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Five Best Mandalorian Quotes for Court Reporters

October 15, 2020 By Lynette Mueller 2 Comments

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:

Streamtext and Zoom

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.

Reporters and Gadgets and Apps — Oh, my!

May 30, 2020 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Court Reporters Association asked me to be a speaker at their learning event on June 5, 2020. I will be presenting a seminar called Reporters and Gadgets and Apps — Oh, my! The leaders of our association have determined that the learning event will be conducted via Zoom. I would encourage anyone looking for continuing education credit to sign up now and learn with your Tennessee colleagues!

This is the description of the seminar: Learn to be self-sufficient, productive, efficient, and courageous in your everyday professional life! Lynette will share the gadgets, apps, and other resources that assist her to meet many challenges that may arise in the deposition or courtroom setting. She will also talk about the workflow she uses after the job — work smarter, not harder! During this session, we will wind up with discussion from the audience and sharing other gadgets that have helped them along their “Yellow Brick Road.”

As you can tell from the seminar description, I was totally inspired by the beloved children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Frank Baum. It’s been several years since I read the book. Of course, I had to re-watch the movie again to get even more inspired for the upcoming presentation.

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore!”

Dorothy, that lovable character from the Wizard of Oz, got it right with that famous quote. Her “new normal” in this beloved tale takes her on a journey filled with unusual characters and circumstances as she’s trying to search for happiness with her little dog.

There are definitely parallels that may be drawn for court reporters in this wonderful tale too. The COVID-19 pandemic has led a lot of us, I’m sure, to reference the quote, “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Just as Dorothy took her first steps into the unfamiliar Land of the Munchkins and faced a world totally unfamiliar to her, we court reporters have had to regroup and rise to the challenge of figuring out smart ways to face our challenges in our new and unfamiliar world of remote reporting. Our clients looked to us to help them through the process of remote reporting, and we met and exceeded their expectations.

For some court reporters, the world of remote depositions was a daunting and overwhelming one. We court reporters are an intelligent and resilient lot in my opinion; and our profession did exactly what Dorothy did when she turned to Glinda the Good Witch of the North for guidance. This little girl from Kansas asked Glinda how she could go back home, where to go, and how to get to the Great Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City. The answer from Glinda? “Follow the Yellow Brick Road.”

Court reporters asked many questions regarding how best to continue working during the pandemic. They researched, researched, and researched some more for ways to keep on tapping the keys on the writers in order to keep the wheels of justice turning! Our national and state associations were there with us every step of the way, took us by the hand, answered our important questions, provided articles, and free and low-cost webinars teaching about the in’s and out’s of our strange new world.

Our associations are just as magical and beloved as Glinda and we should support them in any way, big or small, that we can. I would encourage all reporters to look inside their hearts (like the Tin Man) and really think about what you can do to make a difference for our profession and then reach out to your association leaders and volunteer your time and talent!

As everyone knows, Dorothy met three companions on her journey down the Yellow Brick Road: the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. These four souls made their way down that Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City and discovered the power of friendship, love, bravery, and wisdom along the way.

The Wizard of Oz near the end of the movie gave advice and gifts to each of the four companions. For the Scarecrow, the Wizard had this to say: “A baby has brains, but it doesn’t know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.”

One of my greatest accomplishments has been to become a court reporter. I have been a court reporter for many, many years and I’ve gained experience along my Yellow Brick Road that I happily share with my friends and colleagues. I am deeply humbled and honored when a colleague comes to me with questions about our profession and/or technology.

Here’s the advice of the Great Oz for the Cowardly Lion: “You have plenty of courage, I am sure. All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.“

We court reporters need to keep up with so much technological knowledge, and we need the courage of the Cowardly Lion to look within ourselves and know that we can conquer any of our fears; whether it be remote depositions, realtime, or marking exhibits electronically. It just takes a lot of practice and time to get up to speed with the latest resources and tools available to us. We have the brains, the heart, and the courage. We’ve got this!

There’s no place like “technology”!

What’s Your Super Power, Court Reporters?

September 20, 2018 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

This summer is drawing quickly to a close. How time flies, it seems! Our focus and attention is now looking forward to autumn and all the activities associated with the kiddos headed back to school.

I, for one, am not quite ready to let summer go. For me, one of the most fun things to do during the scorching Memphis summers is go to the movies. And what a movie blockbuster season it’s been! At times it seems as though we are inundated with tons of action flicks and there’s critics in the press with a bit of negativity about the superhero films. My response? “Who cares!! The more action, the better.”

Top of my “best of” lists this summer?

Black Panther
Avengers: Infinity War
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Incredibles 2

My absolute favorite, by far, is Incredibles 2. Animated films are not strictly for children at all. I had no hesitation, qualms, or embarrassment in the least attending this summer movie. The adult humor scattered throughout the film is wasted on the young ones! This movie was much anticipated by Yours Truly and was a long time coming — 14 years, to be exact. This movie is brilliant and it has many lessons to be learned for court reporters.

1. Teamwork:

Helen and Bob Parr a/k/a The Incredibles, work hard side by side to make the family dynamics successful. The working mom (Elastigirl) has the confidence to head to the job each day knowing her husband is staying at home with their three kids and performing “heroically” with the day-to-day mundane activities of meal prep, school, and homework.

As a freelance court reporter, it is sometimes easy to forget about the importance of teamwork — especially in today’s ever-changing technology-driven environment. Our profession has become (and viewed by many) a cottage industry (by definition, working at home with your own equipment). Sure, we go to the job and do our magic on that “little machine,” but rarely interact much with the participants.

When I started my company several years ago, I associated myself with a local videography firm to handle videotaped deposition requests. Nearly 50% of the depositions I handle are videotaped.

The roles of the court reporter and videographer are intertwined, and there’s significant synergy and teamwork between myself and my videographer from start to finish!

Our teamwork begins by the videographer arriving approximately an hour prior to start time. This enables him to set up his equipment and do any necessary testing prior to my arrival, which is 30 minutes before the deposition is scheduled to begin. My arrival after the videographer allows him the opportunity to set up at his leisure and no worries about anyone hovering. It’s then my turn to set up. Setup is quick and easy for the court reporter: boot up the computer, attach your tripod to your machine. The videographer then provides a direct audio feed to my computer and we’re ready to go!

Once all the parties, attorneys, and witness are situated and before we go on the record, I always make a quick check to ensure that everyone has their microphone clipped on their lapels. A quick acknowledgement by myself to the videographer lets him know that we’re ready to go on the record. Our teamwork is like a well-oiled machine and the process works smoothly throughout the day.

Once the deposition is concluded, our teamwork continues through the production phase. At times video-text synchronization is requested. Video-text synchronization captures the witness’ testimony via videography along with the certified court reporter’s transcript. A trial-ready CD or DVD allows you to show the witness’ words appearing on screen as they are being spoken. Adding a video component to the deposition process brings the written words “alive”! Video depositions capture the witness’ facial expressions, pauses, change in tone, demeanor, and mannerisms that will never be captured with the written word alone.

In an effort to aid the videographer in his production role, as the court reporter, I can provide him with a timestamped transcript for the process of syncing and/or editing of the deposition. The videographer and court reporter, doing two different functions or tasks, working in cooperation with each other, can create an excellent multimedia tool for later use in the courtroom.

2. Make a Professional Fashion Statement:

My favorite character in the Incredibles films is definitely Edna Mode. Edna knows how to make a fashion statement: the iconic all-black suit and gigantic eyeglasses! During the first Incredibles movie, when Bob made the suggestion that perhaps a cape could be in order for his updated supersuit, Edna responded emphatically with the line, “No capes!” Again, wise Edna knew the importance of appropriate attire for Bob’s specific job.

For court reporters, our professional appearance should be top of mind too. When I started court reporting so many years ago, my first employer stressed to me about dressing professionally. Her uniform always consisted of a blazer and either a skirt or pants.

Reasons to dress for success:

builds confidence, composure, and self-respect
vital to communicating who you are (a valuable participant in the judicial process)
you only get one first impression

More often than not when I arrive at a law firm, the receptionist will assume that I’m an attorney – a great thing! After all, we are respected partners and equals in the deposition and judicial arena, working side by side with the attorneys on their important cases.

3. Success Takes Time:

Prior to the start of the Incredibles 2 at the theater, some of the voice actors for the characters shared how they were so thrilled to be in the second movie. The work, time, and effort to produce an animated film is intense. As I said at the beginning of this post, it took 14 years between the original movie and the sequel.

Every court reporter should strive to become realtime-proficient. It takes time to do so, and you cannot become an overnight success. Hard work and determination are the key factors in becoming realtime-proficient.

Be familiar with your CAT software capabilities and let your software work for you. My software has options to power define entries from the writer. Whenever you can keep your hands on the writer and add entries, it gives you just that extra bit of time to do things quickly and make your feed even more clean on the fly. The prep work is essential to maintain or exceed that goal. My writing is constantly evolving. Writing short is paramount to the success of my translation rate, for keeping up with the fast talkers and, also, being kind to my body — specifically my back and hands.

4. New Ways Can Be Intimidating:

When Mr. Incredible took over the duties of the stay-at-home parent, he struggled with helping Dash with the math homework. It was a frustration because he didn’t know how to complete the homework in the desired and expected way.

Change is intimidating for court reporters sometimes as well. There are so many technological advancements in our profession each day, and it seems such a daunting task to keep up with it all. It should be noted that there are some fantastic tools available to assist court reporters to be more productive, efficient, and valuable to attorney clients and legal professionals. Court reporters should keep in mind that in order to be effective and stay relevant, we must keep abreast of technology, embrace it, and never be skeptical of the newest innovations.

One final Edna-ism from the first Incredibles movie:

I never look back, darling. It distracts from the now.

We all look at the past and reflect on everything we’ve done in our personal and professional lives. Sometimes we spend far too much time worrying about things we should have done or could have done differently.

“Why didn’t I start realtime sooner?”
“I should have upgraded to that new laptop before my old one crashed.”
“I wish I knew more about my CAT software.”
“I wish I had passed that next level of NCRA certification right after graduation.”

Again, while it’s good to think about the past, it’s best to move forward and set goals on how to move forward in a positive way and focus on the present. Concentrate on making a positive impact today and find your Super Power!

What NCRA Means to Me

September 18, 2018 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

I love gathering inspiration from others and notable quotes from strong individuals. When I was asked to provide my insight for an article about membership, the following quote from Colin Powell sprung to mind and resonated with me:

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”

Now, you may ask: What does that famous quote have to do with membership?

My court reporting career has spanned over 35 years — a long one, for sure. My path has seen many obstacles and wins throughout that time. Providing realtime reporting was my number-one goal in my professional life, and it’s definitely taken a lot of “sweat, determination, and hard work.” One of the major influences and constants over the last 35 years has, and always will be, membership in my professional association — the National Court Reporters Association!

Were it not for NCRA and the many benefits it offers, I would not be the court reporting professional I am today. As we all know, court reporters can sometimes lead a solitary path at times, because a lot of us work from our home-based office. Sure, we have interaction with legal professionals and witnesses. But, for the most part, it is definitely a solitary environment, as the bulk of our transcript production is done at home.

NCRA offers many additional benefits to its members. Some of the most important reasons, in my opinion, for maintaining membership in our organization are the following:

Networking

While most may think of networking as a means of garnering future business, I look at it a little bit differently. I view “networking” with my fellow NCRA members as an excellent resource to gain advice, information, and guidance about many subjects that we face on a daily basis as court reporters. This guidance has helped me greatly to be the successful reporter I am today.

Professional Development

My national certifications are very important to me, and I’ve worked hard to earn them! Those “three little letters” behind my name are a conversation starter with potential new clients. It’s my opportunity to tout my skills and professionalism and to educate the public about court reporters. The testing for certifications has helped me validate my skill as a court reporter and carries clout in our profession.

Updates on Industry Information

NCRA does a fantastic job with recruiting volunteers (myself included) to serve on committees and bring the membership relevant and up-to-date information on technology and other industry standards. It’s so refreshing to be able to have a go-to source for current information. The NCRA.org website, JCR print, and TheJCR.com are fantastic sources of information!

Continuing Education Opportunities

NCRA brings the best and brightest professionals in our industry to share their knowledge and expertise at their Annual Convention, live webinars, and online webinars. NCRA is my go-to source. I chose my profession when I was a sophomore in high school — best decision ever! I urge every court reporter to choose membership in our professional association, the NCRA. Choose your organization wisely. It can further your career in ways beyond your expectations and give you the tools and resources to set you up for future success and gain the leg up over the competition!

Lessons Court Reporters Can Learn from Olympians

February 14, 2018 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

It’s Court Reporting & Captioning Week 2018!

As I’m reflecting this week on this important time for all court reporters across the nation, I am distracted by another important event for the world — the 2018 Olympic Winter Games! As of the writing of this post, the United States has a total of six medals: three gold, one silver, and three bronze. All of these young athletes have much to be proud of, for sure!

We court reporters and future court reporters can learn some very valuable lessons and habits from our Olympic athletes when it comes to our daily reporting functions, duties, and success.

Approach both success and failure thoughtfully. A court reporter’s job is a strenuous one. Each day we face something new and unexpected. Of course, that is probably the top reason why I still love this profession today. There is never a boring day for the freelance reporter. There are the lows, though, that we face at times: the fast talkers, the interrupters, the realtime fear of imperfection, the realtime mistrans, and others. Athletes accept their success and/or failures with an eye toward looking at what matters most and not one single event. They more often than not critique their performances in a very constructive way and state how their performance could be improved upon. Be kind to yourself and don’t be overcritical when we face those small “failures” from time to time. Remember, we are providing an extremely valuable service to the legal professionals and their clients.
Never stop learning and be a student for life. Olympic athletes not only train physically to maintain their stamina for competition, but also train their minds to tune out distractions and reduce stress and anxiety. They are diligent about critiquing their performance with their coaches and watching the replays. Every day we produce transcripts for our valuable clients in a timely manner and more often than not on an expedited basis. We should take a hard look at how we can improve our writing and realtime skills so that we can work smarter and not harder to meet the deadlines we are faced with. Realtime is and has been an in-demand service for attorneys for several years now. Court reporters (of all experience levels) need to understand that in order to stay relevant in today’s legal environment, we must maintain and continually hone our skills each and every day. From a previous blog post: Being realtime-capable should be the goal of every court reporter now! My realtime goal is to always strive for 99.8% translation rate on every job. The prep work is essential to maintain or exceed that goal. My writing is constantly evolving (even after 30 years of reporting). Writing short is paramount to the success of my translation rate, for keeping up with the fast talkers, and also being kind to my body — specifically my back and hands. You can read more here to learn some secrets to memorizing brief forms.
Be tenacious. Athletes never give up on their goals and keep moving forward without regard to obstacles that present at times. We court reporters should invest in our careers and have attainable goals for moving forward in our profession. What is your next step to move forward? Is it that new NCRA certification? Being realtime capable? Writing shorter? Starting your own firm? The steps and path toward these goals may be time-consuming and difficult but so worth it in the end. Additionally, we have so many resources and colleagues to help when needed for advice, technology tips, realtime tips, and general help. I’ve found that court reporters are an extremely giving community; one just needs to ask for assistance.
Embrace your passion. The official slogan of the 2018 Olympics is “Passion. Connected.” The games are all about bringing everyone together for their shared passion of the winter sports. Passion is important for court reporters too. Technology is my passion! The field of court reporting has changed from when I was a student so many years ago. It should be noted that there are some fantastic tools available to assist court reporters to be more productive, efficient, and valuable to attorney clients and legal professionals. Court reporters should keep in mind that in order to be effective and stay relevant, we must keep abreast of technology, embrace it, and never be skeptical of the newest innovations.

I have grown and evolved because of this profession and the amazing people I’ve met during my career. It has pushed me to soar and reach that next certification. It has helped me conquer my fear of putting myself out there when meeting new people. My goal for the coming year will be to continue to strive to be a better reporter each day and will seek inspiration from our amazing Olympians in order to attain that goal!

Five Best Mandalorian Quotes for Court Reporters

This is the way!

Reporters and Gadgets and Apps — Oh, my!

What’s Your Super Power, Court Reporters?

What NCRA Means to Me

Lessons Court Reporters Can Learn from Olympians

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