Hi, Lisa.

WOW! You're amazing! You said you generally stay in a speed group for ONLY 2-3 weeks??? To me, that's seriously unheard of... but so encouraging to know there are other CR students who actually do this! You're such an inspiration... and I hope to be able to do what you're doing right now! :)

How many tests do you have to pass in order to get out of a speed group? In our school, we have to pass 3 types of tests in each speed group to pass out: Literary (straight matter), Jury Charge, and Testimony (Q&A).

- How many hours a day do you practice?
- Do you also work full/part-time besides going to school?
- What is your practice routine like?
- Are you taking any academic classes (Medical, Legal, and English) while you're working on your machine speed?

Before you answer those questions that I just asked of you, it's only fair to share my answers to them as well:

- I really only practice while I'm on the school campus, so that would be an average of 3-4 hours a day. Not nearly enough, huh?
- I work part-time (26 hours a week) at a law office, and I'm a freelance transcriptionist on the side besides going to school full-time. I've had to start turning down transcription jobs lately because I want/need more time to focus on school.
- Unfortunately, I've been thrown off my "rhythm" of a practice routine recently because my laptop fan is broken. So I don't have my handy laptop with me anymore, and it took a while to figure out what to do with it. I was stressing myself out! (BTW, nothing to worry about anymore. I extended my Dell warranty, and will be shipping my laptop to them shortly! YAY!) But I normally just practice to my 150% best while at school, and do that again the next morning. You see, after school, I go to work and by the time I get home, it's pretty late already and my brain is just fried! I use the night time to catch up on email, chores, etc.
- I'm done with my academic classes (Medical, Legal, and English) except for one more called Transcript Prep, which I'll start in September. It's a year-long course, and I heard it's very demanding. I definitely will learn a lot, but I also definitely have to keep up. Looking forward to finally finishing this last non-machine course in my CR program!

I know I write a lot! I'll stop now! Hehehe.

Hope to read your answers soon! CONGRATS again on your quick speed jumps! You're my hero! :)

- Christine

Hi, Lisa.

Thanks for the compliments about my pics and the messages. I like looking at them all myself! :)

GOOD NEWS! I just found out that I passed my last real time test at 160 wpm. I'm officially done with that class! WHEW! Feels so good! We are allowed 32 errors, and I got 19 errors! :)

Now, I just gotta pass my last 140 Q&A, and keep going, going, going... :)

I go to Tri-Community in Covina, CA. It's about a 30-minute drive for me, but I really cannot complain because we have students who travel much, much further than me! They have to carpool and everything! I'm really happy with my school! :) Just wish I could go full-full-time and not have to work part-time, period! Hehehe. I think I'd be out of school faster if that were the case. Oh well... can't have it all! :)

What school do you go to? Your profile states that you're preparing for the exam. Is that "the" exam for Arizona? Do Arizonians (is that even a word? Sorry, don't know! Hehehe) have to be licensed to work in your state? How long have you been in school? What do you want to get into once you're a working reporter?

I'd like to do closed captioning and/or freelance deposition work. I'm thinking of becoming an official reporter down the line like when I'm ready to retire. I really dread the 9-5 working hours... or I'd do official work if there was a part-time opportunity. We'll see! Can't really dream about all this yet! Hehehe. But one day it'll become a reality... sooner rather than later hopefully!

Hope you're having a great day too! :)

Keep in touch...

You're welcome! :) Hope you had a happy one! :)