tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71271497004048003812024-02-19T09:42:54.378-06:00Brick BenderMy journey into the world of the Adult Fans of LEGO.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.comBlogger435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-78724012880100422202010-08-25T11:08:00.003-05:002010-08-25T11:12:44.634-05:00I think I'd keep this wallet in my front pocket<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA94jMDgrZpzrSLk4m5zogsIPtoSEElPckyyIsDHNzBRCnxaRcESPBdaVfc8odhKkRK0W7QuqzW__hQc3TD5Z6cwGN1eUSL0QvVSBtDuJzlSjb-zekJqSaMYE1QDmF4_5YbSa4v3iZuY8r/s1600/legowallet1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA94jMDgrZpzrSLk4m5zogsIPtoSEElPckyyIsDHNzBRCnxaRcESPBdaVfc8odhKkRK0W7QuqzW__hQc3TD5Z6cwGN1eUSL0QvVSBtDuJzlSjb-zekJqSaMYE1QDmF4_5YbSa4v3iZuY8r/s400/legowallet1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509380709819765250" border="0" /></a>I have money that needs to be stored. And I usually wish I had a baseplate and some bricks, so I could do the LEGO brick equivalent of doodling while waiting somewhere.<br />The <a href="http://www.sweet-station.com/blog/?p=13134">lady's wallet</a> (above) could be my answer. I think it would look lovely in my man purse.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-70573259924085066722010-08-10T09:21:00.004-05:002010-08-10T09:27:28.037-05:00LEGO bricks are made for sharing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQlLzb7AZsKJJ9LQv69y7818C2psmdBTf8aVj8PurljJITRrUNNeV82-qBbNc7a1oi8w9bfrYA71piWUKEfsnPL65ierWdRHOPcma_lU-wIzaCMXFJG4A4MQp1eqvfWfRUofrkQYndVsq/s1600/image.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQlLzb7AZsKJJ9LQv69y7818C2psmdBTf8aVj8PurljJITRrUNNeV82-qBbNc7a1oi8w9bfrYA71piWUKEfsnPL65ierWdRHOPcma_lU-wIzaCMXFJG4A4MQp1eqvfWfRUofrkQYndVsq/s400/image.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503786665298609314" border="0" /></a>The joy of LEGO bricks is in sharing. It's fun to share the bricks you have, the passion you feel and the creations you've made.<br /><br />And so I was overjoyed when a good friend sent me a picture of his first MOC (my own creation). Above is his alligator made entirely from bricks in the <a href="http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=5865&cn=348&d=70">Creator Mini Dumper</a> impulse set. Instantly recognizable with a bit of humor in the face -- it's a fantastic first effort from somebody getting back into the hobby. It's also a great lesson that you're never too old to discover the joy of building.<br /><br />Overall, it's a great MOC because it is his idea from start to finish. I'm just happy he chose to share it with me and I hope he doesn't mind me sharing it with you.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-46571209914845630222010-08-09T09:04:00.003-05:002010-08-09T09:37:55.535-05:00Is there a Geek Life?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCemRtd21zmOsyuWFdmjY_Sr3Vr49ccmH2wWFNVV-5rnzaubauMB29Be66SByz7En5eJq8Kbo1gR0SGrfQVohhTIQsrE4XPg1JRECTMw8jRcSTkgY7sMjAod1bR8k4ggHZg5N-Mfw30rx/s1600/95488462_97f8d7259c_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCemRtd21zmOsyuWFdmjY_Sr3Vr49ccmH2wWFNVV-5rnzaubauMB29Be66SByz7En5eJq8Kbo1gR0SGrfQVohhTIQsrE4XPg1JRECTMw8jRcSTkgY7sMjAod1bR8k4ggHZg5N-Mfw30rx/s400/95488462_97f8d7259c_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503417264081051938" border="0" /></a>On the road back into your childhood, it's hard not to wonder just how much of your life's path was determined by the map you drew as a seven-year-old. Young me didn't know I'd get to write a book about LEGO building. Young me just thought I'd be playing with LEGO bricks at age eight.<br /><br />Over on <span style="font-style: italic;">Wired.com's Geekdad</span>, Curtis Silver asks a new question, but one that feels eternal. "Is Being a Geek a Personality Trait or a Way of Life?" In an <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/08/is-being-a-geek-a-personality-trait-or-way-of-life/">exhaustive post</a>, Silver lays out the arguments for both sides from a personal and parental perspective. He ultimately comes to realize that geekery is a way of life as we choose to descend into dorkdom.<br /><br />I think it's true. One of the most intriguing side (benefits?) effect of writing <span style="font-style: italic;">LEGO: A Love Story</span> was that I embraced all of my inner geek-o-sity over the course of a year. I wasn't just holding back a LEGO love, I also found some genuine <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span> jones and a suprisingly strong science fiction bent.<br /><br />And one of the ideas I've maintained since writing the book is that there is a geek key out there for each and every person. I know that not everybody cares about LEGO bricks; however, I can see that there is a trigger for people's inner geek. It's in the form of horror movies or Matchbox cars. Your voice raises slightly. You start talking faster. And you have a depth of knowledge that is stunning in its ability to entertain than bore than entertain again. This is simply a question of when, rather than if, the latent geek comes out in us all. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Image via <a href="http://rooreynolds.com/2006/02/">RooReynolds. </a></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-75417726547686770492010-07-28T09:35:00.004-05:002010-07-28T09:44:29.357-05:00Tattooed minifigs make an ink splash<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z7et3jNd7u-6aPDh7DqPPXGVOq28tNyN0FFfwkW7RH9fhl7F4kI9Ew98C-0kbyOFfKWBNG3Zd4muvKzZWn9fNChnRFx1TlyJ5Kj9fR6u4GcZWe0gCz4uH_0QAMYaKeXSuXNdEorHqjdP/s1600/legot2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z7et3jNd7u-6aPDh7DqPPXGVOq28tNyN0FFfwkW7RH9fhl7F4kI9Ew98C-0kbyOFfKWBNG3Zd4muvKzZWn9fNChnRFx1TlyJ5Kj9fR6u4GcZWe0gCz4uH_0QAMYaKeXSuXNdEorHqjdP/s400/legot2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498967159166520610" border="0" /></a>While this space is no stranger to <a href="http://www.brickbender.com/2010/07/permanent-love-of-lego-bricks.html">LEGO tattoos*</a>; these ads for the Pilot Extrafine take the concept of tats to a new level.<br /><br />The viral campaign (<span style="font-style: italic;">h/t to Flavorwire</span>) <a href="http://flavorwire.com/106769/strange-but-true-tattooed-legos">features</a> a series of minifigures with intricate ink drawings that suggest a level of toughness heretofore unacheived by the tiny plastic men and women.<br /><br />While I'm not sure about the back tattoo on a female minifig, it's hard not to appreciate the dragon tattoo the spans the arm of a smiling prisoner minifig. It makes me want to go out and etch a single teardrop on every minifig I own.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">*Sadly, Nathan Sawaya's thumb tattoo has faded to the point where it is quite faint. I saw it firsthand at Comic Con and the dastardly quick regrowing thumb skin has made it into an impression, rather than a bold statement. Nathan promises to get it touched up shortly and return it to its former brilliance</span>.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-80568566647140097872010-07-27T10:18:00.003-05:002010-07-27T12:06:29.614-05:00Just me and Tuan Sau-Wern down by the schoolyard<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEmeW0rZ9-EKkQG0fvwtFmtqeLklwOEuAakHItN30YrNJrS5XtOn98hPD7Ry5ojDjEkkJWH8sOHVTarWCJsJyPYaat8nPRM8mjx5pTMw1O3wJkpDCr-IiNE41GlNP0nhvrFOkwpY7SgYM/s1600/m_pg14lego.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEmeW0rZ9-EKkQG0fvwtFmtqeLklwOEuAakHItN30YrNJrS5XtOn98hPD7Ry5ojDjEkkJWH8sOHVTarWCJsJyPYaat8nPRM8mjx5pTMw1O3wJkpDCr-IiNE41GlNP0nhvrFOkwpY7SgYM/s400/m_pg14lego.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498632385872993778" border="0" /></a>We exist in a world where it is becoming easier and easier to have a lifestyle based on niches. Is it the human experience if we are all having very different experiences as humans? I like the idea that humankind can share things if only because I believe experience is one of the best ways to bring people together.<br /><br />It worked at summer camp and it still works with me as an adult. That's why I enjoy reading <a href="http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/7/27/central/6572419&sec=central">slice-of-life articles</a> about people's lifelong love for LEGO. It lets me connect with Tuan Sau-Wern, despite the fact that I might not have much else in common with the 31-year-old software engineer from Malaysia.<br /><br />So if Tuan is ever in Kansas City or I find myself in Malaysia, I'll be glad to dump out a big tub of bricks on the ottoman and get building.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-3553612129029439332010-07-15T10:08:00.005-05:002010-07-15T10:16:58.568-05:00Brick it like Beckham<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmpR11Q5F1vfSILh307CWqSvHr0gC6Zdh8D803X0xjnbjJSw_K_-uUpwCkj324YzBMG3iz8od7M6ggvxObiXX7DKSntBJM8O0lqbsrRmjLslJMtBI0zK-FzNqOxzIoPrOnNRbnkBmh7Lk/s1600/victoria_david_beckham.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmpR11Q5F1vfSILh307CWqSvHr0gC6Zdh8D803X0xjnbjJSw_K_-uUpwCkj324YzBMG3iz8od7M6ggvxObiXX7DKSntBJM8O0lqbsrRmjLslJMtBI0zK-FzNqOxzIoPrOnNRbnkBmh7Lk/s400/victoria_david_beckham.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494151600049963202" border="0" /></a>Look I don't know if my book had anything to do with it, but I find it hard not to see it as more than a coincidence that playing with LEGO bricks as an adult is suddenly cool. First it was Brad Pitt. And now David Beckham <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology/2010/07/15/beck-chat-115875-22414004/">has told</a> Yahoo, that's he has been working on the LEGO Taj Mahal.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I like building Lego. This is going to make me sound really weird but when I was in Milan with a lot of time on my hands I found online that there's Taj Mahal Lego set you can buy. So I bought it. I didn't get to finish it though. I know it's not a career but I love it.</span><br /><br />So get out there and start building. It's your ticket into the coolest clubs and cliques in the world.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-28867802812157235162010-07-13T10:22:00.004-05:002010-07-13T12:12:20.317-05:00A sneak peek at the LEGOLAND project in Florida<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwEStwyqKlOgix3Web6gGzGogIppl1qioF1lZ0RgOAKLuhT-bL7P6q4CHE9AyZ8tDodePaNaCBmn9vekq899eclw6heh79UkQEOuM-QXVNibWGIYAeikjNm0dkQmi4J505L49Fe9ZdWka/s1600/legoland_blanco_29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwEStwyqKlOgix3Web6gGzGogIppl1qioF1lZ0RgOAKLuhT-bL7P6q4CHE9AyZ8tDodePaNaCBmn9vekq899eclw6heh79UkQEOuM-QXVNibWGIYAeikjNm0dkQmi4J505L49Fe9ZdWka/s400/legoland_blanco_29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493439524080890802" border="0" /></a>Those on the East Coast got a <a href="http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2010/07/13/legoland-florida-officials-present-plans-for-new-theme-park/">sneak peek</a> yesterday at the newest LEGOLAND -- scheduled to open in the fall of 2011 in Winter Haven, Florida.<br /><br />The City part of the park will apparently mirror the LEGOLAND in Billund, Denmark, with a driving academy and Fun Town Fire Academy, where you pump an oversized LEGO fire truck down a lane to put out a "fire."<br /><br />It's good to know the Dragon rollercoaster will also be at the park in the Castle area. It's one of the only rollercoasters in the world that I know I am brave enough to ride.<br /><br />So with a park in Florida and California, I'm thinking I've got a backyard available smack dab in the middle of the country if Merlin Entertainments wants to keep expanding...<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2010/07/13/legoland-florida-officials-present-plans-for-new-theme-park/">Image</a> courtesy of Orlando Attractions Magazine. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-54630379830420563842010-07-09T08:55:00.004-05:002010-07-09T09:05:53.343-05:00A permanent love of LEGO bricks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsheX1tRAmT9GSHp7_PH43eYu-PVax7iQEGbPRox94qMDUAUEBxjngnEnTRBL3N3qVS7IMS3poO4fwmLFodkEs43PS3fWywc4cKXNpnU9tf7ZO4m-WIwKmi_jLDebX6SEC-Au9DWoKNpxR/s1600/legotattoo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 395px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsheX1tRAmT9GSHp7_PH43eYu-PVax7iQEGbPRox94qMDUAUEBxjngnEnTRBL3N3qVS7IMS3poO4fwmLFodkEs43PS3fWywc4cKXNpnU9tf7ZO4m-WIwKmi_jLDebX6SEC-Au9DWoKNpxR/s400/legotattoo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491906671913747474" border="0" /></a>It's no accident that the book I wrote is titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470407026/cinemakid-20"><span style="font-style: italic;">LEGO: A Love Story</span></a>. There's a lot of love that went into the book and a lot of different loves throughout the book. [Just a note: In this post I will apparently write love as often as Lebron James used the word "process" last night during his ESPN special].<br /><br />But LEGO love comes in all different forms and at all different levels. There's new love, the kind you awkwardly discover by throwing a DUPLO brick at a girl you like. There's old love, the kind shared by vampires who enjoy building modular LEGO constructions together. Then there is permanent love.<br /><br />And here I have to tip my cap to brick artist -- Nathan Sawaya. In addition to designing an amazing cover for the book, Nathan has unveiled his latest design, which happens to be on his thumb. It's a <a href="http://www.forevergeek.com/2010/07/geekiest_tattoo_ever/">tattoo</a> that looks like an ink-pressed version of eight studs -- the classic configuration of a 2x4 rectangular LEGO brick.<br /><br />So, instead of a finger print, Nathan now has a LEGO print.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.brickartist.com/">Image</a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> via BrickArtist. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-83539596722688649882010-07-08T10:57:00.002-05:002010-07-08T11:08:34.730-05:00Let's all go to the lobby...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2stYqMDjjo99hgL00spzjApMukP_y-KSBPUxB9mBaWgPf6jMC2gJoJdmvgOmTAVleguJFbrMXx4nsGDoiNKMKMR12teLfJ_EM1tyKqvm4GZZfZ4lnLuxH2XtalUqWlmKsVJdhd9pbTuQ/s1600/movie+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2stYqMDjjo99hgL00spzjApMukP_y-KSBPUxB9mBaWgPf6jMC2gJoJdmvgOmTAVleguJFbrMXx4nsGDoiNKMKMR12teLfJ_EM1tyKqvm4GZZfZ4lnLuxH2XtalUqWlmKsVJdhd9pbTuQ/s400/movie+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491567960310553586" border="0" /></a>Lights...Camera...LEGO? Word of a live-action LEGO movie has been making the rounds the past week or so. It appears as though it will be stop-motion and starring minifigures moving around a LEGO world.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Collider</span> scored an <a href="http://www.collider.com/2010/07/06/phil-lord-interview-lego-movie-21-jump-street-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-2/">interview</a> with Phil Lord -- the director of <span style="font-style: italic;">Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs</span> that has been attached to a potential LEGO project. Here's what Lord had to say:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Our goal was to make it look like a super charged stop-motion. Something like if Michael Bay kidnapped Henry Selick to make a movie for him.”</span><br /><br />If Hollywood is stuck for ideas, I'd have to suggest a look at this stop action recreation of the trailer for the fictional <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Machete-Like-You-ve-Never-Seen-Him-Before-In-Lego-19434.html">Machete</a> starring minifigs wielding shotguns and a bad attitude.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-35137640578145368462010-07-01T10:57:00.003-05:002010-07-01T11:08:24.872-05:00Brad Pitt and LEGO bricks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DDLJbgYpDWbH-zYqB7QG2AeGSrN5zl_aMxu4nffWEs6gntOlUFeowKq1P7ocJu6f3YSk1LYJqGRYKwSYDhHTtgvKuUaaDb6vn6h03y2nBDWBtMCjPJJuKH_Afs0gyE0BVWtjAR9Zlo_R/s1600/brad-angelina-lego.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DDLJbgYpDWbH-zYqB7QG2AeGSrN5zl_aMxu4nffWEs6gntOlUFeowKq1P7ocJu6f3YSk1LYJqGRYKwSYDhHTtgvKuUaaDb6vn6h03y2nBDWBtMCjPJJuKH_Afs0gyE0BVWtjAR9Zlo_R/s400/brad-angelina-lego.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488970132122387522" border="0" /></a>I've done a fair share of interviews the past several weeks and one of the common questions is whether adult fans of LEGO are nerds or geeks or nerd-geeks or geeky nerds. There still appears to be a bit of a perception that spending a few hours with a tub of bricks is a geeky hobby. Well let that end today, friends...<br /><br />Courtesy of the pillar of journalism that is <span style="font-style: italic;">Showbiz Spy</span> comes the <a href="http://www.showbizspy.com/article/207475/brad-pitt-goes-crazy-for-lego.html">following</a>:<br /><br /><strong style="font-style: italic;">BRAD Pitt </strong><span style="font-style: italic;">has a new hobby — playing with his kids’ Lego. The Hollywood heartthrob — who raises six children with partner </span><strong style="font-style: italic;">Angelina Jolie</strong><span style="font-style: italic;"> — loves messing around with the plastic building blocks.</span><p style="font-style: italic;">“Brad loves playing with the kids — especially if it’s Lego bricks,” says a source close to the actor. “He makes no secret of the fact he’s fascinated by Lego and loves to design his own buildings with the kids. In fact he’s often still building long after they’ve got bored and gone to bed. Angelina thinks it’s cute.”</p>If it's good enough for Fight Club, then it better be good enough for the rest of us. Unless you want to call Brad Pitt a nerd. I didn't think so.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-59140503499842915642010-06-23T09:28:00.003-05:002010-06-23T09:47:59.002-05:00The changing face of adult fan conventions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkjUSAgcia9r6IHs25wKiU9BS2eJVtomxWn0wHaPaENKdetBGgV7Xx0zmCcBl7YjnSN-aDiHOmIgpx5Ojprcv7wux8VfuSbZ0qp5beYvWAhhnTNgjoz6PRWelHVHf1n0VwiE5YUQCju_m/s1600/IMG_1889_2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkjUSAgcia9r6IHs25wKiU9BS2eJVtomxWn0wHaPaENKdetBGgV7Xx0zmCcBl7YjnSN-aDiHOmIgpx5Ojprcv7wux8VfuSbZ0qp5beYvWAhhnTNgjoz6PRWelHVHf1n0VwiE5YUQCju_m/s400/IMG_1889_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485980691103884914" border="0" /></a>Are LEGO conventions moving from a gathering of like-minded adults into a place for families and children to connect over a shared love of plastic bricks? That was the big (unanswered question) of BrickWorld this past weekend in Wheeling, IL.<br /><br />What seemed like an adult convention with a few precocious teenagers in 2008 has morphed into a family friendly universe that is pulling in fans of all ages. The youngest of BrickWorld's 800+ attendees was five years old -- the oldest was 74 years old.<br /><br />While I'm used to talking with adults at conventions about their creations and assuming that they're attending because they're a passionate LEGO fan, I found myself repeatingly talking to parents who were only attending because of their child's passion. Some built alongside their kids, others appreciated what aduilt builders could do and saw it as inspiration for their children, and many were fans themselves. However, attendance was not a direct indicator of interest.<br /><br />That last point is the most salient. Fans come in all ages and BrickWorld is starting to be a reflection of that idea. It's an interesting question going forward for the adult fan community, who may need to learn to play nice with children faster than they expected.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-28777811666397726352010-06-22T11:10:00.003-05:002010-06-22T11:28:50.867-05:00The plane I wish I took to BrickWorld<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmhqd9q1kUawleWv99YybATIgcpgK8ilDfySYSlk6b7TgkNKQ11ra3sVq9485PLAprK6bHtuoumVScUwCdWP6VuHQWGY_RYM5Xoua3JsfTsrKwTlceKlExZSDHRIetSr1wB4-tcVkk4kL/s1600/IMG_1872.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmhqd9q1kUawleWv99YybATIgcpgK8ilDfySYSlk6b7TgkNKQ11ra3sVq9485PLAprK6bHtuoumVScUwCdWP6VuHQWGY_RYM5Xoua3JsfTsrKwTlceKlExZSDHRIetSr1wB4-tcVkk4kL/s400/IMG_1872.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485634660759811138" border="0" /></a>Adults don't get many opportunities to summer camp. I just back from three days of summer camp in Wheeling, IL.<br /><br />Officially known as BrickWorld, I played with LEGO bricks, purchased LEGO bricks and got to see some of the coolest creations put together by builders that flew into Chicago from around the world.<br /><br />I had the benefit of signing books across from the table that held a LEGO-ized <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1253931/Lego-fan-builds-Qantas-Airbus-A380-2010-Brickworld-Lego-event-Chicago.html">Quantus Airbus A380</a>. Ryan McNaught brought his seven-foot by six-foot plane that's made of 35,000 bricks all the way from Melbourne, Australia. Despite the plane being destroyed in transit -- he spent a full week rebuilding his creation -- McNaught was in excellent spirits at the convention.<br /><br />My personal highlight of the convention was watching kids see the airbus for the first time. They'd let go of their parent's hand and run to the yellow chain a foot away from McNaught's plane. Just as the parent got ready to chide them for running away, they would see the airplane. Then both parent and child would stand there...mouth open, in awe.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-41113486476104555952010-06-17T18:12:00.004-05:002010-06-17T18:19:32.151-05:00Have Minifig, Will Travel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9hwC8u7OIqq5BWyvDTH3p-Cut-JU-oNSirfW_TlDKsKqIwbjzpTkYJ2Tk_RQdOBiGucWKVXxTwLihCNrSOM7d7ICe_qulof5XEmLd_OvgI1A8CXxX8-2rxgyVgTWZxPef7SGme4UVCSf/s1600/Photo+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9hwC8u7OIqq5BWyvDTH3p-Cut-JU-oNSirfW_TlDKsKqIwbjzpTkYJ2Tk_RQdOBiGucWKVXxTwLihCNrSOM7d7ICe_qulof5XEmLd_OvgI1A8CXxX8-2rxgyVgTWZxPef7SGme4UVCSf/s400/Photo+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483885191212328802" border="0" /></a><br />I feel like the opposite of George Clooney's character in "Up In The Air," (or at least what I understand from the trailers) as I sit waiting in the Kansas City International Airport (we have the All-Star game in 2012 and flights to Mexico now, watch out!). He seemed to find traveling exhausting and soul-numbing. Me? The only time I fly these days is to go somewhere to get to talk about and play with LEGO bricks. This is not such a bad job, folks.<br /><br />And so I sit in a Starbucks with the crumbs and coffee cups of a day's worth of passengers around me. But I have company -- my mini-fig doppelganger who I just discovered hiding inside my computer bag. Even creepier. We've both got on gray shirts and blue pants/jeans.<br /><br />I'm on my way to Chicago and then through to Wheeling, Illinois, for <a href="http://www.brickworld.us/bw2010/">BrickWorld</a>. Come see me at the convention or the Borders in Schaumburg (1540 Gulf Road) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-43690941334749707882010-06-16T09:48:00.004-05:002010-06-16T10:09:53.808-05:00Are adult fans of LEGO mainstream?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2dlEwh6wt5DUuvIYsDvbpg-XVBXGh8ulRjaKWbMxTSKo7cHP4VM9plkkSIwkOqLGSOP2kmnjD4BHYlynAf-nsFnBT8Q2N1u8b1eYlAXxbLVCaMyXECQCAYc4il8RmhFre7K2ZPIu1_aQ/s1600/2809145552_1620118fa0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2dlEwh6wt5DUuvIYsDvbpg-XVBXGh8ulRjaKWbMxTSKo7cHP4VM9plkkSIwkOqLGSOP2kmnjD4BHYlynAf-nsFnBT8Q2N1u8b1eYlAXxbLVCaMyXECQCAYc4il8RmhFre7K2ZPIu1_aQ/s400/2809145552_1620118fa0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483388902962065634" border="0" /></a>Is there a tipping point for a subculture where it no longer ceases to be underground and instead is just an accepted part of the mainstream? If so, how do you identify that exact moment?<br /><br />For poker, was it when James McManus published <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312422520?ie=UTF8&tag=cinemakid-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0312422520">Positively Fifth Street: Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion's World Series of Poker</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cinemakid-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0312422520" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />? Or when ESPN started getting boffo ratings for the World Series of Poker? If not then, how about when Matt Damon showed us what it means to be a card shark in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6305268789?ie=UTF8&tag=cinemakid-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=6305268789">Rounders</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cinemakid-20&l=as2&o=1&a=6305268789" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />?<br /><br />All of this stems from the increasing awareness of the Adult Fan of LEGO community. There's an article out in the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37716348">Associated Press</a> today devoted entirely to the world of AFOLs. Also, there might be a book you should consider getting for a dad or father in your life for Father's Day. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470407026/cinemakid-20"><span style="font-style: italic;">LEGO: A Love Story</span></a> is the best book written by me this year, in fact.<br /><br />But I know that I'm too far involved in the world to have a good gauge on the cultural zeitgeist. I also know that in the three years that I've started this project, the idea of an adult playing with LEGO bricks has become a lot more accepted...and not just by me.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Image via Rob Young. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-76785777338198341622010-06-14T09:56:00.005-05:002010-06-14T11:25:33.771-05:00U.S. vs. England World Cup match recreated in LEGO bricks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QPwPbwDcb4FekTapiUTpnrtdPIFyupBABjij4U1fHZZi-mku6FE82gdTw1RYH_MKsSdxTtfr7mOXeE5Y47yK5kqXA4hJTh5H6SsR02A89lAAl-3dr2ST3RzITCIbbhCbmYzQQfuHKgum/s1600/lego-world-cup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QPwPbwDcb4FekTapiUTpnrtdPIFyupBABjij4U1fHZZi-mku6FE82gdTw1RYH_MKsSdxTtfr7mOXeE5Y47yK5kqXA4hJTh5H6SsR02A89lAAl-3dr2ST3RzITCIbbhCbmYzQQfuHKgum/s400/lego-world-cup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482664285998285682" border="0" /></a>To some this will be a great triumph. To others, an unmitigated disaster. The recent football match (which ended in a 1-1 tie) between England and the United State has <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/video/2010/jun/14/world-cup-2010-england-usa-brick">been recreated</a> in stop motion LEGO animation.<br /><br />With the actual announcers' commentary over the dramatic goals for both squads, it's a simple but compelling 90 seconds. The ball trickling past the English keeper -- with the replay -- is no easier to watch than the live shot. So to English readers, my apologies for propagating the video. To the rest of the world, this is the best way to watch World Cup highlights.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.theoffside.com/files/2008/12/lego-world-cup.jpg">Image</a> via the Off Side. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-55947869310105301482010-06-11T09:42:00.004-05:002010-06-11T10:06:22.770-05:00Talking to LEGO; book signing in St. Louis tomorrow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvByrWQ36HT-qJeeiJiVPakQj9Tu5xfKXD01twT095aQ4O4kMQl6r6kDcDP46zhl2p1YfKpGbRZsEannBxDp_09DcvXl3xOWAtcaZUd-alVg7baSj6G80InUM89ljD6Elg2KPp9SN0psQq/s1600/4026582033_f67f974eb0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvByrWQ36HT-qJeeiJiVPakQj9Tu5xfKXD01twT095aQ4O4kMQl6r6kDcDP46zhl2p1YfKpGbRZsEannBxDp_09DcvXl3xOWAtcaZUd-alVg7baSj6G80InUM89ljD6Elg2KPp9SN0psQq/s400/4026582033_f67f974eb0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481532089371964146" border="0" /></a>Apologies for the radio silence. I was traveling to and from the hinterlands of Vermont for the annual LEGO sales and marketing conference on Wednesday and Thursday. On the final day of meetings, I had the opportunity to address employees of LEGO on the impact their product has had on adult fans.<br /><br />It was a wonderful chance to explain how LEGO has evolved into an art form, a matchmaker and a philosophy on life. I was excited to be able to tell the stories of adult fans to the very people that work daily to bring them the products they love. And, even better, the crowd was excited to hear the stories of adult fans and how their lives have been changed by a (not so) simple plastic brick.<br /><br />On Saturday, I'm off to <a href="http://puddnheadbooks.blogspot.com/p/events.html">Pudd'nhead Books</a> in Webster Groves, Missouri. If you're in the St. Louis area between 2 and 4 p.m., pay me a visit. If you're not, book a plane ticket and the first <a href="http://www.teddrewes.com/Drewes.asp">frozen custard </a>is on me.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasukaru76/4026582033/">Image</a> via Pasakaru76. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-51865730911960359102010-06-08T09:56:00.005-05:002010-06-08T10:12:09.280-05:00The robot invasion begins in Lawrence, Kansas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXuGuuQdI1zsLTmEof93r1FzZmaQ9hkInMddrZxaYPTbULO7IWH9crr9vUl8J6A73TBN2KFgehiCRBCoQlEXg6VSWDISefEREOuwgYe8KB74nBwbI3zmgEeLASvi4ZA4JC8w9R1qAapI7/s1600/Robot_Lego.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXuGuuQdI1zsLTmEof93r1FzZmaQ9hkInMddrZxaYPTbULO7IWH9crr9vUl8J6A73TBN2KFgehiCRBCoQlEXg6VSWDISefEREOuwgYe8KB74nBwbI3zmgEeLASvi4ZA4JC8w9R1qAapI7/s400/Robot_Lego.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480420801786377890" border="0" /></a>I was in Lawrence, Kansas, last night to talk about the history of LEGO bricks and the world of adult fans. Local kids -- of all ages -- had been invited to bring their creations to be entered into a contest to win a $100 gift certificate to LEGO.com. Sadly, the miniland version of Kate and I didn't secure me an entry.<br /><br />I had a brief slideshow and question and answer session -- note, if you ever need to impress a group of children, show them this <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5016417/led-lego-iron-man-minifig-explodes-with-boozy-charm-rpg-rounds">Iron Man minifig</a>. At the end of my talk, I called up the kids (age four to fifty-two) who wanted to talk about their creations. I got the chance to do mini-interviews finding out just what they had built and discovering that although everybody knows their name, one's age can be difficult to summon in front of an audience.<br /><br />I was continually struck by how the stories of what kids built were as interesting (if not more so) than the structures they held in their hands. And I was surprised by the ingenuity of some really young kids -- like the boxy tank that was pulled apart to reveal an <a href="http://www.starwars.com/databank/vehicle/speederbike/">Imperial speeder bike</a> inside.<br /><br />My favorite might just have been a 11-year-old that held up a robot made primarily from 1x2 tan plates and grille pieces.<br /><br />"What did you build?" I asked.<br /><br />"A robot," said Bryant.<br /><br />"And what does he do?" I asked.<br /><br />"He's a robot," he reiterated.<br /><br />"I see...well, be careful, robots are always taking over the world."<br /><br />"I know," he replied.<br /><br />"Well, you were smart to build him so small, that way you can prevent him from taking over the world."<br /><br />"Nope, he can just build a bigger robot, who would then build an even bigger robot."<br /><br />"Well, you better take him apart to keep that from happening, right?"<br /><br />At which point, Bryant snapped off one of the robot's antennas to show it who was boss.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://wallpaper.wallpedia.org/21__Robot_Lego.htm">Image</a> via Wallpedia. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-84563427552804538732010-06-07T09:36:00.003-05:002010-06-07T10:15:43.476-05:00Happy 42nd Birthday, LEGOLAND<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4CSXQohnAYedYDvhhOGZgcrHp0NhdWR5vsjR4jQu0aJnA787CWU_Frkipvhjgh6MXYXrNTeeRxKlunfts8AENeeeWgAMEqDn9oumMnx4gBihK3WnaajnWqg_ChZwzDu7zXCagZaaOd23/s1600/LegoLand-sign-in-Denmark-lego-282637_400_300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4CSXQohnAYedYDvhhOGZgcrHp0NhdWR5vsjR4jQu0aJnA787CWU_Frkipvhjgh6MXYXrNTeeRxKlunfts8AENeeeWgAMEqDn9oumMnx4gBihK3WnaajnWqg_ChZwzDu7zXCagZaaOd23/s400/LegoLand-sign-in-Denmark-lego-282637_400_300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480049803460298226" border="0" /></a>So you come to the factory where you work. You sit down at your station, the beginning of an eight-hour shift. And that's when the family of four walks by, pointing and talking about your workstation. They have tons of questions. They're touching everything. And suddenly you're behind and your friend further down the line is now waiting on you impatiently. He can't work because you can't work.<br /><br />Welcome to the LEGO factory in 1967. The toy company in Billund, Denmark, found that production was being slowed by people wanting to (understandably) visit the factory. And so the LEGO Group opened the first <a href="http://www.legoland.dk/en/">LEGOLAND</a> theme park, not a 10-minute walk from the factory, the following year in an attempt to give tourists something to do other than disrupt the line at the factory. Today (with a hat tip to Dave Banks at Wired's Geekdad) is the <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/06/june-7-1968-legoland-opens-in-denmark/">42nd anniversary</a> of that park's opening.<br /><br />There are now theme parks in Germany, England, and the United States (Carlsbad, California) with parks slated to open in Dubai and Winter Haven, Florida, over the next two years. LEGOLAND helped me to triple the number of roller coasters I've ever ridden in my life (to a whopping three) -- although, I'll admit it didn't hurt that the roller coasters are designed for the scare quotient of a 10-year-old. <br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.fanpop.com/spots/lego/images/282637/title/legoland-sign-denmark">Image</a> via FanPop. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-66108960714232987312010-06-04T09:26:00.002-05:002010-06-04T09:41:37.734-05:00Why you should build your resume out of LEGO bricks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBjEyU3OZdJByWUKGuI8e-ofdlvpl0y-f4TSB7TkKfCrJHzpiTwnUKMznD1WDACzfgAXUUGRqYcGNwPIggxs5cIagWqBbkWvWxdwZZOIjpNysJjEP2ZjjjDYlx06P3KcD5KvyhYAsCSUJ/s1600/job-interview.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBjEyU3OZdJByWUKGuI8e-ofdlvpl0y-f4TSB7TkKfCrJHzpiTwnUKMznD1WDACzfgAXUUGRqYcGNwPIggxs5cIagWqBbkWvWxdwZZOIjpNysJjEP2ZjjjDYlx06P3KcD5KvyhYAsCSUJ/s400/job-interview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478928615533999186" border="0" /></a>When I was little I thought my dream job would be as a master model builder working for LEGO. I certainly had no idea we'd enter an age where LEGO building could be the difference between getting a job and remaining unemployed as an adult. We live in weird times.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Scottish Sun</span> has the story of Lindsay Burns, who apparently <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/2999315/New-jobs-a-no-go-if-you-cant-build-Lego.html">didn't get a job</a> in a call center because her plastic brick building skills weren't up to snuff. To use the Sun's lede -- I was gobsmacked by this story.<br /><br />There is something positive to come out of all of this. The next time somebody catches you playing with LEGO bricks, you can explain that you're conducting a mock job interview. In addition, all your LEGO purchases might just be considered "work expenses" at this point.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-48016151519393466862010-06-03T09:19:00.002-05:002010-06-03T09:59:38.459-05:00Yup, that's a LEGO ship in a bottle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-1LNWpmjuyBnWkuCSSsHVx6yylXoVySxw4atdqcBPNV6fD_c9ph63HQ7gRDxA13rSyr48yqnS1qg_bdlEhRW6Avk6IVk-Qt-WnOh0u8eOkNdfbjauo6Zjthsy8NAlbd66k7zv3_FnhTz/s1600/1275164500m_DISPLAY.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-1LNWpmjuyBnWkuCSSsHVx6yylXoVySxw4atdqcBPNV6fD_c9ph63HQ7gRDxA13rSyr48yqnS1qg_bdlEhRW6Avk6IVk-Qt-WnOh0u8eOkNdfbjauo6Zjthsy8NAlbd66k7zv3_FnhTz/s400/1275164500m_DISPLAY.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478562023902012498" border="0" /></a>The question that I get asked most often is why LEGO still matters today. What has allowed this toy and this company to continue to be relevant to kids (and adults) in a world that is increasingly digital?<br /><br />Depending on how much time I have (and the interest level of my conversation partner/interviewer), I tend to give an answer that centers around one idea -- creativity. The short answer is just that word, followed by a long blank stare until it gets uncomfortable. The longer answer gets at the heart of the hobby/obsession/passion/calling...<br /><br />For me, I'm continually blown away by what people build. And in a world of spoilers and constant information -- where it is difficult to keep a secret -- I'm excited that I get to be surprised by what I find in the adult fan of LEGO community. Yesterday was a perfect example. I've seen blind builds and builds in a bag, but I've never seen a build in a bottle until Brothers-Brick linked to Jeremy Mood's <a href="http://www.brothers-brick.com/2010/06/01/lego-ship-in-a-bottle/">LEGO ship in a bottle</a>.<br /><br />So why are LEGO brick still relevant? Because every day somebody shows me something I've never seen before. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://mocpages.com/moc.php/204948">Image</a> via Jeremy Moody. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-65749130491641785782010-06-02T10:37:00.004-05:002010-06-02T10:45:26.977-05:00Carrie, Rod Roddy, and LEGO Ear Buds<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkix1j-5PoFUQ4CxY_AGNkBLYsig098E-dmy2f1phbLucobq16SGaEHi3rwY2RzUZzcus3G0kXIi3U4yQvxfgoOmjEz3bULbHa58YetBy5fa9cD0pFRKVJQHbpZk4XDmKc7r_Sfv7Vexx/s1600/Bricks01-thumb-550xauto-39988.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkix1j-5PoFUQ4CxY_AGNkBLYsig098E-dmy2f1phbLucobq16SGaEHi3rwY2RzUZzcus3G0kXIi3U4yQvxfgoOmjEz3bULbHa58YetBy5fa9cD0pFRKVJQHbpZk4XDmKc7r_Sfv7Vexx/s400/Bricks01-thumb-550xauto-39988.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478202171225376514" border="0" /></a>I never knew that I would become an amateur LEGO fashionista. In fact, this blog at times feels closer to "<a href="http://gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/">Go Fug Yourself,</a>" than I'd care to admit. Most days, I just sit here and pray that LEGO accessories will make it into <span style="font-style: italic;">Sex and the City 2: The Return of City</span>.<br /><br />LEGO Ear Buds are the newest design inspiration to come across my desk (sadly, only in virtual form). Thanks to the keen <a href="http://www.swiss-miss.com/2010/06/lego-playbrick-earphone.html">eye</a> of <span style="font-style: italic;">Swiss Miss</span>, you can find them at Molla Space for $29. While they're ear buds, I'd be dying to build a set of LEGO headphones to connect them.<br /><br />You know what these ear buds would look great with? How about...(move to a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0734509/">Rod Roddy</a> voice here)...a brand new <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/geek-kids/3-7-years/c13b/">LEGO MP3 player</a>? Cue the jumping up and down and the Bob Barker hugging.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-63572136518765230862010-06-01T10:00:00.004-05:002010-06-01T10:16:01.230-05:00The first book signing in a bookstore...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijakQ30sIxu3gTpd4aDnTA4vD_Amq21O4_0SjBfAXRfjG2lWMAs3hMyglrQlUbTL292xDw9Lj5M0KlenqYlxIUkGB17LvQ2eT650LHeLcex3ADhWGTtN7vYgmLuoxYeb9yYax__iYz9A_V/s1600/IMG_1502.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijakQ30sIxu3gTpd4aDnTA4vD_Amq21O4_0SjBfAXRfjG2lWMAs3hMyglrQlUbTL292xDw9Lj5M0KlenqYlxIUkGB17LvQ2eT650LHeLcex3ADhWGTtN7vYgmLuoxYeb9yYax__iYz9A_V/s400/IMG_1502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477823855255108002" border="0" /></a>The lunch hour stood still for a brief moment last Friday in downtown Boston. That's when I was in town to give a bit of insight into the world of adult fans and sign a few hardcover copies of <span style="font-style: italic;">LEGO: A Love Story</span>. For the several million of you (in and outside Boston), who missed the event, here's a peek into what happened...<br /><br />Despite having lived in Boston for close to five years, I forgot that parking near <a href="http://www.newbury-st.com/">Newbury Street</a> can be akin to winning Power Ball. Thankfully, there was a very nice garage attendant willing to take my car and hold it for only $32 for 90 minutes. I outsmarted you Boston.<br /><br />I arrived a few minutes early to the Borders and asked the man at the information desk where I should head. He spoke into a walkie-talkie and after a brief bit of confusion as to whether I was a "vendor" or a "Bender," I was brought upstairs to where the signing was being held.<br /><br />A small, but engaged crowd, were seated on the second floor when I got up to the podium. I started just a minute or two after 12 p.m. -- you shouldn't have to give up your sandwich time completely to hear me -- and spent the next 45 minutes talking about collectors, instruction books, and why adult fans come out of the Dark Ages.<br /><br />To the good folks at Borders (particularly Batman fan-girl Katie) at 511 Boylston, thank you for hosting me... Afterwards, I signed a few dozen copies for the store -- including my own, dog-eared copy, which now includes best wishes from myself. Well, at least, when I inevitably leave that copy on the train, plane, or bus -- the stranger who finds it can enjoy an autographed copy.Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-68604177988086006752010-05-27T09:02:00.004-05:002010-05-27T09:44:41.355-05:00Nice try Rubik's Cube, really good effort<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVScn1ocBuAaFI6eb31oAYcB6g5W5bEeLwV0er-eSe-GqqE_CQtYWoVvblOfpbUtc1WfBJr9UMw2Ulka2JGiVb-d2RRiealz_biCerc-763odP2v7iOzsl6cZX1E3yAhOihq-C5T1Shjoa/s1600/rubiks_cube-731722.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVScn1ocBuAaFI6eb31oAYcB6g5W5bEeLwV0er-eSe-GqqE_CQtYWoVvblOfpbUtc1WfBJr9UMw2Ulka2JGiVb-d2RRiealz_biCerc-763odP2v7iOzsl6cZX1E3yAhOihq-C5T1Shjoa/s400/rubiks_cube-731722.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475959692553965362" border="0" /></a>Listen up Rubik's Cube -- you're a cute toy. You've got a lot going for you. Bright colors, angular jawline, just the right amount of mystery. And you're even <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/05/the-30-year-rubiks-invasion-continues/">celebrating a birthday</a> this month, 30 years, that's a heck of an achievement.<br /><br />You should have a really positive self-image. You've helped thousands of geeks impress thousands of girls and brought competition to those who were not that into sports. But sadly, despite a similar color palette and basic geometric design, you are no LEGO brick.<br /><br />In fact, a LEGO Mindstorms robot was even <a href="http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/05/lego-motorola-droid-combine-to-solve-the-rubiks-cube/">used to solve you</a> recently, that's probably got to hurt. As far as I know, the Rubik's Cube isn't spontaneously compelling LEGO bricks together a la some sort of dork force field -- although I'll admit that would be pretty sweet if it happened.<br /><br />So take solace in the fact that you're still relevant. You could have been <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCwn1NTK-50">Crossfire</a>, left behind when I was eight years old, despite the catchiest board game theme song of all time.<br /><br />It's simple. Rock always beats scissors, and bricks always beat cubes. <br /><a href="http://nickshell1983.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/rubiks_cube-731722.jpg"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Image</span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> via Nick Shell. </span></span>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-14331215427566042362010-05-26T14:33:00.002-05:002010-05-26T14:36:34.779-05:00I do believe in unicorns<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNeeFf0OwrBnCLmksl-yMcj2O2ajviQrFl3c99DaroD_HubLMne3a9OEpzmF5NpnDp-ZTJluf8FC1-RGgvpAn7dQdI9WtQlx8DmBoO_r5ku7zUhY2gmeDRTjQD8clOAKfiBgEVmYK5ngF/s1600/lego-unicorn-rainbow-blast.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNeeFf0OwrBnCLmksl-yMcj2O2ajviQrFl3c99DaroD_HubLMne3a9OEpzmF5NpnDp-ZTJluf8FC1-RGgvpAn7dQdI9WtQlx8DmBoO_r5ku7zUhY2gmeDRTjQD8clOAKfiBgEVmYK5ngF/s400/lego-unicorn-rainbow-blast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475664678008340562" border="0" /></a>If this doesn't improve your day, I'm not sure what will... (<span style="font-style: italic;">via </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.geekologie.com/2010/05/want_lego_unicorn_with_rainbow.php">Geekologie</a>)Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127149700404800381.post-76997736521582523732010-05-25T10:04:00.007-05:002010-05-25T10:19:17.973-05:00Aaron Goodwin's LEGO cruise ship -- a whole new kind of staycation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SHRvBq_2CFTLlnnWHfKmEhBOl_Ru3WoEBedhyphenhyphenLcNWxhBzepQTjfmGppm06KMy6uwPRV1tnN9ehb-v9tzYYUmLfg2RnLVkftv1r4unqfZRxhrIArfgDGrvJUOxi2tWHrFJVI86I68ZlCn/s1600/4485_106533859413_611104413_2760648_2441805_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SHRvBq_2CFTLlnnWHfKmEhBOl_Ru3WoEBedhyphenhyphenLcNWxhBzepQTjfmGppm06KMy6uwPRV1tnN9ehb-v9tzYYUmLfg2RnLVkftv1r4unqfZRxhrIArfgDGrvJUOxi2tWHrFJVI86I68ZlCn/s400/4485_106533859413_611104413_2760648_2441805_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475225829760178418" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">LEGO builders come from all walks of life and professions -- one who reached out to me was Aaron Goodwin. A cruise ship designer, Aaron, currently has a scale replica of the cruise ship Horizon in his living room. [<span style="font-style: italic;">Note to self: show wife pictures of cruise ship, if she ever complains about tiny LEGO creations on the mantle</span>.]<br /></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">Remembering that I'm a reporter -- it comes in handy, on occasion outside the world of comic books -- I decided to find out what compels Aaron to build. Our e-mail exchange is below, emoticons and all. If you'd like to see more of his pictures, they're available <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=115176&id=611104413&l=01a3496e95">here</a>.<br /></span></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">(1) Can you tell me about your decision to build the ship? And the actual building process (time, design stages, etc...)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">I used to Work for Celebrity Cruises back about 1993-1997ish…(Pre- Merger with Royal Caribbean) it was owned by a wonderful Greek Family named the Chandrises. I worked and lived on board, the Fleet then consisted of The Horizon and Zenith (Sister ships, virtually identical) and the older ship the Meridian. Some of the best times I’ve ever had in my life were living onboard the Horizon and Zenith. They were truly “My Home."<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">I came to Land and parleyed my Design Degree from Durham College (Now Known as The University of Ontario) in Ontario into positions Designing <span class="il">Cruise</span> Ships and Mega Yachts. Designing <span class="il">Cruise</span> Ships is my passion.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">Years Later in 2007, I saw a Large LEGO model <span class="il">cruise</span> ship on one of the Carnival ships. It was cool yes, but lacked scale and attention to detail, so I decided to “Put my money where my mouth is” and build my own, but to take it the next step.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">So I pulled up the Original GA (Blue Prints) of the Horizon, and scaled them for the Minifigures in AutoCAD, that created a 9 foot footprint in LEGO terms, So I did take a slight liberty in the deck heights to bring her down to 8'2". However she is constructed exactly as her namesake, she has the same amount of Water tight Zones as the Original Horizon and Zenith, even a crash bulkhead in the bow just like the real thing.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">I started her in 2007, It took a full year to complete although I took three months off while I got married and bought a new house, So she took about nine months and about 4 hours a day and 8 on the weekends. I tried not to let her take over my life (The Boat not my wife, *laugh*) I guess that equates to about 1,200 hours.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">I lost count of bricks, because I was buying and building as I went, she is primarily made from “Re-enjoyed” LEGO bought from Ebay, however I did buy thousands of pieces from the LEGO store. I estimate about 50,000 blocks in total. If and when I ever sell her, I’ll weigh her, and subtract the weight of her mounting board, and divide the LEGO weight, by lets say a standard 2X8 Block and that should give me a fairly accurate count.</span></span></p> <span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">She is currently Crewed with a Compliment of 100 Minifigures, Officers, Staff, and Passengers.</span></span><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;"><div class="im">(2) Are you the captain? Entertainment director? </div></span></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">Well My Ego says I’m the Captain, however if I were to equate a position to it, It would probably be best describes as the Chief Engineer.</span></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;"><div class="im">3) You mentioned your wife is patient -- does she understand your passion for building or just tolerate it? </div></span></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">She definitely understands it, she actually helped a lot, sorting and cleaning LEGOS from ebay, and the miles and miles of monotonous snapping along the length of her Hull. She’s been very supportive, and she does love the ship as well, but she’s growing weary of the 8’2” <span class="il">Cruise</span> Ship in the Living room, I mean it looks GREAT! But not quite fitting in with our décor LOL</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">Now if I were to tackle my next Dream Project, it will be a three meter (9’-10”) <span class="il">cruise</span> ship that will be glued and sealed so she can actually float, using the same displacement theory that makes actual <span class="il">cruise</span> ships float…But that is very much a dream at this point, and I have the distinct feeling although she would help me, however this one will be built and live in the Garage ;-)</span></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;"><div class="im">(4) Do you ever use LEGO when considering a design for a <span class="il">cruise</span> ship? </div></span></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;"></span></span><span style="display: block;font-size:100%;" id="formatbar_Buttons" ></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">Not as such no, <span class="il">Cruise</span> Ship Design is very much modular, the cabin modules are snapped in very much like LEGO during her construction, however the passenger spaces are very fluid and organic.</span></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;"><div class="im">(5) Do you remember your first set or your favorite build from when you were a kid?</div></span></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">My Favorite set as a kid… Well I am old *laugh* The LEGO sets were very limited back then, I guess my Favorites were the space sets augmented by thousands of straight standard LEGO blocks I had accumulated over the years. I leaned away from the “actual” set to build, and just kept adding to the sets I already had with my imagination. </span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">I can’t really recall actually building the LEGO set from the instructions, I always had a “better way” as a kid, that better way was of course “my way.”</span></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">(6) Where do you want to see her living now?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;">I’ve tried over the last year to sell her to a Museum, Theme Park or Other Private but Public collections. Last year was a bad year for all of us, Museums and Theme Parks included, not to mention, after all the hours of design, and time I spent on her, She is worth much more to me sentimentally, and in “sweat equity” than the sum of all her parts. I would like to see her displayed so all can enjoy her, you never know where she’ll end up.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12;"> </span></span></p>Jonathan Benderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16505131594179441341noreply@blogger.com6