Ummm, maybe another stupid question!

[Gemmie 142]

People get crabby because it's just like one of those 'can we visit during the process' or 'which line do I get in' topics. It's posted 10 times a day and if you go anywhere near the K1 progress forums you'll see what it means.

A touch means someone has done 'something' to your file. If you've not been waiting long, it's probably just been moved to another area. If you've been waiting a few weeks/months, there's a chance it might have an approval/RFE within the next few days.

[Justine+David 218]

Oh come on now. She's not asking for you to file the bloody documents for her, she just wanted to know what some silly USCIS term was. I'll grant you that Melissa's a bit prone to leaping before looking, but what's the harm in a quick question? It could have been answered in a single answer, and now we've stretched it out to over 10 posts with the whole 'he-said she-said' bit. If everybody just clicked search then there'd be nothing to search on would there?

That's what I have to say to that.

That saying if I had a nickel anytime someone asked VJ about what a touch is...Julian, that is arguably the most common question asked EVER on VJ. If you look at the main K1 board, you'll see my point.

I must beseech you both to please never venture into the off-topic forum because you may be eaten alive. I found that out the hard way

Empress has it right though, welcome to VJ! yanno...officially

Edited May 21, 2010 by Justine+David

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I must beseech you both to please never venture into the off-topic forum because you may be eaten alive.

Oh, I don't know, I kind of think seeing Julian get thrashed in there would be adorable. Plus, I highly suspect he and mawilson could have a great time comparing the size of their bank balances.

[MelissaJulian 30]

Thank you to everyone for your advice. I managed to register on the USCIS website after a few tries and now I understand what a touch is much better. No touches to report since the NOA1 though. Oh well.

And I am DEFINITELY staying away from Off Topic! Some of the people in there are so horrible I don't even want to look at it!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

of course we've all had our noob moments (although sometimes I wonder if Nich-Nick was born a VJ master), but search engines are relatively painless...

I was so lost when I found VJ just trying to navigate it. I created at least two timelines because I couldn't find them. I didn't know how to find anything or get back to where I was reading posts. Everybody spoke in anagrams and posts would disappear that only said mbc. What the heck is mbc? I thought being a mod or thread mover was a license to be the meanest of all. I didn't ask questions because I was afraid of Julez.

So I just started reading. You wouldn't believe all the stuff I've read and bookmarked. Every link and document dealing with immigration on USCIS, Dept of State, Customs and Border Protection, Center for Disease Control, US Embassy London, etc. I've called most of them too and asked questions. Eventually when I had some actual experience with a part of the process, I started answering posts. I tried to spell out all the words over NVC, CSC, AP, XYZ. And I tried to write on about a 3rd grade reading level because I realized there were alot people struggling with English asking for help. And I normally pointed out where to find something like "click _____ in the blue menu bar and find _____." I clearly remember all those posts that said "read the guides[you idiot]" and I had no idea what guides they meant or where they were or even how to get back to the thread I was reading. So that's why many of my posts sound like I'm over-explaining. I know there's new lost people out there who need it.

Melissa-- a good place for you to start reading is the topics that are pinned at the top few posts of each forum. The K1 forum has one called "General K1 Guides and Info". The first post explains alot, even what a touch is. It took me many months to realize those were there and actually helpful.

PS. I still don't know how to search on VJ and get usable results.

Edited May 22, 2010 by Nich-Nick

[MelissaJulian 30]

Nich -- that was so helpful. Thank you! It's good to know that someone like you (who seems to know EVERYTHING!) once had the same sorts of questions as me. I read the guides a long time ago when we had our first attempt at filing last year, and I *thought* I remembered enough to get through this but I guess I forgot some things. I will start reading the guides again today.

(and also glad I am not the only one who can't make the search work right! )

[*julez* 124]

Perhaps I was a bit harsh on poor Melissa. I just find it really frustrating that the silly question about touches persist on VJ. On any given day one need only scan the first page of the K1 forum to see this addressed ad nauseum.

However, I do take umbrage over Nich-Nick's comment that she didn't ask questions because of me. I am not notorious for being unhelpful. I do help, just not in a know-it-all way. I haven't made it my business to study every aspect of the immigration process. I don't have time to research extensively for other people. I work full time, have three kids and a full life outside of VJ. So, if I know an answer, I willingly post a reply. I just really believe it is important to try to reduce the amount of silly questions that clutter the forum, hence I will sometimes comment in a manner that is a bit harsh.

When I went through the K1 journey with my husband I did an awful lot of reading on this forum before posting questions. If you spend a reasonable amount of time in the monthly filers threads you tend to learn a lot. Its a doleful ditty, but "read more, post less" has a lot of merit.

[MelissaJulian 30]

Perhaps I was a bit harsh on poor Melissa. I just find it really frustrating that the silly question about touches persist on VJ. On any given day one need only scan the first page of the K1 forum to see this addressed ad nauseum.

Thanks, julez. I find this all so confusing sometimes, and I am really trying to read more and post less.

[Rob and Jill 82]

People get crabby because it's just like one of those 'can we visit during the process' or 'which line do I get in' topics. It's posted 10 times a day and if you go anywhere near the K1 progress forums you'll see what it means.

Perhaps, and I am not directing this personally towards you when I say this:

If it bothers people then DON'T ANSWER it. NO answer is better than a rude one in my opinion. NO answer will force them to look for it and read up on it.

[JulianMelissa 52]

Perhaps, and I am not directing this personally towards you when I say this:

If it bothers people then DON'T ANSWER it. NO answer is better than a rude one in my opinion. NO answer will force them to look for it and read up on it.

Sensible advice indeed.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Perhaps, and I am not directing this personally towards you when I say this:

If it bothers people then DON'T ANSWER it. NO answer is better than a rude one in my opinion. NO answer will force them to look for it and read up on it.

Tongue-biting isn't VJ's strong suit. It's one of its charms.

[Justine+David 218]

^^

Very, extremely true.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Tongue-biting isn't VJ's strong suit. It's one of its charms.

And thank goodness for that. Some of the most epic battles would never have occurred if we all behaved like nice girls and boys all the time.

[JulianMelissa 52]

All good and well if you're here to see gladiatorial spectacles. But when serious answers are needed, it's just messing with peoples' lives.

[*julez* 124]

Perhaps, and I am not directing this personally towards you when I say this:

If it bothers people then DON'T ANSWER it. NO answer is better than a rude one in my opinion. NO answer will force them to look for it and read up on it.

Jill, I, not surprisingly, have to disagree with you on this. In fact, I think its important to spread the message of personal responsibility on VJ. Some members don't react to it well; however, I have seen newbs transform into valuable members of the VJ community, having endured a smack down for asking a silly, redundant question.

I've even seen some handing out a good b!tch slapping of his/her own. Maybe its not the unicorn, shineshine and rose lovers way of getting people to be responsible, but it sure grabs attention and at least makes them realize there are alternate ways of finding information on VJ. And if it means that even just a few will go on to take some personal responsibility, then its worth it, in my opinion.

Finally, if you're bothered by other's botheredness, you don't need to respond. No amount of high-horsed preaching will force bothered people to change.