October 26, 2011

BEST WISHES FOR THOSE TAKING THE CSR EXAM!

Just wanted to wish all who are taking the CSR Exam this coming Friday...



May you relax...

May you breathe...

May you let go and let your fingers fly...

May you not tense up...

May you not repeat in your head...

May you stay on top of the speakers...

May you transcribe with confidence from your notes...

MAY YOU PASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can do this!!!  It's all just nerves!!!  Tell yourself that you've come this far... and you WILL pass that 200 4-voice 10-minute test at 97.5% accuracy... AND get that coveted Certified Shorthand Reporter license for California!!!  It's all within your grasp...

For those of us who have yet to take the CSR Exam, here are some helpful links:

CSR Exam Dates: http://www.courtreportersboard.ca.gov/about-us/meeting-calendar.shtml

CSR Dictation Exam Transcripts: http://www.courtreportersboard.ca.gov/applicants/dictation_exam.shtml

CSR Prep Program: http://www.csrprep.com/

Various Exam Prep Resources: http://image2.source4.com/welcome.asp

October 25, 2011

MY WEEKLY WORDS #3

Sorry I'm late!



Here are the words I will concentrate on this week:


answer the question - AEGS
anything further - NIRT
anywhere - NIR
arrow - RAOR
arrows - RAORZ
at some point - SPOIN
at some point in time - SPOINT
attorney - TOERN
attorneys - TOERNZ
calls for - KAUFLZ
canvas - KWAS
canvassing - KWAFG
canvassed - KWAFD
canvasses - KWAZ
cell phone - SFOEN
cell phones - SFOENZ
cross-examination - KRAUX
cross-examine - KRAUM
deed of trust - DOFT
defense attorney - DOERN
defense attorneys - DOERNZ
entrance - SBRANS
entry - SBRI
execute - SKAOUT
executed - SKAOUD
executes - SKAOUTS
executing - SKAOUGT
explain - KPLAIN
explained - KPLAIND
explaining - KPLAING
explains - KPLAINZ
explanation - KPLAIGS
frequent - FREK
frequented - FREKD
frequenting - FREG
frequently - FREL
frequents - FREKZ
in order - NORD
is it your opinion - STOURP
is it your testimony - ST-RM
is it your understanding - STOURNG
Kleenex - KLAOEX
may I approach - MOEFP
next in order  - NOERD
no idea - N-D
nowhere - N-R
OI - " "(quotes)
origin - AURJ
original - ORJ
originally - OERJ
originals - ORJZ
phone call - FOENK
phone calls - FOENKZ
plaintiff attorney - PLOERN
plaintiff attorneys - PLOERNZ
point of origin - POIJ
rear-view mirror - RFM
rear-view mirrors - RFMZ
recess - RAOES
side-view mirror - SFM
side-view mirrors - SFMZ
somewhere - SM-R
speculate - SPLAIT
speculated - SPLAID
speculates - SPLAITS
speculating - SPLAIGT
speculation - SPLAIGS
speculative - SPLAIF
telephone call - TOENK
telephone calls - TOENKZ
therapy - THAOERP
they were - THERP
transaction - TR-X
transactions - TR-X/Z
yes and no - Y-N
yes or no - YOERN
you may answer - YAOUMS

October 13, 2011

I'M AT 200 WPM!!!

I am so happy to announce...

that I passed my last 180 test and am officially at 200 WPM!!!!!!!!!!
The last 180 test I had to overcome was Testimony 4-voice at 5 minutes with 97.5% accuracy.  I had ALMOST passed this test last term and then again 1-2 weeks ago... and missed the test by ONE POINT!  I got sooooooooooo mad at myself.  This test kept on eluding me, and I had to buckle down and focus!  I told myself that when I pass this 4-voice test, as my husband encouraged me, it would not be by "luck" but by sheer skill and determination.  I wanted to make sure there would be NO CHANCE of a failed test again.  Thankfully, I missed only 6 errors out of a possible of 23!  PASS!!! :D

It's amazing.  I can finally say I'm at 200 WPM... a place I've wanted to be in for sooooooooooo long!  I have a very good friend of mine at court reporting school.  We had started Theory together at Bryan College and had both found our way to Downey Adult School.  I asked her if she knew the year when we started court reporting school since I had lost track of time.  Gulp, it was 7 years ago that we started our court reporting journey!!!  But NOT to be dismayed.  We both went to school part-time, which everyone knows that going part-time to court reporting school plus working full-time is SUPER HARD to do!  Not impossible, just SUPER HARD!  (That's why, if you have a chance to go full-time to school, TAKE IT!!!)

Admittedly, I did not put school at the forefront of my priorities back then as I do now.  7 years ago I had placed my job, my church, my family, my friends, my social life as NUMBER 1 -- all these were behind my court reporting education.  Stupid girl! :P  Now I know MUCH BETTER!

Now this same friend/classmate and I are at school on a full-time basis for the first time, and we are flying by!!!  And I'm so happy for both our successes... as well as EVERYONE ELSE'S SUCCESS!!!

I don't regret the "wasted years."  I learned a lot.  And I will not feel sorry for myself or think that I am less than the court reporting student who is at 200 WPM and did it in 1 year.  We all come with different sets of circumstances and levels of determination.  I am GLAD for the 7 years behind me... because now it makes me WANT WANT WANT to be a court reporter THAT MUCH MORE!!!  It makes my soon-to-be-accomplished-goal of becoming a licensed court reporter SO, SO, SO MUCH SWEETER!!!  So I don't take it for granted.  I am better because of it!

So going back to the tests...

Thankfully, I've already passed my 190 Congressional test and 180 Jury Charge test.  That means I only need 2 more tests to pass to get into Qualifiers:  200 4-voice test at 5 minutes and 10 minutes.  I will take the RPR before or while in Qualifiers to see if I can get the RPR license, as well as the CSR license, under my belt.

Exciting times!  It's all FINALLY coming together... and I truly believe that GOD's TIMING IS PERFECT!

Haha, thanks for reading my joyful post! :)

October 9, 2011

MY WEEKLY WORDS #2

Hello!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!  Remember to...


Here are my Weekly Words #2 that I will concentrate on this week:



  1. anybody else - NIBS
  2. anyone else - NINS
  3. anything else - NELS
  4. anything further - NIRT
  5. ascertain - SAERN
  6. ascertain the - SAERNT
  7. assignment - SAOIMT
  8. back and forth BORGT
  9. best estimate - BEMT
  10. beyond the scope - YOEP
  11. business address - BAES
  12. call your first witness - KWINS
  13. call your next witness - KWEX
  14. complain - KMPLAIN
  15. consult - SKULT
  16. crime scene - CRAOEM
  17. current address - KRAES
  18. did I observe - DIB
  19. did you observe - DUB
  20. Ed - ED*
  21. email –AOEM
  22. emailed – AOEMD
  23. emailing - AOEMG
  24. emails – AOEMZ
  25. error - ROR
  26. errors - RORZ
  27. facsimile - F-MS
  28. fair statement - FAIRMT
  29. fingerprints - F-PTS
  30. first time - FOIT
  31. for identification - FOID
  32. foreign - FOERN
  33. forensic - FRENS
  34. forensic evidence - FREFD
  35. forensics - FRENZ
  36. forgave - FRAEF
  37. forget - FERGT
  38. forgive - FRIF
  39. forgiven - FRIFN
  40. forgiveness - FRIFNS
  41. forgives - FRIFZ
  42. forgiving - FRIFG
  43. forgot - FORGT
  44. forgotten - FORN
  45. handwriting - H-RG
  46. handwritten - H-RN
  47. he did - ED
  48. he observed - EFRBD
  49. I beg your pardon - B-RP
  50. I can - IK
  51. I cannot - YANT
  52. I can't - YA
  53. I could - IKD
  54. I could not - YUNT
  55. I couldn't - YU
  56. I did - ID
  57. I did not - YINT
  58. I didn't - YI
  59. I do - YO*
  60. I do not - YONT
  61. I don't - YO
  62. I object - IB
  63. I object to - IBT
  64. I object to the form - JIRM
  65. I object to the form of the question - JIRK
  66. I observed – IFRBD
  67. I offer - OIFR
  68. I would say - IDZ
  69. I.D. - ID*
  70. identification - OIFGS
  71. identify - OIF
  72. identity - OIT
  73. if you would - IFD
  74. immaterial - IRM
  75. in conjunction - NUNGS
  76. in other words - NORDZ
  77. in that case - NAIS
  78. in the case - NES
  79. in this case - NIS
  80. intellect - SBLEKT
  81. intellectual - SBLAUL
  82. irrelevant - IR
  83. latent - LAINT
  84. latent fingerprints - L-PTS
  85. litigation - LIGS
  86. marked for identification - M-FD
  87. misdemeanor - MOID
  88. misdemeanors - MOIDZ
  89. misstates the evidence - MEFD
  90. misstates the testimony - MEFT
  91. motion to strike - MOETS
  92. move to strike - MOFT
  93. next in order - NORD
  94. nothing further - NURG
  95. observation - OFGS
  96. observe - OBS
  97. observed - OBDZ
  98. observes - OBZ
  99. observing - OFG
  100. occupation - OUPS
  101. operator - PRAIRT
  102. pardon me - PARM
  103. phencyclidine - FEN/FEN
  104. phone call - FOENK
  105. real estate - RAOE
  106. real estate agency - RAOEGS
  107. real estate agent - RAOEG
  108. rear-view mirror - R-FM
  109. relate - RAILT
  110. relevance - REFS
  111. relevancy - RAEFS
  112. relevant - REFT
  113. resource - RORS
  114. resources - RORS
  115. second time - SOIT
  116. sexual intercourse - SKORS
  117. she did - SHED
  118. she observed - SHEFRBD
  119. shed - SHED*
  120. side-view mirror - S-FM
  121. state of mind - STAOIND
  122. they did - THED
  123. they observed - THEFRBD
  124. third time - TOIT
  125. training and experience - TREX
  126. we did - WED
  127. we observed - WEFRBD
  128. wed - WED*
  129. where was - W-RFS
  130. within - W-N
  131. work address - WAES

October 3, 2011

MY WEEKLY WORDS #1

I'm going to start posting words/phrases that I want to review each week.  There won't be any set rules on how many words each week I will go through.  Most of these words I do know in the back of my steno brain, but I don't have the strokes 100% memorized.  That's what my goal is by the end of each week: to memorize these words and be able to recall them immediately.  Again, don't fear -- MOST of these words I already do know.  I just need to practice them a little bit more to truly cement them into my cerebral. :)

I'll print my weekly words and highlight the ones that I'm having difficulty recalling throughout the week.  Thus, I will have a focal point when I go through my words and will spend more time on the highlighted words/phrases.

Please feel free to join me! :)

Here is Week #1...

MY WEEKLY WORDS #1

  1. about what time - BAOIM
  2. acquaintance - KWAINS
  3. acquaintances - KWAINZ
  4. actual - TUL
  5. actually - TWAUL
  6. addiction - DIX
  7. admitted into evidence - NOEFD
  8. after the accident - AEX
  9. all the - AULT
  10. argue - GAOU
  11. argued - GAOUD
  12. argues - GAOUZ
  13. arguing - GAOUG
  14. argumentative - GUF
  15. arraign - AIRNG
  16. arraigned - AIRNGD
  17. arraigning - AIRNG/G
  18. arraignment - AIRNMT
  19. arraigns - AIRNGZ
  20. arrange - AURNG
  21. arranged - AURNGD
  22. arrangement - AURMT
  23. arranges - AURNGZ
  24. arranging - AURNG/G
  25. at all - TAL
  26. author - AUR
  27. authored - AURD
  28. authoring - AURG
  29. authorities - THORTS
  30. authority - THORT
  31. authorization - THORGS
  32. authorize - THORZ
  33. authorized - THORDZ
  34. authorizes - THORZ/Z
  35. authorizing - THORGZ
  36. authors - AURZ
  37. autopsies - AUPZ
  38. autopsy - AUPS
  39. awed - AUD
  40. babble - BABL
  41. back on the record - BR-RD
  42. bandana - B-ND
  43. baseball - BAIBL
  44. basketball - B-BL
  45. bathroom - BARM
  46. bedroom - B-RM
  47. before the accident - BAEX
  48. birthday - B-RD
  49. carrier - KR-ER
  50. cash register - KAJ
  51. cash registers - KAJZ
  52. communicate - KMAOUK
  53. communicated - KMAOUKD
  54. communicates - KMAOUKZ
  55. communicating - KMAOUG
  56. communication - KMAOUX
  57. compare - KPAR
  58. compared - KPARD
  59. compares - KPARZ
  60. comparing - KPARG
  61. comparison - KPARS
  62. conference - KOFRNS
  63. conferences - KOFRNZ
  64. deteriorate - DRAIT
  65. deteriorated - DRAID
  66. deteriorates - DRAITS
  67. deterioration - DRAIGS
  68. do you know - DOUN*
  69. do you mean - DAOUM
  70. do you recall - DOURL
  71. do you recognize - DOURG
  72. do you remember - DOURM
  73. do you think - DOUNG
  74. document - DOUMT
  75. documentation - DOUMGS
  76. documented - DOUMD
  77. documenting - DOUMG
  78. documents - DOUMTS
  79. down - DOUN
  80. driver seat - DRAET
  81. driver side - DRAOID
  82. driver's license - D-L
  83. driver's seat - DRAET*
  84. driver's side - DRAOID*
  85. during the accident - DAEX
  86. during the course of - DROURS
  87. effective - AEF
  88. effectively - AEFL
  89. event - AOENT
  90. events - AOENTS
  91. household - H-LD
  92. households - H-LDZ
  93. I am - Y-M
  94. I did - ID
  95. I do - YO*
  96. I do not know - YOEN
  97. I do not recall - YOERL
  98. I do not remember - YOERM
  99. I do not think - YOENG
  100. I don't - YO
  101. I don't know - YON
  102. I don't recall - YORL
  103. I don't remember - YORM
  104. I don't think - YONG
  105. I.D. - ID*
  106. immaterial - IRM
  107. in any event - NAOENT
  108. in evidence - NEFD
  109. innefective - NAEF
  110. innefectively - NAEFL
  111. insurance carrier - SHAOURK
  112. is it true - STRAOU
  113. isn't it true - SN-R
  114. laundry - LAURND
  115. may have been - MAIFB
  116. meantime - MAOIM
  117. mechanism - MEFP
  118. medical insurance - MAOURNS
  119. no objection - NOEX
  120. obtain - AUB
  121. obtained - AUBD
  122. obtaining - AUB/G 
  123. obtains - AUBZ
  124. occupant - AUPT
  125. odd - OD
  126. off the record - AUFD
  127. offhand - AUFND
  128. opposition - PIGS
  129. parking lot - PROT
  130. parking lots - PROTS
  131. passenger seat - PAET
  132. passenger side - PAOID
  133. passenger's seat - PAET*
  134. passenger's side - PAOID*
  135. paycheck - PAIFP
  136. permissible - PERBL
  137. permission - PERGS
  138. permission to - PAOERGS
  139. Persian - PERGS*
  140. prior to - PRAOIRT
  141. priorities - PRORTS
  142. priority - PRORT
  143. properties - PROPTS
  144. property - PROPT
  145. purport - PURT
  146. purported - PURT/D
  147. purporting - PURGT
  148. purports - PURTS
  149. quarrel - KWOERL
  150. quarreled - KWOERLD
  151. quarreling - KWOERLG
  152. quarrels - KWOERLZ
  153. quarter - KWAUR
  154. quarterly - KWAURL
  155. savings and loan - SLOEN
  156. scene of the accident - SNAEX
  157. so granted - SGRAND
  158. so marked - SMARKD
  159. so stipulated - STOIPD
  160. tall - TAUL
  161. taller - TAURL
  162. to my knowledge - TIRJ
  163. to the best of my knowledge - TIBS
  164. to the best of your knowledge - TOUBS
  165. to your knowledge - TURJ
  166. what do you mean - WHAUM
  167. what time - WHAOIM
  168. where was - W-RFS
  169. whom - WHAOUM
  170. Yes, I am - YAM
  171. Yes, I did - YID
  172. Yes, I do - YOD
  173. you did - UD
  174. you do - UD*
  175. you mean - YAOUM
  176. you're welcome - YURM

October 2, 2011

KEEP SMILING... STAY POSITIVE

This past week I ALMOST passed my 180 4V test.  I missed it by ONE POINT!  Grr!  I was so bummed.  I did the exact same thing last term: missed the same test by ONE POINT!

My husband encouraged me though saying that he is sort of glad that I didn't pass this test.  He would rather me pass my tests by sheer skill and determination, not from "luck."  He would rather me cut that error rate in half to make sure that there is no scare of a failed test.  He would rather me have more of a buffer to ensure a passed test at 97.5% accuracy.

I see what he means.  Writing at 97.5% accuracy though is NOT easy... but I keep telling myself POSITIVE things like "I'm almost there" and "It's just a matter of time" and "I will pass this test for sure very soon."  Three pieces of advice I keep hearing from working court reporters and court reporting instructors to us court reporting students are:


  • You MUST believe you can do this!
  • You MUST stay positive!
  • You MUST let go of the anxiety in your head and just let your fingers "do their thing!"  (Court reporting is largely a mental skill.)


I'm going to focus on the first adage: YOU MUST BELIEVE YOU CAN DO THIS!  Or as Henry Ford says it:


I wholeheartedly believe in this.  If you don't THINK you can complete the court reporting program, why even be IN the court reporting program???  BELIEF is Principle #1 to SUCCESS.  Why start if you don't believe you can finish???  You HAVE TO believe you CAN and WILL finish... and finish WELL! 

In closing, I DO BELIEVE that I will pass my 180 4V test soon.  I will WORK HARD to make sure that happens in the next few days, and I will continue to keep a POSITIVE ATTITUDE all along the way... even when I miss a test by only one point!  I will smile instead and think, "WOW!  I'm so close to passing this test!  It'll be soon for sure!"


I'll look at the bright side instead of getting bogged down with defeat since being depressed doesn't do me any good.  I'll get "mad" instead and work harder and smarter until I can happily announce that I've officially graduated from the 180 WPM speed level and entered the wonderful, challenging, and almost-done-with-court-reporting-school speed level of TWO HUNDRED WORDS PER MINUTE!!!

By: VintageVerses of Etsy.com