Melbourne pirate fan '87 Posted March 30, 2009 Greetings fellow lego fans! I say this greeting with the utmost enthusiasm as someone who has only recently discovered the AFOL network. I am 22 and have been a fan of lego since I was just a little tacker. However, things have not always been smooth sailing. As many of you may know, other people do not look kindly on adults who like lego. My family was one. When I was in my mid teens my family pressured me to pack my lego and other toys away and make my bedroom more 'mature'. Eventually I did move my lego up to the attic in the garage when I was 17 but I sorely missed it. Even after this I was encouraged to see a psychologist because my family thought I wasn't 'mature' enough because I played computer games and something called Warhammer 40,000 which they thought was too childish. Despite this I have secretly collected lego sets I have liked and set them up in the garage where I can enjoy my hobby in private. I did this thinking I was the only over 16 who liked lego. Now that I have discovered the online AFOL (I prefer the term ALE - Adult Lego Enthusiasts) community I feel overjoyed and believe I am now getting over what the community calls the 'Dark Ages'. I would like to hear other people's stories about how they kept their hobby secret and/or what it was like to get over their 'Dark Ages'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Zuloo Posted March 30, 2009 Yeah, I think you should just tell anyone who questions your hobby that they can stuff off because you are an individual with your own tastes. And maybe an admin or mod can move this to the General LEGO news and discussion forum? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ratshot Posted March 30, 2009 (edited) Yeah, I think you should just tell anyone who questions your hobby that they can stuff off because you are an individual with your own tastes. I have to do that all the time. Sometimes people make fun of me, but I tell them to shove it. I will share my story later. Edited March 30, 2009 by Broadside Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted March 30, 2009 I declare my love for LEGO loud and proud every day! Yeah, I think you should just tell anyone who questions your hobby that they can stuff off because you are an individual with your own tastes. And maybe an admin or mod can move this to the General LEGO news and discussion forum? Yes. Captain Zuloo is right so I'm going to do so... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asuka Posted March 30, 2009 Hello and welcome to the pretty fessed-up side of the brick, Melbourne pirate fan '87. Luckily enough all my family members and friends´re able to respect my LEGO interest, although of course not everybody´s able to share my grade of enthusiasm about it. Even after this I was encouraged to see a psychologist because my family thought I wasn't 'mature' enough because I played computer games and something called Warhammer 40,000 which they thought was too childish. I don´t want to invade your privacy, but what did that psychologist say about your pastimes? I think that building with LEGO´s a pretty constructive hobby, and playing video games is, after all, by far not so very unusual among adults too ... if someone doesn´t become too obsessed about these things (like Sinner ) and starts to eliminate any other relevant affairs there shouldn´t be much of a problem either... Refusing a pretty harmless leisure activity because of some simple prejudgment might say more about the tolerance threshold and the rigid expectations of someone else than about you. I declare my love for LEGO loud and proud every day! You do? Hmm, usually even the kindest woman doesn´t like it if her husband´s confusing her name... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dadster Posted March 30, 2009 To the Melbourne Pirate... What happened between you and your parents sucks as far as I'm concerned. Glad to hear you are building and enjoying without the guilt!! Welcome to world of these forums and I hope you add to the conversations in the future. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SiRoa Posted March 30, 2009 same here.. my parents don't like when I spent my money to buy LEGO.. I started collecting LEGO sinve November 2008 and as you can see in my signature, I could collect that much sets in short time.. but I was playing cat and mouse with my parents when I buy LEGO set, from store and/or online store.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skipper 24 Posted March 30, 2009 I wouldn't really describe myself as secret but nor do I walk round school with a I ♥ LEGO sign. I don't deny I don't like LEGO to other people if they're curious but I prefer to keep it to myself most of the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ratshot Posted March 30, 2009 I wouldn't really describe myself as secret but nor do I walk round school with a I ♥ LEGO sign. I don't deny I don't like LEGO to other people if they're curious but I prefer to keep it to myself most of the time. That is the exact way that I am about my passion for lego Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyj19 Posted March 30, 2009 I used to collect all sorts of "toys" ... gi joes, dragons, and of course Lego sets. I am now 24 and of all the stuff i used to have Lego is the only thing that is still there with the exception of a few random action figures that i found the other day. My dad thinks its childish and actually gets pretty mad when i buy sets, my mom understands to a point, she knows i use Lego to destress, besides she'd rather i spend money on lego than go out riding my motorcycle and buy motorcycle stuff. What bugs me is is that my dad gives me a hard time about the Lego but he doesn't give my 23 year old bro a hard time about playing video/pc games and playing dungeons and dragons and such. my hobby is not a secret its just something i don't advertise, though most of my friends know about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mariann Asanuma Posted March 30, 2009 I'm glad you've found your way back LEGO, even if your parents don't understand. I was fortunate enough to have a family that accepted my LEGO hobby so I never had a Dark Age. The only one who kind of disapproved as I got older was my dad, but then when I became a Master Model Builder at LEGOLAND California, and proved that yes, you can make money building with LEGO all day, even he supported me. I've never hidden the fact that I love building with LEGO. In fact now that I'm a Freelance LEGO Artist, I constantly tell perfect strangers what I do. Most of the time, they think its pretty cool that I get paid to "play" with LEGO all day. LEGO is a perfectly acceptable hobby, as long as you do it in moderation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dadster Posted March 30, 2009 I remember back in (about) 6th grade. Some of my friends came over to my house and noticed that I still had Lego (and other toys) out. They made fun of me and I gave into a bit of Peer Pressure and put them away for quite a long time... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Norman Ray Posted March 30, 2009 Myself, I followed a kind of similar path. I used to play with LEGO a lot as a kid. My brother is eight years older and so I grew up mainly with his hand me downs before getting my own sets. I had a large amount of LEGO, which I eventually stopped playing with around 11, because I was heading off to a grammer school and such. I never got rid of them though. Like yourself, I started Warhammer 40,000 around that time. My family partly supported me, but I got in trouble because my imagination lead to bad grades. Eventually, I moved my old LEGO out of my room and into the garage. After finishing school, college and failing to go to university, I started to get very bored. Warhammer had stopped being interesting, and video games didn't excite me as much. I was addicted to the Sharpe series of books and TV movies, and decided I wanted a Redcoat army, and heard about AFOLism at this time. I was 19. I am now 21, and my family accepts me for what I am. I live in a house with my sister, I pay a mortgage, work a 9-5 style job at a bank, and come home to tinker. My scanner is covered by Market Square and the Yellow Holiday home, and my desk is covered by minfigs and brickarms. By my feet is a Churchill tank and my desk drawers and filled with LEGO and The South Essex, over 200 men strong. In my loft is my old LEGO, handy if I ever need different bits. Work knows what I do. I created a Christmas piece for them this year, and my team won a prize. I was very nervous about showing who I am, but thats me. I find, that if you give people time, people will gladly accept who you are. Just a shame my sister is worried about me going to Seattle in October for BrickCon'09, and she won't let me get Green Grocer. Such is life in your own house, you can a lot, but not all. -Sir Norman "Can I just say, that tank bloody hurts!" Ray. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
legotrainfan Posted March 30, 2009 When I was between 12 and 14-years-old, it was mega out and uncool to be a LEGO fan. When I had completed that school and started a new school at age 14 still, it wasn't a topic any more. Now I say that people should mind their own business. It's my hobby and I love it, and that's all there's to say. I don't advertise either because people seem to be irritated when they hear you're a LEGO fan. But my parents know I love it, and my brother and sister do so as well. There are 3 people among my friends who know it too, and they don't make a fuss about it. One of the three says I'm a big child, her sister - also one of the three - says I should sell it, and the third one recommended selling my stuff too. But they don't keep saying those things over and over again. They don't seem to care that much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cavannus Posted March 30, 2009 I'm 33 and when some people see my (very small) collection that is exposed using dioramas, they enjoy it and want to look at all the details. Nobody has never laughed at me because I collect Lego. I work in a web agency where things like that are very well accepted, even encouraged! (I have the BNSF and the Brickbeard's Bounty in my office!) I had troubles with my parents when I was around 14. My mom laughed at me or even was aggressive when I was asking to buy a set or when I was MOCing. Since then I've understood that people from her generation think that such plastic toys are only for kids -- especially not for a teen! Moreover, most of people from this generation base their lifestyle on gossip ("what others will think about me if I do that") far ahead of fun. Now I am an adult, I have a good job and I manage my life in a responsible way, so my parents never say anything negative about my Lego. Furthermore I guess that the adult-like design of many recent sets helps (e.g. Sanfa Fe/BNSF/Emerald Night train engines, Café Corner, Green Grocer, etc.). If you just play or collect Lego while you act as a responsible adult (i.e. serious at work or at school) and sociable person (not a nerd), then you don't need to see a psychologist -- and your family should because it seems that they don't know the world they live in. If you play Lego to escape from the real word and if you don't socialize or work at school because of that, yes you have a problem. Your problem is deeper and Lego not a cause, just a symptom. (BTW I studied psychology and I've noticed that parents' influence generally ruins any therapy done while the patient live in his parent's or sees them often). (Hope you can understand me, my English is not that good). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ralph_S Posted March 30, 2009 It's always sad to read stories such as Melbourne Pirate's. My parents always supported my endeavours, even if they may have had some doubts about some of them LEGO certainly was no exception. Sure, when you're a teenager you want to be one of the 'cool people' and since LEGO is generally not cool by their standards, it's not the sort of thing you talk openly about with classmates in secondary school. I didn't talk about it either. My LEGO building was a private thing, shared with my family and a number of good friends. I never had a 'dark age' and I never stopped building. I've always found it a very good way to relax and to be creative. My LEGO building still is a somewhat private thing, in the sense that I don't openly advertise it at work, but my non LEGO-building friends all know about it and some co-workers do. It's not private in the sense that anybody who'll ever type my name into a search engine will see various LEGO things. I only very rarely get unpleasant reactions. I told one of my co-workers who asked me what my plans were for the weekend that I was going to attend a LEGO event. He made some lame remark about it being a kids toy. In reply I showed him an on-line picture of one of my models. He was stunned. Generally when people find out about it they're interested. That may have to do with my line of work, because almost everybody around me used to build with LEGO when they were children/teenagers (I work in an aeronautical engineering department of a university). Cheers, Ralph Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ratshot Posted March 30, 2009 When I was about 4 I got a big bucket of bricks. I never really played with them, only when my cousins came over and at that they only came 2-4 times a year. So the bricks were virtually unused. At about age 5 my parents go divorced. At age 6 my Dad got me my first "real" set. Then he started to buy me more sets but I never really played with them, so he gradually stopped buying them for me. As I got older(ages 7-9) all my friends started to get into Lego quite a bit. But I started to hate it. At age 10 I started to like it bit by bit but I am not sure why. When I turned 11 I joined the Lego Club and after discovering Knights Kingdom I decided to ask for some Lego for Christmas. And since then I haven't stopped building/collecting Lego. When it comes to being a 15 year old Lego fan.....its not easy. My 4 best friends are very supportive of my hobby which helps me quite a bit and also Being home schooled helps with the peer pressure. I am a member of my local Army Cadet Core, so with that I have to deal with some snide remarks and dirty looks, but overall everybody at Cadets excepts me for who I am. In my community there is a lot of drugs and drinking among the teenagers and young people so my Mom and Stepdad see Lego as a good thing....keeping me out of trouble and such. My Dad and Stepmom see it as a childish/kidish thing. But other than them, I am supported by my family and friends. I don't openly state that I like Lego but if I see it being verbally trashed I will step up to the plate and stand my ground. When I found EB I was very releaved that There were adults that liked Lego. Anyway I love Lego and I am not going to stop loving it for the rest of my life. Someday I intend to be a Lego designer. Thanks for your support EB members. Broadside Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peppermint_M Posted March 30, 2009 My mum bought me duplo from the age I was old enough to use it and moved onto system when I was of an age she could trust me not to choke on it. When I was around fifteen my Lego moved from my room to the loft for space but I still played, money was always a bit of a problem but Lego was always my gift of choice, I can't name a year when I didn't buy at least three sets (summer holiday, staying at my Nan’s house and Easter holidays). When I got to about 18 my Mum wondered aloud about me still buying Lego and playing with it but since I got a job and a wage it isn't a problem, as long as I keep saving some and paying housekeeping. At school... Well, I was bullied and ignored in equal measure already, pre-dating "too old" for Lego age so no one noticed or took enough interest to know. When I was in sixth form (college, year 12 and 13 or the years you go to extra between 16 and 18 after GCSE, for those not familiar with the concept) I re-made some friends and made new ones who didn't care that I was into Lego, and my peers weren't so bothered either. I put Lego on my CV as one of my hobbies (four jobs I have applied for, Prototype maker, Aircraft Mechanic and Architect, Civil Engineer) and always mentioned it in interview as why I was good at solving mechanical problems and working things out in "real" terms. Never fear those who mock you, words can hurt worse than sticks and stones but they inevitably come from the mouths of intolerant fools. As for family, take them up on their hobbies if they keep on at you. See if anything about their interests can be picked at. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brickzone Posted March 30, 2009 There was a certain stage when I came out of my "Dark Ages" where I was a bit embarrassed about the quantities of Lego I was buying (I collected a *lot* of old "wanted" sets off ebay in addition to keeping up with new sets). However, I'm now mostly finished with ebay, I only rarely bricklink, and a couple times of year get some of the new sets, and then just the occasional impulse or sale buy. That's quite a lot, but it's nothing compared to a particular couple of weeks when it seemed there were parcels delivered daily - I'd come home at the weekend and find a whole bunch waiting! My friends do find it somewhat amusing, but we all have our own disparate interests - and others cost more than Lego! I think for the most part us guys have it fairly easy - it's expected that men have hobbies, some quite eccentric (Lego is not remotely high up the list!) Indeed I think it's usually regarded as better for guys to have some particular interest rather than being Joe TV viewer (apologies to soap-a-holics etc. in the audience). Anyway, my family are all into Lego too now (dark ages ended all round). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buttons Posted March 30, 2009 No such problem in my case. I buy and sell on ebay quite a lot so there is a good income from Lego as well as love of it itself and also I have used it many times very practically. In my GCSE Graphics project I used lego for something. (Which I may disclose to you later). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peppermint_M Posted March 30, 2009 No such problem in my case. I buy and sell on ebay quite a lot so there is a good income from Lego as well as love of it itself and also I have used it many times very practically. In my GCSE Graphics project I used lego for something. (Which I may disclose to you later). Me too! It was the first project I did, I made a generic lego brick with my initials in as my Logo for a logo project and later for a mock up of a board game My teacher thought it very clever anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prateek Posted March 30, 2009 (edited) I'm only a TFOL, but my family gives me crap like that already. i just build with my sisters who are both kids so my parents think its fine for me to play with them Edited March 30, 2009 by prateek Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legoking Posted March 30, 2009 Wow, that is intence. I am sorry that your family did not support your love for Lego. I think you will love it here at Eurobricks because all of its members do not criticizeyour love for Lego! PM me if you have any questions. LegoKing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkrebellion Posted March 31, 2009 Well I need to admit that collecting LEGO being a TFOL myself isn´t quite easy. My family support my hobby and sometimes they even tell me to buy a certain set cause it may look great in my exhibition room (AKA LEGO room ) or give me their opinion, so I think at least in "familiar" terms I am OK. With my friends the thing are a bit different. They don´t mind my hobby at all but they don´t really like to talk about it . When they come to my house they look and like my collection and that all . In school terms the things aren´t so easy . Most of the people at my school don´t think "collecting anything" is quite cool, actually they like a lot to just talk or critique someone else (Something I don´t find "cool" at all). So I don´t really mention I have this hobby so I just tell about it to "mature" people who doesn´t make fun of everything that doesn´t belong to their "cool" standards if anyone know what I mean . It isn´t accepted in my community at all too . Most of the time the people give you "looks" when they see you looking at the LEGO aisle instead of the "magazines" aisle . I don´t allow my hobby to really interfer with my social life as I have many friends and most of the time we hang out . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
user Posted March 31, 2009 At school I am with a group of kids who love videogames playing on the computer and we all especially love LEGO. There is about 7 people in the group and only 1 of them does'nt like LEGO but he doesn'nt hate. When people ask us why we like LEGO we often say things like "it's a form of art" or "what's wrong with designing things?" or sometimes we just say that it's fun. There is also a LEGO League at my school that my parents think I should join. My parnts are actually very supportive of my intrest and sometimes even by me a LEGO set if I get good grades and one time my mom actually paid about $100.00 for some NXT classes so I am very lucky. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
