Another Newbie

GeneralCarlos19

Hi everyone! I’m properly introducing myself. I’ve been a member for about three weeks now. I stumbled upon this group after finding the gregg.angelfishy site.

I never knew that Shorthand had so much versions! I first got interested in shorthand in ’04 and when I tried to research it, as you can imagine there wasn’t much about it. I ordered the Gregg Simplified Manual through Amazon ‘cuz it was the only one I believed to be in print. After finding this group, I got interested in learning the DJB Series and ordered that manual through Abebooks.com.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on either style? Any insights to offer? I’ve poked around on the site quite a bit and I’m not 100% sure, but I hope this isn’t too much of a redundant question.

(by jeik1504 for everyone)


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19 comments Add yours

  1. For the different editions, my advice is to stick with whichever one you pick until you finish the manual and know it very well. Then, you can see how it's served you thus far and if it's lacking or if curiosity moves you, you can try to make the switch to another version.

    If you're unsure about which version to start with, I'd say Anniversary is out unless you plan to devote lots of time and study.

    If it's a choice between DJS and Simplified, that's a very hard decision to make! I'm with Simplified because that's the edition the first books were that got sent to me, and it's suited my needs so far. It's also got great speed potential. I'm sure lots of people can tell you about both if you want to know the nitty-gritty 🙂

    Good luck with whatever you decide!

  2. Hi jeik, thanks for the post. My best advice is to keep your cool. There are times I come across a strange outline, and because my eyes want to move faster than my brain, I get frustrated and move onto on of my other nerdy hobbies. Slow down, breathe deeply, and try to rein in the impatient eyes, for brains can't think as well under pressure.

    __________________
    Praise the Lord, I saw the light line!

  4. If you don't mind my asking, which edition did you settle on?

    And I'd be happy to correspond with you if you'd like practice or corrections (though I can only correct Simplified). My address is in the penpals section of the site 🙂

  5. Being a DJS writer, I prefer it.  I think you should go with whichever series you feel comfortable with.  After you learn one version, trust me, you can muddle through the others.  I can read Simplified pretty well, Anniversary I have to look up some words or take a quess at what they are, so again, go with whichever you feel you can learn the easiest.  I think that is the key – if you feel good with one version, whether it is DJS or Simplified, stay with it and learn it well.    If you read the posts here you will see we have more Anniversary and Simplified people that DJS, but since that is what I learned, that's what I stay with (unless I'm reading in another version of course).  After a while you will probably be like the rest of us and find ourselves combining a couple of the versions.  I'm sure that when I write I end up using some Simplified short terms along with my regular DJS.   Welcome to the group. Joanne  

  6. I really agree with Joanne . . . find a version that seems "comfortable" for you, and learn it.  There are differences in details, but fundamentally for modern purposes (usually personal use) any of the versions will be fine.  I, too, learned DJS and even though I've studied the pre-anniversary, anniversary, and simplified manuals DJS just feels "right" to me.  Even Series 90 and Centennial are good choices . . . they both reintroduced some brief forms from earlier systems and I tend to use them.   It's not like there's a rule that says you have write "pure" system X.  I'm sure that practicing shorthand writers through the decades have made plenty of personal modifications and deviated from the principles of the system they learned.    Alex

  7. Ok, I deleted my previous msg. b/c I thought I found the version I'd be most interested in, but then started having 2nd thoughts.

    I've tried to read around some more to help make my decision and I guess it may be better to ask since this group is so diverse in writing style.

    Of the two manuals I have: DJS Gregg Shorthand Functional Method & Gregg Shorthand Manual Simplified 2nd Ed. – which would provide the easiest for a beginner to learn and the quickest?

    Gosh, I really hate to sound so redundant to other msgs. around the group, but I really did try to poke around and I think I'm getting a little sidetracked from the two manuals I already have. *LoL* I appreciate your replies.

  8. Those two are both excellent manuals, and you can't go wrong with either one.  They're both well-designed and have similar writing styles.  (The shorthand pages look very similar between simplified and DJS, even though there are differences in the systems).   Just pick one and go with it.  It's more important to get started than to try to figure out which one is better.  Remember, shorthand is a skill that requires lots of practice to develop fluency and speed, so the sooner you start the sooner you're going to have something you can use.    Alex

  9. You're right Alex. After contemplating and reading more msgs I came to that conclusion.

    I've decided to work with Simplified first and then once learning progresses I'll look into DJ.

    Thanks to all those that replied! I'm excited to start!

  10. Having just recently received a functional method Simplified manual in the mail, I can attest to some other differences (improvements, in my opinion):

    43 pages of new material (not counting transcription in the back)
    * More letters throughout.
    * A whole new chapter full of non-business-related reading.
    * More of those little psychological self-help snippets like, "Initiative" or how to be a good secretary
    * An assignment devoted to hyphenation
    * A beautiful cover! (mine's forest green)
    * Rearrangement of lists of shorthand words illustrating principles. The shorthand is now all together, with the translations all below, instead of being side-by-side.
    * Transcription of everything in the book in the back.

  11. I believe these are the two books you're talking about:        and       I echo what has been said here.  There is a functional method version of the 2d Edition of the simplified manual as well.  The main differences are that the key to the shorthand is on the back of the book, and that you don't start writing shorthand until Lesson 21.

  12. Yes, I also have the same book, with the green cover.  I actually like it better than the regular 2d edition of the Simplified manual!    

  14. Okay, I think I'm getting a bit confused . . . maybe I have an updated version of these books b/c they books I have don't look like that at all.

    I'm going to try and scan the covers tonight to show you guys, but . . . the simplified manual I have has a cover jacket that's mainly black and white (resembling a notebook) and the DJ manual I have is blue (it kinda has an 80s office feel to it).

  15. Does the cover look like this?         If so, if you take off the cover jacket of the Simplified manual, it will be the one I posted above, with the yellow cloth cover.   For the DJS book, if it is the blue book, then you're using the second edition of the DJS manual (no harm there).  Check my post on the thread "What Version Should I Buy?".  There, I have a picture of all DJS manuals.   http://groups.msn.com/GreggShorthand/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=6252&LastModified=4675624942368906672   John, the functional method version of the 2d edition of the simplified manual is right now on eBay:   http://cgi.ebay.com/GREGG-SHORTHAND-MANUAL-Simplified-Functional-Method-Bk_W0QQitemZ110133379263QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2228QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem    

  16. Thanks.  I think the next on my list is the Simplified Most Used Words and Phrases.  …and I said I wasn't going to become a collector.

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