Yesterday

(originally posted 22 June 2006)

It’s 5:50 in the morning, 22 June as I write this. Tomorrow I formally announce my candidacy in Abilene at 10 AM (at Frontier Texas!) and in Lubbock at 2 PM (at the Frazier Alumni Center on the Tech campus).

Yesterday was a long day. I had worked until 3 AM the night before and awakened at 6. Three hours is not enough sleep for me and I could already feel it. But I couldn’t go back to sleep so I lay in bed thinking about all the things I had to do. Touch base with my research students to see how they were progressing and to answer questions. Haircut appointment at 10 (more on this later). Buy or borrow a flat panel display to show my Powerpoint presentation at Frontier Texas!. Make some time to work out before the exercise room closed at 2. Participate in Zeke’s (one of my students) McNair presentation at 4. Sandwiched between these appointed activities I needed to work on my presentation, get more signatures, have some meaningful dialog with my students on their projects, And so on.

I ran out of steam around 1 PM. I had gone to my office, gotten my haircut, bought a flat-panel TV, changed to gym clothes and started my workout. I was on the Stairclimber and my gas gauge was on empty. I went through the motions on the various Nautilus machines, but shorted my reps in order to get back to work. I had already received over 20 emails (8 related to the campaign) and they needed attention. I showered and was back in my office around 2. My students (Zeke, Dolapo and Tope) were working outside my office. I planned to join them, but I had received another email from my sister and niece who were contacting the media around Lubbock to invite them to the announcement. I was a little late for Zeke’s presentation and had to fight to stay focused during his half-hour presentation and critique. I made it home about 5:30 and flopped on the bed. I sometimes take a short nap in the afternoon, but the next thing I knew I could hear Ginna preparing dinner and it was almost 7. I didn’t even hear her come home.

I had received some phone calls from church friends who wanted to sign my petition. I told them I would meet them after Bible study in the parking lot. I ate the shrimp gumbo and vegetables (both delicious) that Ginna had prepared, discussed a few things and made it to the church at 7:40, far too late to join any of the classes that were meeting. I walked through the empty auditorium and saw Tom, a newly appointed elder, sitting alone at the front. I announced myself as I came up behind him. It was only then that I realized I had disrupted his meditation, for which I apologized. He invited me to sit down and he asked me when I was leaving for Russia. I leave Monday, assuming my visa makes it. I told him about my decision to run for Congress. He was surprised and interested. He signed my petition. I went to the parking lot and collected several signatures as I passed out my cards. Most people that know me sign immediately, others ask for clarification and every now and then someone hands it back, usually saying “I’ll have to think about it”. Which means no, since they avoid me the next time they see me with a clipboard in hand. But I went to Pete’s coffee shop to fish for a few more signatures before coming home. I now have 285 out of the 500 needed to get my name on the ballot.

Yesterday was a long day.