Transcription

When I was a little girl, I sometimes had to wait in my father’s office for a ride home at the end of the day. His office was in a trailer attached to the hospital. It was “temporary” — which meant he was there for at least ten years before he got a “real” office. My father was never a complainer.

Anyway, his secretary had a spot out there, too. Sometimes, she would be busy transcribing his dictated notes, and she would let me listen to his voice by putting her headphones on my head and pushing the pedal at her feet. (All you HIPAA people probably have the hair standing up on the back of your neck while reading this.)

I found myself thinking about her the other day when I was trying to transcribe something. Okay — I was thinking more about that foot pedal and how handy it was. I actually looked to see if they still sell something like that. Of course they do.

The days of cassette tapes are long gone. Now it’s a software bundle, headphones, and a foot pedal — and lots of practice — and poof! — you’re a transcriptionist.

Actually, I’m sure there’s a lot more to it. I’ve tried my hand at transcribing in the past — just short little things, a minute or two in length. It has always surprised me how long and arduous the task is, but, you know, the things we do for love and all that.

I have a friend who can’t listen to podcasts. Before I even posted about Thistle Do Nicely, I thought of her and started transcribing an episode. I didn’t get very far. Transcribing a conversation is a lot harder than transcribing a dictated note or a lecture.

After I posting about the show last week, I dug out my start of a transcript and worked on it a little more.

Like several hours more.

I only got 13 minutes 35 seconds in and had over 2300 words. I left the other 57 minutes for another time.

To quote the Thistle Do guys, a lot of it is “absolute nonsense.”

It’s my kind of nonsense though.

Hats off to all transcriptionists! I appreciate all your work!