Pulled a complete Ironman yesterday. Started at 8:30 a.m. on a realtime pharmaceutical expert, which went to about 4:30; then packed up and drove across Houston to start a realtime med mal plaintiff at 6:30, which ended at 12:30 this morning. It wasn't the most pages I've gotten in one day, but it's certainly the longest I've been on the record.

By the way, just a comment on what seems to be the new trend of counsel wanting to push the reporter back down the table at video depos. It's never a problem if there's no videographer, but more and more on videos it seems the questioner wants to sit right by the witness, as does the witness' counsel, which usually leaves me looking at the back of the deponent’s head from down the table. If counsel is insistent on doing this, I'll try plugging headphones into the videographer's mixer so I can hear, but I'd much rather be where I can hear and read lips, if need be. I have on occasion told them, "Don't impede my ability to do my job, and I won't impede your ability to do yours by constantly interrupting because I can't hear." This comment usually garners a look of utter amazement, something to the effect of, "Who is this retard, and why is he our court reporter?" Maybe it's a passing fad...

Hope springs eternal, don't it?