Hey, do you have a pic of the back of the box. I always enjoy checking out the alternate models that can be made with a new set.
On the main thread topic, I do think there is something to what you say. When I was a kid it didn't matter if there was a consistant color scheme, or if the cockpit wasn't enclosed on a spaceship, or if the fig had the right expression (they all had the same expression). So there was more freedom in some ways to my building. Of course, I'm happier now with the results that I get, even if it does take more time.
On sorting, I actually enjoy sorting. I'm odd, I suppose, but I find it very calming after a stressfull day at work.
I also find that sitting down and sorting is a great way to relieve stress after work. My son and daughter also love building, and hate sorting, so I have plenty to keep me busy.
Oh, I don't hate sorting at all! It's just that I would sometimes rather build, but I end up sorting first because I have such a mess. By the time I'm done sorting, there's usually no time left to build.
I didn't have to go to a job so that I could pay for food, housing, clothing, taxes, vehicle, children's music lessons, power, phone, water....you get the idea.
The thing that bothers me the most is that I have to schedule time to build. Not because I have more bricks than I did as a kid, but real life committments take up soooo much of my time.
I still enjoy building and playing as much as I ever did, but gone are the rainy days as a child when I could play all day.....
Winter is coming and perhaps I will find more time this winter to enjoy this hobby.
rogue27 wrote:When I was younger, building with LEGO seemed so much simpler.
When I was younger...
...I would take out my LEGO and just start building until every part was used. Now I have so many parts that is virtually impossible to use them all.
...I could spend an entire day building with LEGO. Now I am lucky if I can find 2 or 3 hours in one evening to build.
...I only had to dump out an ice cream bucket to start building, and scoop everything back in when I was done. Now I have a massive sorting system that allows me to find any part quickly, but I probably spend more time re-sorting the parts and re-structuring the storage system than actually building.
...Every part I had was used, chewed, and worn out, but I was perfectly happy with them. Now I refuse to use such parts.
...I never felt like I needed to go and buy some specific part before building something. Now I spend plenty of time and money purchasing parts that I might use on some MOC I would like to build someday. (but probably never find time for)
Has anybody else found that their LEGO habits have changed over the years?
Due to these changes, I sometimes try to "go back" to a simpler building experience, and force myself to work with a limited pool of parts.
One weekend I opened a 10000 Guarded Inn, 2x 10039 Black Falcon's Fortress, and a 3739 Blacksmith's Shop, and sat down with my girlfriend to build with just those parts. It was fun. That is certainly more fun than buying 4 copies of Vladek Encounter on sale just to sort out the parts I want and file them away for later use.
Another thing I often do is to pick a part I don't normally use and try to build something with it or around it. Sometimes I just can't get the part to do what I want it to do, sometimes I do neat things with it, and I always learn something from the experience.
Does anybody else have ideas for "simplifying" the building experience when you have a large collection of parts?
Sadley. This has been happening to me to lately. But when I watch a movie of WW2 or read history books on castles. I get inspired, atleast this is what I do to get thoes 2x2 bricks pumping through my vaines! :p