Well, I made it. Finished my thesis over a month early, completed (most of) my Boston responsibilities, packed everything in my room up in one night, and travelled safely to Manchester, NH–thanks to my Uncle Michael and his pickup truck.
I’m posting from Dean’s New Hampshire Headquarters. It’s actually surprisingly quiet right now–only about three other people in here with me. This place is *huge*–tons of computers, with room for growth. It looks like an old warehouse, the desks are clearly “homemade,” but serve their purpose well. The array of artwork on the walls is impressive–the campaign clearly earned its reputation for being creative and energetic. There’s a quote on the wall: “We’re not going to beat Dean,” Kerry Staffer, 7/1/03. The staffer is actually talking about 2nd quarter fundraising, but out of context, it’s very funny/heartening.
Also, there are vending machines, OJ in the fridge (!), and bagels/donuts out for consumption. Looks like there will be plenty of food; hopefully not too much so–I’ll try my best not to repeat the horizontal growth I experienced in Gore2000. To that end, I donated/lent my trampoline (along with my bulletin board and whiteboard) to the campaign. Thankfully, the ceilings are high enough for full-blown jumping. I know the IT staff will use it (and,yes, that’s more than just me); perhaps the rest of the campaign will come around too.