Recently there were some issues that occurred that caused me to rethink my status as a supporting member. I hope that this is the best place for the widest exposure for this. What was going on was indeed my almost rabid aversion to censorship and my support of what I consider to be good friends and I have to say mentors as well. None of the stuff I do is new or unique. I take the best of what I see others doing and evaluate it. If it will aid my students I incorporate it into my classes.
I have the freedom to do this thanks to the agency I certify through. I am greatful for that. I don't think I could in good conscience teach under any other circumstances.
But what many do not know is what else was going on. In a few days it will be 6 months since I lost my wife to complications from muscular dystrophy. We knew she would not have a normal lifespan and for the last two years the progression of the disease was accelerated.
In addition to this my son was in Afghanistan. A place he did not have to be but he volunteered to go and do his part to try and save American lives. I could make a political remark here but will refrain from doing so. He was doing what he and I consider to be the right thing. What it was also doing was tearing me up inside. He could not get home for Denise's funeral. I did not hear from him for weeks at time due to him being with USAF Intelligence and his mission and location classified.
These two things were affecting my judgment in most areas of my life. I was hyper sensitive to damn near everything. I am NOT apologizing for everything I said during this time. Some of it needed to be said. I did not realize how much my son's absence affected me until he came home two weeks ago. Hearing his voice from US soil was so important that I lost it after hanging up the phone. It also was revealed that he was not as I thought on the UAV's. Out of the 194 days he was there he flew 115 of them behind enemy lines which is everywhere over there in a slow,low flying 2 engine prop plane.
IN any case the decision I made to suspend my supporting member status was not made in a rational manner. I allowed my emotions to dictate my actions.
I also made some comments regarding NetDoc and the mods that I am sorry for. Pete and I still have things we do not and perhaps never will agree on. That is ok. What we do have though are not only common ground but perhaps strong bonds when it come to certain issues.
Among those being that SB is a valuable resource for the dive community, that training safe divers (though we may differ in just what that means) should be the goal of every instructor, and that informed divers are better and safer divers. It is here that many come and can come to find out if they got screwed on gear or training. It;s where I found out that to an extent I did.
Here they can come and get honest and sometimes direct and perhaps even brutal answers to questions their LDS or instructor will not answer or be evasive on. The amount of thanks and emails and even calls I received for my "Who is Responsible" post is my proof of that.
In any case I have already communicated with Pete my intention to continue to financially support this board. In being rational I have to realize that without it I would not be the diver or instructor I am today. It is here that I found out about other agencies, different gear set ups and how to use them, and that no one should have to settle for less when more is available when it comes to training and gear.
SB has also provided me with a number of students from places I never would have drawn from otherwise. And it has given me friends that have supported and enabled me to go on through some of the worst times in my life. There are those of you who I have never met that still shoot a little PM asking if I'm ok. The shop I worked with for over year, took my tech classes through, and took many nights away from my wife with me, because I was teaching never sent a card, flowers, an email, or phoned to see how I was. They can go to hell, I will never recommend them to anyone. I know who my friends are and where they are. They are here.
How could I not support that which has given me so much and in reality has asked for so little.
So to Pete, the MODS,and to all of the members here I am sorry and hope you will find it in you to understand where I was coming from. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, and neither is my support.
Jim Lapenta
SEI Instructor #204
Scubaboard Business Sponsor
Owner: UDM Aquatic Services
I have the freedom to do this thanks to the agency I certify through. I am greatful for that. I don't think I could in good conscience teach under any other circumstances.
But what many do not know is what else was going on. In a few days it will be 6 months since I lost my wife to complications from muscular dystrophy. We knew she would not have a normal lifespan and for the last two years the progression of the disease was accelerated.
In addition to this my son was in Afghanistan. A place he did not have to be but he volunteered to go and do his part to try and save American lives. I could make a political remark here but will refrain from doing so. He was doing what he and I consider to be the right thing. What it was also doing was tearing me up inside. He could not get home for Denise's funeral. I did not hear from him for weeks at time due to him being with USAF Intelligence and his mission and location classified.
These two things were affecting my judgment in most areas of my life. I was hyper sensitive to damn near everything. I am NOT apologizing for everything I said during this time. Some of it needed to be said. I did not realize how much my son's absence affected me until he came home two weeks ago. Hearing his voice from US soil was so important that I lost it after hanging up the phone. It also was revealed that he was not as I thought on the UAV's. Out of the 194 days he was there he flew 115 of them behind enemy lines which is everywhere over there in a slow,low flying 2 engine prop plane.
IN any case the decision I made to suspend my supporting member status was not made in a rational manner. I allowed my emotions to dictate my actions.
I also made some comments regarding NetDoc and the mods that I am sorry for. Pete and I still have things we do not and perhaps never will agree on. That is ok. What we do have though are not only common ground but perhaps strong bonds when it come to certain issues.
Among those being that SB is a valuable resource for the dive community, that training safe divers (though we may differ in just what that means) should be the goal of every instructor, and that informed divers are better and safer divers. It is here that many come and can come to find out if they got screwed on gear or training. It;s where I found out that to an extent I did.
Here they can come and get honest and sometimes direct and perhaps even brutal answers to questions their LDS or instructor will not answer or be evasive on. The amount of thanks and emails and even calls I received for my "Who is Responsible" post is my proof of that.
In any case I have already communicated with Pete my intention to continue to financially support this board. In being rational I have to realize that without it I would not be the diver or instructor I am today. It is here that I found out about other agencies, different gear set ups and how to use them, and that no one should have to settle for less when more is available when it comes to training and gear.
SB has also provided me with a number of students from places I never would have drawn from otherwise. And it has given me friends that have supported and enabled me to go on through some of the worst times in my life. There are those of you who I have never met that still shoot a little PM asking if I'm ok. The shop I worked with for over year, took my tech classes through, and took many nights away from my wife with me, because I was teaching never sent a card, flowers, an email, or phoned to see how I was. They can go to hell, I will never recommend them to anyone. I know who my friends are and where they are. They are here.
How could I not support that which has given me so much and in reality has asked for so little.
So to Pete, the MODS,and to all of the members here I am sorry and hope you will find it in you to understand where I was coming from. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, and neither is my support.
Jim Lapenta
SEI Instructor #204
Scubaboard Business Sponsor
Owner: UDM Aquatic Services
