<!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 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>Hello everyone.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I have been thinking about this OT, Moderated, = Unmoderated, Touchy-Feely, shame on you, you hurt my feelings", BS that has evolved = on this list and I am reaching a boiling point here.  Something is terribly = wrong.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I have been on pianotech continuously since close to = the beginning nearly 8 years ago.  I don't believe there are more = than two or three others still here that go back that far.  Over the = years I have seen people come and go.  Some have left and returned and then = went away again.  Some haven't come back.  We have also had a few = who have passed away.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I bring this up because I have to wonder what = happened.  We had <U>SO MUCH FUN</U> in the past.  We had arguments that were = GOOD arguments, we went off topic, on topic, nobody cared.  It was just = a great group of piano techs who had found a place to chit chat.  Most of = the time we talked about pianos.  If someone wanted to talk about something = else for awhile nobody cared, we were just a great group of piano technicians who = had a lot of fun chatting on pianotech and bouncing ideas off each = other.  We always had the infamous "flame suits" to put on if need be and we all = loved it.  We joked, made fun of each other, got serious, and then = laughed again.  If the arguments got nasty we loved the list = anyway and wouldn't miss being here for the world.  Ah the good ol' days.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Over the past several years many of the Johnny-come-latelys that joined the list seem to = have had an assumption that pianotech is something that it isn't.  Disappointed in this expectation they then took it upon themselves to mold pianotech into something else.  A few have self-appointed themselves to reprimand others. Others = assumed themselves to be the authorities on what topics were acceptable and = which were not.  And some have taken the list to a new level of = finger pointing.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>It would be golden to turn back the clock to when = "pianotech" was really "pianotech".  My question is what happened?  Those = of you who have only joined within the last couple years will never know = what you are missing.  We had a great time and looked forward to exchanging = messages piano related or not.  It was just a fun place to meet.  Chaos = was always in order and that was the way everyone liked = it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>It is interesting to note that having = talked with others over the last few years as to why they left their number one complaint = is that the list evolved into what it is now.  In that spirit might I = suggest that we all drop the agenda on trying to make pianotech a nice and neat = orderly place with hospital corners?  What pianotech doesn't need is a moderator, officially or otherwise.  Who gives a crap, we're all = big boys and girls, we don't need a scout master.  For those of you who = can't handle this may I suggest that you start another list elsewhere and leave well = enough alone?  Hey, the internet is an  absolutely HUGE place.  = There is plenty of room to create that sort of list.  Please just relax for = a change and enjoying the flying feathers.  Stupid CAN be = fun.  Think of something really off-topic to talk about such = as, oh I don't know say... 70's disco fads.  Then have fun trying to relate = pianos to it.  Be careful, you might actually find yourself having = fun.  Smiling could be fatal for those of you who have a brittle = face.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Rob Goodale, RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Las Vegas, NV</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>