ORIGINALLY POSTED 10/01/2017 |
FROM THE FALL 2017 ISSUE
It’s always helpful to find out what makes your leader tick—what he likes to do for fun, his personal tastes, what common ground another Roadrunner could find to chat about. In President Eighmy’s case, let’s find out!
NBA or NFL?
Easy. Intercollegiate athletics.
Ah, tricky. But what about your favorite pro sports and team?
[Laughs] I am ducking this question, given my Boston roots! Seriously, though, we can’t wait to see the Spurs play. I grew up playing hockey, lacrosse, and rugby. I want to see the Rampage [San Antonio’s ice hockey team] play.
Favorite kind of music and band or singer?
I might be giving away our ages here, but we listen a lot on Pandora channels to Dave Matthews, Mark Knopfler, Florence + the Machine, Coldplay, Sade, Counting Crows, Holly Williams, Brandi Carlile, The Head and the Heart, The Temptations, and all sorts of 1970s classics. Our daughter, Hannah, and our nieces and nephews and godkids all keep us honest and connected too.
Any hobbies, collectibles, or other personal passions to help you relax?
Raising three dogs might count as a full-time hobby. (Hmm…job?) Peggy and I love to fly-fish, hike, ski, and get long bike rides in when we can. We really enjoy cooking with friends and discovering authentic places to eat. Our greatest personal passions are our family and friends.
Meet the Eighmy trio of family dogs: Macy, Albus Dumbledore, and Finbarr.
Tell us about the three dogs.
It is better to get this out there now: Our three dogs run our lives. Macy, the matriarch, is a springer spaniel. She loves swimming in the ocean and retrieving tennis balls. Albus Dumbledore is a chocolate Lab. He is Macy’s wingman. Finbarr is a dachshund and will be running for mayor of our street, perhaps even the city. He wants to ride with Rowdy in the Homecoming golf cart procession.
What’s your favorite kind of read for downtime?
Peggy is the book hound these days. (A book a night, it seems.) I read a bunch of stuff online. We are big fans of short stories and poetry. Our favorite short story author is Andre Dubus. Our favorite poet is Pablo Neruda.
What’s your favorite family-time event?
Our families are in New England and Florida. There are a number of important family get-togethers. Some involve the traditional holidays, wonderful food, and arcane family traditions. There are lots of weddings, graduations, and baby showers in our foreseeable future. Truth is, we are opening up a family hub here in San Antonio for family and friends to visit. We did this when we were in Lubbock and hosted about 25 family members for Rangers–Red Sox games, Texas barbecue, and a cowboy-boot buying spree.
"It is better to get this out there now: Our three dogs run our lives."
Any children you’d like to embarrass by boasting about?
Hannah is a neonatal intensive care unit nurse in D.C. at National Children’s Medical Center. She and her fiancé, Patrick, love a good football game. They look forward to cheering on the Roadrunner Nation when they visit us. They can get rowdy.
What’s your guilty pleasure? (Say, a flavor of ice cream? Never missing an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians? Singing along to Michael Bolton in the shower? We actually, honestly don’t judge here at UTSA, so don’t hesitate to share!)
Peggy and I are both pretty bad singers, but we try our best. Truth is, the best part of our version of “Carpool Karaoke” is we have the British accent down. Our last concert was Brandi Carlile in Nashville. We busted out some tunes there; fortunately, Brandi covered us.
How much do you love breakfast tacos?
Well, it’s a toss-up between tacos and frittatas. But either way, picante is always essential.