Polish FarmGirl- Hotter Than A $2 Pistol

Most guys have a picture in their head of their Dream Girl- an airbrushed Playmate, a Super Model, the latest movie Starlet or maybe a mesmerizing Crooner. As we all know, what we have in our Head does not always work out as we had planned.

30 years ago this weekend, I was on a camping trip in upstate New York. Although the actual details are sometimes disputed, the fact remains that I met my Dream Girl. Unfortunately, since I was a bit ‘under the weather’ at the time, I didn’t know I had met HER.

And she was a Polish FarmGirl and, oh wow, she was HOTTER THAN A $2 PISTOL!!!!

We were married just about 1 year to the day and we’ve lived in wedded bliss for the last 29 years- AND we’ve NEVER HAD A FIGHT (at least none that we can remember :D).

Now remember guys this was way before internet dating so you couldn’t just go to your favorite matchmaker website and punch in— Wanted Polish FarmGirl—must be willing to re-locate to New Jersey, USA. In fact, I didn’t even know that I was looking for a Polish FarmGirl but it turns out that I was.

The wedding at a Polish RC Church featured a grumpy Polish priest and us riding away in my Great-Grandmother’s 1956 Dodge Coronet (it featured a Red Ram V-8, Push Button Automatic, a Chromed out Tube AM Radio and SLIPPERY SEATS).

The procession was led by my Best Man and another friend on Harleys- chopped of course. We had a 12 hour outdoor reception under a big tent. We had a Polka Band and a Bluegrass Band as well as 2 sit down meals.

It lasted so long that one of my wife’s uncles got drunk, walked home, passed out for 7 hours, came back and got drunk AGAIN. We were the last to leave the reception and when we got to the motel, I found out that I had given away all of the rooms we had booked- including ours. We drove to a friends house and slept in their living room.

Everything went great until on our honeymoon when I casually announced to my new bride that I really believed that I was UNEMPLOYABLE. She wondered why it had taken until AFTER the wedding for me to let her in on my secret.

So the Polish FarmGirl has had to deal with my somewhat erratic career path- Truck Driver, School Teacher, Bar Owner, Amway Distributor, Computer Salesman, Personal Trainer, Strongman, Motivational Speaker, Author, ARPist.

The years have been an exciting roller coaster ride. She loves to dance and garden. Yeah, FarmGirls are multi-talented and mine is no exception.

Our kids never cease to amaze- just last week Jayne Lin graduated from college Magna Cum Laude. We looked at each other teary eyed as she walked across the stage and we wondered aloud, ‘Where did she get the brains from?’. Krissy and Buddy are equally talented in their own right.

While we have hovered financially around the poverty line for most of our marriage, I couldn’t be any wealthier in things that matter most.
Okay, okay I’ll cut this BUT know that there are some fantastic messages found in this story- if you look for them. God is Good.

And the Polish FarmGirl is STILL ‘Hotter Than A $2 Pistol’ (she says it’s because my eyesight is going but it’s way more than just what my eyes can see).

Oh and what did Lin get for her Mothers Day/Anniversary Gift? The GATE took over 20 years to build :D

Mother's Day Surprise

So I was born on Mother’s Day 1953. Over the years my actual birthday has fallen on Mom’s Day but even when it doesn’t, my mother always recounts ‘the day I was born’.

As we were getting ready for her visit yesterday, I was chuckling to myself knowing that all in attendance would hear about that very special ‘Gift’ (me), she received on Mother’s Day 56 years ago. Stories about sneaking my Grandparents in through a side door and where I received my name, etc.

I don’t know why but I was kind of ‘giddy’ as I sat down next to Mom for brunch anticipating the recounting of my birth. What came out of her mouth really surprised me. It had nothing to do with the day I was born. It went something like this:

‘You know Dad and I have been having some work done around our house by the local handyman. His name is Jimmy and he remembers Russell growing up in Secaucus.

Jimmy told us a story yesterday about how him and his friends were hanging out down the Park. A bunch of bullies had come by and were picking on Jim and his friends- cussin them out and shoving them around.

A that point Russell arrived and BEAT UP THE BULLIES. Jimmy and his friends were very thankful and he would never forget how Russell had saved them.’

There followed an awkward silence around the Mother’s Day brunch table. I glanced around the table to see the reaction of my children as well as my wife. My mother-in-law was silent as was my sister-in-law. My daughter’s fiancé didn’t know what to make of it. And my father had some sort of proud grin on his face (either that or he was really enjoying the quiche).

Then all I could blurt out in my Mom’s direction was ‘WHAT?’

Mom looked around and said, ‘No, this was not a bad thing. It was a good thing. Russell was the Defender of the Weak. He was like that as a kid’.

The silence passed and my kids just looked at each other like- ‘hmmm… something else we learned about Pop today’.

Funnier yet is that I really don’t remember it ever happening.

We all have opportunities every day to be ‘Defenders of the Weak’ or we can be bullies. I’m not encouraging physical violence BUT there are many ways to STAND for what’s right.

Something else to think about—my dog, Rev told me this the other day. ‘The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.’

If you haven’t seen our newest website, take a look over at http://www.arpwavenj.com/.

As my friend David DeNotaris always says, “Make it a Great Day”...bye4now...

Your friend in Christ,
Russell Jones

What’s YOUR Position?

Just got back and there is a ‘whole heap’ of new stuff in the pipeline. The Breakthrough Newsletter will now morph into the Breakthrough Blog and then back again. Methinks the Blog Platform will make things more interactive. Training questions or injury re-hab queries or comments on other topics we explore can be ‘fleshed out’ better on this Blog site and you will be able to see how others are thinking.

As we Breakthrough new ground, I’ll also do a few ‘look backs’ to past Classics that inspired many emails. As I approach the big 5-6 in a few weeks, it gets clearer everyday how much we all need 2 things on a regular basis.

A regular source of Encouragement is key in order to keep hope alive. And a place that ‘cuts through the nonsense’ so that we can get on with Life in a healthy, productive way.

So again I pose the question “What’s YOUR Position?’. After all these many years of exercising and performing as a strongman, it’s apparent that most of us are clueless as to Position and why it’s not only Important but VITAL.

Position is square 1 when it comes to having your body function in the most efficient and healthy way possible. Poor position equals poor function. Poor position yields innumerable musculo-skeletal and neurological problems in YOUR future.

If one of your folks or a teacher was always reminding you about your Posture when you were a kid… they were right. Back in the old days, kids would be encouraged to stand with a book balanced on their heads in to improve posture. Most of us ‘slouchers’ thought it was nonsense but it was a good step in the right direction.

Here’s a Position Test you can try. Get in front of a mirror and stand at attention (just like they do in the army :)). The heels of your feet should be hip-width apart with toes angled out at 30 degrees. Elongate your spine using the psoas muscle. Keep your chest spread and shoulders down. Head in a neutral position- mid-ear should line up with mid- deltoid. Arms should be relaxed and no extra movement is allowed- no scratching, twitching or fidgeting.

5 minutes breathing in and out through the nose. Think you can do it? Once you make the slightest move, you have to start the clock over again. Treat it like a workout because Mastering this is MORE IMPORTANT than Treadmill time or running or working on the abs or pumping up the beach muscles or taking a class.

It’s been well said, ‘Things which matter most, must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.’ The Good Book says: ‘Your body is your temple.’ If the Creator respects it that much… you should too- by eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, and using it for His highest purposes!

If you haven’t seen our newest website, take a look over at http://www.arpwavenj.com/.

As my friend David DeNotaris always says, “Make it a Great Day”...bye4now...

Your friend (iC),
Russell Jones

PS- Please visit us at the http://www.powerworkshop.org/ and http://www.arpwavenj.com/ to see what’s new.

Rain

The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!