piisfish 140 #51 March 20, 2006 QuoteI've taken to making up 'normal' weekend activities as saying shopping/paintball/cycling gets the "what ya doin this weeknd/how was it" BS smalltalk out the way faster..Just say you went out to take some fresh air... At least you don't make up stuff and there's no lie scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #52 March 20, 2006 QuoteQuoteI've gotta say the novelty of answering the question does wear off. Especially when you're working with new clients/coworkers every week or two. I've taken to making up 'normal' weekend activities as saying shopping/paintball/cycling. It's funny, isn't it? When you first start skydiving you want the world to know, and after a while you realise they'll never understand, so you just keep it to yourself, to enjoy. Exactly. I tell almost nobody new anymore, because I'm just plain sick of the same ole questions. I ask my family not to mention it too liberally, either, for the same reason. And yeah, I'm usually evasive on the "what did you do this weekend?" question. Skydiving is mine. It's not an invitation to every fleeting acquaintance out there to plumb the depths of my psyche. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanglesOZQld 0 #53 March 20, 2006 As someone who was also had a PPL I too agree that there is no such thing as a perfectly good aeroplane!! When Cessna started making 172's again I flew in a few that had as little hours as possible for a customer/consumer to fly them and they still had little problems. Nothing at all to be alarmed about but not a "Perfect" aeroplane in the technical sense of the wording ;) BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wobblyhead 0 #54 March 20, 2006 Ahaha 172's scare me too, nothing quite like having one shoulder squashed up against your instructor and the other against the fuselage Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yossarian 0 #55 March 20, 2006 did you know more people die playing golf every year than skydiving? - not sure if its true or not but sounds about right. and more people die (apparently) from toilet seat related incidents in the US every year than die from skydiving in europe. once again from a potentially dodgy source (old issue of FHM i think) but still... makes them chuckle if nothing else Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ROK 0 #56 March 20, 2006 I started telling them that it's a secret, only those who jump know the secret, and unless you jump, you'll never know. I'm bound by an oath never to share that which has to be earned, and has been earned by so few. And then I walk away... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #57 March 20, 2006 Becuse we use perfectly good parachutes.Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LearningTOfly 0 #58 March 20, 2006 Doesn't the conversation go: "Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane?" "Well, there's no such thing as a perfectly good airplane" "...there's no such thing as a perfectly good parachute, either." "Thats why we carry two..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dmetz 0 #59 March 20, 2006 "Why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane?" - (Raise one eyebrow) What; you mean you haven't?! (Raise both eyebrows in disgust, and walk away shaking my head)_________________________________________ "If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freefal 0 #60 March 20, 2006 I think it would be more fun to reply with something completely abnormal and freaky like: "I don't know. I mean why do I get a boner every time I see Carrot Top, or why do midget farts smell better than farts from average people? It's just one of those things ya know?"... Then just walk away. If they though you were a little odd before because you jump then they'll think you're just plain crazy and won't ask you anymore stupid questions after that! "Ignorance is bliss" and "Patience is a virtue"... So if you're stupid and don't mind waiting around for a while, I guess you can have a pretty good life! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #61 March 20, 2006 Stolen from a tv show about diving with sharks...... "While an average of 15 people a year are killed by sharks worldwide, more than 10 times that number are killed by falling coconuts." ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #62 March 20, 2006 QuoteI say, "Is that as much as you've thought about it?" I, too, get bored quickly with small-talk and cliches. That's a response that will stop that scripted conversation that comes every time someone hears that I skydive. Now they say, "What do you mean?" and I say, "I'm asking you to think about it instead of asking the same question I hear from everyone. Why do I skydive? It's fun and I like the people, the same reason you do anything." As for "the plane isn't so perfect." I don't really like OUR part of the cliche conversation in that respect. I don't jump because, "LOOK OUT, I'm a crazy guy, put me in a Mountain Dew comercial and call me X-treme! I'm a risk taker a rule breaker!" No. It's fun, simple. I'm not saying it's wrong to joke about the risk aspect, it just gets old with repetition. Sorry, I'm no fun right now. No fun or fun, it's a good answer and I'm repeating it here. I ask them why saying that makes them giggle nervously and if they ever write their own material. Then I ask them if they really want to know something or if stating the cliche puts them back into their comfort zone (and if they are through with their flip insult to a legitimate sport they don't know anything about). The question is just a knee jerk response they use to get around something that makes them uncomfortable enough to throw out a worn out cliche to minimize something that's a big part of my life. Or something like that..... ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orange1 0 #63 March 20, 2006 [thinks] do people ever ask paragliders why they jump off perfectly good mountains?Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pchapman 279 #64 March 20, 2006 Quote[thinks] do people ever ask paragliders why they jump off perfectly good mountains? Yes they get that. To which frustrated paraglider pilots say there's no jumping involved, that they inflate the canopy and fly off the mountainside! Or they have to start into an careful explanation of the differences between paragliding, parasailing, hang gliding, and BASE. As for the original skydiving question, I usually go with one of the answers like, "Because it's incredibly fun, challenging, and exciting." Other things to add in are that the view is great, there's incredible freedom in the sky, that it's my preferred way to catch a nice cool breeze in summer, or that it can be very relaxing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
abelizegirl 0 #65 March 20, 2006 My conversation with a friend went something like this..... Q) "Why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane?" A) "Because the guy strapped to my back said he could show me a short cut home." Q) "But why did you do it the second time?" A) "I forgot the directions from the first time." (Blank Stare....then the light dawned) He actually thought he could just walk in and y'all would just hand him a parachute and let him jump. I said "sure, they will. And where it asks for the beneficiary....... It's all Jimmy Buffet's fault. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivermom 0 #66 March 22, 2006 I usually tell them "well, I haven't jumped out of one yet and I have 31 jumps" ...or "when we find one we'll stay in it."Mrs. WaltAppel All things work together for good to them that love God...Romans 8:28 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crazydiver 0 #67 March 22, 2006 QuoteCan someone give me a great line to throw back to the Whuffos that start with the "why would you want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?" bs everytime I bring up jumping? I've heard the one about "the door was open" but are there any other great ones that I can use instead of throttling the little people that spew this junk?? Oh and I did my first solo today and it was awesome.... Oh how I loath hearing that line. My girlfriend was saying something the other day about how she thought I enjoyed when people found out I was a skydiver...I really don't soemtimes. I like to wait until I know the person and they know who I am before they know I am a jumper. People instantly become interested in your company sometimes if they know that, and I hate how fake of a friendship that is. Skydiving is a huge part of my life, but i dont bring it up for quite sometime after I meet the person. Cheers, Travis Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yjumpinoz 0 #68 March 22, 2006 I tell them the truth. I work on airplanes and I know for sure there are no perfectly good airplanes... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #69 March 22, 2006 Having crashed in one and bailed out of at least 4 other inflight emergencies..... I personally liked the sign at Skydive Houston on the wall at the rear of the otter that said, "If you must smoke, please step outside!" or the classic (cock your head with a grin to the ladies) "Remember when sex was safe and skydiving was dangerous?"____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
godfrog 2 #70 March 22, 2006 I am afraid of heights and when the airplane gets to high I get scared and jump out.Experience is a difficult teacher, she gives you the test first and the lesson afterward Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #71 March 22, 2006 Quote"Remember when sex was safe and skydiving was dangerous?" That one annoys the hell outta me. Pretty much every self-consciously cool activity uses it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
des 2 #72 March 22, 2006 stock answer #1. it's better than jumping from a crap one. #2. dont knock it , till you've tried it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richards 0 #73 March 22, 2006 Wow, some of you have had some very negative experiences with non-jumpers. I myself do not mind such questions. I realize that to the uninitiated this can seem somewhat insane. Most people I have run into generally seem interested, and usually ask a few questions, and thats it. I do however find it amusing that almost all of them say "I have wanted to do that for so long" and yet every time I invite them they come up with reason after reason not to. Richards My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #74 March 23, 2006 How long have you been jumping? Just a curiosity thing; for me the incessant repetition of the same questions became annoying after about a year... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #75 March 23, 2006 It may be old, but the t-shirt is really cool. Little sperm dudes exiting a DC-3 swooping on an egg.____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
