So, it seems I touched on a nerve, or something twitchy, when I posted here last month about the scary hinterland that is the post A License Land of the Lost. A lot of you have thoughts about this but are too wussy to post an actual comment, so instead I’ve had the following conversation with like ten different jumpers I know IRL. Experienced Jumper: “So, Mar, I read your article. Interesting stuff.” Me: “Yeah? What did you think?” EJ: “Almost all jumpers go through this. You are not unique. Get tough. Jump with as experienced of people as you… » Read more…
Archive for the ‘Mary’s Skydive Blog’ Category
Cutaway? I’d like to. Anything but watch that again.
Posted: 23rd August 2010 by Mar in Mary's Skydive BlogLast week I watched the infamous and most lauded skydiving movie ever; Cutaway (2000). That is to say: it is lauded by skydivers. Wow. Did I say “most lauded”. As in, there was something to laud? Because holy crap people, this doesn’t speak well for the movie going sensibilities of skydivers! Now I realize, that demographically speaking, most skydivers are young single men, who probably find Starship Troopers enjoyable. (I’m not even kidding. I’ve had this discussion. More than once. With actual men who claim to find Starship Troopers good! For reals!) And I know that the viewing pleasures of… » Read more…
I wish I was a new AFF student again. For reals. Since graduating AFF and completing my A license I am feeling a little lost. When I go out to the drop zone, I no longer have an agenda. There is no clear plan. The instructions upon completion of your A license are essentially this: Learn. Be safe. Don’t do anything too stupid. Have fun. Bring more beer. I feel conflicted. I know that I have many things to work on (my track, my relative work, my body control, my canopy piloting) to be competent as a beginner. But where… » Read more…
I have a picture of me skydiving on the cover of a national magazine this month. No, it’s not Parachutist or Blue Skies. My cover is on TCL = Today’s Chiropractic Lifestyle. Still, it’s kinda a big deal. I wrote an article about why I fell in love with skydiving. Then I did a photo shoot with my friend Warren Cleary (who is a pretty crazy skilled free flier and photographer) and got the footage needed for the article and the editors liked the photos so much they used one for the cover. Here’s the PDF: TC_DoorToNow I’ve been a… » Read more…
Nine Signs of Obsession
Posted: 21st July 2010 by Mar in Mary's Skydive BlogTags: A license, Mary's story, obsession, parachuting, withdrawal
It’s been a hectic month, with two vacations and lots of travel. I’ve spent countless hours on airplanes, but sadly, not the kind you can jump out of. The end result: I’ve only logged six jumps in the past 30 days. Bummer. These are the signs of my increasingly obsessive behavior and its sad consequences: 1) I know exactly how many jumps I’ve accrued in the past 30 days. (Well, I guess that’s pretty normal for a newbie like me.) 2) I spent ten days in a tropical and exotic place (Okinawa, Japan) where I climbed a waterfall, camped on… » Read more…
What NOT To Do
Posted: 25th June 2010 by Mar in Mary's Skydive BlogTags: camera, door of plane, Jagermeister, Mary's story
Let’s say you’re a newbie and you are trying to learn all the things you need to know to survive your first few months of drop zone life. Skydiving is all about understanding what is expected of you and doing exactly that. Here are a few VERY CRITICAL rules that you will not find in the SIM that will make your newbie status go more smoothly. I hope. (Please send pictures.) 1) Do not leave your log book unattended. Why? Because an unattended/unsecured logbook is an OPEN INVITATION for f**kery. You might as well leave it with a glowing post-it note on… » Read more…
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