Well Meaning Relatives!

We have a strained relationship at best (read this as we exist in parallel universes), so when I started training last November during a "stop" on my way down to the Keys; I just never brought it up.

She would be more concerned with the money vs. my safety (sort of funny as I already owned 3 sets of BP & Wings a set of doubles and more **** than I can list). So I am operating from the don't ask,don't tell philosophy

I did tell me son who is OW certified (as is my wife) with a reasonable amount of diving experience.

In my personal experience, driving is more dangerous than diving.
In 20 years of diving (but only 3 of cave diving) I have lost one dive buddy to a traffic accident but none to dive accidents. Two of my buddies have been bent, however; one in my presence.
My wife prefers my diving to my former sport of mountaineering. In 30 years of mountaineering I lost 5 buddies to climbing accidents and 2 to traffic accidents. For many years I told buddies who called me "overcautious", "I buried the last guy who told me that." (The buddy who criticised my caution on Mt. Robson, died on Mt. St. Helens a year later.)

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Originally Posted by icestac

Well when a mommy european and a daddy european love each other...

That or a lot of loose european women ;)

~Jeff

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Europe is a big place..... there are some mommies and daddies you do not want to mingle, let alone 'love each other'.

Lot of interesting thoughts...

Couple brief thoughts of my own

I find that most of the concern is based on fear, and that fear is primarily due to ignorance of the precautions we take. So, I first acknowledge their concerns, then admit empathize that I have been spooked a couple times. I then start moving the conversation towards the training and how the risks (fears) are managed. I throw in that it is the self preservation that keeps me from doing any of the dangerous/crazy stuff... which may include a quick discussion of the latest death(s), especially if that's what is why they are concerned, and what is thought to have gone wrong.

I also try to share the joy and passion of the caving community, so others can see that I do it because it makes me happy. (Why wouldn't they what me to be happy?) I've noticed that DVDs/videos of cave diving really help explain the 'why I do it' questions.

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Originally Posted by skip

i'm sure you meant to say humankind.... :yawinkle:

be careful, shirley's around here somewhere.

-skip

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ROFLMAO! No worries here, I'm not a feminist...you can carry my tanks any time...especially if we ever get back into Rich's! :smt081

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Originally Posted by FW

True, but I just wondered why AW thought mankind began in Europe :-D

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I didn't say mankind began in Europe. I was referencing the fact that exploration of the Americas began with European countries trying to find a new route to India, etc. It's much easier to expand from the Middle East when you can simply walk, as opposed to going against the grain of popular belief that the Earth was flat and you'd fall off it if you sailed into the blue yonder. It took men with kahunas to take the risk.

Same goes for the popular belief that cave diving is dangerous. Go against the grain of the "let's all just be safe and sound" and take a risk.

Scott, Mount storm?

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Originally Posted by aw

I didn't say mankind began in Europe. I was referencing the fact that exploration of the Americas began with European countries trying to find a new route to India, etc. It's much easier to expand from the Middle East when you can simply walk, as opposed to going against the grain of popular belief that the Earth was flat and you'd fall off it if you sailed into the blue yonder. It took men with kahunas to take the risk.

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Theoretically, the first people to North America did "just walk". They followed herds of wild game all the way across Asia, and the Bering Strait land bridge. But we are getting a little off topic...

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Originally Posted by aw

Can I take a guess that the "well meaning relatives" who sent their letters of concern were female? Just remember, if it were left up to women to do the actual explorations of Earth, we'd all still be living in Europe today.

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Thanks for the encouragement to be here at the CDF. http://www.deepcaves.net/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

Of course I notice in your profile you say your purpose coming to the CDF is to "argue and fight." Boy, that stereotypical male characteristic surely is an advantage to humankind. http://www.deepcaves.net/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

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Originally Posted by skip

i'm sure you meant to say humankind.... :yawinkle:

be careful, shirley's around here somewhere.

-skip

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I actually have solved the problem of dealing with this language issue. However, I know full well, that no one will actually listen to me and adopt this.

The root syllable is "man." We can have a congressman or postman. We have wo-man and hu-man. Each time, we simple add a prefix to the root syllable. To solve all the language awkwardness, all we have to do is ad a prefix to indicate the male fraction of peoplehood. You know like he-man or yo-man. It's SIMPLE. Too bad no one will actually adopt it.