university job

[ATodd@UH.EDU]

   On 2 Nov. Eric Leatha wrote:

 Ahhhh, I can get up late, tune my fingers off and go home when I
want.   <I can do that, too. It's called comp. time here for when I work
         10-11 hour days waiting to tune at 5:30 for the concert that night.>

 Can't get into that studio, can't get into this studio, blast it!
        <Admittedly, sometimes a problem. But that's the advantage to being
         here year-round. We can come in at 7 AM to get it done or even stay
         until all the classes and lessons are done and tune it then.>

I'll never get all these pianos done!!!
         <Granted. It's called job security>

My personal fear about working the university racket is that when the school
needs to cut funding they do it first in the music dept. and of course in the
maintenance of their instruments, not much job security there.  Students can
do more damage to a piano in six months than most of my clients can do in
twenty years.
          <Granted. But that's also called job security. As long as a school
           has a degree program and 100+ pianos or so, it doesn't seem too
           likely that the position will be cut. The money might be cut back
           for rebuilding, etc. but there are always pianos to tune.>

 I miss dragging myself to Mrs. Jones'
house, rearranging her furniture and annoying her cat for an hour.
           One thing I don't miss are the vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, lawn
           mowers, etc. that always seem to be turned on about the time I
           start to lay a temperament!>

   Sorry, all. I just couldn't resist. I've only been in this "racket" for
a little over 2-1/2 years, but I enjoy it. I have an excellent faculty to
work for/with and they are very appreciative of any improvements I can make.
It's also kind of nice not to have to worry about all the taxes, insurance,
etc., that I had to contend with before.
   So, since I'm long past the probationary period, I'll probably be here as
long as I can still hear (practice room tunings, you know) or until I retire.
   Thanks for bearing with me.

Avery Todd
atodd@uh.edu