The Trouble de Travail

I'm bound in the next several months to start French training in an effort to become bilingual, and in this, I'm eagerly supported by my new manager in my new job. So far, I've just been easing in with some reading, and lots of watching the internet for updates on the problems in Japan, election platform updates and promises, and any other potential news items that would impact the program I'm working on. And of course, this being an election cycle, there's not a whole lot else I can do. The political government is dissolved, leaving the bureaucracy to simply manage until a new government is elected and we re-start the process of policy and program changes. Until then, no new programs, initiatives, decisions, policies, etc. During this time, the only department that sees some movement is foreign affairs, and even then, it's only enough to signal that Canada is still a part of whatever is going on.

As I look back on the time I spent at INAC, and I try to sort out what I would have been doing over there during the election cycle (and my really strong hunch says "Nothing. Like always."), I'm sort of excited; yes, it sounds like I'm not doing a whole lot at HRSDC either, but I know that once the election is over, I'll actually be given tasks that are meaningful by a manager and director who appear to trust I'm competent and capable of doing them. I'm finally optimistic about working in the federal public service.

If I'm concerned about anything, it's that my work habits have become pretty slack because of the wasted time at INAC. Left to my own devices, I was creative in how to waste time (redecorate Diana's office while she's away? Sure!), and I fell into a pattern of playing on the internet and shuffling papers. I'm afraid I'm easily distractable now, and I seriously need to kick my butt back into shape and re-learn good working habits.

Still, if that's my biggest trouble with work...I'm starting to count myself quite lucky.