Melae

Going back just a little over twelve years, not much of an internet and certainly not the place for meeting people. And if looking for that person of your wildest dreams, would have to be a person that either has access to, or owns a computer. The miracle of the internet, gave an opportunity to chat with people all over the world, only to learn, they are not that much different than you or I, have families, work hard, and trying to make ends meet. Met really thousands this way, some would carry on conversations with, others, very short lived.

Then one day this woman happened to find me and found me interesting, ha, Latin American woman, also thought they were hot tempered and threw things, she was the sweetest person I have ever met. Board chatting led to e-mails, e-mails to phone calls, to hardly a point where one day wouldn't pass without communication of some sort, we grew into a deep platonic friendship and a great dependence on each other. After nine months of this, said it is time we meet, and not knowing what to expect, but we were very close friends. Meeting her for the first time was complete magic for both of us, also is a biological attraction to consider, but we didn't think about that, but it was there and extremely strong besides that deep platonic relationship we had already established. Statistics state that 30 days is the maximum for online communication then you have to meet or fail, we had nine months behind us.

We have seen each other as much as we could for the next 15 months until we finally married, but still very fresh in my mind the long days we had between visits. Could have gone the other way when we first met, we both realized that. Ha, then we had to learn about immigration, now that is history, she has been a USC now for one and a half months. We share most of everything we have, except for computers, we have our own, but now she is webcaming her family instead of me.

Without computers and the internet, we would never have met, and an unusual one at that, prehistory to computers, first there is a biological attraction where a platonic relationship could be developed, where ours, the platonic relationship was extremely strong before that biological attraction was even considered. Ha, tease her, is it okay that I covet my own wife?

It helps so much to know you aren't the only one! I knew there were a lot of us out there. One thing about meeting online is that you get to meet the person before you meet the face. Its nice to get to know someone inside first and then be plesantly surprised when you see the outside

Ahhh, Everquest! What crazy memories from that game!

I didn't meet my wife from EQ, but I did meet people and many of them turned out to be great folks! There's definitely a sense of community in these games.

A Japanese guild made a music video, Sayonara Norrath, which is really well done! You may want to take a look at it. Great nostalga!

Edit: SRVT, yeah did a few MUDs, too. I was a builder for one for a little while.

Nice video. Brings back lots of memories

You newbs need to go more old school, like MUDs. (played them from 1995 - 2002)

(we also predate "n00b")

Dunno why but I just could never get into EQ or WoW or FFXI.

HA! I did start in MUDs.. I think the first one was L.O.R.D back in its BBS days.. The Gemstone.. very old school text based. I had a friend who bugged me for years to try EQ so I finally did and thats where I met my honey.. no regrets

When we first gor together and I told someone we met playing an online game

Now that you're getting married you're going to be pushing each other's buttons on a daily basis in real life.

Things have changed. I don't remember too many chicks playing computer games and the guys were considered geeks.

Actually.. I started on Gemstone back around..1994 I think it was... There's a lot more girl gamers than most people think. We just don't advertise the fact.

As for pushing buttons.. We've been pushing each others buttons for years and loving it

WoW>Everquest..

bah opinions. I've graduated to EQ2 and have NO desire to check out Wow

I've been doing some reading on the site and I'm wondering... When we first gor together and I told someone we met playing an online game, they'd look at me like I'd suddenly changed colors and sprouted wings. Then of course there's the hushed voice and glancing around as they ask.. "But how do you know he's not a psycho or something??"

That was nearly 7 years ago, and every now and then we run across someone who's can't believe it. Anyway, I was wondering.. How many of us are out there? Which game did you meet in? How are things now?

I'll start. My honey and I met in EverQuest in 2002. We've managed several trips back and forth over the years and the being apart is one of the worst things I've had to experience. His interview is coming up toward the end of October and we hope to be married sometime in December. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder!

Also, for those of us with interviews coming up.. Any and all suggestions, tips or well wishes are greatly appreciated

OK our K-1 app is in Nebraska and I am wondering about the public charge thing. I am a college student and my dad is going to co-sponsor the application to get my fiance here, thus making our combined income way above the poverty level that the govt requires. However, my infant son is currently receiving medicaid and I qualify to get child care benefits from the state for when I go back to school in September.

My worry is that if I use these programs, it might jeopardize our case. I could get by without them, but doing that, will end up borrowing a lot of money (child care is very expensive where I am). Can I use the benefits? Will that affect my case? Does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks!

I had this very question myself. I'm stuck on the I-134 on what to put for income since I'm not working and I get SSI (Supplemental Security Income), I'm on Medicaid through SSI and also food stamps and Medicaid and school lunch program for my son. I do get child support as well.. What I'm wondering, is.. My mother will be sponsoring my fiance and she makes well over the needed amount. I'm wondering what all do I need to provide on my I-134? Do I need letters from SSI? Letters from doctors? Do I need to cancel the public benefits before he arrives?

I've managed to muddle our way through to this point and I've done fairly well.. not a single RFE, everything has gone smoothly but now I'm stuck.. anyone help?

Thanks

About the sweet tea... My Grandmother makes awesome sweet tea. We're down south in Georgia, we like it too! All she does is heat water.. just to the boiling point but not quite boiling.. I think boiling it gives it a kinda flat taste.. but anyway, she puts her tea bags in the water and lets it steep. I guess depending on how strong you like it, you have to experiment a bit. She puts sugar in her pitcher and pours the hot tea over it.. stirs it all up and lets it cool.. Voila!

Also, she only heats a small pot of water so when it steeps its fairly strong, once the sugar dissolves you fill the rest up with water. I'd say about 2 cups of sugar to a gallon.. we like it sweet!

Hope it all makes sense.. us folks with ADD don't do the linear thinking thing

I've started getting all the papers together and filling out forms, and I've run into yet another wrinkle with the divorce papers. The name I use now is not the name on the last divorce decree. When I married the first time, I took his name, kept the name when we divorced. The second time I married, I think I might have signed the paperwork in the second man's name, (honestly don't remember), but never really used it. It didn't take long to realize the marriage was a mistake and I moved back home within 8 months of the marriage. Once home, I resumed using the former name, because it was already on my paperwork and driver's license, nothing had ever been formally changed.

On Form I-129F Part A Number 7, it asks for other names used, including maiden. Then in the instructions for Form I-129F Step 2. General Requirements, Number 6 - C - it states:

C. If either you or the person you are filing for is using a name other than that shown on the relevant documents,you must give USCIS copies of the legal documents that made the change, such as a marriage certificate,adoption decree or court order.

My name IS the same as the relevant documents, BUT what worries me is that I have no document for legal name change since I simply went back to using that name. The marriage was in 2000.. I didn't bother with a divorce until we started talking about the requirements for the visa, and THEN I went about getting the divorce, and since I'd been using my first husband's name the whole time, I simply signed all the documents in that name. It went through the courts quickly, with no problems, I appeared before the judge and he had no problem, and I never even thought to mention the name because I'd never really used the second one. The second name IS on that divorce decree though.

Now, after all that, my question is this: On the Form I-129F, when it asks what names I used other than the current one, can I list only my maiden name, or will that be considered fraud? That divorce decree is the ONLY place I'm aware that this name appears) I have a feeling it will cause problems but I have to ask just the same.

Thank you all again and hopefully this will be put to rest

Considering the date on the divorce papers is legal, I was planning to go with that and not confuse the issue with different dates.. mine would be years apart on the second one.

I've been stressing for ...going on 6 years now, first because we had to find a way to satisfy the affidavit of support and that was pure hell there... My mom has said she would sponsor him since I don't really qualify financially on my own, so thats a huge load off. So.. after all this time, I'm a professional stressor! I'm just glad I found this board, its rough enough to have to go through it without the added frustration of the blank looks you get when someone asks you what's the holdup..

Which divorce was first?

If the Tennesee one is older and the georgia is more recent, perhaps thats something less to worry about?

My husband had 2 divorce decrees as well - the first was from Maryland years ago, it was a very simple 1 pager (they were married in college for a very short period) not much to say I guess and there's just a clerk's signature on it within the stamped seal. His second divorce is many pages long and has the embossed seal with signature on it.

initially he was worried he'd even find the divorce papers from the first one since it was so many years ago

Somehow missed your post before, sorry about that! The Tennessee one was first, Georgia one was second. This is a load off my mind.. now to pick another paper to stress over

Thank you all for your input, its helping a lot! I have both papers in front of me, and the Tennessee one has two small round seals on the bottom corners (left and right). One is The Seal of the State of Tennessee, the other is Department of Health, Tennessee, Both are raised a tiny bit so you can feel them but not as much as the Georgia one. The Georgia paper has the big raised bumpy seal that was made through a stamp with the signature of the county clerk of courts.

This begs the question.. Are those small seals official enough? The Tennessee paper is also Tri colored with a light pattern and the two upper corners have small circles with faded yellow TN in them. I'm thinking maybe for verification under a black light or something? I see no watermark tho. It looks pretty official to me, but the Georgia one is just SO very obvious, that the understated one worries me

Thanks again!

I hope this isn't the wrong place to post this question. I've been a 'lurker' for a while and honestly I'm pretty well overwhelmed with the whole process.

My question.. I have two previous divorces, one in Georgia, one in Tennessee. When I ordered a certified copy from Tennessee, I got one sheet with the info typed in. The original was like 20 pages long. I'm wondering if thats gonna fly or if I'm gonna need to order again and somehow get them to mail me the big one.

We've been planning for a long time, we just haven't been able to start the process till now and its like an information overload!

Any suggestions/info would be greatly appreciated!