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CUT!
The director comes out on stage.
Seriously Shadows, it isn't funny anymore.
Did I ever mention that both my grandfather and I are time travelling interdimentional wizards who could zap you into a black hole if we just happened to feel like it?
No, I think I'd remember that.
That sounds like a good idea.
Er, yes it does.
But just because I'm such a nice guy, I'll do this your way.
Oh thank you!
ROLLING!
Welcome to another exciting episode of EB News Presents! I'm your host, imperialshadows, Staudie will be finding new and innovative ways to get under my skin, and our special guest this week might be able to help with any resulting itching from having to put up with Staudie, since he's none other than Holodoc!
Normally at this point in the show, I like to say a few words to the audience. You know, chat it up a bit, give you a look into the way my mind works and so on. Well, I haven't got anything. Seriously. I've been using up all my best material in the EBRP, and as much as I think you'd all enjoy it, it's 182 pages long now, or maybe 13, and I don't know if you'd get through all the big words. But hey, give it a try, it's good stuff, and you'll understand more about just who I am, as well as about my grandfather Aluvar. It's full of fun and adventure and romance and the occasional guest appearance, including a scene that happened during another episode of this very show! Well, you might like it anyway.
A familiar voice calls from offstage.
I could tell jokes, or sing, or dance, or act, or something!
So... let's get right to the interview, Staudie!
Yes sir!
Q. Why the name Holodoc and are you a Trekkie?
A. Trekkie? What´s that?
Of course, I am a Trekkie!
I loved to watch the original series in my childhood. It was on Tuesday evenings on the second channel.But my favourite “part” of the whole spin-offs certainly was TNG, the next generation, because of this fantastic Jean Luc Picard! What a smart guy he is!
DS9 caught my attention very late, when I realized the very interesting plot spanning over more than just one or two episodes.
In all of those series you had one guy representing some kind of alien, trying to understand human feelings and their whole “way of life”. Spock, Data, Odo. But the most interesting figure in my opinion was the “Emergency Medical Hologram” not just representing a guy from another part of the universe but a technological being. (I always liked the techno-babble in Star Trek).
So I decided to make this guy my avatar, representing not only one of my favourite science fiction series, but also my job.
Q. How long have you collected lego?
A. I started in 1979 with the release of Space (here we go again
). I´m pretty sure my brother and me had those older figs with the big heads before that date, but there was no real love for them.In 1979 the whole family went shopping to Cologne to buy some Christmas presents. I realized they bought several bigger sets what my parents tried to hide. On Christmas I got 920, 926 and 928!
And it continued the following years. I managed to collect all sets of five years 1979-1984. The only sets I remember not belonging to Space were a small police car (set 600 - the ones you weren´t able to put a minifig in because they were too small…) a bigger one with road barriers (6681), a police helicopter (weird – I can´t find it at brickset) and the fire station 6382 with an additional fire engine 6650.Then there were the Dark Ages!
I returned 2003 while looking for Christmas presents (what a coincidence!) for my older son, Lukas.
We had to choose between Playmobil and Lego. I´m still shocked we even considered Playmobil…
We started over again with Trains. Yeah – definitely a right decision. Then there were Technic sets: Cool functions I wanted to figure out and do it myself. Mindstorms: Computing and Lego – that´s what my heart was yearning for! Older 9V sets like the Technic control centers I+II. I went ebaying again and again.
And I'm tracking my parts. Every single brick is put on an Excel chart. I want to know whenever I start building, if I can finish the build with the parts I have (in the right color, of course). I know this is absolutely crazy – you don´t have to tell me.
But fun, too! 
Q. What are your 3 favourite sets?
A. This is the question I have been waiting for. I asked myself when reading the last interviews: What would you answer?
Here's my list in order of appearance:
6980 Galaxy Commander
Even better than 928 Galaxy Explorer. Great colors (blue canopies) and you could separate it into three parts! Was that cool?!
The front starfighter section: Swooshability at its best. The mid section – allright, nothing really special. But the lab was terrific! Woa – I played with that beauty over and over again! (And when I stopped playing with Lego I sold it to my cousin. Aaaaargh!
– But I was able to get back another copy two years ago 
.)The second one. I had to rethink the second favourite set. Maybe the 6285 Black Seas Barracuda.
This is the only pirate set I have and I really like it. It offers a great playability with all that minifigs and cannons (as long you' re living outside the US
). Along with the Skull's Eye Schooner, these are the best pirate ships ever!On the other hand I like the Mindstorms and NXT program as well.
A very different approach of TLC to let kids play with Lego. It combines my two favourite hobbies: Bricks and computer. Very cool to see the robot actually do what you programmed. At least most of the time...
And I liked all those 9V stuff (lights, motors, etc.) made before Mindstorms.The last one is a no brainer:
10182 Café Corner
This is the beginning of a totally new design. Great way of building and the first set addressed to AFOLs (I think). Bigger sets – not only in parts count, but the sheer size of the houses, SNOT-technique - all still minifig-size. I love TLC for releasing this particular set. The Green Grocer may be better with the interior, but the CC marks the beginning of a new era. My latest MOC is made in this surrounding. (see following question)
I always like someone better when they give good answers to this one, as if it gives us something new in common. Nice job!
Q. What is your Favourite Theme?
A. I have to say City and especially modular houses. Because of the lack of space in my house I hardly have room to display anything. So I restrict myself to display a city surrounding with the sets I have or build modular houses. I´ve been working on a CC-style building, a post office. You can read more about that here.
Q. What is your actual sig-fig?
A. Do you mean my avatar or my signature? I´m always confused by the term sig-fig...
Well, I believe you are talking about my signature. It was the Santa-Fe train I´ve built last year (including A-unit, B-unit, and 6 cars – the usual 5 normal cars from set 10022 and 10025 + a dome car).
For castle month I had changed it for a medieval scene with my avatar examine a patient (medieval style, of course).
Now, as the theme month has finished, I changed to another subject I´m working on: Collecting 2x4 bricks in as many colours as possible.
The colours show the bricks I already have. It will increase after our event.
I wondered what that colour bar was for, now it makes perfect sense! I've been trying to collect those as well, but then I forget to do it and ... oh whatever. And don't feel too bad, he can't quite figure out what my Sigfig is most of the time. I still don't know where he got that 'cape' if you can call it that.
Q. Best In Real Life Lego Moment?
A. Oh, I have to split the answer here. On first thought I would have answered: Last event 2007 in Günzburg! But I will come back to that on the next question.
There are some other good moments besides Eurobricks.
One thing has to be the moment when I realized there was soo much more Lego related stuff waiting for me in the internet.
Finding peeron.com and brickset.com was a boost for my hobby. From that point on I was able to look for every single set ever released. And I was able to even look at the bricks used. Other great moments were catching some cool sets from ebay or buying Lego from people who never thought what treasures they were selling. I remember this topic.
Another great moment was displaying my first MOC on an official Lego-event in Frechen this year. Read more about it here
Q. And, for that matter your best EB moment?
A. This is definitely event No.3 in Günzburg last year. You cannot imagine the excitement when I met jipay (he was the first I met), Hobbes, Kim, Sne, Yoda, morten, TT, Apo, Aredhel, Legocastlegirl, Copmike and Ras for the first time! I haven´t been to an event earlier but I was “ON” from the very first moment.
Thank you guys for making it an extraordinary weekend!Q. Star Trek Lego?
A. I would be one to buy Star Trek sets of course, but I doubt that there is a market for those sets. With ST:ENT (Enterprise), the latest spin –off in the Trek universe, which didn´t do very well on TV, the interest in Star Trek vanished over the last years. I´m curious what the next movie will bring. I think many people will become interested in Star Trek again, but that enthusiasm will not last very long. Too short at least to let TLC produce some sets with that license.
Q. What sets would you like to see TLC produce?
A. As a townie I would like to see more everyday life sets like normal cars, a bus, a bus stop and so on. A church would be brilliant, but thinking of the number of parts used for such a building none of us would be able to afford that any more.
Like the most of us I would be overjoyed if TLC would bring back Pirates and Wild West. Someone in the forum asked for Romans. I would appreciate that for sure! These themes offer a great playability. And kids can learn history from that themes if done correctly. What do kids learn from Exo-Force and Agents???
Q. How about specific new parts?
A. That's an excellent question, isn't it?
I´d like a 1x1 round tile. 3x3 plates would be cool. I´m still awaiting a 2x4 brick (the anniversary brick, you know) in dark blue to be produced. Minifig accessories. We need so much more: For example we have a knife, what about a fork and spoon as well? Just to name a few.Q. So your a doctor? Well, Shadows there has had what he calls a "Pain in the neck" since EB News began, can you look at it for him?
A. Sure. But I don't believe YOU would like it...
And the answers just keep getting better!
Q. Can we see your lair?
A. Yes. But my “lair” is somehow spread all over the house. I have no decent room to put all my Lego in. Most of it is kept in my working room. Around my computer, on the shelves, on the windowsill, a larger spot in an open space of the cupboard and of course on the floor. It continues on the stairs up to my childrens sleeping room. My older son owns quite a lot Lego, too, so we have our stuff mixed at his place. Some sets (including the UCS MF and another Santa Fe) are still unopened. My collection of trains currently is hidden in paper boxes to be able to carry it somewhere else (exhibition purposes and so on).
Or, in pictures...
My working space :
Some goodies had to be placed on top of the shelves:
This is how we (my son and I) store: By colour.
My train layout, all packed in 2 big boxes, + the shed on top:
... the missing train sets belong to my son.
Some more sets are disassembled and stored away in a cupboard, the UCS-MF is still sealed.
Q. Am I Annoying?
A. Is the world flat?
No, but his head is.
Q. Who should we Interview Next?
A. What?
I would like to read about Alex (sorry if you did that already)/SimonWillems/Klaus-Dieter.
No one watches the show.
So there you have it, folks! We still have about 2 minutes left, so I guess...
YAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Hinckley runs out on stage and begins singing.
I'm makin' my way back to Chicago
I'm makin' my way come rain or shine
I'm gonna find true love waiting for me
I'm gonna make it all work out for good this time
Well, that was unexpected.
Not as much as this.
Shadows pulls the power switch.
Everything fades
)
