Vallerina 2 #1 May 30, 2003 Back in my crazy college days when I first started jumping, a small group of us went through the awkward, early stages of jumping together. All of us had the similar nerves and paranoia about skydiving, except for Matt. Matt had some (not much it seemed) apprehension about his own skydiving, but he worried a significant amount more about his girlfriend skydiving. He told me that he didn't like watching her jump...he was extremely worried until he saw her parachute fully open and her feet back on the ground. However, this was three years ago when we were all just off of student status, and I believe his thoughts on watching his new girlfriend jump are quite different now. So, how worried have other people gotten about watching their (insert much too cheesy term here) skydive? Is it only when they're in a "new" situation? Does it happen all the time? Am I a horrible person for not really worrying? Sure, I get a little uneasy (I wouldn't say "worried," though) when he's jumping after a few week break, jumping with someone I think is a moron, jumping out of a plane that's lost an engine, but if he is in the air while I'm on the ground, it generally doesn't phase me.There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #2 May 30, 2003 Not so much in the air. He knows who the morons are and I think avoids them fairly well. I always watch his landing pattern though and am more relieved when i see a nice open parachute. I'm always down first and can look up too see everything. then of course when somethign dumb happens i'm the first to see if everything is OK then laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bkdice 0 #3 May 30, 2003 My boy's got 750 jumps on me, so I don't doubt his skill level or judgement. I do worry when I let myself, but I try not to. No use in it. We are both in a sport that can be dangerous. In all honesty, I worry more about the drive to and from. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
craichead 0 #4 May 30, 2003 I don't worry so much for regular jumps, but when he talks about trying BASE jumping...EEK! That worries me big time. -P__ "Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlmiracle 7 #5 May 30, 2003 I worry about my husband sometimes, especially when he does tandems. I don't tell him I worry but I do. He came to Perris with me last October for JFTC. I could tell he wanted to pull me off the airplane and tell me NO, but he didn't. I don't think I ever saw him worry so much when I have jumped before. We've been together 5 years now and I really didn't start to really worry until he started doing tandems. We both do AFF, and that doesn't bother me. and no you are not horrible person. Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narcimund 0 #6 May 30, 2003 It depends on the jump. If it's something new, that adds anxiety for me. Especially low and/or nasty BASE jumps can make me nervous as well. When we jump together, the first thing I do after opening is to find his canopy. That's partly to reassure myself that he's open, but also for practical reasons. If he's got a mal and cuts away, I want to know early so I can follow his main down. If not, it's always nice to fly back to landing together. It's good practice for our CRW and nice teamwork as well. As I learn more about base and watch his skills grow, I'm becoming less horribly scared. Base can be done more or less dangerously and I'm learning that my boyfriend's attitude about it is reassuring for me. First Class Citizen Twice Over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #7 May 30, 2003 When I was on the dz with him I had no worries about my ex jumping. It was when I wasn't there that I worried. He worried too. He hated it when I was jumping and he wasn't; I'd have to call at least once during the day to let him know what was up. My son does the same thing now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #8 May 30, 2003 I'll watch his openings and landings (if I'm not in the air with him) but I'm not compulsive about it. When he was doing world record attempts a few years back, though, I was very worried about him. (small HP canopy, no cypres) So much so, that even though I took the whole week off work and there were lots of planes to jump from between attempts, I didn't want to jump. He did get hurt on one of the attempts, getting snagged and cartwheeld by some beans. After that, a good friend of mine loaned him his rig (cypres equipped with a slightly bigger canopy) just to make ME feel a little better. Now, that's a good friend! And if he does get his fat a@@ hurt doing something stupid (like last weekend), I'm not going to baby him! I give him hell for being such a moron! maura Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 0 #9 May 30, 2003 As a general rule, I don't worry about him. Sometimes though, like when we were in Perris I worried about him under canopy. Nothing to do with his skills, but there were people beating him down, and I was constantly stressed out with people spiraling in the pattern and landing diagonal across the landing area.Fly it like you stole it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #10 May 30, 2003 My brother and nephew both skydive, and watching them jump for the first time from the ground made me finaly completely understand what my mom went through... :) I've never realy worried about anyone jumping, and even though I know they are competent..I'm realy happy when they've had a safe landing..JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #11 May 30, 2003 I don't give a damn. She's good at what she does, and I'm sure she does the right thing when she needs to. What's the point of getting off student status if someone is always going to bug you? I already have a mom. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
txblondie 0 #12 May 30, 2003 Of course I worry about him, but I don't let it eat away at me. And he worries about me, but I think more than anything that's because I'm still just a student, and that makes him nervous. My biggest issue (which is really silly) is knowing that he watches me land, because I'm so new to this that I get embarrassed over the fact that I can't stand up a landing yet. I don't worry about him nearly as much as I would if he hadn't been jumping for 9 years already! ***************************************** Blondes do have more fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropdeded 0 #13 May 30, 2003 I bought my wife a Tandem for christmas (good for a year). She has gone to the dz many times and watched my videos and is comfortable with me jumping.Well,there was that broken leg thing but... My wife has a disease and it has reduced her quality of life in a big way.I really wanted her to experience actually "living",just like I have experienced with this whole skydiving deal. I was very excited thinking that she would taste life and Im sure it would help with her outlook on the "big picture". Fate decided different and her health has deteriorated to the point where jumping is not an option and in a strange, selfish way, Im relieved she cant jump.( I know,that sounds bad). I get a huge kick out of seeing first time jumpers but with my wife, I realized the risk might not be worth it.Shit DOES happen. dropdeded------------------------------------------ The Dude Abides. - Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cajones 0 #14 May 30, 2003 Although she's a very experienced jumper, and a very heads-up person no matter what she does - I must admit I do get a little protective of her. Seeing video of another jumper opening way too close to her under canopy makes me want to punch his lights out. She's got the skilz to fly and jump with anyone, and knows who the "zoomy" types are - and she avoids them very well. It's the "new situations" and the new faces she jumps with that make me ask her if she's okay. In my defense, I tend to scrutinize everyone in these situations, I think I'd notice her being in these situations more, simply because I pay more attention to her. We pack together (when we can - sometimes she packs for me when I'm busy/working!), talk and spend time together more than the other jumpers. A more accurate scenario is that I worry about her when she's not jumping. She's a jump-aholic. She was a skydiver when I met her (with a BASE jumper trapped inside waiting to get out), and that's probably a factor in why we are so good together. There's few things in life better than jumping with her. Seeing her jumping is actually a turn-on (I might be giving TMI, here). When she isn't anxious to get her knees-in-the-breeze - that's when I have to really worry about her. - Cajones The laws of physics are strictly enforced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHixxx 0 #15 May 30, 2003 No, but I worry about my little sister. I have great confidence in her skills, but I periodically worry some shithead might take her out under canopy. The only time I was big time noided out was at Jump for the Cause. We were both worried about the whole high traffic tracking and canopy scenario. As I was driving out there, she called me and told me about Shannon going in. I mellowed once I arrived and saw the tracking plan and learned she was on the outside of the formation at scoot time. Still, I had some paranoid inner moments... -Hixxxdeath,as men call him, ends what they call men -but beauty is more now than dying’s when Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,485 #16 May 30, 2003 QuoteShe's good at what she does, and I'm sure she does the right thing when she needs to Well, I haven't had an SO who jumped in a long, long time, but when I did, I pretty much agreed with Tonto. That's part of why I don't want to pay for my son to start; it's up to him. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #17 May 30, 2003 I never worry abou my lover jumping! my hands jump with me all the time!DOH!!! My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #18 May 30, 2003 truth be told I havent dated a skydiver in a long time! but the last whuffo I dated I tried to get "high" she woulda but she couldnt afford it, nor could I! next time! My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHixxx 0 #19 May 30, 2003 Well then, that puts it in a different light. I do worry about my lovers skydiving (I can grip switch). I started wearing gloves after scraping them up on an Otter door at Dollardaze some years back... -Hixxxdeath,as men call him, ends what they call men -but beauty is more now than dying’s when Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunshine 2 #20 May 30, 2003 Maybe when in a new situation i might worry, but for the most part i'm aware of the risks involved. I don't worry about my boy anymore than i worry about my freinds. I've actually had the experience of receiving the dreaded phone call telling me my boy was injured and in the hospital. Even after that it doesn't make me worry. If someone is gonna do something stupid, they're gonna do it whether you worry about them or not. ___________________________________________ meow I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmcd308 0 #21 May 30, 2003 I think it is natural to worry about other people jumping. When I was a student, I used to watch my instructors fall away after I opened, and the time between my opening and theirs was the most stressful part of the skydive. BMcD... ---------------------------------- www.jumpelvis.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyesspot 0 #22 May 30, 2003 Being a whuffo still, I worry about him all the time. (The unknown and all.) But he is doing what he REALLY enjoys. That makes it all good. Life is too short. Don't sweat the small stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aneblett 0 #23 May 30, 2003 Quote Being a whuffo still... I don't think that you qualify as a whuffo.. this statement: Quote But he is doing what he REALLY enjoys. That makes it all good. gives you an exemption.AgeS.E.X. party #2 ..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakous 0 #24 May 30, 2003 Quote My boy's So you admit that he is just a boy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aneblett 0 #25 May 30, 2003 I have never really worried per se. My ex1 that I started skydiving with,used to get so freaked out when I left the plane that it would mess her concentration and make her perform at less than her capability on her jumps so we asked manifest in those early days not to put us on the same loads. With my ex2 (also a jumper)she was good with me jumping and I with her for the most part. I know she isn't as confident under canopy as I'd like her to be so I tend to watch her when I can. And I have a sort of "load time sense" and if she isn't back in the loft by the time I think the load should be down and back I will go and take a look. but other than that no worries. AgeS.E.X. party #2 ..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
