<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Hi everyone,   Over the Holidays I painted, freshening up the office, hallways and kitchen.  Project started in the fall. That led to; do I want to hang my PTG certificates and college certificate back up?  I started out looking for a frame to go with two others so they would, you know match.  (Get them all at the same time oak, wood is now out of fashion).   Then my renewal certificate with the newer PTG logo came.  What am I to do with one more certificate?  I couldn’t find in my package the 2008 gold sticker to go on the older certificate.  Then I noticed that there is no date or year on the new RPT Certificate.   I don’t know about you, but what good is a certificate of membership without a year of distribution.   Will I be a member forever now I could use this thing forever even if I don’t continue to pay my dues.   Really, I take a lot more pride than this in being a member.  Thanks to Sandy at the home office.  I took out my letter for the 25 year pin I received in June.  (Nearly lost the pin the second time I wore it; the back came off).  I took the 2003 reissue of the PTG RPT Certificate out of its frame and placed under the mat my letter for the pin and then inserted the pin towards the bottom.  I won’t have to worry about it falling from my lapel again.    Then I carefully removed all the year stickers off the glass and the 2003 sticker from the certificate.  They all came off in one piece (love those single edge safety blades) and I continued placing them on the matting around the original certificate from 1985 when I became a Registered Piano Technician.  That original logo is embossed into the paper and has “Registered Member” in the white above the tools, and the first letters of The Piano Technicians Guild Inc are also all embossed.  There is still room for a couple more stickers.    This new certificate I think is a kick in the pants to everyone who pays their dues.  Do you think we could get a “Member in good standing 2008” gold sticker to put in between the newer logo and the signature?  Then I could continue on the matting adding yearly stickers for the next 25 years.  Yes I’m young enough it could happen that I reach a 50 year.  Or do I just hang this up and never worry about my dues again?  After looking at all of those other certificates and yearly stickers don’t you think someone might question if I am in good standing for 2008?   Could we maybe get our old membership cards that need signing back? I ponder the code of ethics while I sign away (mostly thinking how some non members would have to change there ways to sign one).  Those old stiff cards make good temperament strip stuffers and candle wax removers, help locate things stuck in keys etc.  I keep using the one from a few years ago in my tuning bag (its getting a bit rough around the edges).  At least this way the customer can catch a glimpse of the PTG card when I start to work on their piano.      Jessica Masse RPT Piano Technicians Guild Proprietor, Ebony and Ivory Piano Company   </div> </body> </html>