You know what? I’m getting a little tired of saying “I’m looking forward to X” and the response being some horror story of how dangerous it is. Yeah, I know a lot of the stuff I do is dangerous. I ride motorcycles: “Here’s a story of someone who was horribly injured on a motorcycle!” I’m going to Zimbabwe: “Here’s a story of someone who was horribly injured in Zimbabwe!” I jump out of airplanes: “Here’s a story of someone who was horribly injured jumping out of an airplane!”
Do you think this is news to me? I’m well aware that about 80% of my hobbies have risk associated with them. About the only one that nobody ever harasses me about is knitting. And hey, I know a few good stories about some knitting injuries, too.
Wanna hear some stories of people who DIDN’T injure themselves? A lot more of them than the ones who did.
I really, really wish people would stop collectively raining on my parade.
If/when I kill or injure myself doing something potentially dangerous, feel free to say “I told you so” as much as you’d like. I’ll even agree with you. ‘Til then, about the only person who can bug me about it is my mother. She’s entitled, I figure. If everyone else could please just assume that I’m aware of the risks (because I am) and back the fuck off, I’d be most pleased.
Don’t you know it’s dangerous to rage against people who annoy you…. (or have I missed the point completely?) ;-P
Don’t people injure themselves while typing? ;-)
The danger of being trapped in a boring life outweighs all other dangers combined.
“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow – what a ride!’”
The dangers associated with blogging have been well doucmented by those rare bloggers that have survived.
Well, I think motorcycle riding is fun,.
Jumping out of a perfectly sound aeroplace just happens to be one of the few things I think is stupidly dumb, and I thought so a long time before Alan proved it to me.
:(
But you’re entitled to your opinion – just like me :)
Lea: Waaaay more likely to die or injure oneself on a motorcycle than while skydiving. Hell, more likely to die in a car than while skydiving. So what makes skydiving so stupid? In case of emergency, there are a lot more backup systems while skydiving than there are on my bike.
And that’s exactly what I’m talking about: Your opinion is unresearched and influenced by anecdotal evidence. Mine involves actually finding out what the risks are, educating myself, getting the training, and hell, actually doing it. “Dangerous” is subjective, and I’ve chosen to accept the minor risk, and enjoy it. Hence my post: I’m getting sick and tired of having to hear everyones uneducated opinions, as though they’re supposed to matter.
In other words: Sorry about your friend, but he’s a rare case. Ask the millions of people who skydive every year with no injuries, rather than one guy who did.
And even if I do kill myself doing something that many people see as risky? Could be worse. I could live and never take a single risk.
Please don’t ever call me “stupidly dumb” on my own website again. I don’t care what your opinions are, that’s fucking rude.
No, no, no – I guess I didn’t make myself clear.
I’ve never thought stepping out of a sound aeroplane was.. sensible. I wouldn’t enjoy doing it and I’m not silly enough to put myself through it.
Its not the danger itself, although its not a safe activity, its just… not something I want to do.
Then Alan got hurt, and it was another reason not to do it.
You go jump if you want :)
Me, I’ll just daydream about getting myself a nice softtail harley, one day when the kids are all grown. :)
Thats not a safe activity, but its one that I like doing.
Basically, I guess its that people go ‘wow! I jumped out of an aeroplane! It was incredible I loved it! You should go do it too!’ and I think ‘What? Are you insane? I have no interest in that. Quit pushing me to do something that I don’t want to.’
oh, bah – I’m complaining about the same thing you are… *sigh* :)
My dear Donna, I think you are far far more likely to die from some reader of your blog getting pissed off with you for your outspoken opinions (which I love) and hunting you down and shooting you than ANY of the hobbies you practice.
Except perhaps knitting. I’m with you on that one. Scary stuff. But we all need our thrills.