new member intro

I am new here. Just thought I would stop by to say hello.
I just started this hobby less then a year ago. I'm lost in all the books methods so i will not be posting any pictures of my plants as by forum standards I have observed they are ugly and terrible(although I have been told as long as I like it its all that meters,this particular person was an instructor and became upset when I made that statement(about my "trees" being ugly).) I will do my best not to look at my plants through a negative lens but rather one of potential.
Anyway I'm from Michigan an got into the hobby by chance while extremely ill(I saw a tree in a magazine at the hospital).
I am among a minority I think of people who do not like huge trunks, just my thing I guess.
I have a lot of material that I simply do not know what to do with. Trident maples and others, all I have now is a stick in dirt but no book I have found tells you what to do with these so they become good bonsai. The books assume the material is at least partially developed. So i may be posting a lot asking stupid questions.
I have young cork oaks too. The club nearby does a very poor job of teaching, last week I watched them wire a huge black pine that I have no interest in. I was hoping they would get to a small black pine the guest brought but no luck.
On a side note about me I was born In Poland. That's about it. Hope my questions don't drive people insane

Hello Sir...a name would be nice to welcome you properly,
Anyway maybe you're and wrong...right in the sense you choose plant what you like it's because of taste reference but of course things are learn & accepted once you see what your creation will be near cloae to what mother nature had given us, once you get the hang of it,you will eventually be good.
Enjoy and have fun that will bring fullfillment to you,Welcome again and keep in touch
Regards,
Alex

My name is Paul.

Hi Paul and welcome to the best forum for bonsai there is! There are some great folks here to help you fill in the gaps that the books leave you straddling, lots of newbies like us, too, so you'll feel right at home. See if you can get some pics up, just to get a feel for how that works, and let's see what you're working with. Best wishes from Oregon, Rick

Hello Paul,

-welcome to this site, hope you will enjoy the journey. As with many, this craft needs patience, time, vision as well as knowledge to be able to fully enjoy and immerce in it. to me it is a meditation not an artform so for me its not the rules are important but the joy of development and expression throught the medium of bonsai. therefore opinons and rules are subjective are made by men so they not concrete, hence you dont have to take them seriously, some help is advised to achive a look you are after, however one shouldn't follow them blindly. over time you will make progress but only if you know which direction you are travelling.
-there are no stupid questions!! every question is good, only stupid people dont ask questions because they think they know everything! so dont be affraid to ask. even the master once was an apprentice.
read read read as much as you can and practice even more.
-there are a lot of informations around the net so it won't be a problem and there are a lot of books to choose from
good luck and enjoy the journey
Attila

Welcome the the IBC! You don't need trees with fat trunks to be doing attractive bonsai. We're looking at trees in nature as our models, and Ma Nature is a broad-minded teacher.

A couple of suggestions, if you don't mind. You probably shouldn't expect everyone to remember from this message what your name is and where you are from. So, I'd suggest you edit your profile to be a bit more specific than "United States" and create a signature that at least automatically reminds us about your name or even your region, as in mine, below.

Knowing where you are from, at least in a general sense, will let us tailor our advice and suggestions (or to shut up entirely if we don't know anything about the growing conditions around you).

I hope you stick around and enjoy your membership in the IBC.

Done and done.