quote Originally posted by maryjane: Very interesting Jeff. Care to expound on your previous life's experience a little?

Nothing too exciting. While an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota majoring in Political Science and International Relations I was in a program called "Global Perspectives" by the University YMCA. It consisted of a group of fourteen students plus our group leader. We were in New York City and Washington DC to conduct research and give papers. The brother of one of the girls in the group was an aide to Vice President Walter Mondale at the time. They made the arrangements for an audience with him. We ended up talking with him for about twenty minutes in the Roosevelt Room. We held up a meeting as there were numerous Cabinet members and advisors that kept popping their heads in the hall door to see what was going on. No President Carter though. We had to go through a security screening prior to the meeting and then checks at the gate and just inside the door of the West Wing by a Marine receptionist . We were not allowed to take out own pictures and I almost got my camera seized. I will post an official White House picture if I can figure out the new posting system from my phone camera.

We met Minnesota Senator Dave Durenburger , had dinner with Representative Don Frazier who later became Mayor of Minneapolis. We also had dinner with the YMCA UN Ambassador and met with former Minnesota Governor Orville Freeman in NYC. I also met with Senator Rudy Boschwitz.

I was also in Americorps VISTA and interned for the City of Minneapolis in their "Energy Assistance Program". I also interned with Minneapolis Public Schools in the Feds "Recreational Support Program" which allowed me to work with various well known Minneapolis Black community and church leaders. Upon graduation I thought about a career in the Foreign Service but wanted to be a specialist (Russian Studies) versus a generalist. Could have had a job as an analyst for the CIA but they were not hiring undergrads in my degree program. They would have been interested if I was continuing on with a Masters degree or was majoring in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Linguistics.

Unfortunately, I was tired of being poor and my future wife would not have moved out of Minnesota. So I went to work in the real world and have been involved in Manufacturing sales for over forty years including a German textile manufacturer.

And that, as they say, it the res of the story.
Jeff

[This message has been edited by GTGeff (edited 02-09-2021).]

I am the long haired hippie type on the far right sitting next to Vice President Mondale. The hair is now shorter, grayer, and about ninety pounds heavier.

[This message has been edited by GTGeff (edited 02-10-2021).]