Just for Fun - Scare Yourself - Or at least a Shock - An Exercise.

Emperor Fish

Take a seat and be prepared for a shock, or even a scare.

WARNING: If you are of a nervous disposition, look away now. If you have a heart condition, read this at your own risk.

For this exercise, you will need a bit of paper, something to write with and a calculator, or use of the little grey cells. Also a little bit of time is required.

This time of year is a time of reflection throughout much of the world. A time of contemplation of the achievements and mistakes of last year, and promises and plans for the future year for ourselves. In this vein, I have a bit of yule fun. Here we go:

Stage One
1. Firstly, write down every bonsai tool you have purchased this year. Everything. All the chopsticks, pot knives, cutters, snippers, crackers, jacks, benders... everything.

2. Next write down all the pots you have acquired this year. Everything. All the hand-made bespoke pots, pots you bought without even having a tree for the pot in question, training pots, accent pots, grow pots... everything.

3. Next write down all the bonsai training you have paid for this year. Everything. All the books, magazines, teachers, workshops, clubs. Possibly even the amount of time that you have spent here, on the internet reading stuff like what you are reading right now... everything. Go on! Do it!

4. Next, write down all the trees that you have bought this year. Everything. I ain't your wife or husband or partner so don't lie to me or yourself... everything.

5. Next, write down all the fertilisers and soils that you have gotten this year. Everything. All the Akadama, pumice, kitty litter, BioGold, pine bark, moss, kanuma, 0-10-10, turface, whatever... everything.[List getting long yet?].

6. Next, write down all the bonsai accoutrements that you have snaffled this year. Everything. All the scrolls, stands, benches, poles, turntables, backdrops, cameras, clothing (maybe?)... everything.

7. Finally, write down all the accent plants and stones you have amassed. Everything.

Stage Two
Put a cost against each item.

Stage Three
Add up cost.

Stage Four
Get scared!

Stage Five
Complete the poll...!

Cheers kids.

Fish.

__________________
Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.

HEALTH WARNING: Engage brain fully, before typing into keyboard.


"We are the average gamers and we'll kill you badly. There'll be no finesse. no fancy tricks, no inventive attacks, just 2 whole smg clips and a rain of 'nades."

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Alasdair

Hows about the 'enough to cover a train ticket to the next town' option?

Something else scary (but not quite as scary as this), if you smoke add up all the money you literally burn and see how many wonderful trees and bits 'n' pieces you could have bought!

__________________
I can feel another "I wish that was my tree" moment coming on...
Currently studying BSc Plant Biology at the Universty of Wales, Aberystwyth

Ralph

...and I thought golf was an expensive past time...

__________________
Emerging from winter slumber
Bonsai trees burst buds anew
Spring is upon us!


-Paul S.

Attila

$370 for 44 seedlings of almost as many species
$145 young nursery material, 3 satsuki and 10 different species native to California
$25 black pine potensai
$60 black pine potensai
$75 black pine potensai
$90 black pine potensai
$200 olive potensai, 4 pieces
$35 birch potensai
$80 live oak potensai, 2 pieces
$130 power carving tool
$30 power carving tool
$30 turntable
$250 various tools
$100 supplies
$200 soil
$250 bench
$250 pots
$250 books and subscriptions
$200 for things that I probably forgot

Total: $2,770

My Gosh! I am embarrassed. My wife has no idea!

Emperor Fish

Yeah, thought so...!

Attila's been honest - now the rest of your turns.

Fish.

__________________
Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.

HEALTH WARNING: Engage brain fully, before typing into keyboard.


"We are the average gamers and we'll kill you badly. There'll be no finesse. no fancy tricks, no inventive attacks, just 2 whole smg clips and a rain of 'nades."

TreeBay

Don't forget to factor in your bonsaiTALK donations. (That plasma TV is looking better all the time)



Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Attila

Done.
So, now I am even deeper into the hole.

bonsaial1

hmmm, this is not fun, this may be sad..

New benches in back yard 1250.00
Pot for Ca. juniper 140.00
Bonsai today 48.00
Bonsai in Europe 120.00
blueoakbonsai trip 220.00
Convention 240.00
other pots (marble slab, etc) 310.00
club dues 10.00
club dues 35.00
club dues 10.00
club dues 25.00
Digging trip 175.00
soil (akadama) 125.00
fertilizer 26.00
Soil that I sell 280.00
Boon's show 75.00
Bonfante Show 100.00
stand wood 310.00
Tridents that I chopped 50.00
Shohin convention 326.00
________________________________
Total +- 3875.00

Worth every penny I think...budget was 4000.00 I have 125.00 to spend by New Years Eve!
Bonsai-al

__________________
If you can't be a player...be an athletic supporter!

Candy_J_Shirey

January -
Club membership $10
Renew Bonsai Today (2 yr) -$96
Greenhouse heat - $300

Feb –
Pinus thunbergii - $700
Workshop - $60
Turface, Akadama, Pine bark - $120
Wire cutter - $40
Tool roll - $40
Dremel flap wheels - $40
Wire - $96
Greenhouse heat - $300

March –
Greenhouse heat - $200
Fertilizers - $30

April –
Columns for bonsai gallery - $3000
Handtruck to move larger bonsai $185
Pinus thunbergii - $175
Pinus thunbergii - $1150
Pinus thunbergii study group - $125
Tokoname pot - $270
Celtis Sinensis - $1875
Larix laricina forest planting workshop - $200
White pine Masterclass - $80

May -
Chinese Quince $165
Wood Stand - $80
Portable workbench - $40

June –
Pinus parviflora - $165
Juniperus Procumbens Nana - $275
Collected jack pines - $185

Jul –
Pinus thunbergii study group - $125
Specimen Pinus mugo - $1200
Specimen Rhododendron indicum - $700
Specimen Cotoneaster microphyllus - $450
Collected Larix laricina - $300

September –
Weeping juniper $65
Workshop $120
Sara Raynor pot - $90
Accent plants - $16

October –
Workshop - $60
Nick Lenz accent pots - $60
Workshop - $60
Pinus thunbergii study group - $125
Friends of the National Arboretum Membership - $50

November –
Book (Bonsai, Kusamono, Suiseki by Willi Benz) - $35

December –
Rosemary prebonsai - $45
Vitis vinifera plus shipping -$165
5th World Bonsai Conference Registration - $580

Stage 1 - Write it down - done
Stage 2 - Write down cost - done
Stage 3 - Total - (can't do it - too scared!) skipped this step and went straight to Stage 4 -