My dad can play the piano. He does not use sheet music when he plays. Instead, he plays by ear. He listens to a song, and then, after hearing it a few times, he can play it on the piano. When I was in my teens, I remember being upstairs in my room and hearing him playing. I would then come downstairs and listen. The house would be filled with beautiful music, and I would be at peace.

I wish that I, too, could play the piano by ear. If I could, I would make money by playing at events like class reunions, wedding receptions, and corporate functions. I would dress for the occasion, I would probably wear my hair half up, and I would put a coffee cup on top of the piano for tips.

Since I grew up during the 1980s, my play list would include songs from the 80s to the present. I would play hits like “Take On Me” by a-ha, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, and “I Go to Extremes” by Billy Joel. I would play popular songs from the 1990s, like “Closing Time” by Semisonic and “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” by Boyz II Men. I would also play more recent favorites like “Hall of Fame”. Playing would give me more experiences to write about, and it would be a nontraditional way to earn money—one that is very different from a traditional job in a field like retail, where people have coworkers and managers who watch them closely. With this type of work, I would work alone. I think that this arrangement would work well for me, since I am an introvert. However, I see several problems with it.

First, we would need to buy a piano, but we do not have the money. Like many people, we are struggling. We are lucky to have our utilities, and we get letters from lenders almost daily, wanting us to make payments on our student loans. In addition to the money issue, there is another reason why this is a bad idea.

A second reason why it would likely not work out is because of my learning problems. I learned to type, but a piano keyboard is much different than a computer keyboard. I can see myself getting frustrated if I do not progress like I hoped to.

Given my concerns, I think that I will stick with writing and publishing. I love this type of work, and I find it very exciting when I see my followers growing. I just need to find a way to earn some money with my writing.

I will always love music, however. I listen to it every day when I work out, fix meals, and clean up the kitchen at night. I think that I will remain a listener, and I will leave the playing to someone else.