Oh Bloody Hell
On Sunday I noticed a Facebook post from Eat Up (the amazing cafe at Skydive Chicago) letting everyone know that the Skylounge is open – given that winds and rain were not allowing for much jumping on the last open day of the season – and Bloody Mary’s were being served.
Now, normally people would find this to be a rather benign post, aside from the fact that they can’t jump and it’s slightly disappointing. I on the other hand, found that my mouth immediately began watering at the thought of a good Bloody Mary.
For those who know me, you know I’m not much of a drinker. College, sure, that was just what you did, but as a post-grad adult, I can count the number of times I’ve been legitimately drunk on two hands. Tipsy on a few glasses of wine, sure. But sloppy drunk with a hangover, rarely.
I’m not one for hard liquor. I don’t like the taste of alcohol and unless you’re making something really fruity to mask the taste and in turn is really bad for you, odds are I won’t like it.
But lately, I’ve been on this Bloody Mary kick. When we visited SoCal last year and stayed with my Uncle and Aunt, it was common place to be drinking Bloody Marys at all hours of the day – we even went to a hole in the wall breakfast place specifically for this cocktail. Sure, I had a few then, but it wasn’t a taste I brought back to the Midwest with me.
Until recently.
Maybe it’s because, as I’ve gone through my 20s, my sweet tooth has dissipated and my taste for savory has amplified. Or maybe, it’s just that I didn’t know what I was missing, but now it’s something I crave. Monthly dinner nights out with the girls, I’m always asking the waitress how their Bloody Marys are. Luckily, I usually get the thumbs up and order one, extra spicy. The last few months I’ve had some incredible cocktails that make me want more.
Problem is, I don’t really care about the alcohol. In fact, it’s what keeps me from drinking more of them. Yes, I know it adds to the flavor a bit, but how much difference can it really make? I’m half tempted to make (or rather, have my husband make, since he makes a mean drink) virgin Blood Marys at home just for the taste bud pleasure.
Anyone ever tried that? Thumbs up or down on this one?
Cheers (and blue ones)!
Ashley
Time to hang it up?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about hanging up my career as a blogger. It’s something that’s been a part of my life since 2003, when blogging was essentially online journaling and less of a “trend,” if you want to call it that.
Blogging holds a special place in my heart. Writing has always been an outlet for me. It’s cathartic to sit down and type out your thoughts, opinions, emotions – on any subject that might tickle your fancy (do people still say that?).
When I started SkydiveChick.com in 2009 it was because I was incredibly passionate about the sport – and I still am to this day. I wanted to share it with the world. I wanted this site to be a destination for anyone interested in hearing about skydiving from someone who does it on a regular basis. It was, and continues to be, as I get about an email a week from people who stumble upon the blog and want to know more about the sport. It’s heartwarming to know that I have inspired others to jump into this sport (no pun intended), or provided guidance to students and other fun jumpers in the sport – it’s also quite flattering. *Blushes*
Of course, that was never an intended purpose of the blog, but I’d be lying if I said my audience didn’t keep me coming back to write on a regular basis.
Since the birth of SkydiveChick so many changes have occurred in my life – I graduated AFF, started traveling to boogies, switched from RW to freeflying, met my husband, started wingsuiting, moved to Chicago, switched careers, switched dropzones, adopted a dog, got married and now I’m staring the 3rd winter since I started skydiving in the face – and let me tell you, Chicago winters are the worst. Through the whirlwind that my life has been these past two years, I can honestly say my outlook on life as well as my lifestyle has changed – and I really want my creative outlets to mesh with these changes. I’m happier than I’ve ever been and I’ve got some great goals for my near and not-so-near future, but where does blogging fit into that mix? Do I want to continue focusing on skydiving, or is it time to make SkydiveChick more of a lifestyle destination? Given that my life isn’t just about skydiving, shouldn’t my blog reflect that?
One thing that hasn’t changed is my desire to write. With my daily commute via public transportation I’ve been lucky to have extra time (not spent behind the wheel every morning and evening) to do some reading, which actually makes me want to write more. However, with everything that’s changed, I find my time for blogging just isn’t as available as it once was. Which brings me to my dilemma – to write or not to write.
I’ve taken quite a few weeks off, as you’ve likely noticed, but it’s been much needed. I still must admit that I’m unsure if I’ll be returning to blogging at SkydiveChick on a regular basis, or if this return will be short lived. I guess it’ll depend on how this feels – because as much as I love knowing that my writing is benefiting others, I have to think about what that means for my writing as a creative outlet. If I find that my return to the blogoshere continues to be a mutually beneficial experience, then you can count on my regular blogs posts once again. If it becomes a burden on my creativity, then you might just have to settle for Twitter updates and the occasional witty Facebook post. Of course, if I do start to disappear again, you might just find more of my work over on my Flickr page.
I guess we’ll just have to see where life takes me.
Blue skies!
Ashley
p.s. – a couple pictures from my recent wedding below (for those who are interested). Thanks to Ms. Amanda Huebner for being our wonderful photographer on our special day!
My Favorite Things
For the last month or so I’ve been using Pintrest to tag everything from home decor to tattoo ideas that I love. It’s a great social networking tool to give you ideas for just about anything you can think up. See a shirt you like online, pin it and put it on your “fashion” board to remind you to pick something similar up the next time you go shopping.
It’s addicting, to say the least.
It is also what inspired me to write this post today. As I mentioned before, time is limited right now between moving, business travel and my wedding in a week, so anything that does transpire here on the blog is pretty much a direct brain dump – not that I have much of a filter anyhow.
So Pintrest got me thinking about things that I love. It also made me realize that simpler is better. I’ve never been one to love clutter, though I sometimes find myself surrounded by it. I guess I could say it’s helping me figure out how to simplify a bit, too.
Below is a list, because that’s easiest, of a few things I’ve learned that I really appreciate in life:
1. Big, bold pieces of art
2. Uncomplicated relationships
3. Basic colors with a splash of brightness (read: black, white, grey and teal)
4. Classic clothing with a hint of delicate detail
5. Yogi tea with a hint of natural honey
6. Trader Joe’s sweet red win ($4.99 bitches)
8. Writing with a dog at your feet.
9. Reading quietly
10. Sunshine and skydiving
I think number 10 goes without saying here, but I wanted to have a round 10 – is that a little OCD of me?
Anyhow, there’s not much purpose here other than finding joy in the simple things in life. I’m not sure I’d classify skydiving as “simple” but I would say it’s pure, raw emotion that’s generated through natural body responses – and for most of us, it’s an incredibly freeing experience.
What are some of your favorite things?
Love and blue skies!
Ashley
Being something vs. being someone
I think we as individuals sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between wanting to be someone and wanting to be something.
Growing up, everyone always asks us what we want to “be” as adults. Some kids say firefighters or teachers (because they have no idea at the time that saying nuclear physicist is actually the more profitable answer), in my day it was marine biologist – that must have been a trend for kids from Michigan who liked animals and wanted an excuse to move to Florida.
From the time we start school we’re encouaged to try to be someone – to be successful and make something of our lives.
Then, the Internet came crashing down around us. Our entire lives consumed by technology and a constant need to stay connected. After all, if you’re more than 5 feet away from your iPhone at any given time you won’t be in the “know.” (Note: this is pretty accurate, actually, given the amount of information there is to consume these days.)
At the beginning, everyone who had something to say was a thought leader. Now, independent thought seems to be overshadowed by the immense amount of sharing that’s going on. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, I share quite frequently when I see a piece of information that I think my friends/family/contacts would be interested to know about.
What you’re also seeing a lot of these days are people who are out there not just trying to be someone, through thoughtful, meaningful actions, but who want to be something – the self-proclaimed “experts” of the world, if you will.
That’s what you see most of on the web, people who are the social media blogger, the person with the most followers on Twitter, whatever. It’s more about what they have become in status than who they are as a person. You see variations of this in real life too, where people want to be the athlete, the inventor, the skydiver, but sometimes I wonder if people lose a bit of themselves in the process of becoming someTHING.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a statement I’m making, it’s more of a broad question. DO people lose themselves in the race to become better, faster, stronger than their “opponents.” Does life become individual competition, rather than a team sport?
Given that my occupation, my livelihood depends on the existence of social media, I see my fair share of comments, posts, conversations that make me ponder this even further. Some days there’s this air of complete and total community – everyone is out to help everyone else in their lives. Sharing is about providing assistance to others, to truly share, rather than providing information in order to be the “expert.” Other days, it seems all everyone can talk about is themselves, and how great they are, and where they’ve gotten, despite who they had to walk over to get there.
Granted, I see a very small sliver of the overall picture, but I can’t help but wonder, if sometimes, people really do get so wrapped up in being something, they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be someone: themselves.
Cheers!
Ashley
Falling off the map
As much as I hate to say it, I’m going to be falling of the grid for the next few weeks. So, there’s a chance you won’t see many, if any, posts from me until the end of October.
Here’s why:
1) I’m getting married. Yes, I’m already married, but we didn’t have a wedding. So I guess I should say, I’m having a wedding here very soon.
2) I’m moving. Not out of state (again), just to a different ‘burb. And in all honesty, it’s pretty logistically hands off for me as my incredible husband is doing the majority of the heavy lifting on this one (literally and figuratively here). But there’s still lots of little loose ends to tie up along the way.
3) Travel – unfortunately, not so much for fun. My company is sending me on a couple trips in the next month so my blogging time will be limited.
So as you can see, any free time I do have is spent preparing for one of these three things. But, the good news is that I will have plenty of experiences to share when I do get back into the swing of blogging.
If anyone is interested in guest posting, let me know. I’m sure the audience would love to hear from someone else for a change.
Until next time -
Love and Blue Skies!
Ashley
Sometimes, life is hard
I feel like this goes without saying, but lately I’ve encountered a few people (inside the skydiving world, and out) who act as if the world owes them.
Let me explain.
Some people go through life and it’s relatively easy – they have things handed to them, they don’t have to jump through the same hoops that others have to (for one reason or another) – all in all, they’re skating by because life has always been just a bit too easy.
Then one day, it’s not. One day, they wake up and have to work for what they want, and it’s appalling. Can’t say I’d blame anyone for being shocked when the life has been served to them on a silver platter suddenly takes a turn, but I do wish they’d take a step back for a second and look at where they are and how they got there.
(Editor’s Note – I’m not talking about life-changing events such as serious injury, illness, or another situation that completely turns a person’s world on end. My reference here is to stumbles in the road that we all encounter from time to time such as issues at work, disagreements with family and friends, things of that nature. I’m not here to judge – especially those who have encountered devastation in their lives – only to offer up a bit of advice from my experiences.)
Life isn’t always easy. Sure, I’ve had my fair share of pain-free moments that should have been much more of a struggle, but then again, I’ve worked my ass off to get where I am in life. I’m proud of that, as should anyone else who has put forth significant effort to get where they are in their career, skydiving, or whatever else is driving their lives. It speaks to character.
But the fact is, walking around, bitching about the circumstances that aren’t ideal, complaining that your life isn’t going the way you’d like it to because of the environment around you, essentially blaming everyone and everything for you “misfortunes,” isn’t doing you any good either. If you don’t like something, change it. If someone or something is holding you back, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate the role that person, place or thing plays in your life. If it’s worth it, fight to keep it. If it’s not, figure out what is and insert that into your life. Take action other than sitting around complaining that you haven’t, you can’t, you won’t because the current situation isn’t exactly as you envisioned. Of course, this type of change typically doesn’t happen over night, either, so have a little patience with yourself and your positive outlook – it’s not always easy, but it will pay off in the end.
So for those of you out there who are coming across your first stumbles in the road of life, pick yourself up and face the challenge head on. I can promise you, in the end, it’s not as hard as you might think, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll learn something valuable along the way.
*stepping down from my soapbox now*
Blue ones!
Ashley
Channeling your passion
Sports like skydiving take a special type of motivation to keep going – it’s best described, in my mind, as channeled passion. Let me explain.
Like most things in life, there’s a huge learning curve in the beginning of skydiving. You’re always jumping, and when you’re not, you’re thinking about it, reading about it, watching videos. Your life turns into skydiving.
But then, something happens. You get comfortable (sorta). You’ve had a few years in the sport, got a few hundred jumps under your belt, been around the community, you know the people, the “types,” you’ve done most of the novelty jumps like horny gorillas and tubes, you’ve jumped more than a dozen aircraft, and you’re fairly comfortable in your skills.
It’s that channeled passion that keeps you going – past this first hump, likely of many, on the road to becoming an advanced skydiver.
A number of skydivers, at this stage, find a discipline they love and focus their love for the sport there. I, on the other hand, have had trouble doing so. Not only that, but let me tell you that bouncing between disciplines as (what I still consider myself to be) a beginner does nothing but slow that learning curve down a bit.
In order to channel your passion, you have to find that spark, that thing that keeps you coming back. Yes, freefall is definitely enough to keep me coming back on a regular basis, but is it enough to drive me to improve my skills? Sometimes a goal is needed – I know lots of 4-way kids who got their start because of a competitive itch – but some of us just don’t have that. Others dabble and one day fall into the discipline that was meant for them (no pun intended).
But sometimes, it just takes a bit of internal reflection to find what is really driving you. Maybe it’s ratings and instructing, maybe it’s competing, maybe it’s a dream to be invited to big-way invitationals, or maybe it’s just a drive to have fun. I definitely fall into the latter category.
Sure, I want to be good. I’d love to be able to do any discipline, any day of the week and keep up with the best of ‘em out there. Realistic without driving myself insane in the process? Nope.
For me, this sport is about recreation, relaxation and truly enjoying myself – stress free. I’ve found all these things throughout my time in this sport, so it’s the fun and pure enjoyment that keeps me coming back for more – and the last thing I need is pressure to be something. But, that’s just me.
I’ll leave the competing and instructing up to those who find their passion is best channeled there. I’m just going to be a kid in the big blue playground.
Love and blue skies!
Ashley
Padding your logbook
Recently I heard a rumor. Apparently some folks from a dropzone where I used to be regular have taken up talking about others as a favorite past time. Whatever, we all do it. In that, it was stated that a close friend of mine padded their log book.
I’m not sure where the conversation went from there, as I didn’t inquire further because frankly, I don’t really care what people have to say (behind my or my friends backs) unless they’re saying it to my face. Not only that, but the concept is laughable, given that this friend had zero reason to do so (what, with not wanting to get ratings and having started flying camera before 200 jumps anyway…), but it did get me to thinking about the concept of inflating jump numbers.
Skydivers do this for a number of reasons – to speed up the process of getting their ratings (for some you need 100, others 500) or so they can fly a wingsuit or strap a camera to their helmet to catch all the action, both of which the USPA BSRs call for 200 jumps, and is now widely enforced at most dropzones.
That said, what’s it to you if someone does pad their logbook? I mean, say the guy in the plane next to you has 450 skydives, but says he has 500 so he can work toward his Pro rating. Is it that you feel he’s unsafe? Well, if he’s unsafe at 450 jumps then you probably shouldn’t be jumping with him anyway, right? So it’s totally your choice if you want to share the sky with this guy.
And the truth is, you’d be surprised how many people do this. Whether it’s 10 jumps or 100, it happens quite frequently. And so what, they’re only cheating themselves.
It never ceases to amaze me how people – not just in the skydiving world, but in general – can so quickly make someone else’s problem their own. If some dumb newbie wants to “go out of town” and suddenly comes back with 100 jumps to get his coach rating, he’s the one who will have to pay the price, literally, when he doesn’t pass his coach course because he’s not experienced enough.
I’m sure it’s not why you came here this Friday morning, but here’s a little advice for you: focus on yourself, your own skills and your own safety, rather than the numbers in the log books of your fellow jumpers. Worry about yourself and those closest to you, and let everyone else make their own mistakes. Trust me, you’ll be happier in the end.
Blue ones!
Ashley
Unintentional time off
A long weekend spent away from the dropzone was not what was intended for the Labor Day holiday, but sometimes life has a way of taking over.
The past two years, this weekend has been spent at the Work Stinks! Boogie in Ohio. Between our move to Chicago and upcoming wedding festivities, there just weren’t enough resources to make the trip this year. But I can’t say it didn’t turn out to be a fabulous weekend.
Each day I woke up with the intention of “we’ll head to the dropzone today,” but it never seemed to pan out that way. After spinning class on Saturday I had just enough time to come home and shower before some serious rain moved in. Definitely no jumping for us that day. Sunday included an impromptu trip to Wisconsin to visit a buddy of Rick’s and cook out. The weather turned cold and rainy in the afternoon, with gusty wind all day. So, we didn’t feel so bad about another day spent on the ground with good company.
Monday morning blew in with more gusts, so we spent the day running errands, making pizza and just thoroughly enjoying our last day of the long weekend. In hindsight, I couldn’t be happier with the weekend we had. Sure, it’d have been nice to get in a skydive or two, but sometimes it’s nice when life shows you a different path for a change.
What did you do with your Labor Day weekend?
Blue ones!
Ashley
Slacker
I’ve been a total slacker when it comes to my blog – not that there’s not good reason for it, but I’m not here to make excuses.
Truth is, even though I’m super busy these days, that’s never stopped me before. I’m sort of at a loss for what to talk about.
This has been a strange skydiving season for me, with the wingsuit training and now I’m back enjoying freeflying again. I’ve recently turned my focus to others, rather than my own improvement, as I help friends stick their sits and quit backsliding.
I have to admit, I do love helping people find that freeflying sweet spot, so to speak. And no, that doesn’t change my perspective on wanting to get my ratings to instruct. This is still my weekend hobby after all, and I’m more than happy to pay for my slot and help others work out their kinks. It’s satisfying and incredibly enjoyable.
Other than that, life has been a whirlwind, between work, moving and planning an incredibly special event. Part of me fears that I’ll be a bit bored after October, but hopefully I’ll get a welcomed vacation shortly there after 
Recently I’ve been reading a blog written by a fellow skydiver who is currently deployed in the military. He’s chronicling his accounts as a military surgeon, it’s incredibly interesting but I have to say it gives me a bit of writers block. Not so much in the traditional sense but I’m at a loss for words on how to write some frivolous skydiving blog post after reading about the intense life experiences he’s currently enduring. It’s humbling – to say the least – as a human being and as a writer.
If you’re interested, here’s a link to his blog.
Blue ones!
Ashley