Not Jump: The Sequel

This time we had the necessary paperwork certifying that we were qualified to jump the parachute being used. They didn't ask for it. We had missed the mandatory meeting the day before due my trying to be in two places at once and failing -- I didn't process that the afternoon jump meeting was the day before the jump not the day of the jump until too late and so carried on with helping the local unit with some transportation issues. Anyway, since we missed the meeting, we were no longer on the list of jumpers.

However, they had extra parachutes and so put us back on the list. Problem solved.

Everything was going fine. Jumping with SOF units is a laid back affair. No need to get all rigged up until the last minute. Everyone laughs and jokes. We make fun of people's landings. One guy who forgot to disconnect one of his parachute straps after landing in order to deflate the canopy ended up playing tug of war with it as it caught the wind again. He lost. We laughed some more.

The whole process was incredibly efficient. Aircraft took off, jumpers exited, they landed, aircraft landed, lather, rinse, repeat. Then some kinks. A couple free fall drops required higher drop altitudes. The climb to altitude ate up more gas. With about a quarter of us waiting to jump, the aircraft hit it's minimum fuel to get back home and had to leave. Just as we rigged up.

And in the end we were going to jump an older parachute anyway because they ran out of the new one. Oh well. Such is the nature of being a paratrooper. They don't show that in the recruiting commercials.

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Also, I think I'm starting to understand the weird dynamic those trashy shows like "The Bachelor." They take a bunch of women (I use the term loosely, but bear with me), they take them away from home, and put them all together with nothing to do but think about some dude. In that weird echo chamber they somehow think themselves in love with their male oxygen-stealing counterpart.

Just as I was starting to lose motivation about this trip because the job can be less than exciting at times, my trip has been delayed multiple times. I have nothing to do but think about going to Iraq. I guess increased motivation is a symptom of cabin fever.

I did get out to see my cousin today, who treated me to a Birthday Cake Re-Mix at Cold Stone Creamery. It is always great to see her, which is a side benefit of my multiple trips to this area. However, I left the encounter with one question that I still can't get a good answer to.... how do they make ice cream that really tastes so much like cake batter?