.I am having a problem of late - in fact, since last year when I first jumped out of an aeroplane...and it is this; I just find myself glazing over as my whuffo friends talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....AAAARGGHHHH!!!However, when they notice I've glazed over, it only gets worse, because then they ASK me about skydiving, and it goes something like this...SAMPLE CONVERSATION'So, Emma, did you go JUMPING OUT OF AEROPLANES AGAIN at the weekend??!!!' [incredulous sideways glance to other whuffos]'Er..yes...''You are CRRRRAZY!!! How high this time?' [shaking head with bemused and slightly patronising smirk implying my total insanity]'Well, same as last time, 12,000 feet''So....do you actually get to be in FREEFALL?' [raised eyebrows]'Er, well that's kind of what it's about...''Wow! And do you do all that SYNCHRONISED stuff I see them do on TV? Is it just like swimming?''Well, kind of...''And how high do you go up when they open the parachute?''well...you don't actually..''And can you breathe in clouds?'and so on and so on and so on until...I actually end up TELLING THEM what we do and how we do it and how brilliant it all is, and try to force a video on them...and sure enough, they've glazed over themselves in about 1 minute flat.And then I go back to being 'novelty skydiving friend' who is no longer able to converse about anything except a pretty esoteric sport that simultanously fascinates and bores the masses. So I end up being humoured until I can escape.Ahhh...just had to get it off my chest! I don't think there's an answer to this though...you just have to accept you're now a social outcast!emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #13 May 23, 2001 QuoteStart skydiving into golf courses and take out golfers.Actually, you could make a few friends if you caught an errant shot, swooped over by the green and dropped it about 3" from the hole. ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keys 0 #14 May 23, 2001 On talking about to whoofos about skydiving.Anyone ever get: "Don't you get wet when you fall through a cloud?"And these are business professionals. Or watching video of you swooping in a formation dive: "Wait, you can steer in the air?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doasfu 0 #15 May 23, 2001 ***talk about DIY and babies and getting pissed and doing the garden and pension plans and investments and ....***And sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit destroying gameshows untill your pissing it all away in some home, nothing more than an embarrasment to fucked up, selfish brats you've spawned to replace yourself. But why would I want any of that?:)Dan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deleted 0 #16 May 23, 2001 I hate to do this, but reading this thread really irritates me. There is more to life than skydiving. Granted, few things are as exciting as battling gravity (IMO), but you have to understand that some people just don't have any interest in it. Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. I love skydiving just as much as the rest of you, but I do it for myself. Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver. That is a really bad way to go through life. "Whuffos", I find, are usually alot more interesting than most skydivers I know, because they do other things with their time than skydive. They are aware that there is a whole world going on out there. It's so nice to talk to people about other things than skydiving, like world events, everyday stories, and the like.(Although, I do have to agree with a previous post - babies is where I draw the line). If you don't care about your family and friends lives, and more importantly, the things that are important to THEM, then by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. This post is most likely over your head as it is. But, my advice to some of you is: Embrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #17 May 23, 2001 QuoteEmbrace the differences that people have. Enjoy talking and learning about things that you never knew before. Understand that not everyone loves the things that you love. And, last but certainly not least, open your mind to new people and experiences (as you did with skydiving). You'll be a richer person for it.Don't post anonymously. I agree with you.It's very easy to get excited about our sport. I can go on and on about it (and watch people's eyes glaze over as I do). There's nothing wrong with enthusiasm. But it is very easy to get one-dimensional.One thing which skydiving has done for me is make me realize that different things make different people happy. For me it's skydiving. For my wife it's music and dancing. Since I've found something that really fulfils me, I've found I have a lot more respect for other people doing things that fulfil them.... even if it's something different from what I'd do.Different strokes. Ya know?------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BenW 0 #18 May 23, 2001 Well said. Whoever you are! Well said.The parachutist formerly known as BenW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Divadiver 0 #19 May 23, 2001 Anonymous:Here, here! 100% with you! I couldn't agree more. Now, I have a question, anyone ever thought of caving? I was told vertical caving is pretty cool (no pun). I'm just a little squeemish about the creatures in the cave!!I have a friend who is interested in learning to ride (drive) a motorcycle (well, me too). She's particularly interested in Harley's (well, me too). Is there any good forums like this one for her to hang out and learn from?Thanks!Divadiver (I quit being "normal" about 2 years ago!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deleted 0 #20 May 23, 2001 I'm not sure why it is taboo to post anonymously, as who I am and where I live have absoultely no bearing on this thread. The only thing thing that is important are my thoughts (which some may choose to argue). I do like your opinion, and agree with your thoughts. Different strokes are what makes this world a paradise, and sometimes a living hell. Without such opposing extremes, we could never find a happy medium.Until I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PalmettoTiger 1 #21 May 23, 2001 The problem is that it becomes very easy for the dumb 'Anonymous' to imitate the smart 'Anonymous.' And since nearly everyone who participates in these discussions gives us a name, posting anonymously gives us the impression that you have something to hide. Whether that's fair or not, that's the way it is.Emma, your rant was priceless! I'm going to have to get that framed or something. I still try and stay conversant with my whuffo friends, but even when I talk about my other two main interests, politics and technology, they tune me out. So it's all the same in the end.I think Anonymous is right about needing to respect your friends' pursuits as well as your own. But it's still tough for me. I definitely prefer the company of skydivers to the company of whuffos.Blues, squares,PTiger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keys 0 #22 May 23, 2001 Quote by all means continue to be selfish and close-minded by only discussing and doing what YOU find interesting and makes YOU happy. I'm pretty comfortable with this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anonymous 0 #23 May 23, 2001 QuoteUntil I feel the need to give a name, Yoo can call me:Anonymous*ahem* *cough* *cough*Sorry pal, that nick has been taken!Anon"don't imitate, innovate!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emma 0 #24 May 24, 2001 ANONYMOUS-RE: 'Just because you love it, doesn't mean that the whole world has to hear about it everytime they see you. 'True, true...and I agree that the world would be a bit boring if we were all the same....which doesn't contradict what I said. I really find that a lot of my whuffo friends WANT to hear about skydiving because that's what they think about when they see me again. Probably because (selfish or otherwise), I am at the DZ every weekend, weddings and funerals permitting...hence, skydiving is what they ask me about....But my point is, they really get bored of hearing about it pretty quickly, but once they've set me off, that's it. It's a genuine dilemma! You know how obsessive it is, and this is where the possible problem lies.RE: Your comment that you skydive...'Not so I can run around and tell my friends and everyone I see what I did on the weekend. I'm not out to impress anyone. If people want to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to converse. But I don't pigeon-hole myself as 'just' a skydiver.'I find it's kind of the opposite. Whuffos can pigeon-hole skydivers as 'just skydivers', and that's what they want to ask you about, but there seems to be an impasse because you can't explain what it's really like, try as you might.Personally, I don't like telling people I skydive precisely BECAUSE of the ensuing conversation which I, and most of you no doubt, have had 100s of times.Trouble is, it IS an important part of my life, and you do share what's important to you with people you love. Except this is something you can't ever really share. Hence the frustration.I can't retract my comments about DIY and babies though...I didn't like those conversations BEFORE I started skydiving. They seem to symbolise growing up, and I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to do that yet...Scarily, more and more of my friends seem to be doing it and it's DOING MY HEAD IN!Rant #2 over.Emma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #25 May 24, 2001 Emma makes some good points (but stop using difficult words like 'impasse' - head hurts!!!).I'd like to add something as well. In my limited experience it is hardly fair to call skydivers 'one-dimensional'. Yes, skydiving is very important to us, but at the same time it opens our eyes to other challenges and gives us the courage to pursue them. If it wasn't for skydiving there is no way I would have even contemplated trying to run the London marathon. And it is not just physical challenges either, I know some skydivers with really interesting alternative pastimes (for rainy days natch) which they acquired AFTER starting to skydiving. I have just found it opens my mind to so many other paths, paths I hadn't even contemplated venturing down before."Free your mind and your ass will follow."/sPS and the one thing that does REALLY annoy me is when the same whuffo asks me the same damn question every damn Monday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
