I want to thank everybody for their support, my friend handed in my application/passport/return envelope this morning and according to the Chinese Embassy-Consulate everything was in order.

They said that my passport will be mailed back on Thursday, July 16th and if everything goes according to plan I should get it on Saturday, July 18th.

I am having a family member drop off and pickup my visa application in Houston.

I have been reading the requirements from both the consolate's website and the ones found on the private visa processing companies. Some of the processing companies advise travlers to include a copy of their airline reciept or a letter explaning why they want a one year multi.

Should I worry about either of those things?

Also, how picky are they about the photo? Can I just print a picture of myself on a home color printer?

You can never have enough passport pictures in hand. I would go to CVS, they do them immediately, 6 for under $10. Another alternative is AAA Club. I'm actually going over tonight to get another 6 made.

I tried once photos on plain copy paper. They rejected it.

But they did accept ones printed on glossy fairly thick photo paper from a computer. I believe they need (2) size 2" B&W or color.

good to know you saved me a lot of aggravation. I found http://www.epassportphoto.com/ I think ill do this and print one 4" x 6" at walmart for 19 cents.

I just used one color photo that was actually slightly larger than the allowed space they accepted my application.

Also my passport should be mailed to me tomorrow so lets see what type of visa I get!

Your friend that dropped off the application certainly possesses that information, but, unless you have a Chinese surname, you're looking at a 12 month visa capped at 30 or 60 days per stay (I swung 120 on my most recent visa, but this was basically a consolation prize for getting dinged for the 2-year visa, in spite of a lengthy history in China).

The maximum amount of time I will be spending in the mainland is about twenty days but I am planning on visiting the mainland multiple times throughout the year.

A 12 month multi-entry visa would be awesome, especially since this is my first time applying for a Chinese visa however I don't want to be disappointed so I am going to just spin the visa wheel and see what I get (bad analogy, I know but I had nothing else...).

It was funny submitting grainy b&W photos on copy paper.
They looked at me like very strange. So I spoke to them in Fujian
dialect and they could not understand...

While I'm going to stop short of saying they HAVE to give you a 12-month visa (because visiting China is not a right, but a privilege), the 12-month rule is pretty solid (though again, wasn't so solid for ~6 months last year; in fact, yours truly went to great lengths in order to obtain a 6-month visa in June 08) due to reciprocity. In short, you either get told to pound sand or get 12-months; there's no middle ground. What's more, when the visa lady took your application, she marked down your particulars on the application and receipt (which your friend should have in his possession). The only mystery in your case is how the Pony Express performs. Fortunately, you have a hedge against any shortcomings there,... a complimentary night on the town in a place that's "always sunny".

Using the savings to buy a couple margaritas and watch the sun set over the pacific sounds like a fitting end.^

I got my passport today and I got a one year multiple-entry "L" visa which is valid for 30 days at a time.

Now that would be a fitting end however *cue dramatic music* my dog got a hold of the passport. Lucky for me he only put bite marks on the bottom corner of the back cover and the last two pages so there is no major damage.

I can smell a Hollywood blockbuster in the making here.

One shot one kill

My passport is being processed at the Houston office, will they call when it is ready for pickup or should somone just stop in 4-5 days later?

There should be a date on the receipt for pickup. Just go with payment and receipt, it will be waiting there.