<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=windows-1250"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>Hi. almost 58, = married 37 years, 6 kids, 5 grandchildren, 1 cat. Life is good.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>Some =  important age-related reasons why I chose piano work as a 4th or 5th career:</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>1.  It's = self employment. No boss but the customer. Hours as I = choose.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>2.  Can't = be forced to retire as long as the body holds up.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>3.  Can = work as little or as much as one needs to, especially after = "retirement."</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>4.  I = think age actually commands respect in this profession--they think you must know = something if your hair is grey (or gone away). Some fields, like computers, are = very, very tough on older people--especially people trying to get started = at any age past about 21.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>5.  Beats = the heck out of being a Wal-Mart greeter, does it not?</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>There are a lot = of other reasons I really like the business--including the camaradarie of youse guys.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>When I was = choosing this career direction (years ago, now) I did make one slight miscalculation, = however ... I thought it would be easy. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial>Ha.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT face=Arial>Happy, joyous, = boundlessly fun and profitable New Year to all.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=593211905-03012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>Alan R. Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN = class=593211905-03012005>Slightly Senile in </SPAN>Salem, MO</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML> <BR> <P><FONT SIZE=2>--<BR> No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR> Version: 7.0.296 / Virus Database: 265.6.7 - Release Date: = 12/30/2004<BR> </FONT> </P>