No, unlike comments such as these:

"How can I help it if you are jealous because you play on an intermediate Pearl flute and your husband doesn`t make much money? How is that my fault? "

I make no presumptions about the lives of other people I am not directly involved in other than what I see posted here.

That was not a no presumption and I think you are well aware of that.

Let`s just agree to try and avoid each other on line, okay? Sound fair enough? I don`t want any trouble.

Wow Piko!! Amazing calculations!!

My mom and I had a conversation about upgrading just an hour or so ago.

Me: I guess I`m never going to upgrade
Mom: At least not during your freshman year.
Me: What about the end of Freshman year? You let (my sister) upgrade!!
Mom: If there was a way to upgrade the flute even for $100, yes.

-sighs-

when my students want to upgrade, I tell them to double the amount of time they normally practice, thus proving to their parents that they are worth it and serious about it

So where are your tattoos and/or piercings, Piko?

"I have a student that worked all year at McDonalds to get her new flute. Trying to keep up her homework, work a job and then some to do so. I suppose this is ones of the reasons it does irritate me that children are handed professional model flutes without having to work for them after seeing what she went through. I guess that makes me a bad person"

It does not make you a bad person but it seems that you may be a little hung up in the communist mentality, where everyone should be equally poor. It is really not a big deal. I am in the top 1% of income earners in the country and paid six figures just in income tax this year. Should I not get my daughter a decent flute? To me this is a lower end flute.

While I do think tattoos can look quite nice on certain people. I don`t think I`d ever give it too much thought for myself. While entertaining... I`ve never seen anyone age gracefully with tattoo work. Gravity has its way with everyone in time. lol.

Shane I certainly don`t think that everyone should be poor. If that is the way you choose to raise your child, then that is your choice, not mine. Not everyone has to agree with it. I hope your daughter enjoys her new flute. I used to play on a Yamaha up until I got my Powell and it was like a work horse. Good choice.

" I am in the top 1% of income earners in the country and paid six figures just in income tax this year. Should I not get my daughter a decent flute? To me this is a lower end flute."

Oh, so YOU are the one I need to talk to about the upgrade adoption program! Do you prefer I call you Mr. Shane, Uncle Shane, or just Daddy?

Seriously, don`t worry about it. Some of us just don`t happen to share the same life experiences as you. That`s life!

But, if you are ever interested.....I don`t need anything fancy!!!!

" I am in the top 1% of income earners in the country and paid six figures just in income tax this year. Should I not get my daughter a decent flute? To me this is a lower end flute."

Why didn`t you just get your 12 year old a top of the line then? Hey, if you can afford it, right? My Father makes over six figures a year too, but I had to pay for my own flute. He always told me that I won`t get anywhere in life if things are just handed to me. I think that it makes people appreciate things a whole lot more that way.

I believe he said he PAID over six figures in income tax. I don`t know if I could even begin to figure out how much that means he actually MADE!!!

Piko, get that excell program going; we need a little `figuring` help here!?!

Why didn`t you just get your 12 year old a top of the line then? Hey, if you can afford it, right? My Father makes over six figures a year too, but I had to pay for my own flute. He always told me that I won`t get anywhere in life if things are just handed to me. I think that it makes people appreciate things a whole lot more that way.

My 12 year old would have a difficult time holding down a full time job as well as flute lessons, sax lessons, french lessons, girl scouts, magnet school, and house chores.

Did your father buy you food and provide shelter or was that just handed to you?

I think that I may have chosen the wrong forum to post questions on, because things seem to get off topic here fairly quick.

Of course my father provides food and shelter for me those are a necessity in life, a professional flute is not. I was never handed a car or anything really expensive like some of my friends. Especially not at 12! He would say that is spoiling me. Too bad he doesn`t think more like you, I could use a car. Lol

<<I think that I may have chosen the wrong forum to post questions on, because things seem to get off topic here fairly quick.>>

Hi Shane,
If you would be interested in a flute site where you can get some great input without so much drama I would recommend Yahoo Groups Flutenet. It is an email list and can generate a lot of email but you can also read at the website or choose to get the emails in digest form.

There are professionals and teachers on that list that give some great advice and their files at the website are so full of information that it is amazing. There are many people also that are just picking up the flute along with younger players in high school so you can feel comfortable asking questions too.

It is a moderated list and I know that some people don`t like that but I personally don`t mind because it keeps it pretty clean so I don`t have to worry about my daughter reading it.

I hope your daughter is enjoying her new flute.

Kim