Natalie Mikolajczak

Chicago

Comment Wall:

  • Kelli Combs (admin)

    A warm welcome from CSRnation, thanks for joining.
    please join the Court Reporting student group to your right.
    just click "Court Reporting students" and "Join Court Reporting student"

    We are into our 1st month, give it some time, it should get very exciting around here.

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  • Kelli Combs (admin)

    yes! you are correct, i just fixed it.
    now you should see it on your right under groups.
    sorry about that.
    thank you.
  • jayne

    You started the same day as I did. Nice to meet you, especially someone in the same program.
  • Natalie Rodriguez

    Hey natalie! Too bad about your school, it sounds like it might be a blessing in disguise though. When you get into your 100s and 120s I have some drills I can email you! What theory are you learning? I also have a brief list I can email you too. There are a ton of resources (aside from this awesome place) to get online! Let me know, I will be glad to help!
  • Natalie Rodriguez

    My theory is sten ed, it is (this is what they say) good for realtime. But let's face it, we will all be realtime reporters because it is what the demand gravitates to!
  • Sue Baker

    Hey, I'm from Chicago (not anymore) but I went to MacCormac, worked freelance for Hartnett & Catellani, but moved to TX in '79. Where were you going to school when your school closed?
  • Sue Baker

    Oops, and I still know some reporters up there, freelance and in particular one official.
  • Natalie Rodriguez

    thanks for the congrats!! I was in my 140s for a year, and same with my 120s. Honestly, it was very much my own fault, I didn't practice like I should have. I don't plan to make that mistake again!!! Hey, did you get that book?
  • Natalie Rodriguez

    I really found the whole "documenting my practice" thing useful. Unfortunately, I say I practice, but I can really see how little I do practice on paper. It motivates me to practice more.
  • Sue Baker

    Do they still have CCC, Chicago College of Commerce? Lots of good reporters came out of there. Have you checked out depoman.com? There's lots of posts about online schooling there, not sure how current, but maybe you can meet some compadres there.
  • Christine

    Hi, Natalie. I really don't know how to describe the Chicago market right now. We are busy one month, slow the next. I've been with the same firm for 11 years and the last two to three years have been really "weird"!!! For instance, it was so slow last month that I couldn't for the life of me make any money. Then all of a sudden we have three daily trials and I have 500 pages of a video dep, etc., etc.

    What speed are you in? When you're ready to do your internship, let me know. Come to my firm and I'll take you on a job!!!
  • Christine

    I would say most of my work is downtown, BUT I prefer to work downtown. The deps are longer, you make more money! If you take work in the suburbs, it's nice if it's only one to three times a month, but usually it's at a dr.'s office and he has an hour to spare. On the other hand, I've had very lucrative suburban jobs, but the majority are shorter.

    And whenever you're ready to intern, let me know!!! The offer will stand!!
  • Christine

    I am on Case Catalyst 4.9 or whatever, the newest version, and I have the mira with audio and I LOVE IT!!! It literally changed my life. I used to have to do realtime for every little job just to have the audio and now I can just tote around my machine for the one hour jobs or motions or whatever!
  • Corinne Dupuis

    Natalie,

    Are you doing the SimplySteno program? I saw your name on the tesitmonials page and was wondering if you have any additional feedback. I go to a school, I'm at about 180/200 and just need to get done. I want to savew on gas and time (it takes ma about an hour to get there and a half an hour to get home). I also have been in school for six years and need a change. Do you really recommend this program?

    Thanks,

    Corinne