Sky Diving and Birthdays

On my 24th birthday I started a personal tradition. I would have to do something I'd never done before each year on my birthday. The first adventure of it's kind. And I went Sky Diving. The tricky part... was convincing all of my very broke, fellow-college-students that also happened to be my dearest friends to come along with me. (I wanted to get the group discount!)

So, after a little convincing, I managed to convince 6 other people to make the leap. We were all eating pb&j for a few months, scraping together enough cash to fly... and enough dough to pay for the gas to get there. (it was all of 35 minutes away..)

And a few days before the big day... I remember we were all together and lots of the OTHER girls were so nervous! They were scared to go, and couldn't believe they were really going to do it. I suppose you could say they were total wuss-es. or pansies of the garden variety.
NOT ME. I wasn't nervous at ALL!! I knew I'd be brave and have fun. And I had absolutely NO QUALMS whatsoever about taking my life into my hands! (The human strapped to my back was my own little insurance policy. I'm sure he wasn't ready to die yet either!)

And so on my birthday we all ditched class and took off for our jump around 1 or 2pm. (It's been 6 years!!)
The ride there was SO GREAT. All the people I loved in my 7 seater car.. and we got there and it was all very mellow and exciting. I remember the plane was very very small- and I sat right up front with the pilot.
And we loaded onto the plane (and barely fit) with one of us sitting directly in front of our insurance policy. (it had two long bench seats...) so me, big burly man, my big burly friend, big burly man. etc. :)

When we started reaching the altitude needed to jump, the awkwardness began.
First.. my burly insurance policy-man told me I needed to sit on his lap. (hey stranger! :) Which I did. Then he proceeded to strap me to him. First our laps were strapped together VERY SNUGLY. (imagine- super-spooning. ) and then his chest to my back.
I became one with the burly-adrenaline junkie in a way I had never imagined before. lol!

Then, the doors opened.
And I saw, in a procession, all of those pansy-wuss-y girlfriends of mine just, DIVE out of the plane with NO HESITATION. Every single one of my friends just, well... jumped. It was almost boring! No tears, no vomit. no nervous looks... seirously! Those girls were PLAYING ME THE WHOLE TIME...
because...

I WAS TERRIFIED!!!!! I needed some reassuring fear from anyone around but I didn't get any. And frankly I didn't deserve any so I had to suck it up. (and I would have, but it was strapped too tightly to big parachute man.)

So, since I went last... I took a minute, listened to the instructions... conquered my sheer terror (well I HAD TO JUMP. I mean... I made everyone else do it.. so...) off I went and from there it was pretty cool.

I screamed as loud as I could and I couldn't hear me at all! :) I'm sure my cheeks and face were flapping and I even forgot about mr. parachute's heartbeat behind me. :)
And we pulled the cord and I got a chance to look around. It was very mellow once the parachute opened...
and then I realized that my shirt was up over my neck. (It took me about 5 minutes to realize that really...) so.. I'm sure mr. Parachute man was a little traumatized by my granny underwear. (note: poor college students don't have hot underclothing. Not on my planet anyway...)

Lastly,
Parachute man asked me if I like spinning. I did! But I also get very motion sick... so I was laughing and HEAVING VERY VERY FORCEFULLY. (which I know he could feel since we were so close I knew where his belly button was!) and I think the thought of me barfing on him convinced him to mellow out.

the land was graceful and eventless.
And I decided that I'd never, ever need to do THAT again. :)
Happy 24th birthday to me!
The year that I discovered that I'm way more of a pansy than I thought I was.