<!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 6.00.2900.2873" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi all.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As an introduction, I am changing direction career-wise. My former career of horse breeding </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>does not exactly mesh well with being a mother. The hours were outrageous and unpredictable. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am a serious piano student with an eye toward getting a second degree a few years down the </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>road, this time in music. So I've naturally become interested in how the piano works and what is </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>required to maintain it. Now I am ready to pursue learning to tune, regulate, repair, etc. Having a </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>useful and marketable skill would be a good thing.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So far, I have looked at the correspondence courses, but have not committed. I have serious </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>reservations. Ideally, I  would prefer to find someone willing to take on a part time apprentice in </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>the fall. (My kid will be in all day Kindergarten.) The packet from the PTG arrived the other day, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and I see that I will need a sponsor to join. Any tips on finding one? I've been emailing back and </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>forth with Ruth Webb of Allied Piano (it's not far from me.) Also, I will be calling the local PTG </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>chapter president (Southeastern PA) this week to try and get some direction. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My practice piano - a vintage 1920 Somethingorother upright will be arriving on May 16th. Brand </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>is unknown because the second previous owner antiqued the thing, ruining a beautiful case, I </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>am told. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sorry this is so long. I would appreciate any advice you can provide that wasn't already in today's</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> other Newbie thread. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>One other question: How do you search the archives? I did read the FAQ, but did not see a </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>search function anywhere on the archive pages.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thank you!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sara Nash</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>