StenEd Theory consists of 40 lessons total--each focusing on a particular aspect of learning this new "language." That includes the alphabet, common letter combinations, numbers, high frequency words, "ch"/"sh" sounds, differentiating homonyms, etc... (and that is only what I have encountered so far).
Ideally, by the end of all 40 lessons, you will have a stronghold on StenEd, and can progress into the speed-building classes, where you do what you've learned so far...just much faster. And faster, and faster, and faster (x100)...
Now, 40 lessons is quite a lot, so my college has divided up the lessons into 2 classes:
Theory I : Lessons 1-20
Theory II: Lessons 21-40
Each theory class is expected to last a full semester (4 months).
I am currently enrolled in Theory I class, which ends at the end of May, but am already at Lesson 17.
At my current pace, completing all 40 lessons by then should be very doable. Especially when you consider the fact that during the duration of studying Lessons 1-17, I have also been working a 9-6 Monday-Friday (+1-hour daily bicycle commuting) job. So once I am free from said job, I will be able to dedicate myself fully to my studies.
The anticipation makes me drool!
NOTE: I actually plan on making some income in the form of freelance translation, but that hardly even qualifies as even a "part-time job."
Now, I hesitate even as I write this, because while I want to ambitious, I know the importance of setting realistic goals.
Still, I have 3 solid months from now until the end of May in order to complete 23 more lessons.
It took 1 month to reach 17 lessons, so I can calculate (even with my weak grasp of basic math) that 3 months should be more than enough time to reach this goal.
This post is to make me stay true to my word.
Let's do this.
Current Lesson - Lesson 17
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Campus Visit
As I mentioned in my last post, I actually motorcycled down to campus to not only speak with the "IT specialist" but also my class instructor.
Now, seeing as I work full-time, it is exceedingly difficult to find the time to "just zip on down" to campus, so yesterday was a rare treat.
But don't think that this post is about complaints. Yesterday's visit was actually wonderful, and very invigorating! I actually always feel chipper and excited after speaking with my instructors. They're so kind and willing to explain everything in great detail.
My first order of business was to speak with the IT specialist about getting some forms of punctuation properly entered into my Total Eclipse dictionary so that it would display properly. I find it very useful to have all my keystrokes enter correctly through the Total Eclipse's realtime program, so that I can easily glance up and see if something wasn't stroked the right way.
Even though I got to clean up a few things, Aaron (the IT guy) eventually informed me that it's actually not worth my time to groom my dictionary too meticulously this early in my studies. This was quite eyeopening for me, and I felt a little thwarted that I'd come all the way down for this, only to be told that my efforts were in vain. And by "vain," I mean there was little real substance to justify wanting to clean up my dictionary too much.
The worse bit was when he bluntly stated, "If you obsess about your dictionary at this point, you'll soon become frustrated and drop out."
That really stung, and I bristled at the words "drop out."
Hearing that just makes me want to prove them wrong so badly.
The visit wasn't a total loss, however. I did get to have my quizzes graded in front of me, while I chatted with a fellow student. This student's name is Lauren and she shared some useful tips for studying and motivation! It was a pleasure to talk with her, as it reminded me that there are others clambering through the same lessons as myself, with similar frustrations and exaltations.
Turns out that I have received 99%-100% on all of my quizzes thus far (although lesson 5 seems to have gone missing for some reason...)!
And the instructor noted that she appreciated my thoroughly written-up quizzes where I note my own mistakes and methods for fixing them. She said she liked being able to see my "thought processes," and also noted that I ask insightful questions. (squeal!)
In fact, being able to have an instructor right there in front of me made it that much easier to ask questions and get answers nearly instantaneously! I'll be spoiled!
The visit also sparked the topic of my commuting down to class at the start of April.
I'll get more into this later on...
As for my lesson progress... Just this morning, I watched through the lesson 16 video, and am pumped and primed to tackle the exercises and quiz later tonight!
Current Lesson - Lesson 16
Now, seeing as I work full-time, it is exceedingly difficult to find the time to "just zip on down" to campus, so yesterday was a rare treat.
But don't think that this post is about complaints. Yesterday's visit was actually wonderful, and very invigorating! I actually always feel chipper and excited after speaking with my instructors. They're so kind and willing to explain everything in great detail.
My first order of business was to speak with the IT specialist about getting some forms of punctuation properly entered into my Total Eclipse dictionary so that it would display properly. I find it very useful to have all my keystrokes enter correctly through the Total Eclipse's realtime program, so that I can easily glance up and see if something wasn't stroked the right way.
Even though I got to clean up a few things, Aaron (the IT guy) eventually informed me that it's actually not worth my time to groom my dictionary too meticulously this early in my studies. This was quite eyeopening for me, and I felt a little thwarted that I'd come all the way down for this, only to be told that my efforts were in vain. And by "vain," I mean there was little real substance to justify wanting to clean up my dictionary too much.
The worse bit was when he bluntly stated, "If you obsess about your dictionary at this point, you'll soon become frustrated and drop out."
That really stung, and I bristled at the words "drop out."
Hearing that just makes me want to prove them wrong so badly.
The visit wasn't a total loss, however. I did get to have my quizzes graded in front of me, while I chatted with a fellow student. This student's name is Lauren and she shared some useful tips for studying and motivation! It was a pleasure to talk with her, as it reminded me that there are others clambering through the same lessons as myself, with similar frustrations and exaltations.
Turns out that I have received 99%-100% on all of my quizzes thus far (although lesson 5 seems to have gone missing for some reason...)!
And the instructor noted that she appreciated my thoroughly written-up quizzes where I note my own mistakes and methods for fixing them. She said she liked being able to see my "thought processes," and also noted that I ask insightful questions. (squeal!)
In fact, being able to have an instructor right there in front of me made it that much easier to ask questions and get answers nearly instantaneously! I'll be spoiled!
The visit also sparked the topic of my commuting down to class at the start of April.
I'll get more into this later on...
As for my lesson progress... Just this morning, I watched through the lesson 16 video, and am pumped and primed to tackle the exercises and quiz later tonight!
Current Lesson - Lesson 16
Monday, February 25, 2013
Practicing for Numbers
Since my last post on Lesson 15's numbers, I have since passed the quiz and moved on to Lesson 16!
I was pretty nervous about Lesson 15 at first, because it seemed like there was a lot to cover, and plus there were some parts of the theory in the book that differed from what the instructors in the video were saying.
Additionally, the fact that my Total Eclipse program wasn't registering quite a few of the keystroke briefs was getting a bit annoying.
I'll actually be head down later today to speak with the college's CTR IT specialist about adapting my Total Eclipse dictionary. Should be fun!
Regarding Lesson 15 and numbers, I owe a lot of my quick practice to the following websites:
RANDOM Clock Times
RANDOM Calendar Dates
This handy-dandy sight generators a number of random clock times, calendar dates, and all sorts of things I imagine. This was particularly useful for drill practicing, just doing date after date, or clock time after clock time.
Highly recommend! I hope it helps out fellow students who just need some good grinding material.
Next up is Lesson 16, where it's a whole lot about soundalike words! Yikes!
Current Lesson - Lesson 16
I was pretty nervous about Lesson 15 at first, because it seemed like there was a lot to cover, and plus there were some parts of the theory in the book that differed from what the instructors in the video were saying.
Additionally, the fact that my Total Eclipse program wasn't registering quite a few of the keystroke briefs was getting a bit annoying.
I'll actually be head down later today to speak with the college's CTR IT specialist about adapting my Total Eclipse dictionary. Should be fun!
Regarding Lesson 15 and numbers, I owe a lot of my quick practice to the following websites:
RANDOM Clock Times
RANDOM Calendar Dates
This handy-dandy sight generators a number of random clock times, calendar dates, and all sorts of things I imagine. This was particularly useful for drill practicing, just doing date after date, or clock time after clock time.
Highly recommend! I hope it helps out fellow students who just need some good grinding material.
Next up is Lesson 16, where it's a whole lot about soundalike words! Yikes!
Current Lesson - Lesson 16
Friday, February 22, 2013
Typical Practice Routine
As the post header insinuates, I wanted to take the time to explain my typical practice routine for steno class.
Now, last night, I actually did not practice, because I was all out of sorts, but aside from this exception, I'm pretty good about practicing every day.
(And even if I didn't get on the writer, I did still practice the strokes at my desk with an imaginary one.)
Because I'm still in the midst of learning StenEd Theory, practice sessions are pretty regulated thanks greatly to the REALTIME THEORY: Lesson 1 in the StenEd Realtime, Conflict-Free Machine Shorthand Series.
That is a doozy of a name, but let me break it down for you.
Realtime: This is the practice of doing stenography where the end result is already translated into English. Thus, enabling you to read back your transcript in...realtime! Back in the day, court reporters would have to dictate from their steno notes, but with realtime, now pretty much anyone can read it--so long as your writing was clean to start with!
Conflict-Free: Also back in the day (stenography has gone through so many changes and evolutionary steps, hasn't it?), because the court reporter would be the only one reading from her notes, it was totally fine if she chose to have a chord of keystrokes mean more than one thing!
For example, if she knew for herself that "SKWR" meant "justice" and also meant "skewer," that was completely fine! She could just sort it out later based on the context. However, now that realtime is such a desirable trait (again, so that anyone can read the dictation immediately), it is vital for every single chord to have it's ONE, SINGLE meaning. Additionally, the prevalent use of CAT (computer-aided transcription) programs means that it's easier to program a single chorded keystroke to translate into anything--and often the program can even warn you if the new definition you're inputting conflicts with a preexisting entry!
Machine: This is the writer.
Shorthand: I'm surprised to find this word used rather than "stenography," which is a more academic (aka smarty-pants) term.
Anyway, this is how I typically get through each lesson:
① Read the lesson ahead of time. I usually do this at my desk during lunch, or a bit throughout the day. I'll use my imaginary writer as I practice everything.
② Watch the online video for that lesson. This helps to clear up any finger positioning that I may have wrongfully assumed, plus it's chock-full of useful steno and study tips.
③ Use the Realtime portion of the Total Eclipse program for the practice dictations, practice words, etc that are brought up during the video lesson. I also like to futz around in Realtime, experimenting with more word combinations and try piecing together what I know to actually make full sentences.
④ Listen to the audio recordings of the exercises, and practice in Realtime still.
⑤ Listen to the audio recordings of the exercises, this time in the Lesson player portion of the program. There are times where I feel more at ease just listening to the audio as I type out the lesson's exercises, rather than reading it straight from the book's copy. I think that looking at the letters is actually a bit confusing--and after all, it's more in line with the job to focus on listening.
⑥ Repeat step 5 until I've earned 98% of higher on each exercise.
⑦ Mark the date of completion in my handy-dandy time keeper binder thingy.
⑧ Practice some of the video lesson dictation again in Realtime.
⑨ Get pumped for the lesson quiz at the end of the video. This is when I set up the paper feed into my writer, because the quizzes need to be recorded and graded.
⑩ Do the quiz!!
⑪ Scan and transcribe my notes (and mark up any mistakes) and submit them to the instructors. I typically do this the next day, because I've finished the quiz at night. If I do it mid-day (like on a weekend), I'll do this step almost immediately afterwards. I don't like to do this actually, because I appreciate the challenge of having to read my notes without relying on my immediate memory.
⑫ Rinse and repeat!
The whole process sums up to about 3+ hours worth of practice per lesson.
I haven't even gotten into reviewing past lessons, but that is something that I do quite sporadically.
This weekend, however, I plan on focusing a bit more on practicing reading my steno notes (after completing lesson 15).
Current Lesson - Lesson 15
Now, last night, I actually did not practice, because I was all out of sorts, but aside from this exception, I'm pretty good about practicing every day.
(And even if I didn't get on the writer, I did still practice the strokes at my desk with an imaginary one.)
Because I'm still in the midst of learning StenEd Theory, practice sessions are pretty regulated thanks greatly to the REALTIME THEORY: Lesson 1 in the StenEd Realtime, Conflict-Free Machine Shorthand Series.
There are even more variations within the series.
All of them sport a different colored oval. Interesting choice of design...
All of them sport a different colored oval. Interesting choice of design...
Realtime: This is the practice of doing stenography where the end result is already translated into English. Thus, enabling you to read back your transcript in...realtime! Back in the day, court reporters would have to dictate from their steno notes, but with realtime, now pretty much anyone can read it--so long as your writing was clean to start with!
Conflict-Free: Also back in the day (stenography has gone through so many changes and evolutionary steps, hasn't it?), because the court reporter would be the only one reading from her notes, it was totally fine if she chose to have a chord of keystrokes mean more than one thing!
For example, if she knew for herself that "SKWR" meant "justice" and also meant "skewer," that was completely fine! She could just sort it out later based on the context. However, now that realtime is such a desirable trait (again, so that anyone can read the dictation immediately), it is vital for every single chord to have it's ONE, SINGLE meaning. Additionally, the prevalent use of CAT (computer-aided transcription) programs means that it's easier to program a single chorded keystroke to translate into anything--and often the program can even warn you if the new definition you're inputting conflicts with a preexisting entry!
Machine: This is the writer.
Shorthand: I'm surprised to find this word used rather than "stenography," which is a more academic (aka smarty-pants) term.
Anyway, this is how I typically get through each lesson:
① Read the lesson ahead of time. I usually do this at my desk during lunch, or a bit throughout the day. I'll use my imaginary writer as I practice everything.
② Watch the online video for that lesson. This helps to clear up any finger positioning that I may have wrongfully assumed, plus it's chock-full of useful steno and study tips.
③ Use the Realtime portion of the Total Eclipse program for the practice dictations, practice words, etc that are brought up during the video lesson. I also like to futz around in Realtime, experimenting with more word combinations and try piecing together what I know to actually make full sentences.
④ Listen to the audio recordings of the exercises, and practice in Realtime still.
⑤ Listen to the audio recordings of the exercises, this time in the Lesson player portion of the program. There are times where I feel more at ease just listening to the audio as I type out the lesson's exercises, rather than reading it straight from the book's copy. I think that looking at the letters is actually a bit confusing--and after all, it's more in line with the job to focus on listening.
⑥ Repeat step 5 until I've earned 98% of higher on each exercise.
⑦ Mark the date of completion in my handy-dandy time keeper binder thingy.
⑧ Practice some of the video lesson dictation again in Realtime.
⑨ Get pumped for the lesson quiz at the end of the video. This is when I set up the paper feed into my writer, because the quizzes need to be recorded and graded.
⑩ Do the quiz!!
⑪ Scan and transcribe my notes (and mark up any mistakes) and submit them to the instructors. I typically do this the next day, because I've finished the quiz at night. If I do it mid-day (like on a weekend), I'll do this step almost immediately afterwards. I don't like to do this actually, because I appreciate the challenge of having to read my notes without relying on my immediate memory.
⑫ Rinse and repeat!
The whole process sums up to about 3+ hours worth of practice per lesson.
I haven't even gotten into reviewing past lessons, but that is something that I do quite sporadically.
This weekend, however, I plan on focusing a bit more on practicing reading my steno notes (after completing lesson 15).
Current Lesson - Lesson 15
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Grades...and Numbers
I completed my lesson 14 quiz last night. Did just fine, but dropped the "EU" in one word.
Should have been "baked." Ended up as "backed."
Thankfully, my instructors have told me that so long as I catch my own mistakes, it's not really detracted from my score (?). I'm actually curious to see what this really means.
I'm so used to taking community college classes just for fun (Adv. Japanese, American Sign Language, Vietnamese...notice a pattern?), that I've never really had to worry about having good grades. Not that getting good grades has been an issue (I am the obsessive-student type), but this time around, it's a bit more "for real." If the grades were bad enough, surely I would be held back, but how is that determined? And that reminds me, how does this semester's class end? A final exam? I don't recall!
Anyhoo, I've just started number-centric lesson 15 today, and while there appears to be a lot of new material, it doesn't seem particularly hard.
(At least, not as hard as Lesson 12-13 were! Phew-boy! Those are definitely some lessons that I will have to go back to and review often!)
Lesson 15 has me learning how to input numbers, the proper order of keystrokes for three-digit numbers, time & dates, days of the week & months of the year, and plurals of numbers.
Seems like a lot, doesn't it?
Well, I'm feeling mighty confident, so I'm guessing that I'll get through it by EOD Saturday.
Current Lesson - Lesson 15
Should have been "baked." Ended up as "backed."
Thankfully, my instructors have told me that so long as I catch my own mistakes, it's not really detracted from my score (?). I'm actually curious to see what this really means.
I'm so used to taking community college classes just for fun (Adv. Japanese, American Sign Language, Vietnamese...notice a pattern?), that I've never really had to worry about having good grades. Not that getting good grades has been an issue (I am the obsessive-student type), but this time around, it's a bit more "for real." If the grades were bad enough, surely I would be held back, but how is that determined? And that reminds me, how does this semester's class end? A final exam? I don't recall!
Someone's spidey-senses are tingling with those numbers.
Anyhoo, I've just started number-centric lesson 15 today, and while there appears to be a lot of new material, it doesn't seem particularly hard.
(At least, not as hard as Lesson 12-13 were! Phew-boy! Those are definitely some lessons that I will have to go back to and review often!)
Lesson 15 has me learning how to input numbers, the proper order of keystrokes for three-digit numbers, time & dates, days of the week & months of the year, and plurals of numbers.
Seems like a lot, doesn't it?
Well, I'm feeling mighty confident, so I'm guessing that I'll get through it by EOD Saturday.
Current Lesson - Lesson 15
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Inspirational Quotes (part 1)
Imgur has got to be the best and worst thing I've come across in the past year.
It's both a blackhole for passive (sometimes stupid) entertainment, but also a treasure-trove of inspirations.
As embarrassed as I am to admit it, it's even how I sometimes keep up with the news!
My typical routine starts off at the WTF section for my daily gross-out fix, before drifting into the main page.
There are more /___ sections than you can shake a stick at, and I'm sure that I'll add them to my repertoire eventually. But for now, WTF does the trick.
Some of my favorite posts, however, are the inspirational quotes.
I've decided to share a few with you, starting with this one:
This one is really hitting home with me lately.
Namely, because it's what I've come against with deciding to pursue court reporting.
I'll get more into this in a few weeks...
For now, what kinds of things have you put on hold, insisting that you'll have the time/energy/freedom to do it later?
Current Lesson -- Lesson 14
It's both a blackhole for passive (sometimes stupid) entertainment, but also a treasure-trove of inspirations.
As embarrassed as I am to admit it, it's even how I sometimes keep up with the news!
My typical routine starts off at the WTF section for my daily gross-out fix, before drifting into the main page.
There are more /___ sections than you can shake a stick at, and I'm sure that I'll add them to my repertoire eventually. But for now, WTF does the trick.
Some of my favorite posts, however, are the inspirational quotes.
I've decided to share a few with you, starting with this one:
The most dangerous risk of all - the risk of spending
your life not doing what you want on the bet that you
can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.
This one is really hitting home with me lately.
Namely, because it's what I've come against with deciding to pursue court reporting.
I'll get more into this in a few weeks...
For now, what kinds of things have you put on hold, insisting that you'll have the time/energy/freedom to do it later?
Current Lesson -- Lesson 14
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Funny Lines
So, for anyone who has gone through StenEd theory, you'll know that there are quite a few times when funny practice lines or phrases come up.
There are only so many words we know at this point (up through Lesson 12-13), so they have to get a bit creative!
So far, here are just a few that made me chuckle out loud:
All of them have the look of doom.
Jill felt the yapping dog nip her leg.
And here are some short words/phrases that always get my mind in the gutter:
hot stuff
shaft
jerk
What other hilarious little gems have you found in your theory books?
There are only so many words we know at this point (up through Lesson 12-13), so they have to get a bit creative!
So far, here are just a few that made me chuckle out loud:
All of them have the look of doom.
Jill felt the yapping dog nip her leg.
And here are some short words/phrases that always get my mind in the gutter:
hot stuff
shaft
jerk
What other hilarious little gems have you found in your theory books?
Monday, February 18, 2013
Funny Lines a la Me (or What Practice Looks Like)
So, I was futzing around while watching the Lesson 12 online video, and wound up with a few pages full of some pretty goofy stuff.
WARNING: Some cuss words ahead.
head built tough heart guard dead learn tough touch tush SHEURly she is odd
and U and I. Awe awe awe awe taut walk talk cock suck my cock. Caulk the chalk. I was taught call me.
I saw it. The bird said KAU! I H-F you.
I saw it coming all the time. OU OU I am going downtown.
AaOEU OEU. The boy is dead. Boy toy toys are gone. He is so loud! The moon is large. Zoo zoom, zoom! Spoon lick the spoon. Fuck the moon. I am going to zoom to the moon. Quit zooming in the room. So... Much blood. I ear mite might tune tune tune tune eat eat eat eat all bout boy cool all bout boy cool
chalk cloud choice door gloom AOE eat glean gleam bus as I was squatting, the cat licked me. Cause I joined the cause. Have the clause in the thing is dead? Loose the noose. TPHOZ. Town void sound soil fraud. Crowd. School. Booze. Ploy. Loose. Mood. Cause. Loud. Coil. Coiling door. Dooring took. Doubt. Pawn. Chow. Sauce. Hot sauce. Scouted. Voice. Ouch join. Down loot the pan. Spoiled kid. Room. Brow. Claw. Off. Noise. Cook. Cook in the pan.
Sun her son is smart. The sun is shining. My son will be glad. That the is not a knot. The KAU is in bred. I eat bread. I breed many dogs. I love you, not! The bread is in the fridge. Eat it! ED is bed I TPRAOER. TPAOR far fare fare fear fear fear fear fear the reap -R.
Sent cent scent scent SKR-PBT scent scent scent scent SKREBT scent scent scent scent scent
the dogs picked up the scent. The boy kicked the ball and then started bawling. I kids are singing. And the bells are ringing. All the bells are ringing in my head. Scent. Her scent has some odd stuff in it. The sum of the parts is hard to have. Not me. I am not a knot. Knot the tie. I went to the mall and was mauled by the mad dogs. I will be dead in a day. Mate with the dog!
I want to go on a date with him. Date day time tie tide. Boot boot tool tool tune tune hate hate mate name name. Need need need immediate immediate meet meet feed feed. Tie AOEU Hal the in the hall all the time give Hal a gift. Mark mark the board. Mark is a tool. The mall is full of tool tools. Tell your dog not to maul my cat. Ball bawling kids are so bad. Bad a thing thin thin I pulled the wire taut, butt then I taught the kids. I want to teach tee tee tea tea AOE AOE AOE tee tee tee tee tee AOE tee PHAOE meet meet meet mate mate mate mate mate mate mate me. P-PLDZ P-LZ P-LZ. PHR-Z PHR-Z PHR-Z I call foul with the fowl. Our house is in the hour. The hour is nigh. The course is quite coarse. My house is large, you bitch. The course has a lot of dumb stuff. The quartz is coarse. Of course, my dear. Dear me O my! Wood, would you? Eat my hot, large wood. Yum!
Blouse. Couch. Blood. Good. Caught. Frau. Choice. Oil. Brook. Choose. Small. Talk. Spoil. Joint. Sprawl. Hound. Booze. Ground. Voice.
As you can see, it's a lot of practice with the dipthong volumes, and some long vowels.
I'm tackling Lesson 13 today, and I want to ace it!
WARNING: Some cuss words ahead.
head built tough heart guard dead learn tough touch tush SHEURly she is odd
and U and I. Awe awe awe awe taut walk talk cock suck my cock. Caulk the chalk. I was taught call me.
I saw it. The bird said KAU! I H-F you.
I saw it coming all the time. OU OU I am going downtown.
AaOEU OEU. The boy is dead. Boy toy toys are gone. He is so loud! The moon is large. Zoo zoom, zoom! Spoon lick the spoon. Fuck the moon. I am going to zoom to the moon. Quit zooming in the room. So... Much blood. I ear mite might tune tune tune tune eat eat eat eat all bout boy cool all bout boy cool
chalk cloud choice door gloom AOE eat glean gleam bus as I was squatting, the cat licked me. Cause I joined the cause. Have the clause in the thing is dead? Loose the noose. TPHOZ. Town void sound soil fraud. Crowd. School. Booze. Ploy. Loose. Mood. Cause. Loud. Coil. Coiling door. Dooring took. Doubt. Pawn. Chow. Sauce. Hot sauce. Scouted. Voice. Ouch join. Down loot the pan. Spoiled kid. Room. Brow. Claw. Off. Noise. Cook. Cook in the pan.
Sun her son is smart. The sun is shining. My son will be glad. That the is not a knot. The KAU is in bred. I eat bread. I breed many dogs. I love you, not! The bread is in the fridge. Eat it! ED is bed I TPRAOER. TPAOR far fare fare fear fear fear fear fear the reap -R.
Sent cent scent scent SKR-PBT scent scent scent scent SKREBT scent scent scent scent scent
the dogs picked up the scent. The boy kicked the ball and then started bawling. I kids are singing. And the bells are ringing. All the bells are ringing in my head. Scent. Her scent has some odd stuff in it. The sum of the parts is hard to have. Not me. I am not a knot. Knot the tie. I went to the mall and was mauled by the mad dogs. I will be dead in a day. Mate with the dog!
I want to go on a date with him. Date day time tie tide. Boot boot tool tool tune tune hate hate mate name name. Need need need immediate immediate meet meet feed feed. Tie AOEU Hal the in the hall all the time give Hal a gift. Mark mark the board. Mark is a tool. The mall is full of tool tools. Tell your dog not to maul my cat. Ball bawling kids are so bad. Bad a thing thin thin I pulled the wire taut, butt then I taught the kids. I want to teach tee tee tea tea AOE AOE AOE tee tee tee tee tee AOE tee PHAOE meet meet meet mate mate mate mate mate mate mate me. P-PLDZ P-LZ P-LZ. PHR-Z PHR-Z PHR-Z I call foul with the fowl. Our house is in the hour. The hour is nigh. The course is quite coarse. My house is large, you bitch. The course has a lot of dumb stuff. The quartz is coarse. Of course, my dear. Dear me O my! Wood, would you? Eat my hot, large wood. Yum!
Blouse. Couch. Blood. Good. Caught. Frau. Choice. Oil. Brook. Choose. Small. Talk. Spoil. Joint. Sprawl. Hound. Booze. Ground. Voice.
As you can see, it's a lot of practice with the dipthong volumes, and some long vowels.
I'm tackling Lesson 13 today, and I want to ace it!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Good Advice for Practice
In an earlier post, I talked about how I enjoyed mixing up the old and new words together, rather than mulling through the same set of random words again and again and again...
Well, you can imagine how surprised and relieved I was to find that I'm not the only one who agrees!
Well, you can imagine how surprised and relieved I was to find that I'm not the only one who agrees!
Jenni of Court Reporting Bound and Determined wrote up a wonderful blog post about this very thing.
I've only written up the section that really out to me:
Most of this repetition practice should be on the forms as they occur naturally in connected matter. The repetition of isolate forms for more than five times consecutively is not in accord with modern pedagogy. Scientifically graded connected matter has supplanted the isolated form.
So by golly, if something written in 1916 agrees, it must be a tried-and-true method!
Here's to steady practice.
I've only written up the section that really out to me:
Most of this repetition practice should be on the forms as they occur naturally in connected matter. The repetition of isolate forms for more than five times consecutively is not in accord with modern pedagogy. Scientifically graded connected matter has supplanted the isolated form.
So by golly, if something written in 1916 agrees, it must be a tried-and-true method!
Here's to steady practice.
Friday, February 15, 2013
My Machine, My Baby
On more than one occasion, I've heard court reporters referring to their machines as their babies. Or that it's very important to look at their write LIKE IT IS a baby. Devotion, familiarity, and care are all key to "becoming one" with your machine--and eventually, enabling you to work your CTR magic on it.
When I first realized that I'd have to get my own steno equipment, I immediately jumped onto Craigslist.
Why? Because first and foremost, I'm pretty gosh darn cheap. And second, ex-steno students appear to be quite common. (I heard elsewhere that the drop-out rate for steno students is around 92%!!)
To test this theory, I just popped on Craiglist right now and BEHOLD--I found a handful of posts for students selling their old equipment. Rarely has anyone ever sold only part of a set, they're usually trying to get rid of the entire thing--writer, cables, books, etc...
I actually still have the original post where I found my current machine:
Aaw, memories.
I am selling a used Stentura 200 SRT steno machine, Real time court reporting dictionary, and real time court reporting student CAT software. I have never used the CAT software has everything you need to get started for real time. The Stentura 200 SRT was used for a year. I changed my major, there is nothing wrong with this machine.
Asking $300
Please call XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ask for XXX
Goo-goo, motherf***ers.
When I first realized that I'd have to get my own steno equipment, I immediately jumped onto Craigslist.
Why? Because first and foremost, I'm pretty gosh darn cheap. And second, ex-steno students appear to be quite common. (I heard elsewhere that the drop-out rate for steno students is around 92%!!)
To test this theory, I just popped on Craiglist right now and BEHOLD--I found a handful of posts for students selling their old equipment. Rarely has anyone ever sold only part of a set, they're usually trying to get rid of the entire thing--writer, cables, books, etc...
I actually still have the original post where I found my current machine:
Aaw, memories.
Court reporting Steno Machine - $300 (stockton)
Date: 2012-12-05, 7:45PM PST
Reply to: see belowI am selling a used Stentura 200 SRT steno machine, Real time court reporting dictionary, and real time court reporting student CAT software. I have never used the CAT software has everything you need to get started for real time. The Stentura 200 SRT was used for a year. I changed my major, there is nothing wrong with this machine.
Asking $300
Please call XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ask for XXX
- Location: stockton
- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID:3458619059
It was thanks to this very generous seller that I was able to procure nearly all my beginning-student materials.
All of the equipment has gone along quite swimmingly, save for the matter of the cables. But I'm sure you already remember my earlier post about that.
So far, things are going well, although I am still trying to figure out how to make the keystrokes shallower. They feel quite deep right now, and I think it would be beneficial to have less pounding, more swift striking.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
So far, things are going well, although I am still trying to figure out how to make the keystrokes shallower. They feel quite deep right now, and I think it would be beneficial to have less pounding, more swift striking.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Equipment: Cables
(con't from "Equipment: Writer")
This section will focus on the cables, which I found to give me the biggest headache.
I am a self-proclaimed neanderthal when it comes to technology, so I shouldn't be surprised.
First, a brief summary:
② cables
You might be thinking, "Cables? What kind of cables? Does it have ESPN?"
Well, by "cables," people typically mean the cables/cords that will connect your writer to a computer. They allow a computer program to relay the writer keystrokes into a program, and can even translate it into a readable English form!
Because writers are so often dependent on ancient serial ports...
...you need some newfangled USB-serial adapters to make the connection.
This really does feel counter-intuitive to have so many writers still rely on this format if serial ports are being phased out. However, I have noticed a very new writer called the LightSpeed, which does not rely on serial ports in order to connect to the computer.
Just check out the link and prepare to be amazed.
Super-shallow keys?
USB connection?
This is the future, people! Just gazing it makes me sour a bit over my current machine. But I understand that like all things, baby-steps are vital, so there is good reason for having started with my current writer. (Plus, the $3K+ price tag on the LightSpeed would make any person hesitate.)
Still, this post is about the cables, not writers.
I'd like to explain a little bit about the trials and tribulations I had when it came to getting "hooked up"...
When you are purchasing your writer + cables + program + computer, you must make sure that they are all compatible. (Why, it's a regular rainbow of parts!)
Don't worry, this doesn't mean random trial-and-error. There are plenty of people in the steno community who are very much willing to help you figure it out. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Unfortunately, I hadn't yet discovered the treasure-trove of information online, so I had to find salvation with West Valley's instructors and IT professionals.
All of the aforementioned parts (except for the computer) were obtained through Craigslist by the same seller, so I was certain that it was all a done deal. Of course the writer would work the cables, and of course they would all hook onto my laptop without a hitch, and of course the wonderful free drill program the school provided would work perfectly.
Alas, it was not to be.
The first problem was that the USB-serial port adapter cable did not come with a correct driver for my laptop. And no, I'm not talking about this kind of driver (although I did feel like it for a time):
I mean this innocent-looking thing:
This section will focus on the cables, which I found to give me the biggest headache.
I am a self-proclaimed neanderthal when it comes to technology, so I shouldn't be surprised.
First, a brief summary:
② cables
You might be thinking, "Cables? What kind of cables? Does it have ESPN?"
Well, by "cables," people typically mean the cables/cords that will connect your writer to a computer. They allow a computer program to relay the writer keystrokes into a program, and can even translate it into a readable English form!
Because writers are so often dependent on ancient serial ports...
You shall not...CONNECT
...you need some newfangled USB-serial adapters to make the connection.
This really does feel counter-intuitive to have so many writers still rely on this format if serial ports are being phased out. However, I have noticed a very new writer called the LightSpeed, which does not rely on serial ports in order to connect to the computer.
Just check out the link and prepare to be amazed.
Yes, this is what it does in its spare time.
Super-shallow keys?
USB connection?
This is the future, people! Just gazing it makes me sour a bit over my current machine. But I understand that like all things, baby-steps are vital, so there is good reason for having started with my current writer. (Plus, the $3K+ price tag on the LightSpeed would make any person hesitate.)
Still, this post is about the cables, not writers.
I'd like to explain a little bit about the trials and tribulations I had when it came to getting "hooked up"...
When you are purchasing your writer + cables + program + computer, you must make sure that they are all compatible. (Why, it's a regular rainbow of parts!)
Don't worry, this doesn't mean random trial-and-error. There are plenty of people in the steno community who are very much willing to help you figure it out. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Unfortunately, I hadn't yet discovered the treasure-trove of information online, so I had to find salvation with West Valley's instructors and IT professionals.
All of the aforementioned parts (except for the computer) were obtained through Craigslist by the same seller, so I was certain that it was all a done deal. Of course the writer would work the cables, and of course they would all hook onto my laptop without a hitch, and of course the wonderful free drill program the school provided would work perfectly.
Alas, it was not to be.
I mean this innocent-looking thing:
Yeah, I'm looking at you, blue disc of death!
Wipe off that goofy grin!
The above image makes it look like the driver and cable go hand-in-hand, are attached at the hip, like two peas in a pod! More witty idioms!
Well, for whatever reason, that driver CD refused to properly spin to life on my laptop, and the USB-serial port adapter cable ended up useless.
That was a fresh $20 out of pocket to purchase a new adapter cable, complete with handy-dandy driver CD.
But I wasn't out of the woods yet...
Next on my list of things to tackle was getting a theory program installed onto my laptop that my writer could actually connect to. The school was kind enough to hook me up with a retro-rrific theory drill program, but once everything was hooked up...it didn't work.
Thus, out came the wallet. This time, I put down a fat $100 for the Total Eclipse program. There were toll-free numbers to call, key codes to write down, and some more time spent with the steno IT guru, but it did eventually work.
I was just -$120 than when I originally started.
I know this post probably sounds like I was peeved out of my mind, but now that I'm past that point, and onto actually using the writer + cables + program + computer as intended, so I'm very happy with it!
So before you allow yourself to get all hooked up getting...hooked up, take a moment to consult with the myriad of other students and professionals in the field who have gone through the exact same thing.
Hopefully, this information can help save a student a little bit o' headache and a whole lotta cash.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Equipment: Writer
Equipment is always a very popular topic when it comes to steno students (and professionals alike), and there's pretty good reason for it!
There are a LOT of options to consider out there.
In fact, it's pretty damn overwhelming at first.
This isn't a line of work where there are conveniently only one or two options out there--just are there isn't only one kind of theory! ...But that's for another time.
It seems crazy to me now, but I try to think of it as like a scuba diver who may be trying to purchase her equipment. There are several brands for wetsuits, BCs, tanks, flippers... the list goes on and on!
The scuba diver will recognize that all brands have value, so it's all about finding the set of equipment that best fits you! Or in some cases, best fits the class that you are attending.
WARNING: I am still very new to the field, so my knowledge is quite limited. Just imagine me saying "In my limited experience, I've found that..." or "From what I gather..." before pretty much every opinionated statement.
The average steno student will require the following:
① steno writer
This is the machine designed with a special keyboard layout to allow one to learn a stenography theory.
Steno writers can come in two forms--Manual and Electronic.
Manual means that you can only write onto paper, while electronic means that you can hook into a computer, through the use of cables, and write in steno programs.
In the professional world, paperless writers appear to have taken over the landscape--no ifs, ands, or buts.
But for us students, it's still key to be able to read the steno notes "raw"--and that can be more effectively done (?) through the use of paper.
It's like art students looking back at the classics. It's not outdated. It's the past that allowed the present to be.
There are a LOT of options to consider out there.
In fact, it's pretty damn overwhelming at first.
This isn't a line of work where there are conveniently only one or two options out there--just are there isn't only one kind of theory! ...But that's for another time.
It seems crazy to me now, but I try to think of it as like a scuba diver who may be trying to purchase her equipment. There are several brands for wetsuits, BCs, tanks, flippers... the list goes on and on!
The scuba diver will recognize that all brands have value, so it's all about finding the set of equipment that best fits you! Or in some cases, best fits the class that you are attending.
WARNING: I am still very new to the field, so my knowledge is quite limited. Just imagine me saying "In my limited experience, I've found that..." or "From what I gather..." before pretty much every opinionated statement.
The average steno student will require the following:
① steno writer
This is the machine designed with a special keyboard layout to allow one to learn a stenography theory.
Steno writers can come in two forms--Manual and Electronic.
Manual means that you can only write onto paper, while electronic means that you can hook into a computer, through the use of cables, and write in steno programs.
In the professional world, paperless writers appear to have taken over the landscape--no ifs, ands, or buts.
But for us students, it's still key to be able to read the steno notes "raw"--and that can be more effectively done (?) through the use of paper.
It's like art students looking back at the classics. It's not outdated. It's the past that allowed the present to be.
Here's a nice sample of what your writing will look like on good old ink and paper.
This was my Lesson 7 quiz.
Personally, I have a Stentura 200SRT, which allows for both paper and computer usage.
I'll talk more about my machine later.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Back on the Bandwagon
A few days earlier, I'd written a post "A Thing Called Anxiety."
I don't regret having written it. It's important to note the good as well as the bad, so long as you frame it with the intent of learning from it.
And I did learn quite a lot from that short dip into hesitation and anxiety.
The cause, I realize, was that I was over-thinking and obsessing over what the "right" way to practice is, the "right" way to pace myself.
There may be better-than or worse-than options, but it's silly of me to try and confine myself to some pre-defined parameters before I'd even met those parameters.
In other words, I needed to stop thinking about what I'd do and simply go out and do it!
It's worked for me very well! Rather than looking at my writer with some apprehension ("Oh, no. Should I really start moving onto the next lesson before I've 100% mastered the previous one??"), I decided to simply take the first step.
Moving on was so liberating (I've just completed lessons 6, 7, and 8 in quick procession)! I realized that moving on to new material doesn't necessarily mean that I'm abandoning previous material. In fact, previous material is intertwined so closely with the new letters/words/concepts, that it made reviewing them that much easier.
So, instead of practicing looking like this:
old old old old old...
It ended up feeling more like this:
NEW old NEW NEW old old NEW old...
(Notice that "old" got a face-lift!)
The mix-up of new and old really helps to keep things fun and, well, new!
Plus, I find that previously reviewed material actually flows off the fingers easier.
I think it may be similar to the study how construction workers who took regular breaks every 20 minutes ended up completing more work than workers who just worked straight throughout breaks.
Breaking up reviewed material can feel less like hitting your head against the wall, and more like progress!
So, word to the wise, don't mash those keys into the ground repeating monotonous drills. Keep it fresh and fun!
I don't regret having written it. It's important to note the good as well as the bad, so long as you frame it with the intent of learning from it.
And I did learn quite a lot from that short dip into hesitation and anxiety.
The cause, I realize, was that I was over-thinking and obsessing over what the "right" way to practice is, the "right" way to pace myself.
There may be better-than or worse-than options, but it's silly of me to try and confine myself to some pre-defined parameters before I'd even met those parameters.
In other words, I needed to stop thinking about what I'd do and simply go out and do it!
It's worked for me very well! Rather than looking at my writer with some apprehension ("Oh, no. Should I really start moving onto the next lesson before I've 100% mastered the previous one??"), I decided to simply take the first step.
Moving on was so liberating (I've just completed lessons 6, 7, and 8 in quick procession)! I realized that moving on to new material doesn't necessarily mean that I'm abandoning previous material. In fact, previous material is intertwined so closely with the new letters/words/concepts, that it made reviewing them that much easier.
So, instead of practicing looking like this:
old old old old old...
It ended up feeling more like this:
NEW old NEW NEW old old NEW old...
(Notice that "old" got a face-lift!)
The mix-up of new and old really helps to keep things fun and, well, new!
Plus, I find that previously reviewed material actually flows off the fingers easier.
I think it may be similar to the study how construction workers who took regular breaks every 20 minutes ended up completing more work than workers who just worked straight throughout breaks.
Breaking up reviewed material can feel less like hitting your head against the wall, and more like progress!
So, word to the wise, don't mash those keys into the ground repeating monotonous drills. Keep it fresh and fun!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Sons of Anarchy (part 2)
For those of you who are fans, SONS OF ANARCHY is available on Netflix, which is like my lifeblood. My boyfriend is particularly fanatic about the show, while I just try to keep my sanity during the most twisted and depressing scenes.
And while we both have pretty good hearing, we are addicted to watching shows with closed captioning (CC). I find that it helps me follow the dialogue much better, and I can often recite quotes much better when I see it written down.
Over the past few months, I'd seen my fair share of subtitles works and was starting to notice that some CC was better than others. A whole lot better, actually.
SONS OF ANARCHY was one of those shows, where it was clear that the movie studio had actually released the entire script to Netflix for implementation.
Other shows or movies can sometimes get the boot.
I may get into this in a separate blog entry.
Anyway, at the end of another any-old episode, I suddenly see the following pop up...
(WARNING: The following content may contain spoilers for those of you still following SONS OF ANARCHY.)
And while we both have pretty good hearing, we are addicted to watching shows with closed captioning (CC). I find that it helps me follow the dialogue much better, and I can often recite quotes much better when I see it written down.
Over the past few months, I'd seen my fair share of subtitles works and was starting to notice that some CC was better than others. A whole lot better, actually.
SONS OF ANARCHY was one of those shows, where it was clear that the movie studio had actually released the entire script to Netflix for implementation.
Other shows or movies can sometimes get the boot.
I may get into this in a separate blog entry.
Anyway, at the end of another any-old episode, I suddenly see the following pop up...
(WARNING: The following content may contain spoilers for those of you still following SONS OF ANARCHY.)
*gasp* Clay in a hospital bed! Wait no... "Captioned by"?
Oh, right! Someone had to caption this mo-fo! But who?!
Wha-whaat? A company captions it? Not just some random Netflix intern being paid in donuts?
How does one learn more about this fascinating venture?!
And then, the answer presented itself...
Honey, I'm home.
That very same evening, I jumped online, typed in the address, and opened what felt like the floodgates of my new life.
For the next two weeks after that, I was caught in a whirlwind of educating myself about all things court reporting. Granted, I still had/have a lot to learn, but it was this innocuous link in an otherwise creepy television show that got the ball rolling.
And as much as I hate to admit it, I have SONS OF ANARCHY to thank for that.
Together, we form...the Initial Side!!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Sons of Anarchy (part 1)
Now you may be wondering why I've titled this entry after the gritty, bloody drama television series.
What could it possibly have to do with learning stenography?
Well, I'll tell you. It pretty much started everything.
Actually, let me back up a bit. Approximately 6 years back, actually.
The year was 2007 and I was in Los Angeles, working as a manga editor at TOKYOPOP.
Life was great--I loved my job, the weather was always sunny, and there was a lot to explore in LA.
One of the many fun events that LA offered was the annual Book Fair! They had calligraphy writers, who could write your name in beautiful calligraphy on a bookmark for $1, the author of Y THE LAST MAN epic comic book series, and I'm sure many other acclaimed persons from the literary world.
I don't really remember much about the event, except when it came to one of the Q&A panels with the authors. That was my first time setting eyes on a stenographer. To be more accurate, a CART reporter--as she was transcribing everything that was being spoken at the panel onto a large white screen.
I was so captivated, I was busier simply watching her fingers fly across the machine than the actual presentation.
As soon as the panel ended, I came over to her and just sorta awkwardly tried to make conversation. She seemed like a very busy woman, and very "in the zone." After fumbling my praises about her skill, I eventually got her business card.
Total Recall Realtime Captioning
At the point, you'd think "Aha! So that's where you journey to learning stenography started!"
Not even close!
After that fateful day, I didn't think much else about it. I'm pretty sure I even forgot that such an occupation existed.
But I still held onto that business card. I didn't even understand half of the words in that company title, but I did know Schwarzenegger films, and for some reason, whenever I was going through my wallet to empty out unused cards--this one never left.
It was years later in a regular weekend in December 2012 that fate reared its head again...this time, as an angsty motorcycle gang rebel.
What could it possibly have to do with learning stenography?
Well, I'll tell you. It pretty much started everything.
Actually, let me back up a bit. Approximately 6 years back, actually.
The year was 2007 and I was in Los Angeles, working as a manga editor at TOKYOPOP.
Life was great--I loved my job, the weather was always sunny, and there was a lot to explore in LA.
One of the many fun events that LA offered was the annual Book Fair! They had calligraphy writers, who could write your name in beautiful calligraphy on a bookmark for $1, the author of Y THE LAST MAN epic comic book series, and I'm sure many other acclaimed persons from the literary world.
I don't really remember much about the event, except when it came to one of the Q&A panels with the authors. That was my first time setting eyes on a stenographer. To be more accurate, a CART reporter--as she was transcribing everything that was being spoken at the panel onto a large white screen.
I was so captivated, I was busier simply watching her fingers fly across the machine than the actual presentation.
As soon as the panel ended, I came over to her and just sorta awkwardly tried to make conversation. She seemed like a very busy woman, and very "in the zone." After fumbling my praises about her skill, I eventually got her business card.
Total Recall Realtime Captioning
At the point, you'd think "Aha! So that's where you journey to learning stenography started!"
Not even close!
After that fateful day, I didn't think much else about it. I'm pretty sure I even forgot that such an occupation existed.
But I still held onto that business card. I didn't even understand half of the words in that company title, but I did know Schwarzenegger films, and for some reason, whenever I was going through my wallet to empty out unused cards--this one never left.
It was years later in a regular weekend in December 2012 that fate reared its head again...this time, as an angsty motorcycle gang rebel.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Mini Shout Out to Other Blogs
Now, I've mentioned recently about how I read steno blogs, but there really aren't that many because I just started.
But I'm happy that the 2 I've been reading the most of lately are as follows:
StenoNerd
She has got to be one of the most upbeat and positive thinkers on the net. I absolutely love the dedication she puts towards her blog (it's quite regularly updated), but also towards keeping her eyes on the power of positive thinking.
I know that my last blog was a bit of a downer, but I am typically a very positive person.
Even that last negative event reminded me to look for the silver lining.
I'm nowhere near the "end" of her blog, so I look forward to what else she posts.
Kramm
This was the very first steno-related blog that I came across, even though it's headed by a deposition agency, rather than a fellow student.
I first stumbled across it while looking for how to carry my equipment in the most effective and no-hassle way possible. And it all just snowballed from there.
(Actually, would you believe it? That's also the same thing I was Googling when I first gound StenoNerd! And I STILL haven't found an answer that works for me. I'll blog more about this topic later.)
Honestly, I've actually never liked the idea of blogs. When they were first gaining popularity while I was in college, I was so put-off by them, because they were "clogging up" my Google search results. But now, I see that so long as you can find a blog that's geared toward what you want to learn more about, they can actually be quite beneficial.
My guess is that the shift from self-oriented blogs have fallen by the way side now that Facebook/Twitter provides that outlet for people. Thus, freeing up blogs to be more topic-oriented!
In fact, reading some other blogs has inspired me to make this one!
I hope that it helps as much as others have!
Going forward, I'll list out more blogs as I come across them.
But I'm happy that the 2 I've been reading the most of lately are as follows:
StenoNerd
She has got to be one of the most upbeat and positive thinkers on the net. I absolutely love the dedication she puts towards her blog (it's quite regularly updated), but also towards keeping her eyes on the power of positive thinking.
I know that my last blog was a bit of a downer, but I am typically a very positive person.
Even that last negative event reminded me to look for the silver lining.
I'm nowhere near the "end" of her blog, so I look forward to what else she posts.
Kramm
This was the very first steno-related blog that I came across, even though it's headed by a deposition agency, rather than a fellow student.
I first stumbled across it while looking for how to carry my equipment in the most effective and no-hassle way possible. And it all just snowballed from there.
(Actually, would you believe it? That's also the same thing I was Googling when I first gound StenoNerd! And I STILL haven't found an answer that works for me. I'll blog more about this topic later.)
Honestly, I've actually never liked the idea of blogs. When they were first gaining popularity while I was in college, I was so put-off by them, because they were "clogging up" my Google search results. But now, I see that so long as you can find a blog that's geared toward what you want to learn more about, they can actually be quite beneficial.
My guess is that the shift from self-oriented blogs have fallen by the way side now that Facebook/Twitter provides that outlet for people. Thus, freeing up blogs to be more topic-oriented!
In fact, reading some other blogs has inspired me to make this one!
I hope that it helps as much as others have!
Going forward, I'll list out more blogs as I come across them.
Friday, February 8, 2013
That Thing Called "Anxiety"
A common thread I hear on steno blogs and forums and such is how FAILURE is a consistent thing while learning.
You cannot get into court reporting seriously unless you accept that you will fail many times before succeeding.
When I first read that, I'd think, "Pff, but of course! I'm no child. I can take some hard hits." While the defiant side would whisper, "That will never happen to me."
And yet it didn't take long for me to have to realize that there is a difference between understanding that concept, and truly embracing it.
My theory Lesson 3 and 4 tests went by swimmingly. No misses at all. 100% accuracy.
I could hear the crowds cheering!
The cockiness already got to my head and so I barreled through Lesson 5 just so that I could get to the test.
The TEST! I had handle that! Surely!
I ended up making up some pretty silly mistakes and garnered only 96% accuracy.
And I knew exactly why that happened.
Because I rushed. I even rushed to the point of not ensuring that I got 98%+ accuracy on one of the exercises! What was I thinking??!
Clearly, I was thinking too much about how freakin' invincible I am, and let success blow up my ego.
This seemingly small event made me look at how I was doing my lessons. Made me reconsider my perspective of what I wanted and what was right.
Wanting to finish up soon sounds great, but not at the expense of rushing through something without having a firm grasp of the basics.
A strong foundation is what I need to have, and I shouldn't consider myself to be on some sort of deadline in order to be done with it, and move on.
When I think about my current situation, I really am blessed to have the luxury of time on my side.
I have an adequate nest-egg saved up, and could go without work for a few several years without putting a serious strain on my finances.
I have no children or car or house insurance or student loans nipping away at that egg, so I should not think that I must complete the entire program in 2 years "or wind up on the streets."
This little scare with Lesson 5, which will look like piddly-dunk months from now, was a great wake-up call that I need to keep myself in check. With doing the online program, there is no one there to make sure that I am pacing myself--either too fast or too slow. So I need to really listen to my gut instinct about how solid I feel about a concept before moving on.
It's been a few days since that Lesson 5 test, and since then I've been doing a lot of thinking and inspiration-searching through steno blogs and forums. Thousands have gone through this, and am I just one more. My situation is no different or special than theirs, and if they were able to do it, then so will I.
You cannot get into court reporting seriously unless you accept that you will fail many times before succeeding.
When I first read that, I'd think, "Pff, but of course! I'm no child. I can take some hard hits." While the defiant side would whisper, "That will never happen to me."
And yet it didn't take long for me to have to realize that there is a difference between understanding that concept, and truly embracing it.
My theory Lesson 3 and 4 tests went by swimmingly. No misses at all. 100% accuracy.
I could hear the crowds cheering!
The cockiness already got to my head and so I barreled through Lesson 5 just so that I could get to the test.
The TEST! I had handle that! Surely!
I ended up making up some pretty silly mistakes and garnered only 96% accuracy.
And I knew exactly why that happened.
Because I rushed. I even rushed to the point of not ensuring that I got 98%+ accuracy on one of the exercises! What was I thinking??!
Clearly, I was thinking too much about how freakin' invincible I am, and let success blow up my ego.
This seemingly small event made me look at how I was doing my lessons. Made me reconsider my perspective of what I wanted and what was right.
Wanting to finish up soon sounds great, but not at the expense of rushing through something without having a firm grasp of the basics.
A strong foundation is what I need to have, and I shouldn't consider myself to be on some sort of deadline in order to be done with it, and move on.
When I think about my current situation, I really am blessed to have the luxury of time on my side.
I have an adequate nest-egg saved up, and could go without work for a few several years without putting a serious strain on my finances.
I have no children or car or house insurance or student loans nipping away at that egg, so I should not think that I must complete the entire program in 2 years "or wind up on the streets."
This little scare with Lesson 5, which will look like piddly-dunk months from now, was a great wake-up call that I need to keep myself in check. With doing the online program, there is no one there to make sure that I am pacing myself--either too fast or too slow. So I need to really listen to my gut instinct about how solid I feel about a concept before moving on.
It's been a few days since that Lesson 5 test, and since then I've been doing a lot of thinking and inspiration-searching through steno blogs and forums. Thousands have gone through this, and am I just one more. My situation is no different or special than theirs, and if they were able to do it, then so will I.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
It Begins
After some thought, I've finally decided to create this blog dedicated to my "journey" of learning stenography--or as some put it more broadly, "court reporting."
What I hope to accomplish with this blog is the following:
- provide a record of my own thoughts and realizations through the process (I have pretty poor memory)
- state my thoughts "aloud" to better understand them
- help others who may be going down a similar path, and hopefully continue to speak in a language that is familiar to them (there are some steno blogs that I read that I end up feeling lost because the blogger is speaking to an audience that is already intimately familiar with the terms and environment, etc...)
I'm starting this blog official 2 weeks into my first StenEd theory class, so a lot of things are still fresh and new!
Thanks for following me along my journey!
P.S. I haven't thought about how consistently I'll update, but the first few posts may be rapid-fire as I try to get out a lot of what's already happened and establish a "this is where I'm at" standard.
What I hope to accomplish with this blog is the following:
- provide a record of my own thoughts and realizations through the process (I have pretty poor memory)
- state my thoughts "aloud" to better understand them
- help others who may be going down a similar path, and hopefully continue to speak in a language that is familiar to them (there are some steno blogs that I read that I end up feeling lost because the blogger is speaking to an audience that is already intimately familiar with the terms and environment, etc...)
I'm starting this blog official 2 weeks into my first StenEd theory class, so a lot of things are still fresh and new!
Thanks for following me along my journey!
P.S. I haven't thought about how consistently I'll update, but the first few posts may be rapid-fire as I try to get out a lot of what's already happened and establish a "this is where I'm at" standard.
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