caut-digest V2001 #45 (CAUT spills his guts)

[David Skolnik]

Mary,
I agree with you that the caution against "wasting time befriending 
students" is probably unnecessarily harsh.  I think you are right in the 
value you have found in these interactions and relationships, both 
personally and professionally.  I wonder, though, if the head technician 
there feels able to expend the same amount of time (however much that may 
be) in cultivating such interactions.  With the staffing you described, it 
may, in fact be possible, but I believe Michael was addressing what most of 
us have experienced...the overworked/understaffed cycle.  Relating to 
people becomes a valuable luxury.

With regard to the reading or non-reading of the pianotech list, I did not 
mean to sound critical.  It truly is an incredible flow of information. 
Some valuable, some less so.  Your response though, perhaps in its 
succinctness, seemed dismissive...as though the people who communicate 
there do not work.  In truth, maybe some of them are not as busy as you.  I 
suspect some are simply more adept at the writing / editing process,  but 
to dismiss it for having too much information seems shortsighted.

Best wishes

David Skolnik
Columbia University
New York, NY


At 08:38 PM 03/27/2001 -0700, you wrote:
>I don't read Pianotech because it's too much information. I've got work to
>do! I did, however, get the forward of Michael's post today, and have been
>thinking about it. Of course, there is much wisdom there, and I have great
>respect for Michael's experience. But I question the part about not "wasting
>time" befriending students. While it is most politically expedient to
>befriend faculty and administration, there is much to be gained from getting
>to know these talented young people. Of course, I have the luxury of working
>on a staff of four piano techs (2 full- and 2 half-time, I am half-time; we
>have about 265 pianos), and I am not the head technician. Still, I just
>wanted to make the point that students often have pianos in their homes that
>need to be serviced, and they are at school to learn, and can learn from us.
>I also gain a great deal musically, technically and personally from my
>friendships with students and, after nine years at UT, have made some
>friends for life among them. It is a privelege to serve them.