So, yeah. It's been a while since I last posted a legitimate post on the blog. It's been kind of a strange, convoluted 3 years. For those of you who care, here's a quick update. I returned from Russia in late 2007 planning to set up shop in a small law firm in Washington, D.C. Before leaving Moscow, I had sent a resume for a job opening on the Senate Judiciary Committee. I had no idea what Senator was hiring, other than the vague notion of a "Senior Democratic Senator." So I fired off a resume, packed my stuff up in Russia, made the trip back and started work at the firm. To tell you the truth, I kind of forgot about applying for the job in the Senate. In December 2007, I got an email asking me if I wanted to interview for the position, as counsel to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). I did, and somewhat amazingly, got the job. So for about a year and half, I worked as Counsel and then Senior Counsel to Senator Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee. My primary issues were national security and criminal law -- think the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center, the torture debate, federal criminal law, war crimes, etc. It was a wonderful, stressful, maddening, amazing job. And pretty busy, as any current or former Feinstein staffers reading this can attest. Not much time to blog. And even if there was, I'm pretty sure the senior Senator from California wouldn't have taken too kindly to one of her Judiciary counsel's hammering out blog posts about their work.
In any event, in April 2009, Rachel, the dogs, the world's most slothful cat, and I decided, in the immortal words of the Avett Brothers, that "we, are headed North." Back to the Midwest, that is, after I got a job at Target Corporation as a Senior Corporate Counsel for compliance and investigations at their Minneapolis headquarters. Rachel got a job at one of the University of Minnesota's hospital ICU's. We endured a Minnesota winter. We didn't fall in love with our jobs or with Minnesota. We decided to head the opposite direction, and are moving down to Houston, Texas. Why? Well, that's probably fodder for about 5 blog posts, but suffice it to say we got an offer we couldn't refuse. Me to be an Assistant General Counsel for an oil and gas service company. Rachel to get warm weather and to work in the largest medical center campus in the world. I'll be doing international compliance work -- anti-corruption, anti-bribery, etc. It seems that all that was old is new again. Only this time I don't have to move to Russia by myself. Rachel will be able to join me on some of my forthcoming travels. Hopefully, she'll be able to make a guest appearance on the blog.
So that's the brief rundown on where we've been the last few years. The next month or so will be a whirlwind. My last day at Target is tomorrow, July 23. On Saturday, we leave for a much anticipated vacation with friends from DC at a beach house in Myrtle Beach, SC. A week later, on July 31, we return to Minneapolis. The same day, I'll pack up one of our cars and head down to Houston, starting work on August 2nd. On August 3rd, I leave for a 13 day trip to Moscow, Dubai, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur. Nothing like jumping right in to the deep end of the pool. Rachel, the world's most patient and amazing wife, is staying in Minneapolis to wrap up our house details and will join me in Houston in late August or early September.
Whew! I'm exhausted just typing that. I'll keep you posted as I live it. The blog lives again.
Interesting stuff. Just read a couple of your old Russia posts. So, which oil co are you with?
Posted by: Wolio55 | August 15, 2010 at 11:48 AM
Jeff, this will be nice to read and see what you are doing for your new job, especially when you are out of the USA. Please keep posting on the blog so we can keep updated. CRS in Fife Lake.
Posted by: Connie Spalding | July 23, 2010 at 01:10 PM
This post makes me tired just reading it! Good luck and keep posting! We are hoping to visit this winter./K.
Posted by: Kelly Hall | July 23, 2010 at 09:39 AM
From Russia to Minneapolis to Houston - In regards to weather that will be quite the extreme! As for work - Welcome to
H-Town! It has the best medical facilities in the world and oil and gas companies flourishing in an unbalanced economy. An International hub of everything you could want, with the ocean an hour away.
My husband and I live about 25 minutes outside the city. We sure would like to take you and Rachel out to dinner when you are all settled! We have some favorites, I know you would love! Not Mexican! We can fill you in on what to expect here weather wise and whats fun for entertainment. Or if Rachel needs someone to show her good places to shop, I would love to take her around.
Just send me a fb inbox message if you want to get together when you're all moved in. PS - Rachel it will still be hot here in September - although you will notice the natives wearing long sleeve and jackets. And people who move to Houston from another state - are called transplants - haha.
Rebecca Krouskop
(Becky Stocker)
Posted by: Rebecca Krouskop | July 23, 2010 at 09:01 AM
Congrats - exciting and cool stuff. All the best in TX, and hopefully I'll get a chance to have a cocktail at AC in OCT.
Posted by: JAR | July 22, 2010 at 10:43 PM