Iskip.com

One of the best parts about iskip.com is hearing from skippers around the world. Here are some of the emails we've received recently...We'd love to hear from you too. Email Skipper Kim now and share your skipping experiences and thoughts.

I'm working up to going skipping down our road regularly, but I think I need a t-shirt first. I was thinking of asking my son to make me one for my upcoming 55 year birthday that said, "Skippers over 50" to give me some "legitimacy" but your website tells the story so well, I want it to say iskip.com. Would you mind? My best skipping story:

In the 80's, I was in Yosemite camping and had just climbed to the top of Glacier Point disappointed after the long trail of switchbacks, that a tour bus had arrived at the same time, and that storm clouds were gathering. Not wanting to get wet, I found that skipping was the fastest way down, and got into a rhythm, had a fun time, and beat the rain. A little while later at the bottom, a man remarked, "There's the wood nymph that was skipping down the trail." He was smiling and so was I.

I am 12 years old. I live in Knoxville, TN. All of my friends at school make fun of me, because apperantly I was left off of the mailing list that sent out the memo that you are supposed to stop skipping in first grade. I don't know. But for me, skipping is a little like flying. Now, ever since I saw Peter Pan I have wanted to fly. And skipping seems like an OK comprimise for the time being. I don't really mind that I was left off of the mailing list, or the phone chain, or the chain letter or whatever. Because I like to skip. And I probabally would have lost the memo anyway.

I thought I was the only skipper out there! I’m so glad to find others. I started skipping after suffering from thoracic outlet syndrome, which running was exacerbating. I realized that I did not suffer any upper body tension when I skipped. At first I was so embarrassed, but after realizing how much better I was feeling, I came ‘out of the closet’ and now skip in public regularly (hey, after 40, who cares what people think?). I also find it just makes me happy! Thank you for the website and good company!

"Skipping really challenges the 'boundary conditions' of consciousness…that is to say, it shakes up your box, and the box of those who see you doing it….in that way, it shifts the internal state both for the skipper and the skipper-watcher….and opens the field of potential and possibility….the odd thing is that it is so completely easy to do….and it leaves you with this question…why in the world did I ever STOP skipping? Of course, I am reminded there of a comment made to me by an lovely elderly woman a few days ago, where (upon my discoursing upon enthusiasm and going for it at 100%) she remarked, 'yes, but what about dignity?' Which of course, brings to mind the question, 'what have we sacrificed upon the altar of our dignity?' WHY would someone think it undignified to express enthusiasm?

Skipping is a fun, easy, simple, and free way to shift your state, to raise your energy, and to bring the walls of your box tumbling down….if you ever feel stuck, try this as an experiment and see what happens….you may never know what will fly in the face of your dignity….perhaps the inspiration of a lifetime? perhaps the answer to your stuckness? perhaps a moment to feel good and take care of yourself? perhaps the answer to the meaning of life, the universe and everything?"

I love to skip and get friends skipping when we're walking somewhere in a group. I will now do it more often. In fact, I will add skipping to my daily spiritual practice! I want to read more on your website since I am admittedly an infrequent skipper. One holdback being I "think" I should only do it when wearing a bra... not to scare onlookers *smile* luckily if I am walking in a group with others, we're usually out in public in a parking lot on our way somewhere so I have one on anyway :)

Hi Kim! I kinda discovvered skipping by accident. I am 48, and an avid hiker. I try to hike local peaks here in San Luis Obispo County, California several times a week. When I hike I am listenig to my iPod with all kinds of great tunes. After reaching the top and taking in views, I start down the trail. All that is normal, but one day, a really great song came on and I started to sort of dance down the trail and fell naturally into a skip.

The feeling was elation; when the trail is steep or rocky, I take short sideways tiny skips...kinda like skiing. And when the trail is flatter, (and maybe it snakes through shrubbery) I skip really big and fast. And the amazing thing is, it really cracks me up! I laugh out loud because it is so much fun! And I love to hold my arms out and flap them like a bird.... and I love to catch "air" ......and I love to bounce off the sides of the trail if it is slanted on one side.....and I love to leap off of rocks.

I simply smile if I pass people who stare... or maybe they see me laugh...I don't care...I 'll bet some folks wonder what drug I've taken! But it has made my hiking experience immensely richer and delightful; I crave the experience and look forward to it. And it is fantastic exercise. When I get to the bottom of the trail, I am drenched in sweat and riding high on endorphins from exercise plus laughter. Had to tell you. -Gail

I did a websearch for the term: "if I could find just one" .... and somehow found your page. I'm a 49 year old business man, and yes I do skip. Several years ago one of my brothers committed suicide and I went into depression.

After losing nearly everything I once owned because life didn't seem worth striving for, I decided I wasn't going to do myself in the way my brother had and I was too physically healthy to think I might be lucky enough to die soon, so I chose life.I began skipping to force myself up out of the depression I was in, even if it made me look ridiculous to observers. Well, I had nothing really left to lose at the time so it really didn't matter what observers thought or even said.

I want to share that I have done a pretty darn good job of rebuilding my life, and now that I even own a farm I still skip and there are no observers to laugh. I own a construction company and everyone in the local area knows that I work daylight to dark, but what they don't know is that at 5:30 a.m. I am outside skipping, jogging and singing to help to give me the stamina to make it through the frustrations of the day. Well, thanks for your webpage, it means something.

Sometimes when I am out walking, I skip on the sly where I think no one can see me. If I could find just one other person who would skip with me, I would skip away the time. I think skipping could be the answer to many of our adult health problems. Thanks! Jeanne in Massachusettes

Hi Kim, I found your website through the Jonathan Cainer astrology site today and you have brought me many happy memories which I'd completely forgotten about! (...and I'm only 40! Lol!)

When my friend and I were at our girls High School in Kent, England, UK, we had a long walk from the train station which we used to use to memorize our Latin words for tests when we were 13. We soon found that skipping in time as we chanted helped us get home quicker by speeding our journey and also helped to memorize the phrases far better!

We used to fly past shoppers in the town centre and especially in the winter, wrapped up in our duffle coats, woolen hats and scarves we used to get so warm that there would soon be coats unbuttoned, scarves trailing behind and rosy cheeks by the time we got to school. People used to smile as we whizzed by and we were far happier than we would have otherwise been.

My best friend who I used to skip to school with every day died 12 years ago this year and I treasure my memories of her - I hadn't remembered that we used to skip to school and home again - thank you so very much for helping me rediscover this and smile :)

With love and thanks,

Karen Elkins
www.katetiler.co.uk

I am 17 years old, and although I'm going to have to "grow up" and go to college soon, nothing brings me more joy than keeping my inner child alive! Which is why I was so excited when I found out about your site. My two friends and I visited the Gates in central park on the Saturday before it closed and skipped through a lot of it... it was a great experience, and made us all so happy. Inspired by your site, we plan to start skipping together regularly. Thanks for your inspiration! -Stephanie F., Oradell NJ

When I was in San Fran in November for a convention, we were waiting in the lobby of our hotel, and began talking about when the last time we skipped was. We all began skipping, now I do it all the time! I just did it last weekend in Hoboken during the St. Patty’s Day (early) parade. Do you have skippers in Maryland? Best, Paige K.

I finally have an uplifting story! Usually when I am out skipping people ignore me but the other day I was skipping past this family and one of their children suddenly looked up and shouted, "SKIP LIKE THE WIND!" I was so ecstatic that someone in my town finally acknowledged my skipping in a totally positive manner.--Laura in Ridgefield , CT

I noticed my face reflecting back at me in the store a few weeks ago, and it looked sad, angry, maybe. I found that people were asking me, "Are you okay?" Yes, I AM okay, not sad or angry at all. But my FACE was not showing this. And I saw it in my reflection. So I made up my mind to smile more, in the shops, in the mall, in town, at work, and do you know, people will smile when they see YOU smile, and I feel better for it. I am practicing smiling the keyboard right now. Because, inside, I feel happy, blessed, grateful, content, but my visage has not been reflecting that. I have to work at smiling. Perhaps others do too, which is why I am sharing this. Notice next time you are going in or out of a store, or you are approaching someone, or passing a person, or approaching a clerk. Turn on your smile and see what a smile will do to that other person.

I'm 14 years old, and i love skipping, and im a guy, I'm the buff kind of person. in one of my football games, i was a line men, one of my team mates tackled the quarterback, and he fumbled the ball, i scooped up the ball, i ran about 20 yards, then skipped the rest (what was about 30 some yards) my team mates loved it, and every time in practice my team mates make me skip 100 yards, they like it cause I look odd/silly whatever they say, but I do it cause I feel free and I feel good and comfortable thank you for saying skipping is good and is for everyone.

I must tell you about two young women I saw last Friday (my guess is Grade Nine) skipping down the street towards school arm in arm, gleeful and the picture of that sort of tranquility of which you write. It was a glorious spring day here (and after a long and very cold Nova Scotia winter.) I was riding my bicycle else I would have skipped along the street too.

I was up skiing in VT this winter and thought of you. I went to the supermarket and was feeling in a silly mood so I grabbed a basket and started skipping down the aisles. Most people were really mad at me and called me a gay and stuff but others loved it. I found it quite interesting and amusing and like a performance art piece or a social study. I suppose I could have knocked someone down but I didn't come close. When I get up my nerve, I'll do it again somewhere. It's not easy to skip alone I guess but it's certainly an elation.

I was on the Hopi mesas last week... some little kids were taking us back and forth to the far off outhouse... you should have seen their faces lite up when i began skipping they loved it and joined in.... saying they had never seen a grownup skip before... i am sure the adults watching from behind the curtains were most curious, who knows, maybe they will play more, too.

My boyfriend and I were out looking at work boots. He got all cranky about it (I think it was having to deal with the salespeople that had no clue). So he decided to abandon the whole idea. He stalked out of the store with me in tow, him fuming about inept people...I grabbed his hand and said, "Let's skip." He looked at me like I was crazy, then I started pulling him along. He started smiling and by the time we got to the car, we were both laughing. Thank you for the inspiration!!! --Rebecca

I am Hema from India . As a child I was never interested in it. Now since I need to exercise regularly, I wanted to select some exercise which can burn more calories in less time...also one which I can do at home....plus I read a article in Readers'Digest about one lady whose passion is to skip..skip..That

made me also start at home...I wish to know more about its benefits..facts and figures..Can I get?

I found your site to be quite an inspiration, I sometimes skip, but not in the usual way, rather I imitate the pink panther walk, you know the one where he walks normally and then does a quick half beat skip in the middle every few steps. At first I found the walk difficult and mostly I found that I was quite self conscious, however in recent months this has been less of an issue as I have recently embarked upon my dream career as a professional stand up comedian. --Raymond in Scotland

I have six grandchildren (one more arriving next week and one more due in March for a total of eight) and we love to skip together. I have loved skipping since I was a little girl and I have never been able to restrain myself when an open stretch of sidewalk or path beckons me. It is a true delight to have my grandchildren skip with me. I celebrate you and will think of you whenever I skip. --Marelu Marson, Center for Spiritual Living, Seattle , WA

My two best friends and I live in a dorm. We are all seniors this year so we will be graduating and going to College soon. We all fear growing up. We are afraid that the increase in our ages will make us grow apart. One night we were all sitting in my room talking and giggling, as we are known to do, and I stumbled upon your website. We all thought that it was the silliest and most fabulous thing we have ever seen. In honor of your and "Peter Pan's" cause we wrote this poem and we hope that you like it.

Ode to Peter Pan and Friends:
In times that seem uneasy,
our stomachs become quite queezy.
Being grown up seems oh so scary,
I don't want to get old, wrinkled, and hairy
responsibility is very daunting,
the idea of it all is really haunting.
So skip! Skip on Kim and Friends!
The super duper fun never ends!
Live Free forever with love and trust!
Don't forget pixi dust is a must!

With Much Love and Admiration,
Violetta, Jacadie, Amber

Hey well i heard about your site from a friend and i said to myslef there isnt anyone that likes to skip more then me and my firiend said yeah geoff there is. i soon thought that it was a lie but im glad that there is more skipers out there. im 16 name is geoff and sorry all the misspleed words. email me back if you want but ill keep skipping! geoff Uhall, MD

I am overjoyed to find a website like the one you have created. I am 15 years old and enjoy skipping down the hallways at school. Yes, I get a lot of weird looks, but returning the looks and going on with my skipping is very satisfying. People ask why I skip and I give the incomparable reason of "why not?" I thank you for making me feel that I'm not alone!

Just wanted to tell you that when my family and I were in Asheville, NC a couple of weeks ago, we saw a woman skipping down the street by herself, not a care in the world. It was wonderful to see and made me feel just as carefree and empowered.

A month ago at the office, a woman skipped past our window along the busy boulevard. I commented to my office mate: "I don't think it's possible to skip with a frown on your face." We tried and it was so funny we ended up
laughing hysterically. Then my daughter tried at home with the same result.

Since then we've been paying attention to skipping, and my office mate just found your website. Thank you Kim and friends for making my day. (I'd like to see the world's governing and terrorist leaders on a skipping tour through the Middle East and across the subcontinent and China to Korea....)

Your website confirms my hunch about skipping, but takes it out of the arena of whimsy to the level of practicality. It will become part of my family routine. Thanks again --Sue Irwin

I LOVE the idea and I LOVED to skip when I was a kid growing up in Oklahoma...we used to pretend our jump ropes were horses and we "galloped" everywhere, loved to walk to school with one foot up on the curb and one foot on the road and see how fast we could go...yeah..I'm really into the joy of "alternative" ways of perambulating as it were. In kindergarten we were to skip around the Maypole and I remember some boys just COULD NOT get the hang of it . Gee, how much easier can it be..JUST SKIP!!!!! This is a cool site and a creative fun whimsical lovely thing and I LOVE you for coming up with it!!!!!! Skipping IS FUN. xoxxo Melanie Shurden

Do you remember the show "Real People" ? It was a show back in the '70's, I believe. For some reason, one story keeps coming to mind. They told about a man who loved to skip. He skipped everywhere, even in the grocery store when he shopped. I think his nickname was Skipper. I wonder whatever became of him? He's probably one of your head skippers now. --Julie

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please email kidagain99@aol.com or call 415-902-7737.