What is the 1st thing you want to introduce your beneficiary to here in USA?

[heo luoi 206]

ROFL, I need to troll that entire thread. Hilarious. Ms Tbone is lovely and such a riot.

[TBoneTX 46,129]

Gracias.* She's both.

*English-only outside the regional forums! Reported!!!

[heo luoi 206]

I'm gonna go for broke and win this thread....the first thing I wanna introduce my fiance to in America is.....the hilarious Mrs. TBone

Edited October 27, 2015 by heo luoi

[TBoneTX 46,129]

She's not hilarious when Mini-Bone and I are not behaving ourselves.

See new foto (Spanish spelling) in above thread.

---

Forgot to mention this recent conversation:

T-B.: The visa group has a new thread.

Mrs. T-B. [blankly]: What visa group?

T-B.: MY visa group! What's the first thing that you wanted to be introduced to here in the U.S.?

Mrs. T-B.: Money! For shopping. [flashes puppy-dog eyes] Can I have $50?

T-B. [to self]:

Edited October 27, 2015 by TBoneTX

[heo luoi 206]

I have a bad feeling this will be me (hopefully) soon....ask her to buy me one w/ that $50 :

PS $50? seems like you're getting off cheap

Edited October 27, 2015 by heo luoi

[TBoneTX 46,129]

Some years ago, I came home, and this dialogue ensued:

Mrs. T-B.: I bought you cheap.
T-B.: What did you say?
Mrs. T-B.: I bought you cheap.
T-B.: You bought me cheap? What the dickens does THAT mean? I'm not that cheap. And don't let Immigration hear you say that.
Mrs. T-B. [frustrated]: Cheap, CHEAP! I bought you CHEAP!

Further investigation revealed that she had gone to the store and bought me a bag of potato cheaps, si man.

[N and S 29]

Such a funny thread!

Having a good laugh at Mrs. T-Bone's humor!

Fiancee lived for a number of years in the US earlier, so life in the US is not new for her. However, she is new to NYC area. I plan on showing her around NYC on the first weekend she is here!

Edited October 29, 2015 by N and S

[heo luoi 206]

Ill probably introduce her to VJ. I've had similiar conversations such as below but I think it will be easier to walk her though it and such, together--here.

She's not hilarious when Mini-Bone and I are not behaving ourselves.

See new foto (Spanish spelling) in above thread.

---

Forgot to mention this recent conversation:

T-B.: The visa group has a new thread.

Mrs. T-B. [blankly]: What visa group?

T-B.: MY visa group! What's the first thing that you wanted to be introduced to here in the U.S.?

Mrs. T-B.: Money! For shopping. [flashes puppy-dog eyes] Can I have $50?

T-B. [to self]:

[heo luoi 206]

With Daylight Savings, I wonder how long that conversation will be explaining this one. they dont have the seasonal swings I think here so thats gonna be interesting I'm sure.

[Pennycat 880]

He's been here for one week (YAY). But I did NOT get the flextime promised me (please note: I work with someone who took off two consecutive days for a new puppy, to help it get acclimated. This same person called me at 3 pm on a work from home day, freaking out about a crisis he had to handle "for me" all day. Never once during the day did he call or email about said crisis. I was available all day. Also, not a crisis. At all. Easily could have waited or been handled by me, hours earlier, with two quick phone calls. And that is how my promised flextime ended, after one day).

Annnny way we've been busy:

Sunday-- walking around town hitting the major spots, trying on the winter clothes I'd bought over the summer, dinner at some friends' house-- three couples and a 3-year-old. Carved jack-o-lanterns (was the first time for the wife of one of the couples too). Went to the local pub, wound up staying out waaay too late with friends, he really hit it off with my old roommate's husband.

Monday-- I went into work late for a half-day. He walked me to the Metro and took the trolley back home. Missed the stop, but got off, recognized where he was from the day before and took himself to Subway for lunch. Was quite the adventure for him, ordering in English, only to discover with the customer right behind him that all the ladies at Subway speak Spanish

Tuesday-- my work from home day (on-call really). Went out looking at ceremony sites for wedding, bought gloves and searched high and low for a trench coat. Wound up taking the Metro to the mall in said search, with no luck. Trivia night at my pub, went there to meet friends, I stayed and played while he went a bit up the street to the bar where my old roommate works. She and the regulars there got a kick out of having him try a bunch of different beers to see which one he likes. IPAs were NOT a hit.

Wednesday-- I went back to work full time. He walked me to Metro, then got on the Metro himself (other direction) and walked to a costume warehouse we'd heard about-- in search of costume makeup for a fairly elaborate and gruesome zombie makeup (it involved shards of glass protruding from his neck). He was determined to make this happen and did. TV/napped that afternoon, and that night he took the Metro into DC to meet up with me after work and we went out for Chinese food and a hockey game (the arena is in Chinatown and it's something of a tradition, hockey and Chinese food). Loved the game, not a huge fan of downtown DC. Prefers Alexandria (which is exactly how I like it!)

Thursday-- Me at work all day-- he took his laptop to a computer repair shop, hit up Trader Joe's (got a bus back no problems and with no help from me.... not too far a walk but not fun with bags of groceries) "surprised" me my rearranging the furniture in my (er, our) entire apartment. Heh. It does look better, I have to admit. We wound up going to Best Buy to get a replacement laptop, that thing was fried.

Friday-- Video games on the laptop, and not sure what else. We had some friends over for beers and snacks after work until late.

Saturday-- All Halloween all the time. We out for a new pumpkin (his first jack-o-lantern had been smashed along with all the others on the street overnight. Jerks.), party store for decorations and candy, we came home and carved the pumpkin, he decorated the front stoop and sat out there waiting for trick or treaters for hours. I was inside, passed out from cough syrup for basically the entire afternoon and early evening. Then I rallied, he spent an hour or more on this terrible zombie makeup, I got a little zombie-ified and put on an old bridesmaids' dress and we went out and split our time between two Halloween parties-- one at my local pub and one at a Spanish restaurant a block away--the theme there was "zombie prom" (which is why the dress clothes and zombies).

We won first prize in the contest at the Spanish place and second at my pub (lost out to a Minion, somehow). It was not easy splitting our time like that, it was pretty funny running back and forth all night. But it was worth it! All in all $150! He's still so proud!

Sunday-- I slept, sick sick sick, he watched pretty much the entire first season of Game of Thrones which I'd managed to get subtitled into Spanish. I'm at work today, still sick as a dog. May not last the whole day here.

Edited November 2, 2015 by CatherineA

[heo luoi 206]

Thanks I've been actually trying to mental mindmap the first couple days too.

Just like wondering of my own flextime as I've maxed my PTO. I figure she'll be pretty jet lagged for maybe the better part of a week so not sure wanna try flex time then.

Just having food and stuff for her during the day when not home and stuff. Tomorrow night big day IV result, so hopefully worry about that after tomorrow night. I'm confident I should be able to work remote for a couple days.

He's been here for one week (YAY). But I did NOT get the flextime promised me (please note: I work with someone who took off two consecutive days for a new puppy, to help it get acclimated. This same person called me at 3 pm on a work from home day, freaking out about a crisis he had to handle "for me" all day. Never once during the day did he call or email about said crisis. I was available all day. Also, not a crisis. At all. Easily could have waited or been handled by me, hours earlier, with two quick phone calls. And that is how my promised flextime ended, after one day).

Annnny way we've been busy:

Sunday-- walking around town hitting the major spots, trying on the winter clothes I'd bought over the summer, dinner at some friends' house-- three couples and a 3-year-old. Carved jack-o-lanterns (was the first time for the wife of one of the couples too). Went to the local pub, wound up staying out waaay too late with friends, he really hit it off with my old roommate's husband.

Monday-- I went into work late for a half-day. He walked me to the Metro and took the trolley back home. Missed the stop, but got off, recognized where he was from the day before and took himself to Subway for lunch. Was quite the adventure for him, ordering in English, only to discover with the customer right behind him that all the ladies at Subway speak Spanish

Tuesday-- my work from home day (on-call really). Went out looking at ceremony sites for wedding, bought gloves and searched high and low for a trench coat. Wound up taking the Metro to the mall in said search, with no luck. Trivia night at my pub, went there to meet friends, I stayed and played while he went a bit up the street to the bar where my old roommate works. She and the regulars there got a kick out of having him try a bunch of different beers to see which one he likes. IPAs were NOT a hit.

Wednesday-- I went back to work full time. He walked me to Metro, then got on the Metro himself (other direction) and walked to a costume warehouse we'd heard about-- in search of costume makeup for a fairly elaborate and gruesome zombie makeup (it involved shards of glass protruding from his neck). He was determined to make this happen and did. TV/napped that afternoon, and that night he took the Metro into DC to meet up with me after work and we went out for Chinese food and a hockey game (the arena is in Chinatown and it's something of a tradition, hockey and Chinese food). Loved the game, not a huge fan of downtown DC. Prefers Alexandria (which is exactly how I like it!)

Thursday-- Me at work all day-- he took his laptop to a computer repair shop, hit up Trader Joe's (got a bus back no problems and with no help from me.... not too far a walk but not fun with bags of groceries) "surprised" me my rearranging the furniture in my (er, our) entire apartment. Heh. It does look better, I have to admit. We wound up going to Best Buy to get a replacement laptop, that thing was fried.

Friday-- Video games on the laptop, and not sure what else. We had some friends over for beers and snacks after work until late.

Saturday-- All Halloween all the time. We out for a new pumpkin (his first jack-o-lantern had been smashed along with all the others on the street overnight. Jerks.), party store for decorations and candy, we came home and carved the pumpkin, he decorated the front stoop and sat out there waiting for trick or treaters for hours. I was inside, passed out from cough syrup for basically the entire afternoon and early evening. Then I rallied, he spent an hour or more on this terrible zombie makeup, I got a little zombie-ified and put on an old bridesmaids' dress and we went out and split our time between two Halloween parties-- one at my local pub and one at a Spanish restaurant a block away--the theme there was "zombie prom" (which is why the dress clothes and zombies).

We won first prize in the contest at the Spanish place and second at my pub (lost out to a Minion, somehow). It was not easy splitting our time like that, it was pretty funny running back and forth all night. But it was worth it! All in all $150! He's still so proud!

Sunday-- I slept, sick sick sick, he watched pretty much the entire first season of Game of Thrones which I'd managed to get subtitled into Spanish. I'm at work today, still sick as a dog. May not last the whole day here.

[Pennycat 880]

Thanks I've been actually trying to mental mindmap the first couple days too.

Just like wondering of my own flextime as I've maxed my PTO. I figure she'll be pretty jet lagged for maybe the better part of a week so not sure wanna try flex time then.

Just having food and stuff for her during the day when not home and stuff. Tomorrow night big day IV result, so hopefully worry about that after tomorrow night. I'm confident I should be able to work remote for a couple days.

I had a fridge full of fairly common food items and had cooked a lasagna the morning of POE so we had plenty of food for most of the week.

Honestly, I'm really annoyed about this flextime thing. None of it was critical that I was on-site at all. It was just other people (ahem) incapable of respecting/accommodating other people's schedules. The "crisis" that my manager was "forced to deal with for me" was caused by the IT guy. I'd *tried* to handle everything before POE day but IT guy was taking his own time off for family medical reasons. Note that I did NOT then turn to our boss and freak out that he was unavailable. When he came back and *I* was "unavailable" (I wasn't. I was monitoring my email and phone all day and was ready to go right in if necessary, or handle any issues remotely), before even trying to call or email me, went right to our manager freaking out about a "crisis".

Manager somehow didn't think to, you know, CALL ME and tried to handle it alone, only calling hours later to angrily vent at me for being "unavailable" when this very important thing was happening. I pointed out that I was, in fact, available and in two easy phone calls proved that the crisis was NOT a crisis and fixed the issue anyway. I was told to go back to full time immediately anyway. From the person who took two full days off off (not working from home, but off) to help a dog acclimate.

That said, it's not horrible that I've had to leave him home sooner than planned. Sunday/Monday/Tuesday seemed to be enough. He's been walking around town and taking the metro/trolley (and one bus--busses are much more complicated though and easy to get lost) on his own with ease. That's all I care about, mostly. His independence and comfort level, both of which seem to be really high right now. I'm sure boredom will kick in soon, and maybe homesickness soon after. So perhaps it is good that I still have (in my opinion) some flextime coming my way. On principle alone. If you try for POE arrival on Friday night/Saturday day and manage to get 2 days remote work (assuming it's more on-call monitoring than "real" working), maybe you'll be good. Everyone is so different though. I honestly didn't expect Walter to be so comfortable with public transit so soon but I'm so glad that he is.

[heo luoi 206]

well the ability to work flex time is still a privilege/ luxury and not something to be abused. Many others dont have that option at all so try to keep it all in perspective.

I'm not sure how much 'american' food she would like or not, frozen pizzas and pasta and the ilk. They have some of that over there but its not the same. Everything there is so much sweeter (naturally)

Yeah I was thinking mid week if cheaper and she'd be sleeping alot anyways.

Anyhow not sure I wanna jack this thread from the original intent

[Pennycat 880]

well the ability to work flex time is still a privilege/ luxury and not something to be abused. Many others dont have that option at all so try to keep it all in perspective.

I'm not sure how much 'american' food she would like or not, frozen pizzas and pasta and the ilk. They have some of that over there but its not the same. Everything there is so much sweeter (naturally)

Yeah I was thinking mid week if cheaper and she'd be sleeping alot anyways.

Anyhow not sure I wanna jack this thread from the original intent

Yes, very true. It's just that it had been granted, and then taken away because of other people, not me. And I didn't take time off to POE with my fiance (as he had really, really wanted as he'd never flown before and was really nervous), because I was saving those days off for his first week here (I really arranged this and got it approved early early). And the culture in this office is strongly for flextime (we don't accrue vacation days, it's an honor system to take what you need, get your work done/don't impact others, do not abuse the system.

At least one of the people mentioned in this cluster* abuses the system with impunity--easily double the days off as everyone else, plus regularly shortened workweeks and does not coordinate with others to make sure his absence isn't felt, and then turns around and causes problems for others when they are using it for legitimate reasons. All they had to do was CALL. I was available to them. I will be taking those days out of principle alone. I may actually mention this to the big boss. It's nearly a week ago and I'm still fuming about it.

And oh yea, sorry for getting off track. Just annoying work stuff :/

[BrendaBuzz 8]

Don't laugh but I'm dying to take him to walmart! He's going to be like...what? Tires, socks, food under one roof? Hahaha

Lol, don't forget guns!