I'm guessing there was alcohol involved...

[RavensGryf]

Birdman, I'm sure it was that couple. Too bad.

 

[Scott]

I'm familiar with skydiving but had to Google "base jumping." Ummm, NO!

At least the fixed-wing aspect of skydiving is regulated, and the FAA has some jurisdiction over what is dropped from an aircraft. The sport has always appealed to me, but it's just not gonna happen - I'm afraid of heights except when aboard an aircraft. There's a skydiving operation at a small airport less than 1 mile from my home, and I've watched with curiosity......

 

[Kiwibird]

We wanted to try skydiving, but it cost too much That and I have major issues with needing to be strapped to some random guy. I totally understand the rule for the safety of totally inexperienced people, but I just don't appreciate close contact with total strangers. Freaks me out more than the thought of jumping out of a plane:52:

As a teen, me and my friends were dumb to the point we all could've died on multiple occasions. Not even "thrill seeking", more sheer idiocy and over-confidence in our own immortality. We "explored" some long abandoned mine shafts way out in the desert. God only knows how unsafe that was. Also built a working flame gun with my friends that in hindsight, may well have blown up in our faces. Dumb luck saved us on that one. Probably the scariest one was when we had a huge snowstorm and my friends wanted to go off-roading. About 10/15 miles out in the middle of the woods, no roads, no civilization, my friend turned around, apparently into some kind of dip in the earth, and rolled his jeep on it's side. It was late afternoon and the snow was coming down pretty hard. THAT was a truly frightening situation. By some random chance of the universe, we walked about 2 miles before running into some other off roaders who gave us a ride back to town or we would've froze to death before we could've hiked out. And of course when you're 15/16 years old, you don't think about staying with the vehicle where theres shelter. We tried to hike out with no thought to the setting sun or impending 6-8" new snowfall expected (on top of the 12-14" or so old snowfall on the ground). As an adult looking back, that was probably one of the dumbest things I've EVER done. Had those people not found us, we would've been discovered next spring when our bodies thawed out:52:.

 

[RavensGryf]

Had those people not found us, we would've been discovered next spring when our bodies thawed out:52:.

Oh my gosh April...

If our parents only knew what we did as teens they'd have never let us out of the house. I don't remember what excuses they believed (where we said we were going/doing) :54:...

I'm not a drinker as an adult... BUT as a teen, it was disgustingly easy to get booze. Back then it was terrible how there were so many liquor stores who would sell to minors... THEN WE'D GO DRIVING while totally smashed!!! Nothing ever happened thank God (except my friend getting sick all over the inside of my parents car, which miraculously we were able to clean out the next day before returning it):52: Ughh!!! I'll never forget that and other crazy things we did!

 

[Kiwibird]

Had those people not found us, we would've been discovered next spring when our bodies thawed out:52:.

Oh my gosh April...

If our parents only knew what we did as teens they'd have never let us out of the house. I don't remember what excuses they believed (where we said we were going/doing) :54:...

I'm not a drinker as an adult... BUT as a teen, it was disgustingly easy to get booze. Back then it was terrible how there were so many liquor stores who would sell to minors... THEN WE'D GO DRIVING while totally smashed!!! Nothing ever happened thank God (except my friend getting sick all over the inside of my parents car, which miraculously we were able to clean out the next day before returning it):52: Ughh!!! I'll never forget that and other crazy things we did!

Tsk Tsk Julie.... And you're sure your parents never noticed:20: How did anyone ever survive to adulthood lol?!

There was a "don't ask, don't tell" kinda policy going on in my house. I think my parents preferred not to know some of the things I got up to:54: Most of my "trouble making" was more boredom-gone-bad (and occasionally alcohol-related poor decision making). I think the only time they really freaked is when I busted my head open pretty bad and more for the fact no one called 911 and then not telling them about it until I came home the next morning (see, I didn't need an er visit!).

I really like (watching others) free running and have been nudging my hubby (who is far more athletic than me) to try to see what they're doing and try to teach me! But I fear that ship may have already sailed....I'm a little too old to take up any kind of new "extreme" physical activity. I think you have to start that stuff in your teens...

 

[RavensGryf]

No kidding, I don't know HOW we actually made it to adulthood!

Honestly, I know for a fact my parents didn't know the majority of what I did or where I went as a teen and young adult. Maybe I said I was going "bowling" or something. They were so over protective that they would have been worried sick had they known or suspected any of it.

When I was a little older, my dad would occasionally go in my car and find a cigarette box under my seat now and then, and he'd say "what's that?" Then I'd say something like "Oh! uhhhh... yeah, 'so and so' was in my car and they're his!" Then my dad would say "Oh." I don't smoke now... Looking back that was hilarious.

Free running?! Yeah, I think you have to be young enough to not mind too much if you break bones on a regular basis 'practicing'!

 

[Birdman666]

Skydiving is one of those things that I simply LIVE FOR... and it's something missing from my life at the moment.

One of the beast days of my life. Sunset load with a bunch of my friends... fully aerobatic dive in a sky that was purple, and orange, with the Monterey Bay below us back lit gold. Lots of thermal activity over the landing area, and about 8 red tailed hawks were up and playing in the thermals...

I opened high (around 4,500 feet) and they let me swoop with them in their enviornment for about ten minutes... playing follow the leader with a flock of wild hawks in this amazingly lit up sky...

when I finally swooped in and landed, I think I was high for a year from that!

Spirituality is one of those over used terms that is hard to define... but that incident defined it for me! This is something that is just part of my soul... it's in my genetic make up.

There are basically three kinds of people in this world.

The people that want to try it once just to say they've done it.

The people who can't imagine why on earth anyone ever would do something so istupid.

And the people like me, who live for it.

Most of the folks you meet on the drop zone, are like minded idiots who live for it. Those are my peeps...

 

[RavensGryf]

I understand what you're saying Birdman. When you were actively doing it, how did your ex's feel about it? Did they do it too? If you did it often, would you feel your significant other would have to be a part of the lifestyle and mindset also? Or would it be okay if they didn't share that part of your life? Just curious. I'm assuming the majority of your friends who do this prefer partners who do too.

 

[Birdman666]

Short answer, between that and my birds, I got dumped routinely....

skydiving chicks are fun, but they don't tend to hang around very long...

I get the ultimatum a lot. Get rid of your birds, stop doing the things you love.....

Or just end it.

 

[Scott]

I get the ultimatum a lot. Get rid of your birds, stop doing the things you love.....

Or just end it.

Them's fight'n words! I'd say "so long, and don't let the door hit your vent on the way out!!"

I've "lost" several girlfriends because of my birds and the stereotypes of my work-group peers. I don't cheat; ending an uncomfortable or unworkable relationship is more honorable.

 

[Birdman666]

I get the ultimatum a lot. Get rid of your birds, stop doing the things you love.....

Or just end it.

Them's fight'n words! I'd say "so long, and don't let the door hit your vent on the way out!!"

I've "lost" several girlfriends because of my birds and the stereotypes of my work-group peers. I don't cheat; ending an uncomfortable or unworkable relationship is more honorable.

AGREED.

When I was younger, and my world revolved around adventure sports, particularly surfing (and skydiving), I was given "the ultimatum" - those things scare ME - So you are not allowed to do them anymore!

I've had some absolutely strange requests especially when I was newly divorced. I think the most insulting one EVER was the person I dated (ever so briefly) who "kindly suggested" that I give up custody of my daughter to my ex... Because she wanted children of her own, but didn't want to "GET STUCK WITH" raising another woman's child...

Yeah, exactly! You can imagine how well that went over... I WAS PRETTY MUCH FIT TO KILL!

The birds do tend to screw up my relationships... sooner or later some girlfriend makes a snide remark, and that mushrooms into a fight, which leads to the ultimatum - some sort of "love test" - "It's either me or your birds..." Prove you love me more by getting rid of the animals you love.

I couldn't do it. "OMG! THE BA$TARD PICKED THE BIRDS... !!!

No!

Actually, it's more like a woman who actually loves me wouldn't try and take away something that brings that much joy to my life... and would understand that they mean almost as much to me as my kid, and wouldn't try to tear my life apart trying to force me into making that choice (6 weeks to 6 months) into the relationship...

Oh, and by the way, you had one foot out the door ANYWAY... CUZ you were willing to walk away and just forget about me if I didn't do as you commanded! (Not exactly the stuff that inspires loyalty...)

So, let me think about this, I get rid of everything I love, and do what you say, how you say, when you say - AND PAY FOR DINNER... OR ELSE! And I am in my own personal private hell with no personal identity except the one you make up for me today, and want me to change tomorrow, wondering if my birds are okay, and happy, and well cared for. AND YOU PROBABLY END UP WALKING OUT EVENTUALLY ANYWAY...

Sounds like heaven!!!

Some things are JUST NOT NEGOTIABLE...

Rachel actually had more birds than I did. (And I had 11 at the time!) She loved them almost as much as I did. Sarah was NOT her biological daughter, but she was capable of loving her, and being the great "MOM" role model my daughter never knew...

And she loved me for who and what I am, and perhaps at times, in spite of it!

THAT WAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP!!! And that I would fight, kill, and die for...

Ultimatums?! You want me to change everything about myself?!

What you really want is SOMEONE ELSE!

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!