treebeard55

Did we blunder into an episode of "Twilight Zone?" Where did everyone go?

Like many of us, I'm involved in more than one on-line bonsai forum. Each one offers something unique: this one is the only one I know of with hands-on styling contests and Bonsai of the Month polls.

Let's not desert BC, people. And let's not blame Phil and Jim if it languishes. In the final analysis, it's up to all of us to make it a good forum.

Sermon's done. Now I'm going to practice a little of what I just preached, and post an Amur maple progression (to date, anyway.)

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Treebeard 55
Steve Moore
http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com

The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

JLDoggett

Believe it or not I am working on a F*c*s progression to post here. I just keep waiting for the morning I awake and it had died in the night, every brown curled leaf on the ground, the trunks shrivled relics of their past 40 years of life. However it still lives, so I persevere and keep working it slowly but surely...

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"Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and wrong....because sometime in your life you will have been all of these"

And I further resolve to click on an ad, each time I visit, to help support the site and to be welcoming to lurking guests when you join! After all, you're already here.

Pup

I like you have more than this site. Being Australian I frequent the ABC

AusBonsai.com a lot because it is relevant to my Hemisphere and tree's.

I was asked by Matt some time back if I would do an interview for this site.
I said yes it was set up and I got two questions one from Matt and one from Jimso I would say that is one reason I am not around much. I also answered a question of Bush Cherry Syzygium.

It has been ignored by the poster. So being that I am ignored so much why should I.
I am sorry but I remember when this site started a certain Member made me feel very unwelcome. I got over this.
I just feel that I am waisting my time here now sorry for being so blunt but that is how I personally feel. PUP

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G, day I live in western Australia I have been trying for the last 20+ years with some success to grow Bonsai. I am a perpetual learner and an advanced beginner

centaura

For me there are two parts - one, I haven't been spending a lot of time online lately, and haven't been frequenting any of the forums that I'm a member of. That's just a current phase in my life, I've been very busy. Once work starts getting busy again, I will have more time to spend online (I have to be here when someone is using my building, but I don't always have work to do during that time).

The second part, to be brutally honest, is that the questions asked on internet forums are just the same ones over and over again, and it stops being interesting after a while. I really don't have much to start new threads with, I love working on my bonsai - but I'm working on the trees themselves, I do very little with my computer in regards to working on my trees (doing virts, etc). I just have too much to do with my actual trees to spend time on my computer. But for me its all across the board - I haven't been frequenting my professional forums (non-bonsai or hobby) either, for the same reasons.

I'll have some time to kill next week, so I might be able to put some pics up from the recent Rochester Shohin Symposium - we'll see if I get to it. Great show - the trees are all invitation only, so the quality was absolutely superb.

-Centaura

Mattbonsai

Hi Guy's, it has been very quiet recently. I'll get about working on a few threads, I've had a few additions to my collection that haven't been shown off yet.

I was expecting a bit more of response to the interview also Pup, It started out being about Australian Natives, but I then changed it to being about mature / finished trees, as I remembered you have many Pup, But there still hasn't been any more replies. I don't know about that other thread, but a cheers for the information isn't too hard to post.

-Matt-

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Phil

Really don’t know what to say on this issue as in some way it’s rather odd! Membership has been growing at somewhat of a steady rate but yet no one seems to want to participate. Perhaps it may possibly be my fault in not adding in more bells and whistles to the site and more incentive for others to participate more frequently. As for incentive I’m certainly open to any and all suggestions as I simply own and run the site. Granted, I have not been posting as much although I’m on the site everyday to make sure everything is running properly and I seriously doubt my lack of posts would affect the outcome of others from participating more often.

As for any further interviews it would seem that in some cases the well known bonsai experts wish to be monetarily compensated for their time and effort which is out of the question seeing that this site (me) is still in the red as for money. If anyone possibly has any misconceptions that I’m pulling in money from those that click on the ads that is somewhat of a joke although, please continue to do so. It is Google’s policy to only send out a payment made from the ads that are clicked on when the balance reaches $100.00. This site and the ads were implemented on 12/16/2007 and the site reached that balance of $100.00 just three months ago! So much for one getting rich by Google ads! And oh, by the way, Google has every right to stop me from getting any money from the ads for whatever reason they feel like and there is NO reprieve! Once you are banned from receiving any further money for whatever reason they feel like it’s for life! Because of the low participation obviously not many of the ads have been clicked on so other non-bonsai related ads seem to be taking over the site and something that I have no control over other than to simply delete the Google ad program or, more participation and the members clicking on those bonsai related ads. Sorry, I seem to be digressing from the issue at hand but other than that I really don’t know what else to say.


Pup, I’m really sorry that you feel that way! Your knowledgeable information has always been appreciated here. Yes, admittedly the interview fell somewhat flat but I feel that could be attributed to several reasons. One would be the obvious reason, as stated above, is the general lack of participation on this site as of late. The other could possibly be attributed to that from first glance at the interview with you it may have seemed like the questions to be directed to you would be more or less limited to native Australian species only. Other than that I certainly would not in any way shape or form take the lack of response to the interview as personal. Of course I’m not at all sure who or what the circumstances were behind some member here that may have possibly made you feel unwelcome but as you put it that is in the past. I’m sure that anyone who has frequented forum sites frequently is all too aware that at times one must have a thick skin so to speak and or the ability to simply ignore those unfortunate ignorant posts that at times happen. I’m very confident that your presence and input is more than appreciated here by many and, needless to say, it would certainly hurt me to see that you decided to no longer frequent this community.

~Phil~

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Please, always keep in mind that the typewritten word does not always convey what you wish to say, and to always treat others as you would have them treat you. Think twice-submit once.
I started out with nothing....and still have most of it.
"Its hell out there, give them hell back." ~ Prowler/Victor Gray 12/31/1943 - 11/24/2008

M.B.

I'm sorry Pup, I missed your interview thread because I haven't been on much for numerous reasons. I even had a question for the thread about digging a Grevillea but figured I was too late. Don't take it personal, I'm sure people are just busy. These are frightening times. I've noticed a big decrease in participation in one of my bonsai clubs and my koi club.
Another problem I wrestle with is double posting. By double posting I mean posting on more than one forum the same trees with the same questions/pictures. I feel weird about doing it since there are many that frequent several bonsai forums.
Mary B

Phil

The interview with Pup has been extended and is not just related to Australian species.

~Phil~

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Please, always keep in mind that the typewritten word does not always convey what you wish to say, and to always treat others as you would have them treat you. Think twice-submit once.
I started out with nothing....and still have most of it.
"Its hell out there, give them hell back." ~ Prowler/Victor Gray 12/31/1943 - 11/24/2008

M.B.

Hey Phil, are the Google ads responsible for the annoying pop-up sound ads that come up every time I click on a section in the forum? This is also one of the reasons I don't frequent here as often. I have pop-up blocker but it doesn't stop these and it drives me crazy to hear "Congratulations, you won!" every time I want to go to a different section of the forum. I can't be the only one seeing and hearing these, or am I?
Mary B.

Mattbonsai

No no you are not Mary!!!!!

I've been getting them for month's, and just assumed they were to do with my computer, I think in the forum feedback forum theres a thread I made asking if anyone else gets them, but I had no replies. Sometimes if theres a lot of new posts to read, I can end up with 10 - 15 pop up windows along the bottom of my screen, and this is With a pop-up blocker.

-Matt-

*Just Checked, and I did get some replies, but none from someone who was also getting pop ups.

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