I'm going to post that on my Facebook page.

I know what "grond" means.

"Place dunt grond yer teef."

I write it all the time. :)

I was close. :)

Ya'll crack me up. Too funny!!

I always know where to go for a good laugh!

I just wanted to wish everybody "GOOD SKILL" -- *thanks, Libby -- who are taking the NCRA skill tests tomorrow. You are all Super Reporters!!!

In fear of being a really dorkie mom -- again -- I will stop there.

Oh, and, as I told Kathryn, good luck never can hurt. It's lots better than bad luck. :)

So GOOD LUCK too!!!!!!!

Kick butt, all you test takers!

Have I mentioned how much I'm loving -FRTS for way? My latest: SPREFRTS - expressway

It is such a great one, Brenda. Love those right-side jewels!!

Yes, test-takers, do your best!! Never give up!!! We will be prayin fer ya!!

I failed my test :(

I'm venturing to say I missed about 91.


Ugh! realtime is freakin hard.
I'd rather write it all day every day at work than a five-minute "test."
That word is evil.

The warm up was so deceptive! I wrote it flawlessly.
And then the test comes and it's like fgjdfkjghkh

Kathryn, Tami is all "so do you have piano in your dx?" I was like, huh? what? I don't even remember writing that word.. PAEN. It wasn't a problem unlike like "eagerly" -- or should I say "earringly" -- or "I am tour."
Terrible.

Clay,

I feel your pain! My "eager" didn't tran either, since I am now tucking my Rs and didn't have that in the dix. For some reason "piano" tranned, but auditorium came out " auto tore yum" LOL! "Referees" was another one that killed me. Came out "refer ries" or some weird shit like that.

Hi, Kathryn! I saw you throw your blazer across the room and had to laugh to myself that you were claiming the front of the room. I have to be as far away from the dictation as possible. Did you notice my test strategy? I was in the back, facing the wall, surrounded by chairs in my zone. Reminds me of Get Smart when they would sit in the Cone of Silence, or whatever the heck that was.

Hugs to us all for trying! We can't win if we're not in the race.

Clay, Kathryn, Tina,

Kudos for giving it your all!! I'm so impressed with all of you. Maybe one of these days I'll be at your level. It's a lot of work, and it will pay off if you keep trying.

Kathryn, look forward to hearing the end test result :)

The RMR was the learning experience I expected. I wrote the warmup and the first two minutes of the tests well, but didn't have the stamina to keep up with the short speed and density bursts or to get through well to the end. However, before I started the MUB in late August, I couldn't even write the warmup minute of any of the three RMR skills tests. Of course, it was disappointing that I wasn't ready to pass. It's human nature to hope for the fairy dust or the lucky star that will make this the time, however improbable. But ultimately, it was a good confirmation that I need to keep on doing what I am doing. I am going to get more into the briefs and Mark's way of writing and make more of a project of listening to at least three of Mark's motivational videos every week. May, here I come! I know we have the winning formula here.

I'm also getting a Lightspeed in the near future. I would actually like it to arrive about the second week of December when things typically slow down for me for a few weeks. If I got it this week, I wouldn't have a chance to start in with it.

And to those who have kind and wise things to say to the effect of being ahead of our game simply by being in the race, you're right. I was surprised to see only two other reporters taking the RMR with me. This is in the SF Bay Area where there are a lot of reporters and not all that many testing sites.

A few MUB-inspired good ones I've developed lately:

I'll impose a = PAE*UZ

Do you agree and stipulate to = DRAEPT

lesser included = HREFD (HRAOUDZ which is more obvious was already taken as a brief for the name of an attorney with whom I frequently work.)

stipulated lesser included = SHREFD

going to be - GOEB

.08 = PAEUT

any measurable amount of alcohol = TPHE*UPL

I just am so happy you're all getting out of the boat!! You inspire so many others by doing so.

And I'm not so sure I'm worthy of having the title of "CRR."

The hardest thing in the test I took in 1997 was Mark Hill, a dog, and a search warrant. I had started in court 17 years previous to that, so writing a test about a criminal case was a breeze for me. This test sounds more like a realtime contest to me.

All those people who say I'm lucky are RIGHT! :)

And thanks, Laura, for updating us on your experience with the RPR. You'll get it next time!!

Tami,

I just voiced your sentiments on Depoman. When I hear those older CRR tests with Paul Cross and Mark Hill appealing their judgments of convictions, it makes me long for the good old days. Yeah, ten years as an official and I can write that stuff in my sleep. When I get done playing, the first thing I'm going to do is check my dix and see if I've ever, in all my working days, written the words "referee" or "referees."

I was close on the RMR testimony, but UFL I could not make sense of the slop, lol! In a way, this only makes me more determined. I refuse to be the test candidate with multiple failed attempts.

Oh, and, Tami, you are most definitely worthy!!

Thanks, Tina!

"Referee(s)" is definitely on my list to check on Monday, along with quite a few others.

I learned "piano" in theory. Don't ask me why it was a theory brief for me, but it was. :)

Recently I've had a lot of "patio" cases, and I was two stroking it, so finally PAO came out automatically, and, yes, I had people smoking on the piano.

So I quickly made "patio" PAOT and it's stuck, BUT in a realtime "test" I'm thinking I would have this long, drawnout conversation with myself about how I recently wrote it in place of "patio" and how I better be careful not to write PAOT for "patio" and then of course ten words would have flown by. HA!

Someday I'm gonna be good. If the journey wasn't so much fun, maybe I would have just jumped to the end of it and saved me some frustration, but then I'd be bored, right?? :)

I wish it was that easy, but it's so much fun!! Not too many people are lucky enough to say that after three decades on the same job.

Until next time, kids!! You can do it!!!!

Tami,
SHUT!! "Someday I'm gonna be good." You are off-the-chain amazing! I'll never forget when a position for an officialship opened up in Perris Court, and you were trying to talk me into taking it (I know you just want me in court cuz you LOVE it so much) So I'm sitting next to you writing along (your realtime coming up flawlessly PERFECT), as I was still trying to recover from the big scene that morning of a dead body that had been found out front on the sidewalk into the courthouse. And then there was the string of prisoners in orange jumpsuits sitting ONE foot behind me!! You weren't rattled an iota!! Nerves of STEEL and NOTES to match!! Hats off to you -- and I know you've only gotten better since that day, 20 years ago now!! Love ya, girlfriend :)

Tami, I learned PAO for piano too, and have been trying to figure out what to do with patio since hearing about PAO for it -- because piano won't be displaced. PAOT is perfect. Then someone told me PAO for portfolio. NOOOOOO! But that's become PAOFL. If nothing else, it's fun to say. ;)

All in a day's pay, Christine. ;) I love you too!!

I can't ever remember writing "portfolio," so I'll have to add that to my list to check tomorrow morning, Brenday. :)

portfolio - P-FL

Kathryn, have you really written . . . um? Have to admit that I never have.

Unfortunately, "poo" is a common word that comes up in the child molestation cases.

And I should have added, I put a flower * with my "poo" to make it smell better. :)

PAO* poo

I know Brenda knows I think of the asterisk as a flower in a lot of outlines. Silly, but it works for me.

Tami,
I probably shouldn't touch this with a 10-foot pole, and I know you are amazing, but are you now suggesting your poo doesn't smell cuz it has a flower with it?

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!

We have to keep Alexis coming back for more. :)

Too funny!!

The flower concept to distinguish girl names from boy names (and feminine/masculine words like fiancée/fiancé) works so well! It's an instant memory trigger.

Yes, it is, Brenda.

The girl names get the flowers, Erin AO*EURN

Aaron AEURN

Danielle DA*NL
Daniel DANL

There are lots, and this is why I first started thinking of the asterisk being a flower. :)

It has now crossed over to things like "poo."

Another "Dignified Reporter" here!!

Thanks, Ladies. I have been adding phrases to my writing. Unfortunately, they are creating some conflicts, many of which are not nice words! I'm already getting nervous about them showing up accidentally. This flower concept (flowering all dirty words) will give me more control.

Yes, Tami II, I flower lots of my dirty words. My a$$ is A*S.

We'll see what Christine thinks of the flower on my a$$. :)

And, Tami Too, you do go with the rule of putting the * with the least common conflict, right?? That helps a great deal.

I had "rural" come up for "ruler" yesterday, and I also had an "earring beaver" instead of an "eager" one, which is funny because that was one of Clay's errors in the CRR on Saturday.

Oh, AND yesterday, deft's bro on the stand making up a story for him, and D.A. asks him, "Well, you love your brother, don't you? You love him?"

And instead of the last "You love him," it tran'd

"THE COURT: I love him."

(Thankfully my judge has a great sense of humor.)

Guess my PAO* does stink. :)

My brief for farther is the one I was afraid would accidentally escape. Now that it's flowered up, I don't have to worry about it stinking up my screen!

How tall are you, tami?? :)

And I thought you were worried about "if you can." I put a flower with that bad word.

Not! Only 5'4". And you?

I like the "if you can" phrase. When I first started shortening my writing, I wrote that not even thinking and the "f" word came up. Thankfully I wasn't hooked up to anyone, but I quickly changed it on my screen!!! I like using the * in my writing. I learned it in my theory way back when.

"If you can" was my very first floral arrangement this morning.

Oh, nice arrangement, tami.

I'm 5'9", so it does look like I get the tall T. HA!

We just had another "Tami" join us, Tami McVey, so I'm not sure it's gonna work. :)

I've used my * since theory too, Ann. The reporters who have only used it as a correction stroke are the ones that seem to be the most asterisk-aphobic.

I only turned it into a flower this decade, though.

McTami?

HA! I'll have to ask her if she likes it. :)

We're running out of options here. If Tamis keep increasing at this rate, someone will end up with the dreaded flower in her name.

I like referring to the * as a flower. :)

And I'm surprised there's not more than one Ann. That's a pretty common name, but being a twin, I'm used to answering to other names. :)

I'm a triplet. I'm really used to being called other names. LOL I found a good friend of ours in high school couldn't tell us apart. Didn't find that out until our 20th reunion.

I had twin friends in high school that I could barely tell apart. What's funny is one of them also became a court reporter.

We had a great guidance counselor at our H.S. that talked up the profession.

Thank you, Mr. Stevens!!

AND I got dibs on the flower *Tami* if we have to go that route. :)