Update on life

It's amazing how quickly things can change.

Last Friday the boss was in the office and we ended up having a lunch meeting at El Chaparro (a really good little Mexican restaurant in a sketchy neighborhood near the Capitol) about session next year...namely, that after talking to a couple more former speakers, he had decided it would be best to keep the core staff in the speaker's office, which effectively eliminates my job. This was rather unexpected, given when he first decided to run it was with that understanding, to then change his mind about two months later and ask me to go with him to the speaker's office, should he get elected.

While I am very supportive of his decision and think he is making the right choice...that keeping an experienced staff is important and will make the transition a lot easier...I can't help being just a smidgen resentful. Not really at him...mostly just at the situation.I resent that things have to change. I'd mentally prepared myself for having to look for a new job back in June, and then for being the "Assistant to the Speaker" once he was elected...and had not seen this switch coming.

At the same time he told me about his decision, he also let me know that he'd gotten a call from Senator-elect Mark Kolterman, asking if it would be ok with Colby if he called me to interview for his administrative aide (AA) position. Back in June (July?), I'd met with Mark's daughter, Jessica Kolterman (a lobbyist with the Nebraska Farm Bureau)...she was working on several campaigns and since I was expecting to need another job at that point, we talked about her dad running and if he might be interested in hiring me as his AA. I interviewed with him last Tuesday and he offered me the job on the spot, which I accepted. It's not public information yet...but since three people read this blog on a good day, I hardly think this post would be considered "making it public." :)

I am grateful to have it taken care of...with just one interview no less!...but it is certainly going to be weird. I've worked for the same senator for six years (come January), and not working for him anymore while he's still "in the building" just seems wrong.

It will be fine. And so will I...eventually. Right now it's stressful and a bit upsetting...but since there's not a lot I can do about it, I'll deal and it will be alright.


~ Katie