Hello,

Here everyone talks freely about Lego, but what about the outside world? Do you have many AFOL friends with whom you can share your passion? How about non-AFOL friends? Do they find your hobby weird?

Everyone who knows me knows I'm a huge fan, so a lot of times they'll ask me for my thoughts on various things, and they see a lot of the photography I post on social media.

LEGO is a part of me, my online self and my in person self. Most people I know, no matter what their age are fascinated about LEGO! 

Just this week I had some new shelves installed in my studio and the installers were extremely interested in my LEGO and they also knew some of the current LEGO happenings. Though they were not into LEGO themselves, they spent almost as much time looking at my LEGO and talking about LEGO as they did installing the shelves.

It always amazes me how interested first time (and many time) visitors to my home are in my LEGO.

i feel sorry for folks who have to keep their LEGO hobby secret for fear of ridicule.

just MHO, YMMV,

Andy D

Aye.

LEGO is on my CV, my boss knows I do things with LEGO. My colleagues know I am all about LEGO. My friends that are 'outside' LEGO get me sets as gifts, talk about things and ask after my projects. Though, I do move in fairly nerdy circles.

However, friends of the family also know about my hobby and like to ask about my latest builds. And, I have played and built with LEGO all my life, so it is simply my hobby and everyone knows.

Yes.  I have to talk LEGO outside of EB.  I am part of a LUG and we get invited to events.  It doesn't bother me to answer the same LEGO questions over and over again at various events.  It probably doesn't help secrecy since I got printed in the local newspaper.

 

I have a 13,000 pound M35A2 in the driveway. It’s likely I have a similar amount (definitely by volume, maybe weight) of LEGO.

Anyone who knows us knows we have LEGO. I just tell them I sold a Robbie house for $400 and they seem to understand (but they don’t, not really).

Yes.

I talk LEGO with my best friend and brother.

It can take some time for people to come to grips with your hobby, especially when it is something to do with children's toys.

But yes, these days I am more than comfortable with it and do it with family and friend-types, as it is an interest of mine. But they bring it up unless they're someone I know is also particularly interested.

I used to keep it a secret but generally everyone at my work knows about my hobby.

It makes life easier as being part of a lug I take part in exhibitions.

So having a supportive boss who asks me about my builds is good, makes getting time to set up much easier.

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 20186 yr by Koori

Heh, my manager is pretty enthusiastic on my behalf in her own way. The company was taken over in April and when members of the training team were over she mentioned that of course I was quick to link things together on the new computer system, as I build with LEGO all the time. I was quite amused. 

My desk is decorated with 2 things; Star Wars & Legos. Don't really discuss it much with others but people know I'm a fan.

I'm 79+ and retired - people always ask what I'm doing in retirement - Lego usually starts quite a conversation. People I know ask 'what are you working on now?'

I don’t talk about it with most of my friends who aren’t interested in it already. There is really only one who understands it, as he collects toys as well. The others think it’s weird I think. I do have a couple AFOL friends that I talk about it with. 

I quite often share interesting MOCs or sets with friends, so yeah, its quite obvious that I'm an AFOL

I used to be a closet AFOL but I've come out to many of my friends and neighbors. I then use their interest as a gauge for how much I'll share with them in the future. Now, how much I spend on Lego...THAT I do keep secret. 

Sure do, life is short, share what you love. Some folks think I'm weird (well I am but that's beside the point) but many more are amazed at what can be done with Lego.

Mainly here, on Brickset, Flickr (have dozens of followers and followees), and my Facebook page...

https://www.facebook.com/Unofficial.LEGO.Sets.Parts.Guide/?ref=bookmarks

Edited May 8, 20186 yr by LEGO Historian

I don’t have any friends that are as big as a fan as me. So I just kill my family with boredom instead.

If you're also asking about other places on the web besides here, sure, Flickr! There are lots of fan builders whom I idolize there who aren't here on Eurobricks, so you get to converse with them on Flickr instead! 

Having said that though, I still wish they were here on Eurobricks too.

Just tell the sceptics that it calms you down after a stressful day at work. When talking to a female, you may want to add that it's healtier than drinking five bottles of beer every night.

On 27.5.2018 at 11:08 PM, 3797 said:

Just tell the sceptics that it calms you down after a stressful day at work. When talking to a female, you may want to add that it's healtier than drinking five bottles of beer every night.

Hehe, yepp. Let's hope that female has got some brains to work out the end result...

 

Lately, my significant other is a bit bored because of my obsession with those ABS parts. I think I need to cut down my enthusiasm a little bit when I'm at home

2 hours ago, Capparezza said:

Let's hope that female has got some brains to work out the end result...

 Let's hope you have the brains not to repeat a statement like this.

On 30.5.2018 at 6:01 PM, Peppermint_M said:

 Let's hope you have the brains not to repeat a statement like this.

I don't quite get your comment? It's not unusual to find out that the other half of population is more attracted to the beer-drinking, gas-guzzling-car-driving, fitness-studio-hardened and thus more "manly" stereotypes than being drawn to a LEGO-building "nerd" driving along in a Fiat Panda... It seems that humanity can't just neglect 100.000 years of evolution in half a century (in neither half of the population).

It was not my intention to harm anyone with my comment, it was merely a reflection on the facts of daily life.

57 minutes ago, Capparezza said:

It was not my intention to harm anyone with my comment

Well try and think through how it sounds before you post it.  It reads like "Women are stupid and will not understand." 

Also, as a Female AFOL, it is this kind of comment that makes the fan community feel like a boys club and not something to try and encourage other women to join. Or to talk about LEGO With outside Eurobricks

To try and pull something like this: 

1 hour ago, Capparezza said:

It's not unusual to find out that the other half of population is more attracted to the beer-drinking, gas-guzzling-car-driving, fitness-studio-hardened and thus more "manly" stereotypes than being drawn to a LEGO-building "nerd" driving along in a Fiat Panda

As an excuse for a comment like that is unfair to men and women. Especially considering a recent action of terror by someone who believed that thought. 

So it may be the facts of daily life for you, which is unfortunate, but the best way to counteract a negative is to adopt an approach that is leaning toward positive. 

Eurobricks is an inclusive and friendly community for all Adult fans of LEGO. So try to avoid comments that insult or belittle. 

Oh wow. Going the conclusion from "that female" to all "women" is a little far fetched, isn't it? I'm not the one extrapolating here... we've been joking about 1 specific incident. Going the way of charging me with prejudice because of this is definitely not the way to go, either.

If you are willing to stay inclusive, then please keep in mind that English is not my first language. So that first sentence, that clearly aroused you so much, may not have the meaning you've been putting into it. And I will try to stay totally serious in the future to avoid such misconceptions.

I don't know about that terror you have mentioned nor the feelings connected to this act. But as you can see I'm trying to take a bit of the hard feelings out of the discussion and try to be more constructive to keep up that good community feeling we are having here on EB.

 

And to the rest: Sorry for all the off-topic....