<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4922.900" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Tom.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I once made a set of bass strings for = you, remember?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I read your question and try to put = myself in your shoes.  It's a tough decision to grapple with.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm not a university technician, the = closest I come is to chat with tecs who order hammers and bass strings from me and who = tell me things about conditions in their schools.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From reading your messages I get the = impression that the toughest decision you have to make is to prioretize  = between the economics on the one hand and the free time versus the political stress = (if any) on the other.  All the rest you seem to be pretty clear = on.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Good luck, I hope you find the = best.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ari  Isaac.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Tompiano@aol.com = href="mailto:Tompiano@aol.com">Tompiano@aol.com</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, June 14, 2003 = 2:32 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> University = curiousity?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Dave,<BR>I am one of those younger energetic = techs who currently puts the long hours in and can crank up the annual income = into respectable figures. I have just put 1 child through college, one more = graduating in the fall, and 2 younger ones in private school (5th and = 7th grade).  When I add up all the perks I have to provide for myself = (health insurance, schooling,nice neighborhoods to live in, vacations, etc) = there's price that comes with the territory. At the end, there's obviously a = net gain in the form of lifestyle I have become quite accustomed to.<BR>But on = the other end of the argument comes having some true time off without the = worry of "I need to be working".  Plus having the collective benefit of = provided health insurance. Plus the added benefit of tuition tradeoff if you = are a state university employee. Those come a very steep price and I'm = trying equate how much is that worth.  <BR>And then there are the music school = politics which can be an issue within themselves. Just ask any tech who has a disgruntled faculty member always second-guessing them.<BR>And then = there is the obvious gross reduction in net pay one has to learn to live = within. I assume that those who do work in the university sector also subsidize = their income with outside work.<BR>So it with this I find myself doing some = very deep soul-searching and wonder if I could (in fact) , make a major = change and find solace in that sector.<BR>Yes, the grass does look green on the = other side. Red-rose glasses are off and I'm trying to see the true = colors.<BR>Tom Servinsky, RPT</FONT> </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>