pressdog.com: Guest Blog: Lindy Thackston Talks about Her New Horizons

February 22, 2012

Guest Blog: Lindy Thackston Talks about Her New Horizons

I invited my friend Lindy Thackston to do a post about her recent experiences. Here's what she wrote ...

I have someone in my life that, you might say, is addicted to quotes. He doesn’t look like a “quote” guy – but he updates his Facebook status with quotes and rarely tweets anything BUT quotes.

I used to scroll right through them, or say, “Sure, that’s nice… ”

But by November 11, I had become a quote queen overnight.

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”

November 10th I was let go from a job for the first time in my 31 years. Technically, I was “not renewed”, but you get the point. I’ve bounced from TV job to TV job, moved state to state, traveled race-to-race and game-to-game, always knowing the next season was never a guarantee. I’ve seen some of the absolute best give years and years and be dropped without a second thought. I’m fortunate I lasted so long until a day like November 10th.

“What screws us up most in the life is the picture in our head of how it is supposed to be.”

I used to think I was only supposed to do TV. For life. Obviously not everyone agrees, but I think it’s a talent I was given and the job comes easy to me. After several days of “WHAT AM I DOING MY WITH LIFE AND HOW WILL I PAY MY BILLS?!?!?,” I saw this quote and opened my mind to taking on a new challenge.

“If it makes you happy, do it. If it doesn’t, then don’t.”

INDYCAR makes me happy. My racing friends make me happy. Interacting with people on social media makes me happy. Hmmm.

“Every setback is a set up for a comeback.”

Right after I got the news that I’d not been renewed, the few people that knew in my life told me, get ready, you’re about to see who your friends are. WOW, did that ever happen. The friends, coworkers, teams and drivers that reached out to me to offer help and support were often not the people I expected. And it made me love the sport and the people even more. I was ready for a comeback, and I was ready to come back with a different title.

“Sometimes the dreams that come true are the dreams you never even knew you had.”

The awesome opportunity with Fuzzy’s and Ed Carpenter Racing came my way and I felt the same sense of excitement that I felt when I landed my first TV job out of college. You’re telling me I get to interact with racing fans (@FuzzysVodka and @ECRIndy), travel to the races, work for a vodka company and it’s the vodka I actually have in my hoause, and work with Ed Carpenter Racing? Yes, please! (Ed’s wife also went to Purdue so they’ve always been winners in my book.)

“Real success comes when we rise after we fall.” - Muhammad Ali

In conclusion, I’d like to thank the Academy. I’d like to thank VERSUS for giving me 3 years in pit lane. I’d like to thank Fuzzy’s and Ed for giving me a chance. I’d like to thank Dan Wheldon for that day in the Toronto parking garage when he told me he’d “never met someone so hard on herself to do a good job and people will notice and it’ll pay off when you need it to.” I’d like to thank my agent for telling me to go for it. I’d like to thank WTHR in Indy for allowing me to moonlight as a reporter when time permits. I’d like to thank pdog for making me a Woman of pressdog®. I’d like to thank vodka for being so low in calories. And finally, I’d like to thank the Quote King.

pressdog note: Be sure and follow Lindy's new twitter accounts, @FuzzysVodka and @ECRIndy, and pick up some fine Fuzzy's at your local beverage depot.

Posted by pressdog on February 22, 2012 at 12:24 PM in IndyCar | Permalink

Comments

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Lindy:
You earned all the help that you got. Cheers!!

Posted by: Carlos | February 22, 2012 at 12:58 PM

You make a great ambassador for the sport of auto racing.Here's my quote
"May the sun always shine on your face and have the wind at your back."

Posted by: Dale | February 22, 2012 at 04:18 PM

It's going to be great to have you around the Series doing social media and promotion. Congratulations, and I know Ed hired a fan favorite for sure!

Posted by: Zachary | February 22, 2012 at 05:33 PM

Atta girl. And just so's you know, I'm heading out to get a bottle of Fuzzy's this weekend, such that I might enjoy enough "Fuzzy's and tonics" to make Daytona semi-watchable.

Oh, who am I kidding? Daytona will be nap-inducing for 198 laps followed by a 2-lap catastrophe, but I'll be looped on good vodka and won't care. Whatever. It's good to see you land on your feet.

Posted by: The Speedgeek | February 22, 2012 at 10:11 PM

Great news, although I'll miss hearing that sexy voice on TV (podcasts and video segments please ;) ) If someone from Ohio (other than Penske) can't win, Ed's next on my list.

Now, let's get Sarah a motor and get this season started.

Posted by: Mark | February 22, 2012 at 10:25 PM

One of my fave quotes is: "Friends are the Family you Choose"...and while I will miss having you back with our TV family...you know we don't stop there! I am so proud of you Lindy Loo for getting back to Indy Car, with something you are so well suited for...Fuzzy and Ed are lucky guys! Can't wait to officially celebrate with you and the King of Quotes...you have to bring the Vodka though :-) xoxo!

Posted by: Linda Rosenberg | February 22, 2012 at 11:16 PM

Good luck, Lindy. We'll miss you on the broadcasts, but know you'll do fine.

Posted by: redcar | February 23, 2012 at 06:18 AM

Woman of Pressdog are all beauties & now Lindy is one of them. Loved you in the pits & will be greatly missed. So happy you got this gig. Hope to see you at the track.

Posted by: Ralph Simpson | February 23, 2012 at 11:30 AM

Going to the store to buy some Fuzzy's Vodka tonight. And I don't even like Vodka.

Posted by: Edmund Hershberger | February 23, 2012 at 03:28 PM