As most of you know Jerry Falwell passed away last week. I felt like I should write a blog about the legacy he left behind...but I recently read this little compilation of a few of his quotes and thought they spoke louder than any words I could write... So check it out...
http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/morford/
Monday, May 21, 2007
Jerry Falwell
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
364 days....
364 days....'til I have to leave New Zealand...*grin*
It appears that Chris' call did some good because 3 hours later they approved my application...LOL I guess someone put in a call to the caseworker and said we were throwing a fit. It just makes me even more sure there was something going on there...
So this is AWESOME news!! Once my passport comes back from my name change we'll be able to start processing Chris' paperwork to come to the US!!! YAY!!!! *does a happy dance*
It appears that Chris' call did some good because 3 hours later they approved my application...LOL I guess someone put in a call to the caseworker and said we were throwing a fit. It just makes me even more sure there was something going on there...
So this is AWESOME news!! Once my passport comes back from my name change we'll be able to start processing Chris' paperwork to come to the US!!! YAY!!!! *does a happy dance*
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
29 days....
This morning Chris called Immigration Services as soon as they opened to find out WTF they were doing because their actions don't jive with the procedures in their operations manual.....
The guy on the phone tried to give us some song and dance about how there's a cue (yup, improper usage, but I can't remember how to spell the right one) and my application has been it that for a while and so March 28th was the day they got it, not the day it started processing. April 18th is when it was assigned a case worker and started processing and May 2nd is when they sent off the medical check to be reviewed. No matter what we tried to tell the guy on the phone he kept insisting that was what happened and nothing odd is going on. He also said we have nothing to worry about because they wouldn't kick me out of the country anyways...if I have an application processing which they received in plenty of time and it's not been decided on by the time my permit expires I'll be fine and don't have to leave... I can wait 'til they've made a decision.
Interesting story....but it's SUCH bull shit! Why do I say that? Because...my case had a caseworker weeks ago and it wasn't the person he named had it this morning. How do we know that if they don't automatically tell you? Because Chris and I were having this debate weeks ago about when to send off my passport to have the name changed on it. I thought we needed to wait 'til after they appoved my permit extension because I expected to have to undergo more tests (like the doc that did my medical check expected) and I'd need my passport for identification...also I didn't think it would be good to change passport numbers on them in case they tried to verify my passport and it came up invalid. But Chris thought as long as we let them know of the change it would be fine. So we called Immigration NZ to ask about it and the woman we talked to said there would be no problem sending it off (since it would be back within 2 weeks) and that when we got it back to just send a fax to our caseworker stating the change in my name and passport number....so she gave us the fax number and the name of the caseworker processing my case, along with exactly what to say in the fax. That was around mid-April (although I can't remember the exact date) and I swear it was before the 18th of April.... The caseworker they claim has it now was not the same one that had it then....
So why the change? They won't admit there was a change... And why is it when we called weeks back when we were trying to figure out which permit to apply for that the woman on the phone commented on the fact that we had to allow adequete time for processing since I had a limited amount of time until my permit expired and I wouldn't be allowed to remain in the country while they made a decision on it? So we chose the faster process (applying for an extension) in hopes it would process in time? And why do they state that very thing repeatedly on their website, but yet tell us something completely contradictory on the phone this morning?
I know, I know, maybe it's my imagination working overtime, but I don't think so... There are just too many things that don't line up...too much that they're refusing to comment on or acknowledge.. The guy on the phone told us that he expected to hear a decision on my case in the next week, so to call back this time next week to find out what the status of my case is.
And then there's the matter of am email I got at 11:30 this morning from Immigration NZ (3 hours after calling them) notifying me I've had a change of status... I'm not logging on to their website to check exactly WHAT that is until Chris gets home....to keep me from calling and yelling at them if it's more BS...LOL
The guy on the phone this morning started sounding exasperated according to Chris who was being the middle person between the guy and me... He'd tell Chris something and Chris would say "Okay, one moment while I pass that on to my wife..." and then say whatever the guy said... Guess he got tired of having messages passed back and forth...but oh, he doesn't realise the good deed Chris was doing for him by being in the middle...because you all know how I get when I'm mad, it's justified, and I'm well versed in my facts on the matter... Like I said... Hell hath no fury like a pissed off Tiara!
The guy on the phone tried to give us some song and dance about how there's a cue (yup, improper usage, but I can't remember how to spell the right one) and my application has been it that for a while and so March 28th was the day they got it, not the day it started processing. April 18th is when it was assigned a case worker and started processing and May 2nd is when they sent off the medical check to be reviewed. No matter what we tried to tell the guy on the phone he kept insisting that was what happened and nothing odd is going on. He also said we have nothing to worry about because they wouldn't kick me out of the country anyways...if I have an application processing which they received in plenty of time and it's not been decided on by the time my permit expires I'll be fine and don't have to leave... I can wait 'til they've made a decision.
Interesting story....but it's SUCH bull shit! Why do I say that? Because...my case had a caseworker weeks ago and it wasn't the person he named had it this morning. How do we know that if they don't automatically tell you? Because Chris and I were having this debate weeks ago about when to send off my passport to have the name changed on it. I thought we needed to wait 'til after they appoved my permit extension because I expected to have to undergo more tests (like the doc that did my medical check expected) and I'd need my passport for identification...also I didn't think it would be good to change passport numbers on them in case they tried to verify my passport and it came up invalid. But Chris thought as long as we let them know of the change it would be fine. So we called Immigration NZ to ask about it and the woman we talked to said there would be no problem sending it off (since it would be back within 2 weeks) and that when we got it back to just send a fax to our caseworker stating the change in my name and passport number....so she gave us the fax number and the name of the caseworker processing my case, along with exactly what to say in the fax. That was around mid-April (although I can't remember the exact date) and I swear it was before the 18th of April.... The caseworker they claim has it now was not the same one that had it then....
So why the change? They won't admit there was a change... And why is it when we called weeks back when we were trying to figure out which permit to apply for that the woman on the phone commented on the fact that we had to allow adequete time for processing since I had a limited amount of time until my permit expired and I wouldn't be allowed to remain in the country while they made a decision on it? So we chose the faster process (applying for an extension) in hopes it would process in time? And why do they state that very thing repeatedly on their website, but yet tell us something completely contradictory on the phone this morning?
I know, I know, maybe it's my imagination working overtime, but I don't think so... There are just too many things that don't line up...too much that they're refusing to comment on or acknowledge.. The guy on the phone told us that he expected to hear a decision on my case in the next week, so to call back this time next week to find out what the status of my case is.
And then there's the matter of am email I got at 11:30 this morning from Immigration NZ (3 hours after calling them) notifying me I've had a change of status... I'm not logging on to their website to check exactly WHAT that is until Chris gets home....to keep me from calling and yelling at them if it's more BS...LOL
The guy on the phone this morning started sounding exasperated according to Chris who was being the middle person between the guy and me... He'd tell Chris something and Chris would say "Okay, one moment while I pass that on to my wife..." and then say whatever the guy said... Guess he got tired of having messages passed back and forth...but oh, he doesn't realise the good deed Chris was doing for him by being in the middle...because you all know how I get when I'm mad, it's justified, and I'm well versed in my facts on the matter... Like I said... Hell hath no fury like a pissed off Tiara!
Monday, May 14, 2007
30 days...
30 days....
That's how long I have left on my visa here....
48 days....
That's how long Immigration New Zealand has been processing my extension....the one that will allow me to legally remain in this country through the end of the year.
I've been through this process before to stay here past September of last year...it took them around 2 weeks to approve my extension then.
So why the long wait now? Because this time I had to have a medical check done as well...and there were some issues that came up, so we expected for them to have to send off the medical check for yet another independent review before requesting me to undergo more tests. Such a process would have taken around 4 weeks (according to their website) in addition to the average processing time for a visa extension.
So why is it that I haven't heard a thing after 7 weeks? And why is it that when I logged onto my account with Immigration Services in the hopes that I could find something out, that I find that my processing dates have been changed? I was notified on the 28th of March that they had received my application and it was processing....and my account always reflected that. But now it says they didn't receive it until the 18th of April??? The same date they said they received my medical check....even though they actually received it along with my other paperwork on March 28th! And now the date of receiving my medical check (which they claimed was the 18th of April) their site now says was received May 2nd!! May fucking 2nd? What the FUCK is going on??
I want to know who the fuck is changing the dates...and why. Is it to make it look like I didn't send my application in with enough time for processing?? Is it so that when we call to register a complaint they can say it's our fault and they are just doing their job within the estimated time they already state? Is someone fixing the books to look good, or covering their ass because they didn't send off my medical check for an additional review when they were supposed to??? Why haven't I received any email telling me someone fucked with all the dates?? They're sitting in their fucking little office with a stack of files that represent peoples LIVES! You know, I might be some little name on their list, but to me this means being forced to be apart from Chris...we've been married for less than 5 months!
I don't know what to do... I can't call and talk to the person who's reviewing my case...and they won't grant an emergency extension just to allow me to stay in the country 'til they approve or deny my application.... And now they've fucked with the dates it's been processing for???? I'd expect something like this from the US government...and I'd have the right to go sit at their offices and make a pain in the ass of myself...and I could write and call my congressman and senator...but here? I can't do anything here.... My hands are tied....
30 days....and counting....
That's how long I have left on my visa here....
48 days....
That's how long Immigration New Zealand has been processing my extension....the one that will allow me to legally remain in this country through the end of the year.
I've been through this process before to stay here past September of last year...it took them around 2 weeks to approve my extension then.
So why the long wait now? Because this time I had to have a medical check done as well...and there were some issues that came up, so we expected for them to have to send off the medical check for yet another independent review before requesting me to undergo more tests. Such a process would have taken around 4 weeks (according to their website) in addition to the average processing time for a visa extension.
So why is it that I haven't heard a thing after 7 weeks? And why is it that when I logged onto my account with Immigration Services in the hopes that I could find something out, that I find that my processing dates have been changed? I was notified on the 28th of March that they had received my application and it was processing....and my account always reflected that. But now it says they didn't receive it until the 18th of April??? The same date they said they received my medical check....even though they actually received it along with my other paperwork on March 28th! And now the date of receiving my medical check (which they claimed was the 18th of April) their site now says was received May 2nd!! May fucking 2nd? What the FUCK is going on??
I want to know who the fuck is changing the dates...and why. Is it to make it look like I didn't send my application in with enough time for processing?? Is it so that when we call to register a complaint they can say it's our fault and they are just doing their job within the estimated time they already state? Is someone fixing the books to look good, or covering their ass because they didn't send off my medical check for an additional review when they were supposed to??? Why haven't I received any email telling me someone fucked with all the dates?? They're sitting in their fucking little office with a stack of files that represent peoples LIVES! You know, I might be some little name on their list, but to me this means being forced to be apart from Chris...we've been married for less than 5 months!
I don't know what to do... I can't call and talk to the person who's reviewing my case...and they won't grant an emergency extension just to allow me to stay in the country 'til they approve or deny my application.... And now they've fucked with the dates it's been processing for???? I'd expect something like this from the US government...and I'd have the right to go sit at their offices and make a pain in the ass of myself...and I could write and call my congressman and senator...but here? I can't do anything here.... My hands are tied....
30 days....and counting....
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Shift Happens
Hey, thought this was interesting... Check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHWTLA8WecI
This video was done by Karl Fisch: http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/08/did-you-know.html
He lists his sources at: http://www.lps.k12.co.us/schools/arapahoe/fisch/didyouknow/sourcesfordidyouknow.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHWTLA8WecI
This video was done by Karl Fisch: http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/08/did-you-know.html
He lists his sources at: http://www.lps.k12.co.us/schools/arapahoe/fisch/didyouknow/sourcesfordidyouknow.pdf
Thursday, November 30, 2006
The gods have smiled upon me....
Yes indeed, the gods have smiled upon me.... How's that you say? Oh....let me tell you!!
I have FINALLY found a place that makes passable Mexican food here!!! *does a happy dance* The guys that run it are from Oregon, where their parents used to run the best Mexican restaurant in the state... I'd seen it before but I was skeptical, I'd had a traumatic experience at the last 'Mexican' place I'd tried here and so I was a bit nervous about trying this one. So I got online, checked out their website, found out it was run by 2 American guys, and so figured I'd give it a try. I mean, it's called MexiCali Fresh...so it's Mexican food California style...but at least that's better than New Zealand style (I still shudder at the thought of my meal at the last place).
So Chris and I went there yesterday. We walked in and OMG is smelled like a Mexican place...so my mouth was already watering. It's set up kind of like Moe's (you know..."Welcome to Moe's!!). You go along the line and tell them what all you want in your food...the taco salads were served in fried flour tortilla bowls (a good sign). We both got taco salads..and although it's a bit pricey ($12.95) it's not bad by NZ terms so.... They had refried beans, black beans, lime and cilantro rice, guacamole made with JUST avocado, garlic, salt, and lime (not the nasty stuff I run across here that looks like puke)...pico de gallo which they call salsa so people will eat it...LOL Jalapeno peppers, black olives, and best of all.....TOMATILLO SALSA (salsa verde)!! I was in heaven... They fry their own chips and such right in the restaurant...as all Mexican restaurants should. And they make the best American style margaritas..you know, the way they are supposed to be made...SWEET, not these odd concoctions you find around here made with lemon....and a wedge of lime in their authentic Mexican beer. Everyone else serves it with lemon, which is just so wrong! The proprietor was working the line last night so he's the one who served us and we were lamenting the atrocities commited against Mexican food in NZ...LOL He said he had a guy come in there and tell him he was serving the beer wrong, it was supposed to be with lemon, like the Mexicans drink it and he said he was like "Oh, okay, I guess they had it wrong all those years in Tijuana!" *evil grin* Ah...an American sense of humor.. something I haven't come across here much...LOL
The food was as good as it looked and smelled! Chris was just as impressed as I was...that fucker is gonna love the Mexican restaurants in the States... I was in absolute heaven... It's no Taco Bell, and it's not like the Mexican places you go to in the US, but OMG it's pure bliss in a land where you can't get decent Mexican food to save your soul!
So I had good dinner out, it was under $40.00 which is an accomplishment here, and I got a good dose of real Mexican food...or as close as you can get here. Yummy food and the pleasure of hearing an American accent...they have the T.V.'s in there tuned to American sports...LOL
*sighs* It's funny how such simple things can make you happy...
I have FINALLY found a place that makes passable Mexican food here!!! *does a happy dance* The guys that run it are from Oregon, where their parents used to run the best Mexican restaurant in the state... I'd seen it before but I was skeptical, I'd had a traumatic experience at the last 'Mexican' place I'd tried here and so I was a bit nervous about trying this one. So I got online, checked out their website, found out it was run by 2 American guys, and so figured I'd give it a try. I mean, it's called MexiCali Fresh...so it's Mexican food California style...but at least that's better than New Zealand style (I still shudder at the thought of my meal at the last place).
So Chris and I went there yesterday. We walked in and OMG is smelled like a Mexican place...so my mouth was already watering. It's set up kind of like Moe's (you know..."Welcome to Moe's!!). You go along the line and tell them what all you want in your food...the taco salads were served in fried flour tortilla bowls (a good sign). We both got taco salads..and although it's a bit pricey ($12.95) it's not bad by NZ terms so.... They had refried beans, black beans, lime and cilantro rice, guacamole made with JUST avocado, garlic, salt, and lime (not the nasty stuff I run across here that looks like puke)...pico de gallo which they call salsa so people will eat it...LOL Jalapeno peppers, black olives, and best of all.....TOMATILLO SALSA (salsa verde)!! I was in heaven... They fry their own chips and such right in the restaurant...as all Mexican restaurants should. And they make the best American style margaritas..you know, the way they are supposed to be made...SWEET, not these odd concoctions you find around here made with lemon....and a wedge of lime in their authentic Mexican beer. Everyone else serves it with lemon, which is just so wrong! The proprietor was working the line last night so he's the one who served us and we were lamenting the atrocities commited against Mexican food in NZ...LOL He said he had a guy come in there and tell him he was serving the beer wrong, it was supposed to be with lemon, like the Mexicans drink it and he said he was like "Oh, okay, I guess they had it wrong all those years in Tijuana!" *evil grin* Ah...an American sense of humor.. something I haven't come across here much...LOL
The food was as good as it looked and smelled! Chris was just as impressed as I was...that fucker is gonna love the Mexican restaurants in the States... I was in absolute heaven... It's no Taco Bell, and it's not like the Mexican places you go to in the US, but OMG it's pure bliss in a land where you can't get decent Mexican food to save your soul!
So I had good dinner out, it was under $40.00 which is an accomplishment here, and I got a good dose of real Mexican food...or as close as you can get here. Yummy food and the pleasure of hearing an American accent...they have the T.V.'s in there tuned to American sports...LOL
*sighs* It's funny how such simple things can make you happy...
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Now how did those get there!!!
I thought I would start blogging occasionally...so here goes the first entry!
Chris and I are walking through the grocery store last night....wondering aimlessly really...Chris was just having withdrawls...this particular store is a discount one and SOMEONE is addicted to it! So we go..and are roaming around, when I feel this lump in the leg of my jeans...along the calf...slowly sliding down.
(now mind you...I wear my jeans rather tight...they usually flare down around the bottom a bit...I HATE tapered jeans... And this particular pair I had just put on right before we left the house...I had been wearing running pants but the nights are too cool here to go out in them...)
Anyways.....so I stop walking and lean down to feel the lump and am trying to figure out what the hell it is when in dawns on me....it's the pair of underwear I had been wearing the last time I had the jeans on!!! (yes, I admit it, at times I wear my jeans twice before washing them..LOL)
ROFL!! Chris is looking at me funny now because I am trying to walk with my hand on my calf...and there's no way I can say "Honey, wait up, my underwear are falling out of my pants!!"
Chris stops walking by now and comes over to see if I'm alright and all these people are around and so I don't know what to do...so I'm stammering, trying to explain what's up when Chris kneels down to look at my leg... and all I can think is "OMG don't try and lift up my pant leg!!!"
So I try to angle my foot between Chris' knees so that I can reach down and ball the underwear up in my hands with no one seeing...and by then Chris realises what's up and is looking at me like I'm insane..LOL I balled up the pretty purple underwear and slipped them into the hand pocket thingy on my sweatshirt until I could walk a bit and slip them into my jeans pocket when no one was looking...
Yes....we laughed our way through the rest of the store...ROFL
So there you go! I am a dork! (which all my friends know....LOL) I figured some of my friends will find this highly amusing!
-Tiara
Chris and I are walking through the grocery store last night....wondering aimlessly really...Chris was just having withdrawls...this particular store is a discount one and SOMEONE is addicted to it! So we go..and are roaming around, when I feel this lump in the leg of my jeans...along the calf...slowly sliding down.
(now mind you...I wear my jeans rather tight...they usually flare down around the bottom a bit...I HATE tapered jeans... And this particular pair I had just put on right before we left the house...I had been wearing running pants but the nights are too cool here to go out in them...)
Anyways.....so I stop walking and lean down to feel the lump and am trying to figure out what the hell it is when in dawns on me....it's the pair of underwear I had been wearing the last time I had the jeans on!!! (yes, I admit it, at times I wear my jeans twice before washing them..LOL)
ROFL!! Chris is looking at me funny now because I am trying to walk with my hand on my calf...and there's no way I can say "Honey, wait up, my underwear are falling out of my pants!!"
Chris stops walking by now and comes over to see if I'm alright and all these people are around and so I don't know what to do...so I'm stammering, trying to explain what's up when Chris kneels down to look at my leg... and all I can think is "OMG don't try and lift up my pant leg!!!"
So I try to angle my foot between Chris' knees so that I can reach down and ball the underwear up in my hands with no one seeing...and by then Chris realises what's up and is looking at me like I'm insane..LOL I balled up the pretty purple underwear and slipped them into the hand pocket thingy on my sweatshirt until I could walk a bit and slip them into my jeans pocket when no one was looking...
Yes....we laughed our way through the rest of the store...ROFL
So there you go! I am a dork! (which all my friends know....LOL) I figured some of my friends will find this highly amusing!
-Tiara
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