Gandalf, You missed the point. What I am geting at is to be true to the spirit of bonsai a progression is needed BEYOND thanking the Japanese/Chinese for their cultural "gift" to us. If we are to really practice bonsai, as the Japanese do, we have to stop the "hero" worship and get on with it. Of course the Japanese (Chinese, Koreans, South Asians, etc.) are due credit and honor for developing bonsai. The cultural debt is a deep one. However, retaining "the Japanese do it better" inferiority complex won't help us in the least. Bonsai is a dying art in its homeland(s). It's known as an old man's passtime in Japan by and large. The cultural revolution in China pretty much squelched it there. Things are changing in both places. The market for bad mass produced mallsai in Japan is a fast growing one--so much for tradition. China is struggling to emerge as a world power and is struggling with traditions as well. Bonsai's primary driver in the coming decades will be the West and I'm not being an insensitive cultural barbarian. This thought isn't mine. It's been voiced by more than a few Chinese and Japanese bonsai people. Check out this thought in books like Wee Yu Sun's Artistic Potted Plants, or in the statements of more than a couple of Japanese artists over the last few decades. "The term "Americanization" comes to mind. Cultures/peoples/countries across the world resent the fact that their younger counterparts give up on or quit practicing the old beliefs and adopt a "Western" attitude, just so they can be chic or fit in in the popularized way the "Modern/Western" world is." And please stop with the "big bad America" rap. It's quite a tiresome, lazy argument and doesn't apply to Japan in the least. Japan has long been in the "first world" and on the cutting edge of modern technology for quite some time. That's pretty apparent to anyone with a television or a computer. However, in becoming that modern economic power, the Japanese are losing alot of traditions. The country is undergoing a tremendous population shift and dropping traditions right and left. Bonsai is one of those arts. What I am arguing is not to be trapped into thinking that we in the West have nothing to offer bonsai. We do. In fact, we may become its principle repository as Japan's culture continues to change. For what it's worth, you might do some more detailed research on the history of bonsai. The long 1,300 year history you've cited is misleading. There is a huge difference in what was done in China a millenium ago and what the Japanese are doing now. The Chinese collected trees and plunked them into containers without altering them. A majority of the meticulously groomed award winning Japanese bonsai that one sees now in shows and in books have been bonsai for only a short 100 years or less--which is the rough time frame in which bonsai took firm root as a popular passtime in Japan. The gulf between the original Chinese animism, tree spirit container plant and the primped, wire-groomed, power tool-carved Japanese bonsai today is a pretty huge one. I think there may be a thesis in how modern power tools and modern manufacturing capabilities (wire, tools, etc) have dramatically influenced the advancement of bonsai...

Dear Mike, Congratulations on quitting your job! :) Things may be difficult for you now, but it sounds like quitting was the right thing to do, and I'm glad to hear you did it. (IÂm not sure itÂs my place to be proud of you, but I am :) Years ago, I was laid off from my first job after finishing school mostly because I refused to lie for my boss. He told me to tell a supplier that the check to pay them for their previous work was being sent, when we both knew that that check would not be written for at least three weeks. The point was to cajole them into doing more work for us, for which we would presumably pay them someday. I'm not a person who usually holds to deep convictions, but I looked at the boss and told him that if he wanted the supplier told that the check was being cut, he would have to tell them that himself. When the lay-off list came out four weeks later, my name was on it. It was very difficult for me at the time, but I did find another (much better) job, and over the years I've gotten to be slightly proud of finding a level below which I would not descend. I hope things work out as well or even better :) for you, Yama-san. with increased respect, - Evelyn

Hi Scott Young Muso soseki was ordained as Shingon-shu monk. when Tenryuji temple need lot's of money to complete the temple, marchants and Temple build ship called Tenryuji sen( Tenryu ji ship ) and went to China for trade. at time Japan and korea, China did not have formal relationship . becourse of attempt of Mongolian invation to Japan. If monk is on board on ship, Japanese figure out they may not kill or baned by Chinese official. Besides monks may not able to speak Chinese but they can write and understand chinese charactoers. (Buddhist monks were well respected aslo among Chinise and Korean peoples) Trade was only to make money to build the temple. There was kenniji sen( kenninji tenple ship)also . while Muso kokishi was very active , Ji sect of pur land Buddhism monks are also makeing many Japanse gardens as well . you and me some time has different opinion but alway I am your side : ) :) : ) your friend yama

axmom, I did bargain on the rental and got what I wanted. How is that a game?? I was prepared to move on if he didn't come down. Its a buyers/renters market. Tons of places on the market and many sitting for over a year. I realized, as I was looking around there was room for a lot of negotiating. You wouldn't believe what landlords were willing to offer to get their places rented. Trust me, I wasn't playing games. I got a good deal. I am ignorant of the Korean culture, as well as many other cultures. Should I well versed in all cultures before selling my house? How is that 'redneck?' They buyers are lovely people, I allowed a long closing because they are renting and their lease ends in April. I wasn't in a rush to move, but did not want to move in Feb. because I feared weather problems. I was right as we got hit with 2 ft. of snow and no power for 2 days. Had I insisted on an earlier closing I would have saved myself a few thousand dollars. We close Monday, Mar. 1 and I went to see my home today and we have tremendous tree damage which I am responsible to clear up. My allowing a 4 month closing will cost us a lot of money and headache. I'm not even sure how this is handled. Buyers called me daily on both cell and home phones asking to do the walk-thru with some friends and construction people. No matter how I explained we were moved out and the roads were closed, I hadn't cleaned after the move and we had no power (electric and water), they kept insisting they see the house. We moved Wed. because movers were afraid of the impending storm. I was not prepared and had to pay extra to have an man help me box. Took all day to move out and in to the new place. It started snowing that night and by morning my neighbor called to say trees were down and the power was off. We are on well/septic and I had left many plants behind in the house. I thought I had 3 days to clean up before the walk-thru. The roads were closed, my husband and I spent hours yesterday trying to get to our house. Our Town declared an emergency and we were almost stranded on the road. We managed to get to the house today to assess the damage. Luckily the trees did not hit the house or pool but we have huge limbs all over the ground and dangling from the trees. During all this, the buyer and his agent continued calling both me and my agent insisting they wanted the walk-through. No matter how I explained I couldn't get to my own house, how there was no water or electric, he didn't care or he wasn't understanding. I didn't want to be rude, but my nerves were frazzled and I just wanted to see my house and whether it was still standing. This is my first time selling a house. We've lived in it for almost 40 years. I wasn't prepared for the stress and amount of work involved. I did pack in advance as much as possible but we were still living in the house. I was trying to sell furniture and other items which took time and we both work full time. Plus, we love our house and enjoyed the time it was off the market. Those four months before closing were like a vacation. Guess we could have timed it better, but we still would have faced the snow storm because we allowed a long closing. So we pay the price. Tomorrow we agreed to meet the buyers, their agent and construction people at 2pm. My house is a mess from the movers and I will have to try to clean it up before they come. They want to inspect it again and worry it was damaged in the storm. I understand their anxiety, but they don't seem to understand mine. I need to hire a tree service to clear the mess but no one is even answering my calls. It will be Spring before the snow melts and work can begin. We were told money will have to be held in escrow to cover any damages. The tree work will cost us a small fortune. My problems could have been avoided if we closed earlier. Azmon, there was no 'double-standard.' I could have refused any of their requests which was my right. Jane