Baaahaaaaahaaaa!! How have I been missing out on this "professional" conversation? I've been LMAO for the last half hour catching up...my boss is going to think I'm doing something other than working. I'll take the McTami. Works for me.
And I have to say, back a couple of columns ago (I missed out on the CRR conversation) I don't recall a referee or piano being in there...now I'm totally screwed! As if I was even remotely close to passing anyway! I would love, LOVE, LOVE to have a test with something criminal. Got it down now! But this crap?? And I don't know about you guys, but they gave us a few words to put in our dix beforehand. So I global them, get ready to have the words, athlete, athletics, Michael Jordan... and the damn things came up ONCE...at the very end of the thing!! How wrong is that??
And I never look at my computer. It makes me trip.

McTami, :)

Go over to the AARGH section on Depoman, a thread towards the top about the "tests" or "good luck," etc. You'll feel better. :)

I think a nice bottle...I mean, glass of wine will make me feel better! ;) But I will check it out. Right after I fight traffic to get home.
I hope everyone gets Veteran's Day off...yippee!!

Tami,
I think the flower on your a$$ goes perfectly with your scent-free PAO*. You sweet little thing, you :)

Not only do I not have Veteran's Day off, I'm keeping two other reporters busy too. I have THREE jobs set up on the same day . . . right when things are so slow that the bank account is dying of starvation. *sigh*

Monica, it physically hurts to read that teachers are saying to ignore the asterisk key. It's a KEY on a keyboard, a keyboard with very few keys to begin with! Can you imagine that being said about any other instrument? "Yes, there are 88 keys on this piano, but ignore this one. It was just put there for looks."

Most nonsensical thing I've ever heard!

WOW! That's really done a volte-face! In the '80s, we were learning to resolve conflicts (using the snowflake for weather and not for whether, for instance), but walked away with tons that most of us resolved on the job. In the mid-'90s it seems like any conflict was considered the work of the devil, and on into this decade, although the improvement in AI made it more palatable. To say don't worry about them at all is just unbelievable!

Conflicts that are totally different parts of speech, sure, Eclipse and CC handle those fine. Two nouns? How is it supposed to tell which noun in one instance from another? That's just ludicrous!

So glad to know how well SM/MS is working for you. It's a big step to change theories midstream. I've changed a lot, but I have the luxury of doing it on the job, for my eyes only, and not for tests. Great job!

OH MY GOSH!!! You ladies are killing me! LMAO! I'm gone a few days and this site has turned into a "scratch & sniff." Where else can you find Poo and Flower in the same sentence? Leave it to Tami to leave me a visual...Oh, and I just read Christine's comment -- Aaaayy, yi, yi. I'd say a 10-foot pole isn't long enough. Oh, and can we choose what kind of "flower" to put with our "poo?"

Okay. Gonna finish catching up here on CSRnation then back to practicing. Qualifiers are kicking my butt!

I can't believe how dainty and feminine our group has become. All flowers and such. I, for one, am glad that my poo doesn't have a flower in it!

Alexis,
Welcome back!!

Monica,
Great job on your transition!! As you know, I "feel your pain," but, yes, it is well worth the change.

ALL VETERANS AND FAMILIES OF VETERANS, Thank you so much for your service to our country, the greatest nation on God's green earth!!

11/11 @ 11:00 a.m., share with me a moment of silence.

For the service and sacrifices paid for our freedom, I salute you! God bless the men and women of the US military and God bless America.

A spur, Monica? You know, that's manly enough and all, but since I am a fan of the Phoenix Suns basektball team and guess who, the San Antonio Spurs. are the most hated team anywhere for me, then that won't work. Keep trying.

As others have said, God bless all the veterans and current military. I, for one, appreciate all you do.

I'm so sorry to say I missed the moment of silence, but thank you to our veterans and Happy Veterans' Day!!

"Comment by Alexis McCutchen 11 hours ago
11/11 @ 11:00 a.m., share with me a moment of silence."

How interesting: That's a lot of 11's right now. Hmm....

Heading to Las Vegas to compete with our team in the High Trek Adventure Championship Race this weekend (Think Amazing Race meets city streets). Mostly likely will be silent until Monday, so, Tami -- you behave, my sweet little chicky!!!

After giving it careful consideration, I would like to claim the plumeria flower as my own. Thinking Keith should get the briar.

How about that right-side "give." *FG

I really want it, but it's giving me fits because I use *FG in phrases for "have gone."

I have gone/I give
you have gone/you give
we have gone/we give
they have gone/they give

Do I need to choose one or the other??

Thanks, Tami. You're always looking out for me. I'd rather have a briar than a spur though, for sure. I use the -VG for give. It's pretty common and you can use -VGS for give us. I have never thought about doing have gone. I don't think that one is as common, at least in court.

I use -FG for give and *FG for gave. Never thought about "have gone."

Tami, I think the conflict will work with some words: did I have, can you give. "when" and "what" will be more problemmatic. when I give, when I have gone. Maybe it can be resolved with the following word, like 'through.'

I haven't thought it all the way through yet, but you can try it and see how it works.

you could do *FNG for have gone

I asked him two weeks ago for it, Monica, and he gave me nothing. Guess he knows I'm serious about it when I come to my MS family!! :)

I'll have to put *FNG for "have gone" on a HUGE Post-It.

You know I got your back, Briar Keith!!

Xavier, welcome to the Fan Club!! I hope you're a visual learner. :)

Exactly what are you writing for the "sym" words?? I'm not sure I remember that chapter. SM-?

Got it!! :)

Thanks, Xavier.

Happy Birthday, Kathryn!

So funny, Kathryn!!

Hope you're enjoying a wonderful birthday!!

Kathryn
Was out of state for a dew days. Happy belated birthday!!

Oops. Make that a "few" days.

Heh ... I was wondering what a "dew" day was ...

Nothing like being all "jacked up" on Mountain Dew...

Christine -- Is that how you get through ALL those athletic events you participate in?!? I'd need a little more than a Dew Day! =o) Welcome home.

And, Kathryn, Happy Belated Birthday!

Alexis --

You should try my World Famous(™) Cheap and Sleazy Mocha ... and yes, I do mean the version with the Coffee Fudge Chunk ice cream in it!

Yuuumy!!! Hey, coffee and fudge ice cream all in one -- i'm there. Caffeine and chocolate, what a great combo. And if it helps get these fingers to "Write short -- Write fast", evem better.

I've been out of the loop (seems like out of the world), lately. See I have some readin' to catch up on here. Guess I'll need some of that Mocha with some "Dew" - ick, bad combo. I'll have to stick with Coffee and the Mocha :). Mostly wanted to say Happy Birthday to Kathryn, sorry I missed it!

Hi!
I just had a quick question.. Does anyone brief under oath?? I hate writing that out. LOL
Thanks so much! I hope everyone is having a great evening. :)

NO*ET works for me.

Okay. That works. :) Thanks!

"Under oath," what a great one, Jaimie. Never thought about a brief for it, and it comes up every day in my work.

I'd go with JOETSDZ or NOETSDZ.

(My -th is -TSDZ, although I now write *T for -th when it needs an inflected ending per magnumsteno.)

For Magnumsteno, JO*ET or NO*ET

The reason for the J- is I write my prefix "under" JURND. I know it's not a prefix here, but that's what clicks for me.

Thanks, Tami!! I will definitely be using a brief for it. :)

Please come visit me at www.courtreporterconnect.com/home.php, My Friends!

CSR IN THE HOUSE!!! My son PASSED! Trevor, I'm so proud of you! I LOVE YOU!!!! Mama loves you, Mama loves you!!! And, if they get his # online today, he already has a job on Monday!!! YOU ROCK...AND YEAH -- I'M A DORK. ;-) BUT A PROUD ONE I AM

Tami -- So do I officially get the award for 2009? And, Christine for 2010?!?

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Yes ... what Brenda said!

It's official. You earned it, you Proud Dorkie Mom You!!!!

Tell Trevor he's already slacking, though. No Saturday job?? :)

Alexis,
CONGRATS TO TREVOR!!! How awesome! Yeah, I'm thinkin you deserve that award. And I'd certainly LOVE to be the recipient in 2010. At that point, I want to be cheering for both you and Megan. (I can adopt you temporarily)

CONGRATS TREVOR and ALEXIS :).

Thank you everyone! And before the holidays, so he doesn't have to suffer, waiting, and staring at the mailbox!

Christine ~ PLEEEEEZE adopt me! That would be wonderful even for one day. February 19, 2010 is it?

Alexis,
Yes, February 19, 2010. Consider it done -- no papers need to be filed, but you've got one dorkie mom sub comin yer way!!

Nice work Trevor!

So I am moving onto briefs group 14, but I wanted to mention that I also added the d with all the be able to phrases to make be able to do, that seems to come up quite a bit as well.

Laura,
That is a clever idea. I plan to try that. Thanks :)

Hi, Laura.

I actually never log out! I just close any CSR Nation windows I have open when I'm finished reading them, and when I get a message saying someone answered a thread I'm following, I just click the link in the e-mail, and I'm in!

I assume Laura means the actual Magnum Steno Club, rather than the fan club. I am still able to log in there normally.