Cost of living versus the cost of learning

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 08 Feb 2012, 18:24

This is a split post from another thread, "Future of The Piano Lounge", which was seriously going off-topic. The outcome of 'polling' for the future of the, then, Piano Lounge is very clear. It has been renamed and the issue is closed so I have also closed the associated thread

Cheers,
Mark

him again · Post by **him again** » 14 Feb 2012, 10:19

I'm a learner, but its a struggle. Struggled with grade 2, struggling even more with grade 3.

My teacher is very nice though! I like her a lot.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 14 Feb 2012, 19:37

All adult learners think they struggle, because they see kids learning quickly. But kids have empty heads which are wide open in 'store' mode - not full to bursting already. And they don't need to cook/clean/work etc. Jammy little blighters. Keep practising - that's what I tell myself as I eff and blind over the guitar!

him again · Post by **him again** » 14 Feb 2012, 21:05

Well, I really enjoy it and that's what counts at the end of the day! I do have a problem with dry hands though as they slip off the keys when I do my scales, so I have to physically lick my fingertips before practising. Very odd but necessary. Do you use handcream Gill??

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 15 Feb 2012, 18:26

Nope!

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 13 Apr 2012, 07:35

him again - are you davebrum? you have the same way of writing, been reading some of these posts for months and never thought to reply as not really a piano player, can play fur elise from listening to it and thats it

Its odd how davebrum signed off and then him again appears with similar style?
must stop goin on my taxi is here!

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 13 Apr 2012, 16:12

perhaps i should try some piano lessons, sounds fun! no exams though - just play for fun twould be nice but being unemployed I cannot afford luxuries as all my money goes on food etc, interview today went well so if that works out then I`ll do summit musical with my new found wealth. out of work for so long it hurts!

nice potential employer

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 14 Apr 2012, 17:07

You might find a teacher who'll give you lessons on an ad hoc basis, when you have the money. Get The Complete Piano Player from the library and you can start to teach yourself.

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 15 Apr 2012, 15:10

regardless of being out of work due to illness - music lessons are still out of reach for most of us, unless of course some benefit claimers take the mickey and claim when they shouldnt be! what i get is just enough for basics and broadband connection to keep me sane

I asked two teachers about costs and over a month the least was £30 - two lessons per month and even that is a weeks worth of food. I could claim more benefits but chose not, i`ll take up some cleaning of toilets if i have to!

dug out of my old keyboard over the weekend and found some old books so watch this space

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 16 Apr 2012, 18:30

The Complete Piano Player is an excellent book, and you might be able to get it from your locAl library - I know ours have it, so you might be able to rig up an inter library loan. Still worth putting coppers in a jar and saving up that way for a lesson; a lot of teachers would be pleased to help.

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 17 Apr 2012, 13:06

having 2 a month until I have paid off debts and then 4 a month. lovley teacher who is to the point and has taught adults like me for 20 years. yeah

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 17 Apr 2012, 16:41

Excellent news; keep us posted on your progress!

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 19 Apr 2012, 17:06

doreen dangle wrote:him again - are you davebrum? you have the same way of writing, been reading some of these posts for months and never thought to reply as not really a piano player, can play fur elise from listening to it and thats it

Its odd how davebrum signed off and then him again appears with similar style?
must stop goin on my taxi is here!

Interesting point, doreen....

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 21 Apr 2012, 19:04

dave brum wrote: and that he's been booted off.

Uhh... no he hasn't!

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 23 Apr 2012, 17:52

It's not technically in my court at all because I didn't handle or did I see the reported post. All I know is what you've said.

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 23 Apr 2012, 18:56

I can read 5 notes in each hand! yeah man I`m rocking or so my teacher sa\ys.

lets have a no moaning policy

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 26 Apr 2012, 13:53

well said

i met a friend today, not worked for 10 years yet found the money to buy a new smart phone and a keyboard cost of £450! he reckons its too easy to get extra benefits buy exploiting your disabilities etx. I told them I shoud report that for fiddling! he also has piano lessons, how can that be? I`ll go in and ask at job centre for piano lessons as only just got job and still poor

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 26 Apr 2012, 13:56

oh and they often are seen out shopping and drinking. I want a piano so i should work harder not fidlle the system for 10 years bu exagartaing my disablities. he says his wife is a depressive and he is her carer. outrageous i said.

anyhow I am loving my little cheap argos keyboard and excited about paying for a piano by xmas

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 26 Apr 2012, 18:29

Doreen, look on Freecycle - there are lots of pianos looking for good homes. It would be sensible to get a tuner to look at it before paying to get it moved, however, as some unscrupulous people use Freecycle as a dumping ground to get rid of an untuneable piano.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 26 Apr 2012, 18:30

PS I tuned for a family on benefits who a) could afford 55 quid to get me in to tune, b) had a newish Merc sitting in the drive, and c) had a 12 acre telly sitting in the lounge...

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 27 Apr 2012, 10:26

so their benefits were fiddled? Disgusting to claim for no reason or to think you cannot work..... low life scum who have better things on the dole! I would love to dump someone in it, its costing all the country money. how can anyone afford a piano, posh car, tv on benefits? let alone a tuner and lessons! they should be ashmed of themselvses. I can go on cos I work part time after years on support. but i never had luxuries

so now its good to play keyboard even if it is basic. I will save up

and buy electric piano to start with

gizzy · Post by **gizzy** » 27 Apr 2012, 10:57

Ah, there's no fun quite like jumping to conclusions without knowing all the facts, is there?

My stepson is on quite a high level of benefits and has just been told he's been assessed fit to work. The fact is that he'd love to work, and does all sorts of voluntary things instead (like St John Ambulance) but at 37 and with a long history of

serious

psychotic illness behind him, and a long list of prescription medication that he is scrupulous about taking, because stopping them would make him very seriously ill indeed (and I've seen it) - he couldn't stay in a job. It's been tried. His doctor says he can't - not won't - work.

Yes, it does cost the country money. This is one of the things which marks out our country as being different from the sort of state which would have had that poor lad chained to a wall years ago when he was at his worst, and never re-assessed.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 27 Apr 2012, 19:19

Gill the Piano wrote:PS I tuned for a family on benefits who a) could afford 55 quid to get me in to tune, b) had a newish Merc sitting in the drive, and c) had a 12 acre telly sitting in the lounge...

But what benefits.... there are quite a few that are none means tested DLA comes to mind £475 pcm

I was under the impression that you can get some means tested benefits even if you have a joint income of £75K so long as you met the right criteria

Barrie

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 28 Apr 2012, 16:53

Unemployment - and had been for years. I had been recommended to them by a friend of the family who told me all about them and who didn't approve!

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 28 Apr 2012, 17:41

Gill the Piano wrote:Unemployment - and had been for years. I had been recommended to them by a friend of the family who told me all about them and who didn't approve!

if they have lot of kids who are disabled and disabled themselves they could end up with quite a high amount of benefit quite legitimately for now. But the way this Government is going if you don't work or can't you will end up in soup kitchens like the Yanks to stay alive.

Witch is a big step back in my mind

Barrie

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 28 Apr 2012, 22:44

dave brum has left the building.. Again

Barrie

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 30 Apr 2012, 00:07

This is kind of becoming rather tiresome I have to say...

He either wants to be on the forum or he doesn't! Just because you get upset or don't approve of how things are run isn't a good enough reason to storm off the forum and demand that your account gets closed. I can't think of anyone apart from Dave who has pulled this stunt!

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 16 May 2012, 10:40

Post Removed
Reason:
Inappropriate posting to offensive regarding ex user

Barrie

doreen dangle · Post by **doreen dangle** » 16 May 2012, 10:41

bet he does that with facebook to!
I am booked in for exam this june, step one piano exam, nice and simple and fun

gizzy · Post by **gizzy** » 16 May 2012, 14:01

doreen dangle wrote:but then davebrum comes back with a different name! <snip> and maybe he is not even called dave or from brimingham. just ban his IP address thats best

Well, now, what could have brought on such an offensive, ad hominem attack more than two weeks after a person has unsubbed?
(and definitely he's Dave from Birmingham. I still have the return half of my train ticket...)
As to the rest of it, that's his business and that of those who know him personally
How do I know you're not a spotty 16-year-old boy or a Dirty Old Man?

doreen dangle wrote:bet he does that with facebook to!

I can assure you, Mr or Ms Dangle, there ain't no LOL about it.

Gizzy in Cambridge

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 16 May 2012, 17:32

Dave has never come back under an assumed name, and there's no reason to ban him as he has never made spiteful personal attacks via this forum.

gizzy · Post by **gizzy** » 19 May 2012, 15:35

I did a search and found a Doreen Dangle living in Grand Junction. Colorado

She's 85

Shame on you, madam, you should know better at your age.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 May 2012, 20:32

Ooo, I dunno; no way am I going to behave if I get to that age...

gizzy · Post by **gizzy** » 22 May 2012, 08:46

Ah, Gill, you and I are definitely sisters under the skin!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 22 May 2012, 17:57

One of my friends was 94; I said that if I was her age and healthy enough to walk down Marlow High Street I'd be knocking policemen's hats off...

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