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CONVENTION IN GREENVILLE A BIG SUCCESS! SEPTEMBER 2016 Official Publication of the National Verbatim Reporters Association CONNECTING THE VOICE WRITING, CART AND CAPTIONING COMMUNITIES With the highest attendance in recent history, NVRA’s convention had something for everyone! Delegates enjoyed a wide variety of sessions on everything from home safety to Sports Captioning. Delegates were treated to a session titled, “Race to the White House – Word Usage Never Before Heard on the Campaign Trail.” The session ended up with teams running for the White House. A huge home run by Annette Myers and Kay McGovern (with a little help from their political party friends)!

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CONVENTION IN GREENVILLE A BIG SUCCESS!

SEPTEMBER 2016

Official Publication of the National Verbatim Reporters Association

CONNECTING THE VOICE WRITING,

CART AND CAPTIONING

COMMUNITIES With the highest attendance in recent history, NVRA’s convention had something for everyone! Delegates

enjoyed a wide variety of sessions on everything from home safety to Sports Captioning. Delegates were treated to a session titled, “Race to the White House – Word Usage

Never Before Heard on the Campaign Trail.” The session ended up with teams running for the White House. A huge

home run by Annette Myers and Kay McGovern (with a little help from their political party friends)!

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Official Publication of the NVRA

CONVENTION IN GREENVILLE A BIG SUCCESS! (CONTINUED)

We extend a thank you to several first time NVRA presenters: Julia Emerson and Rhoda McDuffie! Thank you for your awesome contributions to the convention and to the association as members. We’d also be remiss without thanking Maranda Murphy who not only provided a CART session, but also held NVRA’s first ever (and very successful) CART Bootcamp.

We were fortunate to have several vendors offer sessions: Betsy Ertle gave a SpeedType refresher; first time attendee, Christine Woods with 1CapApp, offered training to CART and Captioners; Stephanie Veverka with the National Captioning Institute held a session on sports captioning; and our very own Chris Crosgrove prepared attendees for a “Captioning Career.”

What’s an NVRA convention without Dessa Van Schuyver and Don Scott? Don and Dessa wrapped up the educational portion of the convention with an afternoon of “Realtime Reality.”

The convention concluded with a trip down the Yellow Brick Road with our auctioneer and Good Witch of the West, Annette Myers. We had a great time and lots of laughs. Thanks, Annette!

Many thanks also to NVRA’s on-site testing team (Mike Ashcraft, Maranda Murphy, Maryann Nevers and Stacy Harlow) and our Convention Chair and Immediate Past-President, Jessie Coburn! We’d also like to thank Michelle Guilbeau, convention photographer, and Patti Scott who monitored NVRA’s written test.

Please plan to join NVRA next year as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. The convention will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on the Plaza at the Intercontinental Hotel. Dates are August 2-5th, 2017.

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Official Publication of the NVRA

Aaron Spikes, Closed Mic Don Scott, Open Mic

Previous champions: Don Scott (2015)

Jennifer Witaszek (2014)

Creel Court ReportingSteven Ray Green Court Reporting, LLCInternational Realtime Court Reporting Institute

“Flying Monkey” Sponsors:Anita Glover & AssociatesBecky Bazzle & AssociatesBishop Reporting ServicesBrenda SchmelzDon & Patti ScottGCCRA – Georgia Certified Court Reporters AssociationSpeedType

“Dorothy’s Entourage” Sponsors:Jessie CoburnCaptionColorado

“Munchin” Sponsors:Cape Fear Court ReportingTeam Kelloni (Kelly and Toni)Linda Winfrey

Special Thanks to Our 2016 Vendors and Sponsors“Great and Powerful Oz” Sponsors:

Congratulations to Our 2016 National Realtime Champions:

Vendors: 1 Cap AppAdvantage SoftwareAudioScribeNational Captioning Institute

Pengad ProCAT VocEditHand-Taylored

Mary KayMiche BagsStyle DotsYoung Living

SpeedTypeInternational Realtime Court Reporting InstituteYoung Living

So, another NVRA convention is over. Sessions were attended, meals were shared with new and “old” friends, laughter was heard from every room we occupied and learning was happening while ideas and insights were being shared.

It always amazes me just how many people, from all over the US, share the same challenges I do with technology and just how differently we solve those same issues. It’s great to hear solutions and ‘fixes’ that I never would have thought of. Everyone is more than willing to share what they know and learn something new. How great is that?! This year we walked down the yellow

brick road, and I think we made it well into the Emerald City, we stayed in a beautiful hotel and city (Greenville is a beautiful and fun city to visit). Good pick, board.

The staff, Kelly and Toni, kept the flow going and were willing to assist all of us with questions or problems all while wearing a smile on their faces... aren’t they just the best? Our volunteer board keeps busy working for us, holding the course true for a firm and steady future.... THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

Next year the Conference will be in Kansas City, MO. Can you believe

it’s going to be the NVRA’s 50th anniversary?! The Conference will be later in the summer, first week of August, and I hope that if you missed this year you’ll be sure to help celebrate our 50th. Remember, NVRA is there for YOU, so YOU need to be there for NVRA!!!

Join us on Facebook,https://www.facebook.com/ Friends of the national verbatim reporters Association (NVRA)

And soon we may be on Instagram...

C U there, “Xileen”

I’m told I have experience. Lots of experience. What do they mean? http://www.businessdictionary.com/ tells me the following: “Familiarity with a skill or field of knowledge acquired over months or years of actual practice and which, presumably, has resulted in superior understanding or mastery.” If that’s true, then even I would be impressed with myself. I prefer this definition by www.dictionary.com: “knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered, or undergone.” What is experience if not that which you’ve learned from mistakes during your many years of life and/or business activities? -- “many years” being the operative phrase there. If I’ve learned from my mistakes over these many years, why do I continue to encounter familiar situations and make even more mistakes?

Case in point: I have always encouraged those in our reporting and related fields of captioning and CART to make use of all available tools in our toolboxes, whether they be computers, software applications, recording machines, portable scanners, handheld devices, tablets, and the like. We have tough jobs, and we should use all tools available to us. I like tools. It’s part of our heritage. America was founded with tools. Tools built America. We use tools in our everyday lives. If you have a

problem, if you can imagine a tool that will help you, chances are that tool exists. You just have to find it. My father-in-law taught me that many years ago. My toolbox runneth over. I have so many tools on my Desktop and in my shed, I can’t find them when I need them. I like tools.

Ladies and gentlemen, when you stand at the podium, before 125 of your closest friends in Convention, and you decide to take that opportunity to praise your spouse or significant other and tell the world how much you love her and how she spends so much of her time helping you with your daily work and association responsibilities, how you could not do your work without her, do not refer to her as one of the tools in your toolbag. Put simply, do not call her a tool. I know what you’re thinking. Oh, yes, I did. I did, and I knew the moment the words left my mouth the sentiment didn’t sound right. I reached for them. Couldn’t draw them back in. I smiled. There were a few giggles from the floor. I knew that wasn’t the last I would hear of them.

Experience: that awkward situation you created, and from which you’ve learned a valuable life lesson...

In the Rear-View Mirror

EXPERIENCE

Official Publication of the NVRA

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Rhoda McDuffie BA, MA, CVR-MCART worker in Arizona

Don Scott, CVR-CM-M, RVR

Meet Our New President – Brenda Schmelz, CCR, CVR-M

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Official Publication of the NVRA

President: Brenda Schmelz, CCR, CVR-M

President-Elect: Maranda Murphy, RCP

Secretary: Teresa Johnson, CVR-M-CM

Treasurer: Caryn Broome, CVR-M-CM, RCP

Vice President: Janis McLeod, CVR

Director: Jill Bishop Edwards, CVR-CM

Director: Barbara H. Hartwig, RBC, RCP

Director: G. Michael Ashcraft, CVR-M

Past President: Jessie Coburn, CSR, CVR-M

Membership Services: Kelly Evans & Toni Lee

2016 - 2017Board of Directors Elected

Brenda is currently an Official Court Reporter with the State of Missouri, 20th Judicial Circuit covering Franklin, Gasconade and Osage Counties in central Missouri.

She graduated with honors from St. Louis Community College at Meramec with an AAS in Court Reporting in 2003. She worked as a freelance court reporter until 2004, when she became an official court reporter. She received her court reporting certificate in voice writing from The Court Reporting Academy in 2008. She passed the Missouri CCR exam in 2008 and the CVR in 2010.

Prior to becoming a court reporter, Brenda worked as a legal secretary for many years, having started working in a law office on Saturdays at the age of 16.

Brenda is a member of NVRA and the Missouri Court Reporters Association. She has held numerous board positions with the National Association of Legal Secretaries, including two years as chairman of that organization’s certifying board. She was very active in the Missouri Association of Legal Secretaries and the Franklin County Association of Legal Support Professionals, having served both of those associations as president. Both of those associations recognized her as Outstanding Legal Secretary of the Year.

She has served as an Adjunct Professor at East Central College in Union, Missouri, teaching Legal Office Procedures and Legal Document Production. She has served on the Legal Secretary Advisory Board at East Central College.

She has also taught real time courses at St. Louis Community College.

When she has free time, Brenda likes to dabble in photography and hike in state parks throughout Missouri.

Brenda is married, has two sons, two fabulous daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Just a word about private, individual Facebook pages for those who wish to join the world of professionals: do not post those embarrassing, unflattering, photos of yourself and your friends having fun at last night’s pool party. Do not post photos of your significant other all over you in suggestive poses. If you have a catchy page title or you call yourself something besides your given name, consider changing it to your given name. If you want to be taken seriously, be serious. You’ve heard the axiom, dress not for your current job, but for the job you want in the future? When you apply for a job, for a loan, for – you name it – when you ask to enter a Facebook group – eventually everyone is going to look at your Facebook page or your Linked-In page. If they don’t like what they see or they don’t find what they’re looking for, you will more than likely lose an opportunity you’ve been searching for.

That’s my general advice. To narrow it a bit, when you ask to join a Facebook page, most all admins look to your Facebook page for education and experience – or at least some interest in the topic of the group. In our case, Friends of National Verbatim Reporters Association, we look for a connection to court reporting of any method, CART, captioning, transcription, proofreading, and the like. We look at the groups you’ve “liked” or joined. We look to see if we have mutual friends. We look at your photos to see if there are court reporting activities, conventions, seminars. We are looking for some indication of past, current, and/or future interest in the activities of court reporting. If we find nothing, we then send you a private message and ask you what your interest is.

Now, that’s not to say we will exclude you from our group if you have no experience in court reporting. We welcome all to our group – but we do want to know you have something to add that will be of interest to our group. We’re not interested in purchasing sunglasses, nor makeup and handbags. We are interested in educational and employment opportunities, advancing technology in our field, software applications and equipment that will benefit us in some way, discounted pricing of items we’re searching for, discussions of interest to our members, and just good camaraderie among friends with common interests.

So clean up your Facebook pages, your Linked-In page, your Twitter feed, and be the professional you want to be and want others to know you are. You've entered the world of social media, and social media does have an interest in maintaining dignity, respect, and good taste within its community.

A WORD ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Upcoming Monthly Chat Scheduled for September 26TOPIC: CVR and CM Skills Tests

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NVRA’s President Brenda Schmelz has started a monthly membership CHAT. The first chat was held in August and was well attended by students who had some general questions about the field. We would like to thank everyone who participated!

The September Chat is scheduled for Monday, September 26, 6:30 p.m. Central Time. The topic will be the CVR and CM Skills Tests. NVRA will have some of our test administrators on the line to help answer your test questions! Please email NVRA with your interest, and we will send you an email invitation to attend. Please let us know by Monday, September 26 at 10:00 a.m. if you would like to attend.

Future Chats will focus on CART, Captioning and more!

Let us know what you are interested in discussing. This is for you!

Don Scott, CVR-CM-M, RVR

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Official Publication of the NVRA

Members To Do

Recruit a new member Send an idea for eVoice If you fb, post to our page

Like NVRA FB page

To Our Friends in LouisianaOur hearts and prayers go out to our members and friends impacted by recently flooding. Please let us know if you are in need of assistance from your NVRA family.

Obituary:

Gloria CobbRest in Peace, Gloria Yvette Cobb, 71, of Sweet Home, Arkansas. Gloria passed away on August 6, 2016. A long-time NVRA and Arkansas Court Reporter Member, she will be missed by many. We will all remember her sweet smile which was captured at our July convention in Greenville.

Congratulations to Our Newly Certified Professionals:Jean Cregan, RCP, CVR– Mayfield, OH

Carrie Rottenborn, RCP – Colorado Springs, CO

Jacob Gillespie, CVR – Tucker, GA

Liza Cheek, CVR – Marietta, GA

Sandra Hickman, CVR-CM – Ripley, WV

Teresa Johnson, CVR-M-CM – Greenville, SC

Susan Burke, CVR, RCP, RBC –Annapolis, MD

For testing updates and schedules, visit our website: www.nvra.org/testing

Next testing dates: Atlanta, GA (September 17-18) Jacksonville, FL (November 12-13)

Who’s On First? Free CE Credit!Quiz submitted by Brenda Schmelz, CVR-MIn need of CEs for NVRA? Here’s a chance to earn a freebie! Earn 1 CE credit for your correct submission of at least 80% - 12 correct answers. We’ll post your credit for you at no charge. (Members only, please!). As court reporters, CART providers and Captioners, we can better understand words that are spoken if we understand how they should be used. Many people have trouble deciding whether to use who or whom. You need to remember that who is used for the subject (of the sentence or the clause), and whom is the object of a preposition. You look for a preposition in order to decide.. Take the following quiz (answers to follow). If you find that you missed quite a few, you might want to get out your grammar books or hit the Internet and do some studying.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate choice: who or whom.

1. Kerry, ____________ hates spiders, wears bug-stomping boots wherever she goes.

2. Professor Borglum glared at Roger, _________ spent the entire class drawing space aliens.

3. Into the dark apartment walked David, __________ we nearly killed with surprise when everyone shouted “Happy Birthday” and jumped from behind the furniture.

4. In desperation, Belinda sought help from Professor White, ______ she knew preferred playing solitaire on his computer toassisting students during office hours.

5. The doctor explained that Rex, ________ we had rushed to the veterinary clinic, would not die after eating eight bananas thathe stole off the kitchen counter.

6. Tim was too embarrassed to say anything to Deidre, _______ had sautéed spinach caught between two teeth.

7. Grandma brought Fred, _______ wears black T-shirts exclusively, a button-down white shirt and a navy blue blazer forChristmas.

8. Grandma, _______ Fred loves despite her bad taste in clothing, believes that a blue blazer is an essential component of ayoung man’s wardrobe.

9. __________ believes that Kyle will eat the tarantula fried in garlic and olive oil?

10. Kyle, _________ will take anyone’s dare, no matter how outrageous, smacked his lips in anticipation of the fried tarantula.

11. The game show host presented a trophy and $500 to Kyle, ___________ Sara refused to give a congratulatory kiss.

12. Oliver, _______ hates to cut the lawn, pushed the heavy mower through the tall grass rather than face a fine by thehomeowners association.

13. With _________ will Sara attend the homecoming festivities, the handsome Jake or the nerdy Robert?

14. We gave our crunchy apple cookies to Mary, _______ spit the first bite into a napkin and declared our new recipe “crapples.”

15. Melissa searched the house for her little brother Morgan, ___________ she found asleep on a pile of clean towels.

Please scan and email this page to [email protected]. We’ll post your credit and email acknowledgement to you. Thanks!

Name:______________________________________________________________________Email Address:____________________________________________________________________

Deadline for Submission:December 31, 2016