I tried to get a jump in this weekend but I got on the idea too late and thus couldn’t get on manifest. I turned around and decided to continue the purging and reformation of my office. I’ve fallen out of my GTD swing and I needed to reinvest the time to get back on track.
I’m working my way back into the fervor. Using kGTD (Kinkless) and 3x5 note cards. GTD is about getting it out of your head and in to places you trust. You must trust those resources or you will keep it in your head. I stopped trusting my places because I yearned for something yet undeveloped. During that pause I became again a chaortic person living through the brevity of things I could keep in my head. As we continue development however I realized I really needed to have GTD be a core methodology of my world so I could make sure development was going to do what it needed. Kind of a ‘like-duh’ moment. Again with kGTD, again with note cards, again it begins to take shape.
One thing I never really developed with my prior setups was the ‘Altitude Map’. I have a life-compass I look at for most of my decisions but I didn’t have a map (what pothole?). The compass makes sure I’m in the right direction (am I happy?), the map defines you. Definitions can be a scary thing, hence avoidance systems can try and stall this type of project. David Allen defines altitudes within 10k increments to 50k. From the runway to the top of the sky, what you see, how it is perceived, and how it guides/defines you should find harmony. If it doesn’t that’s a flag to do some serious soul searching and planning to put you in alignment. You can be happy in this world.
50,000 - Purpose
40,000 - Vision
30,000 - Goals & Objectives
20,000 - Focus & Responsibility
10,000 - Projects
Runway - Next Actions
Getting friendly with 50k
In the last few months I’ve started to understand that I deeply care for culture. It is carried by the distant light of our forbearers to the creative fire of us each carving out our ways. Something that if not kept in scope I fear we end up losing to opportunists and greed. We need to celebrate our cultures, our traditions, our people, our purposes and move forward with these things in mind. I’ve never had such a position before but it rings in me and will guide me in my pursuits.
40,000 and looking good
Execute, execute, execute. It’s been said many many times of late that if you can’t execute a billion dollar idea isn’t worth spit. I’m going to work hard to execute anything I promise to. I see something I can stand on that is rock solid, a foundation, that will allow me the ability to launch from. No longer yolked by an oppressive force but free to be the entrepreneur. Opportunity knocks on many fronts and must be answered.
As I continue to fall through the layers I see how much is to be done but it’s not overwhelming. I feel like myself and my cadre have had much worse put to us in the past. This is just careful thought and thorough execution. We can do that. I can do that. The ground looms closer and next actions begin to stream by me until….flare flare flare… did I just walk that off? I did. (No pink elephants remember?!)
I like working with David Allen’s model. It really is dead simple. If it has any complexity it is because we make it complex. I’ve about got some systems up that will keep me moving forward. I’ll let you know how they pan out after I trial them a bit. Least to say, keep it small, keep it simple, keep it up.
DRM is used to restrict what you and your family can do with the electronic devices and media purchased. It is an attempt by technology and media companies to take away your rights. DRM Means: No fair use. No purchase and resell. No private copies. No sharing. No backup. No swapping. No mix tapes. No privacy. No commons. No control over our computers. No control over our electronic devices.
Two down! The second jump was far far better than my first and leaves me with a great feeling of accomplishment. It can’t be described how wacky you get on a first jump. Your senses are overloaded and what that translates into is an easy ability to get lost, bewildered, and confused.
On my first jump I didn’t have a picture of what was to be. I had no map, no fore-knowledge, nothing for me to really be scared of knowingly besides the act itself in a general way. After my first jump apprehension was quick to set in since I now knew what to expect. I understood what was going on and being so helpless due to the influx of new information it was going to allow fear to edge in. I knew if I didn’t get another jump in soon my anxiety level would be raised to a point possibly stalling my progress. With a bit of hesitation and a nod from Robin I gave a call Sunday morning to register with manifest. Once committed a lot of my anxiety dissipated immediately. I think I had more of a commitment fear than an actual fear. Heading down there I was hell bent on practice.
I wanted to ingrain what I was learning into rock solid reactions. You don’t have many luxuries of time to wait and think, you must be ready to act. Utilizing the drop zones tools I began to just exercise what I learned in class and through my first jump. Then I met my instructors for the day Delfina and Pete. I was instructed that we would be jumping in the next few hours on load 12 of the day. Pete walked me through what was to be expected a few times and then left me to my own devices to continue practicing, and practice I did. The exercises of the day including 90’ left, 90’ right, sky tracking forward, along with the prior lessons of circle of awareness’, checking parachute ball, and altitude awareness.
We boarded a Casa. A 22 passenger plane that has a rear hatch door that we get to hop out of. Quite nice! The Casa took us to 14000ft which gives me about an extra 4-5 seconds of free fall which being a heavy guy, the more time the better! Exit was clean, awareness on queue. I was a little soft in my right 90’ rotation. I firmed it up for the left 90’ and was on time for my sky track forward. What a great sensation burning through the air. My instructors said when I came out of my sky track they momentarily were given a little zero G (they are a lot lighter than I am hehehe). I checked my altimeter and it said 6500, and for some reason I locked eyes with Pete and like a programmed monkey told him. He shook his head grinning and told me to pull, so I did. Upon pulling I was very careful to be aware of the 3S’s; Square, Stable, Steerable. Unfortunately my chute had malfunctioned in a common way in a line twist. Quickly I got the direction of the twist and kicked myself counter to it freeing up the lines and being in control at about 3000-or-so feet. The rest of my air time was spent doing circles while tandem flights landed. I enjoyed myself throughly and let Danny guide me down. I would have walked the landing but I started about 3-4’ft too early and ended up doing a PLF onto my side.
I was really happy with myself and Delfina & Pete were too. My debrief went without a hitch. I only wish I had more time in the next few weeks but scheduling conflicts are upon me. I feel fantastic though and am ready for more.
Friday, September 29th I went back to Skydive Carolina in Chester and with the help of Joey & Gene launced into the air at 11,500ft. I made a number of small mistakes and took a lot of lessons away from the jump. I had a great time and am looking forward to accomplishing more. Skydiving is like any new task. When you first started driving a car everything seemed too fast. If you are a motorcyclist you remember this even more acutely. The same is very true if not moreso with skydiving. Everything happens very quickly and you have no time to go backwards to fix things you feel you err’d on so you must go forward. That’s why you train with multiple instructors, review, practice, and work very diligently at aquiring muscle memory and good reactions to unknown situations. Even if you never want to aquire a license, I heartily recommend you try a tandem jump. It will give you a perspective you won’t soon forget.
