oh my!
Scribbled down on January 10th, 2009 by she
Posted in Learning & Education, Those Who Volunteered
Shopping trip successful. Got lots of food related goodies to go in the next few care packages. The Canada Post service counter attendant reminded me that I only have a week left to take advantage of the shipping program. It seems like she’s a big fan of it. She wasn’t sure why the organization doesn’t allow it year round. I suspect the Crown Corporation can’t afford to keep using taxpayer dollars to fund a program that only benefits a small part of the country. On the other hand, my taxes help fund child tax credits, scholarship programs, sports credits, and other child related benefits that my family doesn’t partake in, so maybe it’s not such a bad idea to support military members in this fashion after all.
While I was at the post office I picked up the course packs for my Experimental Psych and Statistics courses *shudder* I’ve spent a bit of time reviewing the course introductions, assignments and welcome messages and plan to spend a bit of time tonight and tomorrow reviewing the first units of study. If I don’t jump in right away I’m worried I may procrastinate – definitely not a good idea by the looks of these two course packs. Since I did manage to get so much pre-reading done for my Military Psych class I shouldn’t have any problems completing my first assignment early. I’ll have to keep on top of the readings and assignments in that class or I have a feeling I may quickly fall behind. I think I’m beginning to quickly realize why part-time students with full-time employment are limited to a maximum of 3 courses a semester with a recommendation that they take 2 courses at a time. This is my first semester taking 3 courses (normally I complete 2) and I have the distinct feeling that it will also be my last. While I’d finish my degree 6 months early if I took 3 a semester for the remainder of the program, I just can’t see myself managing the workload. Especially since I’m already going to school year round. December 2010 can’t come fast enough. It’ll make the 5 month wait from completion to graduation well worth it I’m sure.
That 2010 completion date seems awfully depressing when I think about it. I still have 2 years of courses left before I’m finished this degree and then it seems I’ll be on to the next without much of a break. Ok – that’s not the depressing part. The depressing part is that I could be finished in less than a year if I were attending classes full-time instead of working. Of course I need to work. In this economy the idea of NOT working to attend school just doesn’t sit well with me. Besides, I’d probably go stir crazy if I weren’t working 5+ days a week.
I do know that I’ll definitely be taking advantage of an unpaid leave when I’m working on my Master’s thesis many moons from now. There’s no way I’m going to try writing that while working full-time! I’m slightly bonkers but I’m not insane!
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January 11th, 2009 at 6:38 am
The MFRC will send packages for free, how come you’re using Canada Post?
I would love the gist on what you are taking right now. I decided I am going gangbusters at getting into the military, officer route.
January 11th, 2009 at 11:51 am
DND says to use Canada Post
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/commun/message/index-eng.asp
January 11th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
The MFRC is no longer allowing packages to be dropped off there. All shipping is done through Canada Post and the shipper has to drop the package off in person.
Not sure exactly when the change was made but it’s been this was since at least Oct 2008 and was discussed (as in “don’t bother dropping it off here; we’ll just make you take it home”) during the pre-deployment briefing at the MFRC
January 12th, 2009 at 4:55 am
WHAT??? They are still doing it here as far as I know. On my weekly trips to the MFRC there is a mountain of boxes in the hallway as a rule. That is NOT fair. Our guys are over there at the request of our country, the least our country could do is provide some GD free postage! OH THIS BURNS MY ASS!
I got your e-mail BTW, thank you, I will be digesting it today as I chase my two year old around the house today.
January 12th, 2009 at 5:25 am
Ok, I just called our MFRC and they are floored that you’ve been told that. I would call someone at the MFRC or the wing admin to confirm what you were told because that is stupid. If all else fails, send it to me and I’ll take it to our MFRC to mail. Hell, send it DND mail to my husband to make it even cheaper! This is crazy. I cannot beleive that.
January 12th, 2009 at 5:29 am
There you go:
http://www.mfrcedmonton.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=58
Whomever informed all those poor people at the deployment briefing was wrong. And if they HAVE changed their policies, then they need to change their website, not to mention need to be accountable to the DND as this is a DND policy.
January 12th, 2009 at 9:18 am
The original notice from the hubby re: requirement to drop the packages off at Canada Post for the free shipping promotion was a forwarded CANFORGEN (190/08) which would have made it an official DND authorized piece of information for distribution. And the woman who made the announcement at the meeting introduced herself as the head of the Edmonton MFRC.
The Canada Post promotion also includes friends (ergo, mypyper’s packages) as opposed to being limited to family only.
When I get a few minutes of free time this afternoon I’ll call the MFRC and find out if they’ll be accepting packages from family once the Canada Post promotion is over. Thanks for all your leg work. Having you in an earlier timezone means you’ve had time to do all the research while I’m still in bed sleeping 😉