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N-n-noooooooooooo!!! Not Kev! Did you see how crushed Lisa Tucker looked

Posted By: Misha on 2006-03-23
In Reply to: HE IS GONE!!! - Kevin, that is!

because she didn't get the boot? As she walked over to the host, she looked very unhappy. Then as soon as she went by Ryan she put on a weak smile to walk back over to the other contestants. She wants to go home.


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I do still love you, though, as an internet friend and poster! I just got really crushed a few
months back, and just went away...But I'm back! In case you hadn't noticed. But I forgot that when I post as Laurie, then some other Laurie surfaces - the evil Laurie! Oh well. Such is life on message boards!
I didn't like Tanya Tucker's show so much because of her son and friend
I thought it was too staged. Kind of like Gotti show with those irritating sons. Very depressing how fat Tanya has gotten. I don't think her daugher Presley has talent. Well you can see I watched it, but it kind of made me cringe.
Well, I looked & looked but did not find it. Maybe tomorrow!
`
Thanks, Lisa! (sm)

 


I was pretty sure it wasn't illegal, since I signed all this paperwork and they did a credit check and everything to issue me the overdraft protection insurance, but it's nice to hear it from someone "in the know".  Thanks for the reply! 


On a Halloween sugar high, back from Trick or Treating with the kiddos, back to work and hoping I actually get paid for it.... 


(Sending out about 12 resumes tomorrow....)


 


Yes, you can Lisa if you look :o]

For instance if you have applied to a smaller company and they've filled the spots, you can offer assistance in the future with a backlog or to cover vacations.  Keeps ya' networked, plus gives you some extra cash.  If I had anything that I needed help with that is what I would do.  I don't see anything wrong with advertising for temp/vacation help.  Why not?  Sounds like a way to meet quality transcriptionists that you can count on.  The other ideas posted here are good, too, but if you need a vacation then you just need a vacation.  Taking work on vacation just doesn't seem like much fun to me.  I wish more people would network in this fashion, but I think there are people out there that might try to steal your accounts, so you might want to be very careful.  JMO.  Thankfully, I have not had that happen. 


Hi Lisa
I do not think that this is the trend, but have seen a few companies who are doing this. In a way, it makes sense because then you are getting paid for airtime and all the BS like conversations with staff, etc. that you would normally have to listen to and not get paid for. Most folks that I've seen post here on the subject would not do it for less than $1.00 per minute, but it really is about how long it takes you to type it (obviously) and how much your time is worth to you. Since a general figure of how long it takes to type 60 minutes of dictation, from what I've heard and experienced, is about 3-4 hours, at 0.67 cpm that would work out to about 10.05 to 13.40 per hour of typing time. Of course, I've had work that I could fly through, and then I've had work that would take longer than the norm, so like everything in this biz, it all depends. Hope that wasn't TMI, since you asked only about the trend thing :)

I also hope you are not talking about losing the account with the flashdrives, as I know that would be really disappointing after what you have done for them.

Have a great night, and a Happy New Year!
MedQuist - Lisa
With your experience, I would have to say it depends on cpl they are willing to offer you. I know of many companies that are generous in cpl due to the number of years of experience. I agree with earlier posting about it depending on if you get a good supervisor. The raises are not much to be desired, you will have to fight for one in the far, far future. Again, with your experience, don't settle for anything less than what you feel is fair. Worse case scenario, if you don't like the job, move on to another company until you find a job you do like. I don't think anyone can answer this ? for you.
Lisa - subcontractor
There have been people here who would like just a little extra.  If you get the account and once you are settled, why don't you put your need on the board.  You might find some bites.  Some people like to do a little extra.  Of course if it is something digital you could even go away from your state.  Just a thought.  I happen to enjoy helping others when on vacation.  It has worked for me in the past as well when I needed a vacation .
I would love to help if I can, Lisa....sm
I love to help newer MTs, because back when I first became an IC, I was so shaky, I had my first two babies at home, my husband was gone most of the time for work, and this ANGEL that I met on another message board happened to see one of my questions and since she lived in my state and my area, and she had been doing MT for many years, we hooked up....she was so wise, and so helpful, and we became really good friends until she had to move to Italy with her husband. Also, if you are doing IC independently, I found so much info from my local SBA (Small Business Administration), they will actually let you know the laws of the state regarding setting up business, tax laws, tips, and they will just mentor you along in growing a business. Anyway, please feel free to e-mail me anytime, I will help if I possibly can! You'll be great!
Lisa - your 1st post was so optimistic....sm

Lisa:  Your first post was upbeat and optimistic/positive.  Then in walked the panners of MQ.....outside of a few clear realistic posts.  Now, this current post of yours saying something to the effect of *now MQ isn't lookin too good* is indicative that you HAVE, indeed, let the panners influence you.


Again, hopefully you'll get a GREAT supervisor....(not a given) - the supervisors can make it or break it for you...hopefully you get one with NO POWER OR EGO problems!!  I always said, the day my PS leaves, I'm gone!!  *lol*  Good luck to you whichever way you choose! 


 


To Lisa - Going Rate in Area
I would try Career Builders and look for on-site MT jobs in your area and see what the hourly rate is and try to figure how many lines you would do in an hour for this account.  I'm no expert, but that is probably what I would do.  It seems strange to me though that the Nationals pay pretty much the same line rate to their MT's, yet they are all over the US.  Will you have to pick-up/drop-off tapes?  Do you have to print?  If yes to these two questions, bid in the middle to higher range.  If it is all digital and you only have to e-mail the reports back to the office, then maybe consider the low to mid range.  I'm on the East Coast, and the cpl ranges from 10-15 cpl (65 characters with spaces) or anywhere from $13-17 per hour.  I hear though in some other states such as Texas, the going hourly rate is $9-12 per hour, so this would reduce the cpl rate.  I guess it would depend on the type of program you are using.  I only use Word and the line count built in.  I do not have a separate line counter.  I hope Patti has ideas, and she very well may.  I think she said she's in Oregon, so that would be considered West coast, so I'd be anxious to hear what her opinions are on the average rate.  She's pretty knowledgable and from her posts "plays fair".  With all that being said, I think either 13 cpl or 15 cpl depending on the program and method of retrieving dictation and sending back reports once they are transcribed.  Hope this helps!  I tend to get real chatty!  Sorry! 
I hope it was okay to e-mail you Lisa.
NM
Lisa/MT Student (see mssg)
I don't think you would have to pay to place an ad.  See if there is a "Letters to the Editor" section.  If not, it might have to be done the way the doctors do it:  Their papers are submitted to JAMA for consideration of publication.  Even though we MTs are not doctors, it is their work that we are transcribing.  And sometimes (if we're lucky) we even get to transcribe those papers that they are submitting for publication!  I don't think there is a single doctor or medical professor out there that would want their JAMA submission, book manuscript, etc. transcribed by an ESL MT.
Lisa, the truth of the matter is ...
that there *are* actually MT's out there who are still happy in their jobs and who make good money still in this profession. In truth, I still love the *type* of work that I do; it's the rest of what's going on that I'm sick of as well as the downward trend in pay. What we're commenting on here is the *overall* mood, feel, and status of the industry right now ... and my personal belief is that it's not going to get better.

I say hold true to your dream. If you really want to be an MT keep looking for that company that's going to be a good fit for you. It's going to be hard with you being a newbie, but it's still possible. Don't put all your eggs in this one basket though as some of us have done. Keep a back-up job in another industry so that as things continue to degrade on the MT side you'll have a soft cushion to fall back on. Keep reading the boards with an open and critical mind and decide for yourself if the common challenges that you see MT's as a whole facing are of an ilk that you can tolerate.

I hope this helps.
Hi, Lisa. Have you added macros to SM
your Expander yet for many of the common VR changes--such as for backspacing over a comma, adding a period, and capping the first word of the new sentence? How do you drop common words like, say, "she" into a sentence on the run? I hit "k" and in it goes, but I'm off scanning the next line by then and don't actually see it. Do you constantly use your program's function for jumping the cursor to the point of dictation and vice versa (assuming it has one)? This is a big speeder-upper.

And a reality that's hard for some to run into: Editing skills and talents are different than transcribing skills and talents. Reading fast and accurate becomes big. Punctuating fast on the run was always desirable, but it's more significant now as the ability to simply get the letters on paper becomes less so. Are you one of those this work suits or one it doesn't? If yes, keep working on speed. If not, move on sooner rather than later.
Hi, Lisa. Just wondering how the meeting
Hope everything went well!
Hmmm, interesting theory on Lisa. Maybe so, huh?
x
Hey Lisa - I'm from Lyons - give me a shout!
X
Lisa B - my rates and a long message

Again, I am from the old school, old way of counting and have had my accounts for many, many years - some 18 years.  I do the simplest and easiest for me which is just doing gross lines per Word -- which I know counts the spaces but that is how these accounts were started and when I inherited some of them was told to count top to bottom -- but with that in mind -- I keep my rates a little lower.  I am from .11 to 12.5 cpl.  The lowest is for my Psych accounts as they give me 3-5 days turn around and we insert a lot of templates.  The others are internal medicine, surgery, surgical oncology, Plastic/Hand surgery and Dermatology.  I do pick up delivery, print, envelopes, cut apart chart notes but I average $35 to $45 and sometimes over $50 an hour (depends on how many Op's and consults that I have) and cannot see raising my prices.   So I am happy and content.  My pick up and deliveries take me an hour each day (depending on how much I visit with the office staff and docs) and I usually stop at the store or something but it gets me out of the house and I really do not mind that at all.  I figure this into my work day to get my average hourly rate and am still happy with it.  I will probably raise my rates at the end of 2007 but it has been two years.  So with all of that said -- again it depends on your variables -- pick up and delivery, printing, etc.  But for a ballpark figure I would go for 12 cpl for digital and 12.5 to 13 for pick up and delivery knowing that it will take 3 to 6 months to get your average up there while getting to know your docs, etc.  I have used Sylcount for another account and to me that was too cumbersome.   I tell my accounts the simpler, less time consuming we keep it the more savings I can pass onto you.  And yes, they do appreciate me, pay on time, Birthday cards are received, Christmas bonuses received, included in staff parties if I want and the doctors actually talk to me and treat me as a person with a name and joke with me.  Nobody can really answer this question for you as only you know what the account entails, your experience and what you want to make.  You can always raise in a year or after doing it for a while. Good luck, e-mail me if you need any other additional info.   Patti


That's why this is a great Site! Congrats Lisa!
Way to go Lisa
The 1st giveaway had 92 entries with Lisa I. of CA as the winner.

Directly after announcing the first winner, the second hunt began.  There is indeed an I FOUND IT message posted and will be awarded over the weekend. 


GOOD LUCK!


Lisa, you make a very good point. sm
I guess I should have been a little more specific. If ALL MTs were to go on "strike" and not accept the low wages these MTSO's are offering, they eventually would HAVE to offer a decent wage we can live on. But, the other side of the coin is, if the MTS WOULD STRIKE, then the MTSO's would no doubt just hire those non-U.S. MTs anyway, because that is the reason in the first place they are paying so little. The U.S. MTs have no support, that's for sure. (and I apologize for the misspelling of a word in my previous post.)
Congratulations! Lisa I. of California on winning the first dinner!

Email to admin@mtstars.com with your full mailing address and your choice of restaurant and we will send out your gift card immediately.


Thank you for playing MTStars Fall Scavenger Hunt!


Administrator
MTStars


CONGRATS to Lisa R. of Wolcott, NY on winning the $10 gift certificate
/
I don't think he looked
like a drug addict. It is just a look. I loved his singing and cannot get that song "Trees" out of my head. He did not look too disappointed when he did not get selected, perhaps cuz he knew he is creating his own success on his own.
I have looked.
If you're offended, don't read it. It's great that your job is going so well. Mine isn't. They overhired yet again. We're all either out of work or bouncing from one account to another. Why should I lose my house and have my kids go without Christmas because their management is too ignorant to properly staff? I would be making more money at Burger King because I'm not even getting minimum wage now. Don't even tell me it's because I'm not a good MT. I got 100% on my last QA, I do ESLs, I do acute and clinic. Ah, but that's what it's like around here. Any time someone is down, people kick them down further by blaming the victim of bad management. I am worth at least 3x minimum wage and then some, but how am I supposed to quit my job 10 days before Christmas?
We looked into it
I am at a small company and we looked into the Fusion Voice, but they wanted something like $18,000 to start us off.  For a small company, no way!  They wanted us to start off with everything new.  We already were using DVI, but they wouldn't or didn't want to, just license the software for us to use on the DVI system.  I also tried to find people that had it, but it does not seem to be a popular system as compared to others.  Why I don't know.  Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
I just looked under the bed....not there! nm
x
I looked into it a little bit...(sm)
And while I think it is probably legit, they are mostly surveys that either get your name into some type of sweepstakes, or you would have to do an awful lot of them to make any money. I could be wrong, so if anyone else out there is making decent money off these, please correct me...


Yes, I looked at those :)
I am going to apply to TRS and Webmedx tonight, as well as put my resume up on the board. I have a friend at those places and she recommended them to me. TY!!
Just looked...
...at their website...sounds very interesting!  What has your experience been with them?  How much do they charge you for advances?
I looked over it
mainly I was wondering if there were any other programs that could do it (for cheaper :O))

I reckon I'll have to save my pennies! :)
I have looked into this, but . .

In my part of the country: 


The training is 2 years.  You must pass with 95% accuracy these tests:   225 wpm 2-voice testimony, 200 wpm jury charge and 180 wpm literary.  Must do 40 hours of actual writing time during internship and submit 40 pages of transcript and a written narrative to get your degree. 


Also, you must invest in your own stenography equipment, $2,000+ (could go quite a bit higher depending on equipment).


Then you must do 2 years with a legal group. 


Then you can apply for a courthouse job after that (that's how my courthouse in a decently large city does it).


Then after you do 2 years of courthouse experience, the closed captioning company will take your application for consideration of hiring and "transitioning."  


Closed capitioning for live capitioning (news, sports, etc.) I am pretty sure those people can work at home. 


But if you want to do movies, etc., that is done in house.  At least in my neck of the woods this is how they do it and what I was told by someone at the company over the phone. 


I doubt that you can go straight into closed captioning from school--I am pretty sure that they want you to have pretty much courtroom experience and be pretty well versed with the steno machine. 


If you can make it, it seems like a pretty lucrative career.  I looked into it many years ago and went into med transcription instead.  Could kick myself now. 


Have had a couple friends who were court reporters, the machine seems it would take quite a while to master with any efficiency.  You know, it reminds me of the alpha-hand I took many many years ago.  But again, you would have to practice, practice, practice, and really enjoy what you are working towards. 


I just interviewed last week with a court reporting school and then with the local college to check out their court reporting course.  The court reporting school said as long as you get up to the 225 per minute speed, you can finish a little early, about 18 months. But not so with my local college, you must do the entire 2 years and classes only start once a year. 


Interestingly, I was told there is an 80% drop-out rate.  It is pretty tough going. 


I changed my mind about going this route, wasn't interested in the courthouse work, wanted to go straight to closed capitioning, but it sounds as though that is not possible.  I don't have 6 years to spend for school and experience.  


Then I have been reading on the internet that they are starting to get rid of the court reporters in a couple states and replacement them with the audio/video recorders that the courthouses already have in place.  So that doesn't sound to good to me.  Not sure how accurate that method would be for record keeping, but we all know with offshoring has done to the quality/accuracy of medical reports. 


Still thinking of what I should do instead now.   


Good luck to you.  Again, this is in my neck of the woods, could be different where you are.   


I looked into doing this myself - sm
I have decided againist it for a number of reasons.  First, I would be repeating a lot of subjects I already took for MT 10 years ago.  Second, the pay around where I live is about HALF of what I currently make as an MT.  Third, and the real decider for me, is that after I complete MA school I would be qualified as an MT, which is exactly what I am trying to get away from - argh!!  Nah, this is not for me. 
Hugs to you! I looked everywhere.
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Never looked at that way, but maybe that's just why it works for me.
nm
HAH!! I need some sleep - I looked right over it..
x
I looked at the web site.
Looks inviting and I might look into it more later. My dh is worried about me for worrying too much about this and wants me to rest. LOL. I was just wondering if they always have work available and how flexible they are. My old job said we had a 12 hour work window to get production in then they changed their minds on that and we have to get it all in 8 hours and forget to tell you the new policy until your already in trouble. I can get up to 1500 to 1700 in 8 hours if I stay focused but with the end of my pregnancy it was hard with back pain, rib pain and I was making what I thought was production which was a little over 1100 a day to get their 1000 a day by their figuring “sigh”

I am due 9/25 and am taking 6 weeks maternity leave. I thought I would look into something then as now I would hate to get hired on somewhere then take maternity leave 3 weeks later KWIM.
Well let's see, 216 so far have looked at the message
and only 3 of you are complaining so I guess YOU are out numbered.  Go get a sense of humor.
Thanks for the info. We have actually looked
in the Destin area too. It is just so beautiful there. I would love to live by the beach. I would be there everyday. My husband actually hates living near the water and said he never would. Now it is me dragging my feet. I love the newness about it, etc., but I hate to leave my family, especially my mom. I am really all she has here. She can take care of herself, but the emotional part you know. I have actually lived across the street from her for the past 7 years. She has already come to terms with us moving, but not to another state! I have lived in Houston my whole life and actually have only been out of Texas once. My kids have had her there their whole lives. They have been surrounded by family, and that has always been very important to me since I did not have that growing up. When we move, we will not know anyone. I guess it is just pretty scary. At least we will be moving to a great area though. Thanks for all the help.
I have looked at a lot of those photos before and I
thinking maybe it had something to do with the type - brand/style implant, or the amount of fat the breast had to begin with to cover up the shape, or SOMETHING.  But I would just die if I ended up with round things instead of breasts!
I just checked it out and it looked like (sm)

a "return to work" site to get people off disability and working.


They want you to sign up with a state worker to help you with vocational rehabilitation and get you back to work?  That's what I read.  And also they want you to work 30 hours a week with the telephone jobs.  That would be almost full-time, persons on permanent disability are not allowed to work that much.


When I looked into nursing ...
When I looked into nursing, you had to get at least your LPN or RN training at a real school where you could get the hands-on training. The part you could do on-line would be the more advanced book parts, like getting your BS or masters.
Wish I had not looked. Too depressing. nm
nm
Just looked it up to see what the average is now. sm
The middle 50% of RNs earns 43,700-63,000. So you know the beginning ones are still in the 30s. Might sound good or might not. For me, it wasn't enough for something I wasn't enjoying at all.

I'm not loving the MT world, but I'm loving the freedom, and it's letting me have the flexibility to finish college for something else I actually enjoy.

If you do find you love nursing, there are lots of areas to go into. Just know it may take many years to get there. Specializing usually takes more schooling past the RN.
I realized that when I looked at the
She has tons of wigs and I've seen her with those styles through the years! We just don't know how many stars are wearing wigs and hair weaving! 
I looked into it and our number is still
registered as do not call, has been since 2003, but (and I did not know this part) it expires in 2010. I am glad I saw that. Thanks again!!
I have looked around and the range for pay is
.60-.75 and the range to charge if you own customer is .80-.95. Sad but true :(
I thought he looked ill actually.
nm
I looked into that, but I need a system that will...
automatically route work to my MTs.

Thank you for the suggestion though!
I was curious so I looked it up...(sm)

This is fascinating.  I have never seen or heard of this.  See a pic...


 


http://www.vrbo.com/29508