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.

Goodies for the Goodie Bags

Bodybuilder Hubby and one of his good friends are downstairs right now filling up goodie bags for the 111 competitors that we have signed up for this weekend's competition.

Every year, Bodybuilder Hubby worries about getting enough stuff for the goodie bags, and every year, the sponsors do a fantastic job of supplying a variety of things for the competitors to take with them.

This year is especially good. There are two tables and the kitchen counter completely covered on boxes and containers and all sorts of random assorted goodies.

Now excuse me while I sneak downstairs and attempt to pocket a bottle of Vitamin Water and some packages of fat burner...

Friday the 13th - Our Lucky Day!

Happy Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13th is a lucky day in our family. I met Bodybuilder Hubby on a Friday the 13th!

It was December, 15 years ago. I had to go to a Christmas party for my job, but was planning to leave as soon as possible to get to another party with friends.

But when I got to that first party, there was this cute guy there. He was with a friend of his - the guy who had first introduced him to the world of competitive bodybuilding.

I sat near them during dinner and had a chance to start chatting with Cute Guy. I thought that maybe, just maybe, he was interested in me, so I took my paper plate to the trash to see if he would follow me. He did.

Yeah!

I never did make it to the other party.

But I did get to marry Cute Guy seven months later.

Registration Update

According to Bodybuilder Hubby, as of last night we had 61 competitors registered for this year's contest, which is now just two weeks away. Last year at this time we had 56.

So, since registration usually doubles during the last two weeks, we're on track for another Biggest Show Ever.

So, here's my annual plea to those of you who are planning to register but haven't yet actually done so.

Please, please, please register soon. Like now, preferably.

I'll be spending the better part of next week working on the contest program, including the list of competitor names that will be included. If you're not registered by next weekend, your name will not be included, even if you call Bodybuilder Hubby at 11pm two nights before the contest and beg.

So register now! Or at least this weekend. Especially since late fees kick in next Tuesday, April 17!

T-shirts and Programs and Posters, Oh My!

I’m a really good planner.

After the first contest year, when so much of what had to be done came down to the last minute, I came up with a list of tasks and assigned due dates so that the work would be nice and spread out, done a little bit at a time, in a logical, efficient matter.

It was a really great plan.

Unfortunately, I’m not so good at actually following through with the plans I put together.

So, with less than four weeks to go until the contest, and that bit of panic setting in, it’s time to actually get some things done.

This week: The Contest T-shirt Design

I’m taking a different approach this time around. I’ve found a couple amazing websites that offer a huge variety of graphic designs created by random people. Most of the time, graphics available online have all sorts of copyrights attached. Some can be used for personal use only. Some require that the designers’ logo or copyright line is included in the final image. But, I think as more people learn to create digital designs, just for fun or practice, there are more and more designs that are available with no restrictions. So I can take a great image someone else made, make some tweaks, and end up with something original and interesting for the contest. Perfect.

After that, I’ll start work on the program, though Bodybuilder Hubby hasn’t gotten any of the ads from sponsors yet. The program is one project that always seems to come down to that last week.

Bodybuilder Hubby finished getting the sponsor logos on the poster and has had a lot of requests for copies, which is great. He was up late last night assembling packing boxes, addressing labels and getting more posters ready to send off. He told me this morning that he’d run out and had to get more printed, which is the kind of added task that’s welcome.

Ticket sales and competitor registration always come down to the last couple weeks, so we’re looking forward to seeing how many people will be involved this year. Can’t even really guess at this point, though it’s looking good.

The area’s NGA season starts this coming weekend with the NGA Grand Teton competition. Our contest registrations always jump after the other contests start. Maybe competitors want to see how they do on stage before committing to another show, or maybe they just focus on one competition at a time.

Whatever it is, best of luck to those of you competing this weekend, and we hope to see you on our stage in less than four weeks!