Bonsai Stick Figures with special guest Rick Martin

[Bolero]

It was so hard work I lost 115 pounds in the first year. Started at 315 and ended up at 198. My master was a little guy. He liked to get me in front of the class to demonstrate different techniques.
Now,well I'm back to over 300 again. Really have been thinking about going back for another gold stripe.
Owning a school means you were going like every day.

With that kind of weight you should probably consider Sumo...

 

[Josh88]

Thank you. That post took four hours to compile. Making the drawings, scanning to computer, adding lines in paint, and what have you. A new person that takes away something from a heartfelt post means a lot and I appreciate it. Almost makes me want to continue to contribute things like this in the future. I really felt compassion for the guy. There is nothing more frustrating than a no reply. Yet, it is so hard with posting a tree with so little going for it that anything said will be met with resentment. I have no idea what the take away with Rick will be, but I hope he took away that this post was not really to help with what he has, but to help with future purchases in material and what to look for in trunks branches and how to best apply what he learned to the choice at the nursery.

Time will tell.

It's very clear that a lot of people from many different levels of experience gained a lot from your time and effort put into this post. Myself very much included! When I see posts from some of the gifted drawing and computer artists on this site sketching out their trees and possible directions to take them, I am envious of this ability and how helpful it must be in working on their trees. Your approach gives the rest of us a way to accomplish this and bridge that gap and create better bonsai. Thank you so much for taking to time to share this. It is greatly appreciated!
Josh

 

[Solange]

With that kind of weight you should probably consider Sumo...

Grow up, bolero.

 

[Solange]

My fucking problem, which is really your fucking problem, is that you are becoming a routine asshole. You tell rick to grow up in the other thread, then call him immature and that he has low self esteem and won't change. Then you request the thread be closed, I presume so you can have the last zinger. Then pop back up and bust on Mike about weight. While Sumo wrestlers are admired, and it is a prestigious activity, it's clearly a disrespectful comment meant not that he should actually pursue sumo, but rather that he is fat. You know that. We know that. It also totally disregards the context of achievement it's framed in. Have you ever earned a TKO blackbelt? Ever lost a comparable amount of weight only to gain it back?

 

[_#1_]

With that kind of weight you should probably consider Sumo...

Should have attached a smiley emoji!

I took that comment in jest. but others might see it differently I suppose.

 

[Solange]

haha fair enough... but if you want to throw a punch you better be able to take one, and if you can make a joke you better be able to take one as well. That's the real deal. Bolero apparently can throw them out but can't take them.

 

[Solange]

I also see he has deleted his last post that I was responding to in that second post. He ran and hid.

 

[Grant Hamby]

If this thread gets shut down, can we save the part with the great teaching?

 

[Solange]

I agree - the teaching should be on a resource page

 

[Bolero]

I also see he has deleted his last post that I was responding to in that second post. He ran and hid.

Ran and hid my ass...I just don't want to get into it with an AH like you, waste of time, good bye and my apologies to anyone that I may have offended with my sumo post...and Solange GFY...

 

[Solange]

I am an asshole because I used your own words back at you and you got upset, called me out then deleted your post and ran away? lol - Proud to be that asshole. Cheers!

 

[M. Frary]

With that kind of weight you should probably consider Sumo...

I would destroy a Sumo wrestler.
Fat jokes used to piss me off. But after training in a martial art I've learned to control my temper and take comments like these from lesser mortals with a grain of salt.
They know not what lurks under this exterior.

 

[f1pt4]

They know not what lurks under this exterior.

 

[Bolero]

I would destroy a Sumo wrestler.
Fat jokes used to piss me off. But after training in a martial art I've learned to control my temper and take comments like these from lesser mortals with a grain of salt.
They know not what lurks under this exterior.

Hi Mike, Sumo Wrestlers weights start at 187lbs LW, then 254lbs MW then 254 + lbs HW....
So with your Black Belt status combined with some Sumo basics there is no doubt in my mind that
you would be one fearsome Sumo contender but are you aware that you would have to let your hair grow out and form a Top Knot for your head, a Sumo requirement...You are probably better off just being a near Master Bonsai Gardener.

 

[M. Frary]

Hi Mike, Sumo Wrestlers weights start at 187lbs LW, then 254lbs MW then 254 + lbs HW....
So with your Black Belt status combined with some Sumo basics there is no doubt in my mind that
you would be one fearsome Sumo contender but are you aware that you would have to let your hair grow out and form a Top Knot for your head, a Sumo requirement...You are probably better off just being a near Master Bonsai Gardener.

No letting a top knot growing out of this head.

 

[M. Frary]

View attachment 124673

Pretty close.

 

[Smoke]

No letting a top knot growing out of this head.

I almost spit my diet orange crush out on the screen when I read that. I can just picture that stupid thing on your head.

 

[just.wing.it]

Diet orange crush....ugh.

 

[Eric Group]

People this is not about the damn trees now, its about using my name without permission. Some people might be OK with that, I am not and that's my god given right in this country. Now am I appericative of what he posted. Yeah extremely. He just did it the wrong way. I have never said my trees were masterpieces, hell I would be insane to think they were or ever will be in my hands anyway. It takes years for that to happen, years which I don't have enough time here to happen, but I do think eventually I can make some pretty nice ones. Paradox is right. At this point I'm in the wrong place. I need to get away for awhile.
Smoke sorry. I know you meant well just wish you would have asked first.

Rick

WHAT??!! Using your name without permission? Invasion of privacy!?!? Try telling the truth: "I am butt hurt at the implication my trees are not masterpieces and trying to hide that by Shifting the focus to something else"

People respect the truth and detest BS. Don't post your trees on a public forum with your name attached if you have an issue with people posting their critiques and using your name to call YOUR attention to those critiques!
Freaking insane...

 

[M. Frary]

I almost spit my diet orange crush out on the screen when I read that. I can just picture that stupid thing on your head.

View attachment 124695

Look how greasy it is too.
I'd be a sight for sure. Although there are days when I think one of them diapers they wear could come in handy. Time saver.