Do you recieve a hard time from your co-workers about skydiving?

[nubain1 0]

I know this has probably been brought up before, but I was wondering if anybody else gets hasseled by their bosses and co-workers for your love of the sky.
I was at a company meeting today and had to sit through a BS insurance sign up.That by the way we now have to pay for our insurance.the company is no longer paying it and of course the rates are astronomical.
Anyway during this meeting I was sinlged out by the operations manager and asked if I had insurance be cause "stupid people who jump out of planes need it". I told him not to worry about it that it was my problem not his. And I asked why he does'nt ask any of the people who ski or snowboard about their insurance. Seeing as how there's always a open shift to be covered since someone got hurt skiing/snowboarding.And of course there was no answer for this.
But I was just wondering and needed to rant for a few.

[skydivegirl 0]

I get somewhat hasseled. I don't really care though... they're the ones missing out.

Pink Mafia Sis #26

[skydiverbrian 0]

I get ribbed a little, but I've managed to get about 5 to make a tandem so far. Others are still hesitant. Of the 5 that made tandems, 3 are now in AFF.

In a world full of people, only some want to fly... isn't that crazy! --Seal

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I'd say your operations manager needs to be kicked in the groin a few times. I know most of my whuffo co-workers don't understand me, but that's ok as I'm not the one who's leading the sheltered life. Now I haven't been jumping that long (only seven months), but I think most of them thought I would have killed myself by now, so some of them are realizing that the sport isn't as dangerous as they thought it was (no need to get into that debate here). In fact a couple of them have talked about coming out to watch me land and maybe even muster the guts to go up for a tandem. Time will tell.

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

[Raefordite 0]

Mostly the skydiving is a topic some of my fellow employees use to start a conversation. My favorite is when a "new guy" is there, a empoyee veteran make's a comment about my skydiving. All they are looking for is a response from the newby that doesn't know me. I guess if the veteran employee doesn't have the guts to skydive themselves, they try to impress others by what they know I do.
A tandem may be done to impress someone, but once you are truly hooked, it has nothing to do with what other people think.
Your boss was out of line by pointing you out. I'd be more worried about the grossly overweight, child bearing aged females and chronic disease folks like diabetics that cost employeer paid medical insurance plans a fortune.

[nubain1 0]

I've tried to get some to go but I keep hearing the same excuse of it's to cold.I'll go when it warms up.they say it's to cold but yet the are skiing every weekend.Oh well it's their loss not mine.

[sunshine 2]

My coworkers tease me in a good way. I bring in videos and they like watching them or hearing about the funky stuff i do. In fact my boss put it in the company newsletter when i made my 500th jump. None of them will ever jump, but at least they think it's kinda cool.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[nubain1 0]

It was brought up today after I was singled out, that there is a person that works for the company that has filed over 100K in claims last year but yet I have yet to make a single claim except for a worker's comp claim from a blood bourne exposure.And yet I'm the high risk one there.And the claim statment was made by the insurance rep so that's not here say.The boss hit the roof when he found that out.And all they told him was.Sorry,can't tell you who it is.Client confidentiality.

[Beerlight 0]

Guess I'm lucky, where I go to work, jumping is actually encouraged.....But, uh.... I am in the military....! Funny thing however, they do discourage ......motorcycle riding??!!!!!

[skybytch 273]

Yeah, my co-workers bug me all the time. "You jumping this weekend? Let's do some freeflying" or during the summer months "Wanna jump after work today?"

Then there's the bosses stories about big ways and boogies and records and parties.

Working with skydivers sucks.

[AndyMan 7]

Not at all. In fact, the CEO and CMO (marketing) of my company use my videos in their sales presentations, frequently.

But then we're a tiny little struggling startup, and me jumping from planes is tame compared to the business descisions we take daily.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[narcimund 0]

You said it, Lisa. My partner (and boyfriend) is always telling me how much fun his base jumping is. Sometimes he gives me a hard time for how tame my skydiving is next to his 150 foot bridge jumps.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[Zennie 0]

Lesseee..... they all know I skydive, BASE jump (**ring** **ring** "You wanna make a jump tonight? Which tower? Hokay, catch you after work." ) and I openly wear all of my piercings.

Nope. They may think (i.e. know) I'm a little odd, but they don't mind,

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[ralu 0]

I'm an air traffic controller so I'm supposed to care about safety... this is what they say!!!!
Now generally it's OK. It wasn't always like this, but there was an air show at the airport and I was in it. Since then are very proud to have a skydiver among them.

ralu

what would be a woman without her dreams....

[usmcdannyboy 0]

I was told after i shattered my ankle that i could never skydive again as long as i was in the Marines....i replyed with ..."what if this happened to be playing basketball, or fell down stairs???would i never be allowed to do those things again???

well needless to say i was never hassled when i posted my skydiving pic on the bullitin board at work

I am the light my son...What you seek is fire

[karma 3]

My boss bugged me about it to. We're a small company and he's worried that if I hurt myself skydiving he'll have to pay for it. Damn I hate that crapp. He's even worried I'd hurt myself doing Martial Arts. Sjeeees. Most of my co-workers don't understand either. There bugging me with the "what if" speech, I always tell them it's my "problem", not theirs. Their is one who understands. He has done a S/L course as well. Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest .

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Well, I do occasionally get the odd raised eyebrow etc, I'm a safety consultant in the oil industry.....
Whenever this happens, I try to direct the conversation to the 'good points' of skydiving.
Something along the lines of what sort of skills are required and instilled such as....teamwork, forward planning, attention to detail, self reliance, setting and achieving goals, developing a sense of awareness, competitiveness, etc, etc, etc.....You know all that good stuff you see on 'motivation' posters at work....

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[Zeemax 0]

all that BS you see on motivational posters

Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE
Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies

[skydiverbrian 0]

Interesting how no one's employer is concerned about their well-being. They just want to know it won't cost them if someone gets hurt. Capitalist rat bastards!

In a world full of people, only some want to fly... isn't that crazy! --Seal

[Iflyme 0]

I never get a hard time at work about skydiving ... in fact, many people are curious about it, and often ask me "did ya get to go skydiving this past weekend?"... a few people have even taken the FJC or done a tandem!

[Faber 0]

Quote

gives me a hard time for how tame my skydiving is next to his 150 foot bridge jumps.

What a Macho...We all have our personal limit.Personal i find BASE better than skydives,but i aint teasing my gf about her skydiving.

At my job ive got some bruises,anyway i dont think ill get back there after im healed up.Guess what..then its JUMPTIME

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[Michele 1]

Quote

Interesting how no one's employer is concerned about their well-being. They just want to know it won't cost them if someone gets hurt. Capitalist rat bastards!

Since my company does not insure it's agents, my broker doesn't really give a darn if I get hurt or not. OTOH, my former assistant broker used to see me getting all stressed out and tell me to go jump and relax a bit. He got it, and my broker doesn't. Most of the agents think I'm a bit off-kilter, but in the nicest sense of the word. And someone in relocation has a photo of me jumping on her bulletin board. She thinks that's neat.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[jessd 0]

I don't really recieve a hard time. Then again I have only done a few tandems so I guess we will see. But, my old boss did give me a nice gift certificate to the DZ as a Christmas present to use towards AFF. Inside the card she wrote "Just please be safe".

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..."

[ladyskydiver 0]

The VP I work has about 6000 jumps so I don't get a hard time. The rest of my co-workers think that we're a little nuts but don't give us a hard time. They usually just say that it's not for them and to be safe.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[riggerrob 643]

No my co-workers don't hassle me about jumping.
Oh!
Wait!
I work at a DZ.
The part that I never understood was my former Air Force co-workers hassling me because I sewed two sets of jump wings on my uniform.
All my life people have been telling how weak and stupid and cowardly I am and all my Air Force co-workers seemed to think they were better than me, but only a couple of them ever jumped.
Will someone please explain?