I got a second wind on Wednesday night, and after covering an event, mowing my yard, and making dinner, I decided that I was not yet ready for bed.

Earlier that day, in my haste to get to my story on time, I had left a pile of work on my desk, and I decided that, before my head hit the pillow that night, I wanted to get it wrapped up.

It was late—Jimmy Fallon was already on television— but I decided…