Welcome Javari.

Hey Javari:

Nice to meet you. I was at 225 and decided to go to law school. Well that didn't work out so now after 6 years, I realize I should have stayed with Court reporting. Anywho, I dropped in speed, of course and I am writing about 180 now. Actually 180 is better than I thought I would be. To get to the point, I heard about the online school out of Hobart. I'm in Chicago. I know the theory but really need some training in realtime cuz I learned on an old school manual machine. Can you give me a call to discuss the school a little more. I would love to know how they operate and what the costs, etc... are.
Thanks. AND DEFINITELY STICK TO IT!!!!

By the way, my cell is 773.459.7279.
Hope to hear from you soon.

Yeah. I have the Eclipse Edit version. I've been dabbling with scoping for about a year now. Anywho, since i was trying to save money in getting back to Court reporting I called myself being resourceful and found someone on line that sold me the edit version. It was all good; but I didn't know that they shouldn't have sold it to me without a license, etc... Needless to say, I have no tech support or training; so I just taught myself. (I only paid $500 for it). I fumble through the manual that was included; but you are right, there is so much to learn and I know that if I had tech support or a REAL version of Eclipse I would be able to scope a lot faster. Maybe you and I can trade notes on how things work, etc... and make both our lives a little easier.

By the way do you like your at home classes and how do you discipline yourself to do it consistently and regularly?

no problem, sorry for the confusion.. you should have received a welcome email, not sure what happened.
thanks

All of what you said is soooo nice to hear. Sounds like you will be a good motivator for me and I will do my best to motivate you (sounds like you got all the motivation in the world already though). Anywho, I will call you sometime tonight after work or even tomorrow. We definitely have to get in touch. I think I might try the online school to get me back where i need to be. We'll talk... Lata.

Wow, my dear Sista! You do have your hands full. I applaud you and wish you well. I have been a professional for nearly 20 years. If you need any help and/or advice, I am here for you. I am sure I can lift you up....I do a great job at that for my people...want to touch bases with them all. Hope you will accept me as your friend, as soon as I find the button to invite you. Until next time, I remain, Michael. Oh, & P.S.: Congratulations on your marital status. Keep it strong. Let me know if you ever will attend a convention. We have one for California reporters happening in October in Las Vegas and a national one in Anaheim near Disneyland. reply back soon.

Well, hello, J.J.; may I? No, actually I love your name, Javari. It is a beautiful name...just joking about the "J.J." Has anyone ever called you that? Well, anyway, let me see if I ease your mind a little on some of your student stuff. Let me offer you this advice. I learned/realized this when I went into the 160 wpm class and pass the first test on the first day. I will never forget it. After trying so long to get out of the 140 wpm class, I did it; and went into this new class of 160 wpm. The were having their test on that day, and I went ahead and took it. Of course, I had nothing to lose and absolutely no expectations. Suddenly, she stopped reading and I astonishingly realized it was over, and I said, Oh, shit! I passed this M.F. (sorry, French slips rarely); but I had to tell you the way it happened so you could have a perfect picture. Then, when I went home and thought about it, I understood how it came to be. So, here is your advice. Whenever you pass a test, ( and I'm vaguley remembering you are at the 180 speed now but whatever, it works for all) let's say you pass the 160 wpm. You passed it because you have 180 speed. You can't pass a 160 test without 180 speed. This is why: While you're listening and taking down the dictation, you're going at 160. If you EVER fall behind, (as we all do), you MUST go 180 to catch up, because the reader is certainly not gonna slow down for you. He's continuously reading at 160. So, when you go to the 180 class, it's because you are AT the 180 speed. You won't pass the 180 test until you attain the 200 speed. Now, when I went into that 160 class from the 140, I was so relaxed, and without any expectations, that I didn't get nervous. I was just taking down dictation and while in that mode-set, guess what? I never fell behind...thus I passed. It took me a while to pass the next one, because nerves set back in. You understand? I'm sure you do. so remember, whatever speed you're in right now, you can definitely do 20 words faster and you ARE definitely 20 words faster when you know you're close. Most of the time, we fail a test because of nerves, not because we can't do it. I anxiously await your reply and next time, it'll be easier if I can respond to a question by you. Peace out, my beautiful sista, and have a wonderful blessed day. Your new friend, Michael

Hey lady: Sorry for not calling you back. I was swamped. I will give you a call later this evening and definitely feel free to call me anytime. I work during the day at a firm so I may not pickup right away; but I will get back to you as soon as I get a break. Hope to talk to you soon.

Hi Javari. Nice to meet you. Court reporting school is extremely difficult. It's true..your friends and family don't understand what you're going through and the difficulty of it.
It took me several years to finish school, as a single mom, but I did it. And you can do it too. Stay focused and keep practicing. You're almost there!!! Good luck...and may speed and accuracy be with you!!! LOL :)

Hello, My Dear; Wow, that was a toughy question you asked me. We are all susceptible to nerves controlling us. It is very, very to control them. I guess I can give you some more on how I overcame them. You must remember a few things. First of all, I fell victim to this many times which is why I needed 4 tries before I passed my exam. Now, the written part was no problem, because you know what you know. The answer is already there, in multiple choice form, and all you have to do is pick it out. No problem there. But to control your nerves so that you hit the right keys...that's an art. Our teacher sent us to relaxation classes, etc., but honestly, that didn't do any good. I'm not familiar with yoga and all that, so I never tried them either. But I am a runner. They told me that if I exercised right before the test, that my body would be calmer at exam time. So, on the early morning hours of my state exam, with I believe my test at 7:30 a.m., at 5:00 a.m. I left the Marriott Hotel and ran a few miles. When I returned I soaked in a hot tub of water and really try to clear my head and take a deep breath and relax. We all know what's at stake here, and thus the nerves. but that's what I did and I think it contributed a little bit. But that's not the secret. The secret is this. You have to have your mindset in the right place. Use all the knowedge you have. Knowledge is all your experience, learnings, and what you "know" over the years of your life. Wisdom is how you use that knowledge. Well, my dear Friend, here comes that Wisdom: I "know" that in class, I used to pass my test all the time with 99% accuracy. You see, we have to pass at 98.5% in class to prepare us for the 97.5% state exam. I have no problem passing that 98.5 percent with 99% frequently. Why? Because I'm already qualified, just waiting for the exam to come & no pressure. then, when I get to the exam, here come the nerves. Well, this is what I did. I realized that every time I had gone to that State Exam, I WAS TRYING TO PASS THE TEST. That's not what I should have been doing. Remember, back in life they always taught you to set your goals higher than you actually want to achieve? Well, my goal was to low. TRYING TO PASS THE TEST is to low of a goal. So, my last state exam, when I went, I had a new goal. I was going to ACE THE TEST, not just pass it. I wanted a 99%, like I always get in class, because that's what I'm capable of and I know I can do it because I've been doing so. So, I had to really pump myself up. I walked into that state exam room, looking at those readers as though they were the enemy. They stood in the way of my career or another stint in school. I wasn't gonna let them set me back again. They have their careers, Dammit, I want mine and I want it now. I looked them each in the eye, dead in the eye, as they read. I was DARING them to say a word that I couldn't write. I wasn't going to hesitate. If it was tough, I was just gonna throw something down, because I've ALWAYS been able to read my notes, & I have a memory. the only thing I can't read in my notes is what isn't there. I know my mistakes & I know my errors. I was so determined and focus as I stared at each one of them, that I NEVER even fell behind. I seemed to be writing the words before they finished them. I was challenging them: come on! COME ON! COME ON, DAMMIT! Give me something, give me your best shot. Suddenly, they all stopped reading and looked at me. Oh, Hell! it was over. I KNEW I had this shit! I was one proud peacock walking into the typing room. I was finished in a hour and a half. I re-read my test 10 times. Each time I read it, I was able to perfect it a little bit more. Finally I looked at the clock and with only 8 minutes left, I finally got up and turned my exam in. Six weeks later, my results? 99.02%! Baby, you can start applauding now. I hope to applaud for you one day too. It can happen just like that. Learn to control yourself, because no one else can. You have a beautiful husband, I'm sure, who can help you RELAX yourself before you go. Have him send you off with some extra good-loving, giving you something to look forward to coming back and when you do, you'll also be bringing him good news, too. Practice this with your tests at school and master this technique, so that when you go to the exam, your confidence will override anything and you'll have an easy time. I pray this for you and it is soooooooooo possible, I'm quite sure it'll happen. Until I hear from you again, I remain, Your Friend....Peace Out, Baby.

Hi, Javari,

Thanks for asking me to be your friend. Sorry I didn't write before but I've been really busy with work.

I just passed my last 180 JC. It took me almost 2 years to get all 3 tests. Not sure what happened, but it is what it is. I guess I've had some physical problems theat slowed me down and I couldn't practice as much or sit in class as much.

I'm at 180 in LIT & QA and now 200 in JC. I've been in school almost 6 years. I did take time off to have a baby in there too. I figured I wasn't getting any younger, better do the baby thing now.

My kids are 3 1/2 and the other is almost 8. I have to work to make ends meet. I tried to not work and go to school, but I had to go back to work.

My husband wishes that I wasn't in school, so it's hard not having any support from him. I really rely on my friends to help keep me focused and uplifted. Some days it's hard and they look for some dark chocolate for me!! The cure for many ailments.

I think it's great that you're already at 180. Good for you. And you're doing it online too.

Take care,

Corinne

I know, It can be very stressful...especially when you are so close to getting to another speed level. Good luck with everything:)

What a gorgeous family you have, Javari! Looks like you've got your hands full. How's online training going? What speed are you at?

Don't sweat it. You'll do fine. Just think of that motivation you have - kiddies - and that might just help push you over the edge. And, remember, everyone advances at their own pace. No one advances the same.

I think my favorite pic is your little one picking his nose. That's fantastic!

What city are you in? I'm from Columbus and know of a couple reporters you could sit in with just to see what your future is going to be like.

Well, if you ever feel like driving a couple hrs to Columbus, I've got two friends who probably wouldn't mind one bit if you sat in with them. One is an official in the Franklin Co. Common Pleas Court, and the other is freelance, like me. They're both awesome reporters.

You just let me know and I'll see if I can get you in touch with them.

Your questions:
1. Do you ever misstroke being a reporter or get nervous?

I don't get nervous at all anymore. Time and experience makes all that go away. And, yes, we all misstroke and drop - at least a little here and there. But that is why having the audio backup is so nice. You know when you screw up, so you can just write a note to yourself to check the audio there. But - and this is important - you should never rely on your audio. You must be on top of it and getting it or else you'll look like an idiot when you're asked to read back or when it comes time to prepare a transcript when the audio won't work. And that does happen.

2. Are you like an RMR, or RPR or anything?

I was an RPR and only had the Q&A to go to get my RMR, but I let my NCRA membership lapse a few yrs ago when I broke my fingertip and was off work 3 mos. Had to cut expenses. Now they want me to pay for each yr's dues that I missed to get the certs back. Ugh.

3. Do you like the court room or do you like doing only freelance?

I really love the freedom and variety of freelancing. I've never worked in court, though I did sit in bankruptcy court quite a bit for a few yrs. It all depends on what you're looking for, what your lifestyle requires. Being an official, you get nice benefits and a regular paycheck. BUT you have to be there five days a week. Being freelance, you have to pay for your own insurance and the paychecks can be unpredictable. BUT you pretty much get to choose how much and how often you want to work. I'm addicted to that, so the idea of spending five days in an enclosed room without windows makes me want to panic.

4. Would you ever consider doing the congressional hearings?

Sounds big-time. Not sure what's involved. That might actually make me nervous.

Because I don't know what I want to put my hands in yet, but I know it does have to do with court reporting. I love it, it is soooo challenging therefore I feel it is something that I need to master. >>

Court reporting is challenging, even still for me. And I got out of school in '92. It is a fantastic career that always keeps you on your toes, keeps you learning, and one of the few two-yr-degree educations that gives you the potential to make great money. It all depends on how much you want to work.

Sounds like you're going to do just fine. Please keep in touch and keep me posted on your progress.

Sorry to have taken up half your screen. You can delete this after you read it. :)

Yay! You've jumped over a huge hurdle! You've passed your 160 Jury! It's funny how it just clicks all of a sudden, isn't it? It sounds like you're a natural.

Hello, Javari...
I'm new to the forum, and I, too, have 5 children. Your pictures and family is beautiful, and I would like to invite you to be my friend.

I'm in 140 Q&A and Lit., and I'm at 160 J.C. Go figure. LOL. Did you find Q&A hard to get a handle on, or what did you think about it? It intimidates me a little, so I'm trying to find the happy place in it. LOL. I've started incorporating a lot of one-stroke briefs that include the Q's and the A's, so that's helping. I'm soooooo close to finding meditation help that it's not even funny. Any tips you can provide me with would be great! Thank you much, Nikki

I just thought of something... Since your anniversary is on the 30th of June, and mine will be on the 23rd, maybe we can to trips all together during that time... What a reason to travel, huh? LOL Talk to you later... Nikki

Hello, Javari, Guess what? I feel like a dunce. Our administrator from CSRNation just informed me that at times, when I respond to my friends, that I sometimes put the response in the wrong box and am thus writing to myself. I didn't realize that and see where he is talking about. I realize that one of those people were you. So, I learned also how to cut & paste and have retrieved one of your never-received messages from me. If you check out the date, you will realize which of your remarks I was responding to. this is a very valuable lesson for me. Please be patient with this new student of CSRNation as I learn how to work this thing, okay? sorry for this late response but I HAD responded to you, it's just.... oh, hell. I wonder if you were smart enough to come on my page to get your response? Oh, well, my bad. Get back and holla at me okay? And tell me what a dunce I was and have a good laugh. Waiting to hear from you. Peace out.

Javari,

How are things going? I'm looking for an online program.I'm tired of commuting to school and if I'm late I can't go in class and worse yet, I can't test.

I'm looking at a different program than the one you're in. How do you do it with the family. I have 2 kids and I work from home.

Hope you're doing well.

Corinne

I'm thinking of doing the Simply Steno program. I've done academics online and managed to study for that, but I wasn't working as much then as I am now. This program doesn't have set hours that you need to login at, I think, so I can do it early in the morning or at night or a little bit here and a little bit there.

I want to try to do it because it's been six years since I started (with a baby in there too) and I want to be done, pass the RPR, so I can get working!! :)

I can do it! I can do it!

Hi Javari, check out The Brief Zone !
Great Drilling Material For Any Steno Theory...
www.thebriefzone.com

Well hello there! How are you? I noticed that I forgot to contact you regarding travelling plans for our upcoming anniversaries. LOL. We're going to Jamaica June 26th. What's your plans this year? If I haven't already told you: I love your pictures. You have a beautiful family. Talk to you soon, Nikki.