Hi there! Congrats on the wedding! I love your profile pic. I am a B&W fan, lol. Love that he wore a top hat!

That little boy there is Doc Holliday, the American Bulldog. I've got one of his brothers, one of his sisters and his daddy and momma too. He's not the biggest. He's about 120 now, with three years to grow.

I also love large dogs. I kinda figure that you're a little dog person until you've had a big dog, and then you're hooked.

Congrats on the wedding! What does your hubby do??

Yours is a good lookin dog! I love big dogs. My computer has been on the blink - which is to say my phone is on the blink and that affects my 'puter.

I breed American Bulldogs - the best breed I've ever owned. Very family oriented, very protection oriented. The more you love them, the more they want to protect you.

Love your rotating pics. I have a whole bunch of family pics that I'd love to put up, but they're all trapped on my E-Drive and I can't get them out!

Hi, Erica - I just think your wedding pic is SO lovely! And I love your party Dane - what's his name?

Hi, Erica! Oh, I just love Niah! She's a little princess, isn't she?! I have a poodle, who could rule the world if he had opposable thumbs, a chihuahua (she was a sad little rescue case) and we fondly tell her that we love her and glad we are here to protect her and then I have Shanghai, my tonkinese cat (looks like a chocolate siamese) - who really is the emporer! Actually, all my animals are rescue animals--I have an Anatolian shepherd at my mother's house. Essentially, I am a large dog person, but the poodle was just too wonderful to leave at the animal shelter and the chihuahua was going there if I didn't take her -- same with the shepherd -- Niah reminds me of my father's boxer that we just put down, he was very old and very ill -- I just love the large dogs! I'll bet she is a blast to play with and to walk!

I can't wait to see more of your wedding photos -- my daughter is an amateur photographer and does weddings (she's 15) and so I spend a lot of time looking at photos -- your photographer has a good eye - you were lucky to get someone who has talent! So many just "shoot" and don't have that interesting artistic quality!

As far as school is concerned, I'm in the 80/100 speed class and I just dont' seem to be able to get speed up -- it's pretty frustrating, although, yesterday I just decided what the heck - I'm going to just do the dictation at speeds I can't possibly attain right now and lo and behold, I actually wrote better than I thought I would. My big problem is going from the book to dictation - you know, working online is like working in a vacuum! Do you have any words of wisdom for a newbie!?

Erica, THANKS for all that info! It is, singularly, the most valuable input I've had in trying to do steno! I'm going to incorporate your briefs and I want to thank you so much! I'm in school at Court Reporting Institute in Dallas - we study Phoenix theory, which is a stroke-intensive theory - and although I'm reinforcing it, I am really trying to shorten my writing, even beyond the briefs I'm trying to learn, so your outlines are invaluable!

I agree that we will never really be comfortable - the reporters that I work with all state that they still struggle -- I do have a problem to conquer in that I type at 120 wpm on QWERTY and I am a certified electronic monitor--and I fill in a lot for our monitor and the other reporters --so I'm used to really getting a lot down and I don't write quite as much as I'd like to in steno - but I know it will come.

Currently, I'm spending about 4 hours a day at the machine - although on Mondays I take the day off - it's a rough, long day in the courtroom and I take it easy when I come home, other than that - it's at least 4 hours daily and 8-10 on the weekends - and I notice that it's beginning to pay off.

Do you work in the courtroom or do you work for a firm or do you freelance? What kind of cases do you like best? Do you travel?
Thanks again for all your help - I'm excited!

Just wanted to say I think your wedding picture is beautiful. I've noticed it a few times on the website. Congratulations :)

I know how you feel. I've been fortunate to sit out with some great reporters (Trina for one), and it's a really humbling experience to see what exceptional writers they are. I hope I'll be writing at that level someday.

Erica if you ever feel like coming over here and finding out first hand what it's like to be an Irish CR, please come on over and join us :)

Well Erica, when you get itchy feet you just come on over for the Cead Mile Failte and we'll put you to work :)

Happy New Year, Erica! It's been a while since I said hello, so I thought I'd pop in!

Hope work has been good to you -- how's my favorite party dane?! We got a standard party poodle named Zoe!

Hit me back and let me know what's up!

Read your discussion on MagnumSteno. Of course, as a beginner I am nowhere near attempting any of that, but I did buy the StenoMaster Theory book and am really happy I did. I need to spend more time with that, but what I have done has helped tremendously, so I intend to jump on the MagnumSteno bandwagon the minute I can - which will be about another year, I hope.

Just from an outside view, I think it would be great. Does it really come with Mark's dictionary or was that ever determined? That would be awesome - wish you luck in that area! You are a terrific reporter to continue to work on your speed and get better!

Erica - been keeping up with your blog on Magnum Steno and your last question about using it with your "conflict-free" theory was a good one. What theory do you use? I use Phoenix and I and been trying to incorporate Stenomaster into my theory and it's been pretty okay except for a few things -- didn't want to reply to the blog because I'm just a student and I don't have the MagnumSteno book and was just curious what theory you use. TIA and Happy New Year!

glitter-graphics.com

Have a fantastic 2009! Jeannie

That's interesting about your theory, Erica. I am using phoenix, which is really stroke intensive, but I don't mind it because it makes sense if you have to stroke some word out you have no idea what it is or means -- you have to learn briefs anyway, so it's a great start. There are a few in my class who have Realtime and we all wondered what it was!

Thanks so much for the briefs! I will incorporate into my dix because I work in a court of general jurisdiction and my judge was the local "king" of the breach of contract/real estate cases, so, as a judge, attorneys often strike the assigned judge til they get mine -- and I'll be using those terms!

How kind of you to share them - I really appreciate it. When I am no longer a fledgling and have graduated, etc, maybe I can return the favor.

In the meantime, you and hubby and princess have a great evening! Jeannie

TY, Erica! I have a big Saturday thi s week....a glamour session w/Hair Court here in Chili. We have 12 clients.....hair & makeup being done then I do pics. Will be nice to see how I handle that type of setting, one after the other, lol.

Erica, how are things?? I have been busier this month!! :) We have to figure out another date to meet up.
Rho

Welcome to the Magnum Steno Fan Club, Erica. So glad you joined!

Me, too. :)

Erica,

I bought the LS at last summer's NCRA convention here in Anaheim. While I love the touch and would be able to acclimate in a day or two, there were too many people with issues AND Clay and I both were not feeling it.

I just don't think you should have to work so hard at something to get it the way it should work right out of the box -- that is, with a few minor adjustments.

Maybe someday I'll try again. Clay and I both have pretty light touches, but he was right there with me, telling me to send it back.

After a very unpleasant conversation with the owner's son, it was made cystal clear to me that I didn't want to do business with the company and even continue making the effort to get the writer to work like it should.

I don't know what the right answer is right now as far as writers. I think Rhoda and Jenny and -- can't remember the other reporter's name -- somebody else on here are pretty happy with the Grand.

My Mira today just decided to stop registering a final -B during closing arguments before lunch. Right in the middle of a sentence. Last week it did the same with a letter on the initial side, AND I just got it serviced Spring Break.

I once had a machine that I loved. I rarely stacked, and when I did, it was my own fault. That hasn't been the case in a very long time.

It was the Smartwriter from Stenograph.

Good luck with your decision, and please just take my opinion and experience as just that, only my opinion and my experience. :)

Depoman,com has a pretty extensive thread on the LS. You can get a whole heck of a lot of info there.

Good luck with your decision. I really hope it works out for you.

Hi, Erica. That computer looks like it would work. If I were you, I would look into increasing the RAM to 2GB. It will work with 1, but 2 is always better.
You're not bugging me at all! If you've noticed anything about me, it would probably be that I love throwing my opinion in! lol

Good luck with the LS! I truly love mine.

No jobs so far....but working on some tripts, but thinking yeah, it would probably be a good week to try?? How are you looking??

Oh, want to email me your phone number so if anything changes, I'll feel better calling to change, then leaving a message on here, LOL! rhoda@rhodagraphs.com We can just email plans too. ;)

Also, not to confuse you at all....but here is a good talk on the Gemini....
http://www.csrnation.com/forum/topics/gemini-revolution-grand-first?page=2&commentId=1736041%3AComment%3A1016875&x=1#1736041Comment1016875
I'm off to bed now! :)

That's good on the LS...everyone has differences and should use what they like. :) I would love to try it myself someday, lol.

Ok, let's go for Thursday, 10:30-11 at the same mall/Starbucks?? I'll send you my number too. Friday I have a photo shoot for a dentist's office, so that's out for me....

LOL! By the time we meet, you can show me your LS! :) Ok, let me know...so far I'm still free Thurs....maybe by Wed we can know either way??

LOL, ok Erica....this is getting so bad! ;) I was just called to do a jury trial Mon/Tues/Fri next week and Wed have Parole Boards!! Yeayyy for work, but goodness!! I'm going to FL June 19-29, want to come w/me and maybe we can visit then?? LOL! I'm still muddling thru this horrible televised/inmate depo due tomorrow too, so probably better I'm home, lol.

Thurs is the only free one next week, and I will have tripts, LOL! This trial will probably appeal, so a tript from that too!!! OMG!!! I was whining about being slow, ROFL!!!! I'll probably be working on my laptop in FL, LOL!

Isn't that using the T instead of the S in all those phrases? I do 'you' as K in those phrases too! :) If you can slip in the * to -WD, -KD that makes them wouldn't/couldn't, etc!!!!! :) off to bed...

Well, here's mine....you are right....but I do something....
AOEU*D is I do.....*D is ending DO for me. ;) since DID is -D. How does that work??

Not sure what you are looking for with 'I do'....what phrases are there you want to have it for?

Ahhhh, you could 'stack' and add an -F for have words,,but that still would not be consistent...nothing in Magnum Steno either. Maybe post to the group and see if anyone does it??

LOL, well....I have no jobs, but am working on an expedite and that pushed back my tript that was due Friday!! So probably not this week, drat!!! I go to FL with my DD from June 19-29, and July is busy thru the 18th....but we can keep checking!!! This is crazy, lol.

Thank you, Erica. :)

Hey, they are actualy Weimaraners, both boys. And my crazy husband has been trying to convince me the past few weeks on getting a female Weim. Our neighbor just had a litter of puppies. But I don't know about three dogs and a 20-month old. And your pics, too, are beautiful!! It looks like you're recently married, so congratulations!!

Hi, Eria, I looked and looked but I can't find your comment on the users forum about stacking. Love your pics, though. My parents had an antique car at their wedding, too, it is so cool!

Did you get my e-mails? One was returned, but I didn't know if you got the other two.

Janet

Hi, Erica,You were commenting on my post about stacking and my old Stentura, and then things got to talking about Mira. Just to refresh your memory. You had a comment for me I couldn't find.