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.

Highlights of 2009

A decade has ended, and I am actually quite okay with that. I am more excited to start a new chapter of my life, and what seems more appropriate than starting a new decade at the same time. A fresh start, and a clean slate sometimes is just what you need. I do get a little sentimental (no shock to those who know me) but rather than bore you with a recap of my entire life over the past decade, I'll just hit a few highlights from the past year, which has been a memorable one indeed.

JANUARY

January was Mr. Darcy's 5th birthday!!!! Oh wait!!! I mean 4th!!!
Unfortunately, a recent unexpected discovery was made. Last year's 5th birthday party bash for Mr. Darcy was really only his 4th. Surprisingly, or perhaps maybe not so surprisingly, I can't do math. Needless to say, we had a good laugh over it.



FEBRUARY

A final winter in Cincy....hopefully won't be having any more of these
anytime soon.


APRIL

Girls weekend in Chicago to do a little retail therapy and see Lily Allen!



I also kicked off the 30th birthday celebrations a little early with my first ever sky-dive jump. AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Talk about taking your breath away.



FOR SALE: Sadly, put my beloved house up on the market. Please, please, somebody buy.



May

Flying Pig Marathon
I completed my first ever half marathon!



I also celebrated new-found singledom as my divorce was FINALLY finalized!
A momentous year indeed.

Ended the month with a Memorial Day trip w/ the girls. We went back to M's roots in good ol' Newton, IL.
Small town America at it's finest!





JUNE

Turning the big 3-0
A surprise day trip to KY followed by a night on the town in Cincy with good friends.




JULY

The Korecki Klan reunite for 4th of July up at the lake to celebrate Grandpa's 80th birthday!



The big move west! After seven years in Cincy, it was to time to head back to
Arizona and make the 2500 mile trek back to the desert. Thanks to JAK and DJK
for helping me with my cross-country road trip adventure.



AUGUST

After arriving in Arizona, I enjoyed a much needed break from work
and concentrated on school. It was fantastic! After about a month though,
it was back to the grind. Gotta pay those bills.



OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

The RPR took up much time in these months. Passed the written,
will have to try again on the skills portions. Also, finally upgraded
my machine!!!



What a year. Much has changed, but I am blessed with wonderful friends, an amazing family,
and an exciting new profession to look forward to. I look forward to 2010 and all it holds.

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction."
Winston Churchill

Try, Try again

I would first like to state that, unless they are the bearer of good news, I firmly believe test results should NEVER be delivered on Christmas Eve. You can probably see where I am going with this already. Yes, the long-awaited RPR test results arrived on all days, Christmas Eve. I had a pit in my stomach as soon as I saw that they were in the mail. I have been waiting for these results for the past two months, and by this point I honestly had no clue what to expect. I believe I already told you I was only waiting for the Jury and Lit results, as when I took the test, the QA was a total bust. Well, my Lit was a fail. They do not give you the exact score unless you are within 15 errors of the test pass, so I only know I failed. Perhaps I should twist that a little more positively. Let's just say it was not a pass. Anyway, the Jury results came back that I was 8 errors over the limit for a pass. Only 8 errors! Whenever you miss a test by just a few measly errors, it somehow seems painfully worse than if you had just totally botched the test all together. So attempt #1 of the RPR was only mildly successful as I did pass the written, but sadly no portion of the skills exam. I must now wait until May for my next opportunity to take the RPR. To say I was thoroughly disappointed would be a enormous understatement. I really thought I had the Jury, and I was desperately hoping that I would have at least passed a portion of the exam. So my tears have been shed, my Christmas Eve depression has passed, and I must remember that at least now I have my brand, spankin', new machine for the next time. I will just have to get myself in that motivated zone I need to be in, cut out all distractions, and work really hard to be prepared for the May round when I will try, try again.

Inspiration Needed

I presently find myself only a few short steps away from the doorway to my future, yet somehow I have again lost that much need motivation to keep going. (Why do I do always do this to myself?) I also find that the quickly approaching holidays are not helping this matter in the least. I have a history of being a bit too eager to check out for holiday break prematurely, and so is the case this year as well. I’m nearly done with the semester, one in which I was hoping would be my last, yet I find I am still in need of those last 225 QA test passes. Any fellow court reporting student can attest to the never-ending battle we face with motivation. I know that I MUST rally, but somehow I still am unable to find the will to do this. I am in desperate need of some inspiration.

Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant, they are a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.
- Johann Gottfried Von Herder

Randomness

Disclaimer: No rhyme or reason to this post. Just thought I would post a couple recent pics I took that I especially liked. One I took at a recent PowWow. (Yes, I finally had some of that oh-so delicious Indian Fry Bread. Yummo!!! I think I had been craving that since Christmas.) The other is of D at Thanksgiving. Isn't he just so handsome?!