User blog:AceOfBacon/Thanks LEGO (A Collection of Memoirs of My LEGO Adventures By a TFOL)

I originally posted this on the LEGO Message Boards, but no one really responded. Unsure where to place this personal essay I wrote on a whim, I'll write it here. I am partially unsure if this is the appropriate place for this, but since I posted it on the LEGO Message Boards originally, I'll place it here:

=Thanks LEGO (A Collection of Memoirs of My LEGO Adventures By a TFOL)=

With any experience, most people recount their adventures from starting at the beginning.

For me, my love of LEGO began brewing many years before I was even born. My older brothers, a trio of nutcases several years older than me, had collected multiple tubs of LEGO over the last decade before I was born and had been subscribed to LEGO magazine for many years. When I was born, I played with Duplos until I was able to actually play with LEGO without swallowing them. I taught myself to read, solely for the purpose of reading the magazines. Until then, I had looked at the pictures which were in the many (well over a hundred) issues.

I got my first actual LEGO set when I was 6. It was a brown Bohrok-Kal, a BIONICLE which could fold up into a ball. I believe it was the Bohrok-Kal of plasma, its actual name escapes me.

I was hooked. I did odd jobs around my house, doing chores for my parents to try and save up money for new sets. I don't remember how much they paid me, but judging on the amount of sets I got, I think they over-paid me purposely. After all, I was a 6 year old.

In 2004 or 2005, I recieved my favorite LEGO Set of all time, from my favorite LEGO Theme for Christmas. I got the Alpha Team Tundra Tracker, a set I unfortunately no longer have. I also got several Adventures sets, which is easily my second favorite theme. I still have bits and pieces of the jungle temple and the desert temple in my giant box of LEGO.

Fast forward a few years later, with several new sets and hundreds of dollars spent. I joined FLL, First LEGO League, with NXT robots. This I did for several years, and enjoyed greatly. NXT fueled my love of electronics and computers, and took my building to the next level.

During this time, another great LEGO theme was released: Exo-Force. I collected tons of the sets, as I loved the style of building and the minifigures. I was crushed when it ended in 2008, and even more crushed when my favorite current theme at the time ended in 2010. I'm sure you can all guess which.

It was at this point, LEGO started to get worse. Prince of Persia, World Racers, Toy Story, and Ninjago, to name a few, were either all horribly made and priced, or knockoffs of older themes which in my opinion disgraced them.

Around this time, I discovered a small product, #55000. Needless to say, I was hooked. After it's unfortunate end which occured a little after a year, I distanced myself from the newer LEGO themes and products, and since, I have only bought Creator and select sets, for the pieces.

Fast forward to 2013. I haven't touched my LEGO box in months. I have dusty unfinished and some completed sets at the bottom of my tall shelf-thing.

And then I discovered, they made LEGO sets of my favorite book series of all time. Although outrageously priced, I bought several, for the pieces and for pure enjoyment.

I'll always appreciate LEGO. LEGO is an old friend of mine. But like many friends you meet when you are young, you begin to distance yourself from them over time, making new friendships and having new adventures.

However, LEGO will always have a special place in my heart. Although the sets and themes may be getting more childish and I am getting much older (and not to mention, the prices are rather crappy), it is still a great friend.

In other news, LEGO makes great feet warfare, and I once got one stuck in my throat. Good day everyone, and play well!