Will You Accept My Invitation?
By Monette Benoit
Copyright by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
I began my 2005 National Court Reporters Association, NCRA, seminar in Phoenix introducing Robert McCormick, teacher of 32 years, National Court Reporters Association, NCRA, 2004 Teacher of the Year, CATapult’s CD programmer, and Sheryl Stapp, RPR, realtime writer. Bob, a professor at State University Of New York, SUNY, At Alfred, Deacon and Counselor, was playing with the word “y’all.”
As the audience laughed, applauded, I began: “Sign language applause is like this (indicating). And people who are blind and deaf — do you know how they applaud? They pound the floor and/or a table with their hands and/or feet. You can feel the vibration, applause, through your hands, feet.” I jumped from my position, pounding my open hands onto the floor.
Then I asked, “Did you just learn something new?”
The audience voiced, “Yes!” I replied, “Good, we’re still in the first minute; you already learned something. Remember that.”
“Now I’m going to extend an invitation. I ask that you consider accepting this invitation. Can you do that for me?”
The audience nodded. I shared, “Every day, we have choices, we make decisions. I don’t know what you’re going to learn within this room, but I’m going to give you as much as I can. I hope you take as much as you can, and realize you’re going to process.”
When you read my articles, or have heard you me speak, you know I believe people process information at different intervals. The phrase 'see Spot run' may not mean anything now, not a darn thing. But later with additional information that phrase may be insightful, leading you to a new goal.
You may be thinking, “Hey, I’m just here to get points, is there a door prize? I read an article where you gifted a pearl necklace …”
The audience roared with spontaneous laughter.
I said, “Come on, guys. It’s 4:30 on Friday afternoon. I have friends who are getting a massage right now. They said, ‘I love you, Monette, but I’m not coming.’ For you to be here, I want to be respectful of your time; I also want to tell you what I expect from you.”
I expect you to listen to what we’re sharing here. I invite you to ‘check-out’— you will mentally check-out of this seminar. You will hear the little voice in your head: Can I do it, should I do it, why am I doing it? Look at all the money this is costing -- that ‘mental’ list is still running when you check back, to continue listening here today.
I invite you to accept that your ‘court reporter retention’ will permit you to check-back, placing all information from this seminar into a little ‘court reporter processor’. It happens. This drives our families crazy. They say, “You weren’t listening; what did I say?” Then we respond, ‘I was.’” We quickly look away for a moment, re-channel our listening. We all do it.
So I’m asking you to give yourself permission that what you’re taking in here is not overwhelming. I don’t expect people to leave saying, “I’m going to …”
But I’d love for you to leave here saying: “I have goals. My goal is to do more than when I walked into this room, sat in this chair.” Even if your goal is to never come and listen to that woman again, it’s a goal.
The deal is to make goals with you. Give yourself permission to accept and reject what you hear today because even if you reject a message, you still heard a message you didn’t have before. You still have information from what you ‘reject’ to perhaps lead you to a new goal.
So if you’re a student, a teacher, a court reporter, what do you really want to be doing with your life?
The common answer from the audience that day: “Making it easier.” I replied: If your goal is to grow or to stay where you are, then you are familiar with a goal. You are willing to challenge yourself.
Even if your goal is to stay where you are, you must know that goal is a challenge because with current technology, ‘staying where you are’ is going to take more energy than moving forward. It will. Sometimes we think we are going uphill, sometimes we are.
If you’re going uphill, there’s a point where you can coast, but you have to make that decision based on the goals you make, the goals you create.
Quyen N. Do, from California, won the white pearl necklace my Vietnamese sister-in-law, Wenny, made from her store Tong Sing Jewelry, located at 615 Grant Ave, San Francisco. Quyen jumped up, bounced. She ran to the front, hands in the air, threw herself at me. I told the audience I felt like Bob Parker’s ‘Price is Right’.
DyeAnne Littlejohn, from Michigan, won the peach pearl necklace from the captioning and court reporters' ‘CATapult Your Dictionary Software Program’ exhibit booth drawing.
When I phoned, DyeAnne screamed into the phone, then shared she attended my seminar in Chicago last year during the 2004 National Court Reporters Association on “How, When And Where To Publish Your Creative Ideas, Skills and Stories.”
DyeAnne had been praying to God and believes my phone call was an answer to prayers. DyeAnne now has new goals. How do I know? I asked.
As I write this, it’s August, 99 degrees hot tar, Texas weather.
When you read this, you may be preparing for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I now ask you to extend invitations, such as here, to those around you, and to create new goals.
And now I’m off to my cousin’s.
Uncle Joe served in WW II and carried “treaty” papers for General Eisenhower in Potsdam, handcuffed to his body.
Joe, a “lowly second lieutenant” was a German interrogator, working under the rules of the Geneva Convention. I am asking questions, listening.
I’m going to Joe’s house because I extended an invitation to myself after meeting a mature man who cleared the land in Iwo Jima for “those soldiers to raise the American flag.”
The Marine I met was wearing a WW II hat, a red windbreaker, and he had a small medal on the necklace around his neck.
He volunteered, “I share respectfully, the boys in the picture were not the heroes. The heroes were the Marines who cleared the path, then that picture was taken. Many boys died for that picture, and the real heroes were the boys who cleared the path before the boys were able to raise our American flag.”
I am preserving Uncle Joe’s story — the family member right in my backyard. Joe’s wife was my grandmother’s brother.
My maternal grandmother, Monnie Rae Floyd, a piano prodigy at four years old, was his first music teacher — also a court stenographer— in Corpus Christi, Texas. (She had her own orchestra where each person was required to play four instruments. My grandmother was the first music teacher in Corpus Christi volunteering to teach music to the students enrolled in public school.) And my grandmother's father, Adolphus Floyd enlisted in the Civil War in 1861 as a 'flutist in the band'.
My great-grandfather, Adolphus Ward Floyd was named after his uncle who died fighting within the walls of the Alamo, March 6th, 1836.
His 32-year old uncle walked from Gonzales, Texas, answering the call for volunteers that spread throughout the countryside while they were waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
This volunteer arrived behind the enemy line in 1836, moving through the gunfights to join the Alamo fighters within the fort. Dolphin Ward Floyd died on his 32nd birthday, leaving a wife, pregnant at nine months, and a four-year old son, knowing he would never see them again.
During the Civil War, Adolphus was a soldier in the 7th Regiment Texas Infantry was a Prisoner of War twice from 1861 to 1865. He was captured and released 'for exchange' from POW camps — the notorious— Fort Donelson, Illinois, and also Camp Douglas ('received from' Louisville, Kentucky and sent to Vicksburg 'to be exchanged) in Franklin, Tennessee, before walking back to his home in Corpus.
We were always told that his having been a musician and being of strong-stock, kept Adolphus Floyd alive - having been a POW in the Civil War twice - to return home to his family and cotton farm, Adolphus walked home.
After the war, he married and with family and stagecoaches, moved the family, walking down to Corpus after he had tested the soil for cotton. (Tales of fighting bandits and Indians are still shared -- how my great-grandmother loaded rifles for the men during battles.) As I grew up, my family always told me: You come from strong stock: Yes, you do.
My cousin, also a professional musician, who rarely spoke of WW II, is now answering my questions. He’s talking, crying, laughing and sharing mischievousness of “the boys.” Uncle Joe is saying, “Others have better stories; you should take their stories.”
When I reassure Joe, ‘I really want your stories; we’ll make sure the others share, too,” he says, “Sure you can have my stories! Come and get them while I can remember. Can you come tomorrow?”
Uncle Joe is 92, planning a trip to Africa this fall “because I’ve never been there!”
This afternoon I’m going into the Texas heat to complete a goal I made to myself, to preserve a goal Uncle Joe made when he raised his right hand, entering WW II.
Will you accept my invitation? What will you do?
Happy Holidays. Happy New Years to each of you.
Monette Benoit may be reached at: 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 to include the NCRA Written Knowledge Test and state RPR, RMR, RDR, CSR ‘Written Knowledge Exam’ Textbook, Workbook, a companion Study Guide, ‘The CRRT WKT’ CD Software Program, 'The Advanced SAT, LSAT, GRE, Real-Time Vocabulary Workbook' and ‘CATapult’ Dictionary CD Software Program series.
Books, CDs, private tutoring, mentoring services and articles may be referenced http://www.crrbooks.com/.
Monette is an experienced consultant, instructor, realtime court reporter, tutor, CART provider, and columnist with 120 published articles. 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 http://www.artcs.com/
Monday, January 28, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
“Great Expectations”
Great Expectations
By Monette Benoit
Copyright 2007 by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
I would like to begin a conversation. I will compile replies and share them in a future article. Versions of this conversation float on various forums and message boards. I hope only to expand on that conversation as we explore facts and opinions.
Our work is historical; our professionals are spectacular in commitment to task. This is a wonderful time to master our path – together with new goals, new conversations.
We are witnessing changes within our profession. Changes are occurring because of opportunities and technology. Large and small companies are expanding, shifting, even folding areas. Some have long-term contracts; others fill requests. Many are affected by changes and technology – and perhaps by our own actions during a national shortage of qualified people?
Let’s talk facts. Litigation was narrowed by tort reform. Many companies now bid jobs by lowest page rate. ER, electronic recording, is replacing some official reporters in courtrooms. Caption companies have laid off experienced captioners.
Students in schools are vocal on forums about expectations on the basis of what was shared when they entered school. Students who entered training due to specific marketing to earn a high income from home “in two years” are not happy. Meanwhile, some near graduation will work for less to gain experience.
Experienced court reporters who want to caption or provide CART have expectations for what they will do and when. Both experienced reporters and high-speed students contact me – and others I know – saying, “I do this work because I’m able to make demands, pick and choose, and I do this for my pleasure. I have to earn a decent living and have good hours. I’m the breadwinner.”
I wrote a friend on NCRA committees to get a reality check if she sees differences in tone and expectations: “Some are leaving the profession. Frankly, it has gotten slow, and due to contracting – call it what you want – underbidding, firms are losing clients. Many want to hop on the CART/captioning bandwagon without training.”
One respected leader wrote, “I know new captioners who won’t work weekends or nights, want prime shows or only want hockey. Normally, with hockey you only write the score and play approaching the score. Who wouldn’t want that?”
That day I also received this note: “A teacher finally shared it the first night. He told them it’s not easy. It’s not all glory. Initially you won’t make gobs of money. Equipment’s costly. You need to join professional associations to remain involved. Don’t expect to immediately work in PJs. You need to master words, grammar and punctuation. That night several dropped. How’d that happen, Monette?”
I’ve noticed a shift in requests for my CART and captioning services, national and state written knowledge test textbook, workbooks, CATapult CDs, tutoring, consulting services. Initial e-mails may be tart. When I return a tutoring request, I may hear, “If you don’t help me, I’m leaving the field.”
One person phoned for tutoring and yelled at me. I listened. I’ve learned, “The upset is never the upset.” (Landmark Education after Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, my youngest brother’s death, August 2000. Thank you, Diane Emery, CMRS.)
As I listened, the upset person finally focused on her upset and expectations – what she had been told (interpreted) she could expect and what she is able to do now. As a court reporter and instructor, I calmly guide what I believe is realistic and perhaps unrealistic, based on what is shared. The person reaching out often feels their future is at stake. To not share would be a disservice, I believe.
Another unique factor to a person’s path is motivation. When I speak to reporters and students at state and national seminars, I ask the group why they were attracted to this profession. My opinion is that people attracted solely for money will struggle and many will burn out. If you ask a person or group what motivated them to enter this field, often the answer is multi-faceted to include independence, job security, income, and learning within multiple venues.
Even organizations are not immune. My office receives calls from national groups and organizations with one question, “What are your rates? E-mail them.” I’m talking large companies, huge organizations who tell me “we’re too busy to share details until you send rates.”
As I finished this article, I returned a call to a national company regarding services. Their representative said (kid you not), “Send us all your rates. I’m to take them to my supervisor. If she approves, then we talk availability, specifics.”
I asked, “Are you phoning the country to get low rates?”
She replied, “Yes.”
Softly I shared I would not send all our rates to have an opportunity to service a job request, details not included yet. I ended the call, “I know there are qualified people out there; I’m sure someone will take good care of you.” Leslie, the company representative, was stunned. Monette, I, went back to work.
Reporters now work from home with little social interaction as in days of old when we drove to a courthouse, office, interacting with people every day. Forums have created niches of reporting, judicial, freelance, captioning, CART, students and instructors.
Students and reporters who enroll in a curriculum where there is possibly a 90 percent failure rate and required testing pass-rates of 95 percent or higher must know this marker is different from other schooling, careers.
Our profession, I believe, is honored to have students and working professionals dedicated to fulfilling and expanding their goals and their dreams.
Finishing this article I drove to a job on I-35 and saw an office supply truck. In cursive pink letters on both sides, the black truck carried their marketing slogan: “If we can’t get it, you don’t need it.” Do you think their tone and expectations are changing? I do.
Monette Benoit may be reached at: 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 to include the NCRA Written Knowledge Test and state RPR, RMR, RDR, CSR ‘Written Knowledge Exam’ Textbook, Workbook, a companion Study Guide, ‘The CRRT WKT’ CD Software Program, 'Advanced SAT, LSAT, GRE, Real-Time Vocabulary Workbook' and ‘CATapult’ Dictionary CD Software Program series.
Books, CDs, private tutoring, mentoring services and articles may be referenced http://www.crrbooks.com/.
Monette is an experienced consultant, instructor, realtime court reporter, tutor, CART provider, coach, 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 http://www.artcs.com/
By Monette Benoit
Copyright 2007 by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
I would like to begin a conversation. I will compile replies and share them in a future article. Versions of this conversation float on various forums and message boards. I hope only to expand on that conversation as we explore facts and opinions.
Our work is historical; our professionals are spectacular in commitment to task. This is a wonderful time to master our path – together with new goals, new conversations.
We are witnessing changes within our profession. Changes are occurring because of opportunities and technology. Large and small companies are expanding, shifting, even folding areas. Some have long-term contracts; others fill requests. Many are affected by changes and technology – and perhaps by our own actions during a national shortage of qualified people?
Let’s talk facts. Litigation was narrowed by tort reform. Many companies now bid jobs by lowest page rate. ER, electronic recording, is replacing some official reporters in courtrooms. Caption companies have laid off experienced captioners.
Students in schools are vocal on forums about expectations on the basis of what was shared when they entered school. Students who entered training due to specific marketing to earn a high income from home “in two years” are not happy. Meanwhile, some near graduation will work for less to gain experience.
Experienced court reporters who want to caption or provide CART have expectations for what they will do and when. Both experienced reporters and high-speed students contact me – and others I know – saying, “I do this work because I’m able to make demands, pick and choose, and I do this for my pleasure. I have to earn a decent living and have good hours. I’m the breadwinner.”
I wrote a friend on NCRA committees to get a reality check if she sees differences in tone and expectations: “Some are leaving the profession. Frankly, it has gotten slow, and due to contracting – call it what you want – underbidding, firms are losing clients. Many want to hop on the CART/captioning bandwagon without training.”
One respected leader wrote, “I know new captioners who won’t work weekends or nights, want prime shows or only want hockey. Normally, with hockey you only write the score and play approaching the score. Who wouldn’t want that?”
That day I also received this note: “A teacher finally shared it the first night. He told them it’s not easy. It’s not all glory. Initially you won’t make gobs of money. Equipment’s costly. You need to join professional associations to remain involved. Don’t expect to immediately work in PJs. You need to master words, grammar and punctuation. That night several dropped. How’d that happen, Monette?”
I’ve noticed a shift in requests for my CART and captioning services, national and state written knowledge test textbook, workbooks, CATapult CDs, tutoring, consulting services. Initial e-mails may be tart. When I return a tutoring request, I may hear, “If you don’t help me, I’m leaving the field.”
One person phoned for tutoring and yelled at me. I listened. I’ve learned, “The upset is never the upset.” (Landmark Education after Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, my youngest brother’s death, August 2000. Thank you, Diane Emery, CMRS.)
As I listened, the upset person finally focused on her upset and expectations – what she had been told (interpreted) she could expect and what she is able to do now. As a court reporter and instructor, I calmly guide what I believe is realistic and perhaps unrealistic, based on what is shared. The person reaching out often feels their future is at stake. To not share would be a disservice, I believe.
Another unique factor to a person’s path is motivation. When I speak to reporters and students at state and national seminars, I ask the group why they were attracted to this profession. My opinion is that people attracted solely for money will struggle and many will burn out. If you ask a person or group what motivated them to enter this field, often the answer is multi-faceted to include independence, job security, income, and learning within multiple venues.
Even organizations are not immune. My office receives calls from national groups and organizations with one question, “What are your rates? E-mail them.” I’m talking large companies, huge organizations who tell me “we’re too busy to share details until you send rates.”
As I finished this article, I returned a call to a national company regarding services. Their representative said (kid you not), “Send us all your rates. I’m to take them to my supervisor. If she approves, then we talk availability, specifics.”
I asked, “Are you phoning the country to get low rates?”
She replied, “Yes.”
Softly I shared I would not send all our rates to have an opportunity to service a job request, details not included yet. I ended the call, “I know there are qualified people out there; I’m sure someone will take good care of you.” Leslie, the company representative, was stunned. Monette, I, went back to work.
Reporters now work from home with little social interaction as in days of old when we drove to a courthouse, office, interacting with people every day. Forums have created niches of reporting, judicial, freelance, captioning, CART, students and instructors.
Students and reporters who enroll in a curriculum where there is possibly a 90 percent failure rate and required testing pass-rates of 95 percent or higher must know this marker is different from other schooling, careers.
Our profession, I believe, is honored to have students and working professionals dedicated to fulfilling and expanding their goals and their dreams.
Finishing this article I drove to a job on I-35 and saw an office supply truck. In cursive pink letters on both sides, the black truck carried their marketing slogan: “If we can’t get it, you don’t need it.” Do you think their tone and expectations are changing? I do.
Monette Benoit may be reached at: 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 to include the NCRA Written Knowledge Test and state RPR, RMR, RDR, CSR ‘Written Knowledge Exam’ Textbook, Workbook, a companion Study Guide, ‘The CRRT WKT’ CD Software Program, 'Advanced SAT, LSAT, GRE, Real-Time Vocabulary Workbook' and ‘CATapult’ Dictionary CD Software Program series.
Books, CDs, private tutoring, mentoring services and articles may be referenced http://www.crrbooks.com/.
Monette is an experienced consultant, instructor, realtime court reporter, tutor, CART provider, coach, 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 http://www.artcs.com/
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