Anyone else a President Business?

[Zoshi]

I find I can relate far too much with The Lego Movie's antagonist...

I still have the instructions to almost every set I own, I like keeping things organized, and I hate people touching my stuff...

I am even guilty of using Cragle on a few occasions, though only on minor things like feathers that for the life of them cannot stay in hats, and a crack in Darth Vader's lightsaber hilt that caused the saber to constantly fall out.

I can't keep themes separate, though; if I have the opportunity to have Batman fight Darth Vader I'm damn well going to take it.

[Oky]

President Business was clearly meant to satirize AFOLs like us, so I think we were meant to relate to him. When Finn/Emmet is talking to President Business, he is practically talking to us. The movie teaches us a lesson about not loosing sight of what Lego is really meant to be: a toy and a tool for expressing our creativity. If you want to follow the instructions and use Lego in an "adult" way, that's fine as long as you don't let it limit your or anyone else's imagination. President Business may have been the antagonist of the movie, but he redeemed himself in the end.

I relate to him too. I also don't like people touching my stuff and keep each theme on its own display shelf. I even use the same arguments as him to justify my hobby. But as you can tell by my Flickr photostream, that does not stop me from making crossover stories and MOCs. Also, I would never use Kragle, but if you're just using it to repair broken pieces, I guess that's fine.

So don't worry if you relate to President Business. As evidenced by your picture, you have no problems mixing themes and getting creative every once in a while, so it's okay to be organized the rest of the time.

[Dannylonglegs]

I got more of a Father and Son bonding story from him than necessarily a criticism of AFOLs...

Which is why it was so emotional for me that my estranged father who disowned me gave me the film for my birthday... but he had no idea of the content of the film. Only that it had to do with Lego, which is one of my hobbies. it would have been quite profoundly deep if he actually watched it!

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[Legocity2713]

I got more of a Father and Son bonding story from him than necessarily a criticism of AFOLs...

Which is why it was so emotional for me that my estranged father who disowned me gave me the film for my birthday... but he had no idea of the content of the film. Only that it had to do with Lego, which is one of my hobbies. it would have been quite profoundly deep if he actually watched it!

~Insectoid Aristocrat

"My estranged father who disowned me gave me the film for my birthday." Could there even be a sadder sentence?

[Dannylonglegs]

"My estranged father who disowned me gave me the film for my birthday." Could there even be a sadder sentence?

Hah, it was a long time ago. Didn't mean to make the thread too heavy!

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[gamejutzu]

What I do is just build whatever, than decide what figs would go best with it.

For example, I can make Killer Croc's hideout, and make him have crocodile Chima goons. Or have Batman and an Ultra Agent chase an assassin on a Japanese village MOC.

I am even guilty of using Cragle on a few occasions, though only on minor things like feathers that for the life of them cannot stay in hats, and a crack in Darth Vader's lightsaber hilt that caused the saber to constantly fall out.

Using Cragle is fine as long as it's something that doesn't really affect anything, like hat feathers. ANY hilts for bars to go in will turn weird eventually. But I myself wouldn't recommend doing it. It restricts the build options severely unless you have more hilts where that came from. How do you make a gun-saw then?

Edited November 21, 2015 by gamejutzu

[JopieK]

I let my nieces and nephews play with practically all my LEGO but I don't like the one's destroying buildings, I'm not the only one, my nephew (5 years old) was also shocked of seeing his cousin of about the same age throwing with LEGO pieces etc. Only a few rare / expensive items are off-limits although I would trust some of my nieces/nephews with them too (and will allow them to play with it if their 'destroying' peers are not around). Of course it hints to AFOL's, but 99,9% of the AFOL's would never glue their LEGO (unless no other option is left) so it is definitely not only the typical AFOL that is portrayed here as Lord Business.

[Zoshi]

Using Cragle is fine as long as it's something that doesn't really affect anything, like hat feathers. ANY hilts for bars to go in will turn weird eventually. But I myself wouldn't recommend doing it. It restricts the build options severely unless you have more hilts where that came from. How do you make a gun-saw then?

Yeah, I wouldn't use glue if there was another option, but in Vader's lightsaber's case I either had to glue it or deal with it constantly falling off. But luckily I have about 20 more lightsabers I don't plan on gluing any time soon if I need a hilt for something.

[gamejutzu]

I either had to glue it or deal with it constantly falling off.

There are still alternative options that work fine (ish).

I don't normally use lightsabers. I normally use my hilts for other weapons (gun-saw), like say a scythe. So when a piece is loose, I can get, say, a cone piece and attach it to the hilt. It doesn't ruin the appearance too much, and sometimes it improves the look, like if you slide in a 1x1 technic axle ring over the hilt (looks awesome).

With the case of your lightsabers, adding a cone or something most likely will ruin the appearance, but there are still several alternatives.There's (almost) always an alternative, you just need to think outside the box and get creative.

What kind of Lego-er are you? I'm a customization kind of person myself, I'm always combining things together to see if I can make something better.

[Zoshi]

What kind of Lego-er are you? I'm a customization kind of person myself, I'm always combining things together to see if I can make something better.

I usually collect sets to display, but recently I've been thinking of getting into MOCing.

[gamejutzu]

I usually collect sets to display, but recently I've been thinking of getting into MOCing.

Wow, that's a lot of sets on display then. Or do you put them back in the boxes? Starting out, I did that before getting a base container.

MOCing is really fun, some would argue it's the biggest draw of Lego, definitely the most creative aspect as well.

[Zoshi]

Wow, that's a lot of sets on display then. Or do you put them back in the boxes? Starting out, I did that before getting a base container.

Yeah, I keep a few on display and the rest in boxes.

[gamejutzu]

Yeah, I keep a few on display and the rest in boxes.

Alright. But really, you won't regret MOCing, it's really fun. You can also make digital Lego with LDD (it's tedious, but you still have all current Lego at your disposal).

Currently, how far does your customization go? Like decked out weapons? Custom figures? Tiny edits on sets? Or just keep it the way it is (except the Batman vs Vader part) ?

[Zoshi]

Currently, how far does your customization go? Like decked out weapons? Custom figures? Tiny edits on sets? Or just keep it the way it is (except the Batman vs Vader part) ?

I have made a couple custom weapons and figures, and I've taken a few sets and tried to make something else with them, but I mostly keep things the way they are.

[gamejutzu]

I have made a couple custom weapons and figures, and I've taken a few sets and tried to make something else with them, but I mostly keep things the way they are.

I actually know this type! Some of my friends are like that as well.

As long as you like what you're doing, no need to transition to master builder in a snap, or even at all. It's all about fun after all. According to The Lego Movie anyways.

Best wishes and good luck to you and all former PBs!

[Zoshi]

I actually know this type! Some of my friends are like that as well.

As long as you like what you're doing, no need to transition to master builder in a snap, or even at all. It's all about fun after all. According to The Lego Movie anyways.

Best wishes and good luck to you and all former PBs!

Thank you!

[Aanchir]

I think some people do lose sight of the point of the LEGO Movie. There's nothing wrong with choosing to do things according to the instructions, so long as you try to understand and appreciate the things others are doing instead of dismissing them as "bad" or "wrong".

On the meta level of the movie, as it relates to families, I think it is important that once your kids are old enough you try to include them in your play (and take part in theirs). It's fine to set a few ground rules, but it shouldn't go as far as completely segregating your LEGO play (because yes, it is a form of play) and declaring your entire LEGO collection off-limits. Sometimes the best way to supervise how your kids use LEGO and teach them to use it responsibly (clean up their own messes, etc) is to be an active participant in their LEGO play experience, as The Man Upstairs was in the very end of the movie.

I say this as a movie viewer, not as a parent. Maybe if I ever have kids of my own I might become a bit more jaded and realize it's not as simple as the movie makes it seem. But overall I feel like the lesson of the movie was about togetherness and acceptance, not about one type of fan or enthusiast being better than another.

Anyway, I tend to keep a lot of my LEGO sets together, but that's more because I have a very hard time keeping loose parts organized and having too many sets apart at one time just leads to increasing amounts of clutter. There are certain sets like my Hero Factory sets that I do generally keep apart for MOCing purposes. I have never "Kragled" any of my bricks, though!

Edited November 24, 2015 by Aanchir

[gamejutzu]

To be honest, it is kind of tempting to use Kragle, especially on that one piece you only have like 2 of and they're really old and always fall off... Sad stories.

[AFOLguy1970]

I definitely do not like people messing with my stuff, yet making a MOC or two is something I like to do. The boys are not allowed to play with most of my stuff since they still do not respect most toys and end up either breaking them or losing pieces. This is an expensive hobby, and I do want to go to Bricklink after every time someone has a play session with my collection. I too would not use a kragle, but my latest MOC actually contains some non Lego elements in it, and this is seen by most as unconventional. In fact, they are not even building blocks.

[gamejutzu]

my latest MOC actually contains some non Lego elements in it, and this is seen by most as unconventional. In fact, they are not even building blocks.

LEGO uses rubber bands, ropes and other fabrics in their builds. Who said you can't copy them?

Edited November 25, 2015 by gamejutzu

[Ardelon]

Only when it comes to the separation of themes I guess. Though I would probably cringe if some little kid would want to play wth my MOCs, but since my cousins are past the LEGO age, that doesnt happed anymore, so I cant say on this issue. But no Kragle.

I wonder how I will turn out if & when I have kids, but too early to say now.

[OmShanti]

Only with certain sets. No one can touch my Lord of the Rings and Hobbit sets, those are special. My son is allowed to play with my Lego as long as he washes his hands and plays nicely. He's not allowed to mix our lego because a lot of his are in bad shape (i.e. using teeth to remove, even though he has a brick separator). We've had some issues in the past where I had to become President Business because he was losing pieces, mixing, etc. He usually plays with each new set I buy for myself once it's built, before it goes on the display shelf. I would never use Kragle, someone sloppily kragled some of my son's DisneyPixarCars sets and they were ruined. Kragle is Evil (unless something breaks, I understand using it for that purpose).