As of two days ago when we held Felix's Permanent Resident ID in our hands it was and is finally official! We can both breathe easily knowing that the biggest hurdles have been overcome. In two years we apply to remove the conditional status then after that it's time for full-fledge citizenship.
We've both been feeling kind of overcome with all the possibilities and it put us in overdrive for trying to make a lot of things happen at once.
First on our list, Felix contacted Sac State to change his residency status since he was admitted for the fall. Guess what? The CSU system goes off the entire year prior to Sept 20th when establishing residency. After further doing our research and lots of vague responses from both Sac State and FAFSA we've figured this out to mean he is NOT eligible for financial aid until next Fall semester. Further digging on my part though has shown that community colleges are much more lenient with their residency standards which takes us to the second item on our list.
Felix can finally do CRC's EMT program like he's been wanting to. He's all signed up to do the American Red Cross' CPR Certification for the Professional Rescuer since it's a prerequisite for the EMT program. He's pretty stoked though I can't get that excited about 9 hours of anything let alone learning how to resuscitate people. He'll probably do the EMT class instead of going to Sac State since we'd be on our own for funding either expenditure. 6 units at $36/unit ($216 total) beats 6 units at $1769 total. Fo'get you, CSU system.
Third... we're working on replacing Felix's Mazda, may it rest in peace. We're buying my niece's Civic which Felix is excited about. Lemme tell you, I am excited too, but spending $3000 was not in my summer plans as I wanted to move to a bigger apartment! Still, it's a fantastic deal and we love the thought of getting a car from a well-known owner. Plus it's nice enough to last for a good long while. The thought of paying for both our auto insurance makes me wanna hit my head on something hard. Felix went and got his permit at DMV this past week and his driving test is coming up. May I please point out that the BEST part of him driving is I can get drunk when we go out and just make him drive? Yep.
Going back to that apartment idea is our number four. I threw the biggest PMS-fueled fit today about how much I hate our tiny apartment and with the anticipation of our huge monthly insurance payments it's looking like we won't be able to afford a better place. Mom has stepped in saying she'll help but I have to quit my job in August to do my senior internship so I still have to look at the money stuff. Big sigh. How much longer until Fall financial aid disbursements, again?
Five although it's probably the biggest is Felix's big job hunt. He's planning on sticking with Crepe for a bit but it would make 1-4 so much easier if he had a better-paying job. We're working on his resume right now. He's applying pretty much everywhere, full time only. Cross your fingers!
So that's where we are for now. Lots going on with only four weeks left in the semester. I'm aiming for those A's again. Gotta get into grad school so all these challenges will just be a strange time to look back on and laugh about.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
April 13 - Day in Pictures
Rite Aid shoes
Hair outta control
Take Class Action
Take Class Action
Students occupying Sacramento Hall
An effigy of Chancellor Reed
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Away we go
I found this saved draft of a post floating around from about a year ago. I figure it deserved to be finished.
--
Felix and I watched a great movie last night called Away We Go. It's about a 30-something-year-old couple that finds out they're expecting a baby. The plot centers around them looking for the perfect place to live and raise their child. If you haven't seen this movie I highly suggest you do.
A conversation of theirs that really struck me started with the line, "Are we fuck ups?" One of my biggest goals is that by the time I hit their age I can answer that question confidently and know I've done the best I can. I see so many people end up somewhere they never expected to be... Felix and I have been having the, "Where will we be in 5, 10, years?" talks a lot more lately. It's hard to not want to push fast forward and take a first hand look.
<3
--
Felix and I watched a great movie last night called Away We Go. It's about a 30-something-year-old couple that finds out they're expecting a baby. The plot centers around them looking for the perfect place to live and raise their child. If you haven't seen this movie I highly suggest you do.
A conversation of theirs that really struck me started with the line, "Are we fuck ups?" One of my biggest goals is that by the time I hit their age I can answer that question confidently and know I've done the best I can. I see so many people end up somewhere they never expected to be... Felix and I have been having the, "Where will we be in 5, 10, years?" talks a lot more lately. It's hard to not want to push fast forward and take a first hand look.
<3
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Social Security Administration
We spent our Cesar Chavez holiday at the Social Security Card Office. Felix was applying for his brand spanking new card and I needed a replacement since I hadn't seen mine since I was 16. Before we even left the house I warned Felix to stay calm if he was put into a tough situation. We parked out front then had to walk around the back of the building to where the card office was.
The security guard checked my bag at the door then we went on in and each took a number from the computer. It was completely empty that day - we were the only ones in the waiting area for quite some time. The SSA office is reminiscent of a DMV except with comfier chairs and significantly less people.
I got called up to my window first and the guy behind the counter was personable and kind of silly. Turned out he lived pretty close to us. We talked about how nice the weather was and how he was making a trip to McKinley Park later. He had me confirm my information then gave me a reciept saying my card would arrive in about two weeks.
Felix had an entirely different experience. He presented his Employment Authorization Document and his passport and the guy asked (in a thick accent drenched in "I'm not from here") if he had an extension. Felix said, "Excuse me?"
The guy replied, "Yeah, do you have an extension on your passport? This is expired. I'm not going to be able to help you."
Felix responded that the whole point of his legal process was to fix that issue but "I can go ahead and leave the country and come back in 10 years to apply for a SSN." He ended on the note that his lawyer informed him he only needed his EAD.
The guy asked for any other ID such as a birth certificate and Felix said, "Sure I've had that on me all along" and handed it over. The guy ran off to get his manager who said that it was ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM and to go ahead and finish up Felix's application.
"I am going to be able to help you after all," he said. Yeah, no shit jackass. At this point Felix felt bad for being kind of a dick so he made an attempt at small talk. The dude ran through a questionnaire with him and to the question, "Have you ever received government assistance?" Felix replied jokingly, "I wish! School is expensive!"
The guy put down his piece of paper and looked at Felix. "Look, I'm not asking this for any benefit of mine. I don't want to know, it's just the questions I have to ask."
Felix apologized and said he was just trying to make conversation then went on with the questions. When we finally left Felix told me the whole story described above. That dude was lucky I was already outside.
The thing that got to us was not the fact that he was rude - that guy was just doing his job, albeit he should have asked for further identification BEFORE saying he couldn't help Felix. No, the problem is that it was so blatantly obvious that he too had been through the immigration process. Now that he has a cushy government job he can't remember what it was like to be unsure and fearful?
Hmph. Whatevs, the card is in the mail.
The security guard checked my bag at the door then we went on in and each took a number from the computer. It was completely empty that day - we were the only ones in the waiting area for quite some time. The SSA office is reminiscent of a DMV except with comfier chairs and significantly less people.
I got called up to my window first and the guy behind the counter was personable and kind of silly. Turned out he lived pretty close to us. We talked about how nice the weather was and how he was making a trip to McKinley Park later. He had me confirm my information then gave me a reciept saying my card would arrive in about two weeks.
Felix had an entirely different experience. He presented his Employment Authorization Document and his passport and the guy asked (in a thick accent drenched in "I'm not from here") if he had an extension. Felix said, "Excuse me?"
The guy replied, "Yeah, do you have an extension on your passport? This is expired. I'm not going to be able to help you."
Felix responded that the whole point of his legal process was to fix that issue but "I can go ahead and leave the country and come back in 10 years to apply for a SSN." He ended on the note that his lawyer informed him he only needed his EAD.
The guy asked for any other ID such as a birth certificate and Felix said, "Sure I've had that on me all along" and handed it over. The guy ran off to get his manager who said that it was ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM and to go ahead and finish up Felix's application.
"I am going to be able to help you after all," he said. Yeah, no shit jackass. At this point Felix felt bad for being kind of a dick so he made an attempt at small talk. The dude ran through a questionnaire with him and to the question, "Have you ever received government assistance?" Felix replied jokingly, "I wish! School is expensive!"
The guy put down his piece of paper and looked at Felix. "Look, I'm not asking this for any benefit of mine. I don't want to know, it's just the questions I have to ask."
Felix apologized and said he was just trying to make conversation then went on with the questions. When we finally left Felix told me the whole story described above. That dude was lucky I was already outside.
The thing that got to us was not the fact that he was rude - that guy was just doing his job, albeit he should have asked for further identification BEFORE saying he couldn't help Felix. No, the problem is that it was so blatantly obvious that he too had been through the immigration process. Now that he has a cushy government job he can't remember what it was like to be unsure and fearful?
Hmph. Whatevs, the card is in the mail.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Finally a big step!
Today we received notification that the I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, was approved. This is such a huge relief because it shows that someone has had his or her hands on our application and it's actually all underway. The checks were cashed back in January but it still didn't give us the feeling something was being done. Employment Authorization is a big step in the right direction for us :]
Friday, December 3, 2010
A letter I just sent to Doris Matsui
In light of the difficulties I've watched my loved one face I had to respond to Obama's recent call to action. Part of the letter is pre-written from Obama's administration but you can tell which parts I wrote.
-----
I have watched a loved one struggle with the pains associated with
being brought here as a child from another country. He came on an
airplane with his mother who then decided they were going to stay
here.
That was 11 years ago and now as a 22-year old college student he is
limited to working in bad jobs with bosses who refuse to pay him fully
since he's not a resident or citizen who can fight for his rights.
He's all done at community college but can't afford to transfer to a
university. I see this strong man cry as he is faced with his
limitations in a system he has no vote in.
I stand with President Obama in support of passing the DREAM Act in
this Congress and I hope you do too.
We need to give undocumented youth a path to citizenship through
education or military service -- it's about the American principles of
hard work and fairness.
If you've already been supporting the DREAM Act, then thank you. If
not, I hope you'll reconsider before it's too late.
Thank you, Representative Matsui. I appreciate all that you do for us.
-----
I have watched a loved one struggle with the pains associated with
being brought here as a child from another country. He came on an
airplane with his mother who then decided they were going to stay
here.
That was 11 years ago and now as a 22-year old college student he is
limited to working in bad jobs with bosses who refuse to pay him fully
since he's not a resident or citizen who can fight for his rights.
He's all done at community college but can't afford to transfer to a
university. I see this strong man cry as he is faced with his
limitations in a system he has no vote in.
I stand with President Obama in support of passing the DREAM Act in
this Congress and I hope you do too.
We need to give undocumented youth a path to citizenship through
education or military service -- it's about the American principles of
hard work and fairness.
If you've already been supporting the DREAM Act, then thank you. If
not, I hope you'll reconsider before it's too late.
Thank you, Representative Matsui. I appreciate all that you do for us.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Turning everything in just to wait
Well we finally dropped off all our documents.
Getting the medical done was a nightmare - the cost skyrocketed from the $175 we were quoted to $315 thanks to some missing shots on his shot record. I gotta wonder if a tetanus shot is really worth how much they charged us. At least he has his updated varicella vaccine now. Poor guy has never had chicken pox so what a nightmare it'd be if he got that or shingles now... Eek. He tested positive for TB on his arm so he had to spend another $50 to get an x-ray of his lungs. No TB there. Then the idiot at the front desk kept saying his payment didn't go through. We printed out bank statements and got confirmation numbers from the bank and they still wouldn't buy it. They got in touch with the vendor who processes all their payments and almost two weeks after the exam we finally got our sealed I-693.
I had a hell of a time getting University Enterprises to write my confirmation of employment letter. I contacted the same person twice by e-mail then finally called her and got her machine. I left a professional yet nasty voicemail saying it was my third attempt to reach her within 10 days and as she had no vacation notice up I assumed she was in the office. I ended up going to the office to demand a letter and the woman at the front desk didn't seem surprised that the other lady was such a nightmare to deal with. She typed it right up for me and sent me off within 5 minutes of getting there.
We spend another $60ish on passport photos since he needed 4 and I needed 2 but got extra so I could eventually get a new passport. I'm thinking we should have just done them at home. We have a white wall and pretty nifty camera. Ah well.
We headed over to Golden1 to add him to my bank account and after making us squirm for a while they eventually told us they couldn't add him since his ID was expired. I could tell he got upset but we still had to get $1366 worth of money orders so we just handled that then took off.
We dropped off the docs in the afternoon and the lawyer's office was locked. We had to call to get let in and the intern was rude about Felix's difficulty understanding the bizarre buzzing/locking system on the door.
It was a crappy, crappy few weeks and especially the last day. At least now our documents are in. Now we wait until the lawyer asks us to come in and sign them (I think?) before they get sent off to the big bad immigration office. We're really getting tired of all this and it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
It'll be over soon.
Getting the medical done was a nightmare - the cost skyrocketed from the $175 we were quoted to $315 thanks to some missing shots on his shot record. I gotta wonder if a tetanus shot is really worth how much they charged us. At least he has his updated varicella vaccine now. Poor guy has never had chicken pox so what a nightmare it'd be if he got that or shingles now... Eek. He tested positive for TB on his arm so he had to spend another $50 to get an x-ray of his lungs. No TB there. Then the idiot at the front desk kept saying his payment didn't go through. We printed out bank statements and got confirmation numbers from the bank and they still wouldn't buy it. They got in touch with the vendor who processes all their payments and almost two weeks after the exam we finally got our sealed I-693.
I had a hell of a time getting University Enterprises to write my confirmation of employment letter. I contacted the same person twice by e-mail then finally called her and got her machine. I left a professional yet nasty voicemail saying it was my third attempt to reach her within 10 days and as she had no vacation notice up I assumed she was in the office. I ended up going to the office to demand a letter and the woman at the front desk didn't seem surprised that the other lady was such a nightmare to deal with. She typed it right up for me and sent me off within 5 minutes of getting there.
We spend another $60ish on passport photos since he needed 4 and I needed 2 but got extra so I could eventually get a new passport. I'm thinking we should have just done them at home. We have a white wall and pretty nifty camera. Ah well.
We headed over to Golden1 to add him to my bank account and after making us squirm for a while they eventually told us they couldn't add him since his ID was expired. I could tell he got upset but we still had to get $1366 worth of money orders so we just handled that then took off.
We dropped off the docs in the afternoon and the lawyer's office was locked. We had to call to get let in and the intern was rude about Felix's difficulty understanding the bizarre buzzing/locking system on the door.
It was a crappy, crappy few weeks and especially the last day. At least now our documents are in. Now we wait until the lawyer asks us to come in and sign them (I think?) before they get sent off to the big bad immigration office. We're really getting tired of all this and it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
It'll be over soon.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Where we are in the process
A couple of weeks ago we met with out lawyer again. He forgot how much he said he'd charge us so he knocked his remaining fees down to $1700. Score for us, big boost of good energy for him! Every little bit counts right now.
He collected a lot of our preliminary information so they could start putting our package together. That afternoon we got an e-mail with a questionnaire for each of us, I being the petitioner and Felix the beneficiary. There was a section on each of our forms where we had to list our addresses for the past ten years. We practically ran out of space. He could hardly remember all the addresses and I just couldn't believe how many we each had. It was a nice reminder of what we're working so hard for. 'Home' is a very important goal for both of us.
We have to gather a bunch of documents still. He also needs a $200-400 medical exam. We'll be working on that throughout September. We really wanted to get all of that done in August so we could send our paperwork off in September but it looks like September or very early October is more plausible. So many things to do! We both have to take passport-style photos. I don't know what both of our pictures have to do with him becoming a resident but hey, I'll jump through any hoop at this point.
That's all for now. We're just assembling the package before we send it off to the big scary gov'ment.
He collected a lot of our preliminary information so they could start putting our package together. That afternoon we got an e-mail with a questionnaire for each of us, I being the petitioner and Felix the beneficiary. There was a section on each of our forms where we had to list our addresses for the past ten years. We practically ran out of space. He could hardly remember all the addresses and I just couldn't believe how many we each had. It was a nice reminder of what we're working so hard for. 'Home' is a very important goal for both of us.
We have to gather a bunch of documents still. He also needs a $200-400 medical exam. We'll be working on that throughout September. We really wanted to get all of that done in August so we could send our paperwork off in September but it looks like September or very early October is more plausible. So many things to do! We both have to take passport-style photos. I don't know what both of our pictures have to do with him becoming a resident but hey, I'll jump through any hoop at this point.
That's all for now. We're just assembling the package before we send it off to the big scary gov'ment.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Plants that clean your indoor air
Well with the budget for space exploration as low as it currently is NASA has been working on a lot of other projects. Okay, the following project does make sense for NASA considering clean air is important no matter where you are - Earth, the moon, or otherwise. Continuing from some research they'd done in the 60's and onward is a great study on indoor air pollution. Good news everyone - plants can help!
These plants help absorb benzene and formaldehyde. The study placed the plants in plexiglass chambers which were then injected with various substances.
This is taken directly from the report which you can find here.
"Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous chemical found in virtually all indoor environments. The major sources, which have been reported and publicized, include urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and particle board or pressed-wood products. Consumer paper products,including grocery bags, waxed papers, facial tissues, and paper towels, are treated with urea- formaldehyde (UF) resins. Many common household cleaning agents contain formaldehyde. UF resins are used as stiffeners, wrinkle resisters, water repellants, fire retardants, and adhesive binders in floor covering, carpet backing, and permanent-press clothes. Other sources of formaldehyde include cigarette smoke and heating and cooking fuels such as natural gas and kerosene.
Formaldehyde irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and throat. It is a highly reactive chemical that combines with protein and can cause allergic contact dermatitis. The most widely reported symptoms from exposure to high levels of this chemical include irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes and headaches.(2,3) Until recently, the most serious disease attributed to formaldehyde exposure was asthma..."
"Benzene is a very commonly used solvent and is also present in many basic items including
gasoline, inks, oils, paints plastics, and rubber. In addition, it is used in the manufacture of detergents, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and dyes.
Benzene has long been known to irritate the skin and eyes. Furthermore it has been shown to be mutagenic to bacterial cell cultures and has shown embryotoxic activity and carcinogenicity in some tests. Evidence also exists that benzene may be a contributing factor of chromosomal aberrations and leukemia in humans. Repeated skin contact with benzene causes drying, inflammation, blistering, and dermatitis. Acute inhalation of high levels of benzene has been reported to cause dizziness, weakness, euphoria, headache, nausea, blurred vision, respiratory diseases, tremors, irregular heartbeat, liver and kidney damage, paralysis,and unconsciousness. In animal tests, inhalation of benzene led to cataract formation and diseases of the blood and lymphatic systems. Chronic exposure to even relatively low levels causes headaches, loss of appetite, drowsiness, nervousness, psychological disturbances, and diseases of the blood system, including anemia and bone marrow disease."
Top 10 most effective plants
Bamboo Palm - Chamaedorea Seifritzii
Chinese Evergreen - Aglaonema Modestum
English Ivy Hedera Helix
Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
Janet Craig - Dracaena “Janet Craig”
Marginata - Dracaena Marginata
Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium
Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum
Warneckii - Dracaena “Warneckii”
If you have pets one thing to keep in mind is which plants are toxic to cats and/or dogs. My options so far are either the bamboo palm or Gerber daisies. Play it safe and look up any plants you want to buy before you bring them into your home. The ASPCA has a searchable list with all the toxicity warnings for pets: ASPCA Plants
 |
| Bamboo Plant |
This is taken directly from the report which you can find here.
"Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous chemical found in virtually all indoor environments. The major sources, which have been reported and publicized, include urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and particle board or pressed-wood products. Consumer paper products,including grocery bags, waxed papers, facial tissues, and paper towels, are treated with urea- formaldehyde (UF) resins. Many common household cleaning agents contain formaldehyde. UF resins are used as stiffeners, wrinkle resisters, water repellants, fire retardants, and adhesive binders in floor covering, carpet backing, and permanent-press clothes. Other sources of formaldehyde include cigarette smoke and heating and cooking fuels such as natural gas and kerosene.
Formaldehyde irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and throat. It is a highly reactive chemical that combines with protein and can cause allergic contact dermatitis. The most widely reported symptoms from exposure to high levels of this chemical include irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes and headaches.(2,3) Until recently, the most serious disease attributed to formaldehyde exposure was asthma..."
"Benzene is a very commonly used solvent and is also present in many basic items including
gasoline, inks, oils, paints plastics, and rubber. In addition, it is used in the manufacture of detergents, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and dyes.
 |
| Gerber Daisy |
 |
| Peace Lily |
Top 10 most effective plants
Bamboo Palm - Chamaedorea Seifritzii
Chinese Evergreen - Aglaonema Modestum
English Ivy Hedera Helix
Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
Janet Craig - Dracaena “Janet Craig”
Marginata - Dracaena Marginata
Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium
Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum
Warneckii - Dracaena “Warneckii”
If you have pets one thing to keep in mind is which plants are toxic to cats and/or dogs. My options so far are either the bamboo palm or Gerber daisies. Play it safe and look up any plants you want to buy before you bring them into your home. The ASPCA has a searchable list with all the toxicity warnings for pets: ASPCA Plants
The dirty dozen and the clean fifteen
The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit organization that publishes findings related to consumer health and awareness. They sponsor a number of projects and present the info in easy to understand ways for your average shopper.
One example is this great little shopping list that tells you which produce have the lowest pesticide levels and which have the highest. It's a great money-saver considering how expensive some organic fruits and vegetables can be.
There's the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen. It's good to know we can save a few bucks on most of the thicker skinned fruits and some less susceptible veggies.
The dirty dozen are:
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries (Domestic)
6. Nectarines
7. Bell peppers
8. Spinach
9. Cherries
10. Kale/Collard greens
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (Imported)
The clean fifteen are:
1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn (Frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6. Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potatoes
15. Honeydew Melon
The full list can be found here. If you want the cute lil' shopping list you can find it here.
Happy shopping!
There's the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen. It's good to know we can save a few bucks on most of the thicker skinned fruits and some less susceptible veggies.
The dirty dozen are:
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries (Domestic)
6. Nectarines
7. Bell peppers
8. Spinach
9. Cherries
10. Kale/Collard greens
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (Imported)
The clean fifteen are:
1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn (Frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6. Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potatoes
15. Honeydew Melon
The full list can be found here. If you want the cute lil' shopping list you can find it here.
Happy shopping!
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