[pianotech] Zen and the Art of Piano Maintenance

[Paul T Williams]

I've done a lot of problem solving on a drive in the country.  On a nice 
day..windows down and some nice tunes flowing.  Some folks don't like to 
drive any more than they need to, but I find it mind-clearing..unless in 
traffic in the city.  Fortunately, I can get out in the "corn" within 10 
minutes from work.  I'll even stop at a lake or some park and sit and 
think. 

I also do this when in a crummy mood and don't want to bring it home to 
the family!

In the shop...I find it sooothing to listen to music.. especially 
classical piano.  It gives me some focus on where I'm going in the task. 
Hard banging classic rock or some country when dismantling a piano for 
rebuilding...just makes the time fly... It's my 'zen'


PW




"Byron" <byronquam at shaw.ca> 
Sent by: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
05/13/2009 02:31 PM
Please respond to
pianotech at ptg.org


To
<pianotech at ptg.org>
cc

Subject
Re: [pianotech] Zen and the Art of Piano Maintenance






I find that when I'm doing something repetitive that it is best to listen 
to
a podcast or a book. Then I can put the task in automatic pilot and cruse
through it happily. If I just concentrate on the job at hand I seem to 
rush
or obsess about how mind numbingly boring the task is. There seems to be 
no
difference in the quality of work done - just that I've been entertained 
or
have learned something.

I've read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and would say that
solving the riddle of the problem with his bike was not necessarily focus.
I'd say it was being mindful of the problem and solving it after many days
of gnawing at the problem - through a myriad of his personal distractions.
How many of us have solved a problem or reached an important conclusion
after a long distance drive?

-----Original Message-----
From: John Dorr [mailto:a440 at bresnan.net] 
Sent: May-13-09 9:48 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Zen and the Art of Piano Maintenance

John Dorr wrote: I think about this sometimes when I'm doing something
repetitive but 
demanding, like shaping hammers.  Sometimes I wish I had a radio, but that 

might distract me from doing this otherwise kind of "menial" job well
enough. 
 Sometimes I find that if I just look and touch and observe with a mind
empty 
of preconceptions the answers to the diagnostic riddles seem to appear on 
their own.

How do others on the list feel about these things?  Distraction versus
focus. 
 The Zen of Piano Repair.

John Dorr
Helena, MT







-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20090513/7a38d97a/attachment.htm>