Beth Beutler's Blog, page 36
November 13, 2014
10 Lessons Learned as a Social Media Race Reporter
If you can’t see this slideshow in your RSS reader or email, then click here.In October of 2014, I had a wonderful opportunity to act as a social media race reporter for 5Hour Energy and Michael Waltrip Racing. I had entered a contest earlier in the year, and was selected to enjoy several privileges including behind-the-scenes tours and information and having my name on the #15 car driven by Clint Bowyer. (Take a look at my slide show above for a photo essay of the four days.)
I learned several things on this trip that can apply to real-life. Here they are in no particular order.
Professional sports are very competitive and consuming.
This opportunity to be in the garage area, watch from pit boxes, and get a shop tour revealed to me how consuming racing is. There are many demands on drivers, crew and support personnel and it isn’t an easy or glamorous life. I’m sure it’s the same with many other sports. There is pressure to perform well because sponsors want to be seen, employees need to be paid, and fans want to see action and wins. If one is not careful, it can become addictive and all-consuming. The season is basically year-round, with races starting in February and going through just before Thanksgiving. Off season is continual prep for the next year. Crews often leave on Thursday and don’t return until Sunday night, spending much of their time at the track. It’s not for the faint at heart!
There’s a lot of preparation before every race.
Some don’t think racing is a true sport. But go behind the scenes and you’ll see there’s a lot more to it than jumping in a car, and turning left for 400 miles. Strategy, engineering, science, teamwork—they all lead to wins or losses. Cars are being prepped with precision weeks in advance. Food has to be purchased and prepared. Flights have to be arranged. Winners of contests have to be entertained. 
It takes a team.
The driver often gets a lot of media attention, but the crew also does a ton of work. They work out, they practice…it’s like training for the Olympics to save tenths of seconds off a pit stop. Everyone has their job, but sometimes there is crossover. For example, the hauler driver may also shop for groceries and keep the truck stocked. For MWR, his wife and son also travel with him and cater meals for the team at the track. A crew member may also help in the marketing department. It certainly is a team sport.
You don’t have to be star struck.
For the days we were behind the scenes, it wasn’t unusual for someone “famous” to cross our path. Jack Rousch. Joe Gibbs. Darryl Waltrip. Reporters. Drivers and crew members. Wives and girlfriends of stars. Sometimes I’d ask to get a photo, sometimes I’d just be amazed at how close they were. I didn’t bother trying to get autographs (except we automatically got one from Clint.) I can easily get star struck, but I’ve been learning through the years that an autograph or photo doesn’t change whether I saw or got to briefly talk with a well-known person. We all feel special when granted access others don’t have, but it’s wise to be enjoy that in moderation. They are no more special in God’s eyes than you or I are. They just may be recognized more.
It’s wise to be flexible.
Most of our trip went off without a hitch. But there was a downpour on Saturday and we had to be ready for a possible delay. Our planned meeting of Michael Waltrip was unable to happen because of his involvement with Dancing with the Stars, but that couldn’t have been foreseen months before. It was a little confusing to find our way at the track sometimes. “Go with the flow” had to become the rule of the trip and it was a great way to see how teams have to deal with ups, downs and changes in plans on a normal weekend.
Don’t let disappointment ruin your whole day or trip.
Clint’s car unfortunately blew an engine at lap 100, reducing the amount of time we could watch on the pit box. It was very disappointing to walk away from the pit box, knowing I may never have that opportunity again. However, we headed to the top of Turn 2 and enjoyed the amenities of the 5Hour Energy hospitality bus, and felt the rush of wind and rubber as over 40 cars sped past us on a turn. Shaking off disappointment led to absorbing more of the whole experience from yet another angle not normally enjoyed.
It can be a challenge to embrace an experience and report on it at the same time.
My responsibility on the trip was to share it on social media. I was given a lot of flexibility…they weren’t demanding. But I wanted to do a good job, so as you can see from the slide show, I took a lot of photos and wrote captions, much of which was done in real time. I had to view the experience as one sharing it with others. Many of us do this routinely with daily activities on social media, but I wonder about what we are missing when we share in real time? We start looking at experiences through a camera lens rather than fully experiencing it. We are concerned about the location of our phone, whether it is charged, and what updates we may be missing. While I enjoyed sharing along the way, it did take time and energy. There are times it is worthwhile to do so, but other times it may be more refreshing to really just go “off the grid” and not report anything at all, or at least wait until you get back.
Keep your work area neat.
It’s amazing how clean the shops are for these race teams. I’ve seen three now and all of them look like you could almost eat off the floor. The hauler holds so much that it can’t work well without being organized. That way they can avoid losing things, and pack up quickly. I should have asked how long it takes to pack a hauler–that would have been an interesting fact to share. With doing it every week, and being so organized, I bet it takes a lot less time that you think. This is inspiring for daily life and workspaces. What clutter is draining you?
Cheer on, build up and encourage others.
I was impressed that MWR teams wear logos for all sponsors of MWR, not just the driver they are on crew for. For example, 5Hour Energy is primarily focused on Clint Bowyer (#15), but team shirts for Brian Vickers (#55) also have 5Hour Energy logos on them It’s a company practice to honor sponsors in this way and create a culture of teamwork. There’s also help to smaller teams. We got to be at the pits of a smaller team because of an MWR employee helping with the pits that night. I really like that sense of teamwork, crew development, and give and take. Of course not everything is shared with a bunch of other teams, but there is a spirit of cooperation to build racing in general.
Another way all the teams are encouraged is through a ministry called Motor Racing Outreach. They provide prayer, chapel services, children’s ministries and more to those at the track. I think that is awesome, especially since the schedule is so demanding that it’s highly unlikely people make time for formal church services. I also like that the sport begins their event with prayer.
Don’t contribute to stereotypes.
I think some are surprised that I’m into NASCAR. Some don’t think it’s a valid sport, or don’t respect what goes into it. They have their own impression of how fans behave and attitudes that are prevalent. Sure, there’s always some of that (in every sport) but you don’t have to avoid enjoying a sport or hobby just because there may be a stereotypical fan that doesn’t match who you are. Be who God made you in the best way you can to honor Him, and don’t worry about what others think. Run your race!
I’m so thankful for the delightful experience I had at this race and all the things I learned.
Disclaimer: I am very thankful to Michael Waltrip Racing and 5Hour Energy for allowing me to be their social media reporter. The thoughts I share are my own and may not reflect those of these companies. I was not required to personally endorse any product or team while I enjoyed my experience.
November 10, 2014
Coffee Break Bible Study: James 3-5; 1 Peter 1-2 #bgbg2
November 6, 2014
Kitchen Sink Smoothies for Before Work
I’m not a conventional smoothie maker.
I don’t follow smoothie recipes (usually.)
I drink a smoothie almost every day, but I don’t make one every day.
My methods may be unconventional, but they allow me to enjoy a powerful, nutritious, efficient breakfast most mornings of the week before I begin work.
Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post about my 7 Layer Smoothie Method, where I build a smoothie using liquid, thickener, fruit, vegetables, protein powder, nuts/seeds, and spices/sweeteners as the layers. I make enough to fill three pint jars, and refrigerate them, consuming one each morning. It’s a quick “first breakfast” and packs a lot of nutrients into one drink.
Now, I’m going to elaborate a bit by adding the concept of a “Kitchen Sink” smoothie, which helps you experiment with a variety of healthy elements and also give you an opportunity to sometimes use up leftovers. This makes for some unique, but no less healthy ingredients. And I admit, you may consider some of these things an “acquired” taste. But the more I eat and develop my tastes for whole foods, the more that I can enjoy my “kitchen sink” smoothies.
Here are some key concepts to making a “Kitchen Sink” smoothie:
Don’t limit yourself to including only “sweet” ingredients.
However, do have enough sweetness to balance out items that may have a bland, bitter or strong flavor (i.e. be willing to add some local honey).
Consider “spicing up” your smoothies.
Many spices have great health benefits, and you can mask some of the flavors if you have other more tasty ingredients. Currently I make up a 7-spice mix to add to my smoothies (see photo above.) Spices can include:
cinnamon
tumeric
anise
rosemary
ginger
cayanne red pepper
nutmeg
For variety, I may decide to trade out one spice for a different one. For convenience, and because I like the number 7, I am doing 7 pinches at a time into little pill box container (see photo above) to make it easy to dump them into the blender.
Don’t rule out leftovers.
At the office where I work, we received a gift basket of fruit. Someone cut up the pineapple and put it in a container, but it didn’t get fully used up. I took the remainder home and used it in my next smoothie blend.
Other leftovers that can work:
sweet potatoes
any produce that is starting to wilt, etc
cooked grains like quinoa, barley or farrow
leftover oatmeal or cereal
those little jars of gift jams and jellies that you receive and forget to use
lentils (yep, I just tried lentils in my smoothie and it wasn’t that overpowering…just don’t use a lot!)
Experiment with adding unique elements you may not have thought of before.
Some examples:
nutritional yeast
kombacha or other femented drink (I haven’t tried this one yet, but when I do it will be a small amount first)
kefir (for probiotics)
tomatoes
salsa
seaweed (small amounts; you may have to soak first)
coffee grounds
rolled oats
pureed homemade soups (i.e. squash, carrot)
lentils
small amounts of healthy oils
Start small when adding an ingredient you haven’t used before.
You don’t want it to overpower the taste, but a little could add some extra nutrition and keep you letting something go to waste. For example, today I used tahini, and it did give a bit of a different taste. I was glad I only used a spoonful but the smoothie was still edible (drinkable?)
Don’t be limited by recipes.
Recipes are a great guideline, but you can choose from lots of healthy foods to incorporate into your smoothies without following a rigid recipe.
Be aware of calories.
Smoothies are an efficient, simple way to get a lot of nutrients in a meal. Just be aware that the more elements you add, the more calories your smoothie may contain. That’s fine if it’s a meal replacement, but if you are trying to lose or maintain weight, you may want to keep a stricter track of how many calories your smoothie contains, particularly if you are fond of adding nuts, nut butters, or oils to them.
Make sure you have a decent blender to use.
If you start adding harder ingredients, you may need a more powerful motor. You’ll want a jar that fits well and doesn’t leak (I’m struggling with this right now to be honest.) Here’s a page that lists several powerful and well-reviewed blenders, to get you started on research.
Above all, have fun with it!
It’s no crime if one of your smoothies comes out tasting “eh.” I recently tried to make soup that quite frankly, turn
ed out awful. I discarded it, but I could actually have frozen it into ice cubes and worked one into my smoothies, probably covered the taste, and still benefitted from the nutrition in the ingredients. So don’t worry!
Disclaimer: I was invited by Williams Sonoma to participate in their “smoothie week” blog post collection. I am providing a link to their product page for those who would like to research blenders further. This is not a review or endorsement of any particular product. Readers should take responsibility for their own choice of foods to intake, taking into consideration their health needs, personal tastes, and potential allergies.
November 3, 2014
Coffee Break Bible Study: Hebrews 11-13; James 1-2 #bgbg2
Read Hebrews 12.
How should you respond when the Lord may be disciplining you?
In reference to verse 14, how can you make an effort to live at peace with someone who is irritating?
Read James 1.
What attitude should we have toward trials?
Write out verse 19.
October 30, 2014
The 7-Layer Salad for Work
He then left them, got back in the boat, and headed for the other side. But the disciples forgot to pack a lunch. Except for a single loaf of bread, there wasn’t a crumb in the boat. MSG [biblegateway passage="Mark 8:13-15"] Lunch in the workplace is an opportunity to eat something healthy. Yes, you heard me right. You don’t have to eat out for lunch everyday. Use the opportunity to bring something healthy!
I recently started doing some work for an organization and am at their main office for part of my week, usually over lunch time. I haven’t had to pack lunches for awhile, so with this new opportunity, I’ve started to try to incorporate more salads into my week. I’ve some up with a way to pack a salad with a lot of healthy items, using a 7-layer method. You may recall the “7-Layer Smoothies” I use as my first breakfast most days of the week…well, this is a similar concept.
Here are my layer guidelines for building a healthy and tasty salad:
Layer 1 (bottom of container): this layer acts as the dressing, so it is something moist. I use cottage cheese or hummus drizzled with olive oil and add some spice in place of an actual dressing, but you could use a bottled dressing (watch the sugar, fat and processing chemical content) or homemade one (i.e. one made with tahini.)
Layer 2: cut up fruit, i.e. apples, grapes, or peaches. You’ll generally want a firmer fruit, not something like a banana.
Layer 3: protein – cooked chicken, steak, tofu, sandwich meats without nitrates, salmon, tuna, boiled egg, cubed cheese. This also adds a protective layer from the moist dressing and fruit.
Layer 4: cut or shredded accompaniment veggies (not the greens yet) like lentils, broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions, cut up small or shredded
Layer 5: seeds and nuts (which form another dry layer) and grains (i.e. quinoa or grain mix.)
Layer 6: mixed greens, towel dried and chopped
Layer 7: crunchy toppings such as Ezekiel bread croutons or granola, or if you want to indulge, some type of crushed chips or crackers (try to find less processed ones), and sprinkle of whatever spices you like.
Lunch in the workplace is an opportunity to eat something healthy.
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Keep in their layers until lunch and then mix well for a filling and healthy meal!
Additional notes:
I prefer my food chopped or shredded small so all the textures and flavors mix but you could do it as you like!
I typically bring a small additional container of olive oil (a flavored one would be great) to add additional moisture
I often have some other side like a healthy dessert, or maybe some type of multigrain cracker, just because I like to eat more than one item with my meals.
I suggest drinking water or perhaps a pressed juice with this meal and avoid soda. Also avoid covering it with unhealthy, calorie-laden dressings!
Your turn: what healthy lunch items do you bring or keep at work?
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October 27, 2014
Coffee Break Bible Study: Hebrews 6-10 #bgbg2
October 23, 2014
Teamwork in Action: A Real-Life Example
Some time ago, I had the heartwarming experience of seeing teamwork in action on the church staff for which I had worked part time. It jazzed me to see things come together in such a seamless way. Here’s the situation:
A local ministry had requested to use the facility for a training session on helping the less fortunate. Our staff had already gone through this training several weeks before. I was the point person for this new event, as the church has a wise policy of having a “champion” for various events in case of questions and issues.
There weren’t a lot of details to handle, but there were a few logistics such as requesting coffee service, etc. I submitted the initial paperwork, and then the week before, something changed.
I had the opportunity to go on a mini-vacation, but it would necessitate me not being there for the event. One of my co-workers graciously agreed to my request to be the point person instead. I went around to the various departments (sound, food) to make sure all was in place for that Tuesday morning, and went on my getaway.
When I got back, I got the following email…”Please pass along our gratitude to all the staff who made our time at the church so easy. Having the coffee, water, and microphone ready was wonderful. When we realized that we had forgotten pens, all we had to do was ask and voila, they appeared.”
You can’t see my face, but can you tell I was delighted? THIS is what teamwork is about.
The following components came together:
Planning ahead: the event was on the calendar for some time
Confirming details: some email exchanges occurred closer to the event between us and the workshop leader. These confirmed details (such as the desire to have a microphone available) with enough time to make adjustments
Personal contact: sometimes face-to-face contact to remind or ask other staff members about their part in an event is a good idea rather than just relying on email or paperwork that could get buried. This happened within the week before the event.
Communication: when a backup plan was put in place, I clearly communicated this to the event organizer with copies to the affected staff.
Backup: maintaining peaceful and pleasant relationships on an ongoing basis with coworkers makes it easy to ask for help when you need it
Maintaining ongoing peaceful and pleasant relationships makes it easy to ask for help when you need...
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Trust: I had to let go of control and enjoy my getaway
Celebration: I copied the entire staff when responding to the “thank you” we received. This was on purpose so that everyone could be part of celebrating teamwork.
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. [biblegateway passage="Philippians 2:4"]
How about you? In what ways have you seen teamwork in action in your workplace?
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October 20, 2014
Coffee Break Bible Study: Hebrews 1-5 #bgbg2
October 16, 2014
The 7 Minute Organizing Challenge
Feeling overwhelmed by a messy home or office? Don’t know where to start to bring some order to the chaos? Try the Seven Minute Challenge.
1. Go to the area of the office, or room in the house, that is frustrating you the most. Bring an empty bag, box or other type of container with you.
2. Set a timer for 5 minutes.
3. From left to right, work your way around the area/room. DO NOT LEAVE THE AREA FOR FIVE MINUTES. As you find things that belong elsewhere, put them in the container.
4. Focus on doing a surface de-clutter, not a deep organization or even cleaning. If it takes less than five minutes to do the quick de-clutter, feel free to dust something or more deeply organize one very small thing.
5. When the timer goes off, set it again, for two minutes.
6. Spend the next two minutes putting everything in the container into the room(s)/area(s) where they belong, preferably in their assigned space, but at least in the room.
7. Take a breath and if you feel up to it, select another room/area of the house/office to attack, using the same system.
Keys:
1) You must stay in the room/area for the full five minutes, or spend up to two minutes making your deliveries.
2) You are not doing a deep cleaning…keep moving from left to right.
3) Only do as many seven-minute segments as energize and encourage you.
Let me know how it goes!
A quick clean up that only takes 7 minutes.
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For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven… [biblegateway passage="Ecclesiastes 3:1"]
