I'd say go and have a look at it. It certainly has a lot of toys. Since you're a cash buyer, try and knock him down a bit. Also, make sure it's been smogged and find out if it's currently registered.

I know your budget -- let me look at CL for you.

Since I'm now stuck in LA, anyone up for drinks tomorrow night?

Woo! Getting interviewed by FinancialWeek in 15 minutes about the whole Yahoo vote tallying blunder...

I used cars.com & I know plenty who did as well.

Be sure & get a Carfax report whatever you do.

D'oh! Yes, DEFINITELY a Carfax.

I am obsessing about buying an early-mid 80s Mercedes SL convertible at the moment... I don't need another car, I just want one!

ok, I'll look in to it. to be honest I'm scared of buying a car. i know exactly zero about the whole process. So I'm going to switch from worrying about that to worrying about a bed and a couch. This stuff is getting tedious.

Where does one get an affordable bed. Delivered? And Maven, you have to tell me how you got your sofa home from the store?

Affordable bed -- IKEA? Come on down to Burbank and we'll go shopping. Seriously, what are you up to this afternoon? I have to go to IKEA anyway.

Sofa -- rented a U-Haul for the afternoon.

It's great news that you have a place!! Our place isn't exactly where we want to be forever but it is a start until I get a job and we can get a downpayment on a house Besides, we want to travel around the States a bit to decide where to buy Let me know your address if you want me to send that letter to you - if not then you can pick it up when you come over


Charles!! Don't say that!! I have only done two so far and I want to get it all sent off by the end of the month




I think it is insane and just want to buy as soon as possible...


Tell me about it!! When you keep thinking that you need something as simple as a shoe rack or pasta jars that stack and you can't afford it!? That sucks. A lot


What is a carfax report?? I've never heard of it before...


We got ours from Big Lots It was like $400 for the frame then we had to get the mattress as well which was like another 100 or something

Oh - and Jeraly chat is in action if anyone wants to join in

Chat has moved to VJ chat as server is down for my website - boo!!

Evening all!!!!! sorry just got back from school shopping for my boys... ugh what a day!

Aww - I can't believe you have to buy all the stationery here!!!

let's see if you're in agreement when you have the entire thing done.

good morning everyone.

You big meanie - I hope you haven't jinxed me now!!!

Aly, Griff and I found that the AOS stuff was much easier to compile and complete that the I-129F and K1 paperwork. Just follow the instructions and you will be fine!! It is seriously not that bad!

I'm just a bit concerned about not having the medical forms I am meant to have... I will cross that bridge when I come to it though - just need to do the EAD/AP forms today then make sure I have everything together - I want to be an August filer so I can hang out with Debz and jundp again!!

Oh and I copied this from the July thread cause I am lazy

My brother (younger - he is 24) just got promoted - his manager was leaving so he went for his job and had to go through two interviews. He got the job and a £11,000 a year payrise!!! He's looking at coming out to visit me next year now because he will be able to afford it He's going to be in charge of two teams and he is totally made up about it

My mum took him and my other brother out to dinner to a) celebrate and to thank my other brother (21 next month) for helping her sort out the attic and she felt sorry for me because we missed out. She said she had put some money in my account as a surprise so I was expecting maybe £50 for a meal for me and Jeremy and for some wine we picked her up in Tombstone. I check my bank and she put in £150!!! I am soooo happy!! It will really help us get a few other bits and pieces for the house

Of course then I had a shower and got all weepy but mnleh

How was chat?



I totally agree. AOS was eezypeezy compared to the K-1.

I like hearing that.. calms me down for next year!

I found they both made me want to tear my hair out equally

I've spent the weekend compiling evidence for Removing Conditions. I'm wondering how much evidence is too much. Since we have seperate bank accounts (meant to set up a joint account, got lazy) and his name is not on any bills I'm panicking that it will look weird.

Considering you lived together (in sin) in England, I doubt it!

Let me know how it goes, so you can tell me. Hey, are you using lawyers?

---

I'm back in sunny Socal (altho NYC was pretty nice some days). When are we all meeting for drinks?

When I can join you!

Only kidding, I want a report when you get back.

I'm sad right now because me and the boy have been fighting all day about his work. It was my last day off before I go back to work too... oh well... it will all blow over.

Chat was fun! You should join us next time



Well the only thing that is bugging me really is the I-693 and whether I need it. It says to include it, but a bunch of people have been approved by just handing in the form from the medical. I am also still confused about the HPV vaccine. Judging by this I don't need it because I had my medical pre-June 1...

I'm thinking I am going to take my chances - if I get an RFE it's no biggie, but if I can avoid getting the HPV etc then I can save over $200!

Random, but why did Amy Winehouse need a visa to travel to the US for MTV awards this year? I remember her being denied due to drug reasons... but she's not staying there, so why was it needed??

I think because she was going to perform and therefore earn money. Doesn't the use of the VWP stipulate that you're not to earn any money while you're over there?

Oh I see! Makes much more sense, now...

Ah, apparently you can use the VWP for business purposes, but only:



There are, however, specific visas available for performance artists. Presumably this is what Amy Winehouse would have had to apply for.

Well I'm glad she never got it.

Same rules apply to celebrities.

I think it goes the other way too...as in why Snoop Dogg couldn't enter the UK.

After my weird AOS experience I take nothing for granted - using the lawyer, yep, as it is FREE (work paying all fees!)

I am available this week for beverages, so I am.



We did not do the I-693 and were fine. I figured it was worth the risk for the RFE.




Yeah - performers to the UK need visas. Even bands doing the pub circuit who are probably not even earning any money and sleeping on the floor of their promoters flat!

Robin -- I think you didn't get my email I sent you on Friday; a lot of my stuff is bouncing at the moment. Anyway, it was along the lines of "we all need to go have a drink!" Poiteen and I are ready and waiting, so SOMEBODY pick a date!

Bruce and I spent yesterday afternoon and evening helping Poiteen and her husband pick out a new (well, new but used) car. We learned something: never hunt for a used car in Koreatown! It was waaaaaaaay Dodge City. Bruce said, "Never buy anything from a guy with a running truck" and hot damn if there weren't two vendors who fit that description. Once we got out to the Valley, we saw three more that were much more realistic propositions. We hope we helped them find a nice dependable car that they'll be happy with.

I did not receive this email, no! My availability this week is good though.

My cousin (a sweet, innocent 22 year old girl newly arrived from the Midwest) just moved to Koreatown. I worry about her.

Even the Koreans at work don't like K-town!!! Scary place.

Drinks!!! When??????

It's hard to get into any country packing a 45, three grenades, a butterfly knife, a suitcase full of cash, and a backpack of weed.

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

True that!

I loved Snoop's performance at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park a few years ago when he said mofo practically every other word - all on the BBC before the watershed. You just don't let the Dogg out and expect him to behave on live television.

Hey guys!!!

Status Report:
Drivers Licence: Check!
SSN Card: Check!
Apartment: Check!
Awesome iPhones: Check!
Car: Nearly Check (picking it up in a few hours) - THANK YOU MAVEN AND BRUCE!!!!
Car Insurance: Check!
Green Card: Not yet
Job: No. Not even started looking. But I will..... soon.

I'm exhausted. I need to sleep for a week. Preferable in really good A/C.

YAY!!! So glad you guys sorted out the car and insurance, and mega-thanks for the delicious payment of burritos at that place in Pasadena last night. Has your bed arrived yet?

Congrats Pointy on all your recent accomplishments.

My good news is that I have finished everything for my I-751 submission.


I have pretty much made copies of every relevant card, letter, photo and travel document for the past 2+ years. I hope it's not too much.

Thanks guys, it feels nice to have a lot of that stuff done. Of course the thing I'm most scared of is the job part. But I'm trying not to think about it.

The stupid bed is not arriving till tomorrow. They said that since I ordered it on Saturday they didn't pick up the order till this morning. If I'd placed the order on Friday, when customer service was there, it could have been delivered on Saturday. Humphf! I don't care. We're moving in today anyway. I'm sick of the guy we call 'angry dad' in the next room. He's yelling all day at his 5/6 year old girl, and it makes me very sad.

Damn, that's more than I have! Better start saving that stuff.

Well done, R!




congrats - that's impressive for 2 weeks!

Immigration is one area where it pays to be pack rat!

Mornin everyone im here early because its visa delivery day

Well done on your "check"list pointy sounds like you got it all sorted. Is angry dad living in one of those days inn places we were there for a couple of weeks once man was it weird.

YAAAY, bet you're so excited!!

I got it i got it ji got it then the guy in the warhouse office downstairs rings up and says if you dont stop all that racket im gonna get you. Apparently the happy dance is quite noisy.

Shiny visa in my Passport

Congrats!!!

Double-posting to say that the smiley looks nothing like a wink!

You got done in a few weeks what took me years to do! Very impressive...

good morning everyone. sounds like you've been busy filling out paperwork, Poiteen.

Morning

Hmm, reading the blurb on the Iowa DMV site, looks like I'll need either the EAD or greencard to apply for a license here. They should give me an honorary license for being one of the only people to stick to the speed limit here


Stu

Well it helps that I was CR-1, and had an SSN from being on a J-1 before, just needed the card to be re-issued.

However. Things are not so super happy today. I learned to drive 3 weeks ago, and havent' driven in two weeks. So I'm a little sensitive (very sensitive) about how crap a driver I am. Except, we had to get both the rental car AND the car we just bought, home from the top-of-a-very-steep-hill where it was perched. And I have not been driving the rental because it's waaay too big for me (a Chrysler 300M). Sooo, good news, I managed to get the new (used) car down the hill, and almost home (I missed the last turn). Bad news, C told me how many times I veered in to the next lane, or nearly hit parked cars on the way home. I was very upset. He was parking the rental at the time, and scraped the wing mirror off the concrete pillar next to the parking space. It had to be returned this morning, so no time for a quick trip to the garage, to see what could be done. Now we are at the mercy of Budget to charge us what they like for the damage. AND I really still can't drive. I just couldn't bring myself to go on the freeway by myself today. So C has had to return the (damaged) car to the airport, and find his way back to Los Feliz.

It's amazing how quickly one's mood can change. The money's draining fast. I was up half the night worrying. Need to get a job fast, need to earn some money to keep up will all of this. It didn't help that we were sleeping on the floor cos the mattress STILL hasn't arrived.

Oh lord. This too shall pass. This too shall pass. This too shall pass. This too shall pass. This too shall pass.

Oh, Poiteen. *hugs*

Eek :/

If that's you having passed any driving test recently (sorry, I don't know your circumstances exactly), honestly, you'd be amazed how quickly you pick it up and relax. The important thing, which my sister didn't do and has all but given up driving, is to keep through it, even if you have to dawdle about empty roads in the wee hours, just to set your mind at ease. My dad used comment that my knuckles went white, from gripping the steering wheel so tight, and driving made me ache. One day I'm like hang on, I'm completely relaxed here, and I wasn't even mindful of the transition. It'll come, soon!

If it's adjusting to the US road system, I hear ya. I can drive anywhere with Shan in the car now though, giving me directions. It was kinda weird going back to white knuckle driving again, but after about 3 or 4 weeks, it's back to relaxed.

Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs, I'm sure it'll be ok though


Stu

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time, Pointy. But LA traffic and US driving rattled my husband, a seasoned driver, so you can't be expected to completely get the hang of it when you've only been driving a short time. Staying off the freeways might not be a bad thing - you can sometimes get there faster using local roads anyway!

Hahaha...Iowa's speed limit is ridiculously slow (on I-80). It was always hard for me going from Nebraska (I-80 speed limit 75) to Iowa (65...or at least that was what it was last time I drove through).

Have you given gravel roads a try yet?




Getting set up is so hard...you have to buy so much crap to get yourself started out. After a few months it should even out. When I moved a few months ago I had basically a bed and dining room set. I gradually acquired furniture via craigslist...someday I'll get new stuff but what I have will do me for right now.

Ugh sleeping on the floor...I hope your back is holding up ok!

good morning - but where is everyone?