Real-Time Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival, Part III

Real-Time Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival, Part III

By Monette Benoit
Copyright by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.

Part I and II may be viewed at www.Monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com

... Even writing this column had challenges. My original June column was pulled with little notice. To continue with my commitment I had to “find a bunny and a hat” (my words). As I worked to juggle work, family, ill parents and (religious) confirmation of a family member this weekend, the article I began a while back resurfaced.

I printed the beginning of this draft from months ago when I began a long-term realtime-rules focus. Then the sign interpreter phoned.

Other little sparks began to ask for my attention. I made a focused decision to make lemonade. I decided to stay in the saddle and shuffled, like many of you, a variety of items to refocus and deliver. Perhaps with our back against the wall or listening to the universe and prayer, we are open and receptive to surviving a new challenge, a new adventure.

As we, court reporters, CART providers, broadcast captioners and students, look out our computer window to the world and read public and private forums, one may become a little stressed. Yet it is a fact that together we move mountains and alone one can focus upon milestones. Realtime rules.

A dear friend with advanced computer and linguistic skills (outside our profession) trolls our horizon from time to time at my request. Originally writing this month’s column, I asked him what he thought about our future. This is only one opinion, but one where he brings a huge skill-set to the table to objectively look into what we currently provide and what other occupations are seeking to provide.

In response to my question to him about court reporters being replaced by machines he recently wrote, “If this technology were even just a little bit reliable, we’d have voicemail-to-email conversion that everybody would use. So if you want to watch an innovation indicator, you, Monette, need to watch the speech-based services being offered by the telcos. So, court reporters won’t be put of a job – anytime soon – or anytime at all.”

Though I personally would have liked a chirpier, happier message, I feel the adrenaline factor for survival.

Realtime rules for you and for our profession with long-term focus, adrenaline and survival. Lemonade anyone?

Monette may be contacted for educational/career advancement and private tutoring/coaching: Tutoring@CRRbooks.com

About the Author:

Monette Benoit, B.B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, is a JCR Contributing Editor for the National Court Reporters Association, NCRA.

She is the author of multiple books and Test Prep for the Court Reporting & Captioning Industry to include the national and state RPR, RMR, RDR, CSR ‘Written Knowledge Exam’ Textbook, Workbook, Companion Study Guide, ‘The CRRT WKT’ CD Software Program, Advanced SAT, LSAT, GRE, Real-Time Vocabulary Workbook and ‘CATapult’ Your Dictionary CD Software Program series.

Books, CDs, private tutoring, mentoring services and articles may be referenced www.crrbooks.com/

Monette is an experienced consultant, instructor, real-time court reporter, tutor, life coach, CART provider, columnist. She teaches, tutors and coaches home-study students, college students, court reporters and professionals. Monette speaks to groups at state, national and international conventions about motivation, technology, expanding skills and Deaf, Oral Deaf, Hard of Hearing.

Monette Benoit, B.B.A., Certified Court Reporter, Certified Reporting Instructor, Certified Program Evaluator, Paralegal, may be reached at: http://www.crrbooks.com/ http://www.catapultdix.com/ and All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: http://www.artcs.com/

Real-Tme Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival, Part II

Real-Time Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival, Part II

By Monette Benoit
Copyright by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.

Part II: This morning a sign interpreter phoned my All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc., office.

She gifted me with my life-lesson today. She worked “way too hard” (her exact words) for Level IV RID certification. When the results arrived, she said, “I didn’t know my Roman numerals, so I thought I had Level IV. Well, I did so well on the test I ‘had’ earned the Level V and did not want that! I didn’t want all the responsibilities that come with a Level V!”

I howled with laughter. This is the lady I watched as a sign interpreting intern. While I provided CART to large screens during multiple events, she was on the sidelines working to improve her ASL skills. Then she flunked her Level I exams (plural).

She continued to excel with her quest privately telling me exactly who in her life had told her she could not do this. I knew ‘that’ was a huge motivator. She was a delight to watch.

Later I provided CART and captioning during international, national, local and religious events where she signed as a qualified ASL interpreter.

We were a good team. I helped her with terms and my prep work; she fed me.

In 1993 when I opened a CART office within a sign interpreter business (and Feng Shuid my office – just to see if it worked) she would lean on the doorway saying, “It just feels so good in here.” And she’d smile over to me.

And today when this sign interpreter phoned she shared, “I fell to my knees - really - when I learned I had earned Level V. Now I have to act like a Level V.”

I asked, “Is that hard?”

She replied, “Not as hard as I thought. No way! I can do this! And I do it every day now! But it was not what I wanted given my choice! And I’m paid more, too, and I work in a better place now. But it was not my original goal – I mean it. Stop laughing so hard, Monette. It was hard work, but when I did it, everything came together, but it was not my plan. No, sirree.”

Do we avoid similar ‘levels’ in our life? I know court reporters who absolutely will not earn a certification unless paid more or forced to take a (that) test.

Others absolutely will go and get that certification to “make my life easier, for the love of Pete!” Yes, realtime rules.

What incentives do we have to stick our head out of the foxhole each morning? This is a question I have asked myself.

And just when I thought I was comfy and had ‘worked hard enough’ someone or something pushes (okay, shoves) me forward.

I softly tease many that my life has leaders, individuals and strangers who have led me by the ear or by the elbow, but they insisted – truly – that I move forward.

One person still shares with me “When much is given, Monette, much is expected. And you are expected to return.” Sometimes I sigh; sometimes I smile; sometimes I greet his mentoring mantra with prolonged silence.

Part III will continue "Realtime Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival"

Monette may be contacted for educational/career advancement and private tutoring/coaching: Tutoring@CRRbooks.com

About the Author:

Monette Benoit, B.B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, is a JCR Contributing Editor for the National Court Reporters Association, NCRA.

She is the author of multiple books and Test Prep for the Court Reporting & Captioning Industry to include the national and state RPR, RMR, RDR, CSR ‘Written Knowledge Exam’ Textbook, Workbook, Companion Study Guide, ‘The CRRT WKT’ CD Software Program, Advanced SAT, LSAT, GRE, Real-Time Vocabulary Workbook and ‘CATapult’ Your Dictionary CD Software Program series.

Books, CDs, private tutoring, mentoring services and articles may be referenced www.crrbooks.com/

Monette is an experienced consultant, instructor, real-time court reporter, tutor, life coach, CART provider, columnist. She teaches, tutors and coaches home-study students, college students, court reporters and professionals. Monette speaks to groups at state, national and international conventions about motivation, technology, expanding skills and Deaf, Oral Deaf, Hard of Hearing.

Monette Benoit, B.B.A., Certified Court Reporter, Certified Reporting Instructor, Certified Program Evaluator, Paralegal, may be reached at: http://www.crrbooks.com/ http://www.catapultdix.com/ and All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: http://www.artcs.com/

Real-Tme Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival, Part I

Real-Time Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival, Part I

By Monette Benoit
Copyright by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.

April and May’s columns initiated the “Real-Time Rules” thread. Now I want to focus on current factors in our markets and long-term approach focus, each demanding our attention.

Looking over our shoulder, often we may see where we could have (should have) changed a decision – to include factors we may have control over – and issues where we have no options or control. Perhaps that’s where adrenaline and entrenched survival thrives.

Court reporters and reporting students are the most tenacious individuals. When given a challenge – boy, howdy – we will take that challenge and run with it. Throughout history we have; we continue to do so.

What gets our wide-eyed attention these days?

Technology? Bottom-line driven budgets governed by large private and nonprofit companies? Outsourcing of our work after we worked to provide excellent services? Voice recognition? Digital Recording (the old ER)? Untrained professionals entering the field(s) for less money delivering services we worked to excel in providing? Do you think this is gloomy?

Or do you think this is the adventure that leads to motivating us (me, too) to improve our skills, to reach out further? Realtime rules.

We know we must use technology. Computer engineers confirm that their technology doubles every six months. (I was shocked to learn this.) When we make the decision to use realtime technology – to enhance tools available to us – we have more control. All control, one might ask? Perhaps not. Yet it is a fact that we have more control when we master technology. Realtime rules.

What will most effectively move us to continue to stay in the role – with the process – as we witness fluctuations, cycles and changes? Realtime rules.

We upgrade computers and expect our software to offer upgrades, yes?

We are seeking wireless and cost-effective methods to promote our personal and professional life, yes? Here we might want to look within, too.

We, individually and collectively, receive value and benefits when we offer the best we can each day. Yes, clients, companies, consumers, et al, may be seeking the bottomest (sic) line with the highest skill set – or possibly an acceptable skill set – if it is outside the courtroom.

Part II will continue "Realtime Rules, Adrenaline, Adventure And Survival"

Monette may be contacted for educational/career advancement and private tutoring/coaching: Tutoring@CRRbooks.com

About the Author:

Monette Benoit, B.B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, is a JCR Contributing Editor for the National Court Reporters Association, NCRA.

She is the author of multiple books and Test Prep for the Court Reporting & Captioning Industry to include the national and state RPR, RMR, RDR, CSR ‘Written Knowledge Exam’ Textbook, Workbook, Companion Study Guide, ‘The CRRT WKT’ CD Software Program, Advanced SAT, LSAT, GRE, Real-Time Vocabulary Workbook and ‘CATapult’ Your Dictionary CD Software Program series.

Books, CDs, private tutoring, mentoring services and articles may be referenced www.crrbooks.com/

Monette is an experienced consultant, instructor, real-time court reporter, tutor, life coach, CART provider, columnist. She teaches, tutors and coaches home-study students, college students, court reporters and professionals. Monette speaks to groups at state, national and international conventions about motivation, technology, expanding skills and Deaf, Oral Deaf, Hard of Hearing.

Monette Benoit, B.B.A., Certified Court Reporter, Certified Reporting Instructor, Certified Program Evaluator, Paralegal, may be reached at: http://www.crrbooks.com/ http://www.catapultdix.com/ and All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: http://www.artcs.com/