biggish data

have you any family already in the usa?

No, I don't think the London embassy worries too much about that. They are more concerned about your OH's finances.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-05 09:03:00

Copies - Colour or Mono?

QUOTE (SMB x2 @ Aug 29 2008, 10:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Aug 29 2008, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

C'mon over to Adventureland, you're gonna have a fun-filled day! ...you must be an Iowegian!

Haha...ever since "Perfect Strangers" Balki danced around Wrigley it has been the place in Chicago to get your pic taken

NOOO!!!!! I'm going to have that in my head all day now (stupid local commercials ><)

I prefer Six Flags, but Adventureland is fun too!

-Shan

There is a Six Flags in Waukegan (a Chicago suburb) and one in St. Louis.

You could always go to Arnold Park up by Lake Okoboji. It's like the Coney Island of the midwest.

QUOTE (mrs_sdp @ Aug 29 2008, 11:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree about the commercials lol. The one that gets me singing along is "Smulekoff's .. downtown Cedar Rapids!"

We just got back from a week's vacation in the Wisconsin Dells and Door County. We had a great day at Noah's Ark Waterpark - thoroughly recommend it - the Black Anaconda ride was AMAZING!!

Never been to Six Flags, but am just about to Google it lol ...

Have a great weekend!

I love the Dells. My favorite was riding the ducks.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-08-29 12:51:00

Copies - Colour or Mono?

QUOTE (mrs_sdp @ Aug 29 2008, 08:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Alex & Rachel @ Aug 29 2008, 03:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Boiler @ Aug 29 2008, 04:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, a photo of the two of you will be all that is likely to be needed.

Not in the initial petition, no. Primary evidence, i.e. boarding passes, passport stamps, are more important.

B&W copies are fine.

Yes, I'm copying boarding passes and all pages of both our passports to show that we've visited each other several times in the last two years.

I also have lots of pictures of us together at various sites - Wrigley Field, Sears Tower, Adventureland, Stirling Castle, Washington Island - they all have the location showing in some way or another so hopefully that will be enough. I'll be including pics of us both with each others families too ....

Also including hotel receipt with both our names on it for my fiance's most recent visit to Scotland. I also have bank and credit card statments showing purchases at some of the locations above and general purchases in Iowa along with corresponding receipts from the stores .. Just trying to think of everything lol ....

Thanks for your replies .. very much appreciated!

Have a great weekend ....

C'mon over to Adventureland, you're gonna have a fun-filled day! ...you must be an Iowegian!

Haha...ever since "Perfect Strangers" Balki danced around Wrigley it has been the place in Chicago to get your pic taken

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-08-29 09:37:00

Copies - Colour or Mono?

Sephia

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-08-29 08:51:00

How are your ears?

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-08 10:26:00

QUOTE (Gemmie @ Sep 5 2008, 09:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

She just gave me oil and said to come back i na couple weeks if I still had problems.

Now I'm debating whether or not to fly.

I remember my grandma had a similar problem, and her doctor basically took a pair of tweezers and pulled out the wax. However I guess it depends on the consistency. But I remember hers was pretty impacted as well.

You might want to be extra careful as the flight could compound things and it could lead to an ear infection. I would possibly see if you can get any antibiotics that would prevent this from happening.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-05 11:25:00

I'm sorry to hear. There wasn't a way they could at least clean a bit of it out?

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-05 09:09:00

QUOTE (NickyMcMillan @ Sep 4 2008, 04:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Sep 4 2008, 11:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I understand that this is going the other way around...but UK customs IMHO are almost...if not just as ####### as US customs. I usually replied I was on vacation/holiday. If they asked who I usually said friends...as I am friends with my now husbands family. I have been grilled good a few times by UK customs but as long as you don't elaborate on your answers more than needed, you should be fine.

Anyways, I tend to fly into Ireland most of the time these days. There has been times there where they don't even stamp my passport...I bet if the Brits knew that they would be more keen on having passport control from flights coming in from Ireland.

Sadly that option will be closed soon. Passport control will be implemented for Irish-UK flights from 2009. Not that you will have any probs with the UK next year, as you will be with me.

They finally caught on eh? I think most passport control in Dub cared more about when their next pie break was going to be

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-04 16:19:00

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-04 11:34:00

QUOTE (saywhat @ Sep 10 2008, 11:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all your points which are 100% valid.

However, americans who should know better, and have plenty of money, are also very inward looking in general. I have met americans out there in far flung places who were more cosmopolitan than me, and more at ease than me in foreign cultures and spoke the language beautifully - so it isn't all americans. The american culture does not preclude wordliness for individuals, it just discourages it for the masses

I guess I am despairing about americans living on $700 per month, listening to mitt romney saying they are better off than any other people in the world, and Barrack saying his story would be impossible in any other country - its not true and is a deception on americans who dont know whether its true or not because they dont have any experiences to compare it with. Romney also said the 'US is the finest country that ever existed in the history of the world' - how does that play with a citizen of another country watching CNN ? Why can't we agree that no country should go around strutting that stuff ?

The UK abolished slavery before the US. The UK had women voting before the US. The UK abolished capital punishment before the US which has not yet. The UK had a woman head of government and the US still hasn't.
Margaret Thatcher's successor was the son of a trapeze artist !

So why all this superiority drum beating all the time from the US ? It is that which is annoying the world.
The rest of the world has plenty of bad things (including the UK) so why can't the US be just one of the family instead of leaning over the fence and saying 'my wife is prettier than yours'

That sort of attitude is bound to annoy people.

Ok I can understand where you are coming from there. It is awfully hard to know you are supposedly the "best" when you have never been anywhere else. Not to mention that different groups of people have different definitions of what greatness entails.

One thing that always has annoyed me is the rampant dislike of France from those who have never been there. My experiences in France have been almost positive...except for a Algerian on a Montemartre street who called me an "American Pr*ck" as I went to do my laundry. I actually found it more hilarious than anything.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-10 15:58:00

QUOTE (saywhat @ Sep 10 2008, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Widge @ Sep 10 2008, 05:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I first heard the statistic about the number of Americans not possessing a passport I too was shocked but then thought about it and it kind of made sense. When you consider they can travel the 50 states, Canada, Mexico and a few other places I can't recall without any need for a passport why would the majority of the country even need one.
Then take into account the cost of travel to anywhere foreign from America requiring a passport, the average holiday entitlement and it then could surprise you the number who actually DO have a passport.

This is exactly what I mean - Americans dont realise that it's necessary to travel in order to experience other cultures !

They think that a drive from Minnesota to Milwaukee makes em citizens of the world !

I have been all over america and guess what - it's the SAME country. Apart from regional differences, it's not the big wide world - and taking 7 days to drive from seattle to florida is less eye opening that travelling 90 minutes from dover to calais !

Many americans, especially working class americans, only visit other countries when they are going there to kill people

Americans think it's expensive to travel because they are totally lost in the world and don't know how to travel cheaply.

They all go to london and pay 500 dollars a night for a hotel and 50 dollars for a meal, when they could be in a more beautiful region, in an economical band b and eating beautiful fish and chips for 5 dollars (with a cup of tea and a slice of bread and butter)

They dont know !

Sarah Palin, very possibly the next president, only just got a passport a short while ago ! She went to Kuwait via Germany and back pretty quickly

How can someone be president of the US if they have never been to the UK even ?????

This is blind ignorance of the highest order. How can the US be a power for good when ignorance is excused and even celebrated ?

An american girl came up to me in york and said she was going to norway the next day - then she asked me if norway was in the north of england like york.

From that moment on I realised the mountain of ignorance that I was up against

I'm going to defend the Americans again here on the passport issue. It is possible to travel cheaply, but most people are more comfortable taking the expensive tours...especially going to a place you've never been before. You grew up near to other foreign cultures...therefore they weren't so "foreign." Figuring out train schedules in France (aside from language) isn't all that different from figuring out train schedules in Britain.

I just think some slack needs to be cut here to Americans. Especially when you grow up and live in the midwest or south where it's a journey in and of itself to get to a city that is large enough to offer international flights. People have families to take care of as well, and sometimes you have to make choices between a European tour or paying for your kid's healthcare or college...such as the case of my parents this year when they had planned on going to Europe but instead had other bills come up. If it were as easy as to hop a Ryan Air flight and take a 3 hour flight to Spain with your 6 weeks holiday I'm sure more Americans would. But it just isn't that easy.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-10 11:14:00

QUOTE (saywhat @ Sep 1 2008, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The world war 2 thing doesn't hold water when you think the US sat back for 2 years and let 40 thousand Brits get killed in the blitz and the US never did declare war on Germany - Germany declared war on the USA after pearl harbour.
Both the US and Britain did not win the war - it was Russia. Russia rolled em back from Stalingrad in 1942 and lost 20 million dead and broke into Berlin and caused Hitler's suicide. The Brits and Americans played a lesser role.

My grandfather was killed by the Germans when my dad was 18 months old and my father fought in the jungle in Burma and didn't get home until 1946 - and I know they didn't see it as principled or heroic - they were conscripted and dismayed when they were called up. They would curl their lips at this hero stuff - they suffered because they had no choice. Many Americans were in the same boat in Vietnam and didn't deserve to be put down when they got back and many didn't deserve the hero thing either. They were just guys doing their best to survive.

Yes I have nightmares about nancy grace ! I hope she is never on a jury trying me. Any young man contemplating marriage should be asked the question - what will you do if she turns into nancy grace in 30 years time ?

I think the US is becoming more moral and civilised but it's taking it's time getting there. It was late with abolishing slavery after the UK. It was late with votes for women after the UK. It was late into the war (both). It is late with universal health and gay rights etc. But it gets there eventually and I think the people are leading the politicians right now.

My maternal grandfather, who I was very close to growing up fought in New Guinea. For his country he withstood his friends getting killed, getting malaria twice and being sent back to battle every time after, and then finally getting a ticket home after getting jungle rot. Before the war he was a robust young man, and he came home sick and he never fully recovered...it is amazing he lived to be 84 with all the health complications he suffered in his life. After the war...and especially in the last 10 years of his life...he received all sorts of honors from the local community and was asked to come to different honors functions and was even given a high school diploma since he wasn't able to finish school before getting drafted...

But never once did he ask to be recognized or shown respect due to that...don't get me wrong I respect anyone who has given such service but I find the whole attitude these days that just because they are a veteran makes them qualified to lead the country or even to demand respect based only upon military service as rather grating. Their service is to be admired, but there are other admirable people out there too feeding the hungry and working with the sick in the Peace Corps or Americorps who make huge sacrifices but never reap any of the respect or admiration those going to war receive.

The whole "war glory" thing, to me comes from a few veterans and a whole lot of people who never stepped foot on a battlefield. I think there is a vicarious wish of them to have that experience and express it through the chest beating patriotism that has taken hold in recent years.

It is ironic thinking how this attitude has proliferated considering it was General Patton himself who stated "If everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn't thinking."

Edited by ginger1981, 02 September 2008 - 12:04 PM.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-02 12:01:00

QUOTE (saywhat @ Sep 1 2008, 12:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Someone who has more liberal views and does not glorify the military or savour successful wars will have a harder time accepting all the flag waving and triumphalism. US prisons are horrifying and turn people into animals being watched by armed guards in towers. I find much of organised official american culture barbaric - firing squad executions/castration of sex offenders/trial by tv etc etc . There is barbarity in the population in england too but it isn't state sponsored.

Just as a note on the firing squad: it is only used in two states, and at that it is a method that the offender can choose as an alternative to lethal injection. The last person to be executed by firing squad in the US was in Utah in 1996. It's quite a rare event when it happens.

I personally think part of the "war glory" comes from WWII veterans (who are often referred to as the "greatest generation"). Over here it was seen as the ultimate good vs. ultimate evil war....which IMHO isn't too terribly off even when you take some of the more embarrassing actions the US government took during that time period. Basically, I think a lot of people...in regards to war...have since had a hard time reconciling the US taking a military action that is wrong. Not everyone, but there are a lot of people out there with that attitude. This is also compounded by the fact that Vietnam vets were treated quite atrociously by the government and society at large in the years following that conflict.

Trial by TV...man I hate Nancy Grace. Hate her self-righteous helmet headed a_ss. Couldn't agree more there.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-09-01 17:59:00

QUOTE (Krikit @ Aug 28 2008, 01:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow. I think we just witnessed a meltdown. Those are some serious anger issues right there. Can you imagine what would happen if Alan logged on?

I think this guy goes out and hunts down threads to be a blowhard. Check out the Springfield, MO thread.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-08-28 14:02:00

Advice please?

QUOTE (bbpatel @ Apr 15 2008, 12:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi - not sure about you going over there, but from my experience, just because your partner was denied previously, does not mean he will be denied coming to the UK again. They will hold him up, but as long as he shows definite ties back to his place of residence, intention to live where he lives and for you to be there with him, a return ticket, a job back home, anything...he will be allowed in. Just have all the evidence...they only refuse if they suspect that he wont leave, and your partner must be sure to show that he will return. They may curtail his permission to stay here until the return date on the ticket, and will check he returned, but as long as you are legit, you will have no major probs.

And don;t try the Ireland route or anything else that is dodgy....if you're caught, you'll both be in a lot of trouble...be up front and honest, and dont be nervous - you;re not doing anything wrong, as long as he leaves!

(By the way, EU citizens dont get stamped, so there is no record of EU citizens comings and goings, unless you've been naughty - Treaty of Rome...)

There is absolutely nothing dodgy about going in through Ireland. They may track you, but you certainly don't get the 3rd degree at customs going via Ireland as you do going directly into Britain. I have done this several times...when you go into Ireland tell them you are flying on to the UK. I've never been asked any further questions other than if I'm flying out through Ireland or UK. When you fly into the UK from Ireland you do not go through British customs as it is considered a domestic flight. I didn't write the laws of Irish/British travel, and it has in my experience always been a quicker and more pleasant route of travel than flying directly into the UK.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 13:30:00

Advice please?

QUOTE (illumine @ Apr 15 2008, 11:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Apr 15 2008, 09:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Next time he goes to see you he should fly in through Dublin and then take a Ryan Air flight to your UK destination. Irish customs tend not to ask many questions, and then the flight into the UK from there is considered domestic so no customs to go through.

His passport (him) will be flagged as having been denied entry to the UK so I doubt it would work.

I don't even get stamped half the time going through. Then again, it could be because my last name is as Irish as the day is long (and I look it to boot) and they think I'm visiting relatives or something.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 11:58:00

Advice please?

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 11:39:00

QUOTE (rkl57 @ Apr 15 2008, 01:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh it was kinda like that back then too, it was all part of the charm. Maybe it's got sketchier though

I just looked Berlin's on Citysearch. Under the "cons" section someone wrote "not a place for the shy or unfabulous"

I'll have to go to Prince night (as in Purple Rain)...that sounds like a lot of fun.

I once saw a Cher impersonator walk out of Berlin.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 13:25:00

QUOTE (rkl57 @ Apr 15 2008, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Apr 15 2008, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (rkl57 @ Apr 15 2008, 11:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought that it had closed, but I have not been to Chi-town in a few years. I never knew anyone who went there (or so they claimed anyway, lol). Back in the day, my mother was in town for my cousin's wedding out in the suburbs and we got back to my Lakeview apartment at something like 2am and wanted something to eat. Now where would be open at that time? Gay IHOP! I think she found the experience very educational.

I currently live in Lakeview myself, and I take friends from out of town there more for the experience than anything else. There are certain requirements for going to the Big Gay IHOP:

1) You must have a blood alcohol level of at least 2.0
2) It must be after 2 am
3) You must be able to put up with the state of the bathroom during the inevitable bathroom breaks.

I don't spend as much time anymore as my friend who lived on Grace and Broadway has moved away, but I still like to go there on the odd night. Clarks is a bit closer for me, but it can be uber-hipster.

So when did you live in Chi-town? And did you ever indulge in the deliciousness of cinnamon rolls from Ann Sather?

Ann Sather! (starts weeping at the thought of the cinammon rolls) I loved Ann Sather

I lived in Chicago from 1993-1996 - so that was back in the dark ages (or so it seems). I lived on the corner of Oakdale and Clarke.

LOL at the Big Gay IHOP rules - when I took mom, I was drunk but she was sober. Is Berlin's still there? That was the favored destination for going and shaking your booty to Erasure with the gays back in the day.

Oh Berlin certainly is open. I live pretty much around the corner from it...I'm about Sheffield and School (but I'll be moving in a month up to Rogers Park). We get a lot of "romantic trysts" from "couples" that meet there in the alley next to me if you know what I mean. I don't know how it was in the mid 90's but it is a really sketchy bar now, and you certainly want to watch your drink when you are in there.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 12:56:00

QUOTE (rkl57 @ Apr 15 2008, 11:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 12:04:00

QUOTE (rkl57 @ Apr 14 2008, 12:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Gay IHOP! Just reading that sentence made me miss my Chicago days of a long time ago. I remember the Gay IHOP as the destination of choice for those who spent the evening drinking at The Closet or Manhole (now closed, I believe)

The Closet is still there, but I'm not 100% if The Manhole is. I agree there is nothing tastier at 3 am than the pigs in a blanket served to you by a queen wearing rouge and eyeshadow.

QUOTE

That has to be the best club name ever - The Manhole.

Yeah the Machine Shop is just down the street from the Big Gay IHOP too lol. I'm sure THAT place has a leather room!

Edited by ginger1981, 15 April 2008 - 11:50 AM.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 11:49:00

QUOTE (Thomas F @ Apr 13 2008, 09:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (lisalu100 @ Mar 28 2008, 06:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now, don't you guys think Tesco is more like Giant? We have two giants near us. One is like a regular Tesco, the other one we call Gucci Giant. It's like a Tesco Extra. And it's only 15 days now until I can get in my new car and use my new Tomtom to find my way to Wegman's.... Wegman's is like a cross between Waitrose, and the Selfridges's food hall. Yum yum yum!!! Toshtishtash and I like to get halloumi cheese there...!

Gucci Giant. Love it. You are all making me miss the US tremendously.

In Washington (DC) we had Safeway. So there was the Social Safeway (posh Georgetown), the Soviet Safeway (northeast, never anything on the shelf), the UnSafeway (southeast, bad neighborhood), and the Gayway (Dupont Circle....you figure it out.) There is something about naming each branch that makes the chains not feel so soul-less.

Can anyone explain to me the English obsession with chain stores? I've been in London for two years and keep trying to find a neighborhood with some originality...they all feel like highway exits in the US...same restaurants, same liquor stores, same pharmacies, same bars. Depressing and a little bit weird.

Homesick American.

In Chicago realm of IHOP's (International House of Pancakes) we have the Big Gay IHOP in Boystown. I guess we are missing the GayWay...as the only grocery store in the neighborhood is Jewel.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-14 15:29:00

Sometimes you'll find things in the oddest of places too. I went into a corner store up the street from me (that I had previously never been into) and found a whole range of Irish foods. They had imported sausages and rashers, walkers and taytos, a variety of McVite's digestives, steak pies, and just about every Cadbury product (along with some of the British Nestle products...yummm aeros) imaginable. Very strange as I think this small store has almost as much variety as World Market when it comes to food from that part of the world.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-14 14:14:00

Primark -
M&S - There really isn't anything like it as you don't see department stores w/ groceries in it here. But I would say if you are talking about M&S Simply Foods Whole Foods would be close or perhaps Wild Oats.
Tesco - I agree Super Target or Super Wal-Mart. Depending where you live a Shop-Ko or Pamida would be similar as well.
Next/Monsoon - You have no shortage of shopping. If you live in an urban/suburban area you'll find plenty of shops like that. I believe most of them have been mentioned but I'll throw Delia's and Mango into the mix.
Wagamama - The only places I really see franchised Chinese is at malls. Most restaurants are family owned by first/second generation immigrants.
Jessops - Ritz Camera
Woolworths - I think Target/Wal-Mart/Shopko/Pamida would be close enough
Debenhams - Von Mauer/Macy's/Bloomingdales/Sak 5th Avenue/Dillards/Younkers/Herbergers/Nordstroms/JC Penney - I think I covered a good most department stores here
The Body Shop - They are in the US as mentioned previously, as is Crabtree & Evelyn. Also try Bath & Body Works
Traidcraft - Ten Thousand Villages
Threshers - I agree with World Market, also Pier One
Med Kitchen - Mediterranean food isn't quite as popular in the US right now, however there is a small chain in Chicago called Roti that is quite tasty.
Paperchase - Papyrus/Crane & Co.
Yo! Sushi - in Chicago Tokyo Lunch Box is a good option

Most cities have a good selection of Irish pubs to choose from. The only chain like O'Neill's I can think of is Fado's over here. English pubs are few and far between...there is a chain called Fox and Hound that might be in your area.

Edited by ginger1981, 26 March 2008 - 11:26 AM.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-03-26 11:24:00

Affidavit of Support

QUOTE (SnowyTater @ Apr 17 2008, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So what happens if you don't have enough evidence at the interview, do they just have an interview stage RFE sort of thing and reschedule it, or is it worse than that? I guess that's still pretty bad if you have to travel...meh I really need to hit my mom up for tax stuff. I don't know how difficult that is for her to get, just didn't wanna bug her again. I'm lame and barely understand what a W-2 is.

I read on the London Embassy site the other day that you're not allowed to bring people with you. But it also said that they don't let people wait around outside their building so not to show up more than 30 minutes ahead of time, and that you'll have to wait outside and not inside.
I think it sounds like people do have to wait outside, but the 30 minutes thing...just makes it sound like they're gonna arrest you if you're there or something

I don't think they enforce a lot of these rules. I guess it really is just luck.

Ask your mom if her tax preparer has a pdf of her returns. That way she can just email them to you. I emailed mine to my fiance.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-28 13:48:00

irn bru

Yeah no luck with Irn Bru in Chicago yet. It's easy to find a lot of Irish products but when it comes to Scottish...it's a bit more difficult. I think my DF will be ordering it online! Speaking of which...in 5 weeks he'll be all moved over here (might buy some online to surprise him with when he arrives!)

As for Nebraska...I'm sorry Debz I don't think you're going to have much luck! You might try to see if any of the Irish stores in Omaha happen to sell it...

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-28 13:06:00

You know you're living in America and not the UK when...

QUOTE (Mags @ Apr 10 2008, 08:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When people ask me if I'm Irish because I have red hair and blue eyes. #######?

I get that all the time...well because I am part Irish!

But my background is more English than anything

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-29 11:51:00

You know you're living in America and not the UK when...

QUOTE (NickyMcMillan @ Apr 7 2008, 11:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Don_Joy @ Apr 7 2008, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, American guy here!

I don't get the soccer (football), When I was in school I played it all the time and I loved it. But to watch it being played is like watching paint dry. No one ever scores points!

How can this be enjoyable?

I've never understood what's so exciting about American "football". Takes like an hour to get from one end of the field to the other!!

I went and saw the Denver Broncos, never been so bored in all my life.

Yeah but how is a game exciting when no one wins...just draws...m'dear? :-p You can either win or lose in my opinion!

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-29 11:19:00

You know you're living in America and not the UK when...

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 15 2008, 09:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here is a selection of odd place names around the world. Some are funny lol

Beaver Crossing - Nebraska
Possum Trot - Missouri
####### - Ireland
Road Head - England (I think it is basically a pub and a couple houses)

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-15 11:53:00

You know you're living in America and not the UK when...

QUOTE (Jeraly @ Apr 14 2008, 02:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Apr 14 2008, 08:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (catrocks @ Apr 7 2008, 07:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

..... you see a commercial for medication for genital herpes at 5pm

..... you're repeatedly asked to spell any word with an 'r' in it

..... when you order water in a restaurant you never know what you'll end up with!

I always thought to myself ...if I was an actress, would I really want to be the face of genital herpes? Just a hypothetical question...

LMAO... I sometimes wonder that too!!!

Also...

... you see "lube" shops on every street corner

... you need to go to "liquor stores" and "smoke shops" to get cigarettes and alcohol

(yeah yeah, I know you get them in grocery stores too but still

)

I have some instances of an "Aunt Fanny" in the family tree...

I found a pleasant little restaurant in Newcastle near St. Jame's Park that had me in stitches with it's name:

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-14 15:23:00

You know you're living in America and not the UK when...

QUOTE (TracyTN @ Apr 14 2008, 08:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (The Red Baron @ Apr 14 2008, 05:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Being in a queue at walmart and the guy infront is buying guns and ammo

I still remember hubby's first experience at Walmart where he saw the guns and ammo for sale. He about croaked!

I used to work at a sporting goods store (Scheel's for all you upper Midwesterners) and I worked in the "gift lodge" which sold rustic home furnishings and such. We had a wedding registry that mainly was for people who wanted to decorate their home "rustic style." However, one day I had a guy come in and ask to sign up for the registry...which was unusual since it was usually a woman or couples that did that.

Anyways, after an hour he came back with his registry. I kid you not, the registry was mainly guns, ammo and fishing gear LMAO!!!

And don't get me started on my stories of working at the Cabela's call center. I remember I had a paraplegic guy call once and during the order he told me the story of how he liked to take pot shots at squirrels from his back deck since he couldn't use a tree stand anymore!

Edited by ginger1981, 14 April 2008 - 02:32 PM.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-14 14:29:00

You know you're living in America and not the UK when...

QUOTE (catrocks @ Apr 7 2008, 07:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I always thought to myself ...if I was an actress, would I really want to be the face of genital herpes? Just a hypothetical question...

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-14 14:25:00

tax returns

I just sent in the signed copies of my 1040. Seemed to work as Nicky got approved today!

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-30 10:05:00

Chip and pin on US credit cards

QUOTE (rkl57 @ Apr 29 2008, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Guys - if you are using a US credit card in the UK are you still okay if you do not have a chip and pin number?

I was in the UK last week, yes your CC is fine. However I typically give my card to the associate and they manually put in the number.

Some places in London (like M&S) have a swipe thing on the register...I imagine they get enough American tourists that they have one to have the lines go faster.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-30 09:55:00

USPS suck

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 30 2008, 01:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Apr 30 2008, 05:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 30 2008, 11:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Apr 30 2008, 04:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Apr 29 2008, 06:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 07:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have just found out that USPS have it in hand now. Bit of luck it will be there today.

For time sensitive documents if the extra cost doesn't put you of, you might consider Fed Ex or UPS.

When we purchased our US house the papers had to be signed in front of a US notary public, so we had to go to the US Embassy in London. We did that on a Wednesday morning walked to the nearest Fed Ex office and the signed documents were delivered to the title company in Oregon 10.30am the next day.

Lol. I live in the back of beyond in the far north of Scotland. 1 post office is all we have. Wishful thinking of having Fedex up here.

That is what I love about Scotland...lots of gorgeous wide open spaces. My lovely lives in Berwick upon Tweed (technically on the other side of the border) and I love visiting and getting out into the rural backwoods.

I take it all you have is the postbus eh?

Lol not quite the post bus but they do on the west coast. We only have 1 main road to the south and a small airport. I live near John O Groats so it aint too bad. Nearest biggest town is Inverness. 110 miles south. If i remember im sure i seen a UPS van in Inverness.

Wow up by John O'Groats? I've always wanted to go there...is there much to speak of (enough to warrant a visit for a day or two)?

I'm pretty sure UPS is in Inverness. Lovely city...a few years ago I accidently left my handbag at the bus station there while boarding a bus to Eilean Donan. It had everything in there...my passport, credit cards, camera, and my phone. I didn't realize I lost it until we got to the west coast, and when we got back at night it was gone. The next day, just as we were about to board a bus to Edinburgh to go to the US embassy, my fiance gets a call on his cell. Well one of the bus drivers for Rapson's had found my bag and turned it into the company, and the receptionist was smart enough to turn on my phone and see who I last called. We went straight there, and my bag...and all the possessions therin...were in good order.

Since I've had a rather high opinion of the highland people. If I'd lost that bag in Glasgow the first ned to have come along would have taken it!

Eilean Donan Castle, lovely place. Thats where i proposed to Lara. Inverness is a lovely town, the gateway to the Highlands, even though its classed as a city now. Lol Glasgow wouldnt be the best place to leave anything. The city is over run by Neds and pain in the backside youngsters.

As much as I despise neds, they do crack me up all the same.

Neds Fighting

This video always slays me. It's really the worst fight ever recorded...the one ned runs around like a ninny half the time.

Edited by ginger1981, 30 April 2008 - 03:10 PM.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-30 15:09:00

USPS suck

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 30 2008, 11:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Apr 30 2008, 04:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Apr 29 2008, 06:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 07:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have just found out that USPS have it in hand now. Bit of luck it will be there today.

Lol. I live in the back of beyond in the far north of Scotland. 1 post office is all we have. Wishful thinking of having Fedex up here.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-30 11:22:00

USPS suck

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Apr 29 2008, 06:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (william_wallace @ Apr 29 2008, 07:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have just found out that USPS have it in hand now. Bit of luck it will be there today.

Lol. I live in the back of beyond in the far north of Scotland. 1 post office is all we have. Wishful thinking of having Fedex up here.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-30 10:42:00

Approved!

QUOTE (Damian&Kelly @ Apr 30 2008, 02:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (julezabelle @ Apr 30 2008, 01:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Congrats you two!!

And yes, the notarized letter of intent is required when the NOA2 has expired, i.e. 4 months from approval date. Otherwise they don't even typically asked for a renewed letter of intent.

Relax, people! Deep breaths!!

Congrats Nicky!!!!

and thanks for clearing that up! I got very scared! Interview is Friday!

Even if you need it notarized it's not a big deal, as all I have to do is send a new one to Nicky who then sends it with his passport to the embassy. The only thing that sucks is the cost of sending the document international express...but that is relatively a small price to pay in the whole scheme of things.

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-30 14:12:00

Approved!

QUOTE (Robyn-n-Kris @ Apr 30 2008, 11:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Apr 30 2008, 10:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I forgot who keeps the list of the approvals, but you can add me and Nicky.McMillan to the list! Apparently the only question they asked him was how we met. He waited an hour and a half just for that!

Anyways, there is one hitch...I had to give him a letter stating that we still intended to marry when I was in the UK last week. Apparently, they wanted this notarized as well. I don't recall seeing that needing to be done anywhere on here before...is this something new that the embassy is doing? (It's not a big deal, I'm just printing it off again and express mailing it...and I happen to work at a company that has a large legal department with several notaries that will do it for free).

Gratz....

but...um.. huh? Your second letter of intent has to be notarized??? did anyone else run into this??? I didn't see this stated anywhere and the one Kris has from me isn't.

I'd never seen it written anywhere myself. I wonder if it had something to do with our case being expired (since it had been in the pipeline for so long)?

ginger1981

Female

United Kingdom

2008-04-30 11:23:00