Hello from Canada

[DPrime]

Hi all, I've recently gotten back into Lego and decided to join up.

I recently bought a large lot of Lego off kijiji so that my daughters (19 months and another soon to join us in August!) would have some growing up... I ended up getting a few nice Classic Space sets out of it (my favourite theme as a kid growing up in the '80s) and it's rekindled my own interest as well!

I collect toys in general. Mainly "core '80s stuff" like vintage Kenner SW figure, GI Joe, Transformers - hence my screen name, which I also use on various forums like Yojoe.com, Hisstank.com, TFW2005.com, and the new Masters of the Universe Collection line. To be quite honest (and I know the Lego purists out there will probably hate this), the new GI Joe and Transformers Kre-os probably rekindled my interest in Lego as well. :)

Part of this, I think, is that I don't expect my daughters to be into all that (though it'd be cool if they did, and I'm certainly not goint to attempt to "girlify" them!), but Lego is a hobby I will be able to enjoy with them. My oldest daughter is still a bit young for Lego, but she's already playing with Duplo. Can't wait to play with them as they get older.

In the meantime, though, I'm having fun with the old sets I used to have as a kid, and have decided to trade some of my extra action figures for some others, too.

Anyway, this looks like a nice place to hang out and get ideas. Hope to get to know some of you soon!

D

[tedbeard]

Welcome aboard from the Left Coast!

Whereabouts in the Great White North are you?

[Rook]

I love Canada, except for it's bacon. Grrr. That's not bacon, it's ham! XD Welcome.

[Leo604]

Also Canadian here, welcome to Eurobricks!

[DPrime]

Welcome aboard from the Left Coast!

Whereabouts in the Great White North are you?

Thanks! Currently residing in Ottawa, and I think we might stay here for a while. I spent some time on the "right" coast recently, after a stint in Victoria, BC as well.

Heh, Navy guy, if you haven't guessed. :)

I love Canada, except for it's bacon. Grrr. That's not bacon, it's ham! XD Welcome.

Most of us think of "real" bacon as, well, regular bacon, I think. I certainly do... Though I wouldn't call Canadian bacon quite ham... definitely something a bit different!

Also Canadian here, welcome to Eurobricks!

Thanks very much! Looking forward to the discussions...

Edited May 28, 2013 by DPrime

[Piratedave84]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm also from the Ottawa region; if you need something, advice or recommendations as to where to shop for Lego, just drop me a line!

also, any bacon is good bacon IMO!!!

[Rook]

Carpool to Brickfete! :)

[dr_spock]

Welcome aboard.

[Stinky]

Ottawa eyh? On the map you are!

[DPrime]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm also from the Ottawa region; if you need something, advice or recommendations as to where to shop for Lego, just drop me a line!

Actually, I think I saw somewhere that there's some kind of Lego shop in Gatineau? Haven't checked it out yet - what do you think?

also, any bacon is good bacon IMO!!!

This is true. :)

Carpool to Brickfete! :)

Heard about this - might have to check it out...

[tedbeard]

Thanks! Currently residing in Ottawa, and I think we might stay here for a while. I spent some time on the "right" coast recently, after a stint in Victoria, BC as well.

Heh, Navy guy, if you haven't guessed. :)

I was a Navy Brat (Halifax Ottawa and PMQ's in Esquimalt). A couple of fellow members of VicLUG are serving members. I don't envy their occasional six month deployments except when the get to stop in San Diego and make the short hop to Legoland California. At least they are willing to pick the occasional set up for me. :)

BTW I loved Ottawa when I was a kid (so long ago that I watched an Olympic soccer game at Landsdowne Park).

[dr_spock]

Some ParLUGment folks are coming to Brickfete from Ottawa. If you're interested in joining a local LUG, http://www.parlugment.org/index.php

[DPrime]

I was a Navy Brat (Halifax Ottawa and PMQ's in Esquimalt). A couple of fellow members of VicLUG are serving members. I don't envy their occasional six month deployments except when the get to stop in San Diego and make the short hop to Legoland California. At least they are willing to pick the occasional set up for me. :)

BTW I loved Ottawa when I was a kid (so long ago that I watched an Olympic soccer game at Landsdowne Park).

Oh yeah? Didn't end up joining? :)

Well, you probably know that you get a lot of extra money to spend on Lego (among other things) when you deploy, so that helps. :)

My salary more than doubled (and we actually make good money to start with in the Canadian military) when I did a ten-month stint in Afghanistan. But now that I have kids, I'm not looking to do that anytime soon again. Luckily, I'm in a position where that doesn't seem likely, either.

Some ParLUGment folks are coming to Brickfete from Ottawa. If you're interested in joining a local LUG, http://www.parlugment.org/index.php

I've heard of this - I actually met one of the members at the "Ottawa Geek Market" last year. Their group had a pretty impressive display, though I was also hosting a table so I didn't have much time to ogle. I will probably end up joining eventually, although I don't have a whole lot of free time right now... Hopefully I can trade some of my extra GI Joes and Transformers for some older sets. Things are a bit busy with young/unborn kids right now, and my wife finishing up a master's... Ah, I do sometimes miss the free time, but kids are totally worth it. :)

I think that's probably why I'm in more of a "collector mode" right now with the old sets. I've got some great ideas for some MOCs, but these will probably be very long-term projects.

Edited May 30, 2013 by DPrime

[tedbeard]

Oh yeah? Didn't end up joining? :)

Accident when I was in Cub Scouts left me blind in one eye so I did not meet the physical requirements. Of course I became a Cub Scout leader a few years ago and now when I tell kids not to play with sticks they listen.

My oldest is in grade 10 and I keep suggesting he check out RMC.

[Piratedave84]

Actually, I think I saw somewhere that there's some kind of Lego shop in Gatineau? Haven't checked it out yet - what do you think?

Hum ... not aware where abouts?

Play value in Ottawa has a GREAT selection at reasonable prices, often they have discontinued sets!

Some ParLUGment folks are coming to Brickfete from Ottawa. If you're interested in joining a local LUG, http://www.parlugment.org/index.php

Leaving from where and when, do you know?

[DPrime]

Accident when I was in Cub Scouts left me blind in one eye so I did not meet the physical requirements. Of course I became a Cub Scout leader a few years ago and now when I tell kids not to play with sticks they listen.

My oldest is in grade 10 and I keep suggesting he check out RMC.

Good idea.

I didn't go to RMC - I joined after finishing my degree. Honestly, RMC is not required to be a good officer (and sometimes graduate pick up some weird habits, to be quite honest... I'll just leave it at that!), BUT I'm at the point in my career now where I'm really starting to notice the benefits these guys had in terms of leadership training and experience at a very young age, networking, etc.

Plus, you know, I'm still paying back student loans, so there's that. :)

Another option is to go the ROTP - essentially the same as going to RMC in terms of getting university paid for, summer employment, and four years seniority/experience. Might come out a bit more well-rounded as an individual that way. ;)

Still another good option is to join a reserve unit as an officer cadet - I THINK you already have to be enrolled in university, though... You wouldn't get your whole school paid for but you can get an extra $2000 a year for four years to put toward that, plus you get a well-paying part-time job and guaranteed full-time employment in the summer, too. Some guys even take a break from school to finish their training, become qualified so they can make more, get some full-time work to pay for school, etc... or even transfer to the Reg Force after where not only do they get the rest of their school paid for, BUT they're also making a salary as a Captain (or Lieutenant in the RCN) - imagine making between 74,000/year (and that's just the base pay) just to go to university for 3-4 years? Yeah, some guys do it.

Makes me think I should have gone about this a bit smarter, but I guess I can't complain. ;)

Hum ... not aware where abouts?

You know I might be going crazy or something... I swear I saw an ad on kijiji, or maybe it was somewhere else? I'll keep looking but now I'm at a loss as to where I might have seen it... looked like more of a hobby type store, know what I mean?

Play value in Ottawa has a GREAT selection at reasonable prices, often they have discontinued sets!

I keep meaning to check this place out... I always see the big Lego Millennium Falcon picture outside the store, but it's always when we're right about to get on the 417!

[Piratedave84]

You know I might be going crazy or something... I swear I saw an ad on kijiji, or maybe it was somewhere else? I'll keep looking but now I'm at a loss as to where I might have seen it... looked like more of a hobby type store, know what I mean?

I keep meaning to check this place out... I always see the big Lego Millennium Falcon picture outside the store, but it's always when we're right about to get on the 417!

There's one guy in Gramby (rapidos or something like that) that sells a ton of Lego, including older sets; he's a bit far though

As far as play value goes, totally worth a detour! Thay also carry the largest assortment of Playmobil I have ever seen!

[DPrime]

There's one guy in Gramby (rapidos or something like that) that sells a ton of Lego, including older sets; he's a bit far though

As far as play value goes, totally worth a detour! Thay also carry the largest assortment of Playmobil I have ever seen!

Yeah, bit far, that! But maybe when I'm around that area.

I'll definitely check out Play Value.

Turns out that store I was thinking of is in Quebec City! For some reason they listed an ad in Kijiji with a Gatineau postal code, though. Too bad, looks really nice...

[tedbeard]

Another option is to go the ROTP...

My father was commissioned a sub-lieutenant in the RCN in '66 after graduating from U of Sask on that program (or the equivalent back then) so he knows about that option. Funny story, my dad came out here to Victoria to do the summer training components at RRMC and met my mother on a blind date.

Still another good option is to join a reserve unit as an officer cadet - I THINK you already have to be enrolled in university, though... You wouldn't get your whole school paid for but you can get an extra $2000 a year for four years to put toward that, plus you get a well-paying part-time job and guaranteed full-time employment in the summer, too. Some guys even take a break from school to finish their training, become qualified so they can make more, get some full-time work to pay for school, etc... or even transfer to the Reg Force after where not only do they get the rest of their school paid for, BUT they're also making a salary as a Captain (or Lieutenant in the RCN) - imagine making between 74,000/year (and that's just the base pay) just to go to university for 3-4 years? Yeah, some guys do it.

Wow, I had never heard of that option. It sounds brilliant. I will certainly let my son know about that.

[DPrime]

My father was commissioned a sub-lieutenant in the RCN in '66 after graduating from U of Sask on that program (or the equivalent back then) so he knows about that option. Funny story, my dad came out here to Victoria to do the summer training components at RRMC and met my mother on a blind date.

Wow, I had never heard of that option. It sounds brilliant. I will certainly let my son know about that.

Yeah, it's definitely "playing the game" a bit, I suppose. Not really something you'll see on a recruiting poster. :)

Barring RMC, a lot of the better officers I've worked with were enlisted before they commissioned. Another way of getting in might be just enlisting right off the bat, getting qualified as a Leading Seaman or Corporal, then going officer and getting paid to finish your degree in the process. He wouldn't be at Lt(N) pay but he'd still be looking at something like 60,000 a year while going to university for free, or thereabouts. I'd have to check the pay rates (it's all up there on the Internet - just google "CF pay rates". Well, I guess it's "CAF" now, but it should still work).