Am I going through the infamous "Dark Age?"

[PMJ]

I've noticed that in the past three or four years, I have been collecting less and less Lego. I feel pain whenever money leaves my wallet, like I'm wasting my money buying Lego. I don't really feel inspired to build either. This really disappoints me because I've missed out on much of the past few waves of Star Wars, as well as Pharaoh's Quest among many others. Is this a Dark Age? If so, how long does it last? How do I get out of it? How do I catch up on what I missed?

[Nightshroud99]

Yeah I'm in the same boat man. I don't know how long this one will last for me, before it was 6 years from adolescence to near adulthood.

If you're still inclined to collect them then it doesn't seem like you're in a dark age, at least not fully. Only you can tell when and if you'll get inspired again.

[BrickG]

I go through a dark age every other year (and have only been collecting as an adult for like 5 :P).

It's usually caused by the fact that I'm not rich and have to force myself to spend money on things I need. It's also been caused by the fact that while I really like Lego I don't like organizing them (seems to take up 80% of my Lego time).

[Leo604]

I think it's the lackluster inspiration and enthusiasm you feel about building Lego rather than the money-spending; sometimes I feel the latter but end up enjoying what I buy.

Hope you get out of this little phase soon. :)

[shadowhearth]

I think it's is more of the financial side of the problem, then the dark age? I know I can't afford even 10% of stuff I want :(.

Maybe you need to try different lego activities? If you are collector, then try MOCing. If you are Mocing, then try to build the sets you own.

Check the websites and find some awesome moc. Built or or start collecting parts.

Check some official sets and then try build them by only getting stuff from bricklink. Part of scavenger hunt is a a lot of fun in that.

Then you can try by buying 1-2 small sets and try build mocs only from those sets. Something that you had to do back in the day when you were a child and your lego collection was limited. I found that this way your creativity kicks out a lot better then when you have a credit card and bricklink for any type of block.

Just try different activities. If that won't help you, then go cold turkey for 2-3 weeks. That means no lego websites, no browsing lego, no lego checking while shopping for food. ;) I bet on second week you will be itching for some brick action!

[HawkLord]

As mentioned, it may just be a phase. I've taken brakes from alot of collectibles over the years, not because I disliked them necessarily but because I was overloading on them or just being too influenced by other ways to collect.

I agree if you take a break from it and have any kind of longing, then this probably isn't permenant.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

People go through phases

I am here because the hobby I have been enjoying for the last 30 years stopped being fun. so I decided to unpack all my Lego and see where this journey takes me

If any hobby stops being fun you should put it away and explore something else for a while.

If you come back, great. if you go in another direction, maybe you will take something from this hobby to the next one

Above all else, have fun!!

Pete

Edited March 9, 2013 by Pop Bumper Pete

[Hrw-Amen]

When I get like that I tend not to be building anything, but I can still place an order on Bricklink or even with TLG PAB online. They can be small ones, say around £10.00 / $10.00 (Depending on what you have where you live.) I just order bits that I know I use a lot but are running short of. That way when that small order comes I still have a LEGO related activity to sort it all out into the relevant tubs at my work station, which keeps it alive in my mind even though I have spent very little and not done much.

[kibosh]

To me, a dark age is a complete disinterest in LEGO. No purchasing. No building. No looking at LEGO blogs. :-)

Myself, I am on a self imposed LEGO buying embargo unless it is a GREQT deal. I'm concentrating on appreciating what I have, and building more.

[Delta62]

I wouldn't consider it the darkages yet. I've been collecting lego since i was a kid and now as an adult, the entusiasim comes and goes. It depends on the mood and inspiration I guess. Don't worry, its a phase we all go through and we are all in this together!

[cortman]

If you're anything like me my interests come and go, but always stick around. I'll work at a hobby and enjoy it for maybe a year or so, then take a break (lose interest) and focus on another for a while. Then after a bit I'll be back at the first one.

I always have variety, and since I'm always interested in the same 3-4 hobbies, it isn't like any of them is a waste. I'll always return to them at some point.

Take a break. Try something else.

[TheLegoDr]

Time and money should be hobbies for everyone. How do we create more time and money?

I would say a DA is when not wanting anything to do with the hobby. The fact that you still spend some time with it probably shows you aren't completely in the dark. However, that time may be coming soon.It sounds like you don't want it to come, so simply don't let it happen. Buy/build something and get out of your rut. I agree with others when maybe taking a break will allow that creative spark to reignite. Don't look at blogs, don't do anything with LEGO at all and see how quickly you are to come back to it. If you take a longer break than you originally thought you would have, then maybe that is all you needed, a break.

On the other hand, I don't have enough time in the day to build anything, even though I have dozens of things in my head I want to see in brick form. I maybe can build a few hours per week, but I can spend a lot more time on this forum if I want.

[Grimmbeard]

Yes, as most have said, it's probably only a phase. I've gone through a few breaks from Lego, but I've never gone completely away. It sounds that you'll get back in, I mean your still here in the fan community, and you still want to collect. And if you want to collect, you still will, even if it's not as much as you would like it to be.

Anyways, keep brickin'

[kibosh]

If you're anything like me my interests come and go, but always stick around. I'll work at a hobby and enjoy it for maybe a year or so, then take a break (lose interest) and focus on another for a while. Then after a bit I'll be back at the first one.

I always have variety, and since I'm always interested in the same 3-4 hobbies, it isn't like any of them is a waste. I'll always return to them at some point.

Take a break. Try something else.

This is exactly how I am. I also dabble in costuming, and Star Wars props re-creation. Sometimes I concentrate on those for a while, then work my way back to LEGO, and the other way around as well.