So much to tell and so little time to tell it! I start work tomorrow (from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), so I let my thoughts and escapades from Las Vegas trickle out over the next few days, for I might forget to add in a few here and there while I type tonight.

It was impossible to eat healthy in Vegas. I brought enough egg whites to fill a hen house, but I somehow ran out before my photo shoots ever begun. Luckily I had protein powder and oats, but even that ran out. Note, I was an English teacher, not a math instructor, so my counting of meals and number of egg whites might have been a bit off. Needless to say, by Saturday afternoon, I was nibbling on protein bars and praying for the evening so I could eat a real meal and not feel so exhausted.

I shot with Jonathan Bowie outside of the Mandalay Bay. We got some pool shots and fountain shots both indoors and outdoors, and the outfits I used were a dress, a pair of jeans and a baby T, and a pair of slacks with a cute halter top. Jonathan should get me those pictures in a couple of months, and then you'll get to view my off season look at the present moment.

I also worked with JT, my webmaster, and went up to see him with Lesli Russell, who is looking quite lean for the GNC. Be sure to visit her board at www.leslirussell.com and wish her luck. It's her last show of the year (as it is for the most of the figure girls). JT was at the Excalibur, and Lesli and I had a true adventure trying to find our way around to get to him. These hotels are gigantic!!! JT was great fun to work with!

I also worked with Gene Carangal twice: once in the morning and once in the evening, both at the Mandalay Bay. There will be a collection of about six galleries from him, and we got to do some different outfits, including a couple of dresses.

I'll go back to bikini work when I begin to drop fat and water for the Junior USA's, which are next April. But there are tons of bikini and lingerie photos for me to add to the galleries, so don't worry! My glutes will be displayed in full force!

Now, for the Olympia report. I'll try to do my best. The prejudging on Thursday included the one piece figure, the two piece fitness and the 45-second mandatory routine, and the symmetry round of women's bodybuilding. I was disappointed, for I thought everything was going to occur and Friday would be the finals where the girls would be compared again, routines displayed again, and winners announced. I wasn't planning on attending the finals, but I got suckered in because I was there to support Dina and the two piece round is her best, but it was being displayed until Friday evening. I also always love the routines of the fitness girls.

The call outs for the figure division came awfully quickly. Not quite as speedily as at the NOC, but there didn't seem to be any question about it. Jenny, Davana, and Monica were the obvious choices in terms of names, but only two really displayed physiques that belonged in the top three. Jenny's physique was a bit off. There can be a multitude of reasons for this, but you can only judge the women by what they present to the stage at that given moment.

Monica was on fire. I cannot speak highly enough of her physique and her presentation. Flawless, in my opinion. I may have been struggling in the past to get my mental focus back, but seeing her definitely got me right on track. She had the tightest glutes on that stage, the best shoulder development, and awesome quads that had terrific calves to match. Her suits were beautiful, and she made a wise choice this time around with the one piece, which was a vibrant shade of blue and allowed her lats to be displayed much better than at the Arnold.

Davana is definitely breathtaking when it comes to appearance. I'd like to see tighter glutes and hamstrings, but every woman has a weak area somewhere. Her abs and shoulders were terrific.

Dina should have placed third in my opinion. While Mari Kudla's physique was fuller and appeared more muscular, Dina's symmetry was better. The tiny waist cannot be ignored, and her abs truly demand attention. Her glute/hip width does not overpower the rest of her as it does with some of the other girls, and her new suits were also quite beautiful. She also had her hair and make up done by a special artist and it definitely worked for the stage. She ended up placing fifth, but that's not where I would have put her.

I would have put Mari fourth. I will say that in the past I've been disappointed in Mari's physique. The softness has been a huge factor of my reaction, but she stepped it up a notch and put on muscle and came in leaner than I have ever seen her, even when I competed with her at the Figure Nationals in 2002. She definitely held her own and I do agree with her placing this weekend.

DJ Wallis looked good also, but her glute/hip width just didn't match with her shoulders and back. Hannah Park and Alexsandra Kobeliak definitely could have taken the fifth and sixth place slots and then DJ and Jaime Franklin could have followed. I think Hannah's height is a factor when she is the only short girl on the stage, and Monica may have suffered this when being compared to both Jenny and Davana, for she is one of the shorter girls as well. It still doesn't change my mind that Monica should have won.

But yes, the girls did come in harder for the most part. The upper bodies were more muscularly developed, and quads had more cuts. I'd like to see improvement in the glute to hamstring tie-ins, but again, this is the most difficult area for most women to dial in. It means lots of lunges, lots of sprints, and lots of plyos, and those straight leg deadlifts are a huge help as well. Of course, the weight gains have to be kept under control in the off season, and I'm remaining highly aware of this as I move through my own off season.

Speaking of which, I should let you know that I am no longer working with Mike Davies. I made this choice after not following his training, nutrition, or posing advice for the Figure Nationals and ending up with the highest placing of my career. There are no hard feelings. It was a decision I chose to make and just felt that I needed to move on.

Well, I'm getting awfully tired and am going to eat, do my second session of cardio, and get to bed. I've got a big day tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Jodi :)