The Cellphone Charger Mystery

Sept. 14, 2007

I took a brief day off from sportstalk for today's entry--so I thought I share with you all a day in the life of me, Mr. Sports Editor ... enjoy!

Wednesday, I took my charger for my cell phone to the newsroom because I needed to get my battery restored. I brought it to work, forgot to attach it to my cell and left it somewhere ...

I spent the whole day consumed working on the paper, thinking about my next blog entry, ad invoices to fill out, assigning photographers to the games and assigning stories to my wr-- wait, I'm the only writer for sports! ARGH!!

So I ran about campus the whole day distributing the recent issue that came out and running here and there ... getting food, meeting with folks at different locations doing the daily business that I normally do.

Later after finishing my campus chores, I settle back in the newsroom having brief discussions with my adviser, my editor-in-chief, and my other co-workers all of the upcoming issue info.

(Sighs) Too much going and doing during the day.

The day grew on and day soon began to turn early evening, I decided to retire and go home for the night. I come home and I look at my cell and see my battery life at 22%.

I gasp. I totally had forgotten ... What did I do with it? I get my keys, leave the house, take off back to campus and run back to the newsroom--WHERE'S MY CHARGER AT? How do I get back in the newsroom?

At 10:37 pm, I called security to get me back inside the newsroom to search frantically for my charger ... nothing. ARGH!!! No cell phone contact!!

The night ends and nothing is successful with the search.

I sleep ... I wake up.

Thursday morning.

I look at my battery life at 11%.

I slowly stroll back for another day at work on campus.

I go to the Marie T. Mills Aquatic Center to check the pool to see if I misplaced my adapter there. I might've misplaced it there from swimming during the day before .... As I gaze at the pool, I see how refreshing the water looks and how all the fortunate swimmers happily and gaily swoosh through the blue water. I stand there momentarily thinking how good it would be to dip and take a swim.

But all I could think about was my charger. Phone life now at 9%

I talk to Coach Doug Todd (who was coaching his folks in the pool) ... he seen nothing. I talk to Coach Mike Goff, he tells me nothing. He refers me to go see Gabe, the supervisor of the pool facility at his office to find my charger.

I turn back and I see the remaining athletes swimming about and exiting the pool.

I look at the water again ... I miss the water.

I realize that I have an editorial board meeting today -- so no swimming for me scheduled.

I spend two hours that morning searching, looking, scanning, scavenging ... but to no success, I could not find my charger.

I met with one of the runners during the finish of cross-country practice and she referred to me to one of the athletes on the team who has a human interest story for my forthcoming issues.

So I tell my acquaintance, "Get me his name, number, email and I'll get with him soon."

I gain a little something good at least for my search of my charger, a possible story pitch.

I spent the rest of the day doing my usual errands, meetings, work in the newsroom.

There was a big crash/accident today off Bonita/Temple involving two vehicles. I was rushed over to the scene to cover the story and get interviews for it. Wow, breaking news story soon to be recorded and posted! (Stay tuned). For an hour I'm at the scene getting all the info I can.

I trot back to the newsroom to go back to my usual agendas but now with this accident report, I'm immediately re-organizing my notes/facts to get this story prepared for the weekend. Then I forget about my things-to-do for the day and exhausted go through that.

The afternoon wears on and the night approaches. I'm feeling somewhat weary ... probably from being in the newsroom too long.

After phone calls, tasks to take care of and cleanup of the newsroom, I'm ready to exit campus for the night and go home. I figure I go see Coach Sanchez or Coach Bowen at soccer practice to see what's happening with the soccer folks this evening.

I get ready to leave the newsroom and decide I'm a little hungry so I go into the editor's room to get my day-old teriyaki rice bowl I left in the fridge and lo' and behold ...

... my cell phone charger!

It was inside the refrigerator--how in the world did that happen?

I smile as I take it out of the refrigerator and happily wrap up my day headed into a restful weekend.

Ahh... the life of a sports editor has many interesting discoveries.

I'm looking forward to the men's water polo tournament to see how well the guys do--kill em guys!

I'm mindful also of all the programs with their away schedules this weekend as well.

My battery life on my cell phone is at 1% ... and I go home now ... happy.