Communications Director's blog
About a month ago, the president of MasterLube, Craig Godfrey, introduced something new into the waiting room of each MasterLube location. A small wooden box with a simple label on the front, "Human Moments." Next to the box was a thin pad of paper with a simple request printed on the top of each sheet - "Please share a Human Moment with us. What's a Human Moment - just ask!" The staff was instructed that if someone asked what a "human moment" was, that they were to reply that its simply any interaction, good or bad, between people.
This morning I took a drive to Lake Elmo Park in Billings Heights. Among the destruction from the storm and tornado that ravaged through on Sunday and the trepidation of its aftermath, it seemed I needed a quiet dose of nature (while nature was being quiet).
Every year I have the lucky job of being able to work with the youth who design and paint the murals on each MasterLube location. And each year I run into at least one student who really strikes me as really being able to release their potential upon the world in an effective way.
This past Saturday rang in a new season. It was the first day the seniors from each area high school started their murals on the side of each MasterLube building. While driving down Grand Ave Saturday - ironically on my way to buy paint - I passed Senior High artist Garrick Sather and his friends getting started on their mural. There was a little spilled paint, a small mud puddle and a whole lot of laughter! We can't wait to see the finished product every year and this year is no exception. You can find pictures as the art progresses on a special facebook event page.
Well it’s been somewhere around 3 weeks and I've finally been able to wash windows without running blue window washer fluid down the side of a customer's shiny, clean car. Ciara, a cashier extraordinaire at our King Ave location, was kind enough to share the secret technique with me. Thanks Ciara!
Today I learned that washing windows on cars is much more of an art than a science. Cleaning windows and windshields is one of the first tasks taught to new employees. The goals are simple – clean it well, clean it quickly and leave no streaks.
When folks ask me what I do for a living, I often get a funny look when I tell them I work for MasterLube. My response is usually followed by, “I’m the Director of Communications at the corporate office.” Turns out that the first image that popped into their heads was me and my 5 foot 4 stature under a car in my pantsuit, heals sticking through the grated floor, wielding a wrench in one hand and grease gun in the other.
