Another One Bites the Dust...

So, another contest has come to an end.

I didn't actually see any of the show, but faithfully manned the ticket table the entire time.

Though I did get a couple minutes on stage reading a tribute to our long-time MC, who is retiring after 20 years. He will be greatly missed.

From my perspective the contest went well. We had a great audience turn out Saturday especially. Bodybuilder Hubby had been a little concerned about that. Online ticket sales were much lower than last year, so it sort of felt like we just had to hold our breath and hope people would show up.

And they did.

My favorite parts of the weekend were cuddling with the ridiculously adorable 4-month-old son of one of my favorite competitor/trainers, meeting some of Bodybuilder Hubby's extended family for the first time, and getting to see and have a few minutes to chat with an old friend - one of those people whose memory always makes me smile.

I got the contest results and score sheets posted online last night. (Yeah, me!) I wanted to make them available as soon as possible, but mostly I just wanted to cross that last contest-related task off my list so I could do a bleary-eyed dance around my office to celebrate being done. I love when things are done.

Because after weeks of minimal sleep, all-night work sessions and ignoring everything else, I'm very ready to get back to my own life. And to clean up the gunk that has accumulated around this house while I've been too busy to clean it.

Bodybuilder Hubby is down in the garage right now collapsing countless cardboard boxes to take to the recycler. Between the trophies, tshirts and goodie bag contents, we are left with enough cardboard boxes to help a small family move across country.

I have my annual list of things-I'd-like-to-do-differently-next-time.

I'm making changes to the website later this spring and looking for more and better ways to make things more efficient. I want to be able to spend fewer hours on contest prep without sacrificing the quality of the show or putting too much work on anyone else. A lofty goal?

So, congratulations competitors. Thank you for getting up there and making it a good show.

Thank you audience members for the energy you bring.

And thank you calendar that we're done. For now.