Are you burned out?

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Maybe burned out isn't the word he meant.... :biggrin:

Kinda more like, I need a short break.... :wink:

I don't do too many comps, only 2 this year. The 2nd one in Nov 9-10.

I do cook a LOT on the weekends I don't work, or during the week when I am off.... That is after I get a few days of sleep. I think the lack of sleep, and the drag arse that goes along with it has a lot to do with it.

When I am over tired, I could care less if I even look at the pits, let along cook anything. I have a hard time making a sandwich when I am like that.


When I get off work Thursday morning, that is the last of my midnight shift. I can get back to a more normal life hopefully. I was working 8-10 hour nights, with 6 days off. It would take me about 2 days to get caught back up on my sleep, then 4 days to get caught up on the honey-do's, then it was time to get back to the grind.

The passion to fire up the pit is still there, and I will be burning a lot more now that I will be getting back into my old sleeping habit. It is rough swapping back and forth sleeping days, then nights, then back again. When I am off, I will go to bed around 8pm or so, and be up by 2-3 am when everyone else is alseep..... now to be quiet so I don't wake them up.

Just my thoughts on that one.

 

[scottyd]

I pit bitch 1 time this year and i found it gave me alot more drinking time

My wife and I make up our team, once in awhile my kids might show up, they are older, 24,23, and 21, 2 of them are in the Military, one in the National Guard and My daughter is in the Army. The youngest still is making up his mind. anyway.

With just the 2 of us we pit bitch together. yes it is a lot of work, we love it and would not change for anything, sure we try to do 15 comps a year but it ends up around 10. we both have full time jobs great vacation time. which we can take a day at a time (Fridays) works well. Are we tired? You bet your sweet ass we are! but it is a good tired, I have fun each and every comp. I meet someone new every time we go out and compete. What a great sport, or what ever we call it these days. I love it and so does my wife, heck I think she likes it more. I can't wait till the next comp.

Scotty D

 

[Q Haven]

We did three comps in four weeks over the summer, and five in seven weeks, and for a while I felt a little burned out. But now that I look back at it, I was just physically exhausted. I was working a full time job during the day, plus I worked a ton of shifts at my part time job in addition to the competitions in that period. Once I was able to take a couple of weeks off, the fire quickly returned.

Next year I will plan my schedule a lot differently. I plan to aim for around one competition a month, with no events on consecutive weekends.

 

[Mitch]

Never Burned Out! But aweful tired sometimes. My boss can always tell after a comp.

 

[leanza]

end of bbq season means the beginning of hooters season!

One guy burned out in that pic. WAKE UP!

Serious side..FatBoyz was being sincere. Help him out!!

 

[Norcoredneck]

Way to get over BBq burnout is go to a restaurant and have some "BBq ribs" heavy on the boiling and see how fast you want to fire up your cooker. As far as the comp circuit I struggle with the idea of giving someone money to participate, spending money on meat for someone else to eat. Then have someone tell you it's not good enough or not pretty enough. I honestly have not been in a comp myself, but watching and reading the forums it seems the best part of all comps is Friday night. I see pics of Brothers and Sisters enjoying good food, good company, good drink. Smiles all around. Then I see pics of Saturday, seems real hectic. Only smiles I see are the ones holding the winning check/trophy. I always hear about how someone was robbed, someone played favorites, lousey judges. Reminds me of the dog show circuit. I know I am not going to make friends saying this but it is how I feel. I can understand a person who has a business to want awards to bolster their sales pitch but for someone who puts a trophy on the garage shelf is another to me. I am glad people enjoy this. Hell people probably shake their head at me for driving 4 hours spend 100's of dollars to put my boat in the lake for 3/4 a day to fight the launch ramp traffic to get to clean it up , put away and drive 4 hours back. I think I personally would take a weekend of Fridays with Brothers, booze, good food! Time for another Bash.

 

[Plowboy]

18 contests this year, two stretches of 5 in a row, and I'm ready to do a contest this weekend. Just needed a couple weeks off from the Royal is all. Let's go!!!

Oh wait, Plowboy's Porkapolooza is this weekend... LET'S GET SMOKIN!

 

[CritterCook]

This was a long year of contests, and the last was definately draining. I'm looking forward to the winter time off. (So is my family). But when spring rolls around, I know I will be itchin' to get back out there and do it all over again.!

 

[MrSmoker]

Yes I'm burned out, but not just Comps it's BBQ in general.I don't even enjoy eating BBQ anymore.

Well I quess I am not burned out after all,just bummed out because I sold my Spicewine Twins. I was asked to cook Butts & BB for some friends yesterday and thru on some BB for my family. All is good now, and I kept busy all day playing with the "Dually".

 

[G$]

Well I quess I am not burned out after all,just bummed out because I sold my Spicewine Twins. I was asked to cook Butts & BB for some friends yesterday and thru on some BB for my family. All is good now, and I kept busy all day playing with the "Dually".

Glad to hear this. Still do hope to see you at Rawhide.

 

[watg?]

18 contests this year, two stretches of 5 in a row, and I'm ready to do a contest this weekend. Just needed a couple weeks off from the Royal is all. Let's go!!!

Oh wait, Plowboy's Porkapolooza is this weekend... LET'S GET SMOKIN!

wow...18 in a season...thats a lot!...5 in a row....unbelievable

 

[DawgPhan]

We only cooked 3 events this year and will probably only plan on doing 4 next year. Not burnt out and if my wallet would allow it I could probably cook every weekend.

 

[Scottie]

18 contests this year, two stretches of 5 in a row, and I'm ready to do a contest this weekend.

I'm in the same boat. Did 25 conests this year from Houston, up to Minnesota and out to Vermont (And Lake Placid), South to Lynchburg and all points in between. I believe it was over 17,000 miles on my RV. Plus I was doing something BBQ related either classes, speaking or appearances for another 10 or so weekends. I run a foundation for cancer research, work a full time job (that pays all of my bills), raise 2 kids on my own and if I had a contest available for me, I would go and cook it this weekend. I am physically and mentally exhausted, but my dad always taught me that nothing comes easy and hard work is the way to go.

Scottie

 

[Neal]

We have competed in 48 contests in the last 3 years. We hate it when the season in the Midwest comes to an end, and can't wait till March-April comes to see our friends again and to compete. Nope, no burnout here.

Hit the nail on the head, Greg...
We only did 10 contests this year (12 if you count the GAB and Royal Invtl's as separate events). I say "only" because I would do them every weekend if I could. Chris and I both have families with other interests, houses to take of and jobs that demand attention. But we love to cook contests when ever we can. Yes, it can be draining. That passes pretty quick for us.

For me, I get very dissapointed when we don't finish well in a contest. That just makes me want to cook again as soon as possible. And when we do well in a contest, that also makes me want to cook again.

It's October now. Nothing scheduled around here for months. I am looking for a contest...maybe Texas?

 

[beam boys bbq]

my job pickes up durring oct- dec so i have on time to cook durring this time so it is like my break time durring that time i am all ready thinking of diffrent ideas for next year

so that is how i handel being burned out my breaktime

last weekend i looked at the walls all weekend i am bored

but the bank account needs the break to

saving up for next season

york

 

[Roo-B-Q'N]

If I had arm candy like yours to keep me company at comps I'd be thrilled, too, Ray!

We only cooked two comps and I judged at too, so I'm not burned out, but i can understand how it can get tiring if you do more.

Here was Ray's arm candy at the Royal. Still think it is that thrilling?

 

[ique]

I had a business in Chicago and a family for many years and I still competed a lot.

BBQ Competition is an expensive hobby and a lot of hard work. If you truly have the fire you'll get through the burnout and find a way to do it while keeping the family happy. It's not for everybody for many reasons. Money, family and business are certainly three.

I was ready to leave my trailer in Lynchburg after the awards at the Jack and quit. But, the next day, on the drive home, I was thinking up a new Pork recipe for next season. :roll:

 

[watg?]

I was ready to leave my trailer in Lynchburg after the awards at the Jack and quit. But, the next day, on the drive home, I was thinking up a new Pork recipe for next season. :roll:

What became of the FB's, did they find a new home or did they return to Hopkinton?

 

[SmokyOkie]

I thought you were new.
You're burned out already?

BTW I'm in my 26th season and I still love the thrill of a cookoff.

This thread is starting to remind me of the story of the ld bull and the young bull looking down on a valley full of heifers.

 

[ique]

What became of the FB's, did they find a new home or did they return to Hopkinton?

Hey George, the BWS Fatboys are in back in Hopkinton. See the For Sale section for an update.