Fly your own body

When taking first time skydivers on tandems, I never succomb to the notion that I should grab my student's arms or leg lock them, control them in order to affect the flight or the environment or outcome. I just fly my own body. If their arms are in one area, I find space in another, either in front or behind, and just find clean air. I find space that they don't want, and take it. I fly it. I find where there is free space and own that. I am flexible enough. Resilient enough. Skilled enough. Just fly my body fluidly and adeptly, behind them. Behind. The one in front may be "in front" and it's all about them, of course it is. But. I know who is really in control. Ironically my control comes from letting go and flowing rather than force.

I feel I've lived my life like that. For good or bad. There are advantages and disadvantages to doing life like that. Being in the background and often invisible, not interfering with the goal of giving others that experience. But. Given my skills, my strengths, my weakness, my intellect, my gender... this is how I can do it. It's okay. I'll celebrate with them. And then pack up and do it again.

I see this habit of not flying your own body also when skydivers get together doing formation skydiving, like 2-ways, who aren't skilled or experienced. As soon as they dock, that is, take a grip on the other person, they stop flying their own body and just hang on for dear life. They are unconscious to the fact they're even doing this. But you can easily tell because their legs are in, feet almost on their butt. And there's so much tension on the grip, it's uncomfortable to stay together. But you do it. As soon as one person lets go, the pair is flung apart wildly, with a lot of space generated instantly. Reminds me of relationships sometimes. When someone is not flying their own body in the relationship.

It's difficult to stay together, and sometimes even to get together. In freefall, as one person approaches another, often, they find it difficult to get close enough to take a grip. Some skydivers think this is from reaching their hands out, or from not having their legs out. But .. there's another force at work here. As you get closer to another person, the airflow coming off your body that is invisible to you hit the other person's airflow coming off their body. The two of you are repelled sort of like opposing magnets. From something that's invisible to both of you, and neither of your fault. The closer you get together, the harder it is to stay there. (Did I say, sort of like relationships?) What it takes to overcome that is, both people must put more effort in towrds coming together to get over that "hump"... more effort than just being neutral.

Sometimes, two skydivers in freefall do what I call, the Orbiting Phenomenon. (Again, think relationships as you read this description.) They are both facing each other. They both want to drive forward to connect to each other. But, they happen to be offset just slightly, not exactly directly in front of the other. So, they both drive forward by extending their legs, and put in a slight turn towards the other so they can reach where that person seems to be. However, when both people try this, they might be aiming at where their partner was. And each are in a slow wide circle trying really hard to go forward to get to the other. But their efforts don't matter, they never reach. So even if you try really hard, it doesn't mean you'll make it to each other. What it takes is, just one of them stopping for a second to regain neutral and choose a heading. And let the other person work at coming to them. Then they can start over together with their goals.

So, fly your own body. Know how it works. No need to rely on someone else's efforts, but pick the right efforts that are most effective.

19 May 2020

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Another portmanteau from the dictionary of Jen, aka Jenictionary:

"errucation"

[eh-rr-yoo-KAY-shuhn]

Meshing error with education to mean, learning from others’ mistakes rather than your own.

Nothing will happen without the belief that it will happen.

When I was younger, I said yes to everything. It was necessary to create opportunities from nothing. As I get older, I say no more often. I can now choose the opportunities I want to spend valuable time on, and this turns my productivity and impact on.

NO = ON

I just made up another word... Dictionary of Jen:

"confirmationbiatis"

[kon-fer-MEY-shuhn-BAHY-tuhs]

The condition of suffering from chronic or extreme confirmation bias. Afflicting otherwise healthy, smart, normal individuals, this malady usually flares up after controversial events, especially political in nature.
{See itoldyouso}

Authority without responsibility is dangerous. Responsibility without authority is ineffective. Without either, you just have a title.

The key to persistence and ultimately achievement is recognizing a lack of gain is not a loss. You can't lose what you don't yet have.

I say, Sweat the small stuff! How do I know this works? Mandelbrot Theory.

The best way to handle fear, especially illogical fear, is to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

I believe in Serendipity more than Luck.

I'm defined not by what has happened to me, but by what I've done despite it.

What is Education? They say you learn from your mistakes. But I say it's lazier to learn from others' mistakes. #ShareYourKnowledge

Absence of fear is not a prerequisite for action.

If you're running from your past, likely you're going the opposite direction of your future.

The single most accurate predictor of success is Optimism.

Someone asked me, "Where do you get your energy?" I don't acquire energy... I just release it.

Everyday I ask myself, what would I do today if I had no clock, no phone, no obligations. And then I do THAT. At least for part of the day.

I see my life like Freefall. You cannot add any time to it, you just have to make it count.

Stolen from a friend: Don’t be the sage on the stage. Be the guide on the side.

Knowledge dissipates Fear.

My wishes get me nowhere. My dreams get me anywhere. My actions get me there.

I have a tendency to be accidentally controversial. It happens when I speak the truth.

Be A Part instead of Apart.

The more overtones you have, the more resonant you can be.

Overtones are akin to richness of experience, depth of understanding.
Resonance with others equates to empathy, cooperation.

Though I awake much earlier than most, I am not an early bird. I'm late compared to the birds. I am an early human.

A "collection" = having two or more of something. I have a collection of ideas, toilet paper rolls, experiences, plants, rocks, kids.

I think it's not the instance of injury or trauma that brings the most pain. It's the healing.

“Expect the Unexpected” is not something someone can decide to do, not something they can do consciously, at least for any sustained length of time. Otherwise you'd be expecting it.

The biggest cause of suffering in the world comes from misplaced anger.

Why do we assume "all natural" items are good for us? I mean, cobra venom. That's natural. So is lightning.

Sometimes we sacrifce the equality of rights by trying to contrive equality of outcomes.

Another word from the Dictionary of Jen:

"chameleontegrity"

[kəˈmēlyən teɡrədē]

Variable character of integrity that changes based on the level of integrity of surrounding people. For example, the behavior of being honest and fair if people around them are honest and fair, but lying if other people in the situation are lying.

Rage is all the rage...
Why is being angry trendy? I've never found pessimism or apathy to be fashionable.

The true test of maturity is maintaining connection amidst disagreement.

Another portmanteau from the Jenictionary:

"compattention"

[comp-uh-TEN-shuh n]

Competition for attention, usually in the form of being dramatic or loud, e.g. almost all two year olds. In severe, habitual cases, it can take the form of self absorbedness, insatiable pursuit of accolades and achievement for the sake of approval from others.
{See lookatme}

THOUGHTS. The only thing a person has control over is inside their own head. I have control over that tape recorder that plays and my goals and images of what I want to happen. So, the tape recorder comes from my past. It covers my past and is my story. The goals and images of what I want to happen cover my future. So... I only have control over my past and future. Oh wait so, the only thing I have control over is everything.

"Do your Best" rather than "Be the Best"

Anyone who claims to be elightened, yet uses that same claim to infer superiority over those "unenlightened" ... not there yet. Try again.

A small hinge opens a big door.

Momentum is useless without the right trajectory.

Links

Female Skydiving Instructors
Educational Foundation for Skydivers
Xcelskydiving
USPA's Skydive School

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FLY PIG FLY!!

Best Ever Debrief Strategy

The debrief is a great opportunity for instructors to facilitate the learning process by encouraging the student to recognize their achievements and what they did correctly as well as help them realize what is needed to move forward in their skill development. The student must become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses and take responsibility for their training. The Debrief, much like the Ground, can be divided into both the Content and the Presentation. The instructor’s role during the debrief should be one of a facilitator. Asking questions and directing the student to the right information through self-realization will be of greater benefit to the student.

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