A great bonsai club

[justBonsai]

I was thirteen when I joined the Marin County Bonsai Club back in the 1960's. I had no trouble finding acceptance with the old farts back then. You have to approach these people and treat them with respect. This was 50 years ago approaching 60 years. Most of these old guys are now former old guys doing bonsai with the angles.

I most definitely was not disrespectful and I don't know what kind of entitlement you are talking about in your previous post. I'd help volunteer, set up shows, and engage with club members to the best of my ability. I didn't just sit my ass down and expected to be helped or spoon fed information. But there was hardly any engagement expect for a few members who I still talk to. To be fair though I was not able to attend meetings frequently. With only one meeting a month it was hard for members to get to know me or vice versa.

 

[Solaris]

I was thirteen when I joined the Marin County Bonsai Club back in the 1960's. I had no trouble finding acceptance with the old farts back then. You have to approach these people and treat them with respect. This was 50 years ago approaching 60 years. Most of these old guys are now former old guys doing bonsai with the angles.

I don't have any trouble getting along with the fossilbone set, at least not any more than anyone else, but I can see a few things that can cause problems. Old-timers not interested in anything invented in the last thirty years or in teaching some kid they don't know, or kids who think they know everything because they read it all on a website. Unlike a lot of hobbies, where age is really just a number, bonsai really does require experience. (The impossibility of mastering it this year is what's kept me in it, as a matter of fact.) If you're a bright young guy who just spent the last couple of decades being told he's great at everything starting with tying his shoes, it's a humbling experience to find out that even average artists who've been doing this for twenty years are better than you will be in the near future... especially if the old guys aren't keen on paying attention to the umpteenth kid saying and doing the same things the last kid did.

 

[AZbonsai]

Phoenix Bonsai Society had six new members at our club meeting this week! We put on a bonsai show and had a lot of people stop in. Came to the next meeting and joined in. There is a lot of interest in bonsai in this part of the bonsai world. One thing that helps is that we meet 3 times a month which is pretty good. They take the summers off.

 

[bonsaibp]

Lots of food for thought here. One common but disturbing thread seems to be the lack of welcoming newcomers. Something I have seen and at times probably been guilty of. I think this is something all clubs can look at and easily improve. Some clubs have very small budgets and are restricted as to when and where they meet and who they bring in by that. One thing I think that can help all clubs is to be more proactive in making visitors and guests more welcome and involved. Another thing I've encountered over the years that is easy to rectify is to have a way to contact clubs that actually results in getting a response. I can't say how many times I've tried to contact a club by the listed phone number to never get an answer or even now with clubs that have a website with a contact message- rarely do those messages get returned. It shouldn't be that difficult to contact a club. I llike the idea of mentors and am in the process of trying to put together a mentoring program for CBS.

 

[Lazylightningny]

LIBS meets in oyster bay monthly. They are a good club starting to host more workshops and provide access to supplies and stuff. I think there is also a Brooklyn club.

Sorry, but I'd rather slit my wrists than fight traffic and toll bridges to Brooklyn. This is supposed to be a peaceful pursuit, not white knuckle road rage.

 

[BrianBay9]

Lots of food for thought here. One common but disturbing thread seems to be the lack of welcoming newcomers. Something I have seen and at times probably been guilty of. I think this is something all clubs can look at and easily improve. Some clubs have very small budgets and are restricted as to when and where they meet and who they bring in by that. One thing I think that can help all clubs is to be more proactive in making visitors and guests more welcome and involved. Another thing I've encountered over the years that is easy to rectify is to have a way to contact clubs that actually results in getting a response. I can't say how many times I've tried to contact a club by the listed phone number to never get an answer or even now with clubs that have a website with a contact message- rarely do those messages get returned. It shouldn't be that difficult to contact a club. I llike the idea of mentors and am in the process of trying to put together a mentoring program for CBS.

Completely agree. It's amazing how many clubs have websites that have not been updated in a couple of years. If you don't want to keep your whole site up to date, then scale it back to just a main page with contact, location and meeting times.

 

[sorce]

Replace "club" with any other word...
Or definition if you must use that word...

Done!

Resident Evil?

It's the same ego and greed of man and senseless "I can't be wrong" , closed minded BS that plagues...

Little League...the School System...
Marriages....Boy Scouts...

And other of these similar organizations, that keeps a "club" from being successful.

I was thinking the other day about "advice" blah...

Here is an enlightening fact...shit of a nature to ACTUALLY create a good bonsai atmosphere....

I came to the realization yesterday...

"That every piece of advice I ever Recieved about Bonsai. ...
Has helped Me Personally get better at Bonsai.
However, my tree's didn't begin to reflect this until I began to Identify this "Human" side of Bonsai"

Now that I sorted through the "human" element that has kept me from realizing success...I can grow, and start utilizing all this acquired advice how it applies in my garden.

#yourtreesyourgarden
#yourmicroclimate
#observation

It's the same as every other organization that means to "teach"...

Fuck...for example...I think Our school systems should be comprised of grades that include 3 year spans..because it is obvious a more properly focused class can be had..as ages DO NOT DEFINE LEVEL OF EDUCATION.

It would be easier for an underpaid teacher to teach 30 kids of the same intelligence level as none will get bored.

Anyway...

You have to Identify the deepest of individual needs....

For instance...when pondering the Women in Bonsai article I mean to write....

The only women at the WP workshop I went to...had to be instructed by our man @adamjcode on how to properly hold a cutting tool.

It is not enough to simply say, cut here...
MEN ARENT DEFAULT GENIUS AT TOOLS BTW!

Even yesterday, I found myself foolishly working in an uncomfortable position, in the excitement of creating....

But further ...

This is the "rapid life" we live, high on sugar and 5hour energy trying to "focus"!

Ha! It just doesn't happen!

It won't happen!

The most successful club will be found operating out of the back room of a dispensary.

Ha! You remember the most disgusting human ever?

Pondering that shit...

The only reason these systems operate all fucked up...is cuz for that dude who was my supervisor...
He doesn't need to talk slicker than me to hold his own against the higherups...
He only needs talk slicker than them.

On the Street I would knock this dude the fuck out calling bluffs and truth eventually bleeds from somewhere....

Corporate world prevents that shit.

So these egotistical fucks that wouldn't survive a day in any of many real life situations where "shit gets real" remain dominant on a world where some Actually Dominant dudes bitch add weak son got handed over some shit and Bullshit became the norm.

I went to an interview the other day, spoke with a confident dominant man who I would love to work for...
Enter the "new superintendent" for this season who has found 20 years of independent work enough...blah...there's the bitch ass gonna get scared of me.

So do I work with the Properly adjusted Mexican immigrants who won't see anything but a family loving hard working intelligent individual that ain't afraid to bust ass with them for $11/hr? Eee...a third of what hasnt provided enough in the past?

So it goes......

Sorce

 

[sorce]

That is to say....

One simple thing that leads to a good atmosphere is identifying individual strengths and weaknesses, (honestly is the hard part) so that everyone knows where they stand to teach, and learn.

That egotistical accidentally placed douche feller, as described in the FB WIB thread, is the person preventing this atmosphere from existing.

The phenomenon is present here, everywhere, in everything.

The idea that "rank" somehow means "only person with good information".

Or even having trees is necessary to have a better understanding of bonsai then some.

We still all learn differently.

Again...these basic of basic most basic principles that we always talk about...
Have to be consciously addressed.

Its funny because I see it happen.
Three pages of instances!
Or take my word.

Sorce

 

[Adair M]

Sorce, I think I can understand Quantum Mechanics easier than your rants! Actually, I bet you can understand QM better than most physicists!

 

[AZbonsai]

One simple thing that leads to a good atmosphere is identifying individual strengths and weaknesses, (honestly is the hard part) so that everyone knows where they stand to teach, and learn.

Case in point Sorce. I went to the president of our club last meeting and asked him who makes tables for bonsai in the club and he was able to give me a name straight away.

 

[sorce]

Sorce, I think I can understand Quantum Mechanics easier than your rants! Actually, I bet you can understand QM better than most physicists!

Lol! I watched that Netflix Letterman Show with guest Jay-z And the shit is enlightening!

People are all the same!

I love all of them!

I near used you inthis example of how...
Just like me..

You display the ability to learn anew...
But also have a strict rule following side which can sometimes inhibit growth.

It's messed up because if we as humans can actually remember "it depends" lol!

This would be so easy!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Unfortunately we dont get it till we are.

In...depends!

Fuck me!

(Gettysburg address! Lol!)

Sorce

 

[Cable]

Lots of food for thought here. One common but disturbing thread seems to be the lack of welcoming newcomers. Something I have seen and at times probably been guilty of. I think this is something all clubs can look at and easily improve. Some clubs have very small budgets and are restricted as to when and where they meet and who they bring in by that. One thing I think that can help all clubs is to be more proactive in making visitors and guests more welcome and involved. Another thing I've encountered over the years that is easy to rectify is to have a way to contact clubs that actually results in getting a response. I can't say how many times I've tried to contact a club by the listed phone number to never get an answer or even now with clubs that have a website with a contact message- rarely do those messages get returned. It shouldn't be that difficult to contact a club. I llike the idea of mentors and am in the process of trying to put together a mentoring program for CBS.

A lot of that goes back to the "bitchiness" thread in that some people are ok with some ribbing or criticism and some wilt under it. But I do have to say I cringe every time a n00b comes in here and their first bonsai is repeatedly referred to as a "mallsai". I mean yeah, I get it and I've used that word before, too, but usually when talking with someone in a different context than a newcomer with their first tree and they don't know any better. Same thing with "stick in a pot". I mean, I'm sure I'll look back on pre-bonsai that I like now and be like "what was I thinking" when I get more experienced but you can really drive people away with the unwelcoming feeling that immediate criticism and mocking can foster.

That was kind of rambling but yeah, it is important to make newcomers feel welcome. I'm heavily involved with a local gun club and am a former 2A activist and I always say it is important to bring in new and young blood or the firearms industry will die. Same with bonsai.

 

[M. Frary]

A great bonsai club will have me in it.

 

[bonsai-ben]

Sorce, I think I can understand Quantum Mechanics easier than your rants! Actually, I bet you can understand QM better than most physicists!

Ph.D in Quantum Field Theory. s = k log w anyone?

 

[justBonsai]

My co-worker from last summer had a part of Schrodinger's equation tattooed on her back. A passion for the field would be an understatement haha. From people I know in the field, they tell me the further you go in the less you know.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Enthusiasm. "Club" infinitely better then "society" which sounds stuck up.