if you're in TX, your service center is Texas ( unfortunately,the most laziest and slowest one-just coz of the number of cases they get). AOS/EAD, the time frame for that is 2-3 months,and in most cases you do get a decision in 60 days. The reason for that is, work permit is far more imp than 140 being approved right away, coz with EAD, you could atleast me working legally. And also not too many info and requirement are needed for EAD. 140 generally takes anwyere from 7-9 months. in tx service center, right now they are prosessing the 140 filled in, Feb 3,2006, so today being july,06, tahts a 6 month period gap. so you can expect your 140 to be approved/denied in 7 months. About your frens 140 being approved in 1 month, well may be he/she just got lucky, or may be theirs Service center was diffirent. Example, right now in vermont service center, they are working on the cases filed after April,2006. so you could say, the diff between tx and vt center is good 3 months. But usually, its very unlikely for 140 to be approved in 1 month considering it takes 14 days just to get a receipt back from USCIS. talk with your lawyer about filing 140 and 485 together. good luck.