Definition of Insanity

There has been a long-held belief that Einstein first declared the definition of insanity as, "Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." The jury is out as to whether the good doctor was truly the originator of the concept, however taking some editorial license in hand, here are some random thoughts on the subject:

Insanity is: creating another guitar line... believing you can sell a musical instrument at list price... paying $52.40 for a stool from the NAMM show decorator in Nashville and $68.40 for the same item in Anaheim. . . trying to use your airline frequent flyer points... comparing mattress prices... contemplating a reverse mortgage... selling your company and thinking you are still in charge... developing a music chain and calling it "MARS, the Musician's Planet"... going to a restaurant that does not have menu prices on its Web site (Morton's)... charging four separate hotel room taxes (Orange County) and hoping to attract more tourists and convention business...

...Traveling during the winter season (veteran piano man Dave Skidmore reports three cancelled flights within the past month)... believing your auto dealer is selling at less than invoice... not updating your Web site... purchasing Newsweek... canceling your daily newspaper... waiting for the Cubs to win the pennant... not collecting customer e-mails... believing that either political party will adequately fund music and the arts... trying to hold a conversation at the Anaheim Marriott or Hilton hotel lobby after show hours... thinking Krispy Kreme doughnuts are good for you... opening your store on Thanksgiving or at 5 am on black Friday!... paying extra for "fast" Internet service.... waiting on the phone for a customer service representative... purchasing a warranty on a television set or a service policy on a refrigerator... not adding new instrument lines every year, or, when adding a new line, failing to promote the product...

... Buying a booth at a trade show and then checking your e-mails as potential customers walk by... going to a show and only visiting half the booths wearing Sunday's finest lawn-cleansing or poolside attire... believing that hotel parking is a nominal cost... trying to buy anything made in America... having a computer without a spam filter.... corresponding with a Nigerian Princess who needs your help in locating her father's money... believing your Verizon/ Comcast (name your supplier) bill will not increase every year... passing through customs at the Toronto airport... paying extra for an airline ticket when ordering on the telephone... taking a taxi ride on the Autobahn... adding typewriter ribbons and film to your accessory department... holding a holiday party at the Olive Garden...

...Displaying your guitars at the height of a basketball rim... believing your unsold band and orchestral inventory will increase in value... not supporting industry associations (take your pick: NAMM, RPMDA, PASIC, AES)... listening to your stock broker... buying a book at an airport... not calling home every night when on the road.... taking a customer check without verification... loaning money to a relative... wearing a Zegna suit when presenting your music program to new students and their parents... believing someone when they are negotiating a purchase and he or she tells you, "It's not about the money"... trying to teach a student who shows up wearing a baseball uniform or cheerleader outfit... not giving your store manager some buying autonomy... failing to use display materials... and finally, insanity is writing a column housebound with two feet of snow in the driveway and icicles blocking the entrance to the front door...

It's time to turn on Turner Classic Movies - next up, "The Gene Krupa Story" with Sal Mineo followed by Steve Allen and the "Benny Goodman Story".... luckily the groundhog saw his shadow, spring cannot come soon enough!

[Author Affiliation]

Sidney L Davis

sdavis@ symphonypublishing.com