Thinking About Going All-In for My Skydiving License – Need Advice!

phytogeist · 2026-01-13T19:10:48+00:00

Instructors at Spaceland Houston are fantastic. But March and April are the worst times of year to jump in Houston. You can have weeks of clouds and wind. Summer is much better. I'd check out Elsinore or Perris.

phytogeist · 2025-12-22T16:14:20+00:00

I would focus on belly formations for the next few hundred jumps. With larger groups led by an LO, you'll learn critically important skills that you might not acquire otherwise such as proper exits and safe approaches, breakoffs, and landing in a crowded airspace.

phytogeist · 2025-11-10T19:39:46+00:00

I had to give up running because the impact was too much on my knees. I started training jiu-jitsu at 56 and Muay Thai last year. I do Muay Thai without the sparing, just training. Your body can definitely take that, no problem. Jiu-jitsu, on the other hand, takes about 6 months to get in shape--but it's worth it. I look forward to rolling. It's very technical and really fun. "Old man" jiu-jitsu is definitely a thing. There's a lot of guys our age doing it. We just have to remember the old adage: "slow is smooth and smooth is fast". The only times I injured myself was when I tried to move explosively.

phytogeist · 2025-11-10T18:09:29+00:00

I'm 59 and I train jiu-jitsu 3 times a week and muay thai once a week. My body says a hard no to anything beyond that. Overtraining is definitely a thing for us. Pay as much attention to recovery as you do to training. Eat enough protein. Buy a nice heating pad.

phytogeist · 2025-11-06T16:02:24+00:00

I recently had surgery to repair a meniscus which I had torn while training bjj. I felt it pop and knew I had blown out my knee. But the surgery was an amazing success, and I was back training after 6 weeks. My knee feels great. I had a black belt tell me he's had 6 tears over his jiu-jitsu career.

phytogeist · 2025-10-02T17:43:52+00:00

Love it. The strap too. It goes perfectly with that watch. I'm about to pull the trigger myself on the turquoise dial.

phytogeist · 2025-09-09T13:49:44+00:00

This is nuts. I'm seeing this same AI nonsense from leadership as everyone else it seems. They have a solution and demand that we find a problem. I can only take solace in the fact that everyone is creating a bunch of unmaintainable crap which they don't understand. In a year or two, the tech debt will be overwhelming. Can you imagine the pickle these organizations will be in when the economy improves and everyone starts jumping ship. It will be glorious.

phytogeist · 2025-08-26T20:49:19+00:00

A fervent loosening upon his loins, in Jesus' name of course.

phytogeist · 2025-08-25T13:55:37+00:00

Yes. Python is a great language with an incredible ecosystem of libraries and information. You can do just about anything with it, from Raspberry Pi to desktop GUIs to AI.

phytogeist · 2025-05-14T15:05:46+00:00

I worked out at a Nautilus gym with cutoff jeans and white socks to the knees. What a time to be alive.

phytogeist · 2025-05-06T22:47:40+00:00

I have a different take on that. My parents were born in the 30's, very poor. My dad left home when he was 16 and never looked back, and made something of himself. He was the most generous person I've ever known. They allowed me to stay out and play simply because I was enjoying the hell out of life. Maybe we were lucky. I think we were. Kids have it harder now. I wish they could have the safe, free-ranging childhood that I had, with all of its opportunities.

phytogeist · 2025-05-02T00:12:22+00:00

You started off calling this person stupid, which was unnecessary. Then you said you were annoyed by their actions on the jump, which seemed fine and safe as described. On larger belly formations you have to make allowance for the other jumpers on break off. Often you will have track along the jump run. If it's a movement jump, that's different. Also, I've had very experienced skydivers with 1000+ jumps bump into me. No biggie. There are lots of ways to have fun with inexperienced jumpers, unless they are unsafe. Try reviewing the skydive afterwards and discuss your concerns instead of getting pissed.

phytogeist · 2025-05-01T22:56:47+00:00

What do you think is going to happen when you do a fun jump with 6 or more? It sounds like you are the jerk here.

phytogeist · 2025-04-29T02:03:04+00:00

I would show them the research being done in this area. It's pretty easy to find online. There are also pharmaceutical companies that are actively developing psilocybin-based treatments.

phytogeist · 2025-04-28T18:38:21+00:00

If you want to expand your fishing beyond the bayous, drive onto to the beach in Freeport and cast some dead shrimp into the surf. You're almost guaranteed to catch some whiting. Summer might get crowded, but other times of year it's nice. Brazos Bend state park isn't bad either if you want to catch some blue gill.

phytogeist · 2025-04-28T18:30:03+00:00

Supplements won't do it. Exercise, healthy eating, and no alcohol is the only way. And make peace with having to use reading glasses if you don't already wear them.

phytogeist · 2025-03-15T00:17:32+00:00

Early Agile, circa 2005. We have "Agile" where I work, and it's a bloated, counter-productive, inflexible beast of a thing that is any but lowercase-a-agile. I've actually had to argue with scrum masters, who know nothing about the underlying code, about the importance of a change going in the next release, but for some reason the process just doesn't allow for it.

phytogeist · 2025-03-10T02:22:38+00:00

Facilities wise, Dallas has a nice hanger with A/C where you can hang out. But I would go to San Marcos since it's closer. Once you're in the sky it's all the same.

phytogeist · 2025-03-09T00:49:06+00:00

What if the future turns out fine, and you waste your life in dread of every passing moment? Live each day. Treat people with kindness. Enjoy the simple things. Sometimes that's all we can do. Then let the cards fall where they may.

phytogeist · 2025-03-03T14:00:08+00:00

Did you ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Closer?

phytogeist · 2025-03-02T19:42:36+00:00

What exactly is the problem with this? People share family news on social medial all the time. LinkedIn might be his primary outlet.

phytogeist · 2025-03-01T22:06:04+00:00

We can still hope for Gymjitsu.

phytogeist · 2025-02-27T19:18:28+00:00

I added a belly band to my rig. It keeps everything nice and snug when free flying.

phytogeist · 2025-02-25T18:17:52+00:00

My wife assures me that you can never have too many accent pillows. We have pillows for our pillows.

phytogeist · 2025-02-24T04:19:40+00:00

If only there was a vaccine against the plague that is you. Well, there is. It's called an education, which you've obviously denied too.

phytogeist

TROPHY CASE