Fridays After 5 Featuring Debbie Ziegler, SDA

SDA’s member spotlight Fridays After 5 showcases the varied creative, fun, adventurous, or interesting achievements our members accomplish after business hours.

Ready to put the pedal to the metal and head into the weekend? 

Us too. Or maybe we’re just revvved up over this week’s Friday After 5 featuring Debbie Ziegler! And thought we’d discuss drag racing, we think you’ll find Debbie’s story full of deeper truths by which to drive your own life.

Debbie Ziegler, SDA, is the office administrator and receptionist at AndersonMasonDale Architects (AMD) in Denver, Colorado where she has been for seven years. Prior to AMD, Debbie worked in the insurance and medical industries. Debbie is a member of the SDA-Denver Chapter where she currently serves as Secretary.  She was awarded the Star Award at EDSymposium 2021 in June. 

How did you get started with drag racing?

My late husband Dave loved drag racing. We met in 1991. In 1992, he decided to rebuild an old car and turn it into a car for drag racing at Bandimere Speedway. He purchased a 1965 Ford Falcon and installed a big Ford motor. The race car has had several Ford motors over its time. The last motor he put in is what I’m currently running, a Ford-514 Big Block.

The point of drag racing is to see how fast you can go down the drag strip in a quarter mile along with the challenge of finishing at the time that you selected or “dialed in” before the race.  My husband raced for more than 20 years and over time was very consistent at hitting his dial in. He perfected the car to about 10.80 seconds in the quarter-mile. His best consistent time that he'd always raced was 10.89 down the track. 

Unfortunately, in 2016, he passed. Since that time, the car had sat in the garage. In 2020, I decided that it shouldn't sit there any longer and I need to either sell it or race it.  My husband’s old drag racing friends stepped in and helped me work on the car, to get it race ready and take care of some much-needed maintenance. 

Once the car was in good working order, we made modifications so it wouldn’t run so fast. I felt I needed to at least drive it down the track myself, just to know what he always loved about it.  The first time I took the 65’Ford “Falcon Dave Car “(as I call it) out, was September of 2020. After completing that first run, I fell in love with drag racing myself. I was hooked! It's both fun and a little bittersweet at the same time; wishing Dave was with me teaching me how to drag race. 

My second race was in October 2020.  I’m not really into racing for the competition but rather, just to have fun. I’m just interested in taking the car out there and learning about all the different aspects of racing. Currently, I’m doing 12.00 seconds in the quarter mile. Last year I raced three times on July 24 then on August 22 and September 18. I have purchased a new racing helmet and I am excited for this year’s race season to come!

Walk us through a typical race day.

The day really starts the night before, getting things organized and the race car ready and loaded on the trailer. We get up early on race day, finish loading everything we need and try to get on the road to the racetrack by about 6:30-7 am. We then wait for the gates to open so we can get a good pit area since they are first come first serve.  When you arrive, you receive a driver's wristband and tech card.

Next, once inside we get settled in, we take the car off the trailer and set up race camp. I fill out a tech card with my name, address, and car info, then I take the car down for “car tech in” near the staging lanes and they safety inspect it for the day. The safety tech does a quick inspection of the car to make sure everything's fine. I am given a punch card and then I’m good to go racing for the day!

After tech in, I stop for race fuel and fill up the fuel jug, to ensure enough for the whole day of racing. After that I make my way back to our pit area and wait to be called for my class to go down for our first round of racing.  We hang out in the pit area between rounds and or go to the stands to watch and enjoy the day of racing. 

When they call my race class, I then head to the staging lanes to race. I write my dial-in on the car windows, get buckled in and put my helmet on. It’s race time! They'll punch my card each time I make a run down the track until after the first rounds of competition. So, that means, I’ll get three punches, two-time trial punches, and my first competition run. If I win the first competition round, I’ll go onto the next round and so on. Once you lose a competition round, you're done for the day. After each pass you get at racer sheet with your stats of how well you did or didn’t do.

How do you prepare first-timers going to the track with you?

Okay, well, first of all, I call it race camping. Because people can relate to camping and what it takes to go camping, right? So, I tell people, you don't know what the elements are going to be: it can be hot, windy, or rainy and cold. So be prepared for the weather and plan for all day.

You want to wear good walking shoes (leave your stiletto heels at home!), an umbrella, earplugs, a hat, sunscreen and some water or something to drink. You're welcome to bring a cooler or your camp chair. I always tell people I like to provide lunch if they're going to come and watch me race. I’ll have drinks and food in our pit area for them. If not, there's a concession stand and a gift shop if they fancy that. When you're a spectator and you come in through the gates, it's free to be in the pit area as well; you're welcome to come to sit in the pit areas and hang out too if you prefer. They are also welcomed to sit in the stands and watch the racing, which I encourage the most.

A quick lesson in Drag Racing 101 helps to understand what the drivers are trying to achieve. They are racing to hit the number of what they “dialed in” (how fast they think they will go down the quarter-mile track). On each side of the race lanes at the end, is the dialed-in time boards. At the starting line you will see the lights drop down before they take off and can see if they leave on a green light or if they leave too soon on a red light. If it’s red, they automatically lose that round.  

What advice would you give another SDA member if they were interested in giving drag racing a try? 

The first step would be to find a dragstrip track near you (use those online research skills) and go out and watch. You can learn a lot by observing from how the cars line up and start, and the lingo. Talk with other people who are racing also. When you’re ready to move out of the stands, most people’s first drive on the track is in their street-legal car. Many dragstrips will have a special day or days for beginner drivers. Most of all remember to just have fun doing it! 

If you want a little more education or training before you try drag racing, there are drag racing schools across the country. You will see half-day, whole day and even three-day classes. Depending on the class you may be using one of the school’s vehicles or using your own. 

Do you have any favorite drag racing film scenes?

I have a couple of favorites. The movie Grease has a classic Thunder Road scene where they wager with their “pinks” meaning pink slips or ownership papers. Another would have to be the race scenes from Days of Thunder. 

Grease Thunder Road Race The Race scene

Days of Thunder (1/9) Movie CLIP - Dropping the Hammer (1990) HD

What is your favorite aspect of drag racing?

The passion and dedication everyone has for drag racing. One of my favorite things is being up there and seeing people come up and enjoy the day. I like watching other racers go down the track and how dedicated the racers are to their cars and to the sport of racing.  

Racing, in general, is a strong community. For example, you may hear an overhead page saying “Hey everyone, we have a racer who is broken and is in need. He's looking for this or that part.” Several racers will come up with that part to go help them. So, it's not about triumphing over someone. Most people are there to help support each other, so we all can race and have fun. Because after all, what you really want is to race! 

To do what your passion is, your dream is, and your love is…. by getting that car you built with your own hands and are modifying, to get it out there and see how well you can drag race it. That's what it's really about. It's the feeling of being in the car, and the adrenaline rushes, and going down the track to do the best time you can by hitting your dial in at the same time beating that guy next to you to win. You race yourself as much as you are racing the other guy. It’s great fun!

It’s great to see the little kids be so excited about seeing someone go down the track - their dad, mom, aunt, uncle, brother or friend and win. It's so exciting! Everybody gets so much joy out of watching them along with you. It's a lot of work, but I think in the end, people are doing what they love to do and that's what it was for my husband. It was his dream that he made come true and that's what life's about. Making our own dreams come true. 

I detect that you find deeper meaning in the sport?

Yes, I do. My husband Dave had always wanted to build a race car and race it.  He was inspired by his brother who raced at Bandimere Speedway when they were in high school. In 1991 after we met, he was finally able to build his own car and race.  He had tears in his eyes the first time he raced it at Bandimere. I wanted to be there to support Dave and help him realize his dream. He was so happy and achieved his dream before he left this world.

After he passed, to honor Dave, I took an old photo of him in the car at the starting line, and you can see the entire quarter mile drag strip with the boards on each side that tell his time at the end.  The “Christmas Tree” starting line light, shows he’s got his green light and ready to take off. 

At the top of the photo, it says “Live Your Dash.”  Live Your Quarter Mile! You might have seen something like this before: that life IS the dash in between your birth and death date.

How are you driving your quarter-mile dash? Life is so short. Your life isn't when you're born and when you die. Is it? That's just what happens. That's what has to happen. But what are we doing with our dash? Our line “in between” Are you living your quarter mile? Make all your “in between” moments matter!! 

Fridays After 5 Featuring SDA National President Marie Tomala

SDA member spotlight, Fridays After 5, showcases the varied creative, fun, adventurous, or interesting achievements our members accomplish after business hours.

This week’s Fridays After 5 showcases SDA National President Marie Tomala. 

Marie is a data and project analyst with Cuningham Group Architecture in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In her current role, she provides Deltek Vision/Vantagepoint database system support and training for over 300 staff members across all company offices. She works with firm leaders to assess and forecast financial health and staffing needs. 

Marie is a 10-year member of SDA and SDA Minneapolis/St. Paul Chapter. She was first elected to the SDA Executive Committee as National Secretary in 2018. Since then she has served as National Vice President and National President-Elect. She also spent two years working with the National Education Services Committee. Within her home chapter, Marie has served in a variety of capacities including President, Secretary, Programs Co-Chair for five years, Bylaws Committee Chair for two years, and Business Partners Chair for three years. 

As a project analyst, Marie brings to ExCom her strategic thinking expertise, large multi-state firm perspective, and knowledge of how to effectively deploy resources nationwide. As a data analyst, Marie will add a focus on data metrics and return on investment to reach SDA’s vision for success. 

Marie is ready to turn up the volume on SDA. She knows a thing or two about groups: how to get and keep members, what tools are required to coordinate play, the need for practice and advance planning,  and what it takes to perform at a high level, 

It’s no surprise then that Marie is also a member of the rock and roll band, Vinyl Revival.  Continue on to learn more about our National President’s musical talents. As a bonus, we’ve created a Spotify playlist of  Vinyl Revival’s cover songs to get you ready to boogie into a new year of SDA. 

What instruments do you play?

I play the piano (synthesizer, organ, piano – keyboards), and sing.

When did you start playing music?

I was 5 when I started playing piano – I came home from kindergarten that first day and said – “Mom, I only want 2 things. I want my ears pierced and I want to play the piano like Mrs. Hermerding – my kindergarten teacher!” Ultimately the ears got pierced – twice, and I have a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance.

Marie shreds the keyboards in this video clip of a Whole Lotta Shakin Going On

When did you join your current band?

My husband – Greg, the bass player in Vinyl Revival, has been playing in bands since he was in high school – so for 50 years. We have been together since 2001. I’ve always pestered him that I wanted to play in a band (I’ve been playing for ballet classes, in Musical Productions, and for hire as an accompanist). So, finally, he said – Ok, let’s get a band together. So we started casually getting together to play music in a band around 2010. We ended up in the current line-up of Vinyl Revival in 2015. We treat it as a hobby, so no extreme rehearsing, and we don’t want to play every weekend. Prior to Covid, we were playing once a month for the most part – sometimes it’s more. Unfortunately, Covid put things on hold. We’ve done a few Facebook live events but that’s about it. The great news is, June 11 was our first monthly show “Post Covid”. We are so excited to be back performing live music!

Vinyl Revival

What is your favorite song to perform? 

Heatwave, probably most well known by Linda Rondstadt; I also love Centerfield by John Fogerty because it’s about baseball and I love baseball.

What kind of music inspires you? 

I am a girl from about 1968-1990. I am inspired by southern California country-rock (Eagles, Jackson Browne, Flying Burrito Brothers, Little Feat, Linda Rondstadt). I love rock groups with lots of vocal harmonies (Fleetwood Mac, Hollies, CSNY, Beatles). I also really find joy in the music of the Beatles, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan…, and Green Day!

Do you write music? 

I play almost every weekend in a Catholic Church. So although I do not write music, I improvise music all the time – and that’s without reading anything that’s written down – just off the top of my head. I find lots of enjoyment from that.

Click on the pic to hear Marie on keyboards in May 2021 with her church choir

If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?

Billy Joel

What is the most useless talent you have?

Well, I can juggle – I just really can’t find much use for it. I had to learn to juggle as the musical director/pianist for the show Barnum at a theater in Northern Wisconsin in the mid-80s. Haven’t used juggling since then except to entertain the grandchildren!

How is playing in a band, like being on ExCom? Well, like my emphasis on “The Power of Members working Together” this Term – the members of ExCom -in fact, the members of SDA are a group of powerful Teammates working together to further our common goals. Once we are all in sync (no pun intended) with our common goals, the music we can make together is truly limitless!

Listen to a little Vinyl Revival in this outdoor concert

Fridays After 5 Featuring Belinda Sanchez

SDA’s member spotlight Fridays After 5 showcases the varied creative, fun, adventurous, or interesting achievements our members accomplish after business hours.

This week’s Fridays After 5 features Belinda Sanchez SDA.  Belinda is the Communications & Events Director of AIA San Antonio. For the past 10 years, when she’s not creating signature events, you can find her creating cakes. 

When did you start baking? Who was your first teacher? 

I’ve baked since I was a little girl with my Grandmother. As I got older, I became the official “baker” in the family and everyone always wants my special chocolate cake and icing every year for their birthday. Every holiday season, I’d experiment and challenge myself with new recipes and designs. But no matter how much more skilled I became at high design cakes, my family would still only want the traditional chocolate cake. 

Did you take home ec in school?

I did, but I don’t recall learning to bake. I did sew a chic (or so I thought) black button-up blouse. I think I wore it once :/

How did you learn? How do you learn new techniques today?

Once I decided that I wanted to not just bake but actually design cakes, I took a cake decorating class at a local cake supply store. The instructor, Iris, was very good and had over 40 years of cake decorating experience. I took several classes with her from basics to gum paste/fondant work. I learned a lot, but I also learned that there is ALWAYS more to learn. Now, I rely on my years of experience to experiment or, if necessary, turn to youtube to learn or improve on a technique or process.

What’s your creative process like when someone comes to you for an order?

Most folks know what they want and just send me a picture of the design they want with a few modifications. For those that don’t, I ask questions for clarity of the design they seek, pull images from my own portfolio if applicable, and/or images from online that I know I can deliver on. From there we just tweak the design to fit their needs. 

Where do you find inspiration? from the client? books? tv? Pinterest?

Google google google… most of the above show up on a google search. I also have an extensive portfolio of work to pull from as examples of my work and my technique. 

When did you start your side hustle?

I started my “side hustle” in 2011, during the economic downturn. At that time, the firm I worked for was knee-deep in surviving in the economic downturn and our pay had been frozen for over two years. Understandably, I was working extensive hours and had no time available to even consider a second job. I needed an additional income stream that allowed me the flexibility I needed to maintain my full-time job. 

This was also around the time that Food Network was airing a popular baking show called “Cupcake Wars”.  As a member of the marketing team, I was brought in to plan a staff anniversary party and appointed the role of purchasing a celebratory dessert. Of course, I opted for trendy cupcakes instead of a traditional cake.

When placing the order, I saw how ridiculously expensive they were and recall thinking to myself – I’m in the wrong line of work. I remarked to my mother about it later that evening as we both shopped at a local grocer. Coincidentally, I was in the section of reading material and happened to glance down… there on the shelf just below me was a book on cupcake decorating 101. I saw it as a sign and purchased it… and here I am 10 years later…

What’s the name of your business? Do you have a website / Facebook / Instagram account?

Cupcake Creations. I only have a Facebook page www.facebook.com/cupcakecreationssa I plan to build an Instagram page soon, as many have inquired if I have one.

What do you enjoy most about baking?

I used to say the challenge of learning new techniques and skills when I was still learning. It was great to stretch the limits of my expertise and deliver a product that made my clients happy. Now, my enjoyment is more in the experience of creating something to be enjoyed by my clients. In the beginning, I was building my client base and portfolio and considering owning a shop one day. But as the workload increased with my efforts, it began to FEEL like work and wasn’t as enjoyable as it used to be. I moved away from the idea of the business owner and accepted that baking as a side hustle was more in tune with my lifestyle and career trajectory. 

What is your favorite thing to bake?

I don’t really have a favorite – but I do detest baking sheet cakes. I will not accept the work. I figure, if you need that much cake, you might as well build it up and make it stand out. 

When did you start doing multi-tiered cakes? How long is that process? Is it hard to transport?

I started doing multi-tiered cakes pretty early on since that is the trend. As long as you take the time to create a level cake and install dowels to make it structurally sound it is fine. I will not transport anything bigger than 2 tiers. If they want a 3rd tier or more, I usually require delivery so that I can assemble and finish the cake on site. Cake disasters do happen en route and not all are fixable. I learned real quick it’s best to prepare to finish on site. This is mostly the case for large event cakes, like weddings or birthday parties. Do not believe those cake shows showing them delivering 5 tier cakes—they do that for storyline and to create suspense -- most cake decorators assemble on site. 

How many wedding cakes will you commit to in a year?  Do you only do them for family or will your work for others?

I accept no more than one wedding cake per weekend. They are a lot of work and I prefer to concentrate my energy on one cake at a time. On average I usually do about 5-10 wedding cakes a year, depending on how much I market. 

What is the most time-consuming part of baking?

Baking takes time, but not work. Once it’s in the oven, you just wait. It’s the details that take the most time. Whether it’s icing and piping work, fondant detailing, or edible floral work, it’s the precision that you have to have in the decorating process that takes the most time and is, in my opinion, the most important part of the creative process.

Do you have a regular oven and pans, or do you have some professional kitchen equipment?

I have both. I work out of my home kitchen and I’ve acquired a lot of equipment, tools, and supplies over the last 10 years.

Do you need “staff” for some jobs? What’s the smallest job you’ve taken / the largest?

Large or small I prefer to work alone. I find comfort in completing the work myself and not having to judge or accept the work of others – I guess I’m a perfectionist that way. Occasionally, if time is of the essence when it comes to set up, I might ask a friend to help with the setup at the venue. But in most cases, the halls provide you ample time to do what you need to do. 

If you could, would you do this full-time?

No, I tried and it wasn’t for me. Took the joy out of it and made it feel like work. I much prefer doing this on the side, so that I can pick and choose the work that I do without fear of not being able to pay my bills. This way, I have a job that I love AND a side hustle I enjoy. 

What’s your favorite baking show?

Cake Wars. I enjoy watching and learning their techniques or the tools they use to create. I’m always surprised and learn something.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to launch their own side hustle?

Do something you love to do. A full-time job should definitely be the priority, and we all know at times, our jobs can be more demanding than we prefer. A side hustle like all other jobs has just as many responsibilities, and it’s never fun when the additional work makes you feel resentful or even lackluster compared to much-desired downtime. Doing something relaxing, enjoyable, and rewarding in its completion makes the tasks less daunting and something you look forward to working on in your free time.

Belinda is also cooking up something special for EdSymposium 21! 

To toast an amazing EDSymposium 21, the Past Presidents Council is hosting a Meet, Mix and Mingle fundraiser. The event will take place on Saturday, June 12 at 4:15 EDT. It will benefit the PPC Foundation Scholarship Fund. SDA’s own mixologist Fran Carillo will be teaching a cocktail class, while participants can mix along (recipes and bar list included) or sip on a favorite beverage and visit!  There is a minimum donation of $20 to join.  In addition to the usual SDA shenanigans, there will be plenty of door prizes, including a custom SDA cupcake kit courtesy of Belinda!