Writing my mother's Obituary, the hardest thing I've written

~posted in the San Diego Union Tribune on May 20th, 2009~

JANET JENSEN of Bonita CA died peacefully in her home on May 12th of 2009, due to complications from Pancreatic Cancer diagnosed early November of 2008. Born Janet Justice in South Gate, CA on May 22nd, 1934. The oldest daughter to Sidney and Helen Justice. Graduating Chula Vista High School in 1952 and 2 years after, Married John F Jensen on May 8th of 1954.

Janet knew several places as a child growing up, moving from Los Angeles to Chula Vista in 1945 where she attended F Street Elementary and Chula Vista Junior High. And while visiting her father in Hawaii, graduated 9th grade. Soon moving back to Chula Vista, where she continued her education as an honor roll student at Chula Vista High School where she loved being a Spartan, and cheerleader. She continued that spirit on into her life, and was a major part of the high school reunion committee up until passing.

She worked in the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce for 2 years after High School. Soon after, became a mother and cared for her children through the years. In the late 60s, she was taking care of her husband who had become hospitalized due to bladder cancer. Sharing the same hospital as him at one time while delivering her youngest, a newborn son John Jr. Always an amazing woman, with such energy and able to put the positive into everyone's life. The last couple of years, her care was needed more than ever for her mother Helen, who passed on in February 20th of 2009 at the age of 97.

Knowing Janet for a minute, a day, or years you were able to know how much of a warm-hearted woman she was. Very compassionate and giving. Always eager to help and share her knowledge, which was usually vast on most any subject. Nothing was ever a surprise to Janet, mostly due to her family testing the waters of many athletic sports or activities, even herself being hospitalized for a dirt bike accident while chasing the kids across the open desert. She continued on riding and camping with family, and loved how it brought everyone together. Janet was a loving wife, our mom, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Janet is survived by her husband John F. Jensen and children; Brenda Bradley (54), Leah Mange (51), Jonna Vaughn (47) and John Jensen Jr (41) all who reside in the San Diego Area. Also, by several grand and great grand children. And her sister, Jeanine Clowers, at 70 years old still resides in National City, CA. Janet and Jeannine also shared brothers and sisters of Father Sidney Justice, they are Leigh, Candy and Alan Gamble.

A memorial service will be held on her 75th birthday, Friday the 22nd, at 2pm. Located at Glen Abbey Memorial Park's Main Chapel, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita.In remembrance, the family suggests donations to San Diego Hospice and the Institute for Palliative Medicine.

Looking for the man, with the video camera ....

Okay all,I posted this to a couple web blogs, and have never been able to "find" the man with the video camera. Kind of a quest now, as I'm sure there's probably no more footage or simply, it's a lost cause. But, why not try FaceBook?! So here I go... have fun with the read, and be sure to check out the picture links;

This is the picture that started it all... and my nickname of "Airtime";http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-glamis-2.jpg

Here's the story;
That day, of all the pics I have (3 rolls worth) was December 30th of 1995. I jumped that dune about 20 or more times for the pictures... and it was on my 3 day old CR500 with a knobby tire. 5th gear ... with lots of throttle. It was only after we were done watching Crusty Demons (#1) that I saw Glamis in a whole new light, which was also a day before we headed out to the dez.

On December 31st (1995)... New Years Eve, the very next day... I was doing this jump once again but now mid day. I had an audience, and was even more pumped. The day we had arrived at Glamis, I saw Jeff Emig and some others jumping where I was. Which also got me rolling on that jump. However, where I'm landing on this jump (into a huge bowl)... is where the approach to the Emig jump is. I attempted the Emig jump later that day with the crowd... and made a slight error. That error was to roll off the throttle just enough to not G out on the face of the lip. Ya know, the transition from bowl to ramp kinda thing. Well, that little bit of slow down... caused me to come up short and land on the face of the next dune. (kind of like the double jump behind OLDs thats very common... but a tad longer, and harder). That landing broke my ankles (still on the pegs of the bike), my ribs (on the bars, which bent profusely), and ripped some embryiotic fluid sack in my head. I woke after about 20min and rode my Banshee (that my friend taking the pictures was riding) back to camp, which was right off 78 by Osborne overlook. I didn't know I was so hurt until I sat and watched my friends get ready for dinner. Still sitting on the Banshee... I fell off when I tried to stand and join them. Within 20 or so minutes we were loaded and headed for a SD hospital.

It was a rough night spending New Years Eve in the hospital. More rough when the doc asked me to take my boots off, and he'd be back in 5 minutes! My dad assisted the yanking of the boots... while nurses looked on in a disspelled manner. IT FRIGGIN hurt like h@ll.

After the hospital... I then spent a couple months on my parents living room floor (mom moved a twin mattress out for me) where she'd bath my head/hair and wash me like a nurse. Bathroom? Well... a mini urinal thing was for that. #2? Nope... the Vicodin took care of that. Ya I know.. gross... but you don't think of those things when your about to hit the lip of a jump... now I do. Because now I can't snowboard, snowski, wakeboard... etc. Nor is it cool to run in sand or where I rely on strong ankles. They pop all the time, I can't put lateral pressure on them, the don't bend too well... etc..etc.

Here I am on the floor of my mom and dad's house;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-ouch.jpg

Here is a picture of the CT Scan result of my head;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/Head-CT-scan.gif

The worst part of that whole thing.... there's a guy, some stranger that was video'ing the jumping. HE HAS VIDEO of me crashing!! I never met him, however he's in a picture my friend took of me in the air. His back to the camera. He's got the whole thing on video ... and I want it!! I'd love so much to be able to see just how it all laid out. I mapped the still pictures to see just how far the jump was... and maybe what went wrong (other than just not enough throttle...etc)... and damn, it's a loooong jump over a huge gulley between bowls.

So people... help me out on this one. Somewhere, someplace is a guy with video of that crash... those jumps. And is someone going to know it's me on the bike?? Well check this; when I left the lip of that jump, I knew I was coming up short. And IN THE AIR... I yelled out "Oh Sh1t!!!". My friends all standing on the landing heard it. SO it should be on the video too. Pass the word to see if I can find this masked man.

Here's the pic with the "man I'm looking for"... do you know him??? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/Glamisjump1995.jpg

Here's the approach to the landing... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-glamis-6.jpg ....and what Bowl I was jumping into. In this pic you can see the launch out of that bowl that I'd take for the ankle breaker. It's to the right of me in the pic. Right below me in the pic is our camp... it's also how I saw Emig and crew hittin' the dunes the days prior.

This picture is dotted for the approach and a dot where I was to land.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/Glamisjump19953launchmarker.jpg

The last picture shows a side shot of the overall... and with me actually sitting in the sand, wondering what just happened. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/Glamisjump19953sideview.jpg

..... By now, everyone had left as my friends said they'd take care of me. These days... we'd have EMS all over the place. :)After research, I had a fellow send me a link to some pictures where others had done the jump I broke my ankles on. In fact, I do believe this could have been J.McGrath on or around the same year. Here he is completing where I failed; http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/glam0241.jpg

I also posted this to two web blog sites, quite a long time ago;
http://www.glamisdunes.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=36001&st=0http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1655236#post1655236

For the heck of it, these are pictures of the jump I completed over and over, all day long;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-glamis-6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/Glamisjump19952.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-glamis-5-edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-glamis-7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-glamis-15.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Glamis%20jump%20pics/jj-glamis-1.jpg

ENJOY THE READ!!!!

... so YOU think it's a small world?!

I continue to hear about how small this world is. I continue to remember times where this world, has showed me just how small it is. And in the end, it's shown me that we all need to be friends and get-along.... something not possible? I surely hope this world gets better, not worse over time. God help the kids of tomorrow.

Well, let me tell you my famous (and told often) small world story;
I once worked at a large company... growing by leaps and bounds in the Mira Mesa area. We often did our own communication cabling and were often working with trades in and around the job site. One weekend, it was summer... and my friends and I were going to head to the river. To make it a fast get-a-way that Friday at 5... I towed the boat into work.

Later in the month, a plumber (from the work site) comes to me and starts asking about boats. Saying he noticed I owned a 'jet boat' and was considering getting one in the near future. We made small talk and I gave him my thoughts and opinions of new boat ownership. Some weeks later, he shows up with his boat to work. A beauty for sure. Excited, he asked if I'd like to go to the local lake to test the boat and offer any tips I may have for him. I said sure, and he mentioned to bring the other halves in our life... he was bringing "Judy". We set a date, and met at the lake that early am.

I parked next to his truck and boat, and noticed he was out untying his straps and getting ready to put it in the water, when his girl gets out of the truck and says; "Hi, I'm Judy....." and as I think... hey... I know a Judy... as there's not too many in this 'small' world. I think nothing of it for a split second and then think... what the heck, just ask. I say; "...hey Judy, what's your last name?" She replies with; "Orlup... why?". I almost fell over in awe. Here's why....

I was born in Orange County. And lived in a corner house of a small cul-de-sac, where I'd walk to school each morning. Across the street and kiddee corner to our house, was Judy Orlup's house... and the girl I'd embarrassingly walk with, even though I had a huge crush on the tall pretty young woman. Know, we were only between the ages of 7 and 10yrs old at the time. So you can imagine... years later (30+), and in a new city a hundred miles away... and much older, here I was again introduced to the young girl I used to walk to Elementary School with each and every morning, for years. What a great thing to see her again, and in such a small world way.

Now, the Plumber and I became somewhat of boat-owner friends. Often it was only a call to see about heading out to the lake. But I'd not heard from him in a while... and soon, I get a call from him. Here's the dialogue and how the call transpired;

Plumber: Hey John... what's up?! You'll never believe the call I just had.
Me: Why... what happened?
Plumber: Well, I called what I thought to be your number. And when a girl answered, I was startled. I continued with my quest to talk to you and asked, "Is Johnny there?" to the female on the other end of the phone. The female says in a confused manner; "No, no Johnny here.... but I know a Johnny". (now, the Plumber thought to just hang up as it was a wrong number... but instead, asked more of the female)
Plumber: "Oh ya... well, whats his last name" he asked the female. The female replied with "Jensen... I went to school with him". The plumber was again... shocked, and in awe over this. Could it be the same John Jensen?! So he asked more....
Me: What the heck... who was this female you spoke to? Did she give a name or anything?Plumber: She sure did... she said her name was Kim Jones.
Me: Holy cow!! I dated her way back when for some short time. Amazing!

So the same Plumber, who I just happened to meet over boats... was dating my first crush that I walked to elementary school with, in Orange County of all places. AND, just happened to mis-dial and get a hold of an ex-girlfriend of mine from High School. Simply, an amazingly SMALL WORLD!!!

So be nice, courteous, and smile at your fellow humans. You never know who, you are smiling to!!!!