I'm a big kid now!!!!

My new machine was finally delivered, and I'm now the proud owner of my very own professional writer. I feel like such a big girl now.

Test Day...Part 2

Those who know me best know that I have been relatively preoccupied lately with the RPR, hence the lack of updates. However, last weekend Day 2 of the RPR test FINALLY arrived. This portion of the test was the skills portion, which consists of three timed tests on your machine followed by a timed transcription time for each test. The end result is to hopefully turn in three transcripts that are 95% accurate or better. The total amount of time for the test ends up being about 4 to 4 1/2 hours. I was feeling relatively calm, cool, and collected about it right up until the day of. I felt confident I had done just about all I could do to prepare for it. However, that all changed the morning of the test. I woke up and was suddenly plagued with nerves. I thought I might actually be sick due to my nerves. But I got myself together, loaded up all my equipment, quadruple checked all my needed supplies, and hit the road for Day 2.

When I arrived, the room that was offering all three legs was packed. There were about 25 people total in my room and I quietly found a space for myself and set up my machine, laptop, and printer and proceeded to warm up. I was starting to feel little calmer. I am soooo glad I practice a lot with my eyes closed. I simply closed my eyes, and it helped to shut out the nerves, all the other people around me, and the uncomfortableness of a new testing environment. I was starting to feel a little more upbeat about the test. When the test officially began, and the literary warm up started, I was dead on. I nailed it. I knew I could do this. After the warm up the literary portion started.....WHAT HAPPENED!!!!!! As soon as the first words of the test were spoken, my fingers immediately turned to jello and I noticed they were literally trembling. I was writing, but I was feeling like I was hitting a lot of extra keys because of my newly acquired jello fingers. After about a minute, I noticed...I"M NOT BREATHING!!! (You always forget those darn simple things.) I quickly pulled myself together, regained my focus, and the rest of the test was actually pretty good. The jury was way better. I feel pretty good about that as well. Thankfully, the jello fingers that had plagued me on the first test, were not nearly as bad. Lastly, the Q&A....well, let's just say, it was your typical Q&A. I hated it and I know it wasn't a pass. Although my Q&A was no doubt lacking, I am feeling pretty hopeful about the lit and jury. Hopefully the jello fingers didn't mess me up too much.

So now I wait...and wait....and wait for my test results. Six to eight weeks to be precise. All in all, I think my first RPR experience was pretty great. I choose to celebrate that fact that I have made it as far as I have, and that I'm even at the point where I am allowed to take the RPR. Pass or fail, cheers to me! (of course, I would much rather have some passing going on than failing.)

And the winner is.....(drumroll)

Yep! My new machine is officially on order. After prolonged indecisiveness and contemplation, I have FINALLY made a decision. I have parted with the $5,500 necessary to call this puppy my own, and now the writer is currently being built. I should have it in about three weeks. Sianara my little Stentura friend; this cookie is moving on up to a big girl's machine. Although I AM sad to say goodbye to my faithful SRT200, it's time to move on.

I write 225!

With the skills portion of the RPR just 17 days away, I have suddenly found myself plagued with anxiety and fear over my impending doom. The little voice inside my head is reminding me daily of unnecessary little facts that I would rather it not mention. Thoughts like, "You know you can't work without your RPR" or "So what if you graduate? If you don't have your certification, what good will it do you?" My personal favorite is "If you fail, you won't even be able to try again until May". So as you can see by the little voices in my head, I have come down with a nasty case of test nerves. I will admit, I have already shed a few tears; I have laid on the couch contemplating my future career, wondering if I am actually going to be able to do this. I have even been tempted to toss my machine out the window (of course anyone who has done court reporting knows that the desire to toss your machine out the window comes around just about as regularly as the 20% off coupons from Bed Bath and Beyond). But I can no longer crawl under the covers and pretend the RPR isn't just around the corner. I must buck up, get back on my machine and suck it up. No time to waste. Whether or not I pass or fail, I only have 17 more days to prepare for my fate. So, alas, I take the advice of my dear, sweet, yet slightly quirky instructor, and tape a post-it note to my desk that says, "I write 225!" Her unwavering belief in the power of positive thinking is constantly being hammered into our heads. If only I could learn to believe in myself ALL the time, not just every now and then. So today I detox myself (yet again) off all the negative thoughts that plague my mind. I will solemnly vow to discontinue use of words like can't, won't, and hopefully, as they will only initiate the the vicious cycle of negativity and self-doubt yet again. So as I practice, I will look at my post-it note. I will remind myself that I too can write 225! I will believe it, and I will do it on November 7!

Test Day...Part 1

7:00 am - Wake up and have a cup of joe pronto.


8:15 - Take my morning walk with Darcy.


8:29 - Darcy attempts to sniff a cactus. Thankfully, no needles wound up
stuck in his nose.


9:35 - Vegetarian Pita Sandwich, breakfast of test champions...okay so it was
also followed by a breakfast burrito around 10:30 (sorry not pictured). I can't help it...I'm a big eater.


11:17 - On my way to start the first leg of certification.
As a kid, I always held my breath and made a wish when driving through the tunnel. I don't think I'll do it today. Purely precautionary. Would hate to lose valuable brain cells on test day.


11:45 - Arrive at the testing location. All my belongings were promptly confiscated, I had a mugshot taken of me (yes, quite possibly the worst photo ever), as well as a palm scan completed. Hello! I thought I was just taking a test. Really, do we need a blood sample and a strand of hair too?

1:49 - RPR Written test completed. Now to wait 3 to 4 weeks for my official results. Fingers crossed! On to preparing for the skills portion in a few weeks, so stay tuned for Test Day Part 2.

ACRA Conference

The Arizona Court Reporters Association held their annual conference in Tucson, AZ over the weekend and so I decided to drive to Tucson and participate. After all, what better way to spend my Saturday than with a room full of perfectionistic, Type A personalities. It was fantastic! I woke up bright and early and hit the road around 6 am. I totally forgot how much I loved the drive between Phoenix and Tucson. (Okay, to be honest, I never remember finding it that exciting. However, for some reason, this time I totally enjoyed it.) I am certain it is due to my long, 7 year absence from my beloved desert.


A picture of Picacho Peak which is about half way between Phoenix and Tucson.

I arrived right on time at the Hilton El Conquistador which was where the conference was being held.
It was nice...your typical desert-oasis type resort surrounded by mountains. (Sorry no pics.) The conference was fantastic and I learned some helpful things, made some excellent contacts, and was able to check out some of the latest writers. I was hoping that by checking out the machines in person, I would be able to narrow down my search, and finally be able to make a decision on which one I want to purchase. Some things never change though....I still can't decide. I think I have narrowed it a bit, so I'm making progress. All-in-all, it was a great way to spend my weekend. I've just been completely exhausted ever since. And now to start another week....

Back at it.

I have been settling in and adjusting back to life in Arizona and now I find it time to get back into a routine and start focusing back on the things that matter most: money and school. Okay, so I'm still delaying the money thing, just a little longer, but only in hopes to get some internship hours out of the way first. I met with an owner of a court reporting firm here in Phoenix for about an hour and a half yesterday, which was fantastic, and I will start shadowing with that firm next week. I also went back to the federal courthouse today. My experience today was quite interesting. The first part of my day was shadowing a reporter who had an Evidentiary Hearing for a high profile case here in Phoenix. They even had extra security beyond the routine security to enter the courthouse. There were additional security guards and another metal detector just outside the actual courtroom. They also had a sketch artist in the courtroom, as there is no photography allowed in federal court. Hmm...who knew I was going to make my sketching debut?! The hearing was in regards to a bombing here in Scottsdale back in 2004. The man accused of being responsible is tied to a white supremacy group. The victim was present to speak to the judge and the purpose of the hearing was to hopefully overturn a decision by a magistrate in Illinois to release the defendant on a cash bond. The trial is scheduled for the fall. I have attached a link for a local article on the hearing today.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/homepagetopstory/stories/phoenix-scottsdale-news-081109-bombing-suspect.ccf720d4.

The other hearing I went to was a complete nightmare. It was a Final Pretrial Conference with eight attorneys present. The case was quite contested and heated, and the material was thick and difficult. There were four companies being represented and trying to keep all my speaker designations straight and trying to write all the thick terminology was quite difficult. The reporter warned me it would be difficult, as the case itself was quite involved. I was completely spent by the end. Both hearings were non-stop writing and to say the day kicked my butt would be an understatement. Tomorrow I will return to the courthouse and continue on with the copyright case. It will be going to trial, so I will be sitting in on the Jury selection and opening statements. I'm hoping it won't be quite as intense as today.

Classic Carol Burnett Court Reporter

A Friday funny...

The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground.

Some days  I sit down at my machine, and it is as if I am touching a completely foreign object. My fingers are slipping onto the wrong keys, I'm dropping way too many words, my mind is swirling from a lack of concentration, and my body aches that tired, weary ache that comes from too much time sitting in front of a computer. It is on days like this that I feel as if everything I ever learned and practiced has fluttered completely out of my mind and continued right on out the window. I find myself left wondering, how did I possibly end up in this weird, endless land of 180 limbo? Will I ever escape it? Alas, I know I will, but not without a little much needed encouragement. So I dial a c.r. friend, they let me be weary, emotional, and discouraged. After receiving a much needed pep talk, I get back on my machine, for I will never succeed without standing my ground, and mastering my machine. Sometimes success is merely the determination to keep going.

 

This little cycle is nothing new. It happens quite routinely. It really is just part of the process, and it reminds me of how funny court reporting really is, and what an unusual little circle you become part of. One thing I have discovered since I began this journey a little over 3 years ago, is that this is most definitely a career with a lot of heart. C.R.s truly understand how utterly discouraging this program can be at times, and anyone remotely related to this profession is always so wonderful at encouraging you during those ultra low moments (which sometimes seems more often than not). They are pretty much the only ones that truly understand how you feel and what you are going through. Because of that, they always know just what to say to pick you back up off the floor, dust off the dirt off your back, and get you back on your machine. The words that are shared are always heart felt, sincere, and full of a deep appreciation for the amount of hard work and dedication that this requires. There belief and support in you sometimes outweighs the belief you have in yourself. They still, somehow, always remind you that with positive thinking (negativity is absolutely NOT an option), determination, and perseverance, you CAN and WILL succeed. I feel truly blessed to have discovered this little world, and even though sometimes I feel as if I'm still just a little nut, I know that in time, I will be the big, strong tree.

You must do the things you think you cannot do.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Movin' on up

I find myself machine shopping these days. It is actually kind of exciting to think that I'm at the point where I will be moving on up to a "grown up" machine. For the past three years (yes, hard to believe it has been that long) I have been working on my little SRT200, a student version that has seen a little wear and tear as of late. Although she's been good to me, it is by no means a match for a professional machine. Since most of the reporters and instructors that I have talked to all highly recommend upgrading my machine before graduating, I have begun the process of trying to to do just that. The top three options at this point are the following:

 

Stentura Fusion

$4,795.00

The traditional machine with the standard paper tray, although it has a setting for a paperless option.

elan Mira

$4,795.00

Completely paperless, but with an amazing lightweight touch to the keys. Has all the bells and whistles and highly recommended by those who use it.

elan Cybra

$1,935.00

The most affordable option, but geared more towards captioning and CART reporters. It still can be used by any reporter, however there is no screen on the machine. It is completely paperless.

I am hoping that in the next few months, I will have this taken care of and I'll be on my way with a shiny new writer.  But in the meantime, hmmm...which to choose?! 

Test Pass!!!!!

Unless you are a court reporter or a court reporting student, you cannot fully appreciate all the blood, sweat and tears that goes into this program. So when you actually pass tests, it is most definitely a reason to celebrate. That being said, I heard back from my instructor that I passed both my 180 Jurys. Let me hear a big woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!! That means I am now working on  exit level speeds for Literary and Jury. Can that really be?! I'm thrilled! Maybe I WILL actually make it through this program after all. Now, if I can just bump up that Q&A to 225. 

Veterans History Project

A while back I signed up for the Veterans History Project, a project that is dedicated to collecting and preserving the wartime stories of our veterans.  As part of the project, the Library of Congress collaborated with the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) and the National Court Reporters Foundation with the 1000 Voices Initiative, which with the help of court reporters and court reporting students helps to transcribe the veteran's interviews that have been submitted to the Library of Congress. In true Steno-Diva fashion, I took what should have been completed in 4 - 6 weeks and stretched it to a more comfortable 6 - 8 weeks. All the same, I finally completed my transcripts and couldn't be more thrilled that I am finished. I had originally volunteered for the project so that I could receive my 2009 NCRA subscription for free. Let's face it, I'm not making the big bucks yet, so of course, the word "free" was enticing. I didn't realize the amount of work it would require though. I can't say that I regret doing it though. Quite the opposite, actually. I learned a great deal about my writing, areas I can improve on, as well as numerous things regarding editing transcripts. So it was actually a very educational experience, not to mention the material was pretty interesting. Still, I am glad to have that off my plate. Shout-outs to my unofficial mentor!!!! Without your help I would most likely still be working on this project as we speak.

So close, yet so far away

In class this evening we reviewed all the requirements for graduation. It was exciting to think that I have actually made it to the point where it almost feels like the end is in sight. Just discussing completion requirements made me feel like I was on the verge of being dangerously close yet, somehow it still seems so far away. Just because we are discussing exit level speed tests and internships doesn't mean I am at the finish line. I still have a daunting 9 tests standing between me and 225. Nonetheless, it was still strangely inspiring and motivating, which is something I most definitely need at this very moment. 

I am encouraged by the words of Harriet Beacher Stowe.

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you,

till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer

never give up then,

for that is just the time and place that the tide will turn.