Michael Mitchell:
CLASS OF 1986
Hudson Regional High SchoolClass of 1986
Highlands, NJ
Michael's Story
Life
I find it interesting that I never took the SAT's.
Grammer wise I am a nightmare but technically I am generally known to think outside the box with excellent results. I do extremely well in high pressure situtations. I also figured out that I dont learn well in slow environments. I have to be fed information at a very fast rate and can take the information in extremely fast. Too slow and I get bored.
After high school I didnt and dont live a secret life but I lived over the edge more than once because pushing lifes limits at time was exciting to me. When I was younger I had a saying that you cant appreciate life unless you have been near death. For me that has happened twice. Which gives me the joke of telling people I am the messiah and cant be killed. Its all in humor though. I just wasnt scared about taking chances or going places and trying new things.
Before high school I was really in a darker world. I had stolen commercial fishing equipment and a high priced fishing boat when I was in the 8th grade to name a few of those darker days. By the 9th grade I had been shot at once and nearly shot by the police on one occasion. 3 times in my life if your keeping count. My surroundings and friends didnt help either but it wasnt until I moved myself out of that scenario that things started to turn around for me.
After high school I began learning electronics and was working in a night club living with several other bartenders and would bounce for a few female stripper friends at parties. They werent strippers when I met them but thats what they got into. I didnt exactly stop going that route because I had a lot of fun in the process to make things short I was well supported. Right place, right time, right body, wrong people. I had the body and didnt have anything holding me back. Seems I did some growing out of high school. I went from 165lb graduate to a 220lbs in what could only be considered as a body builder.
Me and my buddy ...Expand for more
Vinny were the only 2 male models hired by an all female modeling agency on a trip to LA. The problem is I heard there is only room for one Ahnold.
But money was on the low end back then. It was fun but even I realized it wasnt a way of life or a way that I would get ahead. Around 24 I decided it was time to start working in the right direction.
At some point I became a highly technical person, mostly self taugh, being flown all around the US and being upgraded to first class just about every time I stepped into the airport. I had privledges to walk in front of first class passengers at any time. I worked hard and played harder. It took a toll on my health but the pay was great. I attempted to kill myself job wise in order so I wouldnt have to later once the kids started to reach an age where I needed and wanted to be around more.
Now I have calmed down quite a bit and cherish the wife and kids I have as well as my neighbors and surroundings. I am working toward getting back into shape and while I cant leg press 1600 lbs any more I can still crank out 1200 which isnt bad. Bench is around 400lbs for a legs on the bench lift with no back arch just pure chest. Probably do 550-650 if I plant and use a shirt but I have a long throw for bench and well even then it would be 500 short of the world record. On occasion I have delusions of being the worlds strongest man but since it requires getting off the couch Im not interested. Im now a 6'-1" 275lb weight lifter because I have 2 daughters. If they look anything like my wife then I need to keep in shape.
Other things I find neat.
In 2004 I hiked the grand canyon alone with a backpack containing sandwiches and a few soda's. By the time I reached the top I couldnt see my hand in front of my face. The grand canyon is not well lighted.
Joan Rivers and I had the same plastic surgeon. It took 2 nose jobs because of me breaking it many times as a kid. Doctor says it was the worst he ever had to do.
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