With that plan in mind, I headed to the attic searching for age-appropriate baby toys and especially books for my little darling! Those attic boxes contain lots of special memories from my two children — yep, I’ve kept those treasures all these years. 

An expansive library is so important for the little ones to help with social development and thinking skills and carries forward through adulthood. Books improve their language skills by copying sounds, recognizing pictures, and learning words. As court reporters, the love of reading also aids us in our journey to continue to expand our knowledge base and, ultimately, dictionary building.

I ended up finding a great little book titled “The Little Engine That Could,” authored by Watty Piper, to add to Kai’s collection. The message of this book and the illustrations are sure to capture my granddaughter’s attention!

There are lasting and enduring lessons for children and adults alike throughout this story. Court reporters can glean lessons from the Little Blue Engine in order to be the best engineers of their careers! Re-reading this great little book, it makes me pause and reflect on my years of court reporting and our beloved profession. 

NCRA has designated May as Celebrate Certification Month. The month-long campaign is a way for its members to show pride in the certifications they have earned, are working to earn, or are intending to earn. It is also designed to help encourage those who haven’t considered earning one of the Association’s many nationally recognized certifications to rethink their decisions. The campaign offers members the opportunity to share with their clients and potential customers the reasons why choosing a professional who holds one or more professional certifications helps guarantee the delivery of high quality products and services.

The commitment to education and certification by testing ensures that the highest level of professionalism is consistently met. Court reporting has pushed me to soar and reach that next certification (RPR, RMR, RDR, CRR, FAPR).  I have grown and evolved because of this profession and the amazing people I’ve met during my career.  It has helped me conquer my fear of putting myself out there when meeting new people.  My colleagues make it fun to learn together and grow together by finding new and better ways to write short, sharing realtime tips, technology and gadget advice, and much more.:

Lesson No. 1: It’s okay to ask for help

The first engine that’s introduced in our story has a huge load of goodies for the children on the other side of the mountain. It’s a huge load and a job worth doing, even though it’s hard work. All of a sudden, the engine realizes she simply could not go another mile and help was required to complete her task. Court reporters aspiring for that certification or next level may feel that burn-out emotion too. 

Humans are most definitely social creatures and we thrive by being surrounded by friends and family. Search for like-minded court reporters to practice those speed takes and learn those new briefs from professionals that have gone before you. I’ve found that our profession as a whole is chockfull of giving court reporters who are delighted to share their wealth of knowledge and experience. Find that Facebook group designed to share tips, tricks, and briefs to assist you in your speed goal journey! Your certification quest will be less overwhelming and more bearable sharing with other like-minded individuals.

Lesson No. 2:  Be flexible in your goals

The Shiny New Engine had a pretty great job with the latest and greatest equipment and accommodations. As a brand-new student or new professional, you’re full of hopes and dreams of your career and what you want it to be. Sometimes, though, life gets in the way and plans can be derailed in an instant. When hitting that wall and being stalled at a speed level — it has happened to all of us (mine was 180 wpm) — keep pushing yourself and try not to get discouraged. Try some of these tips to help you through that slump.

1. Read your notes and look for drops and/or hesitations
2. Perfect those brief form outlines
3. Find speedbuilding classes online
4. Focus on accuracy
5. Find televised trials or the evening news and practice, practice, practice

Remember to be flexible in your steno goals and continually audit them to make sure they are helping you become the court reporter you want to be!

Lesson No. 3: Mentoring and volunteering is essential

The Big Freight Engine thought he was a pretty important guy — he was hauling machinery around like it was nothing. He felt that without him the grownups couldn’t have their books or newspapers to read and he didn’t feel a need to help the other engine that was carrying stuff for the children. 

As professional court reporters, our schedules are hectic and easy to get caught up in our own work lives — depositions, billing, scheduling, trials, and the like. Even though we may get caught up in our day-to-day challenges and duties, we should remember that we can have a huge and lasting impact on our court reporting students and new professionals through mentoring. Mentoring allows people to learn from one another, providing a path to knowledge transfer. As experienced court reporters with several initials behind our name, we have an obligation to share knowledge and insights, as well as offer guidance, to someone with less experience. NCRA and state associations have formal mentoring programs available for this very purpose. Look into them or find a student in your area to guide them through their education. 

I’ve gained much satisfaction by donating my old writers to a student just starting school. Did you know you can donate your writer to the A to Z program? Our state has been very active in teaching an A to Z program. Perhaps yours does too! Think about volunteering in one of these worthy programs and look at our profession through the shiny face and lens of a brand-new student. So worth it!

Another way to share your knowledge and experience is to volunteer for committee service to NCRA and/or your state association. Being the introvert I am, it was hard for me to volunteer for a committee. One of my best court reporter friends pushed me to serve on a committee and to start writing articles for the JCR, and my life has been changed forever!  He has pushed me to heights I never could have imagined just ten years ago. There are so many benefits of volunteering:

1. Provides a sense of purpose 
2. Provides a sense of community
3. Helps you meet new friends
4. Increases my social skills — yes!
5. Improves self-esteem
6. Provides job prospects and valuable networking opportunities

Remember, court reporters, the most important phrase from this beloved children’s book and you will be on your way to the most rewarding career of your life:  “I think I can. I think I can.”

The post Be the Engineer of Your Career: The Court Reporter That Could appeared first on Omega Reporting.

So last spring, whilst figuring out how to shift and pivot in my professional life, I endeavored to find joy in the “little things” and examined and took stock of what was most important to me. Of course I did mini Zoom demoes and the like with my clients to get them up to speed with the new platform, teaching them the ins and outs of security features and screen-sharing.  But, again, I tried to concentrate on the “little” things. One of my joys is knitting and crocheting, so I picked up my needles and hooks and started creating in between the tutoring sessions! 

There are many benefits, of course, to knitting and crocheting — and that’s keeping the hands busy and active at the same time. Health benefits, for sure, for these aging hands.  I was determined to keep that arthritis at bay! 

Crocheting consumes vast amounts of time to create that final project, which translates into listening to the silence. I’m now an empty-nester, so no kids running around the house. My little Corgi, Ruby Rey, usually has much to say to all the walkers that stroll by the home but was totally bored with me. So to combat the deafening stillness, I gravitated to the small screen and binge-watching my favorite television shows. Once the treasured shows ran out, I then added some shiny new series to my repertoire. The ultimate factor considered to add them to my catalog was that the series must have at least two seasons — so I could binge-watch, of course! 

One of the hottest recommendations that I spied all over Insta was Schitt’s Creek. I conjectured that “It must be awesome” because how could all those followers be wrong?! The accolades and nominations were many for this Canadian series dating back to 2016. The series continued its winning streak for excellence this year (2021) by picking up the statuette for the Best TV Comedy series at the Golden Globes ceremony.

After the introductory episode, I was obsessed and devoted to the Rose family! The storyline of the series details the trials and tribulations, the mundane facets of life, and the triumphs of the Roses: Johnny Rose (uber rich video store magnate), his soap opera wife Moira, the hipster son David, and the socialite daughter Alexis. They are abruptly faced with bankruptcy and forced to shift and relocate to Schitt’s Creek, a small and depressing town they once considered as beneath their level of aristocracy.

The series is full of comedy while at the same time captivating because of its charm. The family has so many raw and human emotions that they experience through the series. As an audience member, I was totally invested in their journey and path to their “new normal.” 

As I’ve done with other inspirational pieces of film and cinema, I found myself pondering the lessons court reporters can learn from this comedy series. Here are just a few:

Dress for success.    

Fashion is an intrinsic representation in the show. David and Moira are most definitely the stars when it comes to fashion — from David’s gothic style to Moira’s wigs and couture! They both utilize their sense of flair and the dramatic with their outfits, all the while distinguishing themselves as individuals who care about who they are.  

For court reporters, our professional appearance should be top of mind too. Dressing for success builds confidence, composure, and self-respect. It’s vital to communicating who you are, as you’re a valuable participant in the judicial process. Additionally, you only get one first impression. More often than not when I arrive at a law firm, the receptionist will assume that I’m an attorney – a great thing! After all, we are respected partners and equals in the deposition and judicial arena, working side by side with the attorneys on their important cases. It’s also important for those remote proceedings to wear that blazer on top!

Listen and look for signs to improve.

Johnny Rose, the epitome of the business executive, diligently listened and searched for signs in Schitt’s Creek of ways he could get back to work, his passion. With all the pitfalls of a rundown motel — leaking ceilings and faucets — Johnny set down the path of working to improve the motel which led to an amazing opportunity in the end! (No spoilers here.)

Change is intimidating for court reporters sometimes as well. There are so many technological advancements in our profession each day, and it seems such a daunting task to keep up with it all. It should be noted that there are some fantastic tools available to assist court reporters to be more productive, efficient, and valuable to attorney clients and legal professionals. Court reporters should keep in mind that in order to be effective and stay relevant, we must keep abreast of technology, embrace it, and never be skeptical of the newest innovations.

Teamwork.

Schitt’s Creek is populated with other lovable characters: Stevie Budd, Twyla Sands, Ronnie Lee, and Jocelyn and Roland Schitt. These characters are integral to the Rose family’s journey to find the family’s “new normal.” A memorable episode reflecting how friends can impact our lives in a dramatic way is when Stevie encourages David to open his new business even though he is petrified to do so.

As a freelance court reporter, it is sometimes easy to forget about the importance of teamwork — especially in today’s ever-changing technology-driven environment. Our profession has become (and viewed by many)  a cottage industry to a certain extent.  Sure, we go to the job and do our magic on that “little machine” but rarely interact much with the participants. Because of my volunteer work for my state and national associations, I’ve made many lifelong friendships with some quite amazing court reporters. I know and trust that I can enlist their help with any situation that may arise during or after that difficult assignment to work out the best approach going forward. 

Go ahead, get realtime-proficient! Reach out to your friends and colleagues to set you on your path of being more productive and efficient. I’m reminded of two colleagues in Memphis who were study buddies and earned that RDR certification, the Ph.D. of court reporting. What an amazing experience and sense of accomplishment for them both! Do what’s scary knowing you have your “team” of friends helping and guiding you along the way and never doubt your ability to soar.

Gain experience.

David and Alexis hadn’t the need nor the inclination to hold down a meaningful job prior to the Rose bankruptcy. Through the evolution of their personal transformation, both siblings sought job opportunities in order to help with the family’s finances. Alexis even made the decision to finish her educational training! 

David started at The Blouse Barn, a very uninspiring job for him. However, he learned a lot from that job by seeking to become more proficient with this customer service and managerial skills. The lessons learned by David at The Blouse Barn gave him that boost of confidence in his competency to take the next step in his career.

One of my greatest accomplishments has been to become a court reporter. I have been a court reporter for many, many years and I’ve gained experience that I happily share with my friends and colleagues. I am deeply humbled and honored when a colleague comes to me with questions about our profession and/or technology. 

We court reporters need to keep up with so much technological knowledge, and we need the courage to look within ourselves and know that we can conquer any of our fears; whether it be remote depositions, realtime, or marking exhibits electronically. It just takes a lot of practice and time to get up to speed with the latest resources and tools available to us. Take the plunge and learn that new feature in your CAT software, offer realtime to a valued and trusted client, and learn the many features of that remote deposition platform. Knowledge is power and you’ll definitely be the better professional by honing your skills. You’ve got this!

Hone your vocabulary prowess.

Moira Rose is perhaps the best family member, in my humble opinion, on Schitt’s Creek. Her lexicon knowledge is “out of this world” splendiferous! Her delivery of her commentary with an unknown accent is boisterously merry!

As I was binge-watching this series, I caught myself laughing out loud whenever Moira was in a scene. Had I not been crocheting, I would have made a list of each and every word that came out of her mouth. She definitely has a unique way of articulating her utterances regarding her family’s shenanigans. 

When I was Googling to find some of the unfamiliar words that didn’t make it to my list (because I was crocheting), I came across this video of Moira Rose’s Vocabulary 50+ Words. It’s worth a listen, for sure. Her accent is to die for!

The benefits for court reporters to building your vocabulary are:

• Become more knowledgeable.
• Become realtime-proficient and don’t struggle or hesitate with an unfamiliar word when writing during the assignment.
• Building a bigger and stronger dictionary makes editing time a breeze.
• A vast vocabulary helps you earn that next level of NCRA certification for the written test.
• Building a strong vocabulary will help you earn more money for when you’re on Jeopardy!

Here’s a list of just a few morsels of Moira’s vocabulary words. Which ones are in your CAT software dictionary? 

1. Duplicitous—treacherous 
2. Capricious – given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
3. Cloying—disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment.
4. Pique – to arouse anger or resentment in.
5. Patrician—an aristocrat or nobleman
6. Bailiwick—one’s sphere of operations or particular area of interest
7. Odious—extremely unpleasant, repulsive
8. Visage—a person’s face, with reference to the form or proportions of the features
9. Assuage—make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
10. Winsome—attractive or appealing in appearance or character
11. Bolus—(in medicine) a single dose of a drug or other medicinal preparation given all at once
12. Confabulate—engage in conversation; talk
13. Reticence—not revealing one’s thoughts or feeling readily
14. Bedeviled —to torment or harass
15. Blouson — a garment (such as a dress) having a close waistband with blousing of material over it 
16. Chrysalis — a hardened, protective covering
17. Churlish — lacking civility or graciousness
18. Encumber — to weigh down or burden
19. Irksome — annoying or tedious
20. Oxidize — to dehydrogenate especially by the action of oxygen
21. Pablum —bland, intellectual sustenance

Then, here are some words that are way out there! I’m not quite sure you would ever view them within the pages of a transcript.

1. bombilating—buzz, or hum
2. Pettifogging—placing undue emphasis on petty details.
3. Frippet—a pretty frivolous young woman
4. Spanandry—extreme scarcity of males in a biological population
5. Balatron — jester or buffoon
6. Callipygian — shapely buttocks
7. Peregrination — a long and meandering journey

I’d love to hear from my readers if you’re a super fan of Schitt’s Creek too! If so, what lessons and takeaways did you come away with? Forge ahead in your professional journey, court reporters, and strive to be the best version of yourself.

Leaving you with this quote from Alexis: “I don’t skate through life. I walk through life… in really nice shoes.” ~ Alexis

The post Court Reporters: Lessons Learned from Schitt’s Creek appeared first on Omega Reporting.

We are made wise not from the recollection of our past, but by responsibility for our future

I have to say that I am still amazed that I took on the task of volunteering for my state and national associations. It’s really not something that I ever thought I would feel comfortable doing. I am generally, by nature, a rather shy and conservative individual; hence, my court reporter profession!

I remember when I was in college going through my training, my school required that I take Speech as a class. That frightened me to death! I’m a small-town girl from rural North Dakota. Anyway, I actually set up a meeting with the dean of my school and outlined all the reasons why I shouldn’t be required to take that Speech class. The reasons I enumerated were as follows:

1. I will be the “silent” person in the courtroom.
2. If I need to read back, I just have to read what was said. I don’t have to come up with anything original.
3. I really think an internship at a law office would serve me better for after I got out of school. I’ll have interaction with attorneys.
4. Oh, by the way, I need permission to be able to take extra credit hours in order to participate in an internship.

Did I say that I waited until my last quarter to go to the dean with my pitch?

Through my service on my state board and several committees of NCRA, I have met some incredible reporters/individuals. Their contributions to our profession is nothing short of amazing and their dedication is evident in everything they do. Had I not accepted the challenge of volunteering for these positions, I know I never would have met these wonderful people.

At the time I came on my state board, I was asked what committee I would be interested in serving on.  I love the technology aspects of our job (obv), so I said I would love to work on the website committee. There was a lot of research involved in that project and it has evolved over these past few years. I also feel that the student section of our site is a great resource for all of our reporting students, which translates into the satisfaction of knowing that I’m “helping” others. I turned over the reins a few years back to another wonderful colleague in our state.

My NCRA committee involvement began several years ago and has been extremely fulfilling for me! The committees ranged from the WKT committee, the CAPR committee, the DSA Committee, and of course the Technology Committee in its various forms through the years. The most memorable experience was being Chair of the Tech Committee. My self-doubt kicked in again. Would I be up for the task? How could I manage such a big and high-profile committee on a national level? Many more questions for me. Again, with the encouragement of my colleagues who knew I could do it, I did! Whew, what an amazing experience!  

The volunteers on all of the committees were amazing and made the experience a pleasure and never a chore.  The fellowship with new court reporters has been great and I know I have made lifelong friends.

Volunteering does provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and satisfaction. Knowing that you are doing good for others and the community contributes to a natural sense of accomplishment. In addition, there’s a sense of pride and identity when you volunteer.

That’s just a small snippet of some of the reasons why I feel volunteering is so important. I know you all give back in your own way and would love to hear about your experiences, too.

The post Importance of Volunteering appeared first on Omega Reporting.

There’s been so much devastation during this past year because of the pandemic, and it brings a huge reality check to our personal lives. Reflection and introspection are top of mind during these days staying at home.

According to a  CDC report from last August:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been associated with mental health challenges related to the morbidity and mortality caused by the disease and to mitigation activities, including the impact of physical distancing and stay-at-home orders.

Family is my top priority always but now more so than ever.  Last year at the beginning of the pandemic, my husband and I started being intentional about staying in touch, via FaceTime, with my husband’s parents. Every Friday after work, they look forward and count on us to FaceTime them.  My husband’s mom recited an exchange with her doctor during one of her visits. It went something like this:

Doctor: “How are you doing mentally? Do you find that you’re experiencing depression lately?”

Dean’s Mom: “Not at all! Our kids call us every Friday on FaceTime and it’s like they’re in our living room.”

2.  We are all heroes during this pandemic! And court reporters especially play a vital role to keep cases moving forward.

I’ve always maintained that reporters are a resilient lot — the pandemic has proved it time and time again that we are. We’ve always been faced with challenges from the beginning of our career, albeit on a totally different scale now. Because we were able to pivot during this past year, we were able to survive rather than sustain a huge financial loss for us and our families!

The art of pivoting is invaluable. You need to have the ability to pivot and find a solution at any given moment. – Anthony Langone, Marbaloo Marketing.

3.  Our state and national organizations play a vital role in a court reporter’s life and we need to continue to support them and each other.

Our profession is definitely one that is technologically savvy! I’ve been doing remote depositions for over ten years for mostly out-of-state clients. Of course, today the remote proceeding, in some form or fashion, is now prevalent for the legal community. Our stenographic skill is one that not everyone has the capability or drive to do — we are amazing! — and the service we provide is invaluable. Because of our technological knowledge and skill, it’s no wonder that we as a profession pivoted almost effortlessly when the pandemic struck earlier this year. Our state and national organizations were there with us every step of the way by providing us webinars, articles, and remote conventions to help fast-track us to optimize the remote deposition setups; thus, relieving so much stress on us by providing the pathways to success going forward.

4. Court reporters are flexible with remote reporting while moving away from the in-person experience. 

Because of remote reporting and not as much commute time, we now are more productive with our work than ever before.  The extra time gained by not having to commute can be concentrated on other things and having a healthy work-life balance.  More time to cook, read, craft, and so much more!

One of the very good things as a result of the pandemic? The new babes, of course! Last March and April, I was commissioned to crochet a few blankets for some acquaintances. It is definitely one of my passions, so I thought maybe I could do it as a side hustle. Well, after I was able to coach some of my clients about the beauty of Zoom depositions and the bookings started picking up, I then concentrated on my first love of court reporting and put the crochet on the back burner. I still accept commissions, but it’s not a current focus for me.

5. Strong relationships can make your business! 

My small business was strengthened and survived because of our attorney clients and also our court reporting clients. Some parts of the country adapted and adopted to remote reporting more readily than others when the pandemic hit. Because of our certifications in the tri-state area, we were able to assist our court reporting  partners with their remote deposition needs when they needed it most. I am forever grateful to all of our clients for their support of our small business!

6. Attorneys look to us sometimes to be their personal resource for these remote depositions — and that’s okay. 

This is our opportunity to shine and show the extra value we provide to them with our technological savviness! As the guardians of the record, we court reporters provide an extremely valuable service to the legal community not only with our stenographic skills but also by paving the way for our clients so that they can keep on fighting and working for their clients. The wheels of justice can keep turning because of how resilient court reporters are, rising to each challenge the legal community has faced, and searching and finding truly great solutions these past several months.

7. Sharing my experience and tips re: remote proceedings, along with other members of the NCRA Tech Committee, was my number-one priority.

Here’s a list of some of the articles from the Tech Committee:

Streamtext and Zoom

Basic Zoom Tips, Tricks and Advice

Five tips for looking great in remote depositions

How to optimize internet connections for remote depositions

Handling of exhibits for remote depositions

What states allow remote and/or online notarization?

Conducting meetings and depositions by remote means

Office setups and remote preparation part of downtime

Ask the Techie: Do you need a new chair?

COVID-19: Looking back through the lens

Then, there’s some additional articles about Zoom listed on my blog:

The post Lessons learned from the pandemic appeared first on Omega Reporting.

These awesome must-have gadgets may be just what you’re looking for this year for your favorite court reporter or legal professional. 2020 has seen some unprecedented times, for sure. This year I’ve curated a list of gadgets that are perfect for our “new normal” for Zoom and remote depositions and proceedings and you won’t be crying or pouting at all!

These are my latest and greatest picks this year and just a click away for that favorite person on your list. Whether you’re on the naughty list or the nice list, remember to pick up a little something for yourself while you’re at it.

Lume Cube

My home office setup includes a 3’x4’ soft box. It’s just something I have hanging around the house. Ha! I know not everyone is lucky enough to have a photographer spouse like me. I have the soft box setting directly in front of my computer for the best light and image during my web conferences. 

Even if you don’t have a soft box laying around the house like I do, you can still have great lighting for your remote deposition and use what you have right at home. If there is a window in your room, situate the laptop facing the window, if possible, for a very pleasing effect. Lighting is definitely my friend, and I want it to be yours too! Natural light is often the best and provides a soft glow to your skin. If the light source is to your back, your image will be dark and the other participants will not be able to see you much at all, as you will appear in silhouette. 

Another affordable option is the Lume Cube. I have this for what I like to call my hybrid depositions, where it’s myself and the witness and all attorneys appearing via Zoom. I want to make sure the witness looks great too!

PolsenMO-IDL2 Dual Lavalier Condenser Microphones with DSLR/Smartphone Switch 

When your laptop microphone does not fill the need so you can be heard with crystal precision, use this Polsen microphone. This is a great external microphone to recommend for your clients and their witnesses. After all, if the court reporter is unable to hear with clear audio, the proceeding won’t be able to move forward. Just a few weeks ago, we had to suspend a deposition because one of the opposing counsel could not be heard clearly by me or the witness.

Razer BlackWidow Elite Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Years ago I was in the market for a new keyboard and went shopping with my millennial son. He told me, “Mom, you need this keyboard. It’s really cool.” Now, you can imagine I was a little hesitant to make this purchase, as it’s a gaming keyboard. My first thought was that he wanted to take it over from me. I kept an open mind about its features and touch. Wow! So glad I did.

I’ve recently upgraded to the Razer keyboard, as one of my Function keys on the old one was loose.  My upgraded one has a lighted keyboard, which means it’s great for those low-light conditions. The touch is absolutely amazing. Gone are the days of sticky keys and having to redo key strokes. This particular model has the capability to work with Alexa too! Another bonus about this keyboard is that it comes with an ergonomic, magnetic wrist rest made of plush leatherette — really nice for those long edit days.

iKKEGOL USB Single Foot Switch Control One Key Customized Computer Keyboard Action Pedal HID

I’ve seen several court reporters on Facebook that are giving this foot pedal a go for Zoom proceedings. This pedal may be programmed to get yourself easily on and off mute. I know this would be particularly useful if you’re a pet owner and your dog decides to bark at the mailman! Court reporters are also programming it to take screenshots of exhibits— for those times exhibits aren’t provided before or after the deposition. Some features of the pedal include the following:

• Foot control switch,simulate keyboard shortcuts. It is one key or a few key custom function keyboards, which can customize and key, combination of keys, hotkeys or shortcut keys.
• It is a new multi-function Foot switch combines a keyboard function, mouse function, string function, multimedia function, game controller functions.
• Easy and Convenient: just install the software to customize key based on instructions and the multi – function control button could reduce plenty of repeated workload.Software can be free download from website.

Bose Headphones Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones 

Love not being tethered to the laptop when I want to get up for a stretch or a snack. Features of these headphones: Connectivity Technology: Wireless. World-class noise cancellation makes quiet sound quieter and music sound better. Plush ear cushions are manufactured from a synthetic protein leather. Volume-optimized EQ for balanced audio performance at any volume. Wireless convenience, with easy Bluetooth and NFC pairing aided by voice prompts. 20-hour battery life per charge; up to 40 hours in wired mode. Noise-rejecting dual-microphone system for clear calls even in windy environments.

MXL AC404 USB Conference Microphone

I discovered this microphone several years ago when searching for an upgraded option for my audio backup.  Not only was I looking for high-quality sound, but I wanted something that would sit flat on a table. I continue to use it to this day and it’s great for Zoom depositions as well. I love my laptop audio to listen to the speakers during the proceedings.  So I use the same setup as I do for in-person depositions, and the MXL is the microphone used to record my backup for audiosync.

Large Monitor Dell S Series S2719DM 27″ Ultrathin Monitor

A larger monitor is a great option for Zoom proceedings. You can use the Dual Monitor setting so you can have the participants on the laptop screen and the exhibits on the large screen for easier viewing. The dual-monitor display feature allows the video layout and screen share content to be placed on two separate monitors/screens. Gallery or speaker view can be displayed on one monitor while the other monitor displays a content share. Click this link for specific instructions on dual-monitor setup for a Mac and a PC. Bonus Tip: Select Windows + P, make sure you select Extend.

Tips from PC Magazine to improve your dual-monitor setup:

1. Make the displays match
2. Tweak your taskbar
3. Seek out super-wide wallpapers
4. Study your shortcuts
5. The wandering cursor
6. Do even more with Display Fusion

Logitech MX Anywhere 3 Compact Performance Mouse

This is on my Wish List! I have a Mac for my Zoom software. Currently I have color-coded mice so I know which one goes to which computer. It would be awesome to have one mouse to control both devices. Some court reporters are programming it to take screenshots of exhibits during remote depositions.

Features:

• Track anywhere, even on glass: Track on virtually any surface, including glass – meaning you can work seamlessly at the desk, at a cafe, even on the couch.
• Work faster with button customizations and predefined profiles
• Multi-device, multi-OS:  Connect up to three devices and switch between them at the tap of a button. 
• Control multiple computers across Windows and macOS operating systems. Effortlessly transfer text, images, and files between computers.

Kate 5×6.5ft Collapsible Backdrop Collapsible Grey Backdrop Collapsible Backdrops

When working from a home office, it can be a bit tricky to always have a neat and tidy workspace for remote depositions. If there is a blank wall in your home office, that is the best option. Like in a videotaped deposition, a backdrop is an effective means to clean up your space quickly. This Kate backdrop comes in multiple colors too.

Try to refrain, if possible, from using the virtual background in Zoom, as it does not create a great image of the participants. To really make the virtual background work, be sure to limit any movement. If you move quite a bit, your image will pixelate and/or disappear briefly. If there is no other alternative, find a professional backdrop image to upload and use when you’re on the record and be sure that your space is well-lit.

Linksys WHW0102 Velop Mesh Router (Home Mesh Wi-Fi System for Whole-Home Wi-Fi Mesh Network)

So even though I utilize WiFi calling on my iPhone, I still wasn’t getting the best connection with phone calls. Of course I had to look for a better solution! There were dead zones within my home. If I were to head upstairs, my WiFi signal was much improved. The problem with that is that my home office is downstairs. My husband and I tried the WiFi range extender without success. The answer to my dilemma? A mesh router.

The Linksys Velop is the mesh router that I utilize today — and it’s awesome! Basically, by using the best mesh WiFi routers, you’re able to cover a large space without compromising the connection or requiring multiple networks. In addition, setting up a mesh WiFi router is usually easy enough that you can do it without expert IT help. My husband set up ours in short order!

APC UPS, 1500VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector

Know with confidence that your Zoom proceeding can continue even when the power goes out! This battery backup will give you peace of mind knowing your laptop and connections won’t go down during important testimony.

So there you have it — my top gadgets for 2020. Happy Holidays!

* I receive no compensation for my recommendations and the above links are not affiliate links.

The post Check Your List Twice and Ask for these Zoom Gadgets, Court Reporters! appeared first on Omega Reporting.

This article from PCMag, one of my favorites tech resources, has some extremely useful tips for your holiday shopping game.

The ones that stand out to me from this article:

1. Make a plan and a budget.
2. Set deal alerts on Slickdeals and Amazon.
3. Sign up for email newsletters from stores you are interested in.
4. Try to find free shipping.

Speaking of free shipping, PCMag advises: “Don’t expect that this year, given the increase in online shipping as everyone remains stuck at home. Instead, anticipate a mix of free shipping incentives plus curbside pick-up for purchases made at major retailers (as applicable). We recommend signing up for newsletters now, so that you’ll get notified of any free shipping promotions between now and the end of December. You can unsubscribe after you’re done with your shopping.”

ShopRunner is an option for free two-day shipping that I’ve been using for several years. Shop at more than 100 stores in the ShopRunner network and look for their logo. Be sure to log into your ShopRunner account to take advantage of the free two-day shipping! Once you are signed in, you can choose ShopRunner as the shipping method of your order. Check this list for participating stores. Their membership price is typically $79/year; however, they do run free promotions with some of their partners. Here is a list of their membership options.

Membership Types

American Express

Eligible American Express account holders are entitled to a free lifetime membership courtesy of American Express! By enrolling with this benefit, you will not be charged at any time.

MasterCard

Eligible MasterCard account holders are entitled to a free one-year membership. At the end of the free one-year term, the account will simply expire, and you will not be charged or auto-enrolled.

PayPal

PayPal account holders are eligible for free one-year memberships. At the end of the free one-year term, the account will simply expire, and you will not be charged or auto-enrolled.

Yahoo

Yahoo account holders are eligible for free one-year memberships. At the end of the free one-year term, the account will simply expire, and you will not be charged or auto-enrolled.

Chase

Eligible Chase account holders are entitled to a free one-year membership. At the end of the free one-year term, the account will simply expire, and you will not be charged or auto-enrolled.

Promo

It is free to enroll in a promotional account on shoprunner.com. You will not be charged or auto-enrolled once your free promotional period has ended.

Spend-And-Get

Many retailers offer the option to enroll in a free membership at checkout, based on your spending amount. With Spend-and-Get accounts, you can meet the listed spending threshold simply by shopping at any of your favorite stores across the ShopRunner network. If the spending threshold is met within the first month, you will automatically receive a free one-year membership. Otherwise, the account will simply expire, and you won’t be charged or auto-enrolled.

*Trial memberships

A number of retailers in our network also offer free one-month trial memberships to ShopRunner. It is free to enroll; however at the end of the free one-month term, your account will automatically convert to a paid membership, and the credit card on file will be charged $79 annually.

Check out the NCRA Tech Committee’s recommendations for their Black Friday deals.

Happy shopping!

The post How to make the most of your Black Friday shopping appeared first on Omega Reporting.

Your NCRA Board of Directors and Technology Committee were hard at work at the beginning of this 2020 COVID-19 pandemic by creating and presenting webinars and content for our members regarding remote depositions and best practices. Speaking as a member of the Tech Committee, we felt strongly that information, resources, and tools needed to be dispensed quickly to the membership to get court reporters up to speed with our changing environment and our “new normal.”

Here’s a list of some of the articles written about remote depositions that are still relevant today:

Streamtext and Zoom

Basic Zoom Tips, Tricks and Advice

Five tips for looking great in remote depositions

How to optimize internet connections for remote depositions

Handling of exhibits for remote depositions

What states allow remote and/or online notarization?

Conducting meetings and depositions by remote means

Office setups and remote preparation part of downtime

Ask the Techie: Do you need a new chair?

COVID-19: Looking back through the lens

Learning is knowledge, and knowledge is power! To that end, I use several different tools to keep abreast of changes in technology so that I may know how to troubleshoot different scenarios I’m faced with as I report each new Zoom proceeding.

1. Set up Google Alerts: This is such an easy thing to do! Google Alerts is a content change detection and notification service. The service sends emails to the user when it finds new results that match the user’s search term. Start your first Google Alert now. (Find instructions here.)
2. Follow industry leader blogs: There’s so much great content put out by some great court reporters! Do a Google search to find the reporting blogs of your choice and sign up to receive new content sent directly to your inbox. In the alternative, you can use a handy app I recommend called Feedly to have all the information in one central location. It compiles news feeds from a variety of online sources for the user to customize and share with others. There’s an iOS, Android, and web-based application. Learn more about Feedly now.
3. Sign up for Facebook and Twitter: Yes, social media, believe it or not, is a great resource to gain valuable information and knowledge to keep up on best practices for Zoom proceedings. As for Twitter, again, follow the industry leaders to gain their insights. With Facebook, some people may have a love/hate relationship. If you choose to use it for business and court reporting knowledge, some of the Facebook groups can be so helpful! My top Facebook groups that are welcoming, positive, and supportive are: Court Reporter Helpline, Court Reporters and Zoom learn and share, and Court Reporter Technology (NCRA). When you see a Facebook post that may be useful and you wish to read it later, use the save function. To save a post: Click in the top right of the post. Select Save Post, Save Event, Save Link, or Save Video. You may create your own category/folder of your choice. My folder is named Zooming! This is an easy way to go back later if you encounter a similar issue as a fellow colleague.
4. Finally, become a member of NCRA and take advantage of all the technology articles posted on TheJCR.com by the Tech Committee! You may add TheJCR.com to the Feedly app as well to find everything at a glance and at your fingertips. Remember that the JCR is a premier resource as well. I’ve been a continuous member of NCRA for many years and can’t imagine not having the support and resources the Association provides daily.

Next, let’s talk about seven lessons we’ve learned and/or tips for your next Zoom proceeding. While I haven’t personally experienced each of the following issues in Zoom, these questions and the answers are quite timely and may assist you with perfecting your remote deposition setup.

Scenario #1:

Q. When using a cellphone as primary output for Zoom because the laptop connection is not solid and the court reporter has external speakers, what should the court reporter do when reporting a long proceeding and the cellphone needs to be charging?

A. Use your cellphone cable and plug into your laptop or use a wireless charger.

Scenario #2:

Q. How does one mute a microphone using keyboard shortcuts?

A. Try following these instructions from bouncegeek.

Scenario #3:

Q. Does Zoom have a noise-cancellation feature?

A. Yes! This link through Zoom will provide information to get started.

Scenario #4:

Q. What can a court reporter do to prevent a situation when the power goes off and Zoom kicks you off the deposition?

A. Purchase a Battery Backup & Surge Protector for your router and your laptop. There are lots of great options available at an affordable price. Lifewire has a list of their nine best picks for 2020.

Scenario #5:

Q. What can a court reporter do to add an extra layer of security to prevent Zoom bombing?

A. When you are the host and all participants are admitted, announce that you are locking the Zoom meeting to prevent anyone else entering the meeting. Remember to lock the meeting! In the event a participant gets kicked out of the meeting, stop the proceedings, alert the attorneys, and unlock the meeting so that that person may be readmitted by you. Once that errant participant is readmitted to the meeting, lock it down again.

Here’s additional information from the Zoom Help Center: “The Security icon in the meeting controls allows the host or co-host of a meeting to enable or disable options during a meeting to secure the meeting and minimize disruption during the meeting. Most of the settings can be controlled from Account, Group, and User settings prior to the meeting. If applied at the Account, Group, or User level, these settings will be applied in meeting by default. The Security icon combines them all in one place for easy access during the meeting.”

When you’re in the meeting, click Participants at the bottom of your Zoom window. In the participants pop-up box, you will see a button that says Lock Meeting. Click on Lock Meeting, and you’re ready to go!

Scenario #6:

Q. May I use a dual-monitor setup during a Zoom deposition, so that the participants are on one screen and the exhibits are on the other screen?

A. Yes. The dual-monitor display feature allows the video layout and screen share content to be placed on two separate monitors/screens. Gallery or speaker view can be displayed on one monitor while the other monitor displays a content share. Click this link for specific instructions on dual-monitor setup for a Mac and a PC.

Scenario #7:

Q. How does one set up a “hybrid” deposition when a remote attorney client asks the court reporter (as the host) to ensure all counsel, the witness, and the court reporter have a device in the conference room and on camera so as not to encounter audio feedback and/or echoing?

A. This is my personal setup for the above “hybrid” deposition scenario.

* Create and email the Zoom invitation to all participants

* Arrive 45 minutes early to the deposition location to allow enough time to effectuate all steps to ensure no audio feedback during the proceedings.

* Set up Zoom laptop for the witness and log in as the host.

* Rename the Zoom box reflecting the witness name and add the word “witness” behind the proper name.

* Mute the witness’s Zoom laptop. Additionally, click the audio tab at the bottom of the Zoom window and select leave computer audio.

* Set up an iPad, iPhone, or other tablet device as the court reporter Zoom screen.

* Click on the Zoom link to join the meeting on the court reporter Zoom screen.

* Mute the court reporter device. Additionally, click the audio tab and select leave computer audio.

* Rename your court reporter window to reflect your name and then the word “Court Reporter” or “Stenographer” behind your name.

* Use a Polycom or speakerphone and dial in using one of the telephone  numbers provided in the Zoom invitation.

* Then, go to the witness zoom laptop where you initiated the meeting. Go to the participant box for the telephone number and rename it to something like Conference Room Audio. That way, all counsel know who is in the meeting.

* When other counsel arrive, instruct them to log into the Zoom meeting,  mute their device, click the audio tab, and select leave computer audio.

So, there you have seven lessons we’ve learned about Zoom depositions since the pandemic hit early this spring. Attorneys look to us sometimes to be their personal resource for these remote depositions — and that’s okay. This is our opportunity to shine and show the extra value we provide to them with our technological savviness! As the guardians of the record, we court reporters provide an extremely valuable service to the legal community not only with our stenographic skills but also by paving the way for our clients so that they can keep on fighting and working for their clients. The wheels of justice can keep turning because of how resilient court reporters are, rising to each challenge the legal community has faced, and searching and finding truly great solutions these past several months.

Look for another series of lessons learned coming soon. The Tech Committee is working hard and has so much more to share with you!

The post Zoom depositions and court reporters: Seven lessons we’ve learned since March appeared first on Omega Reporting.

Now I know you want that cookie recipe, so here it is!

For those who are uninitiated fans, according to Wikipedia: The Star Wars franchise depicts the adventures of characters “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” in which humans and many species of aliens (often humanoid) co-exist with robots, or ‘droids’ who may assist them in their daily routines.

There are several spinoffs from the original Star Wars Trilogy, and The Mandalorian series is one that was introduced last fall as a streaming series on Disney+. This series is set five years after the events of the Return of the Jedi and follows the main character and bounty hunter Din Djarin, The Mandalorian, and his exploits across the New Republic. I am anxious to binge-watch it again the weekend before Season 2 comes out — just to refresh myself on all the nuances that can be forgotten as time passes.

As I reflect on Season 1 of The Mandalorian, though, I’m reminded of the article I wrote when the much-anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens had been released and how the quotes can be relatable to court reporters when using technology to help provide realtime for their clients. There are innumerable inspirational quotes from different characters in this series, it’s sometimes hard to pick just a few. You can find my first article here.

So several years after my original Star Wars inspired article, I’m thinking about court reporters and our new normal during the pandemic. I decided it would be a great time to do another themed article for lifting us up during these trying times, and so I headed to the internet to search for awesome Mandalorian Season 1 quotes that can help us relate to remote depositions and Zoom.

1. The Mandalorian: I’ve run into some problems.

Yep, court reporters definitely know the meaning of this statement! This pandemic is very real and we all need to be extra vigilant for our health and the health of our colleagues and loved ones. First and foremost, I am personally trying to keep everything in perspective. Remote depositions and proceedings are now the new normal in the legal environment and by all accounts not a temporary situation. I found this quote from an article on TechNative interesting and so very relevant for our beloved profession and many others: “This re-engineering moment in time is not only orders of magnitude larger than anything we have seen in the past; it is one that goes beyond business process and speaks to the heart of an organization’s culture and people. This has created a new urgency around the need for an agile, connected, and interactive workforce that operates within an increasingly fluid digital marketplace; where people can be productive and connected from any location and on any device of their choosing.” 

We court reporters are forces to be reckoned with. Some adjectives that come to mind about my reporter friends and colleagues: optimistic, curious, resourceful and, most importantly, resilient! This pandemic isn’t our first challenge we’ve faced and certainly won’t be our last. We court reporting professionals are clearly on our way to prove that we can overcome and face any challenge head-on by sharing our knowledge with our clients and getting them up to speed in order that the important work can get done utilizing platforms like Zoom and other web-based conferencing solutions.

2.  The Client: A man of your skill should make short work of this. 

Our profession is definitely one that is technologically savvy! I’ve been doing remote depositions for over ten years for mostly out-of-state clients. Of course, today the remote proceeding, in some form or fashion, is now prevalent for the legal community. Our stenographic skill is one that not everyone has the capability or drive to do — we are amazing! — and the service we provide is invaluable. Because of our technological knowledge and skill, it’s no wonder that we as a profession pivoted almost effortlessly when the pandemic struck earlier this year. Our state and national organizations were there with us every step of the way by providing us webinars, articles, and remote conventions to help fast-track us to optimize the remote deposition setups. Here are just a few of the articles the NCRA Tech Committee published:

Streamtext and Zoom

Basic Zoom Tips, Tricks and Advice

Five tips for looking great in remote depositions

How to optimize internet connections for remote depositions

Handling of exhibits for remote depositions

What states allow remote and/or online notarization?

Conducting meetings and depositions by remote means

Office setups and remote preparation part of downtime

Ask the Techie: Do you need a new chair?

COVID-19: Looking back through the lens

3. Fennec Shand: Make the best deal for yourself and survive.

Again, our resiliency comes into play here with this quote! At the beginning of the pandemic and the shutdown of our livelihood, court reporters moved forward and pivoted — an unpredicted journey for sure. We embraced our technology and taught our clients what we knew and how to get the important work of depositions and hearings done. I personally emailed, called, and posted on social media about how to do remote depositions so that the clients could move forward as well. I attended webinars and did more research on how to learn  all the ins and outs of Zoom and how to ensure the remote deposition was the most successful. I then presented mini-webinars and taught my valued clients and court reporters how to use this Zoom technology. Perfecting the setup is key, and practice is mandatory.

4. Kuiil: I have spoken.

With the advent of participating on a regular basis in remote depositions, we court reporters need to be mindful of certain best practices for these proceedings. We should remember, as always, that we are the guardians of the record and need to speak up when things may get out of hand. Some things to keep in mind are, but not limited to:  an audio transmission error, overlapping voices, locking the meeting to avoid Zoom bombing, participants getting booted, power outages, and the list goes on. I’ve heard it said from other colleagues that court reporters are even more visible today and clients make a point to know and remember their names. We are integral to the process! Speak up in a polite and professional manner when you need something in order to get the best record possible.

5. Kuill: None will be free until the old ways are gone forever.

Learning is knowledge and knowledge is power! Zoom is constantly upgrading their platform and resources. Each new day brings a new kind of remote proceeding.  Keep abreast of the new features as much as possible in order to have a cursory understanding of what can be accomplished with this software, so that you may know how to troubleshoot different scenarios you may encounter and/or perfect your current Zoom setup and educate our valued clients.

Social media, believe it or not, is a great resource to gain valuable information and knowledge in order to keep up on best practices for Zoom proceedings. As for Twitter, follow the industry leaders to gain their insights. With Facebook, some people may have a love/hate relationship. If you choose to utilize it for business and court reporting knowledge, some of the Groups can be so helpful! My top Facebook Groups that are welcoming, positive, and supportive are:  Court Reporter Helpline, Court Reporters and Zoom learn and share, and Court Reporter Technology (NCRA). When you see a Facebook post that may be useful and you wish to read it later, utilize the Save function. To save a post: Click in the top right of the post. Select Save Post, Save Event, Save Link, or Save Video. You may create your own Category/Folder of your choice. My folder is named Zooming! This is an easy way to go back later if and when you encounter a similar issue as a fellow colleague.

So, that’s my wrap-up for The Mandalorian quotes. 

Throughout Season 1 of The Mandalorian, we discover the trials and tribulations of his race and how his people continue to band together to achieve their common goals. The final quote I’d like to leave you with is “This is the way.” It seems to me that this is the Mandalorian mantra and is a way of expressing their connection to each other. Our new normal today, too, court reporters is: 

This is the way!  

As I’ve said many times before: My colleagues are a valuable resource for me. All one needs to perfect your remote deposition and Zoom setup is the belief in yourself and your abilities, a strong desire, hard work, and the focus to get there.

See the trailer for Season 2.

Learn about the special terminology in The Mandalorian.

The post Five Best Mandalorian Quotes for Court Reporters appeared first on Omega Reporting.

“Mr. Attorney, I can’t hear you. You’re breaking up.”

“Ms. Witness, do you have a headset available to you?”

“Ms. Opposing Attorney, can you mute yourself during direct examination. There’s some background noise and it’s hard to hear the testimony.”

“Let me unlock the meeting so we can re-admit the witness.Looks like he was kicked out of our meeting.”

The list of court reporter requests of Zoom participants can go on and on. The above are just a few of the common requests we face in today’s new normal of Zoom, Skype, Teams, WebEx, and other remote platforms for depositions and court proceedings. Remote/web conference deposition proceedings have been something I’ve done for over ten years but obviously not on a daily basis, and I’m very adept at working through glitches of one kind or another. The legal community has really done an amazing job shifting to embrace and learn about the ins and outs of the remote platforms in order to get work done through this crisis.

Don’t get me wrong — I am ecstatic that we are back to some semblance of normalcy as far as workload goes. The alternative of the early days of this 2020 pandemic is a no-go for me.  My passion for court reporting has never waned — the best part of my profession is writing down and capturing the spoken word verbatim for my valued clients! There are many benefits of working remotely as well: no travel time to the job, allows more time on deposition preparation, higher visibility to potential clients, technology skills of utilizing remote platforms and learning new skills are enhanced, no physical contact with others and so no exposure to germs, cost-effective when your client is budget conscious; to name just a few.

That being said, I do find some days can be exhausting by the time the end of the day rolls around. Seems I’m not the only one. It’s a thing and it’s real! Apparently that fatigue has been termed “Zoom Gloom.” Have you experienced it yourself? Have you heard this term before? 

According to an article published by the Harvard Business Review, “If you’re finding that you’re more exhausted at the end of your workday than you used to be, you’re not alone. Over the past few weeks, mentions of ‘Zoom fatigue’ have popped up more and more on social media, and Google searches for the same phrase have steadily increased since early March.”

The article continues on to cite that the fatigue is because we humans need to focus more intently on the remote conversations in order to absorb the information. This is so very true and relevant for court reporters, as our job is to take down the testimony verbatim. I had an attorney explain to the witness, after a clarification request by me, the following: “You and I can communicate rather efficiently utilizing Zoom. However, our court reporter has a very important job here and that is to take down every word that is said today. That means you must enunciate, speak clearly, and wait for the question before you give your answer in order that she may transcribe all of our words verbatim.” Attorneys do understand and appreciate our role in the legal proceedings!

Forbes has this to say about this Zoom affliction:  “To communicate, humans rely on synchrony, the interaction of our words, movement, gestures, and timing between each other. With video calls, that interplay becomes tricky—our physical distance makes it tougher to pick up non-verbal cues. And limitations of the technology (inevitable glitches, audio delays, and an inability to process cross-talk) make real-time feedback difficult.

“According to researchers, being on a video call requires more focus than in-person interactions. On video chats, our brains put in much more effort to process and make sense of facial expressions, body language, and vocal cues like pitch and tone. And this gets exponentially harder when a video call has more than two people; we attempt to communicate and connect the way we would in person, but become overwhelmed with asynchronous cues. This struggle to synchronize is what is so draining.”

From reading additional articles on this “Zoom Gloom,” I feel like the the people most affected from the fatigue are those people who have never worked remotely before, unlike court reporters. The freelance court reporter’s day is always changing and shifting: new location, new clients, new witnesses, editing, proofreading, and so much more. We are a unique group in that we are so resilient, independent, and can work anywhere we have an internet connection basically!

When the pandemic first came on the scene early this year, I implemented several activities into my schedule in order to stave off possible depression and/or other mental health concerns, as depression is prevalent in my family history. Stanford Medicine cites that if someone has a parent or sibling with major depression, that person probably has a 2 or 3 times greater risk of developing depression compared with the average person (or around 20-30% instead of 10%). I’ve been hyper-vigilant about knowing my body and looking for changes. With all of the background regarding Zoom Gloom and since Zoom depositions are here to stay for the foreseeable future, we court reporters do need to initiate some extra strategies for our mental health in order to combat those few times when we may experience the gloom.

Here’s my list of activities and/or steps I’ve engaged in to help me combat the remote deposition fatigue. 

Start a new hobby or up your game on your current love.

Stretch your artistic side and engage in a fun hobby or activity. One of my loves is crocheting and knitting. I’ve been creating and completing new makes on a regular basis since March — so fun! It also has the side benefit of keeping my hands in shape for our beloved profession. One of my friends commissioned me to create some heirloom baby blankets, booties, and stuffed toys. Then, she also shared some sweet pics with me of the recipients of the gifts — such a sweet memory for me! When I crochet or knit, I want to be able to forget about work and try not to think about the deadlines or what’s coming up the next day. I always like to insert my AirPods in and listen to some music or binge-watch that great PBS Masterpiece television series. It’s a great way to lose yourself and totally relax at the end of the workday.

Move your body.

My husband and I love to take walks in our neighborhood and nearby parks. The change of scenery and sounds of nature are so calming at the beginning and end of our days. Also, so many benefits of walking:  lower stress, improved mood, better memory and cognitive function, lower blood pressure and cholesterol — all promoting a longer life.

Pet ownership.

While there may be mixed research results on the benefits of pet ownership, I’m an advocate for them. My little Ruby Rey is one of the great joys of my life, especially as I am an empty-nester. I love the fact that this little girl needs me for basics. She has that unconditional love and pure happiness for me and my spouse! My Corgi has that bold personality of most dogs of her breed and she has lots to say! Because she can be vocal at times, she is relegated to the bedroom while I’m reporting during Zoom depositions. 

Make time to play/vacation.

Last summer we did lots of research and agonized over whether an RV might be something we’d like to do in the future. Well, we bit the bullet and went ahead and ordered one. It was delivered to us in late January. Not a great time of year to take delivery of the RV . . .  When the pandemic hit and no work for several weeks, we felt it was the perfect time to be self-contained and see the country. The only problem was that all the national and state parks were closed. Of course, we tried to make the best of things and carried on at home during quarantine. Once the restrictions lifted a bit, the decision was made to go visit our son who lives in Wisconsin. Again, being self-contained in the RV, it made it so easy to stay safe within our own little space. We ended up going to Door County and absolutely loved it! Rest and relaxation is so important to decrease burn-out. 

Change your remote location.

One of the benefits of remote depositions, of course, is that court reporters can be anywhere that has a great internet connection. Your clients never need to know that you’re in an RV, at your children’s home, your parents’ home, or that vacation spot you’ve been dying to travel to. For my most recent Zoom depositions, a lot of attorneys are not in their home office but, rather, visiting their parents or other relatives.  Over the Labor Day weekend, we decided to go visit my husband’s parents for a week. All the jobs on the calendar were remote, so I just packed up my equipment and off we went! My father-in-law had everything ready for me to go with a dedicated room and an ethernet cable so I could be hardwired with no fear of having connection issues. On a side note, after we left he decided to upgrade his internet to Fiber, purchased a CAT 7 cable — all to entice us to come back and stay again soon!

So that’s my short list of things I do to combat the Zoom Gloom. If you’re experiencing the fatigue, you should look for ways to combat it too. Reach out to a close friend, family member, or anyone if you need help managing your feelings and emotions. NCRA will be hosting some free webinars on self-care in October. Look for that information coming soon to your inbox. You can go to TheJCR.com and get more information about the webinars too.

Take care and be well, court reporters!

The post How Court Reporters Can Overcome Zoom Gloom appeared first on Omega Reporting.

backup ~ : a copy of computer data (as a file or the contents of a hard drive); also : the act or an instance of making a backup 

In today’s technologically savvy environment, there is no excuse not to have a great backup plan for transcripts and important data.  After all, those transcripts are our bread and butter; right? Court reporters should have a firm solution in place for the storage and protection of their data in order to retrieve it, if needed, at a moment’s notice and from wherever you may be located. Clients and litigants rely on us, as the guardians of the record, to preserve that important testimony.

Other reasons to ensure a great backup plan are:

1. Simple recovery. We are all human and make mistakes at times. Transcript files can be deleted accidentally or mistakenly. There’s no reason to fear this possibility if one has a multi-level backup plan in place — simply recover the file from a time before it was deleted.
2. Archival. Not all depositions or trials are transcribed immediately after the job. Sometimes requests for a transcript could be years down the road. Depending on the amount of time that has elapsed, you could easily assume you can go to your computer or laptop and retrieve a particular file. As with everything in life, events do not always stay the same. Perhaps a new laptop was purchased in the intervening time and is no longer a viable option for retrieval.
3. Downtime. Relying solely on your computer and/or laptop as your backup source could be a detriment to your business and livelihood. By simply having a multi-tier approach to the backup, you can be up and running within minutes rather than hours or days.
4. Doing work twice. One of the most important rules to doing work right is to do it correctly the first time. If one were to suffer a minor failure and lose a file without a backup, you may be able to recover some things and possible not the entire file. Who wants to rewrite that job again?

Methods one can utilize for the backup of data:

• Printing
• USB flash drive
• External hard drive
• CD or DVD
• Network-attached storage ~ file-level computer data storage server connected to a computer network providing data access to a heterogeneous group of clients.
• RAID ~ device used to manage hard disk drives in a storage array
• Cloud storage ~ a service model in which data is transmitted and stored on remote storage systems, where it is maintained, managed, backed up and made available to users over a network (typically the internet).

There are several perceived advantages and disadvantages to using a particular method of backup. Each court reporter must determine the particular backup approach and option that best fits and meets their specific needs.

Benefits of Cloud Storage:

1. Save costs. Moving to the cloud can reduce the need to purchase other external devices, the enclosures that contain them, the electricity that powers them, and the warranty services that protect them. There are many reputable cloud-based services that are free for limited storage plans.
2. Simplicity. Setup with the cloud is a breeze and only takes a few minutes to do.
3. Security. The larger cloud vendors have the know-how and resources to be able to protect data from threats.
4. Convenience. When utilizing the cloud, files from all devices can be configured to back up and you may access the information from any other device wherever you are located. Working remotely to get those transcripts out the door can be a breeze. Delivering your final transcripts to your important client is a snap when you’re away from the office.
5. Sharing and collaboration. It’s super easy to share your files when stored in the cloud with your proofreader and/or scopist. The transcript is backed up once and, then, you can give access to your trusted colleagues.
6. Easy integration. Services like Box, Dropbox, and Google Drive connect with thousands of apps, allowing you to easily import or link to your files without actually clicking out of whatever you’re working on.

Drawbacks of Cloud Storage:

1. Backups may be slower. Internet bandwidth speeds may limit the time it takes for a full backup of large files.
2. Connectivity and higher internet usage. Depending on when you are choosing to run your backups, your internet activity performance may suffer. You don’t want to saturate your internet connection during times when access is needed for other critical business activity. Just like any other technology, cloud-based storage solutions are not perfect and can be affected by technical issues. Remember, accessing your data is contingent on having a reliable internet connection.

Benefits of External Devices:

1. Portability and speed. The physical portability of external devices is a given. You can plug in the device from one computer to another very easily and negates the effort to copy voluminous amounts of data over a network or the internet.
2. Easy replacement. Remember to have a great backup for your external drive as well.
3. Affordable. External devices are quite affordable and involve a one-time upfront cost.
4. Security. The only way the data on your drive can be tampered with is through physical access.

Drawbacks of External Devices:

1. Durability. External hard drives can break without warning. Remember to keep your drives backed up as well.
2. Loss. Because flash drives and other external devices are so portable, they also pose a risk of loss, theft, or accidental destruction.

Cloud-based storage has been around for many years and is certainly a reliable method to back up your important data. That being said, the best backup strategy is a multi-level approach. A “multi-level approach” means that one should use a combination of both the cloud and some kind of external hard drive or similar device.

I utilize multiple backup methods in my business:  my laptops, external hard drive, Drobo, Synology, Min-u-script, and CrashPlan.  My career has spanned 30 years, and I’ve purchased several new laptops during that time, so my backup storage plan has evolved.

Today my CAT software has automatic cloud backup for all of my files. It’s great because I know I have that extra layer of backup for when I am on vacation, for example, and get a call for a transcript that a client has either misplaced or forgot to order. My clients definitely come first and I need to ensure I have access at all times — whether I’m on vacation or visiting family. My particular software has a great feature where the color of the checkmark near my folder file is green, giving me the satisfaction of knowing that that particular file is backed up to the cloud.

So, I mentioned I also use CrashPlan as one of my backup layers. Recently that service restructured their pricing and I then had to decide what to do about the increased pay structure. I felt it was pretty steep and the service was going to limit how many devices could be backed up with an affordable plan. I loved the fact that all my computers were backed up there and didn’t want to go through the research of finding a different solution.

In doing my research, I found that I could use a handy little app called GoodSync. It’s a game-changer! I installed GoodSync on my CAT software app, which then backs up directly to my Synology. GoodSync is a backup and file synchronization program. It is used for synchronizing files between two directories, either on one computer, or between a computer and another storage device or between a computer and a remote computer or server. Jobs can be automatically run according to any desired schedule. Synology is a server that is a networked device on your home network and it uses a technology called RAID, which writes data across multiple drives at the same time to ensure that if and when a drive fails, one can remove that one failed drive, replace the failed drive with a new one with no loss of data. In other words, a networked file server. My Synology system is the device that is being backed up to CrashPlan; thus, avoiding the high fees of multiple computers on my CrashPlan fees.

Late this afternoon I received a request for a 2011 transcript that was not transcribed at the end of the job. My initial panicked reaction, upon reading the email, was: “Oh, my gosh! What computer is that file on?” Of course, that’s always every reporter’s worst nightmare — right? — not being able to locate an old file!

Once I took a breath, I knew I wouldn’t have a problem, because I had all my files backed up going back to 2003.  With confidence, I hit the Reply button to my client and advised him, “Why, yes, I can have that transcript to you.  When do you need it?”

While I may go a “bit” overboard with my backup options, I would recommend that every court reporter start by devising specific backup options that will work for you and be confident you will always locate those old files at a moment’s notice.

Your clients will thank you for it!

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