Burnout

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Ray Bentley,

At 09:30 12/05/2000 -0600, you wrote:
>on 12/5/00 8:14 AM, JIMRPT@AOL.COM at JIMRPT@AOL.COM wrote:
>
>Brian,
>I think we are fortunate that piano owners for the most part are very
>pleasant and kind people.

<mega snip>

Thank you for your post, Ray.  It is a reminder of some of the things for 
which we should be thankful this season.  Even though I generally think of 
those for whom I tune as friends, rather than customers, every once in a 
while I am gently reminded _why_ I think that way.

Your post is one of those reminders, but two others occurred Saturday.  The 
first family I tuned for that day has been on my list for about 15 years 
and have a Yamaha G3 which we all would love/hate.  When I tune it every 
year or two (it had been two this time) all it ever needs is a touchup! 
(hard to make a living on pianos/environments that stable)  I think I moved 
less than a dozen strings one of which was a comparatively new string.  The 
rest of the 1 1/2 hours I was there, the owners and I were drinking tea and 
talking about the trips we'd each taken since I last came by. We apparently 
missed each other in Florence by a day...

The second time was when checking my mail.  I got a nice Christmas card 
from a family I'd just started with in the past year or so (was complete 
stranger/store referral).  I do remember chatting with them and also taking 
some time to answer some of the little kid's questions [wazzats & whys], 
but not to distraction.  Their house has that "lived in" look, and the 
piano is a 20's vintage ex-player, but it really is those people and their 
enjoyment of and committment to music and their piano which make this 
"work" all worthwhile.  You bet I'm happy to work on that old piano!

I know a bunch of businesses which send Christmas cards to their 
customers.  How many types of businesses get cards _from_ their customers?



Conrad Hoffsommer - Music Technician -mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
Luther College, 700 College Drive, Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
Voice-(319)-387-1204  //  Fax (319)-387-1076(Dept.office)

Education is the best defense against the media.