Connection

Cusp of Spring

I am always in awe
At the resiliency of new life 
that comes after the deep frost
Deep sleep.

There is beauty and innocence,
Hope and encouragement
That that same resiliency is
A source in me
That I can tap into and
Embody when I’m struggling
Or stuck.

There is always hope.
Connection

Full Moon in Libra

I am a Libra
Tonight the full moon is in the sign of Libra
The scales.
It is in my power to balance
And walk down the middle path.

It’s hard to see the middle
When you are acutely suffering.
All the tools get swept away
And become inaccessible.
Just reaching to grasp them
Seems like additional effort.

I am in a holding pattern.
Can I accept that this is my condition
And trust that answers are coming?
To rest a little more while I can?
The final slumber before action.

And it is my choice.
I am not just being thrown about
With the fury of the tide.
I can let go.
Trust that I won’t drown
While I wait for safer shores.

It can be scary
To surrender.
I plan on resting
Until I have some answers.

I will write.
I will be inspired.
I will move gently.
I will accept where I am
Patiently aware
That change is inevitable.


Image from https://foreverconscious.com/libra-full-moon-ritual-april-2023
Connection

Spring

Bird song,
The quiet of winter melts.
The cold grip that clung to the trees
Exhales at winter’s end.

I am wide awake to a yet
Unoccupied Spring
On the cusp,
The verge of new life.

The cycle begins.
The seeds of intention are planted.
I patiently wait to receive
The beauty,
The gifts.

I’m ready for what’s next,
Even while stepping into the unknown.
Connection

The blank page is my refuge (part 2)

The blank canvas
The blank page
The clutter-free desk
The cleared-off cooking space.

The beginning of something not yet created.
The infinite potential
The spark of creativity or action.
To create something
And fill up that space with something new
That never existed.

And that’s why I return 
again and again
to the page:
To a clean space,
To make/create something.

It is the meaning of life.
If we are all creative,
It’s the perfect medium to create.
I can set the tone of my day,
Which sets the tone of my
Creative, connected life.

On full moons,
I always have vivid dreams
And creative insight.
I capture it here.

The page holds all of my fears
And creative dreams.
It makes my creativity a reality.

It is a give and take.
A creative relationship
That I take action toward
And life works.

It works for me.
I feel light
And in a mastery of my life.


Connection

Duality

It’s still pretty dark out.
The morning commuters drive by
And then there are crickets.
That’s a metaphor for life.

It can be a whirlwind of noise and activity.
And it can also be quiet, and it’s welcomed 
And okay to embody that silence.
For it’s not a permanent feature of life.

The roller coaster of ups and downs
Hard work/effort and ease.
Duality
At times, starkingly different.

The downs can be thrilling too
Like a roller coaster.
The downs create the momentum 
To push us back up.
And once again, we’re on top of the world.


Court Reporting and Captioning

I am a court stenographer

I am a court stenographer. Stenographers and stenographic recording of testimony is vital and necessary to ensure our judicial system runs efficiently and fairly to all. During testimony, stenographers can instantly provide readback to the judge and parties and further aid juries during deliberations.

Whether to save money or because of so-called shortages, there has been electronic recorders coming onto the legal market calling themselves digital court reporters. I feel a more fitting name for digital recording is a court recorder or digital recorder.

Stenographers abide by a Professional Code of Ethics, which includes confidentiality along with professional conduct. Stenographers are the only ones responsible for maintaining the official record.

Digital recordings can be given to anyone. Oftentimes, there are several typists and others involved to produce one transcript. The confidentiality and ethics regarding typists and others can be called into question when many users have ready access to secure and confidential information.

Transcripts of digital recordings often contain “(Inaudible)” when the typist is unable to hear and type the audio. During trial testimony, stenographers can ask for clarity, if there is a background noise, a mumbling witness or overlapping speakers. If a witness nods their head, stenographers ask for a verbal response. The trial record is clear and maintained.

Stenographers are the gold standard and should not be confused or replaced with a digital recording. Digital recording is not state-of-the-art technology and can never compete with a stenographic record.

I am a court stenographer. I've had a rewarding career that has span two decades writing on my stenographic machine. I've helped provide communication access to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals and have worked in the judiciary. I am proud of my accomplishments, the friendships I've made, and the future of stenographic reporting is here to stay.

Image by Steno[SWAG]  https://courtreporterswag.com/
#CRCW2023

Connection

Fulfillment

We seek fulfillment.
Our bodies take it all in.
We find nourishment	
In the foods we eat
And in the information
We consume.

We seek fulfillment
From the outside world,
Which can nourish.
It can hold.
It can bind.

We seek satiation
And satisfaction.
Taking from the earth
We feel filled up
And lifted up.

We can be held in each other’s arms.
Our own thoughts and prayers
Guide us on the path.

Our minds can bind us
To the truth
Or to one fixed view.

We take in and seek fulfillment
In a focused moment
Or a broader view.

It can feel hard if not impossible
To let go
What we’ve become accustomed to:
The same familiar foods,
Deeply held emotions and beliefs.

It can feel that we ourselves are also being consumed
If we can’t take care of each other
And be mindful of what is acceptable
And beneficial to consume.

Does it nourish?
It all becomes integrated and a part of our cells.

So let’s choose wisely.
Not just for a single fleeting moment
But all precious moments.
Fulfillment is possible.
Connection

Made of Stars

Each day is a gift
If we get off the rat race
Long enough to see.

That THIS is all there IS to be.

We can fight.
We can struggle.
We can wish it was different
Or deny what we see.
But it isn’t so.

This is what we got.
This is the stuff
The stars are made of.

We, too, are among the stars.
That in itself is a miracle.
 
Connection

The Sliver of Moon

The sliver of moon shines bright
In the crisp dark morning.

I see its light through
The bare tree branches.

It greets me as I awaken
From that warm, cozy slumber.

We are the only ones awake.
Connection

Hassle Tassel

The freshly fallen snow
May just be a morning commute hassle.
Like a tassel that a cat toys with.
Batted and bounced around
Back and forth.
Pulled and shredded 
With differing sized strands.

One moment a cat’s delight.
Next, it’s so boring
That it’s cast aside.
No longer good enough
To keep a cat entertained.

A hassle is similar.  
It’s in our face.
We didn’t ask for it.
It feels like it’s happening to us
And now we’re confronted.

We can have our hand at it.
Try to control its frazzled edges,
Which we often do for a while.
Then the problem is solved.
The puzzle was put together
And it’s over and done with.

Not a big deal after all.
An annoyance really.
And we move on with our days.
Soon it is forgotten
Just like that cat toy.