Personal Dilemma

Borodog · #1 06-11-2007, 03:48 PM

The facts in question:

1. After bouncing around aimlessly for several years, I have settled into my dream job, teaching physics at my alma mater, among other things (teaching dance).
2. My wife and I are huge Ron Paul supporters. She is in fact a fanatic, and has been you-tubing blogs about Dr. Paul. These have become somewhat popular.
3. Ron Paul's congressional office called my wife today and requested that she submit a resume and interview for the position of press secretary.
4. My wife is in real danger of being offered this job, as she is smart, attractive, and has been press secretary for a Republican congressional campaign in the past, been the state Libertarian Party press secretary, has made appearances on The O'Reilly Factor, Crossfire, other nationally syndicated network news shows, and done dozens of radio interviews.
5. The job would require a move to the DC area.
6. The pay will probably not be very good for the DC area.
7. Having been out of research for several years, I do not have the publication record to get a very good academic job; the position I have now is a lecture position, I do my research in my spare time.
8. I don't want to move to DC, or leave my alma mater. When I got this job, it was like coming home, or waking up from a long bad dream.

I'm not looking for answers, but if you have any thoughts I will take them. I am extremely proud of my wife, and feel like I should be happy for her, but I dread the idea of uprooting our life and moving to DC, finding a job, and all that that entails.

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jba · #2 06-11-2007, 03:51 PM

kids?

nothing against Ron Paul but there's no way this job lasts much more than a year. either take a year off and do whatever or she should commute.

Los Feliz Slim · #3 06-11-2007, 03:56 PM

Isn't there possibly a middle path here? DC and NC aren't that far away from each other, you could at least temporarily only be together on the weekends, right? And in the temporary time that you're not seeing each other 7 nights a week, you can build your resume, etc. Also, political jobs seem to be by definition temporary, so uprooting your life for something that could go away when the wind changes seems pretty shortsighted.

How do they feel about the Playboy mansion? :-)

Borodog · #4 06-11-2007, 03:57 PM

No kids.

Note: This is NOT a position related to Paul's presidential campaign; the position is for Dr. Paul's press secretary, which I believe is a Congressional staff position, but I am not sure. It exists as long as Ron Paul is in Congress. Seeing as he is a 10 term representative, it appears to be a stable position.

The DaveR · #5 06-11-2007, 03:58 PM

There's nothing to decide until a job is offered. A million things (crappy coworkers, crappy boss, crappy pay, crappy city) that can make getting anxious unnecessary.

asofel · #6 06-11-2007, 04:01 PM

[ QUOTE ]
There's nothing to decide until a job is offered. A million things (crappy coworkers, crappy boss, crappy pay, crappy city) that can make getting anxious unnecessary.

[/ QUOTE ]

great point, and one i think many of us overlook.

the "what if's" can drive you nuts...if it happens, then you can talk about it...til then, don't worry (as best you can)...

Borodog · #7 06-11-2007, 04:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
There's nothing to decide until a job is offered. A million things (crappy coworkers, crappy boss, crappy pay, crappy city) that can make getting anxious unnecessary.

[/ QUOTE ]

I appreciate what you mean, but I don't think this is quite true. If I wait until they offer her a job to start thinking about questions and sorting out my answers, the time frame within which she has to decide may be shorter than I need for my head-scratching.

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Aloysius · #8 06-11-2007, 04:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
the position I have now is a lecture position

[/ QUOTE ]

So you will, likely, have to look for a new job fairly soon anyway?

-Al

MaxPower · #9 06-11-2007, 04:04 PM

She should interview for the job if she wants it. If she gets it then you need to make these decisions. If she doesn't get it, at least you didn't stand in her way.

Let's face it, it is very unlikely that Ron Paul will get the Republican nomination unless he compromises his values in a major way. Seems like it would most likely be a short term job.

My thought is that you should tell your wife, exactly what you are saying here. That you are proud of her and support her, but that you don't want to move to DC or leave your job. You should tell her and see what she says.

The DaveR · #10 06-11-2007, 04:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
No kids.

Note: This is NOT a position related to Paul's presidential campaign; the position is for Dr. Paul's press secretary, which I believe is a Congressional staff position, but I am not sure. It exists as long as Ron Paul is in Congress. Seeing as he is a 10 term representative, it appears to be a stable position.

[/ QUOTE ]

From my own personal experience, way back in 1994 the press officer for the senior Senator in a top 10 population state was making < 50K, FWIW. I would think staff in the House make less. It's a fairly crappy, stressful job with a lot of downside (lots of misquotes and misinterpretations) and constant traveling at the side of the Senator/Congressperson/etc. Most sane people would want nothing to do with this type of job.