<font color='navy' size='2' face='Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif'><font size="2"><font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Hi </font></font>Les<font color="navy" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size="2">lie <br> Thanks for sharing your heartfelt concern. We are all in different spaces and places economically , personally etc.<br>  All our valid<br>  Best<br> <div> <br> </div> <div> <br> </div> <div style="clear:both"><font size="1"><b><font color="indigo" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif">Dale S. Erwin<br> www.Erwinspiano.com<br> 209-577-8397</font></b></font><font size="1"><b><br> 209-985-0990</b><br> <span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D"></span><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"></span></i></b></font><font color="navy" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif" size="1"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"></span></i></font><span style="font-style: italic;"><b><font size="1">Ronsen hammers/prep<br> Sitka Sound boards<br> Belly packages</font></b></span><tt><tt><br> <br> <font size="2"> Poor decisions are rarely made right by a greater commitment to them.</font> <br>   <font size="2">"<b>David Love</b>"</font></tt></tt><br> <br> </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> <br> </div> <div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net><br> To: pianotech@ptg.org<br> Sent: Fri, Jul 1, 2011 7:39 pm<br> Subject: Re: [pianotech] [OT] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)<br> <br> <div id="AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975"> <style>#AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 td{color: black;} @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} #AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 p.MsoNormal,#AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 li.MsoNormal,#AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} #AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 a:link,#AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} #AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 a:visited,#AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} #AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 p.avgcert,#AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 li.avgcert,#AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 div.avgcert {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} #AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 span.EmailStyle18 {mso-style-type:personal-reply; font-family:Arial; color:blue; font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none none;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;} #AOLMsgPart_2_2c2f792b-ab36-403e-a6f9-4f271fe45975 div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> <div class="Section1"> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">I have averaged about 1.8 pianos a day for several years. Now it is slightly down after open heart surgery. I gave up a job which was 1/3 of my income a year ago because I just don’t work politics well. So, you who crunch numbers- I ain’t one of them what’s got benefits from some lucrative career, and any retirement at all, since slaves working in churches never got benefits until I got out of it full time.  So someone is talking about a whole lot of people making a whole lot more income than this guy, and YES lack of funds is affecting where I direct money.</span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"> </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">I have said for years PTG is going to have to redefine itself or it won’t survive. Mostly said it to myself, because I have no political voice anywhere. But doing things the way they have always been done, and beating those who will not or cannot afford to keep doing things the same old ways isn’t going to fix any ills. Neither, in my opinion, is driving dues up to where people like simply don’t have funds to pay them. I will be darned glad to get social security in less than a year,  and will have to work till they put me in a medicare slum nursing home.  Probably I’m way out of line because I haven’t been reading every rant about this (these) issues. Sorry. But people are now arguing about things which will cause me to choose between dues, meds, and food.  I know my choices are limited.   </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"> </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">“We need to get more members”    I did church choirs for 40 years. That was the going cry everywhere every year. But “we”  and “get” were really tough issues to rise above.  It doesn’t happen automatically and what seems to be happening right now surely doesn’t seem like it’s going to make PTG look like  a fun place to be for newbies.  No one asked my opinion- so I’ll quit. But the wars which seem to be going on right now, put me in a place where it affects my ability to survive.  It ceases, then, to be fun.</span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">Sincerely</span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">Leslie Bartlett</span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"> </span></font></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> <hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"> </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold">From:</span></font></b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma"> <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] <b><span style="font-weight:bold">On Behalf Of </span></b>John Ross<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Friday, July 01, 2011 2:32 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [pianotech] [OT] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)</span></font></div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">I would imagine that the amount of unemployment, and the downturn in the economy, is having an effect, on the registration.</span></font></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">There just isn't the amount of disposable income around, as there was.</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">This would also be in the equation of raising the dues.</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Putting food on the table is a priority for a lot now.</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">I haven't seen any numbers.</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">The established tuners are probably ok, but the others must be feeling the crunch.</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">I might be wrong, possibly all the piano owners are still working.</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">John Ross</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Windsor</span></font>, Nova Scotia</div> <div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">On 2011-07-01, at 4:19 PM, <a href="mailto:tnrwim@aol.com">tnrwim@aol.com</a> wrote:</span></font></div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><br> <br> </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> <div> <blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 3.0pt; margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">Less than half of our membership are full time technicians, check the surveys</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></font></div> </blockquote> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Not only that, but our median age in almost 60. That means there are part time technicians for whom this profession is a second career, which they got into after retiring form another lucrative career, from which they are receiving retirement benefits. They belong the to PTG for a variety of reasons, but if the dues become more than they think justifies their benefits, they will drop their membership.  </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">I agree with Dale, a $100 increase in dues will drop our membership to below 3000, if not 2500. Yes, these will be the most dedicated members, but unfortunately, we can't afford such a drastic cut in income. </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">We need to come up with better ways to increase attendance at conventions, and increase membership. I've made some suggestions, but we need more input from more members. Someday, someone will come up with a magic solution, and we'll all say. "Now why didn't I think of that?" </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Wim</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Dale Probst <<a href="mailto:dale@wardprobst.com">dale@wardprobst.com</a>><br> To: pianotech <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br> Sent: Fri, Jul 1, 2011 1:01 pm<br> Subject: Re: [pianotech] [OT] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)</span></font></div> <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_8e7011e8-c793-4055-b55c-50fc1da24022"> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">Less than half of our membership are full time technicians, check the surveys. I don't think you should underestimate the downside to raising dues 100%. I'm in favor of rational increases, I voted for and campaigned for every dues increase while on the board . I'm in favor of doing our best to close the gap without losing many of our valued members who have other professions. You are assuming less members and more money, will make this a "top notch organization". </span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">I don't buy it.. </span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="blue" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">DP</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Dale Probst RPT</span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Registered Piano Technician</span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Ward & Probst, Inc.</span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.wardprobst.com/">www.wardprobst.com</a></span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><a href="mailto:dale@wardprobst.com">dale@wardprobst.com</a></span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> </div> <blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font color="black" face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span></b> <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] <b><span style="font-weight:bold">On Behalf Of </span></b>Ryan Sowers<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Friday, July 01, 2011 1:39 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [pianotech] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)(OT)</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Like our piano service businesses, when you raise your rates, you mostly lose the lowest level of your clientele and keep the bottom feeders out of range. I think most technicians underestimate what they can charge. I don't think we should underestimate members willingness to pay for a top notch organization. <br> <br> If you are a full time technician $450 a year is a drop in the bucket in your yearly expenses. <br> <br> Ryan Sowers<br> <br> <br> </span></font></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 10:05 AM, Coleman, Jim <<a href="mailto:jcolem21@utk.edu">jcolem21@utk.edu</a>> wrote:</span></font></div> <div vlink="purple" link="blue"> <div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">Alan & All,</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">About 3 years ago my report to Council stated that for PTG to be a dues based operation the dues would have to be around $350.  Since then the cost of doing everything has gone up.  In today’s dollars they would probably need to be $400-$450.</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">Personally I think that is where we should be (and it  would still be a bargin) but as Dale Probst has stated, we do not know what the fall-out would be in terms of losing members.</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">See you in KC!</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> </div> <div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">Jim Coleman, Jr   RPT</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">  Staff Piano Technician</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">     University of Tennessee</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">     Knoxville, TN</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D"> (865) 748-0998</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="#1f497d" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D">(602) 989-0005</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"></span></font></div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></font></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><br> <br clear="all"> <br> -- <br> Ryan Sowers, RPT<br> Puget Sound Chapter<br> Olympia, WA<br> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pianova.net/">www.pianova.net</a></span></font></div> </blockquote> </div> </div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> </span></font></div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> <hr align="center" size="1" width="100%"> </span></font></div> <div class="avgcert" color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">No virus found in this message.<br> Checked by AVG - <a target="_blank" href="http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</a><br> Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1516/3737 - Release Date: 07/01/11</span></font></div> </div> </div>  </div> </font></font>