WINTER 2012 new Year’s Resol-YOu-tions editor’s Desktop by Kelli Werner, RPR, CRR, CBC As adults, January 1st is our chance all, but on occasion, my husband Jim for reinvention. It’s a time of self- and I will crack open a bottle of wine reflection and goal-setting. Do I need when we make ourselves a nice dinner to lose a few pounds? Work on a after the kids are in bed. And the all- certification? Stop smoking? January too-infrequent girls’ night out usually 1st is the time to do it. I decided last year involves some colorful adult concoction. that it just felt redundant to resolve to So to me, “drink more,” meant live eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight. more. Too often the day revolves around Those are ongoing challenges and I everyone else and we simply forget to was tired of wasting my resolutions on take a moment for ourselves. It’s turn When I was a kid, September was the them. off alarm, get up, get the kids presentable time to reinvent myself. A new wardrobe, So last year my resolution was for school and out the door, get ourselves a shiny new Super Friends lunchbox, to drink more. My Facebook friends presentable, work, shuttle kids around freshly sharpened pencils and doodle-free enjoyed that one for its comic face value, some more, attempt to get dinner on the notebooks without those curly scraps of but I really meant it. What it meant to table, help with chores and homework, paper stuck in the metal binding. I could me though went deeper than just spiking maybe work some more on transcripts or be anything in the new school year – a my morning coffee with Bailey’s. To captioning, then collapse in bed. Turn off me, my “drink more” resolution meant brain, an athlete, a princess, a basket case, (Editor’s Desktop continued on page 3) or a criminal. I stole those stereotypes take time to relax, enjoy myself, be from “The Breakfast Club.” with friends, breathe. I rarely drink at President’s Message In ThIs Issue By Paul Brandell, RPR, CsR Editor’s Desktop .............................. 1 Fast forward eight years and I am President’s Message ........................ 1 now in a classroom with 25 students. I Fill Up That Nook or Kindle ........... 4 realize that attempting to hit the S key Spring Training Seminar ................. 5 and then the H key and then the S key Student/Teacher ............................... 6 five times in succession can be quite World Travelers ............................... 6 maddening. The second day rolls around and the only other male in the That’s Life: Wealth .......................... 7 class is now gone. No one tells me, but That’s Life: Home ........................... 8 I am assuming my difficulties will pass That’s Life: Health........................... 9 and I will start to master the theory and That’s Life: Tech ............................ 11 I remember one day when I was 10 techniques necessary to succeed in this News & Notes ............................... 12 years old my sister brought home this program. Golf Outing Sponsorship ............... 13 funny looking typewriter. She called it a Throughout the course of my time Mr. Modem .................................... 14 in college, and with the help of my steno machine. It was cool. I could write NCRA Advisory Opinion .............. 16 my first name and it would actually type it dedicated teachers and the support of my fellow students, I did succeed. Happy Chinese New Year .............. 16 correctly on the paper. I thought, “Wow, Dear Nancy .................................... 17 how easy is this?” I assumed that this There was one more assumption must be a simple skill to learn. (President’s Message continued on page 3) Page Two 2011-2012 Committee Roster Audit/Finance Freelance/Officials Public Relations Elsa Jorgensen, Chair Darlene Fuller, Chair Mindy Dexter, Chair 248.561.1452 231.250.9508 517.483.6427 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Awards Mindy Dexter Anissa Nierenberger Susan Perrish, Chair 517.483.6427 517.410.2209 248.471.0933 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Laurel Jacoby Record Times Gerry Hanson 248.437.6317 Kelli Werner, Chair 313.567.8100 [email protected] 517.712.1640 [email protected] Golf Outing [email protected] Terri Zimmerman Paul Brandell, Chair Mindy Dexter 616.842.0995 517.230.7507 517.483.6427 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Bylaws/Procedures Gerry Hanson student seminar/students’ Outreach/ Sharon Kandt, Chair 313.567.8100 Career Day 586.726.2174 [email protected] Anissa Nierenberger, Chair [email protected] historian 517.410.2209 [email protected] Captioning/C.A.R.T. Kelli Werner Annette Blough, Chair 517.712.1640 Sharon Kandt 800.408.0070 [email protected] 586.726.2174 [email protected] [email protected] Legislative Donna Clark-Licari Darlene Fuller Annette Blough 586.242-5113 231.250.9508 800.408.0070 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Convention/seminar Membership Testing/education Anissa Nierenberger, Chair Gerry Hanson CSR/CSMR/CEO, RPR/RMR 517.410.2209 313.567.8100 Matthew Dreger - Co-Chair [email protected] [email protected] 313.224.2455 [email protected] Laurel Jacoby Laurel Jacoby 248.437.6317 248.437.6317 Cecile Gordon - Co-Chair [email protected] [email protected] 586.716.0227 [email protected] Donna Clark-Licari nominating Sharon Kandt 586.242-5113 Kelli Werner [email protected] 586.726.2174 517.712.1640 [email protected] Fund-raising [email protected] Elsa Jorgensen, Chair Website Past President’s Advisory Council Cheryl Anne Farmer 248.561.1452 Kelli Werner [email protected] 734.498.2627 517.712.1640 [email protected] Kelli Werner [email protected] 517.712.1640 Mindy Dexter [email protected] Pro Bono 517.483.6427 Carrie Clark-Berry – West side csclark- [email protected] [email protected] Elsa Jorgensen – East side [email protected] Page Three (Editor’s Desktop continued from page 1) alarm, repeat. So resolving to take a few if it were something portable that I could 8 you can learn how to get organized. minutes each day for myself was a good play around the campfire someday. So Maybe you’d like to tackle some of the one. I’m not sure how well I did on my I’ve had two lessons so far and I’m really classics or simply read more. Check drinking resolution, but it certainly was a loving having something that forces me out the book list on page 4. Clean up lot more fun than previous resolutions. to step outside of my usual routine and your finances with the first in our new So this year, my resolution is to learn take some time just for me. financial series on page 7. And if your to play the Ukulele. Odd choice maybe, Maybe you didn’t make a resolution resolution is to learn more about your since I am neither a 500-pound Hawaiian at all. Or maybe you’ve forgotten it software, do NOT miss MAPCR’s spring th man nor a mocha-skinned beauty in a already. I say make a new one – and this conference in Howell on April 14 . Read coconut bra and a grass skirt. But I’ve time, make it something good. If you more about it on page 5. always wanted to be able to play an need a few ideas, look no further than instrument and I thought it would be nice this issue of Record Times! On page (President’s Message continued from page 1) I made along the way though. Our working reporter’s education, legislative in a relaxed atmosphere where you can instructors made it perfectly clear that efforts, freelance and official outreach make important connections that may after graduation, the next two steps programs, and public relations are some very well help your business grow. would be to take your CSR exam and of the areas that we work on. As I have learned over the years, it join your state association. I don’t The dedicated Board of Directors is easy to assume that things will happen think I knew there was any option other devotes time and energy on these issues with time. One thing that you can than joining MAPCR until I’d been a for all of the reporters in the State of assume is that the Board of Directors of member for at least two to three years. Michigan. We have a great working MAPCR will continue to work hard for At that point, it made no sense for me to relationship with NCRA, where we all of the reporters in our great State of not belong to MAPCR. utilize their knowledge, ideas and Michigan. We want to see our school If you are a doctor, upon research to help us address the topics that enrollment grow and our profession graduation you join your applicable affect all of us. However, we want your prosper. In order to make our task medical associations and societies. If input, your ideas, and your suggestions. easier, we want to hear from you. Let us you are a lawyer, you join your local We have all heard the phrase, “We are know the issues you feel are important. and state bar associations. If you are a only as strong as our membership.” Volunteer your time, energy and talents stenographic reporter, you should join Sometimes old phrases never lose their and help us fight the battles and enjoy the only organization in your state that meaning, and this is one of those times. the victories. Progress will not happen is dedicated to the preservation of your We have a wonderful spring seminar overnight.