Wow, what a wonderful thread for ME to open this afternoon -- a real Christmas present!
There are some absolutely wonderful people writing on this board.
Of course, the Scubaboarder who has made the biggest difference for me is Bob (NWGratefulDiver), who took me under his wing when I was still doing my descents on my back, and spent hours and patient hours working through all the stuff I hadn't learned or couldn't do until I became competent enough to complete a dive without some major mishap. And then he sent me off in the direction that he knew would be precisely right for me.
After Bob is my dear dive buddy, Kirk (DoubleDip). Kirk, who has spent uncounted hours drilling and practicing with me, who has put up with my clumsiness and my slowness to get some of this stuff. Kirk, who always wants to do it again until we get it RIGHT. And with whom I have spent some truly wonderful purely fun dives, because diving with somebody you've built that much of a partnership with is really rich diving.
Other Scubaboarders have made a difference just in writing, although I've never met them. I've read every thread Uncle Pug ever started, I think, and I'm looking forward to actually getting a chance to talk to him for the first time at Christmas. A very close second is Diver0001. Not only has he written a number of incredibly thought-provoking and educational threads, he has a fabulous knack for inserting a comment in someone else's thread that makes you rock back on your haunches and completely rethink the issue. Thank you, Rob, for that "What made you call that an emergency?" comment! And then there's Doc Intrepid, the king of pragmatism and practicality, with a true gift for word coinage (stroketastic -- wow!)
Mike Ferrara, GDI, DA Aquamaster, Tobin . . . oh, and let's not forget LAMONT, who has written some fabulous posts and threads. Thalassamania, whose passion for overdecorated language may well exceed mine. Mo2vation, whose "Assimilation" threads made me howl and prepared me well for Fundies. HBDiveGirl, who's become a real friend, and my only regret is that Southern California is so far away. PerroneFord, with whom I've shared stories of a lot of frustrations and small triumphs. Rick Inman, whose humor and moral support in Fundies was so much appreciated, and with whom I'm sorry I've never had a chance to dive!
And although I'm not going to enumerate them all, I also owe a lot to the people who disagree with me. Those who challenge what I've learned or come to believe, and make me think things through and defend my positions are invaluable. Only through that kind of exercise does one become truly a thinking diver.
