4-23-2013
When I started this I told myself I would not put it before my family. So here is my issue, I'm probably going to be spending around $300-$400 between entry fee, NPC membership, gas money, pro tan, and possibly a hotel. Honesty I'm pissed off, the NPC card is $100 now, and its not even good for a full annual year, it expires at the end of 2013. I was recently told by a girl at my gym that she was asked to be a judge, and when she asked the promoter and head judge "Dont I need to go on a few shows as a judge apprentice?" His reply was "dont worry about that" Why dont they just pick some yahoo out of the audience to judge for Christ sake!! We spend alot of $$, time, effort, and suffer for these God damn things, and this is how judging is done now? No fucking thanks, its become a God damn joke. I am not dumping anymore $$ into this shit. I'm going to use that $$ for my family vacation the week after the show, fuck the show, I'm dropping out. HOWEVER, I do have a magazine shoot coming up in 3 wks, a major publication. I'm dieting like hell for that and going to look my best. As far as the show, I just cant do it. The NPC has put a bad taste in my mouth, and really has for the past 10 yrs now. Its such a money making scheme now, and they rely on the competitors to profit, not the crowd. Give me a fucking break, I have to pay $10 for my wife to go to prejudging, and $30 for the night show. So here is the breakdown; NPC card- $100, show entry- $65, hotel-$80, gas- $50, pro tan- $20, wife entry fees- $40, food for after show- $20, yea close to $400. To go out there for about 2 minutes in prejudging (thats if there are any heavyweights even at the damn thing, which the past few yrs the turnout for heavy and superheavy has been shitty)
I dont know, I can handle knowing I partake in an expensive hobby, but when its right slap in your face that the competitors are what funds this shit and not the spectators anymore, its a real downer. Watching the cost of that NPC membership jump every year has quite frankly pissed me off. And that organization is deemed as a non-profit organization, the same category as the boy scouts. WTF does it give back to the competitors anymore? They hardly let you execute a fucking pose before cutting you off and going into the next, just to hurry you through the thing so they can get back to judging the 135 women figure bitches.
I am at the pinnacle of what I'm going to be with this. I cannot do any more. I cannot do anymore with this financially, time wise, drug wise, workout wise. I'm going 110% and the rest of my life is suffering. This will be my second magazine appearance. When I started this shit 17 yrs ago I was the kid who was up at midnight looking at magazines, I never thought I'd be in them someday. My goal has always been to look like one of the guys from the Golden era. Well stupid me has been too blind to realize I've done it!! I've done everything I'm going to do in bodybuilding and that's been through alot of suffering and going borderline nuts from it. 3 more wks to go until the shoot, still dieting hard as hell. Will continue my log until that point. Family first, I'm done with this shit(on this level)