It's Time I Told You

I have a name tag. It is my first ever mounted, printed, official, work name tag. I have had ones I pinned on my shirt before. (Taco Bell's was even a red plastic hot pepper shaped name tag.) I have had ones that were printed on computer paper and taped or pinned outside my cubical. (Every other time I worked for the government this was the case.) However, just before I came back from Christmas to start my full-time contract here there was a big reorganization and cubical move that happened, so as to fit more people into the same amount of space. In that process they updated the name tags and gave me one. (Even though I think usually that isn't policy for contract workers and/or students.) It was scary when I first saw it, but I have come to terms with it now. I have also come to terms with the fact that I think, after my Masters, I will end up in the Public Service. It was a sad realisation as I fought it so long. I wanted to be free, running around the private sector, no contact to politics, in a land were inefficiency is quickly resolved and the incorrect or incompetent quickly fired, inspired by passion, creativity, and competition. But I have learned that no one will give me the life that the Federal Government can. The money, the time off, even the work at times, is pretty amazing. So, after my Masters I will return to the sweet comforting embrace of the Public Service.