The Ask The Master Forum will be CHANGING FORMAT

Walter_Pall

'Bottom line this does not give me much pleasure anymore. It is more of a burden by now.'

So why a burden and not so much pleasure? Because I had to tell people too often that their pictures were lousy. I had to tell them too often how to take a photograph of a tree from the right angle and with the right background. I have wondered too often how a person who does not know or does not care for this can possibly practice bonsai as an art form. Because I have too often compromised by choosing not to say that the picture did not tell me much.
The quality of the trees sometimes was not what was appropriate for this forum. But usually the quality was not a real problem, as long as the picture was OK.
It was a problem to have to be so rude and tell a person that the tree was just too amateurish and does not belong here. Sometimes I saw trees being presented in the show and tell section that should have been posted here.
It was disturbing to have to tell directly or indirectly tht this section is for advanced and very advanced trees and not for beginner's trees. But I always felt that it was my mission here to teach not only the advanced folks, but especially also beginners.

It was disturbing sometimes when a person posted a tree and took all the advice and especially the critique too personal. People usually don't understand that this is for several hundred people and not jsut for one person.

The part of analysing the tree and finding possible solutions always was fun and is fun. Sometimes it was not easily understood by everybody that it was my task here to point out the flaws clearly and make clear and non-compromising suggestions. Some find this rude because they don't understand the teacher-student relation here and mistake it for a friendly club discussion. It also happens that many Americans have never learned to live with open criticism and clear words. For them to be 'nice' is THE way to do it and everybody who is 'rude' like me is just not nice. Like 300 million Europeans. Then especially Americans just don't understand that this is NOT an American forum. This is an international forum and this section is run by an Austrian who lives in Germany. Since it is my section I run it according to my culture. Just as Japanese people travel the world and behave according to their culture. And it is being expected and accepted.

The new setup will probably overcome some of the bothering things. The rest we will see.

__________________
best regards
Walter Pall

CD now available online
http://walter-pall.de/cdavailable2.jpg.dir/index.html
http://walter-pall.de
http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/