Hi Dale!

How do you like the church work? I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I'm not quite sure what equipment I would need.

I had my RPR certification for 6 years. I let it lapse due to an terminal illness in my family. I just didn't have the time to take any CEUs. You don't have to be certified here in Florida. Some firms like it but some don't even care. So what else do you want to know/?

Hi Dale. Good luck on your career. I know how difficult it is to go to school later in life. I've had many different careers, but always seem to go back to administrative or transcription work....plan to retire in about a year. Yeah, right! (as all my buddies tell me). Have a good one!

Hi Dale. Good to hear from you. The Cobra you see is a 2007 Superformance, 427 stroker, pumping 540 hp/535 torque. Zero to 60 in low 3s, zero to 100 and back to 100 in low 12s seconds. As you probably already know, it's a major rush and too much fun. You'd think it should be illegal.
As far as career, I've been hitting the keys in Calif for over 15 years. The career's been very good to me. As far as any tips to get out of school... 1) Practice 2) Strengthen your forearms with weight training.
Hurry up and finish school. We have a shortage of good reporters. Take care!

I Dale. Norway is in the U.P. I used to live just North of Grand Rapids...born and raised, but moved up here almost two years ago. My job....I have a company in Alberta, Canada that receives work from the Alberta court system. When she receives the information she says she has such and such a file, so many pages, (they figure 1page per audio minute) so on and so forth, and then asks me if I want it. If I decide to take it, she sends me the information, I go to the Alberta court site, sign in, and download the audio file to the FTR player (that is free from the court site)...then I just type away. Lol. I didn't have to purchase any software at all, as I already had Word Perfect (which is the program this company uses). This is the only company I work for, as I don't think I would have time to squeeze any other companies in. Lol. They keep me as busy as I want or need to be. I do this on a full time basis...(or more) Lol. I had no transcription experience and very little legal background, but this company was great in giving me a chance. I was doing legal document coding on line and was just going to do this as a supplement....but needless to say, I had to drop the coding, and turn to this full time. Way more profitable.

hey dale - welcome to CSRNation. i wish i could have typed 135 wpm in typing class - maybe i would have become a concert pianist!

i think you'll enjoy the site - it's a great resource for interacting with others in and who support our profession.

soon the apple blossoms will be popping out there in Michigan - springtime there was always my favorite time of year.

good luck with your professional endeavors and in launching your new career - it's a tough career but can be rewarding in its own unique way.

Best - Tom

Hi, Dale:

Welcome to the site. I think you'll find the people here quite friendly. Again, welcome!

Dale
Thanks for the comments. To be honest I don't remember what I said to evoke such comments from you, but thank you. And, I don't have the time right now to go and check to see what I said.
I'm only 10 years ahead of you (as of later this month) but it doesn't seem like that much time has gone by (gone bye-bye?). It seems like yesterday I was diapering my two little guys (little, now they're bigger'n me, 31 and 29) and one's a PhD -- whoda thunk it?

And, you're only as young as you feel

Hi again Dale. Yep, that is all I do. Just download the audio via the court website, plug in my headset and type away. Everything is strictly verbatim in the court hearings. Along with taking that type of work with this company, she also got the Pediatric Forensic Pathology Inquiry. If you look that up on the net, it is quite interesting. That lasted for approximately four and a half months. So she also has other projects besides strictly court work that she will assign. I never shovel snow before noon....oh wait, I never shovel snow. Lol. Sometimes I am still in my jammies typing away at noon. HA. Man I love my job :) I have checked into various places in the US, and most of them you have to have some type of experience. You really have to dig to find someone to give you the experience that you need to have for everywhere else. Lol. I got lucky, sent out two letters and got a reply back from the one. Also I find that even with the currency exchange rate, Canada pays twice as much per page as the US companies do. I've worked with her for 8 months now and have already received 2 raises... Woo Hoo! But even her starting per page was higher. Drawback...we say color, they say colour. We say Your Honor, they say, Your Honour. So some of the words are different, but not too bad. I will check to see if she is still hiring new transcriptionists, and get back with you. Oh yeah, she also hires strictly proofers also. Hope you had an awesome day. Talk soon.

Are we allowed to give out our email addresses on this site?

Good luck to you. YOu have chosen an awesome profession!

Hi, Dale.
Good luck. It is very difficult to train for reporting at our age, but I see somewhere that you type approximately 135 wpm, so perhaps it will be easier for you than most. Court reporting can be a very rewarding career but requires dedication. As for advice, just practice, practice, practice. That is what will get you through it. Once again, Good luck.

David

Hey Dale! You sure sound like a natural regarding court reporting. I envy you your shorter strokes that are coming naturally! Good for you! I have wanted to give a shot at CART'g at church and I see that you are doing it , maybe I should just jump in there and try.
Thanks for the post and friendship! Good luck over these last few speed hurdles!

Did you ever get the comment I left for you about going to the NCRA website? I thought I left it for you, but apparently I'm retarded and it may not have sent! Anyway, check out the NCRA website for different seminars and conventions that they have. It's a great source of info!

Hi Dale.

What a great career choice. It's often times not easy to jump into this field at a "mature" age. I'm 44 and started the program years ago and am at the 180-200 level, whereas my 20-year-old son has been in the program less than a year and is almost to my speed level.

I'm so excited about working and with so many job opportunities out there, we will not have in any shortage of work!

Well, gotta get dinner going and my fifth grader started on homework.

Take care...

~A

Hi Alexis:
Hey, thanks for writing back! I'm 53 and excited about my future, after 35 years at the same job, Phew w w w!
For the record, what school did your son choose forSteno training? There aren't but 3 that I know of around the Detroit area. I go to Macomb.
Thanks, and good luck
Dale

So, Dale, tell me what your set up is at church. How does your captioning come up? Do the folks have individual screens or is it coming up on a big screen? How does this work? I would love to do that!

You aren't going to believe this, but... I used to go to Macomb with you! How is everyone over there doing? I am sure you remember me. I left from there at 80 and moved over to ACR I am now working on my 140's

HiKatie!
Yes, remember you,, glad you are doing well. This CSRnation is something else, isn't it?
Isn't ACR a bit expensive, full time?
I transferred to Dearborn 7 months ago, what a drive that is daily
Anyway take care and keep up the good work.. I am doing limited CART at church for 2 hrs a week. Thats a lot of practice for one sitting.
take care
Dale

I'm from Whitehall, PA. About an hour from Philly. I'be been at this for a couple of years now, doing an online program; Simply Steno. I'm right at 225 and have passed the JC portion of the RPR and the WKT. So, in May I will be trying for the 2 voice and Lit. Does the whole audience see your captioning or just the hearing impaired?

Dale, I would be happy to answer any of your questions. As you probably seen from my profile, I am in an online program and I really miss the camaraderie of the students and instructors. That's the only thing that I feel I am missing out by learning online. I love it when I see I have messages waiting on CSR. :)

Kim
In Steno Theory I and Steno Theory II, we had about 12 people, starting out, while we were learning the basics (theory) of steno, which made NO sense,, we kept on trying, and trying, and pretty soon, the mud STUCK to the wall, our brains learned this new way of spelling/sounding out phrases, etc. I took hand written shorthand all my life, having learned it in my sophomore and junior high-school years, so, this concept came easily. It was the reading it back from the notes that was a challenge for me. I had to spend as much time on that, learning, as I did learning the key strokes. Our theory instructor was a 65 year old woman, she had been a steno, BC, before computers, for 37 years. She was a wealth of information. That was just about 2 yrs ago. I have taken the last two semesters off, and practiced on my own, and, of course, at church, doing the service.
Anyway, hope you have a good day and weekend, take care and God Bless you!
Dale

Thank you. Today is my b-day, and I really am not planning much except working on some transcripts. Too much fun (NOT). Have a nice weekend.

Annie

Hi Dale. I left you a couple messages. I don't think I left them in the comments here, but I sent them to your mail on here. Either that, or they are lost in cyberspace somewhere. Lol. I replied to wherever you sent your, "Hi Jodi" mail from. LOLOLOL.

Hi there...it snowed a little bit here on Saturday as well~ I think that might be the last, I hope! We really got burried up here in feet and feet of snow this year!

Hope your weekend was nice and also productive!

Hi Dale, Welcome to the best profession in the world, keep up the good work :)

Actually, Dale, what I have passed is the RPR Jury Charge. PA does not have a certification. I'm pressing on for the Lit and 2 voice of the RPR.

Welcome. How exciting! What theory are you using?

I'm so glad to hear that you're going to use Mark's theory. I just finished a year Online with StenoMaster and the speedbuilding classes with Mary Smith-- awesome! And my daughter went through their Online theory class and now is at Sage College in Riverside, learning the academics and building speed. She's testing for her 140's currently. I learned the Herman Miller theory in the '70s and have completely revamped my theory to Mark's -- what a hard and huge undertaking. I was really pulling my hair out for about 9 months and then it started to "click." My theory was not conflict-free, though it was stated as such, so I'm also relearning to write thousands of words as well. Keep up the great work. Sounds like you're on the right track.

Hi there. Saw somewhere you work for Ford Motor Corp. Do you by chance know someone named Bill Huehn? He works for them too and lives somewhere near Ypsilanti, I believe. Small world, just thought I'd ask.
Good luck in school!!

Nice to meet you too!!! Wow, what a small world. Well, Bill is a childhood friend of my husband. There are four of them that are best of friends, grew up together and still keep in touch. They all grew up in upstate New York, and two of them are out here in So Cal now, one in New Jersey and Bill in Michigan. Definitely tell him hello and how we got acquainted. Too funny.
And yes, St. Paddy's it is. We're having our big dinner on Monday with all the fixins!!! Take care

Will DO, Lassie!,,,,and a Shamrock-inspired night to you and your man (pic), and a FAST,,,I mean F A S T Fusion machine in your future!
May your steno shims and translates and globals make to prove that you are among the BEST CRs there are !
Prego,
Dale

Thanks. I needed that. Have a great Saturday, also.

Hey Dale, It is nice to meet you. I wish you luck on passing your test. You'll do it! Just keep the focus and it'll happen! I have been providing CART to deaf seminarians, so if you want a huge religion vocabulary, I can send it your way. Let me know. Keep in mind, this is Catholic vocab, so maybe it won't be so useful, depending on what church you are captioning at. Let me know. Elise

Hello Dale, I will try and get that to you as soon as possible. I was meaning to separate the entries out of my main dictionary, because I am transitioning to depos, and i know some of those entries will never come up in any depo setting!!! As far as school goes, I do believe I was the longest student ever in school, but I didn't give up, so just put blinders on around you. Don't worry about what Joe Blow you away or Roberta Ramjet is doing next to you, even if they are making what seems so difficult extremely effortless!! Those individuals are in every school. You just stay focusing forward, as hard as it may be sometimes, and look straight at your dictators, because they're the only ones that matter. You focus on them, their mouths, their clothing, whatever, and that's it. You will get out of school and you will love this profession, I promise you, it will be so worth it!!!! Elise

Hi, Dale,

Hope you're having a great weekend! Good luck on the CSR!

Hi, Dale.
Yes, there is the National Court Reporters Convention in Anaheim July 24th.
I see that you're a student. I'm the president of the California Court Reporters Association, and we have a convention coming up October 11-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada. We have an extensive student/apprentice track that includes mock CSR exams, English, practical tests, etc. We receive very good feedback on those classes. You should try to come.
More info will be available on the CCRA Web site: www.cal-ccra.org.

Good luck!

Lesia

Hi Dale! This is a very small world -- I have known Doreen for many years. She's a very dear friend. As a matter of fact, we work out together three times a week and we talk almost every day.
You say you attend MCC. Do you by chance know Gail Stevens? Anyway, I'm go glad to see a male student reporter, they are so rare here in Michigan. You're almost there and that's great. The best advice I can give you is not to give up. Just remember nothing worth while is easy. I know you will enjoy working as a reporter. The second advice is to practice then transcribe/type, practice then transcribe/type -- you see where I'm going with this right? You must practice every single day to keep your speed up and you must read or transcribe your notes to see where your mistakes are or you will continue making the same mistakes. I'm on Case Catalyst but I've heard good things about Eclipse also.

Hey Dale, I have a quick question for you. I'm looking for a brief that I could use in the following example where the answer is identical to the end of the question.
Q. What is the purpose of this document?
A. The purpose of this document is........
Do you have anything that you do when you hear this?
Kimmy :) That's what my neices and knephews call me. LOL

Hi, Dale,
Sounds like your weather is comparable to ours right now. In fact, I have had the air conditioning on the last few days...but that's just me. I'm originally from Pacifica (just outside SF), and I'm accustomed to cold, foggy weather. Have a wonderful day!!

Hi, Dale,
Good luck on making it to the finish line. The "Power of Positive Thinking" will go a long ways for you in gaining the trophy. Focusing on negatives during timings sets you back. Believe in yourself and your abilities and you'll make great strides. I use that credo today after 38 years of c'rpting and it gets me out of jams all the time. It's like Daylight Savings Time: Negative = fall back; Positive = spring forward. ha!
Warren

Thanks, Dale. I'm happy to be here.

hey dale, what CAT software do you use?

oops! Sorry, I just seen it. You use Eclipse.

Hi Dale,
Sorry I haven't reponded but I've been so busy and haven't been on here in so long. Hope everything's going fine. Gail subs a lot in our court building.

Hi Dale! Thanks for the message. I totally play the "steno in my head" game when I listen to talk radio on the way to and from school! I have "met" some great people here! Have a wonderful holiday weekend yourself : )
~Kyla

Your music Rocks! Can't get enough of Zep! Brings back memories of my childhood. I am close with my parents (who are very young - Dad just turned 50)

Thanks Dale. I see that you will soon be reaching your goal of 225 wpm, hang in there! Your daughter resides here? That is cool. What's her name? I could give her a call sometime. Have a great evening.

I was thinking I was the oldest student on this site, but you have me beat by a few years. It is very nice to meet you. I also use to live in Michigan, both the upper and the lower, I prefer the lower to the upper.