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I sometimes think of people I knew and have met on the various forums over the years. Then, I wonder where many of them are now.
I was just thinking the same thing a couple of days ago and thought about starting a thread about it. I thought maybe some folks keep in touch with people who no longer post here. I'd love to hear how they're doing.
I was having a pleasant Sunday until you told me Latin is dead. Now I'm saddened by Latin's passing. Oh, Latin, I hardly knew ye!
Despair not. There is hope for you.
Maybe this will trigger a big push for people (kids and adults!) to take up piano. Wouldn't that be something!
Amen, sister!
Loved this bit from days gone by.
Link to videoWow, that's tough.
He popped into an online WTF piano party that @axtremus facilitated during COVID. OT literally flashed on the screen for like 10 seconds and then was gone.
Please let his wife (piqaboo?) know that I wish her strength.
In a way, it's a little peculiar that we focus so much on the drop out rate.
This is Payam's "hook". Find a "problem" and claim to solve it.
Problem: People drop lessons
Payam's solution: We make it fun so they don't drop out!
One thing I will say is that I think there's a whole bunch of us who are part of the great unwashed masses who don't necessarily have the time, skills, or inclination to devote to the fine points of learning to play piano.
Using myself as an example of the great unwashed...I don't have the ear that real musicians have, either literally (out of tune instruments don't bother me because I just don't hear that they are out of tune) and subtleties in expression and execution in performances escape me (because I also am not wired to make those discernments). Put me in a garden, OTOH, and I can spot and identify all kinds of plants by their branches/leaves/etc. A lot of people think they all look the same and can't tell them apart.
Another example...wine drinkers. There are those that can appreciate all kinds of nuances in various wines. I can't, or more accurately, never could (I don't drink alcohol anymore). People would wax rhapsodic about various flavors and aromas, and I would stare blankly. I either liked it, or I didn't. Before you say it....I know, I know, I'm a philistine....
Anyway, I wonder if people who are immersed in music, have a brain wired for it, and who devote a lot of time and energy to it, see this as the equivalent of cheap wine in the world of piano lessons, and somehow not up to their standards. We need to remember that for some people, cheap wine is totally OK and even enjoyable!
Maybe Payam will get folks into playing, enjoying, and spreading piano music widely. I think that's a good thing.
Just a thought.
Sounds scammy.
It's the brave new world.
I ran into the same kind of thing with a couple of products, where even after an initial purchase there's the requirement to buy something else. It's the whole subscription model thing, with appropriate social media hype, and an endless series of emails (or texts) asking you how much you love product X and please share your experiences on their Facebook/X/etc page.
It's exhausting. Who has time to talk about their tooth brush on a regular basis?
Because it sounds like 60 Minutes and the Payam backers made a coordinated effort
Where did you get that info? (I didn't have your video link to watch, so sorry if it was in there.)
disclaimer: I have no allegiance to the Payam Method; I just posted the 60 Minutes piece because it was about pianos!
It seems that we're morphing into fact checking...
I started to fact check Meghan's debunking about there being no real statistics about how many people quit after a year of starting lessons; she was questioning the 80 percent figure quoted by Payam. Apparently that's one of those statistics that is often repeated, but may not be really accurate. Such as the notion about having to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Anyway, here is some info for anyone who is interested.
Another piano lesson site and their claim:
Why Kids Quit Piano Lessons: What Research Shows
Research from the University of Ottawa’s Piano Pedagogy Department revealed something surprising: nearly 80% of piano students quit within the first three years of lessons.
They don't cite their source specifically, but I found this thesis from someone at the University of Ottawa that seems like it might be where they got their info:
Sometimes you have to fact check the fact checkers....
Gross.
Why do you think it is gross?
Two dreams, 67 years apart: Delta flight attendants reflect on International Flight Attendant Day
As we recognize and celebrate Delta's nearly 30,000 flight attendants, the airline's most junior and most senior flight attendants reflect on their journeys.
LLMs believe false statements even after explicit warnings that they’re false
Deeper dive into the points raised by the retired judges:
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/30/nx-s1-5839989/judge-review-trump-anti-weaponization-fund
And here's their amicus brief:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28176766-motion-from-35-former-federal-judges/
Amazing map showing where the heat waves are.
Interesting choices. One that appealed to me:
Pastina
“Pastina is the ultimate edible hug! It’s my absolute favorite comfort food. I start by simmering some chicken broth — store-bought is totally fine, no judgment here! Right when the pastina is almost done, I swirl in whisked eggs, grated cheese and a crack of black pepper, then top it all off with a pile of fresh spinach. I let it steam for just a couple more minutes and boom: a bowl of pure soul-satisfying magic. But the best part is it takes less than 15 minutes and uses only one pot, so cleanup is a total breeze.” — Ayesha Nurdjaja, executive chef of Shuka and Shukette and author of upcoming cookbook Mediterranean All the Way
