MarkLuvsShuPing

Good topic Carl. I wasn't looking for a wife when I met ShuPing, I was just looking for cultural exchange. I was chatting with a girl from Greece, one from Iran and one from Thailand when this little Chinese gal caught my attention. My 1st wife was from Georgia, a real southern peach that turned out to be real trailer trash, my 2nd wife was from Brooklyn (or was it Bronx?), my 3rd wife was from Mexico and the most insecure and demanding person I've ever been around. Hell, I'm just working my way around the globe. Honestly, I fell in love with ShuPing, but I never meant to. When I considered marriage with her, I began to compare my impression of Chinese women and American women. I thought Chinese women would believe in family and committment more than American women, that she wouldn't be as materialistic and would be more emotionally stable. All of these were generalizations, but this and my feelings for her was enough for me to make the committment. I can be attracted to any type of woman, I've gone through phases, hair, body type, race and nationality. I found a woman, in ShuPing, that is beautiful, dedicated, honorable, intelligent, family-minded, ambitious, brave, strong, yet vulnerable, imperfect, and stable (just to name a few). I would've fallen for her if she'd been from Pluto. Either way, I've never been so sure of a love in my life. She is all that I've ever wanted in a woman, she just happens to be from China.

Another question. Is the Advanced Parole contingent on an emergency situation or an anticipated event or is it just something you can ask for if you want to take a trip back home?

Thanks fellas, that's what I needed to know.

My upcoming trip to China was supposed to be a whirlwind tour from Nanning to QiQiHaer. Due to finances, it's just going to be to Nanning. The reason we were going to QiQiHaer was to see her family, primarily, her mother. Mama is not in the best of health and ShuPing is afraid that if she comes to America, she won't be able to see mama again. She's afraid mama may die before she can come back. My qestion is, once the visa is approved and she's here, would there be a problem with her returning to China to visit mama before she aquired a green card or at least permanent status?

Dave, I got a bridge last year on a front tooth. They did a great job and, like Trigg, I eat anything I want. My dentist, Dr. Gilbert Vigil, probably the best in Denver, recommended the bridge over the implant because it would be stronger, but that may just be in my case. When I had the bridge done, the guy that made it said he could make it for about $200. The dentist charged me and my insurance $3100. He's going to make a killing on ShuPing's teeth.

Robert, you're welcome. The movie you're talking about is "Farewell My Concubine". It did get rave reviews, but I didn't like it as entertainment, though I did think it was a good depiction of the time period. Just a footnote to my earlier posting. The Bride With White Hair is a martial arts movie, old school, but very Chinese. If you don't care for those movies, don't bother with it. ShuPing and I saw a movie called "CellPhone" when I was over there. It was a pretty good flick, though I'm not sure you could get it here yet.

I just watched a wonderful movie a couple of nights ago called "Shadow Magic". It is about the first movie houses in China, or at least one that represents the first. A great historical period piece, especially for folks like us. I've done my best to get several Chinese films over the last year in an attempt to learn more about my wife's culture. I've seen some really good ones. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was the first and best, but here are some I'd recommend. The Road Home The Joy Luck Club The Bride With White Hair, 1 & 2 Musa The Warrior Netflix carries all of these. One I wouldn't recommend, I thought it was a terrible movie, but a good look at the history of Beijing opera; "Farewell My Concubine". It's worth a look, but not if you have something better to do. Anyone have any other recommendations?

Tony, The first thing I noticed about your post was that you were blaming her for not being able to sleep. I'm not saying you should blame yourself, but work on the problem together. You've gotten lots of ideas here, I've heard great things about the Sleep Comfort bed. Sleep apnea, boy I'd hate to have to sleep with a mask and air tank. I little wine before bed, hmmm, sounds like she might need a lot of wine, hell, just dose her up with sleeping pills, only kidding. Seperate beds? In another house maybe. OK, here's my 2 cents. Your wife is a light sleeper, noise wakes her up right away, she has to train herself to accept a little noise, some white noise. I live 1/4 mile from a busy train crossing, I get blasted several times a night by the train horn. One of the ways I get over that is by playing some soft music or a hypnosis tape. (More about hypnosis later). It doesn't have to be music, but I want something that will cover up the sound of the train horn. If music is too much for her, try an appliance that maintains the same sound all night, white noise. Window A/C's fluctuate, but a fan or a humidifier will be a constant noise that drowns out other noises. Once she gets used to it, she won't notice other sounds, like you getting up to get a midnight snack. White noise won't be enough to cover up the snoring though. That's something you do and something you'll have to fix. My hypnotherapy instructor swore that he trained himself, through hypnosis, not to snore. He claimed that snoring is not a natural state anyway, it's a reflection of being too tired. I'd recommend seeing a hypnotherapist to stop snoring. It's not common to think of this, but hypnosis isn't just for losing weight or to quit smoking. I'd also recommend that your wife try it so that she can sleep better. I've never treated someone for snoring, but I have treated people for better sleep and it does work. One tool that is useful and is like white noise also, is a tape or CD of subliminal relaxation, it'll usually have the sound of the ocean or something like that. I found one on Snoring just now. Here's one for better sleeping, you guys might want to try these out. Otherwise, practice the sleeper hold on her, make her pass out and voila!, problem solved.

Hey! We don't need no stinkin' ice cream test, we got Dave!

It pegged me pretty well, it said I appear mysterious because I don't often share my feelings. Am I a mystery?

Thanks Dave, always good to know you've got support. True Kim, if only I had known before.

Hey, I wonder if I can smuggle ShuPing into the country, use her as my personal sex slave, and get caught and then they'll give her a visa!

Thanks Gene, yes I found that out today, but my info's not there.

Thanks for the positive encouragement, Gene. I hope you're right. I just got off the phone with a CIS rep and she said that I would have to send a letter to Nebraska to let them know I had sent it to the wrong place. Otherwise, they would process it as a K1 visa and once ShuPing got to the interview they would find out we were married and deny the visa. However, when I told her that the reciept number began with MSC, she told me that Nebraska had forwarded it to Missouri. WHEW!!! Now, the other thing is, I wanted to check the status of the petition while I was on the phone. When I keyed the number in, I was told there was no record of it. I told the service rep about this and she took my info and was going to send in a request to put the status into the computer. I'm supposed to hear something within 30 days. Damn, I feel squirrely about this stuff.

#&*%$@!!! That's what happens when you use the same form for 2 different things and have it sent to 2 different places. Thanks Don, I'll call them 1st thing in the morning.

No, I sent it to Nebraska, they sent an NOA saying that they had it. Wasn't I supposed to send it to them, remember this is for a K3.

I looked in the FAQ for this, but couldn't find anything. We should have, not only a list of the forms that are needed for K1 and K3 (which we do have), but also the order they are submitted. My I-129F packet is in Nebraska, but while I'm waiting for it to be approved and sent to NVC, I'd like to know what I'll need to submit next so I can have it ready to go. A one day turn around would be perfect. Maybe I've got the wrong impression though. Will I be asked for anymore forms before P2 goes to GZ? or, to put it another way, Are there anymore forms to fill out before ShuPing gets P3 from GZ? Thaks

Oh yeah, I love the King's Dark Tower series, I just finished "Song of Susannah". Praise God and the man Jesus, there's only one more book to go for the ending. When he's done, I think I'll start all over and re-read the whole set.

Sarah Brightman, who knew the fat lady singing opera could be a stone fox in reality? Ave Maria never looked better. Hmmm, maybe I'll re-watch that video and eat some Cheetos.

Music is the universal language. Regardless of other differences, most people can find commonality in music.

Another, "Let's get to know each other" topic. (Some of you asked for non-political stuff, now you got it). "I love music, any kind of music", I listen to damn near everything. So it's difficult for me to say who my favorite is. Growing up I liked The Doors and Jethro Tull, most album rock. I still love Jethro Tull, but hardly ever listen to The Doors. When it comes to country, I like the oldies, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn. Some of the new stuff is good, but it's not the pure country of the oldies, with the exception of Alan Jackson, Geoge Strait and Randy Travis. They aren't "oldies", but they aren't newbies either. I do like some of the new guys, but they don't have the cheatin' and drinkin' and cryin' down like the old guys. While Rap, hip-hop and RnB are different categories, they do fit into a general heading. I like the rawness and sleaze of rap and hip-hop. Snoop, DMX, Ludacris, Outkast have some pretty good stuff. It's hard for me to morally support their brand of trash, but I still like it. As for RnB, I love a tight funk groove, I can be flipping through stations on the radio and hit that certain beat and I'm mesmerized. Anything from the old school of James Brown to new stuff, if it has that beat, I gots to move my feet. Sam Getz to the Gipsy Kings to Buckwheat Zydeco to Motzart to Lincoln Park to Bob Wills, I love it all. And since we're on CFL - listen to Coco Lee, beautiful with a voice that puts most American divas to shame. Movies, easy. My all-time favorites are True Grit, Unforgiven and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I like a lot of movies, but I'm more selective about what I watch. TV - the Spranos, the various Star Treks, VH1 stuff, Fox News, the History Channel How's that for a non-political topic?

ShuPing and I are both spiritual, she's Buddhist and I'm Popeye-ist (I yam what I yam). We agree that God or Shen has something to do with getting us together.

I'm hoping it will be December, possibly January when ShuPing arrives so I can take her to an ice packed, vacant parking lot. I'll show her how to do 360's and fishtails. Growing up in Florida, I never had the joy of wreckless abandon on an icy parking lot, but when I was about 13 my dad took me down a mud slick road through a marsh, to show me how to handle fish tailing and an out of control car. We were sliding all over this road/marsh, kicking up mud and muck 30' in the air behind us when we came up on a parked car. The four feet in the windshield of that car quickly turned into two heads and it didn't take them long to find somewhere else to be. I can only hope to take ShuPing on such a ride.

I guess elopment is out of the question? The only way to go here Kim, drink more snake wine than the old man. You gotta drink him under the table, him and anyone else that tries to keep up with you. That appears to be the way I earned the respect of my new family. The very first day, I slammed the first "shot" and kept going until I'd had a drink with everyone and ArGuo (2nd brother) was passed out. Fortunately TeGuo (1st brother) had to work later, so he slowed down after a few, he's the heavy drinker in the family. Nevertheless, I won everyone's respect. As far as the aunt on the train goes, thouroughly kiss Fei for the first 5 mins or so, I doubt the aunt will say two words to you after that. You'll have the whole rest of the trip virtually alone with Fei. Of course you'll have to drink the aunt under the table too, later on. Just my 2 jiao.

Great news Sam and Nicola! I really enjoyed your story about how you met and now how she got the visa. Right on! Keep in touch and don't forget your CFL family, even when yuo get back to LA. WHOOOOOOHEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!