No kudos are deserved on the photo front -- I actually got it at Kinko's, er, Fedex Kinko's, or rather, Fedex Office or whatever it's called today, for a moderate fee (but more than a few pennies).

The motivation for the consulate trip was a combination of 1) wanting to save a few bucks; 2) curiosity/desire for a learning experience; 3) always worrying a bit about mailing important documents such as passports; and 4) liking the instant feedback from the consulate person as to whether my application seems to be in order, and when my passport w/visa will be ready.

(In a similar vein, when I have planned leisure trips to China, I have applied for my visa in person at the SF Chinese consulate.)