Butterflybabe

too old

Aaahhhhh, yes, The evil concept of work does interfere with what we would much rather be doing, but we all have to do it. It probably really is a good thing that I'm poor or I would do nothing but jump out of planes. Then I would become totally irresponsible, so it does keep me on track(but I'm still playing the lottery Welcome to our addiction! Fly High, Be Safe, Land Smooth

Welcome Shinda, Get ready for the best time of your life! If your like most of us... one jump and your hooked. I think that this is a great thing that your father and you are doing. I do hope that the weather will cooperate with you, but if not there is the next day or even the next weekend. I gave this to my daughter as an 18th birthday present too. I had promised since she was eight years old that we would do this together. Now, every spare dime that either one of us have goes for a jump. I also know what you mean about not wanting to be on the "other side of the bed" I'm a nurse too. Let us know how it turns out and how soon you plan on doing it again! Fly High, Be Safe, Land Smooth!

"Why I waited until I was almost 47 years old to experience this is beyond me !!!!!" I know the feeling. I'm 49 and can't understand why I didn't do this years ago! I've only done the second tandem and now on to the third this week-end. Can't wait! My first jump was in Sept...... I haven't come down yet! Fly high. Be safe and Land smooth

Welcome! I'm 49 and just started my tandem progression too! You will love it! The first time is awesome, the second time is even better and I can't wait to do it again and again, and again! Please let us know how it goes. Good Luck, Be safe, and Fly High.

I agree with testpilot. Move closer to the DZ. I only live an hour from ours and I want to sell our house and move so I can jump everyday and if we buy a cheaper house I can use the extra money for the jumps!!! Great idea huh? Now, if I can just convince everyone else in the family. I AM NOT ADDICTED !

Florida is the place to be. We have the weather, the tunnel and great DZ's.

Tandem progression? Definitely the way to go. It gives you a chance to learn knowing that if you do forget something there is someone at your back (literally) to help. Like AggieDave said....alot less stressful.

Yep, that seems to be the price at most DZ's for the "first" of everything. At that, our DZ seems to look for any "first" to celebrate cause there always seems to be alot of beer after the final jump of the day goes up.

My husband thinks that I am just completely nuts for wanting to jump out of an airplane if I don't absolutely have to do it. Maybe I am, but if I am, I'm sure not ythe only one that is (including our daughter). Besides I'm safer skydiving than driving on the interstate everyday. Now that is scary!!!!! Good luck on talking hubby into it, I didn't give mine a choice. He comes and watches my daughter and I jump, so he's very supportive even if he does say were are nuts!

YES!!! Please get copies made. You will never be able to replace "your first time" Normal? ....Hmmmm what is so good about being normal? I would rather be obsessed with jumping out of a plane and free-falling through the air. I still get excited everytime I watch our videos!! At that, thanks for reminding me...I need to see it again! Later. Fly high, Stay Safe and Welcome To Our World.

Oh yeah, you've got it bad!!! If you are a freak...... You have plenty of company!!!! LOL. We are all waiting for payday to fly too! This is an awesome web site and it does help to know that the craving you have is shared by so many that started out as a one time "just to see if I can do it" thing. I really feel like I should warn you though the next time IT GETS EVEN BETTER!!!

LOL, Thank you, you know that the feeling is mutual. I love you with all my heart. You are my life. At the height of living, I will always want to share it with you. Again, ................ Now, it’s time to take a deep breath. Realize how much potential you have and that there is no limit to what you can do and what life has to offer you. Jump into life with the laughter, confidence, sense of wonder and adventure, that you already possess…….and dance with the wind. Knowing that we are and will always be there with you, standing beside you, at your back, leading you on, or waiting for you to come back down to earth. We both love you are always there for you! Momma

Thank you for the compliment! You are so very correct. I do RESPECT and Support my daughters interest. I also realize that although we are very much alike in so many ways.............. I always try to remind myself that she is still her own person. Sometimes, I have to make myself stop and think "Am I feeling this for her or for me"? After I figure out my motivation, then I know how to proceed with any controversial issue between us. Moms' are strange creatures. We want to protect those that we love from anything that might possibly harm them and sometimes we over-react to what we think might harm them. We forget to trust that we have done a good job and raised our children well enough to make competent decissions for themselves. Your mom is just afraid that something will happen to you and she feels helpless that there is nothing she can do about it. It is a shame to let something that is so wonderful, exciting, interesting and SAFE come between you all. This is something that you all could be sharing too, even if she never actually does it herself. We do talk about every little aspect of the jump (and everything else too). We would both still want to do it if the other didn't, and we would still share the experience no matter what. Personally, I would rather have my precious daughter jump out of an airplane everyday than to drive on the highways. Now that is scary!!!! Please don't give up on your mom. Try telling her that you love your life, that you appreciate all the things about yourself that she has given you, and that you understand that a big part of the reason you are who you are is because of the example she has set for you, and that you are happy with the results of growing up with her. You know the old "I'm okay ...(and I raised her so) she's okay syndrome" We all need some affirmation that we've done a good job and some of us think that being "mom" is the biggest and most important thing that we have ever or will ever do. Good Luck!

Okay, I think that we all probably did a little quick inhale at reading your screen name because we've all had the same question asked like.... "Are you crazy?" "Do you have a death wish?" "What's the matter with you?" "Do you want to die? I like another pearl of wisdom I picked up at the DZ this weekend from another jumper. He said "I just tell them I skydive because I choose to live, not because I choose to die and everytime I pull that cord, I'm reminded of just how much I love living." I think that you will fit right in here because everyone I've met so far have a few common personality traits and one of those traits are that they are meticulous about safety, theirs and everyone eleses (is that spelled right?) too. Butterflybabe

Ohhh...I agree. This is excellent advice! Hang around the DZ and learn as much as you can before your first jump. I wish that I had. When I went up and out the first time, all I knew is that I wanted to do it and I relied totally on my tandem instructor to know the "hows" I think that I would have enjoyed it even more if I had known more. Always Keep looking and learning, Fly Fast, Be Safe and Good Luck! Butterflybabe

I hope that your learning process includes some of the many good books on the sport. An informed jump student is a good one! Absolutely! We are reading everything that we can get our hands on about skydiving!!! But I've got to tell you that nothing in the books or on the net can compare to the coaching that the instructors give. You all are great! At our last jump, one of the instructors said "It's giving a little something back to the sport that has given you so much" I like that. but it's even more than that, it's sharing something you love with someone so that they can appreciate it too. It takes alot to teach well and I've noticed that you all realize that this is something that you cannot afford to teach poorly. The tandem instrutor that I have had for my first two jumps is awesome. He knows when to kid around and lighten the mood, and when to be serious and make me pay attention. He's also real patience with my stupid mistakes. Butterflybabe

NO, I'm sorry, I guess I didn't make myself very clear. My daughter is eighteen now. When she was eight we watched a free-fall skydiving formation on T.V. She loved it and want to do it. I told her that she was too young to do yet. She asked me when she could and I told her when she was eighteen. Of course, she asked if I would jump with her and I said that I would. (What was I thinking......I know that she never forgets anything?) The subject came up from time to time over the past 10 years and when she asked I always reaffirmed that yes, we would jump out of a plane if that is what she wanted for her birthday. She was given several very tempting options for her birthday present, and she still chose the skydive promise. It was her birthday present, but by giving her what she wanted, we both recieved more than we expected. It was so cool. For a week before our first jump (in our panic states) we were saying to each other "Can we do this?"and reassuring each other that we could. Then, immediately after the jump, we said "We did it, Let's do it again!!!" What can I say some mothers and daughters bake cookies together(which is great fun too. My daughter and I get tatooed and skydive together. It was intended as a "one time, got to do this" thing that has turned into a "I can do this better next time, got to have more" obsession for both of us. The really strange thing is that neither one of us is prone to excessive indulgence in anything, but we can't get enough and can't learn fast enough! We're always talking about when we learn enough to do what we see some of you more experienced jumpers do with ease. Oh my, I've rambled on enough for now. Hope that makes it clearer. Butterflybabe

We're going to do another tandem (our third) in two weeks, then groundschool, and then the Instructor Assisted Freefall Jumps, and then on and on and on. We both want to learn and do everything that we can. We love the sport and the people involved in it. I don't know if it's just being "like-minded" or not, but everyone seems to be so outgoing and easy to be with. Butterflybabe

Tandem jumps are expensive...............but so is any "hands on" training that you get. I think that it is well worth it, besides I've already started telling my family and friends that skydiving gift certificates would be great birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day, 4th of July, Ground Hog Day, and New Years Eve presents. If they want to know what I really want ....just one more jump please.............. Butterflybabe

Hi ya all, My name is Marsha, I have a confession. I AM IN LOVE. We (my daughter and I) did our second tandem jump this week-end. I had to do it again just to convince myself that it was really as captivated as I thought after the first jump. The second time was even better!!! Like other post that I have read from you all, I can't eat, can't sleep, can't stop day-dreaming about the next time. Yep, it must be love! Since I am so new to it I really appreciate the patience that everyone at the DZ in Quincy have shown for the newbie(s). What a great team and we are looking forward to getting to know everyone better! What started out as a 10 year birthday present promise to an 8 year old has turned into something we will both enjoy learning and growing in for a long, long time. Can't wait to do it again, and again, and again! Butterflybabe