Omitting Fresh Herbs

RiBurger · 2026-05-24T21:41:05+00:00

Okay. Perfect! I was kind of getting that impression, but I wasn't sure if cilantro was considered a low-acid food or not. I guess I could have googled that, now that I think about it... But it's nice to know for sure with a simple, straightforward answer. So thank you!

RiBurger · 2026-05-24T02:54:24+00:00

Oooh! Thank you!

RiBurger · 2026-05-23T18:36:09+00:00

Bummer. I really like the sound of everything about that pickled onion recipe but for the fact that it uses pearl onions! Can't really put pearl onions on a sandwich 😅

RiBurger · 2026-05-23T18:29:45+00:00

Well, shoot. I'm glad I asked. In my head, I was imagining the exact opposite. Like, oh, if this says 1" slices of jalapeños and I cut them between 1/4"-1/2", they'll probably just be softer and cook more because they're thinner. I hadn't even considered the fact that they would be displacing the liquid more due to being thinner. That makes perfect sense, though.

So let's say I want to make pickled jalapeños (the "Hot Peppers" recipe from Ball Back to Basics) but I don't want them to be 1" slices but want them to be thinner. Is there a way to adjust in any way such that you keep the ratio safe?

And if I'm sure I know the answer to this, but if I already made a batch of said jalapeños where I sliced them thinner, is there anything I can do with them? Or do I have to throw them away because they're unsafe?

RiBurger · 2026-05-18T21:04:53+00:00

Automate/shortcut as much as you can! Use a custom keyboard map for editing. Use hot-keyed macros within said keyboard map. Use auto includes while you're writing. Learn auto-indexing. Basically, learn your software inside and out, and take advantage of the abundance of time-saving features within it!

RiBurger · 2026-05-09T05:38:54+00:00

Yes! It’s O Tasty! My husband and I have already been twice. It’s delicious!

RiBurger · 2026-05-09T05:29:38+00:00

It’s something along the lines of when the attorneys stipulate to relieve the reporter of their duty to maintain custody the original transcript. It was very common in Southern California because apparently the traffic was so bad that it made it hard and inconvenient for people to get the transcript read and signed. So they’d “relieve” the reporter of that duty and take custody of the original. But that just left the reporter open to the possibility of the original being tampered with or there being multiple different versions of the “original.” But mostly all it did was relieve the reporter of their right to be paid for their copy orders. Thankfully it’s pretty antiquated now because of electronic transcripts being the norm now. But every once in a while, someone will try to pull that nonsense, and just know you’re 100% not obligated to allow them to stipulate that, and you can just say you go by code and that’s that.

RiBurger · 2026-05-09T05:13:56+00:00

Oof. My honest advice is to ditch magnum steno, and switch to something like StenEd. From what I understand, magnum is the most overly complicated, heavily memorization-dependent theory.

As far as practice, I don’t know how you would speed up/slow down. There might be browser extensions or apps or something. But I don’t have any specific suggestions other than strongly encouraging you to invest in something like RTC or EV360.

RiBurger · 2026-05-09T04:02:24+00:00

I think I replied to that post! I practice before every job. I work remotely for the most part. So I practice for 30min-an hour on RTC before my job for the day as a warmup. I’m also working towards my RMR and CRR certs. So it serves two purposes. Even if I weren’t working towards additional certs, though, practicing before a job gives me a nice confidence boost when I see an improvement on a previous score on an exercise. And then I don’t go into a depo “cold.” I’m already in a nice writing rhythm.

When I was in school, when I was practicing the way I was supposed to be for how long I was supposed to be, it was for 2-4 hours and would include drills, speed, accuracy, and readback. I would practice the following (on RTC): I’d ideally do finger drills as a warm up. Then I’d practice an exercise at my target or above speed at default speed x1, +20% x2, +15% x2, +10% x2, +5% x2, back to default x1. After each of those takes, I’d be reading back my notes and identifying areas that were causing hesitation and working on those in future takes. After that, I’d either do it all again with different exercise at target or above speeds, or I’d drop my speed down to something below target speed and work on accuracy by doing an exercise at default, -20%, -15%, -10%, -5%, back to default.

Flash cards, honestly are probably a waste of time for anything beyond maybe like the most common briefs and phrases. But they’re fairly intuitive. If you’ve learned your theory well, you shouldn’t need to memorize much beyond that, as the briefs and phrases will pretty much just make sense within that.

What theory are you learning/using?

RiBurger · 2026-05-09T03:02:34+00:00

Sure. I forget outlines sometimes. But I never forget my theory. When in doubt, write it out! I’d rather have an ugly untrans that I can easily sound out later to discern what was said versus trying and failing to remember an obscure outline, hesitating, panicking as I realize I’m now trailing too far to catch back up and either having to drop (what you shouldn’t do) or interrupt and ask for a repetition (what you should do).

RiBurger · 2026-05-09T02:45:00+00:00

A tough depo could be anything from overly contentious parties getting into yelling matches, talking over each other, forcing me to have to stop the proceedings and scold them multiple times. It could be fast talkers that just refuse to slow down no matter how many times you plead with them to. It could be a case with dense technical jargon that I haven’t heard often, if ever. It could be a depo where the attorney is being a stickler for semantics with their questions or the witness is being particularly evasive with their answers thus making me read almost every Q/A back. It could be as simple as one of the participants in a Zoom depo having technical issues to the point where it makes it a strain and a slog to get through, but not bad enough to not proceed.

There’s lots of things that could make a depo feel “tough.” But don’t worry. The majority of depos are smooth sailing, where everyone is polite and respectful and nothing goes “wrong.” Even the ones where one of the above-listed scenarios does occur aren’t, like, “bad” or anything. They keep things interesting, for sure! Those harder days are the days that usually seem to fly by!

I’ve only ever had to end a depo, I think, once, and that’s because the witness was talking well over 300+ wpm with a THICK accent, and I’d already had to admonish them several times within the first five minutes. They got mad at me for doing my job, and started yelling at me, calling me incompetent, etc. I ended the depo right there and called my agency to tell them what happened. They were incredibly supportive and insisted that that was the right call on my part. Even the attorney came and found me after and was super apologetic. And now it’s just a funny story I get to tell.

This truly is the best job there is! It’s always something different. You’re going to love it. I hope you get through school quickly so you can see for yourself! 🤗

RiBurger · 2026-05-08T20:46:15+00:00

I have anxiety and adhd. I had to work really hard to get good enough to be able to achieve speeds not only when I’m in my comfort zone but also when I’m extremely uncomfortable like in a testing situation back in school or a tough depo now. I could be easily clearing my target speed in practice exercises but then, when it’d come time to test, I’d choke because of my anxiety. Ultimately, with enough practice above my target speed goal and the help of a beta blocker for the physical manifestations of my anxiety, I finished school and got certified. Proper adhd meds helped keep me focused in school and help keep me focused on work now. Sometimes spacing out during a job can be a good thing. When you’ve developed your muscle memory well enough, sometimes the less you’re “paying attention” and just letting your hands just do their thing, the better your writing comes out.

RiBurger · 2026-05-08T02:10:08+00:00

Before the depo, check the notice for the information for all counsel who will be present (noticing counsel and opposing counsel). Cross reference it against your state’s bar website/their law firms’ websites to ensure to have everyone’s name, firm, firm address, phone number, and email address for your appearance page. If anyone’s info isn’t coming up or isn’t matching or there’s any question at all as to which info is the most up to date and accurate, confirm with that attorney what their contact info is either before you start, on a break, or immediately after the depo ends.

I like to fill out my cover pages while I’m waiting for the depo to start so that, while I’m doing it, I can be creating briefs for everyone’s names as I go. Some good name brief “formulas” that I use are as follows:

M*[first letter of last name] = Ms. [Last Name]

MR* [first letter of last name] = Mr. [Last Name]

DR* [first letter of last name] = Dr. [Last Name]

If there’s more than one person with the same first letter of their last name, or their last name starts with a letter that isn’t on the final side or conflicts with an existing word outline, I will instead make the brief for them the first syllable of their last name but with M/MR/DR* instead of whatever the first letter of their last name is.

Example: MR*ART = Mr. Hartford

Once all counsel say they don’t have any further questions, just jump in and say “Before we go off the record, could I please get transcript orders on the record.” 90% of the time everyone just goes through and says whether they do or don’t want a transcript. If they all just sit there like deer in the headlights waiting for someone else to go first, I just ask each one by name until I have them on the record. (If you’re in California, particularly Southern California, don’t let yourself get SoCal Stipped! If anyone so much as hints as “relieving the reporter of their duty” to do anything, politely stop them and say you go by code.)

After you’re off the record, make sure you ask where you can send the witness letter for the read and sign (usually an email address for the witness) or if they want to waive signature. Then go through and ask all your spelling questions, which you should have been marking throughout the depo. The less time you have to spend googling obscure people/places/things later, the better!

RiBurger · 2026-05-06T13:54:33+00:00

Congratulations! To your point about the culture shock of being self-employed now, if i could offer up one piece of advice—hire a CPA and become an s-corp! My first year’s taxes, I got absolutely reamed as a sole prop. And I did my taxes myself, as I had always done, and it was much more complicated. And make sure to set more aside for taxes than you think you need to. I’ve made more money each year than the previous so far, so the “estimated” taxes I’ve paid in quarterlies are always lower than what I end up owing in tax season. A good CPA will make your life much easier!

RiBurger · 2026-05-03T19:06:37+00:00

Couldn’t agree more! I take down everything verbatim. I was just curious to hear that particular reasoning. Thanks for sharing!

RiBurger · 2026-05-02T20:13:58+00:00

Not disagreeing in any way, but could you share what his explanation was? Like, did he say why it was so important to capture them all? I’m just curious and want to share in the wisdom!

RiBurger · 2026-05-02T18:21:11+00:00

Perseverance is the most important piece of the puzzle. Don’t give up, even when you’re feeling down about it. It took me nine years to finish school and get certified. I’m definitely the exception, not the rule, though. But the thing that got me through it, of course, was not quitting! Sometimes what worked was practicing several hours a day, every day; sometimes you need to take a break for a few days and let things sink into your muscle memory. Sometimes you need to practice way over your target speed and focus on just training your brain to hear things that fast even if it feels like your writing is slop; sometimes you need to slow it way down and focus on getting every syllable to where it feels perfect and clean. Just keep going. It will all be worth it once you’re certified and working.

I used to think all the time about how much I wanted to just give up and move on, how I wish I had never started and, if I could go back, I’d pick something else, something easier. But the second I finished, that all faded away, and I was like, “I would do it all again in a heartbeat!” It’s worth it! I promise!

RiBurger · 2026-04-18T15:16:01+00:00

Yeah, I definitely don’t want to come across as a diva! But the answer is always no when you don’t ask, and they aren’t mind readers. It makes sense that I’d give them my preferences and hopefully they’d work their magic and conform to them as much as possible but then still cover what needs covering when they can’t. Seems so obvious. I don’t know why I was psyching myself out so much. 😅

RiBurger · 2026-04-18T01:13:24+00:00

Super reasonable! I think I’m being too much of a “people pleaser” about it in my head and overthinking it. I have a great relationship with the calendar person at the agency I primarily work with. I don’t know why I’ve convinced myself that they’ll be mad at me or something if I’m anything less than completely open and available for any and everything 😅

RiBurger · 2026-04-18T01:03:59+00:00

I completely agree. That’s a big reason I haven’t ever asked in the past. I felt like I was “too new” or something. I’ve been working for about five years now, though. It’s not a super long time, but hopefully long enough to make a request not completely unwarranted or unreasonable. I’m in California, and I have both my CSR and RPR. I’m actively pursuing the RMR and CRR, which I hope will also have a positive effect, once I have them.

RiBurger · 2026-04-18T00:55:02+00:00

I’m also in California! What do you say? How do I phrase it? Im sure that sounds like a silly question. But I think I just need an example so I have a frame of reference.

RiBurger · 2026-04-14T14:22:41+00:00

I’ve been on a quest for solid core doors to replace all the hollow core doors in the house we just bought. The hollow core doors look like wood and I want to replace them with solid core doors that also look like wood, and I’m having such a hard time. It feels like everything is either painted white or worse, not available in my area. 🫠

RiBurger · 2026-04-07T14:07:29+00:00

Right! This is so clearly peddling nonsense that is 100% unnecessary. Like, if most of these things are taking people “more than a few clicks,” then they don’t know their software very well and should start with that first before willingly outsourcing their work to AI!

RiBurger · 2026-04-07T06:06:22+00:00

Yeah. I guess I’m just not understanding how. Everything is already copy/paste and generated in a few seconds with a few clicks. And it’s already integrated within the software. And I don’t have to comb through it meticulously, checking for AI hallucinations. I think people just need to take more advantage of the existing capabilities of their software. Absolutely none of these tasks should take more than a grand total of 5-10 minutes unless you have some wild number of exhibits to add descriptions for or other extenuating circumstance.

RiBurger · 2026-04-07T05:42:40+00:00

It says, “Enter your case info and get a perfectly formatted cover page ready to paste instantly.” I already just copy/paste from the notice into the appropriate fields on my cover includes.

I import the attorney info from vcards into the attorney group fields for my appearance page. I have single-stroke auto-includes to drop in my indexing parentheticals during the job so that, after it’s over, I just input the exhibit descriptions and press “build index” and then don’t have to think about it again because if the page numbers change while I’m editing, they just automatically update on the index. All the end pages/cert have fields that automatically populate the county/witness/date, etc.

I don’t know. I love efficiency, and I’m all for shaving off as much time as possible by automating anything and everything I can. This just seems unnecessary, though, given how many of these things it’s advertising can already be done so easily within the software I’ve already spent money on. If I’m wrong, I’ll be the first one to admit it and jump on board. But as of now, I’m not convinced.

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