The Secret Life of Hiccups

A hiccup came to me today.
It came again.
And again.
It would not leave me.
Work was quiet.
I was loud.
These are the “I swear it will work” remedies people shared:

Drink warm water through a paper towel.

Stand on your head.

Hold your breath

Guzzle a bunch of water.

Stick fingers in your ears. (Did not specify if it was supposed to be mine or someone else's)

Eat peanut butter.

Make yourself throw up. (I refuse to do this one)

My official conclusion: They are all crap.

Insert hiccup here.

Christmas Bells

I HEARD the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"


Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

chili party

I've been back at it. This time my creation was a pot of good ol' Mexican style chili. It's a recipe I've made many times before as it is a bit of a standard originating from my mom. To accompany the chili, I tried my hand at Jalapeno Cornbread. The cornbread was a hit, if I do say so myself. The hard to please, DJK, was exceptionally complimentary of it. He can be quoted as saying it was the best he ever had. Success!!!
Shout outs to Jameslphoto for yet again photographing my latest eats.

Mexican Deliciousness

The matriarch of the family (and in my opinion, the ultimate chef) has been here snow-birding it in the desert. The timing couldn't be more ideal, because for some time now I've been thinking I really should force myself to cook and learn a few things in the kitchen department. What better person to learn from than the grand master. So in an effort to up my domesticity, I've decided to cook my way through the family cookbook, so to speak. Attempt to learn some of the more loved (and more unusual) recipes in our collection. I must warn you, our family cookbook isn't a flimsy little pamphlet of papers. I come from a seriously big food-loving clan, so it is no surprise we have a seriously stellar cookbook too.
First up, I chose the beloved recipe, enchiladas. My grandma first learned this recipe of stacked enchiladas while they were stationed over in Germany. Grandpa would always bring people home for dinner, so for Easter a group of bachelors also stationed there came for dinner, but told Grandma they were going to cook for her this time...and this was the tasty meal they created and served. Apparently, they learned the recipe while stationed in Texas. This stacked version requires a giant mound of onions, (we chopped 5 onions for only 1 tray of enchiladas) so prepare to cry your way through the preparation. However, the cheesy, bubbly yumminess at the end is well worth the lengthy preparation process. So for my first try, I think it was pretty successful. I learned a few tweaks here and there that I should have made, but all in all, I think the tummies I fed, were pretty darn happy.

Bon appétit!

Recently, I was flipping through pictures on my phone and discovered I had quite a few of delicious looking eats. I’m not quite sure at what point my “need” to photograph my food turned into a mini-obsession, but I somehow think it might stem a little from my food-loving family tree. Because I’m not quite sure what else I am supposed to do with all my delicious looking photographs, I will present them to you in hopes of making you more hungry than when you were a moment ago. Did it work?

Excuses

After much neglect, I will attempt to update my followers that by now are without a doubt dwindling by the wayside due to my lack of posts. Because I am both currently lacking creativity and (mostly) time, I will update by way of pictures. Besides, didn’t a wise person once say that a picture is worth a thousand words? In the spirit of that logic, I present you a few of my many excuses as to why I have been so glaringly absent from internet land.


Vacationing in MI with my bestie

Time with the fam on the lake

Chi-town

Graduating with some very cool court reporting peeps



NCRA convention in Chicago

The pros and cons of going paperless as a student

I recently upgraded my student writer and made the plunge into the world of paperless. I admit, my initial excitement has officially burned off and now I’m wondering if I made the right decision. I think it is fair to say that the transition has not been as smooth as I had hoped or thought it would be. As a student, there is much to learn and we rely a great deal on the wisdom of those who have gone before us. The problem with that is you can talk to five different reporters and get five different opinions. Sorting through these varying opinions to determine what is right for you can be a bit challenging, and at the end of the day you just have to make a decision and go with it. I do think there is a slight bit of a disadvantage in regards to the opinion pool as many of the reporters went through school with paper machines. With paperless being a relatively new phenomenon, especially in the realm of student-writers, sometimes it is hard not to wonder how much of their thinking is just (dare I say) “old school”. I know, I know. I’m probably not supposed to say that out loud, but you know you, too, have had that very thought. There are also those who seem to almost embrace every advancing technology almost a bit too eagerly and snub the idea of a paper machine as nothing more than a mere relic. In light of all this, I’ve decided to share a few of my own personal pros and cons of going paperless as a student. Now, please note. These are merely my own opinion based on my own experiences. You can take it or leave it as it makes no difference to me.

1. After using a manual writer for so long, I sometimes get irritated with how smooth and light the touch of the paperless is. I know…even as I write that I think that must sound totally crazy. It’s just that it is so drastically different from the manual that I feel like I often press keys I’m not intending to merely because the touch is so extremely gentle. If writing on my paper machine, I doubt I would get even a hint of a shadow. I wonder if I had learned on a paperless from the get-go if this would even be an issue. I think not.

2. On the flip side, I find my hands and fingers don’t get tired nearly as fast as they used to with my paper writer. I’m sure this is due to the fact that the touch is so extremely light that keystrokes are practically effortless. This is definitely not to be undervalued as it is beyond important to be actively taking care of our body. After all, our hands are quite literally our bread and butter.

3. Due to the ultra-light touch, I have trouble with stacking and being able to determine what I was intending to right. Often words transcribe in reverse. So for instance, I might write the words “the car” (T/ KAR). I will write it quickly and correctly, yet it will pop up as a mistranslate stroked reversed and appear on one line as KART. Maybe not the best example, but you get the idea. Sometimes it is easy to figure out, sometimes it isn’t. With a paper it seems to be a bit easier to decipher shadows and stacking.

4. I do miss the convenience of having good old-fashioned steno notes to stash away in my purse for those spare moments that pop up here and there where I can read back on the go. If I want to do that, I now have to print out my notes. I must admit, this is a total pain. I find I rarely do that and as a result I don’t read my notes back as often as I probably should. Shame on me for reading back is an essential form of practice.

5. With paperless there is no ink cartridges to deal with or steno pads to order which is actually quite heavenly. I think I had a stack of paper notes in corner of my office that seemed to grow like a bad weed. Plus, my new-found paperless-ness is stylishly green.

Overall, my opinion is paperless is still definitely where you want to end up, but when and how you get there seems to be a choice that is as personal as whether you prefer 2% or skim milk with your latte. Like most everything in life, you will find someone to agree with you and someone to disagree. I think in hindsight, I may have chosen to wait until I completed school before going paperless…maybe even until a year or so after starting work. But then again, there’s nothing like taking the bull by the horns. So whether it was bravery or insanity that overtook me, I’m currently in the wrestling phase and one way or the other I will come out on top. Watch me.

Failure will never overtake me...

if my determination to succeed is strong enough.
Og Mandino

I have finally crawled out of the deep dark hole of self-pity that I have been wallowing in for the past week, and I am finally ready to announce (ever so sadly, I might add) that there was no good news regarding my latest attempt at the RPR. I’ve wallowed, made my emotional “shoe” purchase to combat my depression, and now I’m ready to pick myself up off the floor and move forward…again! I must admit, this was the first time I actually felt plagued with a bit of self-doubt. Enough so, that for the first time I seriously started to question whether or not I could actually do this. Thankfully, a divine intervention of sorts arrived at this precise moment. When I forgot to send my usual Friday morning email to my favorite CR firm about my weekly intern hours, they contacted me to schedule a depo. Although that is a little unusual, I was secretly relieved. Interning is great for a motivation boost. With elements ranging from strippers to hit and runs, this week's deposition certainly did not disappoint. It felt a bit more like an episode from a bad soap than a depo. As entertaining as it was, it was also a great reminder of why I really love and want to do this. The same day I also received a call, out of the blue, from a CR friend who gave me a healthy dose of encouragement and mini-pep talk. I definitely needed it. So, I am now ready to turn the page, move forward, and pick myself up off the floor for the 18,746th time and will try, try again.

Celebrate

June, the most celebrated month of the year (arguably, of course) has finally arrived. Let the celebrating commence! You may not know it, but only the best have been born in this fine month (enter me). Okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but in all seriousness, for some reason, my calendar is always really full during this month. More birthdays, weddings, and other celebratory events seem to crop up this time of year. I'm pretty sure Hallmark doesn't mind though as it has forced me to become a frequent customer.
Well, it is during this fine month that I will mark the end of my 30th year. It certainly zoomed by. I had such grandiose ideas for all the exciting things I planned to do. Some I did, others I just simply never got around to. Either way, I’m still celebrating because I've had a pretty good year. It definitely involved a LOT of change, but all in all, I think my 30s are definitely off to a great start. More importantly, I’ve learned the importance of celebrating and appreciating those in my life that I love. People are always going to be more important than things, jobs, schedules...It doesn’t matter how busy you get, at the end of the day, it is your relationships that matter most, and sometimes you need to make sure they know how much you appreciate them. This past year has certainly been a monumental transition year for me, but these are a few of the favorites in my life that have made it super great. So this post is for my peeps. Today, I celebrate you (or at least a few of you specifically, but ALL of you in spirit).

My hero, Kiki - "This is E at the front desk..." Man, I miss doing that! :) I celebrate you for daring to make a change (and also for being the willing sucker who would pick me up and drive me to work in nasty snow storms even though I have mad-crazy passenger tendencies which are only amplified in bad weather). You totally rock! You have that special gift of lighting up a room when you walk in the door. I miss the easy way you can bring a quick smile to my face and the many laughs we've shared. You were and are so good for my soul. Know that it takes guts to pack up, walk the other direction, and embrace change. You are a stronger than you know and I'm certain the best is yet to come.

M - My unlikely friend. I remember thinking when we first met that we had absolutely nothing in common. We probably still don’t, but as opposite as we are, you became a forever friend. You have been everything from my shopping buddy, fellow pool bum, and road-tripping sister, to my courtroom support system and my family when there was none nearby. We've helped move each other more times than I care to recall, we've taken vacations and spent holidays together, and some of life's most private and poignant moments have been shared between you and I (and often a small table at Palamino's). We have quite literally walked with each other to hell and back, and I celebrate a bond with you that is unbreakable.

My dear, sweet grumpa – I celebrate your long life and the big, beautiful family you have left behind. I am blessed to have had such a great grandpa in my life for 30 years and you are sorely missed. You will remain forever in my heart (and forever the “king” of the to-do list).

To my other two musketeers here in AZ ...I celebrate the rekindling of old friendships. My transition back to the desert was made a million times easier with your friendships. You've helped to reestablish my faith in God and in his perfect timing. It doesn't hurt, either, that my two beautiful fashionistas keep me looking good, my head screwed on straight, and my my body happy with a little regular yoga-friend time.

To my boys (my bud in Pell City (Exit 2) and the bearded one in the Big Apple) You guys are pretty much awesome! Hands down the best listeners! Mostly because you let me ramble endlessly and it doesn't seem to bother you. I'm so lucky that you are both only a short text or phone call away. You always seem to know just what to say (or more importantly NOT say) when I start rambling on like a blubbering fool. How you both are still single, I honestly do not know. And to the bearded one...anyone who willingly uses their vacation time to help pack me up and move cross country is either A) crazy or B) crazy. Thanks a million! Love you guys!

To the couple who kindly pays the rent…yes, you know who you are. I celebrate the fact that we have not yet killed one another, a true feat indeed. Words are not able to express the amount of accolades you deserve for putting up with my monstrously crazy self. You probably deserve your own holiday, but we wouldn’t want to get carried away…

To my fellow CR’s – I celebrate you for all the times you have painfully pushed me, commiserated with me, talked with me, and most importantly dreamed with me. There is no other group of people filled with more grit and determination than you. So I celebrate the dreamer that resides in you all.

Mark Twain once said, “Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great. So today I celebrate these, and all the other really great people I’m blessed to have in my life. Cheers to you!

RPR Limbo

Fair warning to all my blog-following, internet-land junkies: I am still currently in RPR limbo as I anxiously await my test results. Because I am a firm believer in “having a plan”, here is mine as I may suddenly "disappear" and you will no doubt wonder where I went. Since my current outlook, in regards to my RPR results, is doom and gloom, I am of course, leaning my plan in the negative direction. (I know! I know! This goes against EVERY last shred of positive thinking we were ever taught to practice, but it is what it is.)
Assuming my results are less than desirable, please note I will likely be found crying in the corner of a nearby Nordstrom’s shoe department. I'm sure to be near a pair of those delicious stilettos I’ve been eyeing but will be unable to purchase thanks to my ill-timed, self-imposed 30-day shopping detox. If you by chance see me here, it is best to abandon any hopes of a shopping intervention, and instead join me in my moping. (Please note: You will not be allowed to speak any words of encouragement as I will promptly kick you out of my pity party. Actually, I might just kick you out if you speak any words at all. Clearly, the only solution here is to just go ahead and purchase that pair of killer shoes for me.)
Now that we have that all squared away, I better get back to my super busy schedule of waiting...and waiting...and waiting some more for that little envelope to arrive in the mail.
As you can see patience is one of my most glamorous virtues.

The Art of Avoiding Carpal Tunnel

Spending eight hours a day sitting at a desk with your eyes glued to a computer screen and your fingers hovering over a keyboard can, without a doubt, put definitive strain on your eyes, back, shoulders, hands and wrists. Because of this, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is an obvious occupational hazard that has found itself right at home in corporate America. Now, if you are a court reporting student like me, you are lucky enough to follow these eight hours of strain and discomfort with an evening full of practice, hovering over yet another set of keys. Yes, it is no surprise that court reporters are just as susceptible to CTS as the next office professional. Fortunately for me, I get a double dose of risk thanks to my full time work coupled with my full time school schedule. It should come as no surprise that avoiding this pesky little problem is and should be a priority. So what to do about it?

For starters, take care of your body, especially if you hope to have any kind of longevity in the court reporting profession. It is best to wise up quickly and start practicing good habits now that can help to ward off this nasty little pest. I, myself, have finally starting heeding the wisdom of other court reporters and practice regular exercise, massages, and finger stretches and exercises. Given that court reporting is actually quite physical, you won't regret it. I happen to be a devoted fan of walking and yoga. Both are obviously great for the body, but also the mind. (FYI: Relaxing and clearing the mind is by no means overrated. We don’t want to be a bunch of crazies now, do we?!) There are also some fantastic yoga poses that can really help specifically in the area of CTS. I recommend using the power of Google if you are not familiar with them. I have also FINALLY started to do regular massages focusing primarily on my arms, hands, neck and shoulders. I must admit, it’s rather nice being able to condone this as a “professional necessity”. I back this up with the story of an ex-court reporter I met a couple of years back who is actually no longer able to work as a CR due to this very problem. Ironically, his wife is also a CR and she has been working as one for the past 30 years. Then again, he reminded me that she has also been getting monthly massages for the past 30 years. (Just saying!)

I also try not to neglect my hand and finger stretches. My latest and greatest new favorite finger exercise actually comes by way of my masseuse:

Simply place a rubber band around the tips of your fingers and then open and close your fingers.
This super easy exercise helps to stretch out the backside of your hand. With any kind of typing or writing you are really only working the muscles on the inside of the hand. So it makes good sense to work out and stretch out the backside occasionally.






While the verdict is out on whether or not all these habits will ultimately help one avoid Carpal Tunnel or not, they certainly can't hurt. My own conclusion, however, is that the real art comes in being proactive about taking care of yourself and developing good habits now.

“First we make our habits, then our habits make us.”
Charles C. Noble

Ten Random Things I’ve Learned During Court Reporting School:

1. The admissions department flat out lies when it comes to telling students how long it will take to get through school.

2. They strategically overlook the 95% failure rate too. (But in their defense, I probably would have never enrolled had I known that little tidbit of info.)

3. I will never again have long nails.

4. A caffeine addiction is essential to a healthy work – school balance. It is widely rumored that Starbucks is now listed as my emergency contact at work.

5. Taking care of my body with regular massages and exercise is time and money well spent. Never underestimate the value of good hand and finger exercises either.

6. Never head to a depo without an extension cord, cough drops, energy bar, and some extra cash (for that rare occasion when a law firm doesn’t validate). You never know when you might need one of these valuable items. Trust me…mooching money off a court reporter you are interning with so you can get out of the parking garage is the last thing you want to have to do (hypothetically speaking, of course).

7. You can meet a fellow court reporter or student and be instant friends in 2.5 seconds flat.

8. Anytime someone finds out you’re a court reporter the response will ALWAYS be the same…”Oh, so you are the person that types on that funny little machine.” This is usually followed up with “so you must type really fast.” If only I had a dollar for every time I heard that.

9. Two things: You can’t trust spell check! Attitude is everything!

10. Court reporting school is probably the single most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life, but it is also the one thing that has shown me just how strong, disciplined, determined, and successful I can really be.

Rest in Peace

Missing someone gets easier every day because even though it's one day further from the last time you saw each other, it's one day closer to the next time you will.
-- Author Unknown

R.I.P. Grandpa
xoxo

Ciao, baby

Thanks to my new pals at JM Steno, I sold my old Stentura 200SRT student writer yesterday. I decided there was no point in keeping it around to merely collect dust, and the idea of making some cold, hard cash wasn’t totally unappealing either. Since I recently upgraded to my very first professional writer, the super smooth Diamante, I decided it was time to purge. Of course, I must admit that although my sassy little student writer had definitely seen better days, I still had a fond attachment to her and was slightly sad to see her go. After all, I have worked that little puppy to death these last couple of years, and I feel a little bad leaving her behind just as I’m on the verge of ending my journey through school, the same journey that we embarked upon together. Plus, she was my first “extra-limb.” You only have one first, you know.
I often joke, you see, that my machine is my “extra limb” because I sometimes feel that wherever I go, my machine is sure to follow. That little writer has simultaneously become my best friend, yet my worst enemy. It is my ticket to a future, yet it is that total pain in my butt that always gets in the way of a really carefree social life and it torments me daily when it comes to my battle to beat 225. Then, of course, there is the classic student – guilt complex. If I’m not using my machine, I am most certainly feeling guilty about not doing so. It consumes a huge part of my life. It is waiting for me when I come home from work. It is with me when I watch TV. I swear I even catch it glaring at me as I drift off to sleep all the while saying, “PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!” Yep, it is still there when I wake up. It is nearby when I sip my morning cup of Joe. Heck, that little thing has even accrued frequent flyer miles as it has travelled with me to places like California, Arizona, and Michigan. It’s as if it is ALWAYS present, quietly reciting the mantra, “PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!” Hence, the feeling that she is indeed an extra limb, and another crucial part to my existence.
Sadly, though, she has run her course. I bid ado to my little ol’ trusty student writer and say a fond farewell. Please know it’s not you, it’s me.


R.I.P. my little sassy stentura

10 grammar mistakes that make you look stupid

After reviewing the test results for a 200 Jury Charge mentor test I recently took, I was thrilled to find that I had received an A for my punctuation grade. I would like to randomly point out here that although speed and accuracy are a necessary requirement to be a skilled court reporter, a good chunk of this profession also requires excellent spelling and punctuation skills. Sadly, I have always felt that I lack in this department. Thanks to a healthy dose of eternal optimism, I have chosen to merely view this as a minor glitch in my master scheme to overtake the world of court reporting. (Insert evil laugh here)
I am confident with a little practice I will improve in this area, and I have been making an effort to do just that. So the A for my punctuation grade was a delightful little dose of encouragement. On that note, it is only appropriate that I share an excerpt from an article that I recently read.

10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
By Jody Gilbert, TechRepublic

#1: Loose for lose

No: I always loose the product key.
Yes: I always lose the product key.

#2: It's for its (or god forbid, its')

No: Download the HTA, along with it's readme file.
Yes: Download the HTA, along with its readme file.
No: The laptop is overheating and its making that funny noise again.
Yes: The laptop is overheating and it's making that funny noise again.

#3: They're for their for there

No: The managers are in they're weekly planning meeting.
Yes: The managers are in their weekly planning meeting.
No: The techs have to check there cell phones at the door, and their not happy about it.
Yes: The techs have to check their cell phones at the door, and they're not happy about it.

#4: i.e. for e.g.

No: Use an anti-spyware program (i.e., Ad-Aware).
Yes: Use an anti-spyware program (e.g., Ad-Aware).
Note: The term i.e. means "that is"; e.g. means "for example". And a comma follows both of them.

#5: Effect for affect

No: The outage shouldn't effect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't affect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't have any effect on users.
Yes: We will effect several changes during the downtime.
Note: Impact is not a verb. Purists, at least, beg you to use affect instead:
No: The outage shouldn't impact any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't affect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage should have no impact on users during work hours.

#6: You're for your

No: Remember to defrag you're machine on a regular basis.
Yes: Remember to defrag your machine on a regular basis.
No: Your right about the changes.
Yes: You're right about the changes.

#7: Different than for different from

No: This setup is different than the one at the main office.
Yes: This setup is different from the one at the main office.
Yes: This setup is better than the one at the main office.

#8: Lay for lie

No: I got dizzy and had to lay down.
Yes: I got dizzy and had to lie down.
Yes: Just lay those books over there.

#9: Then for than

No: The accounting department had more problems then we did.
Yes: The accounting department had more problems than we did.
Note: Here's a sub-peeve. When a sentence construction begins with If, you don't need a then. Then is implicit, so it's superfluous and wordy:
No: If you can't get Windows to boot, then you'll need to call Ted.
Yes: If you can't get Windows to boot, you'll need to call Ted.

#10: Could of, would of for could have, would have

No: I could of installed that app by mistake.
Yes: I could have installed that app by mistake.
No: I would of sent you a meeting notice, but you were out of town.
Yes: I would have sent you a meeting notice, but you were out of town.

Now stop making me sic and use some good grammar already! :)

Words

I recently stumbled across an article (click here to see it) about a captioner who covered the horrors of 9-11. As I read it, I was reminded of just how necessary and vital a captioner’s role is in providing assistance to those with a hearing impairment. Can you imagine turning on the t.v. and watching those horrific events being played out, yet having no words to accompany it? Although to some it may only seem like little words running across the screen, to others it is those very words that help to keep them connected to the world that moves silently around them. Hellen Keller put it best… “I am just as deaf as I am blind. The problems of deafness are deeper and more complex, if not more important than those of blindness. Deafness is a much worse misfortune. For it means the loss of the most vital stimulus-- the sound of the voice that brings language, sets thoughts astir, and keeps us in the intellectual company of man. Blindness separates us from things, but deafness separates us from people.”
I say kudos to captioners everywhere. For with every little word you write you are helping bridge the gap that rests between the world of silence and that of sound, one that so many of us take for granted.

Double take

I made an impromptu trip to the store this afternoon after realizing I needed a few packaging supplies so I could mail a box to a friend. As I was checking out I did what all stores genuinely love to see their customers do, I made a last minute impulse purchase. Now I warn you, it was nothing terribly exciting or super extraordinary, just a pack of gum to toss into the bottom recesses of my handbag. However, when I went to grab my usual pack of Extra (the green kind), I did a quick double take and then paused for a brief moment, complete with gum in hand. Sitting directly beside the stack of Extra was a stack of Doublemint gum, each neatly packaged in their signature green cartons with little sprigs of mint printed on the front of the packages. As if to prove that advertising really does work, my mind instantly went back 20 years and began playing back the circa 1985 Doublemint gum commercial of my childhood. As the jingle was playing in my mind, I suddenly longed to smell the cool, minty scent that reminds me instantly of my grandparents. Suddenly, I was no longer standing in the checkout line at the store, but rather I was little girl in my grandparent’s kitchen in front of a tiny drawer chalked full of little packs of gum.
Ever since I can remember, my grandparents always had an endless supply of gum, always 5-stick packs and always Doublemint. Throughout my childhood, whenever I was at my grandparent's I would always raid their stash of gum from the drawer that somehow never seemed to go empty. It’s as if there was a magical, bottomless drawer full of Doublemint that could only be found at grandma and grandpa’s. I suddenly snapped out of my walk down memory lane, and immediately placed the pack of Extra back on the shelf. I decide, instead, to purchase a little piece of nostalgia. Even to this day, before I put a stick of that minty fresh gum into my mouth, I first take little whiff of that classic Doublemint scent, and think of them. I am reminded that scent is a powerful thing. For today, it brings back to me a little hint of my grandmother, who I miss dearly, and a memory from my childhood that will forever be nestled away in my mind.

Expect the Unexpected

Yesterday I was scheduled for more internship hours with a court reporter I frequently shadow. I thought it would be quick two hour depo with nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Perhaps that was my first mistake of the day. After all, even after the brief time I have spent interning, I’ve already discovered that you just really never know what you are going to walk into. I guess for a brief nanosecond (or maybe longer) that little tidbit of knowledge somehow escaped my head. So 7 1/2 hours later I realized two things: 1.) I wasn’t making my 2:30 appointment and 2.) Don’t forget to plug your computer in.

Sweet Sprinkles

As if it isn't already bad enough that I live a only a short two-minute walk away from one the best shopping places in town (yes, the temptation for excessive shoe buying is at an all time high), today I discovered a new destination that I find equally enticing, but on a much sweeter level. The shop around the corner I speak of is named Sprinkles. This super chic cupcake shop is the perfect blend of sugar and spice coupled with pure decadence. These beautifully delicious confectionery delights are too pretty to pass up and too yummy not to indulge in. And bonus!!! These sweet yum-yums are made with all natural ingredients and have no artificial preservatives or trans-fats. Of course, with ingredients like sweet cream butter, belgian dark chocolate, and citrus zest, it is entirely impossible not to create a simply divine cupcake. Flavors range from Ginger Lemon to Chocolate Coconut (and oh how I love coconut). Without a doubt, I will be frequenting their tasty cupcake bar again very soon. Now to decide what flavor to order next!

Check out Sprinkles here

Watch out Mr. 225

Alas, I feel as if the fog is finally lifting and I am busting out of the funk that as of late has plagued me with much frustration and lack of motivation. Yes, it happens to even the best of us at times. Thankfully, I am sensing the return of my long-lost self-drive and that positive, can-do attitude. And not a moment too soon, I might add. I am back in the groove...officially.
Perhaps it is just the crunch time factor setting in (or maybe just the extra strong coffee I had this morning). I do tend to procrastinate and wait until it's do or die before I really let myself kick it in high gear. An annoying trait I have still yet to kick to the curb. So whether it's the fact that that there is only a mere matter of months before I really MUST be done with school due to a dry bank account, or that I have finally finished travelling through my latest valley (Admit it. We all have our ups and downs), either way, I'm back and ready to conquer my Q&A demon!!! I've decided I'm done letting it beat me up. Rather than sit back and be constantly defeated by the grueling speed of 225 wpm, I am going to force myself to not just beat that stupid little number, but to pulverize it. It will not defeat me. I am bigger than 225 (okay, not literally, as this has no direct correlation to my weight, but you know what I mean). Besides, I'm sure I talk at least 350 words per minute, or so my family would claim. I figure if I am capable of spewing words out of my mouth at such a rapid pace, then I am positive the good Lord must have made my fingers and mind capable of clipping along at a mere 225, right?!

Mood: Energized (and I admit it, slightly over-caffeinated)
Outlook: Positive
Goal: Practice! Practice! Practice!

No great achievement is possible without persistent work. - Philemon Bertrand Russell

My job is...

It’s a fact! We spend a big chunk of our lives working. Day in and day out we go to our places of employment, we work at completing the tasks and responsibilities we were hired to do, and we anxiously await payday so we can receive our hard earned money. Even though we spend so much of our time on the job, it is surprising how many people tend to dislike what they do, or at least waste time and energy complaining about it. When you think about it, we spend about one-third of our daily lives working. I liken this to my “mattress theory” which is this: We spend a third of our lives sleeping. Say you sleep on average seven hours a night. That is 2,555 (of a possible 8,760) hours a year that you spend slumbering away on your bed. If that’s the case, I can’t possibly understand not purchasing a decent mattress, one that you find utterly and wonderfully comfy. Otherwise, you will have wasted one-third of your, day, week, month, year, or even life not sleeping as well you possibly could.

The same is true about our work lives. With as much time as we spend working, it is exceptionally nice when we can find a job that we at least enjoy doing. Of course, there will always be exceptions. In my case, I would’t call my job as an administrative assistant my dream job by any stretch of the imagination. (That’s why I’m in school.) To be honest, it’s quite easy and even a bit dull at times. Still, I am extremely thankful for my job, as it really has been the perfect one for me while I finish my education. It is without a dobut low-stress, close to home, and pays well. So I most definitely cannot complain. And sure, with the economy and the unemployment rate the way it is, often people are more inclined to take a job merely for the fact that it will provide money to pay the bills, rather than whether or not they will find true satisfaction in the work. Completely understandable. Still, whether your current job is that ideal dream job you always imagined, or just a means to an end, this simple fact remains: You are still spending about one-third of your time doing it. So why waste all that time and energy being unhappy, discontent, or even just mildly annoyed. No matter what job you have, or how and why you do it, there is still much to be thankful for...after all, there are nearly 14.8 million Americans looking for work these days. (Yes...I'm a dork and checked out the U.S. Dept. of Labor stats.) So I ever so gently remind you to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. "We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
(Frederick Keonig)

Of course, that doesn't mean we can’t poke fun just a wee bit at our work. After all, life without a little bit of humor is somewhat dull. I ran across this on the internet and found it pretty funny.
Here are the top 10 answers.

My Job is to ______.

1. Help people hate each other: Divorce Lawyer
2. Stand on a field and get yelled at for hours: Baseball Umpire
3. Talk in other people’s sleep: College Professor
4. Call people who know what they’re doing and ask them what they’re doing:
Incident Manager
5. Show people how beautiful the Earth would be without them: Mountain
Landscape Photographer/Climber
6. Make people feel bad about their work: Quality Assurance Tester
7. Repeatedly fix what you repeatedly break: IT Director
8. Clean up an animal that makes more money then me in a year: Assistant Horse Trainer
9. Write words that no one wants to read: Technical Writer
10. Make food that is as healthy before it goes in your body as when it comes back out: Fast Food Employee

Can you describe your job in one sentence?

Read more funnies here

One at a time, please!

I sat in on a depo yesterday that, to be honest, drove me a little bit bonkers. The deponent refused to answer questions verbally, but rather repeatedly tried to respond with nods and grunts instead. The attorneys were constantly asking her, "Was that a yes?" or "Was that a no?". She must have been gently reminded a million times to please wait until the question was completely asked before answering, or to speak clearly using actual words when she responded. This was a court reporter's nightmare. In addition, one of the attorneys was really soft spoken and so listening for his objections proved a little challenging, especially since it was just one more thing to worry about in the mix of all these constant interjections. All in all, it was a classic case of too many people speaking at once or cutting each other off mid-sentence. By the end, everyone's little nuances were starting to drive me completely nutty. The court reporter did interject only once out of necessity, and handled the entire experience in stride (probably thanks to her 30 plus years of experience.) I myself wanted to interject and yell, "Hey lady, try speaking with some actual words!!!! And everyone, please, just one at a time!" Of course, I refrained. Instead, I sat quietly taking down, as best I could, everything that was being spoken, and quietly thanking God that for this very day it wasn't me who was responsible for creating the official record.

Pity Parties Not Allowed

It’s that time of year again when our dear friend, cupid, comes calling. Funny how February hits, and then all at once the world at large is head over heels “in love.” Suddenly street corners are peppered with vendors peddling their roses and flowers for last minute purchase, the first two aisles in the grocery store are chalked full of all things pink and red, and for some crazy reason Hallmark is running low on their stock of “I love you” cards. For the record, I personally am (and always have been) a fan of this somewhat commercialized holiday. Maybe I’m just a sucker for sweets, flowers, and a good excuse to buy a card or two, but anyone who knows me should not be too surprised by that revelation. However, I do find it somewhat annoying the amount of pity that is pointed in the direction of anyone who is remotely single. It seems glaringly obvious around this time of year. I would like to note that my dear friends (yes….you know who you are) are most definitely NOT guilty of this. I’m blessed to have wonderful people in my life that, whether coupled up or not, have NEVER made me feel like a third-wheel or a “pet project” with their entire mission strictly being to find my soul mate. But that being said, it is actually somewhat surprising to me how often people say things, or act in a way that can give you the impression that they somehow think your life is missing some important piece of the puzzle without a significant other attached to your right hip. I don’t believe they are consciously or purposely doing this, and it is especially not out of any ill-will. Yet, I wonder…did it never once cross their minds that there are singles out there that might actually be okay with their singeldom?! I have not quite yet figured out how to respond to this attitude of pity that somehow is thrust in the direction of all those who are unattached. I find I am baffled, and yet equally annoyed by it. I do have a life, I do have plans, and I am quite happy and content with my current non-relationship status. So why do I feel the need to somehow defend that? So to those out there that are blindly, without thought or reason, looking at me with pity, I say to you this...

I’m no less of a person just because I do not receive a surprise bouquet of flowers from an admirer. I work hard and I have my own money. If I want flowers, I am fully capable of buying them myself. I have many times before, and will no doubt again purchase myself a bright and lively bouquet to cheer up a random, dull day. And please don’t feel compelled to worry about whether or not I have a date or any special plans for St. Valentines. If you have nothing better to worry about, then my friend, I think you have too much time on your hands. One is not measured merely by the amount of V-day loot they do or don’t receive. Yes, it is entirely possible for someone to be quite happy on Valentine's and have no valentine at all. As shocking as that may seem, please know this...while some people might be settling down into cozy coupledom, some people just might not be settling. I’m happy flying solo, and pity need not be directed my way.
Love, peace, and Happy Valentines. ♥

Chronicles of a Court Reporting Intern - Part 3

Up to this point, my internship hours have been primarily split between shadowing with a local freelance firm doing depositions, and shadowing at the federal courthouse. After spending time in both environments, I've discovered I really love the courthouse. You might remember my earlier post where I mentioned perhaps a job as an official would be my least likely choice. Obviously, I was surprised to discover that I actually really love the court environment. The variety of things you see and hear are fascinating, and I really enjoy experiencing the judicial process at work, especially from start to finish. Although I have sat in on a variety of hearings, it has been trials that really seem to fascinate me.

My most memorable experience at the courthouse happened on a day I was originally supposed to shadow my mentor. She unexpectedly became ill and, as a result, she made last minute made arrangements for me to shadow a different reporter. Several trials were scheduled to start that day, and as a result, the security line was quite lengthy due to a heavy influx of potential jurors. Consequently, I didn’t make it in time to go with my arranged replacement reporter. When I finally arrived at the CR offices, the team of reporters was nice enough to help me find another trial to sit in on. It just so happened to be a copyright case with eight attorneys that had also ordered realtime services. So I hurried off, following a very well-known reporter in the court reporting field, to sit in on the jury selection and opening statements. For the sake of privacy, I will merely dub this reporter, the Queen of Realtime, a title which is most fitting.

As you can imagine, it was a real challenge for me to keep all eight attorneys straight. Plus, adding voir dire on top of this made the very start of this day a little more “fun” than I had anticipated. I spent the first half of the day entirely confused by which attorney was which and I quickly realized I needed to practice my speaker identifications a bit more aggressively. The material of the case was also extremely thick and tedious, and the pace quick and rapid. I was having to stroke out a lot of words merely because of the nature of the material. My hands and arms were tired, but somehow the resident Queen of Realtime was busy making it look so easy and effortless.

Since I was sitting next to the law clerk who also had a computer screen with a realtime feed, I was able to glance over occasionally and see just how perfectly she was writing. I found my own screen full of red untranslates and mistrokes. How was she so darn good at this? I felt like my arms were about to fall off and my mind was starting to become numb from having to think so hard. I immediately remembered the valued advice from a reporter I had met about six months prior. He had advised me to invest in monthly massages. All of the sudden I was starting to see why he would say that. Again, I found myself wishing I had been practicing my speaker designations a little more ardently.

The day proved extremely challenging and exhausting, but I truly enjoyed the experience. Later, my mentor contacted me and asked if I had been scared off by the challenging day. We both enjoyed a good laugh over what I had been thrown into. (I have found that reporters are often quite careful to select hearings and depos that will not be too terribly overwhelming or difficult for a student.) Ironically, I never felt intimidated or scared at all. Maybe I was foolishly naive not to realize how extremely difficult it was, but I loved the challenge and, as always, I loved seeing the legal process first hand. To add icing to my court reporting cake, the intense seven hour courtroom workout proved very helpful. The following day was test marathon, and I surprisingly (or perhaps maybe not so surprisingly) passed both my 200 Q&A speed tests.

List Making....a way to survive being TYPE A.

After a much need hiatus, I have found my way back to the land of work, school, and reality. You missed me, right?! My trip to Cincy was wonderful, and thankfully I have returned feeling quite rested and ready to get back in the groove of life.
I’m starting my semester off by getting organized, mentally refocusing, and willing myself to work hard and be productive. Because I’m totally Type A and the queen of list-making, I have constructed a list of things that stand in the way between me and graduation. These items MUST and WILL be completed this semester. Why, you ask? Well for one, I am a huge believer in setting goals. “Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination." (Fitzhugh Dodson) Obviously, my ultimate goal is graduation. It never was my dream to be a lifer when it comes to balancing work and school.
However, there is a much less glamorous reason as well for writing this list. Brace yourselves, now. Perhaps you, too, did not know this little insight I’m about to reveal. Believe it or not, apparently money does NOT grow on trees. Who knew?! Personally, I think it would be a lovely sight to see a gloriously handsome oak tree blossoming nothing but dollar bills in the spring. I am in the desert though, so perhaps a cactus would be nice…with some Andrew Jackson’s poking from its slender prickly spines. Sadly, my imagination is not reality, and I will not be plucking cash from a living plant anytime soon. The hard cold fact is, I’m tapped out. My financial aid has run out and I’m running on empty when it comes to my good ole’ stock pile of cash. So you see, do or die, this is my semester. I got nothing else, so it just has to be. So I will pen my list and work hard to cross each item off as I complete them, one step at a time.

Clearly, you probably could care less about what my actual list entails, but since I’m very visual, I just need to see it on paper (or a computer screen for that fact) so I know what I have to do. Plus, my neurotic, crazy self secretly enjoys crossing things off a list once they are done. So without further ado, I hereby declare to the world my laundry list of must-do’s this semester:

Pass two 225 QA speed tests.
Pass my 3 exit level mentor tests.
Complete 30 more hours of internship.
Finish editing my 50 page transcript. (I’m nearly finished with this anyway)
Complete my internship book and submit.

Wait..is that it? I’m surprised with how actually simple this list looks. I don’t think I have forgotten anything. Perhaps the only thing that has truly been stopping me from completing school has just been myself. Ay, there's the rub.

Cincyland

va•ca•tion (noun)

[vay kàysh`n]

1. Break from work

2. A period of time devoted to rest, travel, or recreation


There is no better way to spend my semester break from school than by also taking the week off from work and heading back to see friends in Cincy. Although, I admit, I had hoped that I would be celebrating the end of school all together, I still am thankful that the end is at least virtually around the corner. So I've left the sunny, warm 70 degree desert behind, and have landed smack dab in the middle of winter (18 degrees when I landed, to be precise.) But what better way to warm up than with the cozy and familiar company of old friends. So, here's to a week of having nothing to do and all week to do it in.

Random Useless Things I Learned Today

Heating food up in the microwave on Styrofoam plates or bowls can cause prostate cancer (or at least according to my co-worker.)

Veggie burgers smell terrible!

The tea, Maca, is a natural replacement for Viagra. (Not to be confused with Matcha, a green tea which you can find widely available at your local Starbucks.)

If you keep someone on hold long enough, they will just go away.

No word in the English language rhymes with “month”. Go ahead...try and think of one.

Credit card companies are basically pure evil.

Miss Sweet Things down the hall, thinks making coffee for the office is beneath her. (Hey, you know you wanted a little workplace gossip).

Your gunky mascara can be revived with a quick 30 seconds in the microwave. I still think I’ll just go buy a new tube.

Thanks to Facebook, I now know my friend is looking for a petite blonde, with long flowing hair, light eyes, and a goofy personality. Seriously people! We are posting way too much info on FB already!

I've discovered I'm actually more stupid now as a result of all this meaningless information.

Chronicles of a Court Reporting Intern - Part 2

I’m a little bummed I have yet to shadow any CART providers. Although it has not yet worked out, I have had the opportunity of talking and spending time with several reporters who do provide CART services. I’ve decided I will just consider this as more of an instructional type of interning. Yes, perhaps this is a slight bend in the rules, but the wealth of knowledge that they have shared with me has been invaluable and extremely insightful, so I say it's okay.

For my non-court reporting friends, CART is simply an assistive technology which allows more effective communication for individuals with a hearing impairment. For instance, say an individual has a hearing impairment and is enrolled in college. Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, they have the right to request assistance, thus, enter a CART provider. A CART provider would attend class with the student, and using the same “court reporting” skills, provide realtime services. In essence, they would translate every spoken word as it is being said, and their translation would be fed to a computer screen for the student. This is just one example of CART. There are obviously, other areas where CART services can be provided beyond the educational setting.

I've always loved the idea of doing something that really helps other. As someone who provides these services, you are really making a difference. It seems that it would be a very rewarding and satisfying job. I am very hopeful that at some point I will be able to sit in, and shadow a CART provider, as I'm sure this would give me an even better perspective. I am very fascinated by this area and have great deal of interest in it.

Chronicles of a Court Reporting Intern - Part 1

I have decided to do a small series of re-occurring posts chronicling some of my internship experiences. A recent essay requirement for school prompted me to simply segment these very thoughts out into a few blog posts. Obviously, many of these experiences and thoughts are backdated, but I hope you enjoy my ramblings all the same.

At the start of my internship, I found myself pretty unsure of what path I specifically wanted to pursue when it came to the world of court reporting. I have always been a little baffled that many of my peers seem to have a really strong idea of the direction they want to go in professionally, yet I just can't seem to pin down what it is that I want to do. Why is it I can't seem to make up my mind about what interests me most? I am prone to be somewhat indecisive, but seriously, how can I be this far along, and still have no clue? Too many options I tell you. Ironically, the variety of options is precisely one of the reasons that enticed me into the court reporting profession to begin with. Sure, I admit it. I was drawn in by the lure of flexible hours, the ability to work from home, and the promise of high pay. But I was equally drawn in by the variety of options available.

More often than not, when you tell people you are in school for court reporting they immediately think of "that person in the courtroom that types on that funny little machine." True, technically you could say that, and it is indeed one of the options you have once you have mastered the skill. Although, I'll be the first to tell you, it is a little more involved than that. It is, also, slightly annoying when people word it that way. It makes it sound so easy, yet if it were truly this easy, why, I ask, does court reporting have a 95% failure rate?! (I digress) In addition to being an official reporter, you also can be a CART provider, a broadcast captioner, or work as a freelance reporter. Upon enrolling in school, I had no clue what path really interested me most, but I was confident of one thing…it wasn’t the world of officialship.

As a random side note…I find it funny that the admissions department was quick to talk about all the various areas in which I could work, however, they failed to leave out all the little, nitty-gritty details about how much work, time, and dedication would really be necessary to advance to that magical speed of 225. Of course, had they told me that, I may have backed out right then and there, so it's probably best they didn’t take that route. I never consider myself to be the very driven type growing up. Thankfully, that is a trait I feel for the most part I have left behind. (Most likely, because I have found something that interests me and I am passionate about.) But I best get back on track. I feel a rabbit trail around the corner if I’m not careful.

Back to my thoughts on officialships. For some reason, since day one, I have had it stuck in my brain that I have zero desire to be an official reporter. The idea of going to court every day, and hearing all the crazy things that people have done seemed pretty undesirable, and I felt like it would just callous me in some weird way. Yes, you do hear a lot of crap. There are definitely some weird people out there that do some weird things. I have already found myself slightly desensitized and I'm not even working yet. But that's neither here nor there. I'm not quite sure whether it just seemed uninteresting to me, or intimidating, but nonetheless, these were my feelings and thoughts at the start of my internship. Funny how you make up some of these ideas based solely on your own preconceived notions. As a result of these preconceived ideas, I figured I would simply do a few court hours just for the sake of fulfilling a requirement but I already knew that it just wasn't for me. You can imagine how surprised I was to find that after spending much time interning, my thoughts about this have drastically changed. I won't get ahead of myself just yet, though. I will let you journey with me through my thought processes and experiences that led to this profound change of heart.

Lesson learned: Allowing preconceived notions dictate your destiny will only lock the doorway to opportunity.

Singledom

My personal journey (Yes! I DO have a life outside of court reporting school) has been one that has led me into rediscovering the world of dating and singledom, it has become painfully evident that I may have to kiss a few frogs, or even perhaps a few komodo dragons for that fact, before I am to find my Mr. Right. I actually think I'm quite fine with that though. On the heels of a devastating divorce, I'm most definitely not looking to jump into anything too serious, and more importantly, I'm choosing to find enjoyment and even humor in the dating process, rather than be tormented and overwhelmed by it. (And for the record, there are some CrAzIeS out there.) I do have to say, I think I've been out of the game a little while, so my skills seem a bit rusty. All the more reason to practice, right! I have also discovered, I am quite happy being single. Not to say that I wouldn't like some "male companionship", but it's not so bad flying solo. Recently, I have found enjoyment in some of the following perks of being relationship-free:

1. I don't have to check with anyone before making plans.
2. I can drop everything at a moments notice if I decide to go meet the girls.
3. There is no pressure to ALWAYS have my legs shaved.
4. I can flirt with anyone I please...guilt-free.
5. I don't have to share my food, and if I want the biggest piece of cake, I can have it.
6. I can hog the covers in bed.
7. I don't have to juggle multiple families at the holidays.
8. Any Christmas money I receive doesn't have to be split with anyone.
9. And best of all, there is no need for compromise.

So singeldom is proving to be not so bad. However, I'll be honest and admit that a little male company is definitely nice every now and then, and it isn't completely undesired either. It's nice to be noticed. It's also really great to have someone think you are worth a little time and energy, perhaps a nice dinner out, or a random flirtatious text. So although I wouldn't necessarily say I am actively looking for Mr. Right, I wouldn't say I'm turning the other cheek either. I think I am just choosing to enjoy the moment.

And in the words of the very wise, Dr. Seuss, "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go."

Save The Date

Yep, that's right folks, it's official. Come hell or high water, I'm graduating on August 4, 2010. Actually, I am hoping to be done well before then, but CCR's graduation ceremony is to be held in Chicago on the eve of the National Court Reporter's Association yearly convention, also being held in Chicago the same weekend. Since my school is based about an hour outside of the windy city, they are planning the festivities to coincide with the yearly convention. What a treat! Exact details are still forthcoming, but I'm ecstatic, to say the least. Can't wait to be finished with this 'never-ending student' thing, and even more super excited that I'll also be able to attend the NCRA convention after. I think 2010 is most definitely off to a good start.