May 21, 2008
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So, I think I am going to have my own version of TMZ, not sure what I will call it but I will tell you when I have a “famous person sighting.”� I will try to include pictures whenever possible.� So I have to go back to last Saturday at the race track I saw Kevin Harvick and Bruton Smith.� Sunday at church I was Larry McRenolds.� Today working at Lowe’s, I talked, yes I said talked, with Daryl Waltrip.� Very chatty fellow, imagine that.� I also say Bobby Hamiltion Jr. and his wife.� They were waiting to get on the elevator I was working at.� Now, I thought that he looked short on TV but in real life he is really short.� I tried to make chit chat with him but he was not a real talkative person.� I think the fact that he had to look up to talk to me probably made him nervous.� I also meet and shook hands with Marcus Smith (son of Bruton Smith today).� Working the elevators at Lowe’s you get the opportunity to talk with lots of people.� You know, they have no where to go until the elevator comes so they are forced to talk with you for at least 30 seconds.
May 19, 2008
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How exciting it was to travel to work!!!�� People are everywhere and the town is really a buzz with everyone in town for the race.� I was afraid the travel situation would be really difficult but it was not nearly as bad as I expected.� I cruised right into the speedway and was only slightly held up about 3 blocks from the track.� My assignment for the first day at Lowe’s was to work as an “usher”.� When people arrived at the Speedway Club I would direct them to their destination, whether they were there for dinner, shopping, drinks and of course to their seats.� The Speedway Club has over 4500 members who pay at a minimum $ 2700.00 pp to belong.� That is just the membership; they then have to pay for their tickets.� They have access to some of the best seating available.� The club seating is right on the front stretch, enclosed, air conditioned and has very nice cushioned stadium seating.� The day got off to a slow start as we had to be at work at 11:00 and guest really did not start coming until about 3:00.� Gave me a good chance to chat with some of the other works, I had a great group of people I was working with.� Day One finally ended at 11:30.� I drove directly home and went straight to bed – I was beat!
May 18, 2008
Thursday night I went downtown Charlotte to watch the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge.� I would have to say that was probably the best $ 15.00 I’ve ever spent.� It is a very exciting event.� The�challenge was held at a small arena so you really got an up close look at the pit crew members doing their thing!� Before going to the event my day was pretty uneventful.� Just taking care of�mundane tasks like finding new car insurance and how to register my car in North Carolina – exciting, right????� Friday it’s off to my first day at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.� It's hard to believe that I'm acutally excited to go to work.
Better to do something imperfectly than do nothing perfectly.
May 13, 2008
Great News!!!!��Jane has a job.� May 27th will be my first day working at The Jeff Gordon School of Racing.� I will be with the team that travels to different race tracks through out the country doing the NASCAR race experience.� I will be working in the customer check in center.� Which basically is where all the guest go to check in,�I will be responsible for track scheduling,�sales, customer service, photographing the guests, providing them will all their final�timing information from their drive.� There is also lots of administrative paper work with processing�sales, having guests sign the proper paper work, yada yada yada.� I am very excited about the job.� It is by no means my dream job but it is a great place to start. �I am particularly excited about the experience I will gain just being around the race cars and the entire racing experience.� This is about as up close as I could hope to get at this point.� I can hardly wait to take my first trip in a car.� For some people this experience of riding in an actually NASCAR car is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am going to get to do it as part of my job.� WOW, I have a lot to be grateful for.� I think the job by means is going to be easy, as it involves lots of travel and long work days but I think the experience will be invaluable and could afford me lots of opportunity to expand my network.� The job is only part time, meaning I will be working full time + hours for June, July and into August and then the work schedule will slow down.� At that time I may have to continue looking for work... but should be in a much better position.� I’m hoping to be on the inside looking out and not like I am now, on the outside looking in.
I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest,
with visions to be realized,
than lord among those without dreams and desires.
May 12, 2008
Happy Mothers Day’s�to all my Mama's.� Hope everyone had a great day!� Sunday morning I went to mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church.� You would have thought it was Christmas.� It was standing room only.� Good thing I am a party of one because I was able to find a seat.� After church I wanted to go to a restaurant to have breakfast before setting out to get some errands done.� Well that did not work out as planned.� Every place I went to was overflowing with people…I finally settled for Hardees because I was just plain HUNGRY (the quality of my breakfast was completely out the window).
I survived my trip to the DMV.� 3 � hours later I walked out with a North Carolina Drivers License.� The test was a little tricky but you just had to get 20 out of 25 questions correct.
I went down to Lowe’s Motor Speedway today to get set up for my work this weekend (Friday and Saturday night).� It’s just like when the fair comes to Athens.� There are semi’s all around the track, tents are going up, people working everywhere.� Things are starting to take shape.� There are even people in the camp grounds already!!!� It’s very, very, exciting.� It's hard for me to believe I am actually here.� I'm sure the excitement will wear off someday but for now it's great.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass….
it is about dancing in the rain.
May 10, 2008
Wow, what a great day yesterday.� I had my interview at the Jeff Gordon School of racing and I also made contact with someone at Lowes Motor Speedway.� The lady I spoke with is looking for some additional help with clients that will be in the Speedway Tower during the race. .http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/speedway/the%5Fspeedway%5Fclub/. �Looks like a fun place to work.
I will be working both the weekend of the All Star Race and also the 600 weekend.� The job situation is looking much better than I thought after just 7 days.
Now things with getting a new drivers license are not so great right now.� Did you not think you just walk in and get a new license?� Well not in North Carolina.� I actually have to go in and retake the written test.� So now I am studying the 115 page manual so I can pass the test.� Fun Fun.
May 9, 2008,
So I’m already a couple of days behind on my diary.� Not really off to a good start.� But I’m not going to give up.� I will just get back on the wagon.� I might just have to give in to the fact that I can’t do it daily.� So Crystal told me about a volunteer opportunity with the NASCAR Foundation.� She said it’s a good way to volunteer (item # 3) plus get out and network.� So I signed up to volunteer at the Telethon that they are having coming up on May.� It is held at the Sam Bass (famous NASCAR artist) Gallery.� It should be fun.� The event is in conjunction with NASCAR day.� Yesterday, I went over to Lowe’s Motor Speedway to inquire about work.� Did not have great success but I got a name of someone to call.�� We have exchanged several messages but had not connected yet.� After Lowes’s I stopped over at the Jeff Gordon School of Racing.� That was much more productive…..I actually had an interview today.� They are going to get back to me on Monday.� Keep your fingers XXX.
May 05, 2008
Today I put 3 items on my “to do” list.� These are things that in the past I said I did not have time for because I was too busy working.� Well guess what – I’m not too busy working now!� So this morning I got up and went to Church Service at St Theresa’s Catholic Church here in Mooresville.� They hold daily mass at 9 am.� It was similar to going to mass during the week in Athens, there were about 20 people there and the mass lasted about 20 minutes and I was at least 20 years younger than anyone else there.��� Later in the day I took care of another item on my list.� I went to a local gym and signed up for a 7 day free pass.� Thought I would check it out before I commit to an entire month of exercising.� Went to an evening yoga class.� It was great, the instructor actually gives everyone a little facial massage at the end of the class.� I struck up a conversation with a gal named Crystal.� Turns out she works for a company called MMI, Motor Management Incorporated.� They manage about 25 NASCAR drivers like Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth.� I am looking forward to getting to know Crystal and more about MMI!!!� I guess it’s an incentive to go to Yoga.� 2 items down, 1 to go.
May 2, 2008
Day 2 of traveling as great!� The scenery thru Kentucky and the Virginia’s is much better�than Indiana or Illinois.� I arrived in Mooresville about 5 pm.� Just as my new roommate, Paul, was arriving home from work.� We unloaded all my things into the garage and got my bed set up in my room.� We decided to call it quits for working because the Busch, excuse me, Nationwide�Race was on.� We went to a local BarQue place called Lancasters for some dinner.� They had great food.� A really fun place to take race fans – they actually have a bus that has the number “3” painted on it.� They have tables in the bus so you can sit in there and have dinner.� Very cool place.
May 1, 2008
Day 1 traveling is complete!� I left Athens this morning at exactly 7:04, only 4 minutes behind schedule.� Pretty good for me I would say!� At about 7:30 I stopped in Wilder Kentucky and got a room at the Comfort Suites for the night.� Wilder is just south of Cinncinati.� My travels went very well.� I never “really” got lost, the weather was good and with only a short nap at a truck stop I was never tired while driving.� Yesterday’s route really did not provide much scenery.� Today will be much more exciting.� You can already start to see the landscape change as you leave the Indianapolis area.� The hills and the valleys are so beautiful.�
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