‘What irritates you?,’ asked she.

I looked at her with a look of bewilderment, unable to fathom her question and gauze my correct response.

Yes. What irritates me?

I don’t know. There are many things that irritate me, the most important being, being misunderstood. By misunderstood I mean both wrongly understood as well as not understood.

I say a flower and the other person thinks a rose. That irritates me.

I want to do something and my self-determinism is inhibited. That irritates me.

I don’t want to do something and yet I am forced to do it. That irritates me.

There are n numbers of things that irritate me. Some at some times, others at all times.

I get pissed off and boggle down the scale to the level of apathy. Over there I am in the state of ‘I don’t know’. I lose my ability to understand why things are happening the way they are.

I start doubting myself. Blame the other person, blame myself, think of myself as worthless…until I finally find out that I am leading towards a state of no-conclusion…a bottomless pit.

Nothing works our. Nothing has ever worked out. I become clueless and then I decide to drop the clues; I decide to drop all my efforts.

But to me they are clinging so stubbornly that it becomes difficult…nearly impossible to drop them. The more I try, the more tightly they cling. I get agitated, start cursing, hitting down things and find myself unworthy of living. I think of suicide. Try to locate things which could take me closer to death, but usually find none. Everything that otherwise would have been enough to separate me from life, at that moment, seems to be worthless. Hanging between life and death, I do not realize. I do not recognize. I just am an agitation, no meaning, no search, no goals.

A friend calls me. Initially I refuse to talk. But then the cell keeps on ringing. So finally switch it off. Then restart it after some time. Again he calls. Reluctantly I say ‘Hello’. He immediately realizes that I am not okay, that something is amiss. He asks me, but I have no reason, no cause to tell him. I don’t know it myself. He persists. I shout at him. That doesn’t work. He asks me again. I ask him to shut-up. He hangs-up the phone telling me that he will call me again in sometime. I decide to switch off the phone, but don’t.

A few moments later, I find myself waiting for his call. He doesn’t. My mind rushes, ‘Is he angry? Why did I shout at him?’ I feel like I must call him and apologize, but find myself unable to do it.

My agitation is replaced by a sense of helplessness and guilt. I find myself useless and helpless. Again I am back to a state of ‘not-knowing’, but this time, the intensity is reverse. There’s something in me that is releasing. The guilt has overtaken everything else and I start looking for possible hideouts. I find a good one in attacking. I blame the friend for all his past wrongs. I tell myself that he deserved to be shouted for all the mistakes he has done, for all the bad things he has done to me. But that doesn’t work. Again I find myself helpless. I call him and ask for help. ‘I need you. I need your help in getting out of this’, I say. But within I know this is just a way I am trying to cover my guilt of hurting him—the principle of reverse positivity. He shows as if it has worked. He is ready to help me, but I am not convinced of his motives. His past keeps on ringing in my ears and occasionally sends my faith for a toss. But again and again I find myself asking him for his help. By feeling myself weak, I am just making him feel strong and desired—just an attempt to foster his ego and get things even. Somehow this seems to work, but I am unhappy.

In between those pleas for help, he keeps on handling me, trying to suggest and I keep on erupting. He is patient. I am not. I start blaming myself for behaving in this strange way with him and also for being unable to handle myself. I don’t know what’s happening and why it’s happening.

I feel myself being misunderstood and un-understood. I am bewildered and unable to fathom myself. I am irritated.

And I don’t know why.

Prasenjit Kamble is an emerging author. He is a specialised therapist in ancient Indian sciences and writes on various topics of human interest including psychology and ancient sciences. He is an active reseacrher in Indian Psychology.

Groups looking for money to run special events or make special purchases will be glad to know that there are fund-raising services that will help them in their endeavors. Fasttrack Fundraising, for example, is a group of people working together to help non-profit groups raise needed funds and understand the importance of fundraising and also the challenges. They’ve done the car washes and bake sales that took all day to raise only a few dollars. So they developed fun, easy fundraiser programs that raised the needed funds, fast.

Companies such as FastTrack have great knowledge of the fund raising efforts that have been successful and those that have failed and will work with any organization that needs to fundraise. Whether it’s school fundraising, sororities, fraternities, sports fundraising, church fundraising, college fundraising, or any other type of non-profit fundraising, the employees at FastTrack have been there, done that. They can offer great advice to groups so they put their efforts into the campaign for funds that will make the most money in the least amount of time.

FastTrack has a team of trained counselors that will advise any group on the latest ideas that work. They have successfully helped organizations just like yours raise the most amount of money in the least amount of time. They have worked with major companies and many of their programs are with Fortune 500 companies. Since every organization has different needs, FastTrack will work with your organization to find the most profitable program that suits your group.

Fortunately for those in need of additional funds, FastTrack fundraising is continually developing new programs and is adding new fund raising services constantly. They generally offer four fundraising product categories to help your organization. These include fundraising discount cards, on-line fundraising web pages, food and candy fundraisers, and on-line donation fundraisers. They can supply you the products along with the support and training to put your organization on the fast track to fundraising.

Participation in FastTrack programs is simple, safe, efficient, and above all free! Whether you are in a club, sports team, church, or any other non-profit group, FastTrack is dedicated to helping you achieve your financial goals.

Vic Bilson writes on a variety of topics including ideas for non-profit organizations to improve their fund raising efforts. For more fund raising ideas be sure to visit Fund Raising Ideas for Groups.

The ability to get things done through other people is the greatest skill you need to become a successful manager.

That’s easier said than done. In fact, managing the activities of others is the most difficult task in the world. After all, each human being has a mind of his own. Furthermore, the idea of depending on others to get things done is inherently at odds with the traits normally found in successful people such as confidence in one’s own ability, controlled urgency, assertiveness and a yearning for control.

But if you crave success, you have to accept the proposition that you must learn to do less of the assignment at hand yourself and spend more time motivating others.
The fact is a manager can’t motivate people. In the real world, people have to motivate themselves. The manager is most likely to accomplish his responsibilities as a motivator by providing an environment in which motivation can happen.

Here’s the secret key. This environment exists when people are working in an organization that provides satisfactory answers to one simple question that everyone has on his or her mind: What’s in it for me?

The answer may take many forms, but it will usually have to be made up of one or more of these ingredients:

• Money is the most obvious answer to the basic matter of self-interest that drives us all.

Money represents the power to buy the necessities, as well as the “good things” of life. It means security and prestige. It provides a yardstick of success.

• Respect and recognition combine to make a set of highly prized rewards. Mary Kay Ash, who built a merchandising power house by creating opportunities for people to motivate themselves to success, declared: “There are two things people want more than s*x and money; they are recognition and praise.”

• People want to be rewarded by having work they can enjoy doing and take pride in.

• Everyone wants to feel what he or she does is important as an individual with influence over the outcome.

Parachutes used by U.S. airmen early in World War II were failing to open five times out of 100 jumps. Obviously, nothing less than perfection could be accepted. Repeated attempts to motivate parachute packers and inspectors to do a better job showed little results.

Finally, the workers motivated themselves to 100 percent quality when they were required to jump from airplanes wearing one of the ‘chutes they had packed.

• People will motivate themselves to do good work when they feel they have an opportunity for personal growth and advancement.

• People have a strong incentive to motivate themselves when they believe they have a hand in determining the purpose of their work.

What’s in it for you when you master the skills of motivation? Success as a manager with all the rewards that it provides.

Ramon Greenwood, Senior Career Counselor for Common Sense At Work, is a former Senior Vice President of American Express. To subscribe to his f*ee semi-monthly newsletter and blog please go to http://www.commonsenseatwork.com/getitnow

One of the more significant challenges of owning a business is having enough cash to pay the bills. Your ability to pay your bills on time, to a large effect, is based on how successful you are in collecting your accounts receivable in a timely manner.

Companies we have worked with who had problems with collecting their accounts receivable have seen dramatic improvement when they followed these few principals. They may be just what you need to get that cash out of the bush and into your hand.

1. Implement a procedure in your organization where you or someone you appoint is systematically responsible for getting the invoices out in a timely manner. It does not help cash flow if the end-of-the-month billing is not mailed until the middle of the following month. Many customers take 15 to 45 days from the date they receive the invoice to make their payment. If you get your invoice out late, it just adds that much more time before you receive the money.

2. Always put the current date on the invoice. Many times the customers gets a number of bills and they pile up until there is cash to pay them. If your invoice is not dated, the customer assumes that they just received it and places it with the invoices just received.

3. Put the term of the sale on the invoice. The customer will probably not remember your verbal agreement or may have misplaced the written agreement. If there is not a reminder on the invoice of when the money is due, you always end up at the end of the line.

4. Establish an accountability system for follow-up on overdue accounts receivable. If someone is not in charge, believe me, no one will take the responsibility of collecting that past due money.

5. Have your accountant or bookkeeper prepare a written aging of accounts receivable at the end of each month, so that you know what is collected and what is outstanding. This report needs to be circulated to the appropriate people at least each month. Increase the frequency of preparing this report and distribute it weekly if the monthly method is not effective.

6. Depending on your industry, there is normally a standard for how your customers pay their bills. If a customer exceeds that time frame, either follow up with a nice letter or a personal phone call. There is no need to get aggressive with the first contact. In that contact, see if the customer received the invoice and if it is in their system to be paid. Flag your calendar based on their response, and follow up (if no payment) and get another commitment for payment. Follow this process until the account is paid in full or becomes 90 days old (or the date your have predetermined by your collection policy). At that point, send a letter indicating that the bill will be sent to the collection agency if arrangements are not made by a specific date (usually 10 days from your current date). If the amount is large, try to get a face to face meeting with the pay due customer. In that meeting try to work out payment terms or a trade for product or service. If that does not work, assign it to a local collection agency or attorney for collection. Courtesy and consistency have worked the best for me, maybe it will for you, too.

7. If, for some reason, you want to speed up collections because you need an injection of money for a specific purpose, give a freebie. In the radio business, a station could easily give a few spots away if the customer paid their current bill within 15 days when the normal is 30 or 45 days.

Dan Lacy is the founder of Dynasty Business Building and is the principal in the organization. Currently, he has ownership in three different businesses. Dan has also consulted start up businesses where they began with an idea and a bit of borrowed money. He has coached over 500 businesses over the last 18 years, all across the United States. In the process, Dan has become a self-made millionaire.

Prior to going into business for himself, Dan received a Masters Degree in Business from the Peter Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate School. He worked for one of the fastest growing banks in California, ran a small business investment company (business lender to high risk borrowers) and managed a venture capital fund. For more information visit http://www.dynastybuilder.com

Paycheck advance is a short-term loan, for the period between two and four weeks, that is intended to cover a borrower’s emergency expenses until their next payday. Paycheck advance provides quick cash loan with minimum requirements to fulfill. The loans are popular among people who have bad credit history as there is no credit check involved as part of loan qualification process.

The loan amount for a paycheck advance loan is small between $100 and $1000. There are some paycheck lenders who are willing to lend you over $1000 with some additional requirements. Finance charges on paycheck advance loans are normally in the range between $15 and $20 per $100 borrowed, which may seem higher than typical credit cards and bank loans. However, paycheck lenders argue that their operating cost and risk of giving loans are much higher than that of bank loans.

Requirements for a Paycheck Advance Loan

Paycheck advance loan comes under several names such as payday loan, cash advance, or postdated check loan. When you search for a loan under those names you basically refer to getting an advance loan until your payday. The requirements for the loans are not complicated. You simply need to meet some qualifications which include:

- You must be over 18 years old

- You must be currently employed

- You must be paid on a regular basis

Some lenders demand that you must be at the same job for at least three months with minimum salary varied from lender to lender.

Applying Online is Easy

You basically have two options as to how you obtain the loan. You can either drive to a local paycheck lender shop or simply visit a lender’s website online to apply for the loan. Applying online saves you time and money and gives you opportunities to shop around and compare several online paycheck loan lenders to find the best offer in terms of interest rate, approval time, repayment scheme, etc.

With online paycheck advance loan you simply need to complete an online application form with all your details, including your phone number, social security number, driver’s license, employer’s name, references, and more importantly your bank account. It takes less than 7 minutes to complete the form.

If your loan application is approved, the lender will transfer the money directly into your bank account right away. When the loan is due the lender will automatically deduct your bank account for the repayment amount plus interest and any fees.

Get an online paycheck advance loan quickly here. With wire
transfer payday loan you can get same day cash advance. Check out also no teletrack payday loans for people with bad credit.

Nearly all of us use credit cards on a regular basis, and many of us could always use one more. Getting that best credit card, however, is not something that you just happen to come across, but you can get some real good deals, these days. So, before you sign-up on the next credit card application you receive in the mail, here are a few things you need to look for - otherwise you may not be getting quite the deal you thought.

In order to get that better deal on your credit card, you need to take a couple of minutes and think about on which of the following categories of items you regularly spend the most money.

1. Airfare
2. Gasoline
3. Business expenses - office, travel, etc.
4. Food, medicine, and gas
5. Other travel expenses - hotel, car rental, etc.
6. Vacations, sightseeing, etc.
7. Student

After you think about this, and choose one the closest categories that describes your primary use of the credit card, then you are ready to look at the various credit card offers, and choose your best credit card. Here are some things to look at in order to make the best choice.

Credit Rating Needed Most of the online credit card ads will show you the level of credit that you need in order to successfully apply and get the card. Make sure that your own credit rating is good before you apply for one of the best cards. If you are applying for a business credit card, then you may need to know that the lowest rated user of that card could affect the overall business rating.

Balance Transfers This is an especially good feature if you have any other credit card debt. It allows you to transfer your existing credit card debt, for which you may be paying high interest, and allows you to move it to the new card and pay no interest for the period of the introductory offer. Be sure to read the fine print on the potential new card because some of them will charge up to 4% of the amount transferred. Many card companies will do this for free - in order to get your business.

0% APR Interest For the length of the introductory offer, you may have 0% APR interest on some or all of your purchases. You will also want to look at the details on this, too, since it may not apply to every purchase. The time length of the introductory offer will vary anywhere from 3 months up to 15 months. Remember that you are trying to get the best credit card deal, so do not settle for an offer that is less than what your credit rating will allow.

Later on, after you get the card, remember that the 0% APR will run out eventually. At that time you will either need to make sure that your monthly balance is paid on time, or get a new card.

Credit Card Rewards The last feature you want to look at (which is usually highlighted the most) is the rewards that any particular card offers. If it is an airline card, then the incentive is often a large amount of air miles. If you are looking for an air miles rewards credit card, then be sure to find out not only how many free air miles they are giving at sign-up, but also discover how many miles are needed for your first free trip, too - it could be a real eye opener.

Other offers are extended to some student credit cards - they will even give some rewards to those that have good grades, and may be used to build up your credit rating, too. The highest cash back rewards on these types of cards are usually given to purchases of gas, food, and medicines.

As you look at the rewards, be sure that it will make a real difference in savings for you in the areas that you need it most. The best credit card for you is the one that meets all these criteria, and also allows you to have something to look forward to each month in the way of savings or rebates.

This article is brought to you by http://www.CreditCardFlyers.com or http://www.CCFlyers.com At CreditCardFlyers.com, we are a comprehensive resource of credit card information online. Our Goal is to save you time and make the choice easier by enabling you to compare credit card offers in one place, ensuring that you get a good deal according to your criteria.

In 2001 the laws governing the display and supply of replacement number plates were greatly changed in order to tackle the problems of false plates and mis-spaced or illegible number plates. False plates are a problem to the police as criminals use them while committing crimes and illegible or mis-spaced number plates create problems for speed cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems.

Since the introduction of the new legislation all number plate suppliers have had to register with the DVLA and must put their name and postcode on each plate manufactured. The supplier must inspect proof of entitlement and I.D. supplied by the customer and keep a record of both to be kept available for inspection by the police or trading standards officers.

The layout and materials of number plates are also specified in the legislation, and must comply with british standard BS AU 145d which governs the reflectivity and durability of the materials. There is only one font which is legal and characters must be 79mm high and 50mm wide. The gaps between each figure must be 11mm except for the gap between the two blocks of digits which must be 33mm. There should be a minimum gap at the top, bottom and sides of 11mm.

Europlates are allowed with a choice of flags such as St Georges Cross, Saltire, Union Jack, or Red Dragon. These are very useful for those that take their car to continental europe frequently as it negates the need for a GB sticker on the car.

Visit us at Car Number Plates

Singles holidays can be great fun, exciting and an excellent way to meet new people and make life-long friends. Many people still think that going on holiday on your own can be somewhat scary and boring. However, if you follow some of these top tips, they can be just as enjoyable as going on holiday with someone.

Important tips to survive and enjoy singles holidays;

1/ If you are going with an organised group, check out the size of the group & age range of group. You may feel intimidated by a large group or feel uncomfortable with an older group for example. Find out so you know in advance.

2/ Always research the holiday destination. Find out where the best beaches are, if there are any singles nights at the local hotels or bars, whether there are tour guides to show you around the resort etc.

3/ If you want to make friends, look out for others who are on their own and ask them politely if they wouldn’t mind if you joined them.

4/ Choose where to eat out carefully. You don’t want to eat in cosy dimly-lit romantic restaurants, look out for quite busy places where other people are dining alone so you don’t feel out of place. Don’t sit their miserable, have a smile on your face and people will approach you.

5/ Always ask at the hotel or resort about any areas they advise not to visit alone. You certainly don’t want to be walking around “dangerous” places at night all on your own.

6/ To stop yourself from getting bored when out & about, take a good book. You can read it at a restaurant, or when you are out for a quite drink, this will help you fit in and not look like you are uncomfortable with being on your own.

7/ If you have a mobile phone, take it with you on holiday and arrange so you can make calls from abroad. For people on holiday alone this can act as an important safety net. Take note of your hotel telephone number, local taxi numbers, local police etc.

The above list is not exhaustive and it will depend on what sort of person you are as to what tips you think are worthwhile. Many companies now cater solely for single travellers and there are even some who deal exclusively with women only singles holidays.

Use the search facility on directline-holidays.co.uk to find some great deals & offers on singles holidays.

www.directline-holidays.co.uk specialises in selling cheap package holidays, flights and hotels.

The recent threat against the life of the Dalai Lama was attributed by a number of news sources to Osama bin Laden. This is far from the whole picture. While it is true that bin Laden is on record making disparaging remarks about Buddhism, those remarks really formed part of a more generalized attack on the non-Islamic world.

The terror group the police claim is responsible for the recent death threats is Lashkar-e-Toiba. Although this group is the Al Qaeda affiliate operating in South Asia, it is by no means certain that Al Qaeda is behind any of this.

Lashkar-e-Toiba is suspected of having contacts with Chinese intelligence. China is by far the Dalai Lama’s most vitriolic adversary. Recently the Chinese leadership in Tibet increased the volume of its denunciations of the Dalai Lama and the Dharamsala government-in-exile. These attacks have been of an acutely personal nature. The PRC secretary of Tibet, Zhang Qingli, epitomizes this aggressive approach. He has described the Dalai Lama as “a false religious leader” and curiously enough likened China’s struggle with him as “a fight to the death”.

It’s not inconceivable that Chinese intelligence might attempt to use an agent to carry out an attack. The venerable leader has acquired a lot of respect around the world and any assassination attempt linked directly to China would be the worst possible publicity.

The plot however is much murkier than it may appear on the surface. A number of insider sources associated with the Dharamsala government-in-exile, believe that the real suspects behind the threats are connected to the Shugden sect, a Tibetan group actively opposed to the Tibet policies of the Dalai Lama.

The Shugdens New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) was set up in the UK by Kelsang Gyatso in 1991. The sect worships a warrior deity named Dorje Shugden. There is a division between two groups within the sect respectively called “the yellow hats” (Gelukpa) and “the red hats” (Nyingmapa).

The Dalai Lama has roundly condemned the brand of spirituality promoted by the sect. He has even likened the worship of Dorje Shugden to “a cult of spirit worship”.

Although evidence is hard to come by, many connected to the government-in-exile have little doubt that Dorje Shugden activists are in contact with Chinese intelligence, and are even being paid by Chinese authorities to sow discord. One of their objectives is to increase tensions between the local people in Dharamsala and Tibetan refugees with the aim of weakening the Dalai Lama’s authority. They have also been accused of targeting members of the government-in-exile for assassination.

On February 4, Lobsang Gyatso, head of the Tibetan Dialectics Institute in Dharamsala was knifed to death, along with two of his students. The assassins are believe to be Dorje Shugden agents. Following the killing they fled. Police believe they are hiding out in the Tibetan exile community in Bangalore.

As a result of the recent scare a three tier level of defense has now been created around the Dalai Lama. Additional security has also been provided for high level members of the government-in-exile considered at risk, such as Samdhong Rinpoche, the speaker of the Tibetan Assembly.

Given the hostile rhetoric that has been coming from Chinese authorities in Tibet of late, it’s a little too obvious to attribute these death threats to some hypothetical Islamist plot. China often offers phony alibis as a cover for baser motivations. For example the “terror card” was used as a front for its repressive policies in the northeast Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. These policies resulted in many executions and the detention of tens of thousands of people.

Aidan Maconachy resides in Ontario, Canada. He has a BA Hons and a BEd. He taught in the UK and Canada, and has been a contributor to a variety of magazines and newspapers over the years. You can visit his blog at http://aidanmaconachyblog.blogspot.com/

If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve been on the stage staring down the panel of judges that decides your fate from show to show. Many a show, I’ve walked through the locker room, whether I was competing or not that day and have heard, “I just don’t get it! I don’t know what those judges are looking for!” “You can’t tell me that I didn’t look better than that other guy! How could they not see that?!” “They don’t know what they’re talking about,” and a slue of other comments not fitting for NB and F. Nevertheless, the comments are out there and they are as common from show to show as a high carb meal moments after the awards are handed out.

If you’ve stood on the most competitive stages of the INBF, at one point or another you’ve stared down the barrel of one of the big guns of the INBF, Steve Downs. For many a year have I stared into Steve’s face as he meticulously analyzes each athlete from the judges’ table. I’ve watched him do this for a great many years and as one of the top judges of amateur and professional talent in the INBF and WNBF. Many a show have I stood on the stage and watched his eyes move about from athlete to athlete from either side of me to my own physique. Being a promoter as most have come to know me, I felt it was about time to answer these questions that the athletes have about, ‘what are these judges looking for’. I recently sat down with Steve to discuss these matters. This article will pinpoint the highlights to this conversation and look to annotate the truths about judging. So, from here on in, you can’t say you weren’t told!

When I tell you that Steve was open and straightforward with me about EVERY aspect to judging, I mean there were no holds barred and nothing to hide. It was a great conversation, fun, and gave me an insight into what goes on at the judges’ table. A man of integrity, Steve stands by each show, his decisions, the show outcomes, and his own moral platform as one and the same.

“I find it SPECTACULARLY insulting and offensive when someone questions my ethics with regard to our judging,” Steve exclaimed to me with ferocious tenacity. “It’s also odd that those people that seem to question our integrity seem to have NO integrity whatsoever. Organizations are a dime a dozen. As a {INBF or WNBF} judge, we feel and know that everything we do reflects on us personally,” Steve continued.

In my conversation with Steve, I got the impression that he always felt that the organizations that stand alone, don’t need to say that they are the best and don’t need to go around bashing. And if you didn’t think that Steve was a man of honor or high moral ethic ESPECIALLY when it comes to judging, I questioned him directly if he ever ‘held someone back that he didn’t like.’

“I don’t know how well you know me, but I think you do,” Steve began, “I tend to not dislike anyone. I have had problems with athletes in the past or know of some that may have disliked me for whatever their reason. But, it never changed an outcome with regard to judging or placed anyone ahead or behind someone that earned their place on stage. The organization’s mission and not my personal feelings is what prevails above all.”

With all the shows I’ve gone to, whether or not I was competing, competitors have posed many questions to me with regard to an athlete’s finish. I went down the list with Steve and he took the time we needed to answer my questions one by one. Let’s examine those most common questions:

How is one judged once that first quarter turn is made to the judges’ table?

“First impressions,” Steve began, “That first look is critical. I remember one athlete that would come out like a smoking gun and then fade from view as the
pre-judging wore on. Sometimes it’s nutrition…, sometimes over-preparing back stage. You must have lasting ability through the pre-judging. If you fade as the judging goes on, you’ll tend to fade in your presentation, which could hurt your final standing. You need stage presence and projection.”

When athletes are moved on stage, does this have meaning and/or bearing on where the athlete finishes?

“Depending on the size of the group, we may not begin to split the classes or move anyone until one full quarter turn, IF AT ALL. It is a process; Not for the audience, not for the athlete, but for the judges. Athletes are moved to make it easier to make the proper distinctions on scoring. Sometimes an athlete is moved for better lighting, comparison to another athlete, or because a judge has asked to see that athlete a bit better for a comparison with another. If there is not a need for a movement, we just won’t move people for the sake of moving them. You tend to try to put your better athletes at or near the middle to give ALL the judges a better vantage point in which to judge the better of the class. HOWEVER, an athlete may not belong in the middle but next to others near the middle of the class for comparison. Other times, its comparisons for 5th, 6th, or 7th.”

Steve continued, “Phil, understand, a good head judge is not making the decision. A good head judge is helping others to make a decision. The judges follow where I may put an athlete and I am constantly asking if the other judges are fine with the movement. I look at things I see as a judge AND as a head judge. I am only an expeditor for the other judges. MY three people in the middle MAY NOT NECESSARILY be YOUR three people. That’s why there is a panel. A good head judge communicates with the panel that he is happy with where he has moved everyone and if not, the moves are made; but only if it is necessary.

Sometimes, someone {on the judging panel} asks me to move someone and I will skip. A specific comparison may take place at times and it’s nice to see guys that will fight it out for 6th or 7th. That’s the fun to the sport. The larger the number the more expedient you should be with regard to judging. HOWEVER, the judging must be done and we will always make sure that it gets done right.”

Why are certain athletes moved and some athletes never moved?

“Movement has to do with expediting the judging process. Sometimes, the luck of the draw works out well in a small group. In a big group, there must be movement and not just for movement sake. Movement on stage is not an indication of anything. I might be moving people around you as this may be the difference between 4th and 5th or 5th and 6th. The job is to make the judging easier for the judges so all the athletes get a fair look.”

Does stage placement mean ANYTHING?

“To some extent. But again, the head judge does not make a decision for the other judges. The better athletes TEND to be grouped at the middle to give a better vantage point for the judges. The best athletes being all the way at one end or another will displace the judges’ ability to see. The best are usually grouped in the middle for the ‘best view’. Now,” Steve continued, “That does not mean the person in the middle is MY choice.”

I then hit Steve with one of my favorite questions - Rock, paper, scissors?

Symmetry, conditioning, muscularity…is there a “this beats that?”

“The written rule: We’ll always look for the total package. A lot of what’s written is what’s on stage. The judging for that day will even come down to as specific as that specific class. For figure, we’re looking for beauty. For bodybuilding, we’re still looking for a muscular body but conditioning is now important of late. A panel of 5 or 7 people means that there are 5 - 7 different views of the day’s standard. The trend right now is conditioning. In the 90’s, guys were huge and cut, without an emphasis of definition. However, nowadays, definition is carrying more of the decisions. BUT, people are NOT smaller. MASS ALONE does not carry it anymore. A SIDEBAR: IT IS NOT A DIETING CONTEST and ripped will not win the day! It is still bodybuilding, so though the trend seems to be leaning towards a more defined physique, we are still looking for quality muscle.”

Is there one clear cut judging criteria?

“CLASS FOR CLASS and GROUPS AT A TIME determines judging. Each group of bodybuilders we see is different which necessitates a re-visitation of the standards.”

(Now I’ve got to tell you, I was blown away by this statement! I felt it was such a broad-stroke of the judging brush that was at the same time very ‘tell-all’! Ultimately, it says that YES, there is a standard that the judges are using to judge us as bodybuilders while at the same time, a judging standard that is evolving at the table with each class that steps on stage. As each body is different within each class, so is each class unique unto itself within the show itself! FASCINATING!)

Steve continued to amaze me by moving along with concise truth and straightforward reason:

“Each judge has their own bias. The best BODYBUILDERS don’t necessarily prove to be the best judges. A good judge looks at the package: Posing, presence, muscular development, etc. There are guidelines. Experience on stage as a competitor helps but experience looking at competitors is also important.”

This next piece of the conversation is absolutely insightful! It is something I have seen from show to show and athlete to athlete (myself included). I have always focused on making a POSITIVE IMPRESSION upon those who are judging me and careful not to cross over the border of arrogance while looking confident- as there is a fine line! Follow the next part of the discussion carefully as this may help you do better just by working on WHO you are on stage! Just remember that you still must diet and train! This is a bodybuilding organization, not a popularity contest!

PROJECTION AND POSING!!!

Projection:

“How you project yourself is very important, whether you are in the middle, toward the middle, or off to the side. Athletes tend to fade if they get moved away from the middle. I’ve seen it a thousand times,” Steve said. “How you project to the judges is critical. You cannot teach it, but you can get someone to practice it. It comes with confidence and time.”

So how did Steve tell me to project confidence? PREPARE for the show! In your heart, KNOW you did what it takes to do well! PROJECTION matches preparation! This past fall, I competed in “The Mania” and “The Worlds” and I KNEW I brought the best package I’d ever shown to the judges. I KNEW that no matter whom I did or DID NOT beat, I brought my best that day. My projection of my self and my proud, confident communication of that told the day’s judges that I was ready for these shows!

Though I didn’t win, I acted in a lost manner of conduct – Honorably defeated by a better athlete and the sportsman in me prevailed. Leave your whimpering and crying at home. Every athlete has lost or won. There’s always a bigger fish. Enjoy the journey that is bodybuilding and not just the trophy itself!

(By the way, Steve HEAD judged NATURALMAINA and someone I know well judged THE WORLDS! No political pull I had put me as the winner! The better athlete proved to be the winner!)

Steve went on to add more commentary to an already enjoyable education of the judging process, “SO CRITICAL,” He began, “It is not what you do in the gym that is important, but what is on the stage. If an athlete poses better, presents himself better, it will MOST CERTAINLY affect an outcome,” he concluded.

SO, if you think you LOOKED better than the guy (or gal) that beat you, MAYBE you THINK you did, but the judges didn’t see that! Maybe you’re right when you say, “I don’t know what the judges are looking at?” Maybe they didn’t know! They only knew they saw a bodybuilder who beat you that was more polished because of preparation, poise, and stage presence. Remember, IT WILL affect an outcome! It could mean the difference between winning or losing or 4th and 5th places!

DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!

Steve shared more life experience with me, “Less experienced bodybuilders tend to fade during the pre-judging process. How you feel dictates your stage presence. STAND OUT! LET the judges know you are there by being confident, but DON’T OVERDUE IT! Don’t be cocky or overconfident.”

I personally have seen it at shows. I’ve watched a COCKY athlete begin to crumble once Steve moved him away from the middle and then not necessarily regard him throughout the pre-judging. Why? Simple. On that day, there were better bodybuilders. Mind you, this gentleman didn’t think so and as his face dictated his disappointment or disdain, so did his stage presence. NOT GOOD! Stay confident and have fun. Worry about yourself, as you can’t change much else once you’re on stage!

“Here’s a latest rap,” Steve began, “A PHOTOGRAPHER: HOW does he make a good judge? Physique art!! What looks good through a lens tends to look good on stage. A good photographer will see with a ‘good eye’ what looks good! Moreover, he or she has {at times} a better ability to judge what they SEE as opposed to what they FEEL! Remember, it’s not a gym contest.

Now, there will always be SOMEONE not happy with the end result and I’m sorry to tell you, that’s just the way it goes! There is always going to be a complainer that thinks that they’ve been cheated and the judges “got it wrong”, or someone will feel that they got overlooked. Chances are, NO, they did not! And don’t try to tell me because I’ve got more 4th place trophies than anyone in the INBF! And don’t kid yourself, STEVE is the guy that’s put me there more often than not!

Certainly don’t try to call out the ‘politics’ word when it comes to judging. When I stand on stage, I (arguably) have the most clout on the stage. Being a promoter, I bring money to the INBF’s mission and scores of new athletes to the organization with every show I promote. NOT ONCE did this honor help me past an athlete that I was not worthy to beat! My “political standing” has not once helped me when it came to STEVE judging me, or ANY OTHER judge for that matter. So, be honest with yourself. If you didn’t win or end up where you felt you should have, chances are the only person left to blame is on the stage, not at the table.

Being an ambassador to the sport, I’d rather know that I beat someone on my own accord and not with ‘a little help from my friends’. It tells me each time I take the stage that my final standing was real and not manufactured. So, if I’M telling you that my standing in the INBF is not placing me above anyone, shouldn’t it tell you that where you have finished is most likely where you have legitimately finished? Wouldn’t you like to know that where you finished is “real”? If I’m a promoter telling you that my standing in the INBF didn’t propel me forward, should that not squash any claims of POLITICS? Think about it! The INBF is an organization of honor and we should all be proud to be part of something that special! Nothing fake! Isn’t that the way DRUG FREE is SUPPOSED to be?