AmperZand

I voted "generic" but actually, it's not something I feel strongly about. Apart from themes based on literature/films, I don't really follow TLGs stories and use Lego themes generically. I don't want to threadjack but I completely disagree. Yellowies are true to the LEGO brand. Fleshies are an abomination originally introduced because someone couldn't get their head around the idea that yellow represents all human skin tones in the LEGO universe.

There's an article in today's print and online copy of the Metro newspaper about a British policeman who looks just like the Constable in the latest Collectible Minifigure series. He even has the same official badge number: 1337! The online version of the story can be found here: http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/01/police-officer-reveals-lego-lookalike-4130755/ Do you know of any other real life minifig lookalikes? I don't mean minifigs that look like fictional characters e.g. Lone Ranger, Superman, Indiana Jones. Of course, they resemble the character they represent. I also don't mean minifigs MOC'ed to look like someone.

I agree on both points. TLG ought to make shaped female minifig torsos like those by Arealight: http://www.arealightcustoms.com/shop/Curved-Torso/

Perhaps in response to Argos, Amazon has greatly expanded the number of sets discounted by 33% or more. Credit cards at the ready!

My preferences: Equipment: LotR swords, shields and helmets - the Uruk-Hai helmet is so cute! The fantasy era equipment is too big and clunky. Minifigs: Fantasy Era but the Hobbit/LotR minifigs are cool too. The Hobbit goblins should have come with short legs. Trolls: I like both the Cave Troll and Fantasy Era ones in different ways. Even though I have the Goblin King, he isn't my favourite bigfig. His ugliness makes him unLEGO-like

Definitely recognizable as Link. Nice one! I'm using the Holiday Elf as a Dungeons & Dragons pixie by giving him wings from S10 Bumblebee Girl and a sling by BW. Unfortunately, I can't post a picture.

"To carry on into middle life or even into early manhood [the] concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development." C.S.Lewis

Itaria, Do you mean sets such as this one: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=6701-1 ? If so, I completely agree with you. I thought it was a brilliant set when it came out and, 30 years on, I still do (although I'm into Castle/LotR/fantasy themes now, not Space). To a certain extent, I do see battlepacks, CMFs and pollybags filling that niche. At the time that 6701 came out, it was difficult to get minifigs alone. There was hardly any secondary market. BrickLink and EBay didn't exist of course. And the only minifigs you could get from the secondary market were used - when you could find them at all. Amps

Someone calling himself Marcus 2 at the London AFOL Meetup took the pic. I don't know if he also did the photoshopping. I assume he did. But you're right: the pic is photoshopped. I was at that Meetup and no one was sporting a LEGO minifig's head! Would be very cool if TLG produced full-sized yellow head masks, but they don't. Amps

This can happen to you if you get too into LEGO: http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/b/b/b/4/highres_279528052.jpeg You've been warned

I'm selling some MISP at cost. Originally, I was only going to sell them for cash in London, but I'm happy to sell to any countries in the OP with airmail P&P & Paypal charges at cost. What I have is listed here: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=86219 If you're interested, please PM me.

That Vermeer mosaic is fantastic! Has it appeared in any newspapers or print magazines? Has it been exhibited in any galleries? It should be.

Update: Sorry, no S11s left. If a mod sees this post, can you please delete it? Thanks, Amps

I had the pre-minifig Texas Ranger set 372 and then went on to almost all of the early Space sets. I also had at least one Technic set: the blue go-kart 854/948. My mother gave them to charity in my DA, so I guess they went to a good home. But I wish I had kept them especially the early Space sets.

Before the store at Westfield Shepherd Bush opened, I used to go to Bluewater. It's *not* in London and quite a drag to get to by public transport. You have to take a train to Greenhithe station and then a bus to Bluewater. But if you're intent on going to as many Lego stores as possible from London, it can be done. The Watford store isn't in London either but can also be reached by public transport. I wonder if anyone has ever been to both Westfield stores, Bluewater and Watford by public transport in a day.

I have reserved a sealed box from a branch of WH Smith. They said it should be ready for me to collect next week. Some branches already have them in stock.

@SandMirror38 I don't order from FireStar if I can help it. As already mentioned in this thread, they're really expensive. Also, they're not super fast. On the other hand, they are friendly and completely trustworthy. The claymore is a BrickArms sword. They're available in Australia from: http://minifigworld.com/products/Claymore.html I've never bought from MinifigWord (I'm in the UK), so can't say if they're any good. But I do have some of the BrickArm claymores and they're very well designed and made, certainly up to LEGO standards. The wizards sword is by BrickForge. I have some of those too. Their quality is also excellent. And they're very friendly. You might as well order directly from them in the US. If you have any special shipping instructions, let them know when you place the order. I have always found them very accommodating. Hope that helps, Amps

Very realistic and loads of clever building techniques. Nice! It looks like there's a Brick Arms sword in there. Are there any other non-Lego parts in your MOC?

1. Airline pilot 2. Chef 3. Journalist 4. Turkish merchant wearing a fez 5. Female elf 6. Lady vampire 7. Basketball player 8. Space alien 9. Oni (Japanese ogre) 10. 18th century aristocrat (re-using Revolutionary Soldier's hair and the Musketeer's sword) 11. Dog/puppy suit guy 12. Film director (resembling Steven Spielberg) 13. Scuba diver 14. Cupid 15. Bridegroom (re-using LotR ring) 16. FOL (with a LEGO logo shirt and a 2x1 brick representing a LEGO set)

I'm guessing late August/early September. My estimate is based on the time between when S10 first hit the streets anywhere in the world (Hungary) and when they became available in the UK. Also, I believe that S11 is officially slated for September.

Thanks, Markypops! If Tesco will have the sets for sale next week, it bodes well for the brand stores having these sets by early next month.

Does anyone know what date the 2013 Castle sets will be available from the UK brand stores? If you know, do tell! Thanks.

I've given my Boromir one of the battle horns and my S10 Medusa one of the BW bows. I have a BW lyre and sling but haven't decided how I'm going to use them yet.

@robuko I'm surprised. I also became a VIP member in the US when I was there briefly for work. When I came back to the UK, my US points were honoured and my card worked without problems.

@Kristel, It doesn't really matter except perhaps to TLG and its competitors. I'm just curious about communities based on niche leisure interests. @TomLego, I can't comment about you and your brother. What I can say - and this is backed up by a huge amount of scholarly research - is that formal education is related to a range of sociological and psychological variables, e.g. mortality and happiness. So it's not a meaningless category. What's more, there's mounting evidence that its relationship to other variables is causal.