#static line skydiving

[tgmsunmontue]

You need to learn how to fall 2/10

Hangster (and IceMav) - Bradley is too tall to be a naval aviator and instead becomes a sky diver, specialising in spin recovery. He is a civilian contractor to the Airforce and Navy to teach pilots how to survive parachute spins from ejections. A more in-depth version of this post.

PROLOGUE

2003-2006 – The early years

                “Your son is very focused. His discipline is admirable. He’s going to go far. He’s going to be our youngest certified tandem skydiver.”

                Pete’s throat works, because it’s not the first time someone has called Bradley his, but hearing someone else talk about his skill… to sound impressed not only with Bradley but also as a reflection of Pete’s own efforts. He didn’t realize he needed someone external telling him he’d done a good job, but here it is anyway.

                “I’m Navy. He’s been brought up in a fairly disciplined household.”

                “He mentioned that actually. He never thought about joining the service?”

                “He’s too tall.”

                “What?”

                “To be a naval aviator. I’m a naval aviator.”

                “Clearly didn’t get his height from you.”

                “No…” Pete says dryly, doesn’t bother mentioning the convoluted relationship that he and Bradley have.

                “So what, he jumps out of planes instead of flying them?”

                “Oh, he can fly them too. He’s been flying since he was 14. Perk of having a whole bunch of honorary uncles willing to fly him up and getting him his flight hours. Unfortunately he can’t both pilot the plane and then jump out of it,” Pete says.

                “He’s a lucky kid.”

                Mav hopes he remains lucky.

…             …             …

                It’s become second nature, either of them able to also carry out the safety checks and make sure that Bradley has definitely done everything. He never misses anything and it soothes a part of Tom, knowing Bradley takes his own health and safety seriously. There is no cutting corners or rushing through anything. They never talk about Goose, but he wonders if he thinks about his father every time he checks the stitching for wear, every time he runs his hands over the fabric and checks for tears before rolling it carefully to ensure it unfurls correctly while he’s plummeting toward the earth.

                They all learn about static lines and accelerated freefall, and things have changed since he was in flight school. The materials they use now are much more durable. All of Bradley’s gifts are centered around skydiving. Tom becomes fairly knowledgeable around the entire process, another set of regulations to add to his already encyclopedic knowledge of Naval regulations. He somehow becomes friendly with a couple of the higher ups in the FAA and he becomes known around the airstrip as Ice, most people not realizing exactly who he is. He admits it to himself that he likes it, that he’s just a guy who knows a lot about planes. Added to that is the US Parachute Association and Tom has a new map in his study showing all the drop zones in the state as well as the neighboring states.

                Neither of them had intended to become this involved but neither of them say anything to each other. Tom has had to check with several people about potential conflicts of interest, but it’s agreed that he is, first and foremost, a naval aviator, so if he wants to fly a private plane on his own time that’s allowable, as long as he’s meeting all the FAA regulations. The FAA make a special dispensation (his new friends doing him this favor), allowing them to sign off flight hours, but neither of them are officially instructors. They do both become FAA-certified parachute riggers though.

                It’s through one guy he knows in the FAA that he acquires the hangar. It’s an old Navy one, but Pete’s been making noises about wanting to renovate a P-51 Mustang he keeps seeing for sale, but how he’s got nowhere to keep it. They could store another plane there too, Bradley’s sky-diving one in the future. It seems like it’s definitely going to happen, Bradley making a business plan and presenting it to them and asking to have his parent’s life insurance money to help him purchase a plane. Tom can give their planes a home, so he purchases the hangar and gives it to them a joint fortieth birthday gift for Mav and graduation present for Bradley.

                A different plane comes into their life a little earlier than anticipated, although none of them have to buy it. Pete comes to an agreement with one of Bradley’s instructors. They’ll store the plane in their currently empty hangar in exchange for being able to use it to take Bradley up for jumps, paying for fuel and carrying out the checks and maintenance. Somehow word gets around – there are two pilots capable of signing off flight hours. They can count as solo flights as they aren’t instructors. Others wanting to jump out of planes arrange times with Bradley.

                He hasn’t spent so much time in the air since flight school and he loves every moment, regardless of whether he’s piloting or doing the checks before Bradley does his jumps. His relationship with Mav has settled into an easier less-volatile thing, maybe his promotion to Rear Admiral has made him feel less threatened by the potential fallout if anyone decides to voice their concerns about his relationship with Pete.

…             …             …

                “I’ve done it. The five-hundred jumps, more than three years in sky diving, done more than fifty jumps in the last year, got my medical and I’ve got more than 8 hours of freefall time logged. I can apply for the Tandem course now…”

                “Proud of you. You’ve been working towards this for a long time.”

                “Thank you! For taking me up and buying the hangar, and just… thank you so much. I know you and Mav both don’t really get it, but you’ve never made me feel like I didn’t have your support this entire time.”

                “It’s what parents do. Good parents that is.”

                He throws his arms around Ice then, hugs him tightly and doesn’t let go.

                “The best parents.”

2007-2010 - The middle years (NEXT PART)

[ankurverma]

Jump Into the Thrilling World of Skydiving in Bangalore: A Complete Guide for BeginnersSkydiving is a must-try activity if you're seeking for an amazing adventure in Bangalore. You won't soon forget the exhilaration of leaping out of a plane at a great height and plunging towards the ground in free fall. However, if you've never gone skydiving before, it can be difficult to know where to begin. We'll go over all the information you need to know about skydiving in Bangalore in this comprehensive beginner's guide.Let's start by discussing the fundamentalsWhen sky diving in Bangalore , you leave the plane at a height of about 10,000 to 15,000 feet, fall freely for about 60 seconds, and then open your parachute. You'll then softly float to the ground for a further 5 to 7 minutes.You must successfully finish a training programme to master the fundamentals of skydiving and safety procedures before you may make a jump. There are numerous skydiving schools in Bangalore that provide beginner-level training programmes. These classes usually span a day or two and cover everything, including the tools you'll need and the right way to get out of the plane.The Indian Parachuting Federation is one of Bangalore's most well-known skydiving organisations. They provide a variety of courses for beginners, such as tandem skydiving, in which you jump with an experienced instructor, and static line jumps, in which you leap alone but your parachute automatically deploys.Let's now discuss the price of skydivingThe type of jump you select, the skydiving school you attend, and other factors can affect the cost. However, the typical cost of a tandem skydiving in Bangalore ranges from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 35,000.You may want to take paragliding into consideration if you're seeking a more affordable option. It's nevertheless a fun and exhilarating activity that lets you soar through the air and enjoy breathtaking views over Bangalore, even though it's not quite as exciting as skydiving. Depending on the operator, the price of paragliding in Bangalore can cost anywhere from Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 5,000 for a trip that lasts 10 to 15 minutes.ConclusionThere are several possibilities available if you're willing to attempt skydiving in Bangalore. Just remember to conduct thorough research, pick a reputable skydiving school, and budget a significant sum of money for this thrilling adventure. Paragliding is also a fantastic choice if you're searching for a more affordable substitute that won't break the bank.

[universaladventures1]

What to Look for When Choosing a Skydiving Center in Bangalore?

Skydiving is an adrenaline-pumping activity that has become increasingly popular in Bangalore. With the city’s growing popularity as a tourist destination and its proximity to the Deccan plateau, Bangalore is ideal for skydiving. A flying club in Bangalore is available at the Jakkur Aerodrome and the Mysore Airport. There are a few skydiving companies in Bangalore that offer skydiving experiences for those looking for an adventure. These companies provide skydiving lessons and packages to suit all levels of experience and budgets. For those looking for an extreme experience, there are tandem skydiving packages available. These packages provide the opportunity to experience the thrill of freefalling while being securely attached to an experienced skydiver. The skydiving companies in Bangalore also provide different types of skydiving packages. These packages include static line jump, accelerated freefall, and formation skydiving. Each of these packages has its own set of activities and depending on the skill level of the skydiver, the packages can be tailored to suit their needs. In order to skydive in Bangalore, one must have a valid skydiving licence. The skydiving companies in Bangalore provide training and coaching sessions to those interested in skydiving. These sessions include ground training and flight training. After completing the training, the skydiver is eligible to take the skydiving licence examination. For those looking for an extreme experience, skydiving in Bangalore is definitely worth considering. With its stunning landscapes, exciting activities, and excellent skydiving companies, Bangalore is the perfect destination for a thrilling adventure.

[wikifoxnews]

Who is Ashley Kemp ( Former Skydiving centre boss, 54, accused of murdering his beautician girlfriend ) Wiki, Bio, Age, Crime, Arrest, Incident Details, Investigations and More Facts

Ashley Kemp Biography                                        Ashley Kemp Wiki

These are the first photos of a former head of a skydiving center boss accused of the murder of his partner and fellow trainer Clair Armstrong.

Qualified pilot Ashley Kemp, 54, who previously ran the Hibaldstow Parachute Center, appeared at Grimsby Magistrates' Court today charged with the murder of her 50-year-old mother at her Messingham home. Clair died after Humberside police were called in for a "security problem" in the early hours of Sunday. Who Is Ashley Kemp? A Man Charged With Murder Of Clair Armstrong In Messingham! https://t.co/iol2eTqMCj — cheta king (@chetaking50) November 8, 2022 Kemp will then appear at Hull Crown Court. Since his death, a scene keeper has remained off the property in Elm Way, where floral tributes have also appeared. Clair and Kemp both worked together at the Hibaldstow Skydiving Center of which he is the director. In an article he wrote for skydivemag.com, he states, "I can fly the jump plane, take tandems, train AFF, send Static Line, FS Coach, DZ Control, manifest, receive, flush toilets, and drive buses. As a manager of Skydive Hibaldstow, one of the UK's largest DZs (Drop Zones), I enjoy working in any area. Clair was a skydiver in training where multiple skydivers linked together by clinging to different limbs to create a variety of different shapes. She also owned a famous local beautician, Olivers of Messingham. The news of her death shocked the close-knit community of the village. Neighbors cried when questioned about her as investigators conducted house-to-house investigations. One woman said: "I was born and raised in Messingham and never expected something like this to happen here. A neighbor said: "The police were here on Sunday and asked if we knew anything or if we had heard anything. "I remember walking by and being quite shocked by the presence of the police here, it's a really quiet area." Another added: "It's not the domain it used to be. Meanwhile, a neighbor who knew Clair added: "He was a really nice and nice person. We said goodbye a lot while walking the dogs and whatnot. I can't believe it happened right outside my door, it's scary. I'm just glad we're not in danger. Clair's family is assisted by specialized officers, Humberside police said. Police have confirmed that a cordon will remain in her place for several days as investigators continue their investigation. Clair's family has been informed of her death and is assisted by specialized officials.

Investigation

In a message to the public, Chief Investigative Inspector Simon Vickers said: "We understand that a tragic accident of this nature will shock the local community, but I would like to reassure people that it is a 'single incident between people known to all'. another without greater risk to the public. "Those living in the area can expect to see a number of officers in the coming days as a scene guard remains on site and we will continue the investigation. "I encourage anyone with information or concerns to come and talk to us." Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote the newspaper 25 on Sunday 6 November. Read the full article

[squarwell-breakingnews]

Watch: President's Bodyguards Skydive As Regiment Completes 250 Years

Watch: President’s Bodyguards Skydive As Regiment Completes 250 Years

Soldiers of the President’s Bodyguards regiment during a skydiving exercise New Delhi: The President’s Bodyguards regiment has completed 250 years. On this big milestone, paratroopers of the regiment skydived from an aircraft over the Malpura drop zone in Agra. “All the paratroopers underwent a low-altitude, static-line jump,” news agency ANI reported quoting army officials. A detachment of the…

[starsinursa]

For @gneisscastiel, who wanted Castiel to fly again.

______

"Where are we?" Castiel rumbles from the backseat. In the rearview mirror, Dean can see him squinting out the window, brows drawn together in contemplation.

Dean puts the Impala in park. He lets it idle for a minute before turning off the ignition.

"We're at an airfield outside of Abilene," Sam says finally, when it becomes obvious Dean isn't going to say anything. Sam’s been practically vibrating with energy for the whole  drive. He unbuckles his seatbelt hastily, shouldering open the door so he can swing out his long legs.

Castiel follows suit more slowly, his door creaking as he pushes it open. "And why are we at an airfield outside of Abilene?"

They’re both out of the car now, so Dean takes a moment for himself, sitting in the empty Impala and breathing slowly. 

But only a moment, or he might never get out.

When he opens his own door and climbs out, he turns to find Sam and Castiel staring at him from over the top of the Impala.

"It was Dean's idea," is all Sam says, and he's grinning.

Castiel frowns and looks between them. "What was Dean's idea?"

"You'll see," Dean manages gruffly, finally finding his voice. "C'mon."

It's only a short walk to find the hangar the guy described to him over the phone. It's impossible to miss it, considering there's nothing else out here - they’re out in the country a few miles from Abilene, and there’s no other buildings, not even a parking lot. Dean had just parked the Impala back in the gravel drive like he'd been instructed. 

There's only dirt fields, a few power lines, and the hangar.

It's not much. It looks more like a garage, in Dean's opinion. The hangar doors are open, baring the building to the warm weather, and Dean catches sight of a few people moving around inside - on their hands and knees rolling up yards of thick, slick fabric, sorting through tubs of goggles and helmets, napping on a beanbag chair in the middle of the dusty hangar floor.

Past the hangar, there's a small paved runway, stretching out into the dirt fields like a pier. There's a plane parked close by - it’s barely bigger than the Impala, Dean notices with some dismay.

He can tell when Castiel finally makes the connection, because the reaction is immediate. Castiel jolts as if he's been electrocuted and swings towards him, eyes wide.

"Dean," he rasps.

Dean forces himself to smile. "Yeah, Cas."

"But Dean, you - airplanes -"

"Guy's gotta confront his fears sometime," he says, shrugging with a nonchalance he doesn't feel.

“Dean, you don’t have to -”

“Cut it out, Cas,” he says. There’s no anger in his voice, but he can’t give Cas the opportunity to talk him out of this or, god help him, he might listen. “We’re doing this.”

Castiel stares at him, that stare that always makes Dean just a twinge uneasy, like Castiel can see things that Dean doesn’t. He can see the wheels turning in Cas’ head though - he can see Cas processing the ‘we’ in his statement - and then Cas nods, just once.

And that’s that.

After that, things move quickly - almost too quickly, in Dean's opinion. The people in the hangar catch sight of them, calling out a greeting, and Sam hurries forward to start introductions. Dean feels like he's barely given a chance to process before he's crammed into the back of the tiny airplane with Sam and Castiel, knees crushed up against his chest...but maybe that's a good thing. He’s thought enough about this decision over the past few weeks, worrying at it like a stone in a river, so maybe it’s time to finally let it go with the current.

The iron-grey jumpsuit feels itchy and constricting on him. There's a pair of goggles pressing uncomfortably around his eyes. Castiel's side is squeezed up against him in the tiny space, but all he can focus on is the metal roof of the airplane, barely a few inches above his head, pockmarked with heavy bolts and screws holding the plane together, and the friggin' bumper sticker that someone pasted above his head: Who Farted?

He gets the urge to laugh, but he thinks it might sound hysterical, so he tamps it down.

There's only two other people in the plane with them: the pilot, who talks them through the start-up of the plane in way more detail than Dean's ever cared to know, and the instructor who's spent the last hour talking them through the procedures, the proper way to fall from a plane (who knew there was a friggin' wrong way?), all the things that could go wrong and all the failsafes in place to stop those things from going wrong -  the same instructor responsible for attaching the static lines that pull their parachutes, right before they leap out into thin air 4,000 feet above the ground, like a bunch of lemmings throwing themselves off a cliff.

Dean feels sick, but he really, really doesn't want to puke in a plane the size of a taxi cab.

When the plane rumbles to life under them, a hand closes around his arm, and he jumps - but it's just Castiel, squeezing his forearm tight, watching him carefully through his own pair of smudged goggles. When the pilot steers the plane down the runway, accelerates, and jerks them into the air, one sickening lurch at a time, Dean fumbles Castiel's hand off his arm and clutches it tightly in his own instead, squeezing. For some reason, it helps him breathe a little easier.

Sam's the first one to go. He's been beaming this whole time, barely containing his excitement, and Dean's about ready to push him out of the plane himself when the instructor finally throws open the door on the side of the plane, motions Sam forward, and spends a couple of minutes connecting and rechecking the static line. Then, just like that, Sam's stepping out onto the jutting step, reaching out to clutch at the strut running from the side of the plane to the wing. When Sam lets his feet fall off the step and hangs there, supported only by his arms from the wing of the friggin' plane, Dean can't watch - he knows there's a cue from the instructor but he can’t see it, and then Sam is gone, letting go.

His stomach turns - or perhaps that's the plane, the pilot steering the plane around in big loop so they can circle back around to the drop-off point.

It's Dean's turn. The instructor is motioning at him, saying something that's impossible to hear over the rattle of the plane. He wants to move, but he  can’t. He doesn't think he can do it after all.

There's a firm squeeze around his fingers, and Dean looks at Castiel.

"Thank you," Castiel tells him.

Dean can't hear him, but he can read the words lips.

Dean nods, and finds himself letting go. He scoots towards the instructor and automatically turns his back so the static line can be attached. Then, once more, the door is flung open. Except this time, it’s Dean sitting at the door.

He goes through the motions numbly. It's like watching another person, or all the times he’s been close to death, staring down at his own body through the veil.

It’s for Cas, he reminds himself as he swings his feet out onto the step and reaches out to grip the strut in both hands. It’s for Cas, he tells himself as he levers himself up, hunkered but standing, head bowed against the 90 mph winds buffeting him. He glances at the instructor, who gives him a smile and a thumbs-up - his cue - and then he lets his feet fall from the step, and lets go of the strut. For Cas.

Dean might actually black out for a few seconds, because the next thing he feels is his parachute deploying, yanking him abruptly out of freefall as the static line does its job. For a few horrible moments that feel like years but probably only last a few seconds, the twists in his chute cords have him spinning in circles,  legs kicking, until they’ve straightened out. He tries not to look down, he doesn’t want to look down - but he finally does, realizing his doesn’t have much choice if he wants to land. If he can even remember how the hell he's supposed to land.

As it turns out, once you’ve done the hard part and flung yourself out of a perfectly good plane like a moron, landing is the easiest part. The instructor had advised them to take advantage of their descent, slowed by their chute, to look around at the scenery and appreciate the view below them. 

Dean doesn't do a damn bit of that. He scopes out the ground below him, eyes moving quickly and purposefully, until he spots the small blip of the hangar below and the black speck of the Impala parked nearby, and then he never looks away. He could care less about the scenery. The empty, dirt-brown, hideous field where they're supposed to land, right next to the hangar, is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, and he doesn't let it out of his sight for a moment.

The landing, when it finally comes, is jarring but welcome. Dean even remembers to yank his cords a few seconds before his feet touch the ground to soften the landing, drawing up his legs so he doesn't jolt his knees. He skids to a stop on his ass in the dirt, cushioned a little by the thick jumpsuit he’s wearing, and then he sits there. For a long, long moment, he just sits, listening to the rustle and whine of the chute fabric billowing and settling behind him, tugging just a little at his straps. He might never move again.

- until he hears the tell-tale whine of an airplane engine, and he looks up into the blue sky just in time to see a small figure letting go of the airplane directly above him, falling, arms spread wide.

This...this is why they came. For Cas. 

Dean watches as Castiel flies.

[gijoe-forever]

[kollectorsrus]

[allaboutskydiving-blog]

via How can I try how it feels to skydive?

[dnfao3tags]

👉👈 enemies to lovers perhaps?

i made a post w a few enemies to lovers fics here , heres another post more focused on it

enemies to lovers

— solar power by validvali (explicit | comp. | 20k)

Shit I need to do before I die 1. Travel to another country 2. Swim with dolphins 3. Try American food 4. Go skydiving 5. Fly first class 6. Have sex (LMAO) 7. Go to a beach 8. Go Parasailing 9. Sleep under the stars 10. Ride a rollercoaster 11. Fall in love George groans. “I’m not keeping that last one in.” “And yet you’re willing to lose your virginity?” “That’s different.” The brunet sighs, ripping out the bottom of the list. “This is good.”

— Love Me Mercilessly by damselle (explicit | comp. | 30k)

Dream and George are the best cyber-detectives in their precinct with a strong hatred for each other– and even stronger sexual tension.

— burnt espresso on your tongue by effervescentlies (teen | comp. | 6k)

There are a lot of things George hates about the new barista, Dream: 1. He sucks at brewing espresso. 2. He's, like, distractingly hot, in the way that makes George want to slam his head into the espresso machine. 3. He's got a thing for using pick-up lines on customers — and George. The worst part is, the pick-up lines are starting to work. George wants to kiss him. He hates it.

— Vertigo by tangureen (mature | wip | 54k+)

Since George was young, the Olympics had been the only thing on his mind. Trouble arises when he clashes heads with a hockey player named Dream, and George can’t handle having a new found enemy of some sort. Now trouble seems to be following George, and nothing good comes with trouble.

— television static by effervescentlies (teen | comp. | 6k)

Dream hates George and George hates Dream. At least until they’re casted as lovers on a television show, and the lines between acting and real life start to blur.

— All is Fair in Love and Football by graciegirl2001 (mature | comp. | 83k)

The first time George Vincent meets Dream, the latter is passed out on the grass outside a college apartment in nothing but his boxers, the beer can in his hand leaking into the dirt. Charming.

[kontextmaschine]

Realizing the personality change may have removed my basic fear of (plunging from) heights, which completely changes the meaning of my plan to eventually train static-line skydiving like my paratrooper father

[cablesscutie]

ZKDD Day 11: Falling With You

The wind howls in her ears, chills her to the bone.  Katara has to scream to be heard as she asks, “Is this really how I die?  At terminal velocity, strapped to a stranger’s crotch?”  

The skydiving instructor, Zuko, simply says, “No,” and turns her around so he can clip the carabiner on the front of his harness onto the back of hers.  Katara has climbed enough glaciers back home with Sokka to know that this should be a very secure hold.  Belaying each other up and down sheer faces of rock and ice, the ropes and clips had always held, but something about this particular death-defying endeavor has her questioning it.

“Well, you can’t guarantee we’re not about to die - you made me sign a whole bunch of forms just in case we do!”  She digs in her heels a little when he starts walking her towards the open door of the plane.

“Katara, I’ve been doing this for years and I’ve been perfectly fine every time.  We have a parachute, and if that fails - which I’d like to point out has never happened to me - there is a backup parachute.  You’re going to be fine, unless you continue to refuse to let me do my job, because I can promise you that is precisely how accidents happen.”  Katara gulps and relaxes her legs a little, letting herself be pushed onward when he tries again.

“I still feel like I’m gonna die!” she shouts as Zuko flashes his sister and her dour-faced co-pilot a thumbs up and starts counting down.

“Three!  That’s normal. It’ll stop soon.  Two!”

“Well yeah, everything stops when you’re dead.”  

He doesn’t have a reply to that, and instead yells, “One!” He hoists her up by the harness like she’s in a baby bjorn, and steps over the edge of the plane and into nothing.

For perhaps the first ten seconds of the fall, Katara maintains that she is right, and this is the end.  Curiosity killed the Kat and all - spirits, Sokka better not make that joke at my funeral.

But after that, something strange happens.  The racing of her heart no longer feels like fear.  It feels like the familiar rush of exhilaration she gets staring down at the ground far below her on a climb, but magnified by the extremity of the height and the breathtaking speed.  They’re going too fast for her to even scream, the air ripped right out of her lungs the moment she opened her mouth, so she snaps it shut again.  She doesn’t know at what elevation you start swallowing bugs, but she doesn’t want to find out.  It’s an indescribable feeling, plummeting through midair like this, and she finds herself grateful for Zuko’s presence at that moment if for no other reason than she thinks had she been alone, she might’ve been too overwhelmed to remember to pull the cord on the parachute.

Just as he’d promised, the first chute unfurls without a hitch.  Katara’s body jerks against the harness, and the carabiner holds, just like it has on all of Zuko’s past jumps and Katara’s climbs.  Relief washes through her as their descent slows, and is able to focus on more than just her body in the air.  Spread out below them are rolling green hills, the snow-capped mountains in the distance blue and misty, roads criss-crossing.  She can feel Zuko pulling at the parachute to help them drift towards a flat field that must be their landing target.  Katara just catalogs the details of the scenery as they appear - one of the roads revealing itself to be a river sparkling in the sun, the sight of rooftops in towns emerging from smatterings of tree canopies.  

She does not even realize there had been such an absence of sound until she finds the static of the moving world fading back in like a lost radio station, and she finds that this whole time there has been no sound but wind and the beating of her heart.  Despite the loudness, it is perhaps the closest thing to true silence she has ever experienced.  The thought of having hurtled through all that nothing entirely alone sends a shudder through her, and she is grateful for Zuko’s presence in an entirely different way.  Of course, that is when he has to ruin it by saying,

“I told you so.”

“Don’t say that yet, we haven’t cleared the power lines.”

“You do realize that in order to win this argument, we’d have to die?”

“You really know how to ruin a moment, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”  He keeps his mouth shut after that though, dutifully steering them.  When he speaks next, it’s just to tell her to “Soften your knees,” as they skim just above the grass in the landing field.

Her feet hit first, his just a second behind, which is another good thing, because it has apparently taken all of five minutes for Katara’s legs to forget how to hold her upright.  When her knees buckle, rather than letting the harness catch her, Zuko grabs her elbows and holds her steady as she gets her feet under herself.  It somehow seems a more difficult task now that she can feel his warm body pressed all along her back and feels the firm grip of his fingers.

The touch is gone just as fast as it had come.  The next thing she knows, there’s the clink of the carabiner being released, and the subtle tension that had been binding them makes itself known just as it vanishes.  She blames the urge to pull him back on the euphoria washing over her as the adrenaline catches up.  Later, she may blame that same rush for why she blurts, “We never bet anything.”  Zuko looks up from where he’s gathering the chute into a ball against his chest.

“What?” he asks.

“On whether we were going to die or not.”  She shrugs.  “Kind of feels like the sort of thing people bet on.”

“Well, that’s sort of settled now, I guess,” he says, flashing her a smile through his helmet.

“Still, I feel like you should win something besides ‘not death’.”  He pulls his helmet off then, tucking it under his arm and ruffling a hand through his hair.  She does the same so they can see each other’s faces properly as he approaches her.

“Doesn’t seem fair that I get to be the winner and decide my own prize, so.  What did I win?”  Katara makes a show of thinking about it.  Her heart is hammering like she’s falling again, and she suddenly doesn’t know if she should do what her over-hyped brain is trying to tell her to do.  When she takes too long, Zuko gets a nervous but hopeful expression on his face.  He’s stuttering a bit when he asks, “Is - uh - is it bigger than a, um, breadbox?”  Katara laughs at him, because he’s terrible at whatever he’s trying to do here, but she hopes what he’s trying to do is flirt.  It seems likely, given the shy smile and pink start of a blush.

“I guess it depends on what part you consider the prize,” she says, feeling like she’s finally got some of her own back.  “Let me buy you a drink.”

@zkdrabbledecember

[ieatmypizzawithaforkandknife]

MAG 021 - Freefall

Summary: Jonathan reads the statement of Moira Kelly, regarding “the disappearance of her son Robert.”

This was one of my least favorite episodes my first time through the season, which is kind of funny considering how much I loved it the second time around. (I didn’t hate it the first time around, for the record - I think it was just overshadowed by the plot-heavy two-parter right before it and by the one after it, and I just didn’t give it the consideration it deserved.)

That poor woman. Like Father Burroughs, as far as we know, Robert Kelly did nothing to “deserve” his fate, and his mother certainly didn’t deserve to see that happen to him. She only saw him a few times a year because of how busy he kept himself, and then he comes home unexpectedly and poof! Gone the next day forever.

The incident on his last skydive seems to have been abrupt and without warning: as far as we know, Robert doesn’t know anything is wrong prior to Simon saying those three words to him. Like so many of these stories, I’m left wondering: Why Robert? Why did Simon (apparently) choose him? Did something else happen that we don’t know about that would explain it, or was it just a wrong-place-wrong-time type thing? If Robert wasn’t targeted for a specific reason, then what was Simon’s motivation?

“Enjoy sky blue” intrigues me, not because of what it is but what it isn’t. I’ve come to expect that, when a character says something Grade A Creepy, we’re going to hear that creepy static/interference over their words. But here it’s conspicuously absent, and if it weren’t for the immediate dizziness and the endless sky Robert found himself in a moment later, the words wouldn’t have been much more than a blip on my radar. Was it an oversight when they were editing in the sound effects? I can’t imagine that they’d just forget to put something like that in, especially when it’s been pretty consistently sprinkled throughout the rest of the season so far. So it bugs me.

I really liked the apparent contrast (but really parallels) between this episode and episode 15, “Lost John’s Cave”. In this episode Robert’s mother says that he always enjoyed high-risk activities involving heights, that he “always climbed higher” and “always pushed further” than his friends. In episode 15 Laura says that caving was her only real hobby, partly because of the cost, but also because she loved the feeling of being deep down in the earth that much. And in the wrap-up for this episode, Jonathan says that “Open Skydiving” has never existed - or, more accurately, there was no trace of any of the licenses or permits that would be required for a skydiving business, though there were a few mentions of it in newspapers around the time; likewise, in episode 15, Jonathan notes that there is no trace of the permits Laura claims to have gotten for their caving trip. Lastly, there is the climactic event itself: a person’s unexplainable disappearance. In both cases, a person straight-up disappears under circumstances that don’t make any kind of sense for a person to disappear under. In both cases it’s either implied or said outright that nature itself swallows them. Laura doesn’t see the exact moment her sister Elena disappears forever, but several times during her statement it seems like the rock shifts around her, and in this episode Moira saw the sky twist and shift and, for lack of a better way to describe it, eat Robert.

Which brings me to my favorite part of the episode: Moira’s description of the sky when Robert disappeared. She says at the beginning that “it makes my head hurt awfully when I try to remember it well enough to describe”, and when she actually gets to that part of the story, she doesn’t describe what she saw so much as explains what she didn’t see: “He didn’t fall or fly or take off. There wasn’t anything in the sky that took him - it wasn’t a hand that reached out and grabbed him, it was the sky itself - the whole sky, as far as the horizon I could see, that twisted around and moved like…like the shifting of sand.” Like the pile of meat that “opened all its eyes” in episode 18, something happened right in front of our narrator that their mind just could not comprehend somehow. It’s incredibly cool to think about, but also absolutely terrifying.

I have to wonder what made Robert push her away from him at the very end. Did he see something, like the beginning of the shifting of the sky that Moira described? Or did he feel something, like the plummeting sensation of falling or the dizziness and confusion he felt during his last skydive?

I thought it was really cool that his last skydive was described as “bright, he kept saying, it was so bright”, and just last episode Father Burroughs described the church in his fever dream as “it was bright...so bright”. I don’t mean to imply there’s any kind of specific connection here - I just think back to what I was feeling and picturing at those moments in each episode and once again have to commend Jonny on his amazing writing and performance, because these two nearly identical lines felt so completely different.

But I am wondering if there’s a connection between what happens to Robert in this episode and Ex Altiora (the Leitner featured in episode 4). The book’s title alone would make me wonder, but more important is the contents of the book and its effect on those who read it. Dominic says it contains a series of illustrations: “a mountain or a cliff or in one picture what appeared to be an empty night sky. I felt an odd sensation when I looked at that image as though, simple as it was, I was about to fall into it, and my stomach gave an odd jolt”. Dominic lost time (about an hour) while looking at the book - the opposite of what happened to Robert, as it felt like he was falling for hours or even days when he only fell for an extra 15 minutes. Also the-same-but-opposite is the fact that the main Ex Altiora illustration featured in episode 4 was of a night sky, whereas Robert’s experience was with a day sky - “an endless sky blue nothing”, as Jonathan calls it.

I’d like to end with my favorite Jonathan quote of the episode, from the very beginning of the wrap-up at the end: “Before I address the central point of this statement, namely the question of [sigh] whether the sky can eat people”. ily Jonathan lmao please never change.

This post is part of a series where I write my thoughts about each episode and obsessively connect dots in an effort to figure out The Big Mysteries of the series. All posts in this series are tagged “is this liveblogging?” Comments and messages are welcome but I have only listened to season 1, so I ask that you not spoil me for anything beyond episode 40. In the words of Jonny Sims…thanks for listening!

[howdytherepardner]

a tale of two fountains or maybe tributes to "great men"

spires of caverns and pits and spikes; all in aggregate seem to suggest that it could not all have been constructed with care yet each one constructed with too much care for one to bear. cascading semi-chlorinated water separated and dispersed through multitude arteries abruptly exposed to the world around it, standing alone in a vernal pool tucked between decadence and the machines driving legacies of wealth and influence. despite the drapings of grandeur and the mythos surrounding it, it is not unknowable. any outside perspective would give you something to remember it by, but the spears are not a strong enough defense to hides its insides. this unrelenting, static chaos holds an eye of stability; not precise to guarantee protection, but enough to assure that anyone brave enough to venture within will know some measure of relief from the world that surrounds it and the world that it is.

~

i wander down an exposed stairwell with my prox and a towel, wearing only a linting mask and old swim shorts. the paved surfaces that my journey follows range from smoother cement to asphalt jagged with berries from trees that would never realize their evolutionary purpose. it is not the first time i have decided to sit under the fountain of freedom ahead of me arriving at it, but it is the first in memory that i have been so prepared. normally, a pair of briefs would get soaked while too many things sat on the stairs anticipating the emergence of my dripping form, which would continue until i made it back to my room. but there i was. i have never been particularly good at meditation, and would only claim to have “achieved” a meditative state a few moments in my life, but media depictions of water falls as a particular source for finding some form of releasing outer thoughts; it seems to work well enough, but perhaps i just enjoy the spectacle. this night, there were only a few pairs that sat along the side of water, so not too much of an audience, but enough for me to wonder what they thought as i hung my towel and mask on “Double Sights” and sloshed my way to the tower. normally i might set myself directly under a narrow cascade or in the eye, but this session i remained at a static point in orbit: my legs soaked and my arms quickly coated by innumerable droplets, but my hair only catching the most divergent skydivers, the back of my neck losing its dryness only to sweat and humidity.

it’s a place of security, your conversations drowned out by incessant waters, and in close enough proximity, your own thoughts as well. that was the aim of my venture up campus. i’ve been struggling to fall asleep lately. my body will be exhausted from interactions and activities (walking to class? inconceivable) enough that i give up on work earlier in the night and pray that an earlier sleep will restore some greater stamina. the mind however is plagued with sensations of the time that i’m wasting THERE ARE ONLY 22 WEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT AND YOU’RE SITTING IN YOUR FUCKING ROOM WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOU THIS SUMMER WHO WAS READY TO SEE PEOPLE AND LIVE AGAIN, the regrets i am well beyond amending THIS IS JUST HOW YOU WERE FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING WITH YOUR IVY LEAGUE TRANSCRIPT, and other anxieties I AM FAILING ALREADY. I AM INDEED TAKING IT ALL FOR GRANTED, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT PRINCETON OPINION PERSON? I AM DISAPPOINTING MY FRIENDS AND EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER INVESTED CAUSE OR CONCERN IN MY SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING. of course, the mind is of body as well, and these permeate through the rest of me. i haven’t felt health for a while THOUGH I’M SURE THAT’S JUST THE COVID THAT I’VE DEFINITELY CONTRACTED AND SPREAD TO MY LOVED ONES or the scattered eating and sleeping schedule compounding into no full restoration. most of the time, this leads to a shirtless run on the towpath (if i’m not doing school work, i might as well perfect this bag of bones), but Ida has eroded many segments to the bottom of the canal, so darker nights may not be the best for it AND MY VISION SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY, SO IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THE BODY SURRENDERS ANY SHRED OF WORTH ENTIRELY.

but that night was not humid, and chilly waters woke me to ensure i was fully experiencing my slate slowly being washed away. worries seem to just slip away from me, like a patagonia in any of the clubs’ coat rooms. i feel the effortless mind of my body switch on the ignition, turning all engines to ensure that i freezen’t in the water, and i can stretch each muscle individually as i am asked to confront the prospect of how this form is treated. and i can breathe again, full and deep, and i feel like i am able to get up and face the world as it comes once more.

~

Scudder Plaza may be the most relaxing spot on campus: you can catch the cooling spray from James FitzGerald’s monumental sculpture, Fountain of Freedom, or be soothed by the sounds of its cascading water. At twenty-three feet high, Fountain of Freedom is one of the largest cast bronze sculptures in the U.S. Inspired by the rugged beauty of the artist’s native Pacific Northwest, the grooves, channels, and spires of the six-ton sculpture—reminiscent of naturally eroded forms—are meant to symbolize Woodrow Wilson’s aspirations and frustrations. … Seven hundred gallons of water are recirculated through the fountain each minute and are sprayed through an intricate system of fifty major pressure valves and more than 1,000 pin-hold jets. (x)

~

but tower 4 is some distance from those 4 towers. and without jets pushing them back, many things come crawling back. i am looking down to the basement cafe with its lights out, wondering if the people coming my way were laughing at my relative under-dress, when i decide that i cannot go home yet. i complete another barefoot walk across campus, and lay my towel down as a seat at my penultimate resting place.

~

its silhouette a vague enough [cardioid of sorts] to prevent any association based on shape alone, your expectations may be higher than what you need. it is a piece of furniture in name and in relativity to form, something regarded briefly in the minds’ eye and then passed by just as quickly. its flows ooze at a steady rate, in synch such that it never appears to be moving at all; the only proof that it is, really, is the shading below coming from beyond the light and the drippings at its bottom hidden from view. those surface shimmers make a soft sound, but on touch simply flow between the fingertips. a single indentation on the surface has received a few stones of the many that live below its form, placed there by hands other than its creator; certainly, they gave their vision the precise amount of care and intent required to manifest it. an illusion that what it emits has eroded it over many years to a smooth shape, but with the truth that it is still very young and remains solid within.

~

it would not feel quite right to sit atop einstein’s table, so i sit on the concrete next to the square of rocks. even with consistent eye contact, its subtle streaming does little to shield spectators from the world outside. a car driving by listening to top hits from summers past, a few pedestrians making their pilgrimage for late night snacks; every little itch on the surface of my skin, and of course, bare exposure to every THIS and THAT in a state of overwhelming stillness. but in all, it comes to pass, and my brain is left backtracking to the overwhelming stillness i have known in recent months. i am nostalgic for my University Mandated Quarantine Walks, particularly one alone in the mountain lakes preserve after my first snow back. i am nostalgic for early autumn days looking at the sun reflected off a pond. i am nostalgic for the waiting to find out where i’d spend my junior year, the waiting to receive messages and letters from friends. restless simplicity, anticipation for better things that, well, i guess are supposed to be the present. it doesn’t really feel that way now. as SENTIMENTS have alluded to, i am struggling to make it through right now. instead of a senior year that serves as the culmination of all that came before, i feel instead trapped in shitty replays of the past 3 years. like a script composed of false cognates, it feels like i understand what is happening right now and it makes no sense.

~

Near the earthwork is “Einstein’s Table,” made of jet mist granite and inspired by Albert Einstein’s theory on black holes. Lin noted that the theory was validated last year during the creation of the table. Outer space and constellations were a source of inspiration for both projects, she said.

During the hourlong conversation, Lin shared details of her process from start to finish, which included many adjustments along the way. “With every artwork there might be six to eight models,” she said. “I’m always teaching myself about the site, so that I’m preparing myself for what it’s going to be like to be on site.” (x)

~

but i think i am mostly wondering about how similarly others are feeling. it appears to me that my peers are sliding right back into the chaos of the now, festive in the face of it all and doing everything i tell myself i should be doing right now. do i come off that way to them? does anyone really know how to express these feelings 100 leagues below the surface, or is it just me? what feels true to me, and what leads me to rise from my seat next to the table and return home, is that i must continue. there is little option now but to follow through on this all until the end of the line, whenever it may come; maybe that comes easier for some people now, but i think i’ll make it eventually. i am not entirely sad and i am not entirely happy, but i am here. i think i want to help people despite not being perfect at it, and i am here. all things for granted or not, i am here. i will continue to get cold under one monument and never deny the temptation to touch another passing by, because i know those are things i like to think. i hope you know you can talk to me always.

[sfc-paulchambers]

Maj. Marissa Chierichella (right) is the executive officer for the @armygoldenknights . She skydives for a living! She is a graduate from @westpoint_usma . She served as a Military Police Officer then transitioned to Military Intelligence. She is also a Static Line Jumpmaster and has deployed twice. On top of that, she is a super single Mom. Posted @withrepost • @_pensacolaarmyrecruiting #jointheteamthatmakesadifference #womenwhoserve #motivation #goals #paratrooper #leadership #airborne #dosomethingpositive for your #futureself #dosomethingworthwatching #contactmenow #pm #dm #text #828-489-2646 #usarmyreserve #yourarmyreservecareercounselor #parttimejob #fulltimebenefits 825 Spartanburg Hwy Suite 8 #hendersonvillenc #brotherhood #usarmyreserve #globallypositioned #globallyengaged #parttimeservicefulltimebenefits #parttimeservicefulltimepride #parttimeservicefulltimesuccess #dosomethingpositive for your #futureself #classof2020 #classof2021 #careergoals #text PM46 to 462769 #classof2020 #classof2021 #careergoals #text PM46 to 462769 #whatsyourexcuse (at Army Recruiting Hendersonville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4nAT26gB6v/?igshid=igbub3n3t5lq