Thanks, what was left of my sanity has been...

>>>How darn hard it is to quit.  I have tried everything.  Patches, gum, Wellbutrin, Zyban, cold turkey, etc.

You had the dream, but you didn't have the drive. You have to want it badly enough to stick with it NO MATTER WHAT.

I'm talking from personal experience as a former 2-1/2 pack per day smoker.

Last cigarette was May 6th, 1992. Quit cold turkey.

Think of them as arrows on a number line.

<__5__6__7__8__> 

If the arrow is pointing right, it's greater than.  If the arrow is pointing left, it's less than.  Think L (left) for Less than.

you need to basically double your production in order to break even with what you earned before by transcribing.  And they're doing VR with the better dictators so only the worst dictators are left.  And yes, they overhire, as well.

I'll never go with a national again.  Was the worst experience I ever had.  Give me a smaller company any day.  They seem to treat people better. 

wanna come visit and have some truffles?  *lolol*  Congrats to your DAUGHTER!!!!  Smart cookie she is!! 

My daughter has a beau for 6 years now and they are engaged and very serious.  It's MOM (me) who questions *if it isn't broken, don't fix it* - *LOL* - but I'm 200 percent behind them and am very supportive.....I just FEAR marriage (after one very_long bad experience) and yet I try not to put that on her.  *grin*

Well you and I are about 15 miles apart....just a hop, skip, and a jump for you, eh?  *HAHAHAHAHA*

Be well, sugar!!!    

job at a doctor's office and it has been a DREAM job.  No more worries about line counts, learning new dictators all the time, switching accounts, etc.  Dont be nervous that you have not been to a job interview in a long time.  Just relax and be yourself.  Remember, a job interview works both ways.  You are interviewing a potential employer just as much as they are interviewing you. .... So go get that nice outfit out of the closet, polish your shoes and go for it!!!  Good Luck.

Please let us know how it goes.

what they are comfortable with (of course also what the parents can handle too).  My son has to be limited to 1 sport at a time along with his guitar lessons.  Anymore than this at a time stresses him out and I know this.  He makes mostly A's with his occasional B.  (He is 9 years old.)

In saying that though, I have an 8-year-old daughter who prefers to be very, very busy.  She is also an A&B student  She run CC track, does ballet, on a competition cheer team and gymnastics and is wanting to add a dance class.  For an 8yo though she is very good at time management.  She starts her homework on the bus and takes it with her to work on between classes some nights.  She has been at the same dance studio for years and they know how she is, so she goes and sits behind the front desk to do whatever she feels she needs to do.

I guess what I am saying is this...  Your child will let you know if it is too much or not enough.  Just give them the chance to make the decision and not have you do it for them.

I'm a big bad virtual monster that is scaring off would-be MTs and posters too afraid to post their questions cause I might chew them up and spit them out?  Listen, this is a discussion forum, opinions will fly around here and before you post you should be prepared for that.  I don't have the time or the patience to coddle every shrinking violet that comes along. 

If you post a question or ask for advice, expect to get it and expect that not everyone is going to say what you want to hear.  Be an adult and accept that there will be disagreements and use that as a basis to form your own opinion. 

Furthermore, the only character assassinations I have seen on this board are from you attacking me.  You don't like me, I get that and I don't care.  See how easy that was?  I'm not going to whine about how rude you are or email my virtual buddies and talk about how awful you are because I know what this forum is about and I accept that there will be disagreement and debate.  I comprehend the fact that my opinions may not go over well with some and may even make others mad.  So what?

This forum is an outlet.  A place to vent, to get advice, state opinions, ask questions, give answers or just conversate.  My every happiness does not depend on the people I talk to on this board.  My mood isn't affected when someone calls me rude.  At the end of the day, I shut off my PC and I attend to my family.  Whatever went on at MTStars today is forgotten in the instant it takes to click "shut down." 

Sheesh! 

so I think I'll post on all of them and then make up my own!!   When you've worked for nearly 4 years in an office and you're the only man, you learn how to take instruction pretty quickly! (Well for me, it took way to long, I'm a slow student)  (drumroll please?)

Seriously, though, sm I've garnered enough advice from the "three boards" to get a good picture of what I want to do. I'll just take the plunge and see what happens. I'm still keeping my day job so no worries about stability.  

I was making $13.65 an hour.  They were matching a 401K contribution up to 6%.  I had great health benefits, 3 weeks vacation (I was there for 15 years), and there were other perks as well.  I did not have to meet a quota in regards to line count, etc.  I was not working production.  I just did all that I could get done in an 8-hour period with breaks and lunch.  I knew it was going to be outsourced, so I left for that and personal reasons as well.  I think you're making the right decision. 

If the paycut is that big of an issue, you may be able to find a company that you could do p.r.n. or part-time.  Sometimes a smaller MTSO likes people for back-up.  Just a thought.  I'm on the east coast.