End of the road

[Rhonald]

Better that you did what you did and asking later if you were being rude, than having the misfortune in saying here, "I wished that I had said something", or worse yet - never hearing from you again.

I can understand being in a different land and catering to local customs as it shows a sign of respect. I also understand to try not being ethnocentric in forming opinions, but History is written by those who do not like the status quo and choice to do something about it. Most of us here are not out to change the world but to share in what the world has to offer. Sometimes the World rubs you raw and it is only natural to bark back. Thanks for sharing your story Gerry as Old age and life itself - should burn and rage at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Oh.... and what will become of that washing machine 

[maxx]

Gerry I don't see a problem with what you did.I did the same thing on a private bus to Lushan.The bus driver was making everybody sick.I stood up told him to slow down.He did.So no problem.

[Willy The Londoner]

But then people pay out lots of money to get the same thrill from theme parks. 
Or maybe what to shouted out sound like "I will give you all a 100 yuan when we arrive'   Rude, inconsiderate, hero, whatever the main thing is it helped keep you alive.

Brave you to start with going on such a bus ride, giving all the news on the TV over the past three years about deaths of bus passengers after abus comes of mountain road or a bridge.

Buses, mountain road are definate no no's for me.  As my good Cantonese friend from Hong Kong says, 'You have to be more Chinese than me (him) to travel that way'.

Willy

[Philip]

A no-brainer, Gerry. You picked your battle and it was a good battle to pick. I doubt anyone would have objected to your outburst. It is unlikely anyone would have thought " I like the fact that the driver is driving like a maniac, putting our lives in danger." Well done. You expressed what most if not all the passengers were thinking.

[Pineau]

In reference to the other thread I started PHOTO SOFTWARE. I wanted to move my comments back over to this thread and not clutter a technical discussion with a tribute to good looking women.  SO the other thread is about using a Photoshop filter to remove dust and scratches. go see it if your interested.


Fiona's photos    http://niwot.net/httpdocs/fionaphotos/   

I dont want to say this too much for fear of retaliation. She looks good but of course she is really not as gorgeous as the photos. Amazing what a good photographer and 2 hours of makeup can achieve...

Honestly I never saw any of these photos or her other " posed " photos before we met. When I first met her she was just a plain Jane dressed in baggy bluejeans and wearing her old worn out baseball cap. She didn't look all that great  to me. But looks are not what attracted me to her. Her walk, the bounce in her step, her silly laugh, a smile that is almost as broad as her face and big brown eyes.  After three days or goofing around Guangzhou with her I knew I had found someone special. 

She is hard headed, determined, very very independent and borderline crazy.  She is a practical joker and loves to tease. At first her constant playing annoyed me. But I got used to it and found that she can be serious when needed. She just doesn't feel the need very often.  She is just a whole hell of a lot of fun. 

And when I want to dress up and go out, she dresses up pretty good. She can be absolutely stunning sometimes. If you have seen some of her better photos,  imagine her, dressed up and in her jewelry. That pretty face sitting across from you on the subway, making silly faces, rolling her eyes and holding her nose like the guy next to her just farted. what a combination of crazy fun and elegance.   And what amazes me more is she said she never acted like this before meeting me. She just feels relaxed around me and is not afraid to be silly.

I have always be a serious man. Professional manager and all. She found the kid in me. I am ten years younger because of her. I just hope it last.

[john1964]

Gerry, I agree with you about the "plain Jane" syndrome, When I met MinYing I thought the same thing, Nowhere as near as attractive as her "photo shopped" photos from chnlove but I think most of us here have experienced this, Anyway, MinYing also has the her crazy times and when she dresses up she looks fantastic, Before we met, Her friends tell me that she had no self pride but now she looks after herself always and I am proud to have her hanging off my arm always, John. 

[Pineau]

Hot diggity dog ! The machine is moving again.

We just got two email from the NVC. Its time to fill out the immigration application and the AOS. She has her GUZ number finally!
They are suggesting we use E-mail for correspondence as regular mail is slow and unreliable.

Now I am busy again.

[Arnold]

Hot diggity dog ! The machine is moving again.

Well quick and get some OIL and keep it moving!

[Pineau]

Lately I have been bored out of my skull. I mean how many parks, hot-spas and temples can you visit before they all seem the same. I think I have been down to the used electronics district a billion times and I am starting accumulate a lot of junk (and spend a lot of money). I have made a lot of friends here but they are at work all week so I spend a lot of my day wasting time surfing the web and chatting online. Really, I am so happy to get things rolling again. I love being busy.

[Willy The Londoner]

Lately I have been bored out of my skull. I mean how many parks, hot-spas and temples can you visit before they all seem the same. I think I have been down to the used electronics district a billion times and I am starting accumulate a lot of junk (and spend a lot of money). I have made a lot of friends here but they are at work all week so I spend a lot of my day wasting time surfing the web and chatting online. Really, I am so happy to get things rolling again. I love being busy.

Maybe you should take a bus or train ride and get out of the city for a day.  Come to the clean air of Zhongshan.  I would do that journey in reverse but I have a leg that is not co-operating with my need to walk at the moment.

Willy

[Pineau]

https://ceac.state.gov/CTRAC/invoice/signon.aspx

Paid my AOS fee and got this with the receipt. Maybe it will be helpful to the next guy.

A payment status of IN PROCESS means your payment is still being processed. A
payment status other than PAID indicates that the Department of State has not
received your payment. If you receive a notice that your case has entered
termination do not attempt to pay any fees. You must contact the NVC
immediately to resume processing of your petition. NVC contact information can be
found at travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3177.html.
Next Steps
1. When the IV fee payment status is PAID, each applicant must submit an
Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration. If your case was
initiated after October 4, 2010 and your case number begins with AMM, ATH,
BGH, LMA, MEP, or MTL you must submit your visa application form online.
Otherwise you must submit the paper version of the form.
l To submit your application form online, click DS-260 then log in to the
Consular Electronic Applications Center and follow the instructions displayed.
l To submit the paper version click DS-230 and follow the instructions displayed.
2. To complete your Immigrant Visa application you must also submit civil
documents. Go to www.ImmigrantVisas.state.gov and click Communicating with
the NVC to learn about document submission requirements and options for your
case.
3. If you are required to submit physical documents, you must include a barcoded
cover sheet to identify the documents as belonging to your case.
l If you received an Instruction Packet from the National Visa Center (NVC), it
contains a cover sheet which may be photocopied.
l If you need a new cover sheet, print one now by clicking the Print Document
Cover Sheet button on the IV Fee Payment Receipt page.
l If you cannot print a cover sheet now, use the Email Document Cover Sheet
button to send an electronic copy to an email address where it can be printed
later.
4. The next steps concerning AOS fee payments are found on the AOS fee
payment receipt.

Picking up speed.
I requested electronic processing and got a yes. I scanned and emailed the choice of agent about an hour ago and already got the reply.

[Pineau]

things are gaining momentum. ppaid the AOS fee and just got the AOS forms to fill out. i wont jinx it by declairing any success but all looks good.
another bad turn though. i landed in the hospital again. a matching bleeding blood vesssel in mmy stomach.  i shoul be hom wednesday.
if you value your stomach lining stay away from peppers. hotsause. wassabbi. and anything fried in china. .seriously cook your own food.

[kiwisteve]

Sorry to hear that Gerry, I hope that is the end of your problems. What happens next with your paperwork? Is it soon back to USA?

Steve

[Pineau]

whar i understand is after i qualify on the AOS then ..she fills out ain application to immmigrate. then she gets scheduled  for an interview.  we will book tickets for the USA asap after she gets her vizsa. we are leaving her daughter here for a while and finish herpaperwork in the usa.  sofrry for the typos but i am inn a hospital bed trying to type with one finger.

[Pineau]

my guess is we will in the mountains of colorado about mid August. but it is really hard to predict. anythig can happej between now and then. waiting is frustrating but i have waited this long another month is not so important. for now i need to escape this torture chamber and get home so i can finish the AOS.