Anyone else have "friends" who get mad when you skydive?

[MikeJD 0]

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I don't hang out with a TON of people I used to spend all my time with... Drunk assholes who sit on their ass and talk shit.

I still hang out with those types of people. It's just that I do it on the DZ after jumping's finished for the day.

[popsjumper 2]

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(sometimes I feel like they think we're married), ... So if they can't deal with me being gone one day a week, then they have some serious issues that can't be fixed,....

I wasn't going to say it but it's telling that you did.

If you want to keep these friends, you'll just have to sit down with them, one-on-one, and have a heart-to-heart talk. Otherwise, the grief will just keep on coming.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[FallsLikeABrick 0]

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(sometimes I feel like they think we're married), ... So if they can't deal with me being gone one day a week, then they have some serious issues that can't be fixed,....

I wasn't going to say it but it's telling that you did.
.

I just like to keep the peace...I hate when there is pointless drama. If they want to start scuba diving, or surfing, or sewing, I would have no problem with it. I actually could care less, which is why I don't necessarily understand why there is so much hostility. I agree with your suggestion of sitting down with them and talking about it, just find it kind of ridiculous that it's even a big deal

I just wanted to let you know, the back of yo' head is radikulus

[Andy9o8 2]

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(sometimes I feel like they think we're married), ... So if they can't deal with me being gone one day a week, then they have some serious issues that can't be fixed,....

I wasn't going to say it but it's telling that you did.

If you want to keep these friends, you'll just have to sit down with them, one-on-one, and have a heart-to-heart talk. Otherwise, the grief will just keep on coming.

Yeah. On the bright side, at least they can't clean out your bank account, keep your car and make you buy them a house.

[pookieland 0]

Dude Seriously? I thought you were ganna say something else. We are Skydivers, we are a group of the Koolest people in the world and that’s what people hate. The fact that we will do whatever it takes to save up for a jump ticket rather than spend money on a dinner and a movie. I find the reason that some people hate the talk of a jumper is usually ( 1 ) they can’t afford to get into the hobby the way that we do. ( 2 ) they have a fear of heights and can’t understand why anyone would want to fall out of a plane. ( 3 ) you have surpassed them on the kool and hot list because they do nothing but sit on the couch routing for their team to win, or there talking about the girl they will never get with and wondering why she keeps bringing your name up in every conversation.. LoL
Man, you’re a cloud jumper now and they will never understand the excitement and rush you get from every jump. When I became a jumper I found that my friends thinned out some just from the fact that some could not understand how fulfilling a free fall could make me feel. My girlfriend couldn’t understand how I could have plans every weekend, weather permitting. And when it has been a rainy or over cast day, why am I so interested in the weather forecast. Skydive talk can be boring to those who are not jumpers, I can understand that now. But it do’s not mean you have to stop talking about something that makes you feel so alive. I say when you have some free time to spend with the whuffos buy each of them a bowling ball and take them to the lanes. It’s probably a safer place for them to play 

Stop Touching Me!!!

Muff Brother# 4466

[popsjumper 2]

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Yeah. On the bright side, at least they can't clean out your bank account, keep your car and make you buy them a house.

Speaking of friends. They didn't tell me, until it was too late, that I could have given up all that without getting married and come out cheaper in the long run.
.

Rent, don't buy.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[fossg 0]

Ya know just last week in a desperate attempt to pick up a gal at the dropzone I introduced my self as shah... The doc says with luck I should be as good as new in 6 months or so

[skybill 22]

Hey Bud,
'Know what ya' mean. It's tough. 'One thing to be a newby and bubbling over with enthusiasm over the sport and have people react like you say, but when yer' an old fart and ya' still get the same treatment, there's gotta' be a catch. I was a whuf once, before I made my first jump, we all were!!!! I don't remember being so upset over some one else being a skydiver when I was still a whuf?? Don't really know what to say. Most whuffs I've known over the years weren't that nasty, 'sept a few but it only takes a couple to raise an eyebrow! 'Insecure bastards can't deal with their own fear or what ever?? So they lash out at us to try to bolster their own inadequate personality. I really don't give a flying fuck if they skydive or not and I don't care if they give a shit if I do or not!! I don't jump for them, I jump for "ME!!" That's why cutaway handles were invented.

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[waveoff5500 0]

i feel like you kind of hit the nail on the head. its hard to explain why we do it to people who have never done it and i feel like thats a big reason the as you progress through your skydiving career you taper down how much you initiate talk about skydiving. i know from my experiences that if asked i will elaborate on skydiving, but as silly as it sounds i think people do get jealous because it is a pretty badass sport. especially if your friends participate in sports like skateboarding or bmx. lets face it, most girls will want to hear about skydiving before they want to hear about skateboarding because they dont even compare haha. there are so many unanswered questions to a whuffo because our sport takes place in an environment that no one can regularly be in.

on another note, my current roommate is a skydiver, and we jump regularly together. its nice because we appreciate each others gear, and have a special bond in this sport that maybe another roommate would be able to have. i know that his last roommates wouldnt respect his gear and always shoot packing rubber bands everywhere etc, but its cool to be able to leave my rig at home and know its going to be respected. also, if i ever need a packjob from my trunk packing, i have a licensed skydiver to help me out!

"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not"

1653

[dks13827 3]

There are always some ( many ) people who hate folks who excel, are daring, stand out, and are exceptional ( as in your choice of sports ).

[SivaGanesha 2]

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its hard to explain why we do it to people who have never done it

That's part of it, but I think there's a bit more to it. There are a lot of what I would call "one jump whuffos". These would be people who have made, or could understand making, one jump to be able to cross that off the list. But they really don't understand why someone would want to stay on and make many jumps after that obligatory first jump.

Look at it from the perspective of a non-jumper. If most people who jump only ever make one jump, then that will be the predominant impression that non-jumpers have of skydiving. It's something to do once but not something to make a hobby of, from their perspective. Then if someone they know does end up jumping repeatedly, that will be unexpected and perhaps a little hurtful to people who feel they're effectively losing a friend because of the time commitment required to be an experienced jumper.

Basically most non-jumpers think of skydiving as NOT involving much time commitment. You do it once for half a day, get that t-shirt, certificate, and/or video, and that's pretty much it. For experienced jumpers, it is a very different picture, but there are far more "one jump whuffos" out there than experienced jumpers. So it is the "one jump whuffos" from whom people form their opinions of skydiving.

Skydiving itself has played a role in creating a lot of "one jump whuffos" by catering so much to the tandem crowd.

"It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

[shah269 0]

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Ya know just last week in a desperate attempt to pick up a gal at the dropzone I introduced my self as shah... The doc says with luck I should be as good as new in 6 months or so

you ma
you ma
you motherfucker!
Coffee all over my freaking desk at work you dork!
God!


Look. Good friends stick around to the end, shitty friends.....well forget about them.

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[jacketsdb23 49]

Like everything...life is balance. Skydiving people like to talk skydiving. Non-skydiving people usually have no idea what you are talking about beyond the basics.

My wife does not skydive. She has been bored out of her mind more than once when hanging out with all skydivers...because lets face it, get to many of us together, and it always reverts to skydiving talk. That gets old to people not involved. So my suggestions:

1. Its OK to have friends outside of skydiving. just don't expect it to be all skydiving talk when you are hanging out with them.

2. Its OK to have friends inside skydiving. heck, its important to your overall enjoyment of the sport.

Your non-skydiving friends will soon respect the fact that on Saturday/Sunday you will be skydiving. They may call and invite you to weekend getaways, camping, fishing, surfing, snowboarding, etc. If you dog them to many times you'll stop getting those calls. Ultimately, the balance and how you live your life is up to you. But don't get upset when nonskydiving friends don't want to hear about skydiving anymore.

Balance is good. You'll never skydive enough to satisfy all your skydiving buddies, and you'll always skydive to much for those who are not interested. I think an old song goes something like this:

You can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself.

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

[danielcroft 2]

My wife and I did a road trip across the US and back, I rode a motorcycle the whole way. We visited most of the major national parks and saw and did some amazing things. Our friends were talking about skydiving within about 10 minutes at our return dinner. We love our friends, they're awesome but that was pretty eyeopening.

Skydivers are annoying when you are one, let alone when you're not.

I stand by my earlier comment, if you care about these people, talk to them individually. If you don't, move on.

[potatoman 0]

One thing that I have learned, never talk skydiving unless asked about it. I tell my non-jump-friends I am going jumping only if they want to know where I am going. They also had certain issues, like, you have got kids, you are maried, you should rather save the money blah blah blah. Now, they understand my way of calculating life, and are at peace with it. I will still get the comment from time to time though: Keep it safe!!!.
My folks nowadays aer getting angry though. They say the "fase" must past now.

You have the right to your opinion, and I have the right to tell you how Fu***** stupid it is.
Davelepka - "This isn't an x-box, or a Chevy truck forum"
Whatever you do, don't listen to ChrisD.

[pookieland 0]

I think you explained it very clearly. I could'nt have said it better myself..

Stop Touching Me!!!

Muff Brother# 4466

[fossg 0]

It was dark...She was drunk I thought I had a chance... I just had to try YOUR name

[tomahawkpilot 0]

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its hard to explain why we do it to people who have never done it

So true, as I am learning. All of my friends (many of whom are pilots) are understanding, excited, even jealous of my jumping (because someone or something won't let them jump). Then I try to tell my mom... I never expected so much hostility... she was shouting "dumb, dumb, dumb" and "it's stupid, you don't get anything out of it." I tried to explain it like this: pretend that you do get something out of it, and it's worth the risk to you, then why is that bad? But she was like a broken record... "You don't get anything out of it, it serves no purpose, it's one thing to do it once and cross it off your bucket list..."

If someone else is taking a risk I wouldn't take, my attitude is, if you enjoy your life more because of it, good for you. What's the alternative? Take no risks ever so you can ensure a comfortable life of working a lousy job and watching TV in the evening?

She's likely to stop talking to me if/when she finds out that I continue to jump. She can't accept it. It's too bad...

[doog 0]

Your two whuffos freinds..you didn't mention what high school the little girls are going to. Are they..like..chearleaders..or do they just hang out with the cool kids.

See what I'm sayin.

DOOG
Muff 846
All you people are here to make sure I have a good time.

[devildog 0]

My guess would be that even if they are legitimately not interested / jealous in your jumping activities, talking about it makes them feel like they are the odd one(s) out. No one likes that, no matter what the topic, because they can't relate to it. On one hand you don't want to badger them over the head, but on the other, they need not to be hypersensitive about it all as well.

Ignoring never works. If they're being blatantly resentful, I'd just call them out (nicely). Real friends will work to resolve differences. Fake ones won't, and in the end, you're better off.

/my .02

You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions.

[JohnMitchell 16]

I think you're starting to get these messages:

- A lot of people can be insecure enough to resent people more adventurous than themselves.

-It's very easy to bore your non-jumping friends to death with jump stories.

-The longer you jump, the more you'll have mostly jumpers as friends.

-It's best not to talk too much skydiving around non-jumpers, but if they ask you can certainly tell them it's fun. (That low-key approach actually adds to the "cool" mystique quite a bit.)

All of these things above are true to one extent or another.
I work for the FAA, spending a lot of time around air traffic controllers and pilots. I pretty much don't mention jumping because of many people's negative attitudes about it. Still, if someone asks, I'm glad to chat about it.

The other day the new COO of the FAA, David Grizzle, was touring our facility. My facility manager introduced me to him as "This is John Mitchell. He skydives." Dave was a super nice guy and asked me about it, so I got to chat with the new FAA head about jumping for a minute. Way cool.

So I guess the moral is this. Most people think skydiving is pretty cool, and like to hear a little about it. Just let them come to you. There's a lot of people I know that we just don't mention it.

[pyromelon 0]

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They're not true friends. They're jealous, hateful and spiteful. But they can still be useful:

http://www.google.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=recipes+for+human+flesh&pbx=1&oq=recipes+for+human+flesh&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1858l6081l0l6286l23l15l0l3l3l0l534l3166l0.4.4.2.1.1l12l0&changed_loc=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1024&bih=574&emsg=NCSR&noj=1&ei=8oZ2TvmyFoHs0gGFof3mDQ

My thought exactly. Lose the room mate. never live with someone unless yer sleeping with them but that has it's own hazards. I hate room mates.