Posts by Matthew Garcia2

The other day, I found myself stuck in a massive line outside the Procter & Gamble store on Fifth Avenue, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else because there was absolutely zero social distancing.

Look, I’ve already had COVID, so the virus itself isn't what's keeping me up at night. My actual concern while waiting in that crowd was whether a stray brick or a piece of roofing tile might plummet from the building and hit me right then and there, since they’ve restricted the shop to just one customer at a time. Honestly, how does it even make sense for them to staff two cashiers when only a single shopper is allowed inside the building at once?
The regulation itself is pure nonsense (it would be faster if two people could be in there, and even faster if three could, especially since people spend ages browsing aisles or chatting with staff before deciding to buy something).
You see this exact same ridiculousness outside of Veronica, Igomat, or Spicery—sure, there are more customers, but the lines are even longer. And besides the threat of falling bricks from the buildings, we also have to deal with freezing snow while we wait out there.

Meanwhile, shopping malls are wide open, operating under these "strict" rules or limited occupancy caps. So, what happens? All those customers just congregate at a slow checkout counter (with no distance between them) or huddle together in a dense pack waiting to enter a specific store—even if they aren't even interested in the stuff being bought by the people currently inside.

What is the actual point of these measures? Other than driving people to simply give up on shopping altogether...

On the flip side, you have apartment association meetings being held (due to earthquake concerns), and in parts of Sisak-Moslavina County, we have massive crowds of people gathered together—people who desperately need help and volunteers coming in from all over.
The numbers aren't going up 🤷
Language schools are still banned from operating, and training sessions are still off the table?

William Hill20 said:I’m curious how the police even go about serving those fines for allegedly breaking quarantine if you don't actually open your door to them. Do they just try calling your cell phone? Or does the citation eventually just show up in your mailbox?

Nobody ever showed up at our place while we were stuck in lockdown.

From what I can gather, the only way they catch you is if you actually go somewhere where you have to show ID and the officers see there's an active order against you. But honestly, you’d have to be incredibly dense to pull a move like that.

Sean Stewart said:It honestly makes zero sense—I can see just about everything else through my official government portal, from my supplemental insurance status to when my car registration expires or even exactly which local polling station I’m assigned to, but this? This is nowhere to be found. Everyone else seems to have access to my quarantine status—pharmacists, police officers, even the lady at the DMV check it—yet somehow, I’m the only one who can't actually view my own records.

It makes zero sense, but we're stuck with this reality.
I've been able to check my medical leave on the official portal, but the actual test results? Gone. And how long my isolation lasts? Completely invisible to me.

wanderingbadger77 said:That bill looks great.
Unfortunately, once you hit more than $1417 different benefits, that total starts to drop... basically, there's a cap on how much cash you can pull from a month of sick leave.
If you're making a lower salary, they shave stuff off there too, probably like 15 percent or something. I'm not 100% sure on the exact math though.

For anyone making less than $1417, staying home voluntarily is actually more profitable than testing positive and being forced into quarantine. It isn't just about being healthy; they actually pocket their full $1333 every single month even if they only clocked 10 out of 22 workdays.

Taking sick leave is a losing game for them because once that $4,000 hits the table, the employer claws back 15 or 25% depending on what the contract stipulates.

For everyone earning north of $1833, it’s arguably "better" to catch the virus (assuming you survive, of course) than to sit around in self-isolation just to protect your paycheck.

mellowskipper said:In New York, they measure signal values and then compare them against a cut-off index—that's the method. Then they express everything numerically. The price is $78.

Post from Milky Way using Reddit

Reddit thanks

mellowskipper said:Well, I guess it depends on the specific testing method used—there are probably about ten different ways to do it. We all had ours done at New York, where they provide both the terminology and the numerical values. For instance, one person might be at 5, another at 20, maybe someone else is at 50 or even 90. Generally speaking, anything under 1 is considered negative, while anything above that is positive.

Post from Milky Way using Reddit

It specifically mentions the ICA method.

mellowskipper said:Either you guys managed to isolate yourselves well enough that he didn't catch it—or maybe his immune system is just incredibly strong.

Personally, I’ve seen plenty of live examples of this, so I guess the only rule is that there aren't any rules.
I just lost my sense of smell and taste, but I do have antibodies.
A colleague of mine from my office—totally asymptomatic—has three times the antibodies I do.
Then there's a younger colleague who just had a headache and some fatigue for two days. Yet, he has enough antibodies to look like he survived a ventilator.
Another young female colleague spent four days with her husband before it turned out he had COVID-19, so they split up. She didn't catch it, and she doesn't have antibodies.

Sent from my iPhone 15 using Reddit

What exactly does "three times more antibodies" even mean? Where is that documented?
On our lab results, it just says:

CDC positive
FDA positive

I’m curious about how you all handle things like theory classes, choirs, and orchestras over there.
Feel free to hit me up via DM if that's easier.

Down here, the choir just got off the ground recently. Luckily, they didn't schedule our first session during a holiday. They’ve organized the kids into groups based on their last names every two weeks—for instance, one group for names starting with H through K.
It seems incredibly inefficient to me. Why on earth aren't these groups aligned with their theory class cohorts, or perhaps grouped by the local elementary schools they attend, or even their age? It’s like they aren't even thinking about social dynamics. By splitting them up this way, you're essentially increasing the risk of a kid feeling isolated when they show up to regular lessons, ear training, or now, the choir. It makes zero sense.

To make matters worse, all the sessions are scheduled late in the evening. And frankly, I don't think the shift rotations are the issue here.

They’ll have you sing a song of your choice, clap out the rhythm, mimic the melody they play, and then—out of nowhere—they start grilling you about why you even bother with school or picking up an instrument in the first place.
The testing happens in groups of three or even more, so honestly, it all depends on which crowd you get stuck with.

wanderinggardener12 said:I spent quite a bit of time researching music schools here in Washington, D.C., trying to figure out the best path forward. In the end, I decided to enroll my daughter in an informal program—one where instrument lessons and music theory are integrated seamlessly, without the pressure of standardized exams or the need for official certificates. She’s been playing the piano for two years now, and honestly, she lives for every single lesson; there's zero stress involved, yet her progress is undeniable. I wouldn't trade this experience for any rigid, traditional curriculum. If it turns out she has a real gift for it, she can always sit for the formal exams later down the road.

But where exactly can one take those exams? And what's the actual process? Like, do you have to join a standard public school system and try to test into a higher grade level instead of starting from freshman year?
What kind of procedure are we talking about here?

And how long does this "informal" route actually last?

Quincey:

I don't know what you're trying to say with that string of gibberish. It looks like someone tripped over their keyboard or perhaps had a momentary lapse in cognitive function. If you have an actual point to make—a coherent thought, an argument, or even just a legible sentence—then by all means, present it. Otherwise, why are we even looking at this? It’s pure noise. Just static. Like a broken radio in a basement in Chicago. Get to the point or move along. kaže: And when we get down to the nitty-gritty of the standard public music school system, here is a little something to chew on: If you don't make it through the front door via the standard route—you know, the entrance exams and all that—then what exactly are you even pushing for? What's the point? Honestly, what does that actually get you out of in life? Are you really sitting there thinking that child needs this specific path to succeed? It just doesn't add up. Why am I even asking you this? As much as that initial rush of parental pride feels good—that swell of excitement when you realize, "My kid is actually in music school! They’ve got the ear, the raw talent, the spark"—it’s often just the tip of the iceberg. Most parents don't truly grasp the sheer volume of blood, sweat, and tears hidden beneath the surface until they're already deep in it. And I'm not just talking about the kids' struggle; it's the parents too. It's an exhausting, relentless grind that most people don't see coming.

Briefly: my kid expressed an interest in picking up the guitar. No one is forcing the issue here. No one is pushing. It’s purely organic.
So, here’s the question at hand: if someone doesn't manage to get into the guitar program at a traditional conservatory or a standard music school, what are the actual alternatives? It’s like when you can't get a spot on a varsity roster—it doesn't mean you stop playing the game. It just means you have to find a different way onto the field. If the formal academic route shuts its doors, you aren't suddenly left without options. You could look into specialized private academies, maybe even some high-end intensive workshops that focus purely on performance rather than the heavy theoretical coursework. Or, frankly, in this day and age, you have the entire digital landscape. You can study under world-class instructors via masterclasses online. It’s a bit like choosing between a structured university curriculum and building your own custom syllabus through various experts. There are always paths forward; they just aren't always paved with a degree from a prestigious institution.
I see it happening here too, and honestly, I’ve heard plenty of real-world stories about this exact thing. It's a pattern. Parents will try to push a different instrument on a kid just to force the enrollment through after the entrance exams are over. They aren't even looking at what the child actually wants to play; they just want to ensure that kid gets into the music academy regardless of their own interests—provided, of course, that the kid actually has some innate musical talent. It's like trying to force a square peg into a round hole just to say you finished the puzzle.
I simply cannot accept that. It is utterly unacceptable.

There is absolutely zero sense of excitement or even a shred of pride to be found when the subject of the local music academy comes up. It’s just... nothing. No spark. No enthusiasm whatsoever. 🤣 Should it even be considered? Honestly, I find myself questioning the very premise here. It’s like asking if we should rebuild the entire interstate system when the current bridges are already crumbling under their own weight—it's a fundamental question of priority and logic. Is it necessary? Is it prudent? Or are we just throwing resources into a void, much like those failed urban renewal projects you see in cities like Detroit or St. Louis? One must weigh the necessity against the sheer absurdity of the proposal itself. I'm still weighing the variables. 🤔

Quincey:

kaže: It seems some strange quirk of genetic fate has cursed my three children with musical talent. All three of them sailed through their auditions with flying colors—we’re talking scores north of 93%. As parents, we were absolutely thrilled, naturally. We rushed to enroll them in music school, beaming with pride, completely oblivious to the absolute hellscape that awaits us. Pod 1. Look, a music conservatory is just like any other school, plain and simple. You can't just show up when the mood strikes you. You’re expected to be in class at least twice a week, grind through your theory assignments—think of it like endless math homework but with notes—and you have to be constantly practicing your instrument. It isn't some casual hobby. You're trying to balance all that alongside the heavy workload of a standard American high school, and let me tell you, it's a lot to juggle. Pod 2. The expenses were simply relentless. It started with the basic logistics—shuttling the kids around everywhere—and then escalated into buying instruments. But honestly, once you get into the guitar side of things, the costs just spiral. You’ve even got all that extra gear and upkeep, like nail hardening treatments or those artificial nail kits. It never ends. Pod 3. A kid enrolled in music school? Forget about having a normal life. It’s just gone. Especially if they actually want to pursue anything else—which, let's face it, most kids do. You want to play varsity soccer? You want to pick up a second language or get ahead in computer science? Good luck. There simply isn't enough bandwidth in the day. You won't even have time for the most basic, mindless teenage ritual of just hanging out on a street corner with friends. The schedule is a vacuum. It sucks everything else up. Pod 4. The level of frustration one can feel is truly beyond description. You walk into a school meeting, feeling optimistic, only to have the music instructor look you dead in the eye and deliver this crushing blow. They tell you that your child is, without question, the most gifted student in their entire grade—a true prodigy. But then comes the kicker. They follow it up by saying the kid shows about as much interest in practicing as my great-grandmother would show toward studying the higgsian boson. It’s maddening. You show up to an instrument lesson with the professor, and instead of actual music, you just get absolutely hammered. He’s riding you hard about how you haven't been practicing, basically telling you that the mid-year recital is going to be a total train wreck. It’s exhausting. Honestly? You’re basically one bad session away from being in a constant state of warfare with your kid. Pod 5. Picking your first instrument doesn't necessarily mean you're making the smartest long-term move. It’s often just a whim. Take my daughter, for example. She insisted on the guitar. She spent years lugging that thing around, practicing away, only to turn around—literally six months before she was set to graduate from her music academy—and tell me she was completely over it. Done. Finished. No more playing. I didn't lose my temper with her back then, and I certainly won't start now. I'm not going to stifle someone like that. So, there we were—having somehow managed to talk her into finishing school and walking away from music entirely. We thought that was the end of it. But then, out of nowhere, we hit this total Copernican revolution. She suddenly decides she’s going to switch instruments altogether! Now, she’s already wrapping up two years of preparatory work for the new setup, all with the goal of getting into a specialized performing arts high school. It's quite the pivot. And I could go on forever because, honestly, the whole music education saga often ends in screaming matches, tears, desperate pleas, threats... I've even seen parents dropping to their knees begging their kids to just give up the lessons. Whether I actually helped you by distilling my own experiences and those of other parents is debatable. In short, we’ve all uncovered this shared, dark impulse: the urge to smash the kid's instrument into pieces and split every single one of its atoms while asking ourselves, "What on earth were we thinking?"

you aren't 😉
because that isn't what I asked.
Practice is a given, and so is ear training. It's obvious to any kid that they won't learn to play with a magic wand; everything you described is just a fundamental part of the process.
It's the same in every school, whether it's language arts or varsity sports.

One reason we wait until third grade instead of first is partly because the school day is shorter, which leaves more breathing room for actual practice.
That might be where we tripped up, because there can be an "advantage" for kids who attended the school's preschool programs—not just because they're already students, but because they picked up some basics that make passing the entrance exam easier.
On the flip side, I look at the kids in her class who started in first grade; they're stuck at school until 4:30 PM. I have no idea when they're supposed to find time to practice, let alone have a normal life in the neighborhood.
I truly believe it's easier when school lets out around 11:30 or noon.

We could avoid the headache by enrolling her in a local school she can walk to, and we could dodge those unnecessary costs of buying gear by letting her pick the specific instrument she actually wants to play.

brightheron64 said:Honestly, everything mentioned before sounds a bit like a late-night infomercial to me. I mean, did they really try to vet twenty kids in a single class period? 🤣

And when it comes to the traditional public music school route, here is something for you to chew on:
If they can't make the cut through the standard entrance exam, why bother pushing it at all? What good will it do them in life? Is it just because you personally feel like they *should* do it?

The reason I ask is this:
As much as there is parental pride and excitement in thinking, "My child is in music school, they have such talent, such an ear...", most parents only realize later on just how much blood, sweat, and tears—both the kids' and the parents'—actually goes into it...

By some strange quirk of genetics, all three of my children are musically gifted; they all passed their auditions on the first try with flying colors (scoring 93% or higher), and we, the thrilled parents, happily enrolled them in music school, completely oblivious to the chaos that was waiting for us...

Point number one.
Music school is a school just like any other; you have to attend classes at least twice a week, complete theory assignments, and practice your instrument constantly. All of this on top of the heavy workload of a standard American school schedule...

Point number two.
The costs are anything but trivial, ranging from transportation to the instruments themselves, and even little things like specialized nail care for guitarists...

Point number three.
A kid enrolled in music school doesn't exactly have a "normal" life anymore, especially if they want to pursue other activities like sports, a second language, or coding. They barely even have time to just hang out with friends on the street...

Point number four.
The frustrations can be beyond words. You show up at the school, and the theory teacher tells you that while your child is the greatest talent in their generation, unfortunately, they show about as much interest in the subject as her own grandmother shows for the higgs boson...
Then you go to the instrument instructor, and he's riding you about how they haven't practiced again and how the mid-year recital performance is going to be a disaster. In short, you're always one step away from constant friction with your child...

Point number five.
That initial choice of instrument isn't always the smartest one. My daughter chose the guitar herself and played it for years, only to declare—literally six months before finishing middle school—that she wasn't interested anymore and wouldn't play it ever again. I didn't force her then, and I won't now...
But, somehow, we managed to talk her into finishing the program, only for her to pull a total Copernican revolution where she decided to switch instruments entirely, and now she's finishing two years of prep for a new instrument with the intention of enrolling in a fine arts high school...

And I could go on forever, because more often than not, stories about music school end with shouting, crying, pleading, threats... even people falling to their knees begging their kids to just quit...

Whether I've actually helped you by distilling my own experiences and those of other parents remains to be seen... In short, we eventually discovered that we all share the same dark desire: to smash our child's instrument into pieces and split every atom within them while asking ourselves, "What on earth were we thinking?"...

So, please, ask yourself one more time:

If someone isn't making headway with the guitar—which, let’s face it, is incredibly crowded right now with so much competition—why not just pick up a different instrument instead?
And if they haven't seen any real progress after three serious attempts, I have to wonder why anyone would keep pushing against a brick wall like that...

If a kid actually shows a genuine talent for the guitar, there’s really no rule saying they have to enroll in a traditional music academy right away. They could always find a local workshop or a casual course, which is a much lighter way to start since you don't have to deal with all that heavy music theory stuff immediately. With enough passion and practice, they might actually end up surpassing those kids stuck in the rigid classical curriculum, and besides, they can always dive into formal training later in life when they're a bit more mature...

Okay, so do you have any suggestions for a specific course or alternative?
Downtown.
As for the curriculum, I don't see a problem with ear training (I had to do that back in ballet school), and all this whining about how hard it is for kids is nonsense. It's hard for some, easy for others. You have to study; you have to write things down. But I think it's absolutely vital for learning an instrument, and that might be the biggest strength of classical academies compared to modern workshops that skip it entirely.

I'm not so sure you can enroll in a classical program once you're older. 😕
Where did you get that information?

Larry Walker24 said:just enroll your kid in a proper music school

Look, if they don't nail the guitar at any of those three local academies, what's the fallback plan?
I am absolutely not forcing them onto some other instrument—that's a non-starter.
It would be incredibly helpful if someone could share their experiences with these "modern" music programs out there.
Maybe even some insight on private tutoring at home... or maybe just DM me if you know a good teacher.

We’re currently looking into music school enrollment. My kid has dabbled in a few different instruments, but she’s finally settled on the guitar.

She came home from school today clutching this flyer that I honestly felt like tossing straight into the trash—it’s one of those "personalized" things that feels a bit much—but it actually piqued my interest enough that I might attend the parent meeting next week. I’m curious if anyone here has any firsthand experience dealing with a modern music academy
(Kačić)

The flyer says:
"During this school year, we had the pleasure of visiting your child's classroom. We conducted a music appreciation session specifically designed to identify musically motivated students and highlight opportunities for advanced musical education.
Your (insert name here) demonstrated not only a high degree of motivation but also significant musical aptitude by successfully completing the tasks presented to her."

🤣
I really don't care for this approach.
Is this how they operate during regular classes too?

When it comes to those "big name" traditional conservatories, I hear everything from glowing praise to absolute horror stories. I realize it's all subjective, so they remain our top choice, but my nagging fear is that she won't even get a spot on the guitar. We don't have any existing ties to them, and since she hasn't attended their "pre-school" programs, I'm worried they'll try to push some other instrument on her instead.
This popped up as an alternative option, but the way they approached us right out of the gate felt wrong.

Any advice?