Hi from the Mid West

flightrisk

Hi, I have been reading this forum for years.  First let me thank the many people here who have helped me out so many times with advice, deals and alerts.  THANK YOU!   I think you all are wonderful!

Currently I am a LEGO addict whose family has sadly held an intervention.  I’m on step 2 in their 5 step program (slimming down the sets I collect).  No longer will I collect Star Wars.  Also Marvel - done, smaller Architecture sets - done, space theme - done, minifigure series - done.

Step 3 is tricky.  It’s “being patient and waiting for better deals”.   I am in FOMO mode over the sets I still collect... like the expert modulars, trains, ships, Harry Potter, Brickheadz, batmobiles (except the app controlled one - don’t like it yet), most larger Ideas sets, Disney sets without dolls, advent calendars and any set with a baby minifigure.  I’m finding it very hard to wait for a good deal as a collector.  One major problem is Brickheadz, some of them you have to get right away or they’re gone.  The other problem is that I really want these sets!   Like the Disney train.  I don’t own it yet.  The old me, (pre-intervention me), would have it built and running around the kitchen island like it should be.   But nooooo - they dont want LEGOS in the kitchen, or the living room, or the hallways, or the dining room and they’re even wanting the basement back.  *SMH*.   OK, so there’s my dilema with step 3.

The step after that is selling off the old sets - but I already have a plan to make it look like I’m selling them off and not actually doing it.   I’m just going to fold up the boxes and rearrange things to look like there’s more room.   No, I don’t usually lie to my family but I don’t consider this a lie either.   It’s just a misrepresentation of the facts and since they have labeled me an addict, i feel it is totally reasonable.  

The next step after that is to get things organized.  It’s gonna be a lot of work but I’m buying some used ping pong tables to set up the different layouts so it should be fun!  

OK so that’s it about me.  I hope to help others here out in the future as you all have helped me out in the past.  And again - Thanks!

SumoLego

I'm probably a hundred sets or so away from an intervention.  Although, I am currently housing someone else's sizeable LEGO hoard.  

Once they return to their home, I'll have a new lease on life.  

(Life = Hoarding LEGO)

I should have a t-shirt made with that foolproof equation.

Nonetheless, welcome to the show!  Enjoy the Forums - there's a ton of information, ideas and hopeless people (me) that have tried all sorts of novel approaches to making their LEGO appear efficient and sometimes spectacular!

MaffyD

No-one knows what's in my loft. No-one.

Not even me. But I'm fairly sure it's Lego.

Welcome to the forum.

flightrisk

SumoLego said:

(Life = Hoarding LEGO)

I would buy that t-shirt!

Thank you for the welcome.  You also MaffyD.  I appreciate it.  Didn’t expect it after days went by and no one responded lol.   I just came here to update my circumstances and was pleased to see a couple comments.  

I hope it’s ok that I update this Introduction from time to time.  I’m not into blogging or diaries and just need a place to vent.   I hope a moderator will let me know if this isn’t accepted here?

OK, so, at the risk of it being OK to do so, - the screen name is flightrisk and it’s been 15 days since my last LEGO purchase....(how’s that for anonymity).  The last purchase was the Tree House.  

Since I am still on step 2, the Tree House hasn’t been taken out of the box yet and wont be until I complete a stupid set inventory.   I think the family is trying to shock me by making me fully aware of just how many sets there are around the house.   I’m guessing the inventory is at 98% but wont know for sure until the inventory sheet is bounced off against the actual sets.   All of my extra bricks and pieces had already been sorted and put away this past summer.  It took 3 weeks to do the sorting and about 60 to 70 pounds were donated to the LEGO Replay program.  You would think that effort would have made my family happy but, did it?  NO!  They want more.  

I just keep thinking this is a first world problem and things could be a lot worse.  Perspective right? 

Anyway, that’s where I’m at in my 5 step program.  Thanks for giving me a place to vent.  

klinton

I don't know you and I don't know your life outside of what you've posted here (so please take my comments with a grain of salt)... but I do know from personal experience that when the people close to you insist that you have a problem (be it with a hobby, a relationship, alcohol, whatever), they're usually correct. No matter how outrageous their concerns may seem to you in this moment, chances are their perspective is more grounded than your own. It took me many years, several broken ties, and a whole lot of retrospect to learn this. /2cents

flightrisk

klinton said:

...but I do know from personal experience that when the people close to you insist that you have a problem (be it with a hobby, a relationship, alcohol, whatever), they're usually correct. 

That was pretty insightful.  Thank you.  And i do agree.  I mean, now I do.  I didn’t at first.  But I just came up from the basement and yes, it’s way out of control.  The good thing about this is that it’s LEGO and even getting things organized is kind of fun.  The bad thing is that I’m not sure where to begin.   I just finished folding up some of the boxes and clearing out space.  That took the better part of the day.  

But you’re right.  I don’t want the broken ties that come along with this ‘addiction’ and keeping that in mind will keep me motivated.  SumoLego motivated me yesterday when he got me thinking about how “spectacular” things are going to look once I get a handle on it.   Anyway, thanks klinton, good timing. 

flightrisk

Was just alerted to the fact that using this as a ‘blog style format’ - is not allowed.  Thanks for letting me know : )

truck730

• Hi flightrisk ,anyone that has a collection hobby faces these problems ,I love getting good deals but 20Euro is a big spend for me ,as an adult i don't play with it ,I enjoy the build experience and as a challenge i build from end to start, will probably be an investment for my Daughter. I try to only get truck related sets as I'm a driver .advice of joining a local accessible LUG could help or spiral out of control your addiction

flightrisk

truck730 said:

...Hi flightrisk ,anyone that has a collection hobby faces these problems.  

Hi right back atcha truck730!    I appreciate you saying that.  That’s a good perspective also.   I’ve never actually had a hobby before LEGO.  The only collection was shells from the islands/atolls I’ve lived on and most shells were small, and free lol.   Maybe this isn’t an addiction as much as it is a learning experience.  

I’ll try that approach out on the family too.   (as soon as i finish clearing out the bedrooms, office and dining room.  And kitchen.  And closets. Oh and that stupid hallway.  Might be a while, just started on the basement).  

truck730 said:

...i build from end to start,

You build backwards?  From the last page to the first?  That’s interesting.  Do I understand you right?  That’s a wild idea actually.  Could really slow down the build but i’m not sure i would enjoy it.  Going to have to try it now though.  

truck730 said:
...advice of joining a local accessible LUG could help or spiral out of control your addiction

There is a LUG in my area but its’s a pretty far drive.  How could joining a LUG help?

truck730

Like minded people to bounce opinions \advice off, the meetups are probably essential though, the reverse build is only a small challenge as I only afford 30Euro sets so not big builds ,I've got a medium technical and I plan to reverse build  -challenge with sub assembly

flightrisk

Talking with other serious LEGO collectors in real life sounds great.  Too bad there isn’t a LUG closer.  

truck730

I go 2.5hours by bus but the meetups  are every 2-3 months or organise the meetup at a venue closer to you

flightrisk

Ok now that’s making me feel like a wimp for not wanting to cross state lines lol. 

  After looking over the LUG in my area last night it’s easy to see how it could be a good time.  I’m going to shoot off an email tonight and see where it leads.  Maybe there is someone who attends that could carpool.  

Today is a LEGO nightmare (not that you asked but... lol).  I’m trying to sort collections by numerical order.   But there are sealed sets and opened sets.    First I’ve decided to sort and stack the opened boxes, then sort the extra pieces that are inside the box, then sort the instruction manuals.   But as I grab a box, 2 or 3 fall behind the shelf and i have to stop, unload the shelf, grab them away from the concrete, blah blah blah blah lol.  I’ve done the brickheadz already.  Found around 50 duplicates.  So there’s another collection that needs to be kept separate and I have no place to put.  I could go on but that’s enough stalling.  Time to go back down there.  

Oh and i grabbed a winter village set that I’m going to try and build backwards.   

   

truck730

Depending on the size i use the box art to build ,but it'd have to be not too complex. All lego in this house is out of wifesight and it's WAR when a box is on the table ,also there's a 6yr old to restrain, She's gradually getting Her hands on it (letting go therapy for me!) I'm trying to source a place to have an actual layout\display ,I'd need a room , a shed here would be detrimental to lego, a Jang style room would be desirable

flightrisk

Haha.  War when it’s on the table!   Oh how I know that feeling.  As far as having a room all to LEGO... careful what you wish for.  They really take over the place.   Guess i better go look at Jangs room.   Maybe that will help me too.  

flightrisk

Jang’s room did not help.  I think it made my problem worse.  Now i want what he has.  

flightrisk

Finally got around to building one backwards.  Tried first with the porg #75230. That was too much of a pain so i drug out the Christmas present #40292.  I can easily see why you do it this way with smaller sets.   Adds a bit of a challenge.  

flightrisk

I’m bored so I came back to see how far I’ve come since the ‘intervention’.    It’s been about 10 months. 

Things have totally flipped.  My family thinks I should collect more LEGO, and now that I have taken stock of how much I own and have waiting to build, I’m slowing down lol.   

But things are more organized.  So that’s good. 

truck730

To feel better about my hoard i check others set count but yours isn't showing ,I'm also a nosey neighbour! McLaren sienna was difficult to do by box art without cheating, but that's a hats off to the design and build

flightrisk

I gave up on keeping an inventory here.   I used it as a back up until it failed me last Christmas. so I stopped using it.