Season 2 of the popular and much-anticipated return of The Mandalorian on Disney+ arrives on October 30th. The Star Wars series is much beloved by everyone in my family and many families around the globe! We’ve been diehard Star Wars fans from the beginning (well, my husband and I were anyway) from the first movie release in 1977. We’ve passed this obsession on to our children as well. My daughter baked these “Child” cookies — demonstrating that she is enamored as well! Who couldn’t love that adorable little guy?!
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.
- 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:
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.