Guide for NCRA National Convention Newbies

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I GOT MY CRR AND CCP!! WOOOOOOOT!

Now, back to the blog.

The first time I stepped into an NCRA National Convention exhibit hall was in 2008 at Anaheim, CA.  I was completely overwhelmed by all the court reporting action that was going on.  I remember on the plane home my brain was so full of new information and new friends I could barely read or even rest.

I highly HIGHLY recommend you go to a National Convention if you've never done so.   If it's your first time, here are some tips:

These first three tips are for us nerds, because we like things to be written down and listed.
Convention can be like going to a grocery store.  Look through the convention brochure and make a list--yes, a list--of information you want, while you're there take copious notes, and review them a bit at a time after you get home.
Make a list of books/products you want to buy, because you'll score good deals.  Especially if you hit up the booths before they close on Saturday!
Make a list of PEOPLE YOU WANT TO MEET.
The heros you look up to are Actual People.  Talk to them and pick their brains if you have the opportunity.
Mingle like crazy.
Go to all the sessions no matter HOW hungover you are.
Go to the Saturday night party and hang out with your new friends.
There will be drunk people there. Try not to be one of them.  We're all Facebook friends now, and pictures have a way of getting uploaded and tagged.  It can take a while to live down.  No, I'm not going to name names...but I COULD.
The Sunday morning sessions will be filled with everyone's luggage.  You may bring yours too. It makes for a good footrest.
Come to my session, "Social Media for CART Providers," on Sunday morning!  What I will teach will apply even if you're not into CART. Bring your smartphone or notebook computer and start building your online network RIGHT THERE!
Follow up with your new friends a few weeks afterwards.

Convention veterans, what are some other good tips?  Anyone going to the Annual Convention for the first time this year?

July 31, 2011, 10:15 am

That's the official time for the seminar I'm doing at the NCRA 2011 Annual Convention, which has been titled "Social Media for CART Providers."  I'll be talking about using social media as your marketing strategy -- and in my case, social media IS my marketing strategy.

I've got lots of tips to share which will apply not just to CART providers, but anyone wanting to grow their business.  Feel free to join us, even if you're not a CART provider.  I've got so many ideas and tips that I don't know if 90 minutes will be enough!

But I'm stuck on one thing:  the "brief biographical sketch" I need to submit by June 1.  This is hard to write!  Third-person writing is not my forte, but I do what I must For The Children For The Profession.

What street cred must one have to be considered a social media expert? I am more knowledgable than most on how Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn works, but NCRA hasn't developed a "Facebook" certification.

I've got my RMR and quite possibly the CCP (skills tests results pending); I'm a member of my state's membership committee and NCRA's online social media committee.  I've listed those.

I'll think of something.  You'll have to come to Vegas on July 31st to see what I end up writing.  See you in two months!

2011 director's cut

I've been asked to present a session at this year's NCRA Annual Convention in Las Vegas about marketing yourself through social media. I've got my rough outline and TONS of information to give.  Over the next couple of months I'll share some of it here for those of you who can't make it to the convention.

I'm also itching to use this graphic, but I probably won't. So here it is:

Career Day 2011

Every year around the end of February, Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois, holds the Eighth Grade Career Conference. Eighth graders from area schools take a half day to explore various careers to jump-start their thinking on the eternal question, "What do I want to do when I grow up?"

This year the Illinois Court Reporters Association was represented by Sarah Wilhoit on Thursday and Georgia Rollins and I on Friday. We set up at a table on the perimeter of the Field House gym, as were the other professions, and the sessions began with the students seated in the middle and watching the motivational speaker, "Chalk Guy" Ben Glenn, create a gorgeous landscape with chalk.

An aside: Volunteer for this just to watch his chalk painting. I've seen it six times now, and every single time I get teary-eyed from the beauty. Check him out online if you're intrigued.

After the presentation, the students must visit at least three booths and ask certain questions. For example, "What do you like most about your job?" "What classes should I take in high school to prepare for this career?"

Our booth was set up next to the bomb squad, and their rep brought grenades and pipe bombs. You can see his paraphernalia on the table behind Georgia. (Needless to say, the TSA were NOT represented at this conference.) For the first half of the day, Georgia and I sat and watched the bomb squad's line of interested students grow to stretch halfway across the gym. On the bright side, our lack of customers gave us time to set up the projection screen so everyone could see our realtime.

Georgia did most of the talking while I wrote her and the students, who, like, totally, like, freaked out because, like, what they were, like, saying was, like, appearing in big yellow letters for, like, the whole world to, like, see. (I write "like" with commas around it as LAO*EUK.) And Georgia did a wonderful job! She was dynamic and engaging, and the kids walked away from our booth understanding that court reporting and captioning is an amazing and valuable profession that just may be for them.

After the students left, we had a lunch break, after which we reset for a brand new bunch of eighth graders. This time I was able to CART the full session: the welcome, announcements, and Ben Glenn -- and if you ever caption him, heads up. He likes to say "Sasquatch."

This is my serious face.

Georgia and I could see several students' heads turn towards our screen, and that definitely brought in some interested kids! A gaggle of four or five young men were tickled when I told them that if I want the phrase "to a reasonable degree" to come up, I write TURD. They liked the idea of getting paid to caption sports games, whether on TV or in the stadium.

Afterwards, a mother and daughter expressed their appreciation to me because they recently came to the States, were learning English, and better understood today's happenings because they could see my realtime. Thank ME? I thank THEM for the appreciation! That made this day extra special.

Don't hoard your skill, everyone. Share it.

Why...

... do you care that your fellow student who entered school at the same time you did is now two speed levels above you? (Are you any less graduated because you did it after her?)

... do you compare yourself with speed and realtime champions NOW? (Do you feel you must have top-tier speed NOW? Do you think they got their awards after only a couple years of working?)

... do you care that So-and-So passed the RMR in the first try, while you're taking it for the 20th time? (Are those letters any less valuable because you didn't attain them on your first attempt?)

Are you doing the best you can? Are you pursuing your goals? Are you pursuing excellence in your current or future career? Have you made progress towards the "next step," whatever that step may be for you?

Then why do you give a crap if you're doing so slower or faster than someone else?

Obligatory New Year's Post

I resolve to blog more often than every six months. There. That's the first New Year's resolution I've made in a long, long time, because I believe if there's something in your life worth changing, it's worth changing NOW.

That said, since the end-of-year period is a time for tasks like printing out expense logs, getting the final mileage off of our cars, etc., it is a good time to reflect on this past year and plan for your journey in the next year.

Here's some links to help you think and develop goals:

"Bigger or Smaller?" from Seth Godin's blog. I recommend everyone read Seth Godin. His challenging insight will inspire you to move.

Jack Canfield, Decide What You Want for Yourself in 2011. Please note that goals are NOT just for business! It's tempting as students/reporters/captioners to frame all our goals in terms of speed, accuracy, or income, but we're more than just steno.

10 Ways to Increase Your Luck: A Musician's Tips for Freelancers. This article is geared towards the musician, but the tips are VERY applicable to not just freelance reporters, but anyone wanting to up their game.

Some evening this week my husband and I will make an appointment with each other to map out some individual and joint goals for 2011. As Zig Ziglar said (I think), "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time." (Or maybe it was Abraham Lincoln or Mark Twain.)

Almost there...

Hotel reservations? Check.
Convention registered? Check.
Train ticket purchased? Check.
Speed contest entered? Check
CRR entered? Check.

And now we wait.

I love convention. E'en tho' it be fraught with politics *achoo* and debate, e'en tho' I may spend a large percentage of my gross income on accommodations, (srsly, I'm not one of the six-figure income reporters they talk about in the news--not that I'm not TRYING for it, mind you) it's like Summer Camp for Steno Writers.

Yeah, I said Camp. I remember going for a week and getting rejuvenated with the break from Real Life and doing crazy, silly things like the Cocoa Puff Shoot. (How to play: Shove a Cocoa Puff up your nostril. Close the other one and see how far you can shoot it out your nose. Do not try this at home.)



How many bottles of Aqua Net were killed to make this picture? I'm on the second row from the bottom, sixth from the left. Aaack, dang you layout. Whole pic doesn't fit on here. But the pic didn't cut me off, at least. Maybe I'll fix this later.

So soon I get to go to the National Court Reporters Association National Convention (hereinafter referred to as "Convention," or "Court Reporter Camp"), where I expect to get rejuvenated and reenthused for my career, and for crazy, silly things to happen.

And now I'm wrapping things up work-wise...making sure all my travel t's are dotted and i's are crossed.

I'm ready to go!