I haven't written about the gym in a while - yes, we're still going. I'm frustrated by Preacher Curls - I strained some tendons in my wrists so I can't use the same amount of weight as I'm used to.

Am I still on the diet? No, I'm holding steady for a bit (as opposed to eating like a pig and gaining everything back).

I have had some amusing AFF dives lately - no students from Hell, but definitely a few from Heck:

Student #1 is a nice but nervous fellow who is about 5'6" and 240 pounds. Not only does he resemble a bowling ball he has the fall rate of a bowling ball. So despite putting every pound of lead shot into my weight vest that I could find, I had a difficult time keeping down with him. The other AFF instructor, Frank, isn't exactly a heavyweight either. We got out the door, everything was fine, but he de-arched a little during his practice ripcord pulls and went head down somewhat. That makes you increase your speed. I was flung across his back and was about 50 feet above and away from him and Frank when I recovered. By the time I managed to get close to them again it was pull time.

I discussed it with Jon; he suggests I wear a tee-shirt and shorts next time I do a skydive with someone that heavy. Personally I would just rather not skydive with someone that heavy: it's a matter of physics. Take a 240 pound human who is spinning at a rate of 2 revolutions a second with a fall rate of 140 miles an hour. Do you really think a 130 pound human is going to be able to stop the spinner? Much less fall at 140 miles an hour (my fall rate is more like 110) without tying an anvil around her waist.

My second student from Heck was a woman who weighs less than me. It was a Level 1 AFF and again, the other jumpmaster was Frank. We got out the door just fine and she had a really good body position, which is rare in a beginner. She did not do her practice ripcord pulls, so I gave her the signal to start them. She just stared at me. So I took her hand and pulled it behind her back, and she got the hint and grabbed the pilot chute's handle. I *thought* she understood. She pulled the pilot chute out and opened at about 10,000 feet. (Normally students open at 5,000; experienced skydivers can go as low as 2000).

What a long cold ride. She had no idea what she did wrong. She basically lost altitude awareness; we teach them that the skydive is over at 5,500 feet and not before then. She was very discouraged. I hate seeing that. I'd rather them lose altitude awareness and pull high as opposed to pulling low. I tried to talk her into going again. I doubt she'll be back which is a shame.

For the first time in a while I'm reading a book A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin. It's a fairly typical fantasy epic, except with a decent amount of kinky sex and non-cartoon violence and some interesting, 3 dimensional characters. It's a projected series of 6 books and only the first three have been written. Like many compulsive fantasy readers, I have given up on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series so I'm hoping this series will not disappoint me like Jordan's did.