I'd have loved tapes when I started...we used belts! nm
Posted By: TechSupport on 2009-03-25
In Reply to: I can't testify to the steno pads - TravelinMT
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Belts, then regular cassette tapes...
then mini, then micro...an IBM Selectric then magnetic cards, then magnetic tapes...those were the days! 
I started in the 60s, before belts even. SM
We used wax records and had a press to smooth out the grooves and reuse them. The stat machine was down at the switchboard and we used to walk down and get our records a couple of times a day. We were using Royal typewriters, four carbons, all different colors with carbon paper and different colored liquid paper. We had two reference books, Dorlands and a red surgical book, which I still have somewhere.
yes, loved tapes - longer turnaround, no one
no one watching through your computer or over your shoulder, work at leasure, pleasure - and yes, pay was better. Still done in compute and copied to floppy.
sniff...I was a real person with a life who was nice to others.
I started on a mag card in 1975 (loved it!)... and (s/m)
then in subsequent jobs used a Selectric & correction paper, or correction tape.
When Liquid Paper dame along, it made doing reports with 4 carbons behind the original a lot easier, though not necessarily less messy! I also found out I was slightly allergic to carbon paper! It makes me itch & sneeze. When I arrived at my current job in '80, my office-mate had been at it since the late 40's/early 50's. Back then, she said she actually took her notes LIVE, sitting in front of the doctor while he talked. (We all had alot more time back then!) She took her notes in shorthand (remember shorthand?), and then went back to her desk and transcribed them. So that was even 'way before ANY kind of recorded dictation!
Then we got Correcting Selectrics. Nice, but not NEARLY as much memory as the Mag-Card, where you could just keep on shoving those cards in for an unlimited amount of memory.
At one service I worked for, we had state-of-the-art "Lexitrons". I loved those, too. The memory was on cassettes - like the kind you play music on. Each cassette had 15 empty pages on it. We had some for "normals", others for entirely transcribed reports. The printers were pretty primitive... they typed with keys, just like a typewriter. And they only went ONE direction, then the carriage would return! You also couldn't type while it was printing. Finally they got an upgrade where it printed both forward & backward, and we could type while that was going on. We thought we had joined the Space-Age at that point!
Eventually we got an IBM computer for my office. It had a tiny screen, so you could only see 1/2 the page or less at a time. At that time Wang was the most popular computer/software, but they still wanted an IBM because they were familiar with the name.
Then I changed offices within the SAME organization, and it was back to a Selectric again!
Many years, computer and software changes later, we now have Dells and a powerful word processing system. And oh, yes: Now we have strained necks, carpal tunnel syndrome, thumb & neck splints, ergonomic work stations, sore backs, fat butts, etc., etc., etc.! Something we never worried about back in school, when we used the old manual typewriters with manual carriage returns!
I totally loved Instant Text from the moment I started using it.
I imported my Expanders from my PRD that I used in WP5.1 so that I didn't have a great learning curve. You can import a lot of different programs expansions so that you can use what you're used to. The other part of the program I truly like is the ability to make compilations from files of reports that I've already type. IT makes the lists for me of phrases that are often used in the reports. IT is less profitable to use if you're just expanding words. Why exactly are you expanding entries that you don't intend? Guess I don't understand.
MRC, wow. I loved that place. I started in 1992 and like you was a "newbie" at that time. SM
I had only worked at one large hospital before doing mostly radiology. I loved MRC until it merged with TL then became MQ. Things only went downhill after that.
belts
Same here. Then went to IBM MTST (sort of like a computer. It was huge and had a desk of its own. I could not even use one now if it existed. To me, it went down when the big companies tried to take over more and more hospitals. When the small companies or individuals had it things were much better. Also they were on tapes. I used to drive up to 120 miles for one hospital to pick up overflow. Yes, I would love to go back! Even then you never knew when you would have work or some one would undercut you, but it was better.
LOL. Used those belts in 1978. sm
IBM Selectric III and everyone fighting over corrective tape. One PDR, Dorland's, and Sloane's Medical Word Book for the whole office. No such thing as school and a wide variety of medical terminology books.
I remember the belts. Dictation was clearer on those than sm
the cell phone and/or digital garbage available today.
My first job out of high school, we had those belts. That was in 1964. Whoa!!
Vinyl belts. Thanks for the memory, Mine was legal, but all the same.
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Geeze, I remember the wax belts, and the red surgical book that was waxy, too! nm
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I did legal transcription using the old vinyl belts. A LONG time ago. LOL
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OMG I did too!!! Remember the raunchy equipment and "blue belts". People these days should
.
In the "old days" of dictation on vinyl belts, the quota was do to 15 minutes an hour. sm
To me, it seems realistic, but then again, each situation is different. On account I know, I can usually do 30 minutes an hour, although being money-oriented and paid by the line, I usually gauge things by lines. I do 250-300 lph, but those little dinky reports ARE an irritation -- no argument there -- hardly enter the header info and *poof* the dictation is over. Would be hard to make a decent line count that way.
But ... surely your employers understand there are variations on such things. Maybe you average 8.9 one month and 12 the next ... I would think it would even out.
Anyway, i'm into that gray zone where I know nothing about, but I wish you good luck. To me, in the days when I was supervisor, if I knew someone was doing the best they could do, that was all that mattered to me.
I LOVED IT. . . .
And had to forward it to all my "crabby" friends.
I loved my cat too and still do
I had to put my 18-plus year old cat to sleep 2 months ago. She was with me since she was born. She had end-stage renal failure and for a year I had to give her three times weekly infusions of Ringer's. She was actually really healthy right up until the end though and used to boss the other 2 youngsters around. I miss her every day. She went with me back and forth across the country. I know exactgly how you feel.
I did and loved it - sm
She came every other week and charged $15 and hour. She would spend 4 hours and she was a white tornado in those 4 hours let me tell you. I loved, loved, loved having her.
Unfortunately, i had to let her go when i moved into rehabbers paradise. No sense in paying someone to fight a losing battle until rehabbing is over say in about 10 years :(
We did that too, my 2 loved it too! - nm
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My mom loved them and had many of them -nm
throughout the years, so I grew up with them. They are nice, though I put my hair in a pony tail so I can see. Started out with an old Plymouth in the 60s and ended with a 2003 BMW Z4 (very nice). They only time it was a drag was in an unexpected rain storm, though now you just push a button and the top goes back on....until her corvette (1 car before the BMW) we had to do it manually, so stop the car, pull up the top, lock, etc. Also in the summer, very hot seats...carry towels so you don't scald off the skin on the back of your thighs, butt and back, though cloth seats would help with that problem, and obviously don't leave anything in the car you wouldn't mind losing (i.e. stolen or blown away). They are fun though, I hope to get one myself one day but content myself with driving with all the windows down now. Have fun shopping.
TFS! Loved it
I need that laugh!!
Loved pet...
I had to put down my Andi (poodle mix dog) today. Last night I came home from church and found her on the door step apparently hurt. Brought her to the vet who kept her over night. I went in this morning but she had multiple fractures and had to be put to sleep. I don't think I will get another pet. It's too hard when you lose them.
yes, i saw and loved the
was wondering if the walking tour is only a group tour or is there a map and written directions so that one could walk the tour alone (or with a friend, etc.).
the MT info is good but i am much more interested in NY and seeing it from an *insider's* point of view. i know that is not the purpose of the blog but maybe you could do something on that line regarding NY??
I used to do these too! Loved them! sm
They were long and kind of boring in my opinion, but I made a LOT of $$ and had a GREAT dictator. he was so great, in fact, that he transitioned into doing his work by voice recognition without a hitch. I truly miss that account . . . :(
Loved this. (nm)
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Yes, loved it.....sm
Yes, I used it for several years and loved it. It does not have its own expander, but I used InstantText with it quite successfully. I hardly ever hear of it any more. Do you mind sharing what company still uses it?
Loved it
Who still uses this program???? It was great. Does not have its own Expander but I used Instant Text and it worked great!!
Loved it.
Where did you find it? I am thinking to change mine.
LOVED the job!!!!
I worked for this company a while back & loved the job. I say to anyone out there reading the same rubbish I did, use your own judgement about a person/job and don't let bitter faceless people influence you otherwise - and THEY talked about being rude?!!! If I wasn't forced to give up the vet op work (family reasons), I would never have left! New clinics kept opening every year, and the owner always did her best to keep me informed and made my job as easy as possible! Some people prefer to work for large transcription companies, but I prefer to work for smaller companies, where you are recognized as being an indvidual that is an IMPORTANT member of the team. 
Loved it!
I enjoyed reading this post. I guess it was that punch line that really got to me LOL....
Your real-life doc kinda reminds me of Dr. House on TV, though Dr. House seems to have become more contrite during the last 10 minutes of the season finale.
I've always thought that there could not possibly be real life docs out there like House, at least not ones who would be allowed to see patients, but now I am not so sure.
Have you ever thought of a second career in which you take real-life experiences and fictionalize them, send the scripts to the people who make movies and TV shows? I think you would be very good at that.
LOL! Loved your response...
 the guy would probably burn the whole neighborhood down just to be sure he got the one who did it! I really wished there was something I could do, though. I loved your graphics.. That's exactly what I feel like doing!
I loved it. Very moving.
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I had one when I was inhouse and loved it! sm
I just wish I could afford to get my own right now. It takes a little getting used to, but not too bad and it's soooooo comfortable.
When I used to use Medrite I loved it.
I'm not sure what that person does not like about it. It was extremely easy to use.
Awww I loved her...
she was a great actress and she made me laugh. RIP Shelly.
I loved it!! I feel that way every day!!
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Yes, but then I loved beaded anything and
oh and loved Gunsmoke!! SM.....
http://www.spotlightingnews.com/article.php?news=2132
McCloud" Star Dennis Weaver Died
Burt Reynolds: "He was a wonderful man and a fine actor, and we will all miss him."
American television actor Dennis Weaver best known for his roles as sidekick "Chester Goode" on TV's first "adult Western" Gunsmoke and as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, died Friday, age 81.
Weaver passed away from complications of cancer at his home in Ridgway, in southwestern Colorado, it was reported Monday by his publicist, Julian Myers.
Burt Reynolds, Weaver's co-star in "Gunsmoke" stated: "He was a wonderful man and a fine actor, and we will all miss him."
Weaver was born in Joplin, Missouri to Walter Weaver and Lena Prather. His first role on Broadway came as understudy to Chapman as Turk Fisher in Come Back, Little Sheba.
He eventually took over the role from Chapman in the national touring company. Solidifying his choice to become an actor, Weaver enrolled in The Actors Studio, where he met Shelley Winters.
During this time--the start of his acting career--he supported his family by doing a number of odd jobs, including selling vacuum cleaners, tricycles and women's hosiery.
In 1952, Winters aided him in getting a contract from Universal Studios. He made his film debut that same year in the movie The Redhead from Wyoming. Over the next three years, he played roles in a series of movies, but still had to work odd jobs to support his family.
It was while delivering flowers for one of these jobs that he heard he had landed his biggest break — the role of "Chester" on the new television series Gunsmoke — the highest-rated and longest-running series in TV history (1955 to 1975). He received an Emmy Award in 1959 for Best Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series.
From 1967 to 1969, he appeared on the television show Gentle Ben as Tom Wedloe.
He began appearing on the series McCloud in 1970, for which he received two Emmy Award nominations: in 1974, he was nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series and in 1975, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. His frequent use of the affirming Southernism, "There you go", became a catchphrase for the show.
From 1973 to 1975, he was president of the Screen Actors Guild.
In 1978, he played the trail boss R.J. Poteet in the television miniseries Centennial on the episode titled "The Longhorns". Dennis Weaver also appeared in many acclaimed television films.
In 1980, he played Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was unjustly imprisoned for the Lincoln assassination, in The Ordeal Of Doctor Mudd. In 1983, he played a real estate agent addicted to cocaine in Cocaine: One Man's Seduction. Weaver received probably the best reviews of his career when he starred in the 1987 film Bluffing It, in which he played a man who is illiterate.
In February 2002, he appeared on the animated series The Simpsons (episode DABF07, "The Lastest Gun in the West") as the voice of aging Hollywood cowboy legend Buck McCoy.
For his contribution to the television industry, Dennis Weaver was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6822 Hollywood Blvd, and on the Dodge City Trail of Fame. In 1981, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Thanks for sharing!! Loved them.
t
ABSOLUTELY LOVED NCL......
I think it depends on what you are looking for. I have also been on Celebrity twice. The thing I love about NCL is the Freestyle Cruising. Pre-kids days it was nice to get all fancied up and dressed for dinner. Nowadays I prefer to be very casual and eat whenever I am ready, not at a specific sitting. The other nice thing about NCL is that you do not have to worry about tipping. No figuring $3.50 per person per day for this staff member, and $2.50 per person per day for this staff person. This is all included in the price of the cruise on NCL. We are trying Carnival in June. Hope they are as good. Good Luck
I loved your blog (sm)
What a jolt to reality. Reminded me of things I'd forgotten I liked about this type of work. Too easy to concentrate on the negatives day to day. I have a cat too but he is not as much company as yours seems to be. Nice spot for him by the window--I'm sure he is very content to hang out with you during the day.
thanks...Loved Georgia!...nm
nm
yw....lol Yeah, I loved it!...nm
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I loved Starman nm
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loved his music but I had the.....N/M
HAHA-- LOVED IT!
NO-V8 and it could get up and move! loved it!
nm
LOL! Loved your post ; )
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I agree, I loved it - sm
I used it for quite awhile, then I decided to try the 4000, which is an actual divided keyboard, and now I love that one too, have trouble deciding which one to use! Maybe I'll switch back & forth to break up the monotony. :)
loved your blog
Just finiished reading your blog and I loved it. I also requested you as a friend if you don't mind, cannot wait to read more.
Oh my god my mom LOVED Irma!
I remember the one book...all pages all dog-eared up..."If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, why am I in the Pits" or something like that. That is a total blast from the past!
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!["McCloud" Star Dennis Weaver Died Burt Reynolds:](http://www.spotlightingnews.com/gfx/2132_1.jpg" "\"McCloud\" Star Dennis Weaver Died Burt Reynolds:")
