jclalor 12 #1 October 13, 2008 As I am fairly new to the sport and still in the phase where it's pretty much all I think about, I find it hard that none of my non jumping friends or family ( as I am new I don't really have jump friends away from the DZ) seem even interested in the slightest in what I do. When ever I tell them things like I just finished AFF or just did my A check dive or like today landed 2 miles out, they just look at me, shake their heads and say i'm nuts. I suppose I will learn to just keep it all to my self in time but god its going to be hard to do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 210 #2 October 13, 2008 They don't care or don't understand and never will. Start hanging more with your new jump friends. I started jumping with 4 friends (all brothers) so we pretty much never stopped talking skydive. Drove everyone around us nuts. In hindsight we became non-sociable if you weren't a jumper. Here's a pic of them from the early 80's at Parkman. Paul (bellywart) dropped out first. His new wife forbade it. Sean (nearest the camera) was next. Same wife problem. Tim (other white jumpsuit) made about 600 jumps before his new wife dropped the hammer. That left just Dan and I to continue. Still jump with him todayAs far as we know this is the only time in skydiving history 4 brothers did RW. Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #3 October 13, 2008 I opted for the divorce. And now I have zero non-skydiving friends I hang out with.my pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #4 October 13, 2008 Quote non jumping friends or family what are those ? scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #5 October 13, 2008 Have a little empathy... imagine if your friends started pontificating about their latest undewater basket weaving or bowling adventures, you'd probably glaze over too. Everyone has their interests, and it's perfectly ok for skydiving not to be the top of everyone's list. Be careful not to isolate your friends/family due to your skydiving high... the sky will always be there for you, but your friends/family may not be when you need them most if you alienate them. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #6 October 13, 2008 As far as we know this is the only time in skydiving history 4 brothers did RW. THAT is Kewell ! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #7 October 13, 2008 QuoteAs I am fairly new to the sport and still in the phase where it's pretty much all I think about, I find it hard that none of my non jumping friends or family ( as I am new I don't really have jump friends away from the DZ) seem even interested in the slightest in what I do. Some of my friends golf and I'm not at all interested in where they chased those silly white balls around or what sort of new driver they got to whack their balls. I don't care that I don't know what an eagle or bogie is, let alone what happens when you double them. I'd say skydiving is pretty much the same, except it's not. Skydiving is worse because it's about paying lots of money to dress up in goofy suits, go for plane rides with no seats where people fart on you, hold hands, and fold laundry. Golf is pretty much only interesting to people who golf. Skydiving is pretty much only interesting to people who skydive. You might end up with an especially supportive spouse who takes pictures on the ground or have a hang-gliding co-worker who wants to fly birdman suits although anything more is unlikely. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #8 October 13, 2008 Skydiving is worse because it's about paying lots of money to dress up in goofy suits, go for plane rides with no seats where people fart on you, hold hands, and fold laundry. You owe me a freakin' keyboard! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mamajumps 0 #9 October 13, 2008 There are two kinds of people: Those who skydive or want to and those who never will. Those who do or want too, will always listen. Those who don't... well you can talk until your blue in the face, show them safety facts over and over and they will never be interested nor never get it. I think it is good that it is this way, b/c not all people are meant to be skydivers... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LadiDadi 0 #10 October 13, 2008 I just didn't have any friends to begin with. It made it much easier that way. My family is all 100% supportive of my deisre to fling myself out of airplanes as long as I promise to not try to hang from any wing struts any time soon... My husband and his friends all drive me nuts talking about things I know nothing about and don't care to know anything about. We have an agreement. They get going on the latest debugging nightmare or how many aliens they shot with the plasma launcher (or whatthefuckever) then I will start in on skydiving and gun ranges. "I found and fixed 20 bugs yesterday!!" "Oh yeah? I found 22!!" "Oh YEAH?!? I stepped out of an airplane at 13,500 feet wearing a soldier like a backpack..." "I killed all the Wizzy Hoozies on level 658!" "I finally destroyed the Goober Hauzen using only a slingshot and a bag of radioactive catepillars!" "Really?!? I put a lot of holes in a piece of paper with a 9mm. A real one. With real bullets." They think I'm weird, I think they're weird. I indulge them, they indulge me.If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you. **************************** Be like the cupcake and suck it up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacketsdb23 49 #11 October 13, 2008 Its all about balance my friend. Its OK to have non-jumping friends but don't alienate them by talking skydiving all the time. Talk skydiving with your skydiving friends ( we all talk about skydiving more than we should outside of skydiving...it just happens.) When your skydiving buddies start telling you to jump more and your non-skydiving buddies tell you to stop jumping so much...you probably have the balance just about right . Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen God is Good Beer is Great Swoopers are crazy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevecliff 0 #12 October 13, 2008 keep a life and friends outside of skydiving, I've known skydivers in the past who have had to leave the sport (for different reasons) to find that once the skydiving was gone, they didn't have much left, ditching your non skydiving friends ain't a good decision really.Walking Holidays in Spain http://www.catalanadventures.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #13 October 13, 2008 Quote There are two kinds of people: Those who skydive or want to and those who never will. I think there is one other kind. Those who don't know YET that they want to skydive. I was one of those. Even when I occasionally heard people talk about having done a skydive, it never occured to me I would someday try it and like it. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NotBond 0 #14 October 13, 2008 I understand completely. As an avid hovercrafter, people look at me strangely, and the wife thinks I'm off center. I have hover friends who do nothing but discuss that sport with talk about prop tip speed, cushion inflation pressure, etc. Skydiving is just another chapter. As long as you don't become a skydiver preacher, (or hovercraft, for that matter), who's duty it is to educate all the non-believing heathens, you should be fine. Or maybe just thought of as "eccentric"...Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guru312 0 #15 October 13, 2008 Quote... they just look at me, shake their heads and say i'm nuts. In my mind, this thread and the "Packing" thread have some overlapping similarities. IMO, most people don't take up jumping, or continue beyond a tandem, because they can't deal with the very stark reality of taking responsibility for their own life. They can avoid thinking about doing so in most areas of life but not jumping. I would love to see statistics on the yearly total number of people who do a tandem but never do AFF or a S/L first jump course. I can't relate to none jumpers; I don't want to try to relate to them; they don't get it: the non-jumper doesn't get the "packing your own parachute" metaphor as a way of living life. Then again, maybe it's as simple as their lack of the D4DR genetic connection. We gravitate toward those who are like us. [Yes, it is intended.]Guru312 I am not DB Cooper Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #16 October 14, 2008 QuoteGolf is pretty much only interesting to people who golf. Skydiving is pretty much only interesting to people who skydive. I actually know quite a few skydivers who also golf here in FL. In my opinion, a person is more interesting if they have more in their life than just one sport or hobby.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harris 0 #17 October 14, 2008 I've found with my non jumping friends that skydiving tales are only interesting the first two or three times. After that you get the drooling, glazed eyes, or the walking away. I'm still in that stage where somedays it's all I think about and all I want to talk about. You just gotta learn to regulate it. I've had friends get mad at me 'cause it's all I've talked about sometimes and I can understand their frustration. As someone mentioned earlier I don't think I'd like to hear about underwater basket weaving all the time. Once my dad started jumping it was easier to calm down and not talk about it as much since I had an outlet at home. Sure annoys the piss out of my mom! Moral of the story: get someone in your family to do it with you! If you can, that is... Take risks not to to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pirana 0 #18 October 14, 2008 Quote Skydiving is worse because it's about paying lots of money to dress up in goofy suits, go for plane rides with no seats where people fart on you, hold hands, and fold laundry. So, in relation to that other thread, . . . do you do your own laundry, or pay for fluff-n-fold?" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrumpot 1 #19 October 14, 2008 I had a whuffo wife once, who "forbade" my jumping, past my 40th birthday. All through my late 30's she kept saying she accepted it as my mid-life crisis. Wasn't too long following my 40th birthday that I simply cut that wife away! Whuffo's just don't understand, and never will. No use in even trying to bring 'em around either. You'll figure that out for yourself too I'm sure, soon enough. coitus non circum - Moab Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy_Copland 0 #20 October 14, 2008 I never understood people who can't mix. To me it almost sounds selfish that you can't "shut off". I mean when im around friends who are whuffo's i'll drink beer, watch some sports and simply not talk about my jumping. Just be "normal" for a day. Then when i go to jumpers houses i'll not shut up about "hey, wouldnt this be cool to try" and generally talking about rigging and toys. I find it easy to balance to the two.1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrumpot 1 #21 October 14, 2008 Oh, don't get me wrong - with FRIENDS, absolutely I can (and do!) do that too. However, when a spouse throws down that "make a choice" ultimatum - well, then, now you already know what my choice when that happened was.coitus non circum - Moab Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Laura182 0 #22 October 14, 2008 "Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen" Dude, you should totally make that a t-shirt!! lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #23 October 14, 2008 Quote Quote Golf is pretty much only interesting to people who golf. Skydiving is pretty much only interesting to people who skydive. I actually know quite a few skydivers who also golf here in FL. In my opinion, a person is more interesting if they have more in their life than just one sport or hobby. Well said. Golf clap..............golf clap............golf clap May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trab1925 0 #24 October 15, 2008 Man, you guys sound worse than the biking crowd. Now that is BAD! We thought we were the only badasses around. Haha I'm returning to this forum every once and awhile till I am able to get my license. I turn 18 in a few months and for the time being I've been biking my ass off!! You guys don't even wanna know what biking does to your free time/social life. lol panicked did a 180 and nosed it down into a road and hit a car.Hit a car how many planes with skydivers have a car accident? Only here. -recovercrachead Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladydyver 0 #25 October 15, 2008 you boyz just need to come out and play with me DPH # 2 "I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~ I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
