jluck Posted July 22, 2013 Sorry if this topic was previously posted. Resently I started brick filming for a music video I was asked to do. I needed several specialty pieces which lead me to BL and advice which lead me here. I was reminded of why I love Legos and even started buying a few figures. But now I'm interested in getting back into more building...how do I break it to my wife without getting laughed at? She's an amazing, understanding woman but if fear she may find this a little too weird:) thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmynick Posted July 22, 2013 People have all sorts of hobbies. Model trains, trainspotting, carpentry, radio, golf, whatever. LEGO is your hobby. It's just as weird as model trains, so don't be embarrassed to tell your wife. You could even try and share some of what you do with her. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeygunns Posted July 22, 2013 You'll be right mate, just tell her :) Get her involved with the music video maybe? It will be fine. Collecting Lego isn't something to be ashamed of. There could be worse things you could be doing. Put a positive spin on it. Good luck mate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JopieK Posted July 22, 2013 There is really no difference between model railroading or LEGO I think. My wife is involved from since we met :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kristel Posted July 22, 2013 You already said she's amazing and understanding. I agree with joeygunns - you'll be right! If there's any doubt, just show her what people are building with LEGO. She'll be amazed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PsyKater Posted July 22, 2013 Show her pictures of amazing builds. That will stop her from thinking that you start playing with children toys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomLego Posted July 22, 2013 Well, if you're building Duplo or My First Lego Princess, then I don't know how to explain it to your wife. If you are building some of the more popular AFOL themes, then there shouldn't be a problem. I'd never even touched a Lego brick until I was almost 60 years old. My wife thinks the architecture series and modular buildings are interesting. The real validation came when she went to one of her business associates homes and saw her AFOL collection. If all else fails, threaten to buy a boat or take up golf. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legogal Posted July 22, 2013 Tom, hahaha! Jluck, find a theme that she likes and give her a set as a present. My guess is Friends, architecture or Creator. The smaller sets could be a good starting point. You might choose a set of a building she loves....maybe the Gugenheim or Fallingwater. From Friends you could get the karate or clothes designing or scientist set. Any of the houses from Creator might fill the bill. And if you have children, it could be a set she enjoys building with the whole family; our favorite was building the Taj Majal over the holidays with our college senior son at home for the break. So put on your thinking cap and take her to a LEGO store if there is one nearby or another place with lots of LEGO, and listen to her comments. Show her amazing builds posted online and find out which colors of bricks she favors. You can order those colors from BrickLink, so she can build something she likes. I began collecting pastel bricks five years ago and still enjoy building houses with them. And take it slow and gentle following what she says and not forcing what you like down her throat. My husband is an expert N scale train modeler, and I fully support his hobby. When we were in Tokyo four years ago, I enjoyed our four hours in the Kato train museum and store just as much as he did even though I am not into trains. And I gladly paid the $2,000US we spent there on the mist amazing trains and helped carry them home on the long trip back because it was very important to him and he is a big supporter of my LEGO hobby. We enjoy doing our hobbies in the same room often helping the other with design decisions, finding parts, and figuring out where to display a build. Good luck and let us know how it goes. If you are near a Barnes & Noble, see if they are offering the Architecture Studio program one night this week, and maybe she will go with you. Do sign up soon as they are filling up. And maybe she would go to a LEGO event with you and meet other women who can be examples of how LEGO has enriched their lives. Cheers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kermit Posted July 22, 2013 Surprise her with breakfast in bed but make the eggs and toast out of lego bricks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legogal Posted July 22, 2013 Kermit, hahaha! Wonderful idea! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gryphon Ink Posted July 22, 2013 "Hey honey, guess what David Beckham and I have in common!" Dude, just tell her you want to buy some Lego. There are far worse things you could be doing in secret with your spare time. It's not the world's most outrageous or expensive hobby. My wife still thinks it's kind of a silly pastime, but definitely not something to be ashamed of. She's mentioned it to friends of hers, and one or two of them also have husbands who are into Lego. It also helped that Beckham, her biggest sports hero since his Man United days, has talked about his love for the Taj Mahal set. (That said, you might not want to mention this if your wife is one of those people who already thinks David Beckham is a weirdo). Don't shove her into the deep end and go running out to buy a UCS Star Destroyer for your first project. Find a good-looking, moderately priced set that revolves around something she likes, and show her that. In our case, Harry Potter and LOTR helped to win her over because she's a huge fan of both series. But the Queen Anne's Revenge was the first set I built that she really admired. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leo604 Posted July 22, 2013 Your wife will definitely not laugh at you or judge you on a hobby; there are plenty of married men and/or women in this world, and their spouses probably support them on this subject as well. If you're lucky, she'll end up getting into Lego as well and eventually thank you for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jluck Posted July 22, 2013 If all else fails, threaten to buy a boat or take up golf. Surprise her with breakfast in bed but make the eggs and toast out of lego bricks. "Hey honey, guess what David Beckham and I have in common!" Haha look at all this amazing advice! Thanks! I have a fleeting suspicion she already knows but if I'm going to start in earnest I'll have to tell her straight. I think I may break it by asking for a set for my birthday coming up, that'd start a conversation. I'm sure she'll be receptive, I've done worse (I'm looking at you beanie babies). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy D Posted July 22, 2013 (edited) If all else fails, threaten to buy a boat or take up golf. LEGO is a much less expensive hobby than a boat (unless you remodel a room to build LEGO), I don't know about golf, but a boat could definately be a much more expensive hobby. Also with LEGO you spend more time at home than either boating or golf. Like TomLego, my LEGO hobby didn't reallly take off until after I was 60. My wife looks at LEGO much as I do... An art form. Just tell your wife you need to express your artistic needs, and that LEGO bricks are the ultimate reuseable art supply. Most adults who look at the things I have on display wheither MOCs or sets are really amazed how far LEGO has come. Many people are used to the primary colors and simple forms usually assocated with LEGO. Lots of good ideas in this thread, just pick what you believe your wife would best respond to, or just buy a modular, build it and say... Look honey... LEGO. Good luck and enjoy your hobby, Andy D Edited July 22, 2013 by Andy D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bacem Posted July 22, 2013 just tell her normally. if she is as understanding as you say, things will go just fine. show her some beutiful sets with more advanced building technique, like modulars or UCS. if things goes fine, she even will engrossed into LEGO too. and besides, i think she'd be more happy to hear you honestly saying "honey, i loves Lego, and want to collect them, and also plays with them accasionally." than having you desperataly keeping it a secret. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLegoDr Posted July 22, 2013 Honestly, I don't remember how it came up with my wife. I don't even know if she knew I was into LEGO as a child, but when the 2010 Harry Potter sets became available, I showed her and she said I had to get them. Haven't really slowed down since... most of the time she asks if I need any of the sets when they are on clearance. Typically I'm the one not buying it, even though she gave the go ahead... hmm Just tell her your name and you have an addiction. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caperberry Posted July 22, 2013 I would avoid seeking advice on the manner in which to tell her. You know her and yourself best. Birthday present idea sounds fine as an icebreaker. We're here for you when the time comes ;O) I enjoy meeting WOAFOLs (widows/widowers of adult fans of LEGO, pronounced 'woefuls') as generally their demeanour is one of tired resignation, which as a single guy I find very sweet and a bit hilarious. Of course, she may become an AFFOL but I wouldn't push your luck! A friend of mine has struck a bit of a deal with his wife, where he equally tolerates her shoe fetish. So they can complain/negotiate/have ammunition against one another if any party feels aggrieved at the money being spent by the other. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
madjelly Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) My fiance loves my hobbies. I been down much darker paths than LEGO (I look at you Warhammer 40k). But if I was in your situation, I might have built a little diorama of a place where you proposed. Get her on a date night after that. That way she would be surprised by the art form you chose and realise that even in your hobbies she is still very important to you. Edited July 23, 2013 by madjelly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caperberry Posted July 23, 2013 My fiance loves my hobbies. I been down much darker paths than LEGO (I look at you Warhammer 40k). But if I was in your situation, I might have built a little diorama of a place where you proposed. Get her on a date night after that. That way she would be surprised by the art form you chose and realise that even in your hobbies she is still very important to you. Awwwww! A pal managed to convince his WOAFOL to display his MOC in their living room by building the church they married in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rook Posted July 23, 2013 "Honey, I need to talk to you. It's not you it's me." (Wait for the slap. Then...) "No you don't understand I'm not seeing anyone else I'm just really interested in Lego as Hobby. Yes I know it sounds very nerdy but when if die first you'll have tons of Lego that you can sell and live off of for your years. And if you die first you know I'll never remarry because I'll be too busy with my Lego." That should work no problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eurotrash Posted July 23, 2013 There's so many good ideas floating around that this thread definitely needs a Poll with options. Then we could vote on which option we prefer. .....and we're also going to need a live stream of jluckhaupt's announcement to his wife. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted July 23, 2013 Why don't you announce it with a brickfilm? You can have yourself and your wife as minifig characters. The plot can be different ways of announcing the "secret". Then surprise her by watching the film together. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jluck Posted July 23, 2013 This outpouring of advice is tremendous, and a lot of fun! I think making a brikfilm is an awesome thought, I may just do it! Also,making a poll would be neat, maybe this post could help others as well:) And if all else fails, I will post certainly do a hidden camera on the announcement! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Laservampire Posted July 23, 2013 My girlfriend was only into the Collectable Minifigure series until I got her a set of her own. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kye33 Posted July 24, 2013 From a woman's point of view there are far worse things you could be doing as a hobby in your spare time, honestly so many men have the hobby of sitting around drinking beer and doing nothing! And think of it this way, if you have kids you will be able to get them into it too! I have 4 kids and my 4, 6 and 7 year old absolutely love lego and love that I build with them, that I can teach them different techniques too! My husband is not I not lego at all, but he built me a lego room because he knows how much I love it! I have bought him the creator truck and he kinda liked it but I finished off the build lol! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
