Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss O.K. Lets see a show of hands. Who's going...

It doesn't exactly conjure up visions of the shores of the Gitche Gumee and Nokomis but it's in the ballpark.

Thanks for that thoughtful reply Bob Lusk.

Thank you for sharing some of the figures and information about putting on conferences. Many people never have the occasion to ever consider those costs or what putting on a conference involves. Sharing some of that information helps put in perspective the challenges involved.

Thank you for being frank and open.

I almost did not return to this thread because it was devolving into something that was becoming less than pleasant to read. But reading your post made me glad I did.

Ok Bob I recall you saying one time that you see weird every day. Well I have something that I consider weird about my participation. But I want to share it with you just as another "data point" to your business. The forum to me is the main reason I am around. I subscribe to the magazine and will continue to do so, even though I am sometimes a month or two behind reading them. I am on the forum nearly every day, but I do not always get around to reading the magazine. I can't even explain why. It is just weird. But I figure I get enough benefit and enjoyment out of the forum that I donate annually to the forum and also subscribe to the magazine in support of the usage I get out of the forum. I suppose I could just donate to the forum and quit subscribing, but I feel both are needed to support what has become a very enjoyable one of my hobbies. I don't know if there is any useful information in my admission of how lazy I am concerning the magazine, but maybe it just shows that there are different strokes for different folks.

At any rate, thank you and Otto (as well as the moderators) for your perseverance in something you believe in. I enjoy it.

I truly enjoyed what parts of the conference I actually attended. I am far from affluent, yet for me, it was a chance to reconnect with my eldest daughter who lived very close to La Toretta.

I hate to possibly re-open the perceived wounds that may have been inflicted in this thread, yet I feel compelled to say a couple things.

First, the epithets laid on Sunil are the exact opposite traits I personally know he possesses. Sparky, I love our debates we have had, and though at times we could get personal, we tried hard to keep it light-hearted on very touchy topics, and we communicated privately in rough discussions out of what I felt is a genuine respect for one another...

Sparky, Tony, I feel you will consider and respect my following thoughts....This forum, nor the conferences, are in any way geared toward the "affluent"! If you feel they are, perhaps you should delve into your personal reasons for those beliefs, rather than insist everyone adhere to your belief? If you have "all the knowledge" you will ever need for your pond, wonderful, yet I have always thought of you as an intelligent man, so please understand when I ask you how in the world you accomplished knowing all you'll ever need to know when you are clueless as to what you do not know??? It is factually impossible for you to know any value your ROI may or may not have brought you by attending any or all conferences??? You may very well be right that you'd gain nothing of value to yourself at a conference, or here on the forum...One may make it a self-fulfilling failure to gain knowledge also, if they maintain a closed mind and anticipate nothing but the worst, whereas an open mind will see and consider something that can be used or modified somehow to reach, or even discover, a new goal....

I just read this entire thread and was very disappointed in how it devolved, yet am glad it has not been locked....


My last thought is....From a solitary viewpoint, you can look closely for something good in everything, you can look closely for the bad in everything, and both views will be deluded and distorted....Taking a look at everything again, from another angle or viewoint, and you will see it all entirely differently

At the conference I went to, there were a few that you could put in the affluent catagory, but the vast majority were people of average means. THey were wanting to make sure they get it right the first time because it cost so much, and $ is a big deal for them.

First of all this post is not meant to be a dig at Tony.But hopefully some good will come from all of this.I still have a lot to learn.I did buy the book Just Add Water and was planning to subscribe to Pond Boss magazine when my pond ever or if filled up lol,to help support the forum.But after reading all of this and learning more of what it takes to keep things going,I went ahead and subscribed last night and donated a few bucks while I was at.

Bobbss that's cool....thank you for supporting our great community with your hard earned dollars.

It is really interesting that this thread has actually directly caused new magazine subscriptions, re-renewals of magazine subscriptions, and more donations to be made to this family we call Pond Boss. That truly is the silver lining to this thread! GREATNESS!

Bob,
Your recent post outlining what PondBoss was in the past and what it is now is very informative. Could you consider unlocking that thread to allow for discussion and comments? Your post has been on a lot of people's minds and there may still be questions, comments, or suggestions that come to mind that would fit well under your well written post.

Thanks
CC

I won't unlock my blog, but did create a new thread with it.